The rock/fusion power trio The Aristocrats – featuring Guthrie Govan on guitar, Bryan Beller on bass, and Marco Minnemann on drums bring their tour to Manchester on the back of their second studio album, Culture Clash, released earlier this year to raucous acclaim.
“More fun than fusion has any right to be.” Rhythm Magazine
The word “supergroup” is tossed around a lot in instrumental music circles, the result of a seemingly endless supply of efforts to package together individual virtuoso players and make a band out of them. But every once in a while, thegroup part of that shopworn term becomes authentic and real. Such is the case with The Aristocrats – guitarist Guthrie Govan, bassist Bryan Beller, and drummer Marco Minnemann – who defiantly and joyously blow the supergroup stereotype to bits, thrilling audiences and fans around the world in the process with a preternatural band chemistry that equals exponentially more than the sum of its parts.
The Aristocrats are:
Guthrie Govan is arguably the hottest guitarist on the international music scene today, and his 2006 solo album Erotic Cakes was widely recognized as an instant classic. His top-level touring experience (Asia/GPS, Steven Wilson) complements his busy schedule as one the most in-demand guitar clinician/educators in the world, and he was featured on the cover of Guitar Player Magazine in July of 2011.
Bryan Beller’s numerous credits include guitarists Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa), and the hugely popular metal “band” Dethklok, borne of the Adult Swim (U.S.) animated TV show Metalocalypse. He was featured on the cover of Bass Player Magazine in October of 2012;
Marco Minnemann is widely seen by fans and peers as one of the most gifted, innovative, cutting-edge drummers in the world. He’s graced the covers of several drum magazines (including Modern Drummer) and enjoys an ultra-versatile sideman career (Adrian Belew, UKZ, Steven Wilson, Joe Satriani, Necrophagist). Perhaps less known: He’s a multi-instrumentalist and compulsively productive composer with nearly twenty CD & DVD solo releases to date.
Special guest support tonight from the frankly awesome Godsticks. Self-styled purveyors of progressive rock/pop, they have been notoriously difficult to pigeon-hole, and one of the few new bands who can claim to possess their very own style and sound. Their eponymously titled EP [2009] received great reviews, with the band being considered “a refreshing approach to the contemporary music scene”.
It’s going to be a magnificent night. Tickets on sale now!
This event will begin at 8pm but our Picturehouse Cafe Bar is open from 5.30pm for delicious food and drinks.
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