tag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:/blogs/asiwyfa-news?p=23ASIWYFA News2020-07-02T16:26:26-07:00Sargent Housefalsetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/63741662020-07-02T16:26:26-07:002020-07-03T03:26:23-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar “Successors” EP // Out Now<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/36f671a0ec8e173e0dcdfb80957d58ee6051e057/original/asiwyfa-successors-2000x2000.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a>We are releasing <a contents="And So I Watch You From Afar" data-link-label="And So I Watch You From Afar" data-link-type="page" href="/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> “Successors”, a 3 song EP of songs that recorded in 2015 during the <em>Heirs</em> album sessions. <em>Successors</em> features guest trumpet by Linley Hamilton and some more incredible artwork by Sonny Kay, the master mind behind the original <em>Heirs</em> cover which was nominated for best vinyl art that year. The EP is out now everywhere digitally, available for stream / purchase <a contents="HERE" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://smarturl.it/ASIWYFASuccessors" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</p>
<p>And So I Watch You From Afar “Successors” EP track list: </p>
<p>1. Arpanoid <br>2. Odd Seal <br>3. Radaghast </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/55645732018-12-21T11:56:11-08:002018-12-21T12:08:33-08:00ASIWYFA Track, “Arpanoid” // Free Download via Earthquaker Devices<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1000" data-orig-width="1000"><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="100" data-orig-width="725"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.earthquakerdevices.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/105352149a3e6d90b59a2272cb197efe/tumblr_inline_pk3rjnCISF1qbzv4w_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.earthquakerdevices.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/99ad36adba830171d8d22304edfc07ae/tumblr_inline_pk3rw5G32U1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.earthquakerdevices.com/blog-posts/asiwyfa?fbclid=IwAR0zgGLHhxMinWRuhTrL7NhpMUI9xni3pzWje1_IjEueMwJgFA9Q8dAg7eE" target="_blank"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/760dec0cf48be65dddfcc699dceaf6a1/tumblr_inline_pk3r6y26w51r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p></figure></figure>
<p>Listen to <a data-link-label="And So I Watch You From Afar" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>’s track, “Arpanoid”. Free download is available below on <a href="https://www.earthquakerdevices.com/blog-posts/asiwyfa?fbclid=IwAR0zgGLHhxMinWRuhTrL7NhpMUI9xni3pzWje1_IjEueMwJgFA9Q8dAg7eE" target="_blank">EarthQuaker Devices</a>. <br><a href="https://www.earthquakerdevices.com/blog-posts/asiwyfa?fbclid=IwAR0zgGLHhxMinWRuhTrL7NhpMUI9xni3pzWje1_IjEueMwJgFA9Q8dAg7eE" target="_blank">https://www.earthquakerdevices.com/blog-posts/asiwyfa</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/54068912018-08-29T11:53:00-07:002018-08-29T17:15:32-07:00ASIWYFA Asia + Australia Tour 2018<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="2048" data-orig-width="2048"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/a47322592c3a5bcb2ca0e386603c2c18/tumblr_inline_pe8k1zGQC81r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p></figure>
<p>Tickets available at <a href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">asiwyfa.com</a><br><br>SEP 16 Shanghai, CN @ Concrete & Grass<br>SEP 22 Singapore, SG @ EBX Live Space<br>SEP 27 Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya Stream Hall<br>SEP 28 Aichi, JP @ Nagoya Jammen<br>SEP 29 Osaka, JP @ Socore Factory<br>OCT 04 Sydney, AU @ Manning Bar *<br>OCT 05 Melbourne, AU @ Max Watt’s *<br>OCT 06 Brisbane, AU @ The Triffid *<br>OCT 07 Perth, AU @ Badlands *<br>* = supporting Sleep Makes Waves</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/53432422018-07-12T10:18:24-07:002018-08-08T13:06:49-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar Announce Dates in Australia<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1554" data-orig-width="1100"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/b5c90f3a99ec26db3d91720d4afad626/tumblr_inline_pbpwv3q8yl1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1464" data-orig-width="1032"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://www.asiwyfa.com/blogs/news-and-tumblr-archive.atom" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have announced tour dates in Australia for the first time in support of <a href="http://facebook.com/sleepmakeswaves" target="_blank">sleepmakeswaves</a> 10th Anniversary tour. More information and tickets here: <a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">https://asiwyfa.com/</a><br> </p><!-- more -->
<p>All 2018 tour dates below</p>
<p>JUL 13 Cheltenham, UK @ 2000 Trees 2018<br>JUL 21 Galway, IE @ Galway International Arts Festival<br>JUL 27 Belfast, UK @ Goodbye Mandela<br>AUG 04 Cork, IE @ Indiependence Music Festival<br>AUG 08 Edinburgh, UK @ Edinburgh Fringe Festival at Summerhall<br>AUG 11 Limavady, UK @ Stendhal Festival<br>AUG 16 Bristol, UK @ Arctangent 2018<br>SEP 27 Tokyoi, JP @ Shibuya Stream Hall<br>SEP 28 Aichi, JP @ Nagoya Jammin’<br>SEP 28 Osaka, JP @ Socore Factory<br><br>sleepmakeswaves 10th Anniversary Tour<br>OCT 04 Sydney, NSW @ Manning Bar<br>OCT 05 Melbourne, VIC @ Max Watt’s<br>OCT 06 Brisbane, QLD @ The Triffid<br>OCT 07 Perth, WA @ Badlands<br><br>with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/polymathbrighton/" target="_blank">Poly-Math</a><br>NOV 13 Cardiff, UK @ Club Ifor Bach<br>NOV 14 Leicester, UK @ The Cookie<br>NOV 15 Aldershot, UK @ West End Centre<br>NOV 16 Brighton, UK @ The Haunt<br>NOV 17 Neunkirchen, DE @ Gloomaar Festival *<br>NOV 18 Hasselt, BE @ Muziekodroom *<br>*no Polymath</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/53285412018-07-02T11:23:59-07:002018-08-08T13:07:01-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar announce UK Tour Dates<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1278" data-orig-width="1278"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/effef90bb0697bffdf5e52456bc19406/tumblr_inline_pb94dfmSOj1qbzv4w_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have announced dates in the UK with Polymath in November.</p>
<p>All 2018 tour dates below</p>
<p>JUL 13 Cheltenham, UK @ 2000 Trees 2018<br>JUL 21 Galway, IE @ Galway International Arts Festival<br>JUL 27 Belfast, UK @ Goodbye Mandela<br>AUG 04 Cork, IE @ Indiependence Music Festival<br>AUG 08 Edinburgh, UK @ Edinburgh Fringe Festival at Summerhall<br>AUG 11 Limavady, UK @ Stendhal Festival<br>AUG 16 Bristol, UK @ Arctangent 2018<br>NOV 13 Cardiff, UK @ Club Ifor Bach *<br>NOV 14 Leicester, UK @ The Cookie *<br>NOV 15 Aldershot, UK @ West End Centre *<br>NOV 16 Brighton, UK @ The Haunt *<br>NOV 17 Neunkirchen, DE @ Gloomaar Festival<br>NOV 18 Hasselt, BE @ Muziekodroom</p>
<p>*With Polymath</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/53206532018-06-27T11:57:26-07:002018-08-08T13:07:12-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar announce 2018 Japan dates<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1080" data-orig-width="1080"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/f4f516ac6fb5f2b1a8a4951acc35fcd9/tumblr_inline_pazwjqFuGc1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>And So I Watch You From Afar have announced dates in Japan in 2018.</p>
<p>SEP 27 Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya Stream Hall<br>SEP 28 Aichi, JP @ Nagoya Jammen<br>SEP 29 Osaka, JP @ Socore Factory</p>
<p>All dates and ticket <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">here.</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/52941912018-06-13T15:13:57-07:002018-08-08T13:07:50-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar: 10 Guitarists That Blew Our Minds // Music Radar<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="54" data-orig-width="540"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.musicradar.com" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/9c982ddb9664df21d156a6d8d2dc8f92/tumblr_inline_paa82pPpq41r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="174" data-orig-width="626"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.musicradar.com/news/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-these-are-the-10-guitarists-that-blew-our-minds" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/115d2bafacd8e35a896b09c001952e97/tumblr_inline_paa845THjK1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="365" data-orig-width="650"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.musicradar.com/news/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-these-are-the-10-guitarists-that-blew-our-minds" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/81abd4e79a0711d6b380fe71ba9961a5/tumblr_inline_paa83m52Vt1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p></figure>
<p>When they burst on the scene with their debut self-titled record, <a href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> were a revelation.</p>
<p>Frenetic math-rock influenced punk instrumentals with titles like Set Guitars To Kill, Start A Band and Don’t Waste Time Doing Things You Hate were a wake-up call for the post-rock genre, and the band rode high on their unique sound.</p>
<p>Their fifth album, The Endless Shimmering, boasts some of their most grandiose, powerful riffing yet, so ahead of a summer tour of the UK and Ireland, we caught up with guitarists Rory Friers and Niall Kennedy to find out who their favourite players are, in no particular order…</p>
<p>Full feature by Alex Lynham via <a href="https://www.musicradar.com/news/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-these-are-the-10-guitarists-that-blew-our-minds" target="_blank">Music Radar</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/52850102018-06-08T12:17:03-07:002018-08-08T13:08:00-07:00Listen to And So I Watch You From Afar’s 2000trees Spotify Playlist<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="540" data-orig-src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/2876ea56cc65b664667d892b8c07f113/tumblr_inline_pa0offi8SP1r1itoc_540.jpg" data-orig-width="540"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/f4c841d86832d04a008e949ba7bc900c/tumblr_inline_pa0r2eEvXN1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /></p></figure>
<p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/2000trees/playlist/4g6VEEvY7a0ehLGr6D5Hmr?si=GSQO0ZyWTWu7JNYztHPOVQ" target="_blank"><span style="color:null;">A</span></a><span style="color:null;">nd So I Watch You From Afar have curated a playlist for 2000trees Fesitval Spotify Takeover. Listen </span><a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/2000trees/playlist/4g6VEEvY7a0ehLGr6D5Hmr?si=GSQO0ZyWTWu7JNYztHPOVQ" target="_blank"><span style="color:null;">Here.</span></a></p>
<p><span style="color:null;"><!-- more --></span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;">And So I Watch You From Afar tour dates:</span></p>
<p><span style="color:null;">JUN 14 York, UK @ Fibbers JUN 15 Guildford, UK @ Boiler room JUN 16 Paderborn, DE @ Wintergrün Festival @ Seemöwe JUN 28 Sheffield, UK @ The Plug JUN 29 Milton Keynes, UK @ Crawfurd Arms JUN 30 Antwerp, BEL @ Summer Gloom JUL 13 Cheltenham, UK @ 2000 Trees 2018 JUL 21 Galway, IE @ Galway International Arts Festival AUG 04 Cork, IE @ Indiependence Music Festival AUG 08 Edinburgh, UK @ Edinburgh Fringe Festival at Summerhall AUG 10 Londonderry, UK @ Stendhal Festival AUG 16 Bristol, UK @ Arctangent 2018</span></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/52515912018-05-22T10:32:11-07:002018-08-08T13:08:26-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar Live 360° Video // BBC - Across The Line<figure data-orig-height="64" data-orig-width="188"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/5cd1e1c2413c18c8cd11bc8d411eca80/tumblr_inline_p954eaG6HA1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="116" data-orig-width="754"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/d22b8dbb8a99ed77a7cab2748308ed82/tumblr_inline_p954eboeOP1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/d5735a9d62b198e4912962a3bd4d2d24/tumblr_inline_p954eauWXU1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4WCbELTREsI?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="540"></iframe></p></figure>
<p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> performs “Terrors Of Pleasure.” Recorded as part of <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007cpgz" target="_blank">Across The Line</a> ‘Live at The Biggest Fringe’ event. </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/52370392018-05-15T11:47:17-07:002018-08-08T13:08:44-07:00Rory Friers of ASIWYFA Talks Inspiration // BBC<figure data-orig-height="56" data-orig-width="196"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/304fd46701172867348467b9cf0a8675/tumblr_inline_p8s9fqxc051r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="100" data-orig-width="510"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/5d6cb40bb623e4a36a90279e919040a3/tumblr_inline_p8s9frWqKY1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/3c41283217a12422921e6defbcccb69b/tumblr_inline_p8s9fsTGCv1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>Rory Friers of post-rock behemoths<a href="https://www.facebook.com/andsoiwatchyoufromafar/" target="_blank"> And So I Watch You From Afar</a> talks about what inspires him musically and beyond.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/acrosstheline/entries/f73eeca7-1d53-45ab-95db-d0728f6483d5?ns_linkname=northern_ireland&ns_source=twitter&ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=across_the_line" target="_blank">LISTEN HERE.</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/51643362018-04-04T12:17:05-07:002018-04-05T12:17:21-07:00ASIWYFA Live Set // Across The Line broadcast from BBC Blackstaff Studios<figure data-orig-height="78" data-orig-width="224"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/acrosstheline/entries/0e84f9ce-4369-48c9-98f2-4c19f820769b?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=across_the_line&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=northern_ireland" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/ec0a93c88ecae3e95d3cd47f0f2ace9b/tumblr_inline_p6odhkwcz41r1itoc_540.png" class="size_m justify_inline border_" /></a></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="360" data-orig-width="640"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/acrosstheline/entries/0e84f9ce-4369-48c9-98f2-4c19f820769b?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=across_the_line&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=northern_ireland" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/c94e8cd0548e47d0056e71f21731db68/tumblr_inline_p6odgf8wPc1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_xl justify_inline border_" /></a></figure>
<p>Full article via <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/acrosstheline/entries/0e84f9ce-4369-48c9-98f2-4c19f820769b?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=across_the_line&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=northern_ireland" target="_blank">BBC</a></p>
<p>The first acts have been announced for a special Across The Line broadcast from BBC Blackstaff Studios on Monday 21st May with short, sharp live sets from <a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>, <a href="http://www.katharinephilippa.com/" target="_blank">Katharine Philippa</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cherymofficial/" target="_blank">Cherym</a>.</p>
<p>Information on how to apply for tickets for the intimate floor show – plus the final three acts on the bill – will be announced on next week’s Across The Line.</p><!-- more -->
<p>The broadcast is part of the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/29Y6jQMm8jPN9mNnQGVd7d9/the-biggest-weekend-uk-fringe" target="_blank">Biggest Weekend Fringe</a> – an ambitious 10-day outreach programme in the lead up to the Biggest Weekend. The Fringe will include live broadcasts, musical performances, industry insight, workshops and Q&As with BBC Radio DJs and influential figures, with full details to be released soon.</p>
<p>New, live and emerging music will also be celebrated with further BBC and independently run events, with this element of the Biggest Weekend Fringe open to any UK music venue, promoter or organiser to get involved with - details <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/29Y6jQMm8jPN9mNnQGVd7d9/the-biggest-weekend-uk-fringe" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>In addition, on Saturday 21st April the BBC is hosting <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/date/employability_belfast" target="_blank">an employability event</a> for young people, providing digital, creative and employability skills, and an opportunity to apply for several work experience placements at the Biggest Weekend festival site. The event for 16-24 year olds is <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/date/employability_belfast" target="_blank">open for registration now</a> and will run in The Oh Yeah Centre, Belfast.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/51556992018-03-29T17:11:37-07:002018-03-30T16:50:07-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar @ Stendahal Festival<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1200" data-orig-width="848"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/eeaa345115b380c8ef9b486105355aa5/tumblr_inline_p6dn4tOfc01r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p></figure>
<p>More info <a href="http://stendhalfestival.com" target="_blank">HERE</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/51528132018-03-28T10:44:00-07:002018-03-30T16:50:17-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar @ 2000 Trees Festival 2018<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="640" data-orig-width="453"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk/" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/98dfd3eaaf8a16b53122801dcf53efa8/tumblr_inline_p69zndG6vA1qbzv4w_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p></figure>
<p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> will be performing at 2000 Trees Festival.<br>More details <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/51495772018-03-26T12:11:34-07:002018-03-28T17:44:42-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar @ Summer Gloom 2018<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="539" data-orig-width="960"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/tickets-summer-gloom-43845038691" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/40b9a84bdb07d218b1735df60b8e0df3/tumblr_inline_p67pr0d34e1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_xl justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></figure>
<p><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/edit/asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have joined the line-up for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/summergloomantwerpen/" target="_blank">Summer Gloom</a> 2018 in Antwerp, BE (June 30).<br>Ticket info <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/tickets-summer-gloom-43845038691" target="_blank">HERE</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/51087382018-03-02T10:45:26-08:002018-03-28T17:44:04-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar @ ArcTanGent 2018<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1402" data-orig-width="998"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/c32c3c71c718af7b377681ebfce65c37/tumblr_inline_p4z82szeds1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p></figure>
<p><a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> will be headlining ArcTanGent 2018 on Thursday August 16, 2018 in Bristol, UK. Tickets and more information <a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">here.</a> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/50967722018-02-23T14:27:02-08:002018-02-26T12:22:30-08:00‘The Cured’ Out Now // Soundtrack by Rory Friers And Niall Kennedy of ASIWYFA<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="83" data-orig-width="447"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://filmmusicreporter.com/2018/02/22/the-cured-soundtrack-details/" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/39e3213e428f2a8a48d91830196971c7/tumblr_inline_p4mk96Q8BB1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_xl justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="478" data-orig-width="850"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/84af73c2ed5fa6b6707e943f539c6bb4/tumblr_inline_p4mkfuYW5O1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_xl justify_inline border_" /></figure>
<p>Full article via <a contents="Film Music Reporter" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://filmmusicreporter.com/2018/02/22/the-cured-soundtrack-details/" target="_blank">Film Music Reporter</a></p>
<p>Lakeshore Records will release a soundtrack album for the horror thriller The Cured. The album features the film’s original music composed by Rory Friers & Niall Kennedy of the Irish rock band <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>. The soundtrack will be released digitally on March 2, 2018 and is now available for pre-order on <a href="http://amzn.to/2GAYCha" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. The Cured is written and directed by David Freyne and stars Ellen Page, Sam Keeley, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and Paula Malcomson. The movie is set in a future where zombies try to reintegrate with society after a plague infects mankind. The thriller premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival and is being released in select theaters and on VOD this weekend by IFC Films. Visit the <a href="http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/the-cured" target="_blank">official movie website</a> for more information.</p><!-- more -->
<p>1. Memories (1:03)<br>2. It’ll Get Back to Normal, You’ll See (1:16)<br>3. Released from Quarantine: The Anti Cured (3:17)<br>4. Abbie and Senan (0:35)<br>5. The First Nightmare (1:33)<br>6. Senan Goes to Work (1:07)<br>7. Senan Meets Jo (2:45)<br>8. Washing Jo (1:48)<br>9. Cantor Attacks Conor (1:01)<br>10. Conor and Abbie in the Park (3:13)<br>11. Senan Talks to Lyons: A Resistant Dies (3:57)<br>12. The Attack (3:59)<br>13. The Arrest: The Second Nightmare (1:50)<br>14. Finding Luke: The Hill (2:11)<br>15. Bike Ride (0:34)<br>16. Conor Visits (3:14)<br>17. Cantor Visits Abbie (1:28)<br>18. Abbie Goes to the Detention Centre (1:57)<br>19. The Chase (1:55)<br>20. Jo Attacks Lyons (1:30)<br>21. The Garden (1:55)<br>22. Break In (0:14)<br>23. Meeting at the Detention Centre (2:23)<br>24. Conor Tells Abbie (1:53)<br>25. Conor Is Betrayed (3:23)<br>26. Outbreak of the Resistant (4:55)<br>27. Jo and Lyons Reunited (1:17)<br>28. Freeing of the Resistant (5:58)<br>29. Abbie Escapes from the Stadium (1:50)<br>30. Jo Leaves the Hospital (1:02)<br>31. Abbie Returns Home (2:54)<br>32. Senan and Cillian (End Credits) (3:53)<br>33. End Credits (Orchestral) (6:09)</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/50967732018-02-23T14:24:15-08:002018-02-26T12:20:57-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar @ Indiependence Festival 2018<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1316" data-orig-width="950"><p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://indiependencefestival.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/77ef9230afab82d06e33b9db2bb8c97f/tumblr_inline_p4mjjvgiSR1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p></figure>
<p><a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> will be playing at Indiependence Festival 2018.</p>
<p>More information and tickets <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://indiependencefestival.com/" target="_blank">here.</a> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/50629452018-02-05T12:37:29-08:002018-02-08T14:57:50-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar @ ArcTanGent Festival 2018<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="70" data-orig-width="404"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/6620f0cafef5eba6e9923fb112453157/tumblr_inline_p3p0n3wxOL1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">ArcTanGent Festival 2018: First 15 acts announced for the UK’s premier math and post rock event</h2>
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<p><i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> will headline the Thursday night of ArcTanGent 2018 (Ciara McMullan)</i></p>
<p>Firm ArcTanGent favourites And So I Watch You From Afar will headline the Thursday night performing their fifth album, The Endless Shimmering in full. Of the festival, guitarist Rory Friers said “every year ArcTanGent makes a home for strange bands like us, our peers around the world and the amazing people who make it such a special scene to be a part of. We feel very lucky to be a part of that family and to be headlining the Thursday night is something very special for us.”</p>
<p>ArcTanGent 2018 takes place 16<sup>th</sup> – 18<sup>th</sup> August at Fernhill Farm, Bristol. Tickets are <a href="http://www.arctangent.co.uk/tickets/" target="_blank">available now</a>. Day tickets will also be available for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday.</p>
<p>Full article via <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/arctangent-festival-2018-first-15-acts-announced-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-a8191621.html" target="_blank">Independent</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/50559032018-02-01T04:00:06-08:002018-02-08T14:58:09-08:00Rory & Niall of ASIWYFA Film Score // ‘The Cured’<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-orig-height="304" data-orig-width="540" data-provider="youtube" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Ftime_continue%3D157%26v%3DfSutgzDY_I4"><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fSutgzDY_I4?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="540"></iframe></p></figure>
<p>Rory Friers and Niall Kennedy of the Irish rock band <a href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have recently composed the music for the upcoming horror thriller The Cured.</p>
<p>More info @ <a href="http://filmmusicreporter.com/2017/09/04/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afars-rory-friers-niall-kennedy-scoring-the-cured/" target="_blank">Film Music Reporter</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/50400582018-01-23T12:11:40-08:002018-02-08T14:58:53-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar Interview // The Seventh Hex<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="178" data-orig-width="449"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/ef7bf82e32cc3bea9aab9cf81c6fa9d3/tumblr_inline_p30y98nMxV1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="480" data-orig-width="854"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/a81dbca10b157e86a27be9cd14ed8e77/tumblr_inline_p30y9urd0B1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p></figure>
<p>Photo by Ciara McMullan<br>Interview via <a href="http://theseventhhex.com/post/169997923150/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-interview" target="_blank">The Seventh Hex</a></p>
<p>‘<a href="https://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/the-endless-shimmering" target="_blank">The Endless Shimmering</a>’, the fifth album by Belfast, Northern Ireland quartet <a href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>, is the sound of a band operating on its purest instincts. Every individual is an algorithm of prior lives and experience acting as its own sovereign entity. ‘The Endless Shimmering’ is visceral and expressive — decidedly alive and purely instinctual; not conceptualized or postured. It’s ASIWYFA — guitarists Rory Friers and Niall Kennedy, bassist Johnathan Adger and drummer Chris Wee — manifest as a being beyond itself. Laced with a renewed level of optimism, ASIWYFA offer an anthemic rush that makes way for transcendental experiences and for individuals to soundtrack the band’s sounds to whatever they need in their life at this moment… We talk to Rory Friers about being led by instinct, endurance challenges and supper clubs…</p><!-- more -->
<p><b>TSH: Talk us through wanting a more brutal outcome as you readied ‘The Endless Shimmering’…</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> I think we wanted to be brutal in particular with our ideas and choices of songs, as well as the willingness of just letting ideas go. The whole dynamic was very much instinctual and we tried to just allow things to happen naturally. It was really cool to just judge ideas by how they felt live in the room in real time, as opposed to being too precious about things.</p>
<p><b>TSH: Has the band’s technical evolution, led by instinct, served you well overall?</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> Yeah, I mean it’s better not to have restrictions or boundaries in place, which is something we’ve tried to do since the very beginning of the band. We always try to not be scared to wear our influences on our sleeve, and to also not be scared to allow any good music, regardless of genre or style, to inform what we do. Overall, our latest album represents the four of us playing our instruments in a room with no other additions.</p>
<p><b>TSH: You recorded in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, locked off from the world and able to zero in on your work. How was your time spent there?</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> Ah, man, it was a great trip. It was the first time we’d travelled overseas to record anything and it was quite a wild experience. The moment we got there we were jet-lagged so we had some beers before starting to get to work. The place itself was really beautiful and when we arrived there was a snowstorm coming in! We were cut off in our little studio apartment with 11 songs that we’d been rehearsing for a long time. It was definitely the immersive kind of experience that we’d hoped for. We lived and breathed the album for two weeks.</p>
<p><b>TSH: Is the consistent ebb and flow throughout this record one that you feel came about naturally?</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> To a certain extent I feel like the ebb and flow was something that just seems to fall into place organically, yes. There is normally an idea that dictates the rehearsal space and tightens up the songs. We knew every corner of this record and constantly played the record in order of the sequence that we wanted on the album, which in turn helped the ebb and flow. The record was simply so ingrained within us, so we were able to convey just what we wanted.</p>
<p><b>TSH: How did you go about forming ‘Three Triangles’?</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> Originally that song was three completely separate songs. Again, the idea of this song goes back to being brutal and cutting back parts that don’t fit in or make us too excited. We took three tracks and split them because there was too much wish-washy going on. Towards the end of the writing sessions we decided to keep just the elements that we liked within the three tracks and pieced it together into one cohesive song with ‘Three Triangles’.</p>
<p><b>TSH: Moreover, what resonates with you most about ‘Dying Giants’?</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> That track has collective memories for me regarding writing and recording it. I definitely have some imagery attached to the song and it encapsulates certain themes, but I like to keep those close to myself. I personally prefer art that can allow for various connections with the user. I think if the composer of the art is too explicit with descriptions, it takes away the magic, well it does for me anyway. I just love reading people’s interpretations of our songs mostly.</p>
<p><b>TSH: How have the recent live shows been with new material?</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> I think this latest record - more than any other that we’ve done - has hit the ground running in terms of when we perform it live. I guess the reason for this is because of how meticulous we were in the recordings; we already knew how to play the songs live by going in and pressing record. Overall, it’s been nice to see audiences shouting out for new songs instead of old ones. The new batch of songs has gone down really well when we play live.</p>
<p><b>TSH: It’s been noted that since you were young you’d set endurance challenges for yourself, such as holding your breath. Do you opt to do the same via marathons nowadays?</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> Haha! I guess I do that, don’t I? It probably comes from this ADHD that I’ve got. And, yes, I recently have turned my sights to long distance running and marathons, which has been really cool. I like a bit of a challenge, but it’s funny because I’m not sporty whatsoever! I’m not even slightly into competitiveness or competition. I don’t like the idea of people beating other people - it’s just a world I’m not interested in…</p>
<p><b>TSH:</b> So watching the tennis at Wimbledon was just for fun?</p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> Ha! Maybe Wimbledon is an exception; I couldn’t help but get caught up in the moment. However, I did have some Pimms that day, so maybe that’s why.</p>
<p><b>TSH: You also run supper clubs outside of music. Is food another passion of yours?</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> Yeah, I really love cooking. Food is a big love of mine outside of music. Me and Niall from the band have run quite a few supper clubs to date. Also, me and my girlfriend run a Korean supper club. It’s just for fun really. We do them every now and then in town and get 30 or 40 people to attend and we cook food for everyone.</p>
<p><b>TSH: When you need to recharge from touring, do you tend to get away from it all?</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> Oh, of course. My family is from the very north tip of Northern Ireland. We all grew up near the ocean and after every tour it’s the first place I’ll try and go to. The clean air out there is a good reset button from the chaos of touring.</p>
<p><b>TSH: Finally, with ASIWYFA, is the notion of exploring new ground one that drives you guys to always change the conversation?</b></p>
<p><b>Rory:</b> Yeah, it’s vital to have this type of drive for any band because it leads to new types of creativity and keeps you satisfied. You’ve always got to feel like you’re exploring new ground whilst also falling back on your past to guide you in certain places. We just always want to do better and continue to write exciting stuff each time we get together. It’s important for the four of us to find new territory. Our ambition is to keep making music that satisfies our urges and to then share it with our loyal fans. Right now, we’re really happy and content with the band’s development.</p>
<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-orig-height="304" data-orig-width="540" data-provider="youtube" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DpTacz_X6jz4"><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pTacz_X6jz4?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="540"></iframe></p></figure>
<p><i>And So I Watch You From Afar - “A Slow Unfolding Of Wings”</i></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/50333152018-01-19T10:32:18-08:002018-02-08T14:59:12-08:00Rory Friers Speaking at OutPut Bellfast<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="236" data-orig-width="532"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/c008e76d24e9b88ca91d7d58748154b2/tumblr_inline_p2tfg6fex91r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
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<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="742" data-orig-width="1220"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/8d36dde15771c79715ddfb96e7364060/tumblr_inline_p2tfg8HGU81r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="948" data-orig-width="1226" style=""><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/f2bcc9cfd8490f3f223cdef4ddbbed2f/tumblr_inline_p2tfgaZFKn1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
<p>We are excited to announce that our very own Rory Friers will be the closing keynote speakers at this year’s Output festival in Belfast.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/50097972018-01-05T12:23:33-08:002018-02-08T14:59:30-08:00“The Endless Shimmering” Voted #1 On Top Math Rock Ablums of 2017 // FeckingBahamas<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="68" data-orig-width="540"><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/2b31bab0669f9f922970527e37ac42ea/tumblr_inline_p23n47f7w21r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p></figure>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><b>1. And So I Watch You From Afar – The Endless Shimmering</b></p>
<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-orig-height="304" data-orig-width="540" data-provider="youtube" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FpTacz_X6jz4"><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pTacz_X6jz4?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="540"></iframe></p></figure>
<p>Full article via <a href="http://feckingbahamas.com/the-end-of-year-report-2017-results-1" target="_blank">Fecking Bahamas.</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49849942017-12-19T11:46:28-08:002017-12-19T15:15:31-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar Live In Belfast // GIGGING<figure data-orig-width="412" data-orig-height="164" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/dcbb1d508a453d547cc919fbe9e32d63/tumblr_inline_p183kp7T1O1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="2410" data-orig-height="1028" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/599f61ac8f684f06c518cc921437c76e/tumblr_inline_p183l2sKo41r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1280" data-orig-height="194" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/1de40248e9f41f059762d0857c52c944/tumblr_inline_p183kvzaPL1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><p>Full article via <a href="https://www.giggingni.com/2017/12/photos-asiwyfa-telegraph-building-belfast/" target="_blank">GIGGING.</a></p><!-- more --><figure data-orig-width="1440" data-orig-height="959" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/e24d3c5fe2f7dbdf97b01daa4cadb31b/tumblr_inline_p183l3njee1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><p><br></p><figure data-orig-width="1440" data-orig-height="810" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/c70d5bc7a7fdab4cd34bbb4234e01f16/tumblr_inline_p183l4cIlz1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1440" data-orig-height="1440" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/a64cc97e3cde75f150af4e4de482e6cc/tumblr_inline_p183l5iAV81r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1440" data-orig-height="959" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/be04d461334ef6f262423f87b1f85f5f/tumblr_inline_p183l8UnMc1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1440" data-orig-height="959" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/6804c1e01c6e34e00912fa16112cd528/tumblr_inline_p183lapYC11r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1440" data-orig-height="959" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/1e9d7c83181a4ba4f37ee2a1c9733511/tumblr_inline_p183lbeebv1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49836262017-12-18T12:43:19-08:002017-12-20T15:29:29-08:00ASIWYFA – The Endless Shimmering // AOTY 2017 on Repeater<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="56" data-orig-width="322"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.repeater.show/our-top-10-albums-of-2017/" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/372c4e314df45d5040d029acb3d5bbba/tumblr_inline_p16c7pK6Z21r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="66" data-orig-width="720"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.repeater.show/our-top-10-albums-of-2017/" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/7f2b1cbf5130ea5c12e01f261fcf17ca/tumblr_inline_p16byc8OZD1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a></figure>
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<p><b>3. <a href="https://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/the-endless-shimmering" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar – The Endless Shimmering</a></b></p>
<p>This album is devoid of lyrics, and at first glance, the only semblance of meaning comes from the <a href="https://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/the-endless-shimmering" target="_blank">album title</a> and the cryptic song titles. Endless Shimmering ranges from thunderous to delicate. Every sound feels deliberately placed, with all of the excess trimmed. This album is a wild ride that is relentlessly positive and in the end, leaves you with a smile on your face.<br>Check out: <a href="https://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/track/mullally" target="_blank">“Mullally”</a></p>
<p>Full list via <a contents="Repeater" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.repeater.show/our-top-10-albums-of-2017/" target="_blank">Repeater</a> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49765972017-12-13T16:30:18-08:002017-12-13T23:00:52-08:00THREE TRIANGLES IPA // A collaboration between ASIWYFA & Lacada Brewery.<img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/c0c63aca7a330c2e0af79426bd8c1271/tumblr_inline_p0xdazVLBI1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><p>A few months ago <a href="https://sargenthouse.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">ASIWYFA</a> teamed up with Lacada, a co-operative, community owned brewery on the North Coast of Ireland, who brew some of the best Irish beer. Lacada have a similar core philosophy of DIY self-sufficieny and had the idea to create a beer that encapsulated and complimented the songs on the new ASIWYFA album “The Endless Shimmering”, something that could be drank as you listened. A big fruity IPA would fit the bill perfectly (more notes below). ASIWYFA developed their own recipe with the master brewers at Lacada, and were there right through the process, from brew day to bottling and labelling the beer, and now its ready to be drank and so we give you, Three Triangles IPA and you can buy it <a href="https://www.fairleys-wines.co.uk/craft-beers/irish-craft-beers/lacada-brewery-co-operative/lacada-three-triangles-ipa" target="_blank">here. </a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49722512017-12-11T11:04:11-08:002017-12-11T13:15:38-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar Live Sessions // Start Together Studios & The Live Room Belfast<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-provider="youtube" data-orig-width="540" data-orig-height="304" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dy5m7ZVVsxE4"><iframe width="540" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y5m7ZVVsxE4?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure><p><a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have partnered with <a href="https://www.starttogetherstudio.com/" target="_blank">Start Together Studio Belfast</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk-YKgmfwDPJiicjK2fqpQw" target="_blank">The Live Room Belfast</a> for a series of live videos. ASIWYFA will be performing in their hometown of Belfast at the new Telegraph Building on Saturday, December 16th. Tickets and more Irish dates <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">here.</a><br></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49705422017-12-09T21:47:35-08:002017-12-09T22:45:41-08:00Playlist: And So I Watch You From Afar – tour listening // Alt Dialogue<figure data-orig-width="1964" data-orig-height="616" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/7dc3d53c56a9ed2d6e557a190d259c14/tumblr_inline_p0qdcyL7Al1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1274" data-orig-height="256" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/75b5880eafd6f18e08c530bece05512e/tumblr_inline_p0qdcu41rw1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="620" data-orig-height="264" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/c8f55252838005b9957012c9336b8b14/tumblr_inline_p0qdcvT33q1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><p>Off the back of their recent European tour (with Ireland dates to come this month) and <a href="https://altdialogue.com/2017/10/12/album-review-the-endless-shimmering-by-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar/" target="_blank">The Endless Shimmering</a> being named our <a href="https://altdialogue.com/2017/12/03/alt-dialogues-top-100-albums-of-2017-part-2-50-1/" target="_blank">Top Album of 2017</a>, we caught up with And So I Watch You From Afar guitarist Rory Friers to find out what he listens to on tour…<br></p><p>Full article via <a href="https://altdialogue.com/2017/12/07/playlist-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-tour-listening/" target="_blank">Alt Dialogue.</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49621032017-12-04T12:16:13-08:002017-12-04T15:15:24-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar is #1 on Alt Dialogue's Top 100 Albums of 2017<figure data-orig-width="1962" data-orig-height="618" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/05d852d07caa63dc55254e59e4231aa7/tumblr_inline_p0gdiflCrE1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1306" data-orig-height="282" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/ea846941e4a0fe103cdd3bc84e8db821/tumblr_inline_p0gdimyqgJ1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1200" data-orig-height="1200" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/bc728c13d34c9f9faf4fd2f91b9c2f4c/tumblr_inline_p0gdj8MpAd1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>Congratulations to <a href="https://sargenthouse.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> for winning the #1 spot on Alt Dialogue’s Top 100 Albums of the year with ‘The Endless Shimmering.’</p><p>Full list <a href="https://altdialogue.com/2017/12/03/alt-dialogues-top-100-albums-of-2017-part-2-50-1/" target="_blank">here.</a></p><p>Full review <a href="https://altdialogue.com/2017/10/12/album-review-the-endless-shimmering-by-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar/" target="_blank">here.</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49534572017-11-28T12:34:56-08:002017-11-28T19:00:48-08:00Interview: Niall Kennedy from And So I Watch You From Afar // Spectrum Culture<figure data-orig-width="744" data-orig-height="158" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/17398ba28dfb55c08faa4e6bcd03a653/tumblr_inline_p05ad4WVoj1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1732" data-orig-height="824" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/206639326dd1a33b027ee26276c89fa1/tumblr_inline_p05adlOZFz1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><p>Belfast’s best musical export rides on. The exuberant, ridiculous, brilliant <a href="https://sargenthouse.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> just released their fifth album The Endless Shimmering to acclaim here on Spectrum Culture and continued their streak as one of math-rock’s most euphoric bands. Guitarists Niall Kennedy and Rory Friers, drummer Chris Wee and bassist Johnny Adger passed a decade as a band in 2015 and haven’t slowed down an inch. The new album flexes some hitherto unseen muscle, but still keeps things as bright and cheery as their old work, creating one of the year’s finest metal experiences.</p><p>Full interview via <a href="http://spectrumculture.com/2017/11/27/interview-niall-kennedy-watch-afar/" target="_blank">Spectrum Culture.</a></p><!-- more --><p>We caught guitarist Niall Kennedy over Skype while on tour in Germany. We discussed just how many riffs it takes to get to the center of an ASIWYFA album, writing unexpected lullabies and their version of Guitar Hero.<br></p><p>The opening track “Three Triangles” has a sort of samba section at the end of it, which is something I haven’t heard y’all experiment with. How did that flavor come about?</p><p>I don’t know if I can pinpoint it, but I can say that we just spent an awful lot of time in the practice room for this record, just rehearsing and jamming. Ideas only stuck around if everyone was really excited by them and anything that wasn’t getting us going we just threw out. We just kept it brutal like that. I guess that was just something we were into that day.</p><p>I like how you said, kept it brutal, because, bit of a tangent here, I have synesthesia where I see colors when I hear music. And your last two records were just incredibly colorful. This one is a lot darker, more punishing. Was there a transition here between those two sounds?</p><p>Yeah, I mean we wrote an awful lot of songs for this album. Certain songs—we would just kind of demo stuff and everyone was listening to all the tracks throughout the year on their iPhones and stuff. And eventually the songs that are on the album now just kind of presented themselves as the ones that really needed to be on the album. There’s loads of really great stuff that didn’t make it. Like some of my favorite riffs from this album aren’t on this album. These songs just came together and felt like the right choice.</p><p>When we started out, the only thing we talked about doing for this album that we planned was just to spend an awful lot of time writing it. As opposed to the last two records which we wrote three-quarters of it and then went into the studio and experimented and finished off bits in there and came up with ideas in the studio. This one we wanted everything dialed to the nth degree and absolutely 100 percent sure of what we were doing before we went to the studio. And then we wanted to just record a really good live version of that album. There’s nothing more than that that we agreed upon before we started writing it. And it just kind of came out that way.</p><p>But I’ve spoken to a couple of people who seem to think that the first two albums are a pair of albums and the last two albums are a pair of albums that go together. And then this album is different again. Maybe the next one will be a sequel to that. I don’t know, we’ll have to see. I feel like there’s definitely a different direction with this stuff. It feels a bit, to me, like we took some of the stuff we learnt over the previous records and touring for all these years and focused all that stuff into the writing process for this.</p><p>That’s interesting you say there were a lot of riffs left off the album. My favorite song “Mullally”—is that how you say it?</p><p>Sure (laughs).</p><p>It feels like it could be five or six different songs, because, even though its cohesive, it’s like here’s a riff, here’s a riff in a very quick succession. And I was wondering how that came to be, because it feels like another band would just be like “oh this one riff will be one song.”</p><p>(laughs) Yeah! It’s weird. The first riff that was written for that song was the riff that comes in three-quarters of the way in—the kind of bridge section. That’s something I remember trying out in a soundcheck like a year and a half ago or something. And then you just kind of write all this other stuff and then you realize certain things. “Oh that would go into that really well” and you just try stuff out and if it fits, it fits and you refine it and refine it again and throw out a couple of bars (laughs), until you’ve crafted something that everyone’s really happy with.</p><p>I think it just comes from playing stuff over and over and over and over and over again in the practice room. And very quickly a part will get boring. If it’s boring, it’ll get boring to us first. Then we’ll be like, “ok, we need to change something here” or introduce something new. That’s generally the way it happens. And that can only really happen if you play something a million times.</p><p>The other song that really caught my attention the first few times I listened through was “Dying Giants.” Cause I’ve noticed that there’s this pattern you guys have these seven minute-plus songs on each album: “Young Brave Minds” on All Hail Bright Futures, the title track and “A Beacon, A Compass, An Anchor” on Heirs. And they’re all in the middle of these quicker, smaller songs. What makes you put “K is for Killing Spree” or “Young Brave Minds” next to the other tracks?</p><p>I don’t know! I feel like we’re trying to be led by our instinct as much as possible and to follow those gut feelings and just trust whatever is exciting you the most. A few people have asked why there isn’t any vocals on this record, and it’s really just that there was no point which we felt “oh vocals would be great here.” We just went on our gut feeling. That song was one of those that came together pretty quickly from several different riffs and just felt really good in the room and we just knew it was going to be on the record for—since it was written. It is kind of long but, (laughs) I don’t know, it feels like it’s over in two minutes when you play it live because it’s just so fun to rip through it. It doesn’t feel like it’s drawn out and there’s lots of unnecessary parts. It zips along even though it’s a good seven-and-a-half-minutes or something.</p><p>I’ve always wondered, what is your guys’ favorite song to play live? Looking at SetlistFM, I’m surprised by what you do and don’t play. Is it just like “oh this is a really fun song! We’re going to play it every night!”</p><p>(Laughs) Yeah! Usually it’s the newest song that we’ve written is the favorite song. We’ve been opening the set this tour with “Dying Giants” and it’s been really fun because, I guess a few people know it by now, but for the people that don’t, it’s quite a good introduction and sort of warm-up song because it starts quite unassuming and then becomes explosive. But later on in the set we’re playing “A Slow Unfolding of Wings” and that’s a song that Rory had written for another project that he was thinking of starting.</p><p>And you were like “no, no this is ours.</p><p>(Laughs) I was like “There is no way, this has to be ours, I’m sorry.” I just convinced him over a period of about six months. I’m so glad he came around because that’s probably my favorite song to play live at the minute. It’s really fun.</p><p>I was wondering in part because, according to Audiotree and SetlistFM, you guys have like never played my favorite song live, which is “Animal Ghosts.”</p><p>Yeah, it’s one of my favorites as well! I think the problem with it is: it’s really dependent on—it needs to sound huge. So you have to play it in really big venues and the sound engineer has to know exactly what you’re going for. Cause there’s not a whole lot going on in the song. It requires the live production to have the same affect live that it does on the record. It’s difficult. We’ve thought about trying to throw even a section of it into the set on this tour, but we just never got ‘round to it. But I would love to play that song live, it’s one of my favorites. But it’s kind of good to have that stuff in the artillery for some other point where we’ll bring it out randomly and surprise everyone.</p><p>I listened to a podcast you were on where you explained that the ending string section of “Dying Giants” is a reworking of the riff from the final track “Chrysalism.” It sounds like a requiem, then it’s splashed against the almost poppy “All I Need is Space” and I was wondering about the sequencing between those two.</p><p>We’re trying not to talk too much about what we think the narrative is for the record or what the story is or what any of the song names mean or anything like that. But what I would say is that to have that piece of music appear at a certain point and then be more fully realized later on in the album, it plays to a certain narrative, I suppose. A bit like a movie or something like that. I guess we were thinking more along those lines when we were writing the album. I guess we were pushing it to be something a little bigger than just an album. We wrote and recorded the album, hoping that people would listen to it start-to-finish or at least make it so they could, if they wanted to. I think it kind of plays more into a certain narrative I suppose.</p><p>And sort of on that theme of almost getting pictures into listeners’ heads, because I was really interested in the title track. At first it sounds like a lullaby, it’s just something you could coo to someone before they go to bed. But it reminded me of “Tryer, You” from Heirs, because it seems like every record, you have a song or two that’s just cuddling up close to the listener.</p><p>Yeah it’s nice to write stuff that’s kind of feel good and doesn’t feel too oppressive or challenging, but is just kind of upbeat and fun. I guess the album represents a lot of different feelings and thoughts and things. For me, “The Endless Shimmering” represents being in a really happy place or having a really happy moment and not too much else going on.</p><p>I enjoyed it so much because it was so different from the rest. It reminded me of “KaBaTa”—uh whatever–</p><p>(laughs)</p><p>— off of All Hail Bright Futures, just this moment of “did another band just come in?”</p><p>The band has got to be exciting for us. It has to be something that we’re pumped about doing. I guess you have to do things like that (laughs) to keep things exciting and challenge yourself. We’re definitely not a band that wants to shy away from anything that feels a bit scary or feels a bit dangerous or strange.</p><p>Again I was looking at your setlist and it seems like every night you have the same encore: “Run Home,” “Eunoia,” “Big Thinks Do Remarkable” and “The Voiceless.” Is there a reason it shook out like that? I understand “Run Home” because it’s like “we’re back on stage, here’s rainbows flowing out of our guitars.” But “The Voiceless” is one of the oldest songs you guys play.</p><p>Again, I think it’s just a really upbeat kind of song. It’s the one song you play and you look out at the crowd and you always see couples hugging each other and smiling and sometimes you see people crying and stuff. For some reason it kind of connects with people. It’s so simple as well, it’s just one riff that repeats over, there’s nothing really too challenging going on. I think it allows people to—they don’t really have to pay attention to us and watch us. They can just embrace the feeling that’s being emitted around the room. It’s always been a really good closing song to go out on, leave everyone feeling really happy and upbeat about life. Yeah, I don’t know. We’ve just been closing with it for so long that it’s just always worked in that regard.</p><p>I’ve always appreciated that about you guys, it feels like the happiest mosh pit.</p><p>And “The Voiceless” is us giving you a little massage afterwards to say “don’t worry, it’s alright.” (Laughs)</p><p>There does seem to be this very small niche of bands, like LITE, who you toured with in Japan or Torche. It’s brutal, but you just want to climb Mt. Everest after you listen.</p><p>Yeah, we absolutely love those bands. They’re some of our favorite bands, so I’m on the same page as you.</p><p>How was the tour with LITE? I saw them open for Mike Watt and they were just incredible players.</p><p>Yeah, they’re amazing. We played with Mike Watt as well actually, a few years ago in America. And he was also—we loved him. He actually gave Rory the—there’s a song called “Like a Mouse” and that’s a Mike Watt quote just from a conversation they had about music.</p><p>But LITE were like the nicest guys. Their English wasn’t amazing and our Japanese is terrible so there was somewhat—communication problems—but you can communicate in other ways. We spent a lot of time with them. They took us around to different kind of touristy stuff and we went out for dinner every night and they took us to really, really great Japanese restaurants. We had the best time. And we just missed them. We just played at a festival in Barcelona and they had just played the night before so we missed them by a matter of hours, which was really sad. Hopefully we can get to play with them again. I think we’re planning to go back to Japan in October in the next year or so. Hopefully we’ll be able to see them again. Love those guys.</p><p>What was the “Like a Mouse” quote?</p><p>I think, as far as I remember, he was talking about how you—it might have been about how you present yourself as a band, you kind of like sneak in and he was being like—he’s just a legend and he just talks in poetry a little bit. He’s very quotable. I think he was describing something like that about how you attack music and sneaking up on people like a mouse. But when he said it, I remember Rory saying he said the whole sentence and then took a little pause and said—(whispers) “Like a mouse!” (laughs) And Rory just thought it was awesome. I think Rory might even have a tattoo of that as well.</p><p>That fits for my experience with All Hail Bright Futures, just very colorful while being brutal.</p><p>It was a great album to put out. Then the reactions were like—there were a whole bunch of people who were die-hard first-album fans who thought it was absolute bullshit (laughs). Then there was this entire wave of people who had never heard us before. And it was a really accessible way to get into our music. Probably the biggest songs we’ve got on Spotify or songs we play live are from that album. We’re super proud of it and we love playing those songs. I wish there was more time in the set to play more songs off that album to be honest, but it’s tough trying to squeeze everything in.</p><p>A friend of mine and I were recently talking about a version of Guitar Hero where every song is an And So I Watch You From Afar song, and every song is also the final guitar song.</p><p>That would be a dream come true.</p><p>I can’t play y’all’s guitar stuff at all, but I was trying to get through All Hail Bright Futures on drums and my arms just fell off.</p><p>(Laughs) Yeah, Chris is a fucking machine. It’s ridiculous. I started out playing drums as well, in fact—I’ve played in And So I Watch You From Afar three times, and the first time was when Chris was still at University and I had to fill in for him. And it was a fucking nightmare. Because his parts are just ridiculous (laughs). So, yeah I feel your pain.</p><p>On that note, do you have a song you play live that’s usually pretty exhausting? I always thought “Wasps” would be there.</p><p>It’s relentless, yeah. The saving grace is that tiny section where I drop out after the second chorus and Rory’s on his own and I have 10 seconds of stretching my fingers out (laughs) before I have to start again. Cause it’s just completely constant. And then you’ve got to sing as well… Yeah “Wasps” is probably the most strenuous. And also “BEAUTIFULUNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION”—the repetition. You know, it’s a simple riff but just over and over and over again gets a little tiring. But, you know, it’s fun. The adrenaline’s up so you just break through it.</p><p>Finally, I follow you on Twitter, and it’s interesting to me—you’re talking about politics on there a lot and I appreciate that and find it cool that, even without music propelled by politics, you have to be involved in some way.</p><p>Absolutely. It’s always been a question for us as a band: whether or not we speak out about things. Individually, we all have very strong views and we talk about politics every day when we’re at band practice and the news and whatever’s going on and everyone has very strong opinions. When it comes to music and the band, I think it’s good sometimes for music to be an escape from stuff for people. There are loads of bands that are super political and have done great stuff with their platform they’ve got—lots of bands I love, I’m really psyched that they speak out about certain things but, for us I think, that’s maybe not our place in music. I think our place is somewhere you can go regardless of what you believe or what your feelings are and kind of have a little bit of an escape into somewhere else. You want it to be—everyone can come together and that’s where we’re at.</p><p>So I shouldn’t expect the subtitle of “Dying Giants” to be “Dying Giants (The Failure of Capitalism)”</p><p>(Laughs) That can be your subtitle.</p><figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-provider="youtube" data-orig-width="540" data-orig-height="304" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DpTacz_X6jz4%23action%3Dshare"><iframe width="540" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pTacz_X6jz4?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49420662017-11-20T12:31:03-08:002017-11-20T23:00:41-08:00Rory Friers & Niall Kennedy (ASIWYFA) // Best Prog Guitarist Musicradar<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="54" data-orig-width="540"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/9c982ddb9664df21d156a6d8d2dc8f92/tumblr_inline_ozqgt5IDLK1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="545" data-orig-width="970"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/81b5ca3eb9822b36f717d8554e1973b5/tumblr_inline_ozqgu3Wbfb1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><p>Rory Friers & Niall Kennedy of <a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have been nominated for Best Prog Guitarist 2017 on <a href="http://www.musicradar.com/news/who-is-the-best-prog-guitarist-of-2017" target="_blank">MusicRadar</a>.<br></p><p><a href="http://www.musicradar.com/news/who-is-the-best-prog-guitarist-of-2017" target="_blank">VOTE HERE</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49330372017-11-14T16:53:04-08:002017-11-14T20:00:48-08:00‘It isn’t about how loud we are but the impact we can make’ // The Irish Times<figure data-orig-width="988" data-orig-height="134" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/ddf515eaec97b0d6c2d582034e7bc4e7/tumblr_inline_ozfp19xpY51r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1188" data-orig-height="256" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/474efb9fe1e08d3871cb2b2ea92e7223/tumblr_inline_ozfp1lGkJj1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="5457" data-orig-height="3638" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/e1de9bb18ce8a510b02fd3ad5aa31102/tumblr_inline_ozfozcO2h51r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><p>The irony of having a civilised, if not genteel, discussion with two members of a band that has set the standard for raising the roof of any venue it plays in is not lost on Rory Friers and Chris Wee. These men are the guitarist and drummer with Belfast’s <a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You from Afar</a>, or Asiwyfa, a group that has over the past decade redefined the performative processes of (for want of a better term) post-rock.<br></p><p>Full article via <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/it-isn-t-about-how-loud-we-are-but-the-impact-we-can-make-1.3289976" target="_blank">The Irish Times.</a></p><!-- more --><p>Asiwyfa seem forever shadowed by the question of what comes next. As each powerhouse record is released and then revered for its mixture of boundless energy, pummelling rhythms, intricate time signatures and innate melodies, there is surely a nagging doubt that whatever comes next won’t be as riveting. Friers and Wee, sequestered in a provincial shopping mall, sipping Z-grade coffee, nod in recognition.</p><p>At the early stages of thinking about music for a new album, Friers says, semi-grandiose concepts always change. “We have these ideas of being radically different for each album, but very quickly we realise that our music is very much the product of a combination of things that have happened over a period of time. Depending on where and when the four of us decide to put energy into creating music, it will be defined by where we’re at up to that point.”</p><blockquote>For us it’s no longer the wall-of-sound thing it might have been in the early days. Otherwise it becomes something that can’t maintain the levels of excitement</blockquote><p>Over the course of five albums, from 2009’s self-titled debut to its new album, <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-return-with-a-formidable-display-of-power-1.3255323" target="_blank">The Endless Shimmering</a>, Asiwyfa has delivered a range of music that straddles the spectrum from granite tough to delicate. If the latter is pretty and pastoral, the former is something very different.</p><p>Influenced as much by hard-core punk and grunge as by jazz fusion and prog rock – think Mahavishnu Orchestra as performed by Black Flag, with Yes and Mudhoney albums playing in the background – the music is measured out in incremental steps of volume. It reaches a peak, sometimes subsiding in a form of sonic afterglow, sometimes crashing to a sudden, defiant halt.</p><p>Whatever takes place, it’s loud. Very loud. Volume is all well and good, Friers agrees, but noise annoys without dynamic. “It isn’t about how loud we are but the impact we can make from start to finish. For us it’s no longer the wall-of-sound thing it might have been in the early days. Otherwise it becomes something that can’t maintain the levels of excitement.”</p><p>Texture can also disappear or get lost in the mix. “The soil we came from in the context of what we wanted the live shows to emulate was that our set would never be more than 25 minutes long. In the early days we were never given the time as a support band to extend beyond that, so we had less than 30 minutes to make an impact. Because we came from the world of grunge and punk, which is unapologetic and full of impactful, short bursts, it’s taken a few years for us to gauge texture that, say, a 45-minute set provides. We’re becoming a bit more refined in how we use volume.”</p><p>Chris Wee, patiently resigned to his friend taking the lead in the conversation, finally says something. “We have tried to craft it a bit more. It’s a constant modification of ideas. We work minutely on putting parts together so that each is as exciting as the last one.”</p><p>That the band has enhanced its music across five albums within 10 years is quite the strike rate. Many groups or musicians, I suggest, simply don’t have the same sense of efficiency or urgency.</p><p>“Yes, it’s all right, isn’t it?” Friers says with some pride. “From the very beginning we were, and still are, obsessed with what we do. It’s very much our lives. Personally, we put a lot of importance on the music, and it’s the thing we think about the most. We spend time with our best friends because of it. There are ups and downs, of course, but it feels like we have direction because of it.”</p><p>Wee nods in agreement. “We try to take some time from it, but there’s always an underlying momentum the band has gathered and maintained throughout the years.”</p><blockquote>Una Mullally speaks up for things that are important to us all. The song Mullally is named after and for her, but it’s also for everything that she and people like her encapsulate</blockquote><p>The latest album also pays tribute to Irish Times columnist <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/profile/una-mullally-7.2276478" target="_blank">Una Mullally</a>. “She’s a very inspiring person, a great friend, and we admire her massively,” Friers says. “She speaks up for things that are important to us all. There was something about the tune that we felt embodied that spirit. The song <a href="https://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/track/mullally" target="_blank">Mullally</a>is named after and for her, but it’s also for everything that she and people like her encapsulate.”</p><p>Life changes</p><p>There have been life changes, but the impact of these on the dynamic of a bunch of obsessive musicians wanting to take on all comers is not as forceful as some people might think.</p><p>“What it has done with us,” Friers says, “is that it puts perspective on what we do. We have been able to go on tour and make it more worthwhile. We play more shows, things are organised better, and there’s more structure to what we do and how we do it. Back in the day we were doing everything and anything – recklessly – spending money, losing money, doing silly things.</p><p>“Because we’ve been doing it for such a long time we have seen so many bands come and go. We’ve seen things we don’t like in how other people conduct themselves. We went from having almost a militant, guerilla thing – watching documentaries about Washington DC hard-core bands, and The Clash, death or glory! – but now we’re a really well-oiled machine.”</p><p>“Ten years ago,” Wee adds, “no one had ever really heard of us, and, being a band with no vocals, perhaps we needed to prove ourselves more. As a band it gave us a lot of focus, and galvanised us in terms of driving all day to a venue to find a handful of people there, but then still playing with heart.”</p><p>His bandmate agrees. “We have played to enough small crowds over the years to make us believe that what we’re doing is the right thing.”</p><p>Speak Up! ASIWYFA and hearing loss</p><p>Chris Wee “We’ve all had our individual awakenings with protection from the sound. I went to have my hearing checked a few years ago, and the audiologist told me I had lost some high frequency in my left ear and that it had probably come from having the drum monitor on my left side for years. After that I started using ear monitors with noise-cancelling headphones, and a mix of the band’s instruments at a lower volume in my ears.”</p><p>Rory Friers “I need to start wearing earplugs more. I wear them in rehearsals, but there’s something about playing on a stage where, even when I put them in, I take them out halfway through. I get so excited during a show that it gets to the point where there is no before or after – you’re so in the moment, so the earplugs come out. I have to be harder on myself, to be honest, as I have a bit of tinnitus.”</p><ul><li>The Endless Shimmering is released through Sargent House. Asiwyfa are at the Telegraph Building in Belfast on December 16th, the Academy, Dublin, on December 28th, and then in Castlebar, Cork and Galway on December 29th, 30th and 31st</li></ul>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49330382017-11-14T16:47:35-08:002017-11-14T20:00:48-08:00AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR – “WE’RE HERE TO LET PEOPLE FEEL SOMETHING” // PUNKTASTIC<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="160" data-orig-width="514"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/d9fa210ef8f7ee808ba713914a834b57/tumblr_inline_ozfp51GOsO1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="356" data-orig-width="2100"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/5d36917d6ca47659212e759de483708b/tumblr_inline_ozfp5nuWMd1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1800" data-orig-height="1200" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/4db8107e72570e2d294a892dbae473db/tumblr_inline_ozforuFHjN1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>Oozing with raw, euphoric energy, <a href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have accomplished more than they could ever have expected in the band’s ten years. From playing local shows in Atlantic Bar on the North coast of Ireland to touring Japan, they’ve enjoyed unexpected success for a group that plays what they describe as “weird music”.</p><p>Full article via <a href="http://www.punktastic.com/radar/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-were-here-to-let-people-feel-something/" target="_blank">Punktastic.</a></p><!-- more --><p>ASIWYFA’s sound has explored the avenues of post-rock and filled every crack with something refreshing while always remaining true to themselves since their debut, self-titled album. Since then they’ve created a seemingly unstoppable momentum, creating a new music scene not only in Belfast but all around the world. This brings the quartet to the release of their fifth album, ‘The Endless Shimmering’ and a 23-date European tour with only three rest days booked in to rest. “It was four and now it’s three because a gig got put back on,” guitarist Niall Kennedy tells me as we sit in the corner of Bar Rufían, a minimalist street bar you’d typically find near Sala Apolo where the band is due to headline AMFest later on.</p><p>Having only arrived in the city a few hours before, Rory Friers, who also plays guitar, tells me they’ve already experienced the madness of Barcelona in the wake of recent social and political turmoil after walking through the town square during the then-president of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont’s decision on independence. “Whenever people are talking to us about touring, they always say, “Oh, it must be so great to see all these beautiful places. But it is like someone coming up to you at a restaurant and showing you a beautiful meal, then they just take it away.”</p><p>As we find a cozy corner to sit down and drink, Friers talks to me about how the new songs have felt in front of an audience. “It’s the same thing with every album. We go out and all we want to do is play new songs. But you inevitably realise they’re so much harder to play than the old songs” he laughs. “In the past week, we’ve been changing the set every night. It’s super refreshing. The CPU spikes during the new songs for sure. In front of an audience, there are dark lights, there’s flashing, you’re not facing the band. You can learn to juggle absolutely fine. But it’s like someone asking you to juggle in a boat during a storm.”</p><p>Having experimented heavily on the previous two releases, ‘The Endless Shimmering’ joins together the songwriting and craftsmanship they’ve gained to exercise their love of experimentation with an expertly executed dose of hard-hitting nostalgia. ‘All Hail Bright Futures’ delivered a cosmic euphoria soaked in clean production, and ‘Heirs’ indulged in a garage rock-soaked experimentation with vocal melodies, but with ‘The Endless Shimmering’ the four-piece have hit a milestone in terms of pushing their craft method to new horizons.</p><p>The process of recording this album was purposefully minimalist – creating and refining the songs where they’re most comfortable, in a rehearsal room. After playing the songs so much they couldn’t help but remember them, burying themselves in a studio in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. After six days, they’d recorded an album. Buried within this nine-song epic is a story. However, the exact plot is something the band would rather keep to themselves, to avoid taking away from any messages or emotions listeners may naturally receive.</p><p>“It’s all part of the process to get where we are. We knew we weren’t going to go in the studio and make an album, we were going to write an album and then go and record it. Everyone has their own shit going on and everybody needs to feel like they can have their own narrative of a song,” Friers continues. “So once you start adding lyrics or a really overt message to anything, even though the temptation is there, I think you’ve just got to keep to the idea that we’re not here to say something loudly, we’re here to let people feel something really strongly.”</p><p>It’s an arduous task to set, forming a ubiquitous narrative that can act as a vessel for people’s emotions to materialise, but an even harder task to break this story into pieces while keeping hold of that original intention for the song. Dividing these new songs between fan favorites can be a struggle though, Friers confesses. “There are certain songs in our catalogue you know are just hitters on the night. They work in a live scenario and they become this whole new beast beyond what they were on the album. But you’ve got to make room and give the new songs time to breathe and become these new monsters.</p><p>“We’ll make an album that’s got an ebb and flow to it. We write it, record it and release it. That’s the way it’s meant to be. When you start to play songs live though it’s a very insular process and you try not to think about crowds or playing to other people. We try to just write what’s exciting for us in the room and be as purist as possible about that. But as soon as you start performing it live they’re not really our property anymore, they belong to the people who come to our shows. Every time you play it, it redefines your idea of it. The setlist that you craft becomes an album in itself where you describe a new story. The way we obsess over a setlist is the same way we obsess over the track order of an album.”</p><p>“It’s like everything in this band,” adds Kennedy. “A process of establishing something and trying to craft it until it’s the best version of itself. The setlist is something we’re working on constantly. Every time we come off stage we have a little meeting. “What sucked about that? What needs to change?”</p><p>This is a visible truth for the band. After releasing what is arguably their bravest album, ‘All Hail Bright Futures’, the band would organically play through the first three or four tracks, giving them the musical context they were designed to have. Now, these songs are spread throughout the setlist yet have found a comfortable independence alongside old and new tracks.</p><p>“It takes a while for us to detach from the thing we’ve become so precious about”, Friers explains as he leans forward toward the conversation. “But those are healthy moments for us as a band – to split those things apart and have that psyche and apply it to any aspect of the bands. It’s healthy for us as it takes away any notion of fear.”</p><p>“Everyone has their own shit going on and everybody needs to feel like they can have their own narrative of a song.“</p><p>Losing ownership of a song once it’s been played to someone is an interesting notion. It’s a visceral idea, omnipresent in the band’s breathtaking live show. For And So I Watch You From Afar, the live experience is where these songs are given a free space to roam, grow and become something even they had never imagined. While there are obvious standout songs for the band such as ‘Search: Party: Animal’ and ‘Big Things Do Remarkable’, their live set spans five albums over not much more than ten songs. For Friers and Kennedy, the live set becomes a sanctimonious discovery of new arcs and album ideas.</p><p>“There was always this intention to not repeat anything we’ve done on other albums,” Friers mentions, getting back to the album as Kennedy finishes his drink and adds his thoughts. “We just focused on what excited us. We definitely didn’t go into this thinking, we had to have this sort of album so let’s not do this”.</p><p>The conversation quickly moves onto the topic of music labels – a point of interest for the ‘post-rock instrumental band’.</p><p>“Sometimes when you’re getting a taxi or something, someone will ask you “Oh, what kind of music do you play?” and you just sit there silently. We’re just a band that plays loud music. You sell yourself short by saying anything,” remarks Kennedy, smirking while digging through his memory.</p><p>“We’ve always prided ourselves on being on the fringe of genres,” continues Friers. “We were never at the centre of any scene. We were important in the Belfast city scene but we never felt like we were a part of any specific group.”</p><p>The duo share a laugh as we go through the various labels we’ve all heard the band being referred to as “dance music for rock fans” and “ladcore” getting the best response. Continuing to speak about defying genres and subscribing to labels, Friers continues in relation to their use of voice as a supposedly instrumental band. “In moments you do feel this temptation to speak when you care so strongly about something.</p><p>“I think the one strand of continuity through the band has always been that we feel the band, both personally and musically, is very much a form of escapism. For us growing up, live shows were so, so important. They felt like life or death. Finding these little shows for bands you’ve never heard of are defining moments for young musicians. We definitely behold the concept of a live experience using the idea of commune to experience something together. But as soon as you start trying to put it under any sort of bracket it limits the number of moments that can happen to people.”</p><p>Now all in important points in their lives, the band has been the universal baggage they’ve all brought with them. For a lot of bands, hitting a decade with the same four people and starting families is a reason to step on the brakes or remove yourself from this altogether, but for everyone in the band, that just isn’t how it works.</p><p>“Whenever Nial says to me, “I’m not really feeling that anymore.” I can say “You know what? You’re right”, as opposed to “Right, I’m going to fucking kill this guy.” We’re a low ego band who trust each other. It can be something we’d spent months working on and sweating over, then in an afternoon it’s gone,” replies Kennedy. “Some of my favourite riffs we wrote for this album aren’t on it.”</p><p>“There was this one song called ‘Prospector’ which is like nine minutes long,” remembers Friers. “We spent probably four or five months writing it. I remember it being so technically difficult but once we got it we were like, “This is going to be the opening song on the new album!” Then one day we just agreed it didn’t work. We have a really bad combination of wanting to jump on a new idea and an aversion to nostalgia. There’s never a conversation in the band, it’s very forward-focused. Sometimes you feel sorry for some of the older ideas.”</p><p>Referring to bass player Jonny who has a daughter and a wife, Friers confesses that he doesn’t understand how growing up or starting a family can ever hinder your ability as a musician. “The fact he’s settled down doesn’t mean he can’t put as much into the band, that mentality is such bullshit. That sort of thing makes you more focused. You don’t fuck around making pointless stuff when you’ve got the support of a family behind you. We’re all lucky to have that with our individual families and girlfriends because they know we’d be useless without the band.”</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49265122017-11-09T15:43:40-08:002017-11-09T15:48:37-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar "The Endless Shimmering"// Pop Matters Review<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="44" data-orig-width="300"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.popmatters.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-the-endless-shimmering-review-2508059723.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/efb3ccdc642882e959b1eb875b361587/tumblr_inline_oz6bxxUYNU1qe8a39_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a></figure>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.popmatters.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-the-endless-shimmering-review-2508059723.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/bfe4a6aaaa34c766724d66d7e62b6143/tumblr_inline_oz6c05UuGa1qe8a39_540.png" class="size_xl justify_inline border_" /></a></p>
<p>Article by Brice Ezell via <a href="https://www.popmatters.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-the-endless-shimmering-review-2508059723.html" target="_blank">Pop Matters</a></p>
<p><b>On its fifth studio LP, And So I Watch You From Afar re-centers its musical approach on instrumental gymnastics, with added emotional warmth to boot. </b> </p><!-- more -->
<p>With its first four albums, the Irish post-rock quartet And So I Watch You From Afar set out a challenging musical game plan: on just about every one of its songs the band ties itself into as many musical knots as possible, only to somehow unthread the song with a force of energy unrivaled by any of its peers. Like its English counterparts in Maybeshewill, And So I Watch You From Afar prefers the structure of an intricate and quick wind-up toy to the lengthier, painterly soundscapes of groups like Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.</p>
<p>Where many post-rock outfits take the long and steady path to a cathartic crescendo, And So I Watch You From Afar opts for a speedy but zig-zagged path. On its best albums, namely 2011'sGangs and 2013's All Hail Bright Futures, the band balances instrumental exploration with accessible and energetic songwriting. In their own way every And So I Watch You From Afar tune is a kind of instrumental clinic, but you’d be forgiven for missing out on some of the intricacies of the band’s songwriting for just how damn fun these guys make everything sound. </p>
<p>Heirs, the group’s 2015 LP, exhibits all of the characteristic And So I Watch You From Afar songwriting moves, with the added dimension of vocals. The band first included vocals significantly in its music on All Hail Bright Futures, but Heirs feels more like a “vocal” album in a way that its predecessor didn’t. On All Hail Bright Futures the vocals centered primarily on chants – “The sun! The sun! Is in our eyes!” brings the classic “Big Thinks Do Remarkable” to its climax – which befits the group’s puzzle-like song structures. Rarely does one instrument take the lead; every musician works in tight interplay, trading off lead roles in short intervals. The vocals on Heirs, by contrast, often took the spotlight away from the more interesting instrumental work happening in the background. The rabbit-hop chords of “Redesigned a Million Times” represent some of the best songwriting on Heirs, yet they have to compete with a vocal part that adds little to the song. And So I Watch You From Afar excels at musical puzzles, but Heirs tried to cram together one too many pieces. </p>
<p>The guitar lines zip and zag on The Endless Shimmering just like they have on And So I Watch You From Afar’s previous LPs. The songs retain the latticework structures that this band likes to live in. But while And So I Watch You For Afar is still in the first decade of its existence, The Endless Shimmering feels like a return to form. The music is anchored on the tug-of-war interplay between the band members – if you ever needed a masterclass on syncopation, this is the group to listen to. Somehow, these guys manage to explore every note on the fretboard and every hit on the drum kit without making the instrumental noodling feel rote, dull, or more importantly needless. The Endless Shimmering typifies instrumental precision.</p>
<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-orig-height="304" data-orig-width="540" data-provider="youtube" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DpTacz_X6jz4"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pTacz_X6jz4?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="540"></iframe></figure>
<p>Best of all, though, is the sense of warmth and maturity that exudes from this music. In terms of mood, And So I Watch You From Afar can often feel like playing Super Smash Bros while on some form of hallucinogenic drug: everything emits vibrant technicolor, and at breakneck speed. The all-caps title of Gangs’ “BEAUTIFULUNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION” is synecdoche for And So I Watch You From Afar’s attitude to making music. The Endless Shimmering doesn’t totally diminish that energy: the head-banging downstrums on "Terrors of Pleasure" and the huge chords that open “A Slow Unfolding of Wings” keep the album consistent with the group’s musical spirit. (Having seen the band live, I can attest that many of these tracks are liable to become live juggernauts.) But more so than it has on any of its prior records, the band explores gentler, less frenetic emotional resonances, to great success. The title track, one of the group’s finest compositions to date, builds around a strident but measured guitar lick, and as the music reaches crescendo the mood is not the bug-eyed optimism so prevalent on Heirs and All Hail Bright Futures, but rather a warm, reflective positivity – one that’s just as musically dexterous as anything these guys have ever written, to wit.</p>
<p><iframe src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1228956899/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/">&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a data-cke-saved-href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/the-endless-shimmering&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/the-endless-shimmering&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Endless Shimmering by And So I Watch You From Afar&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</iframe></p>
<p>And So I Watch You From Afar’s musical jubilation can be a double-edged sword: while often infectious, it can also cause sensory overload, a musical sugar rush that can drown out otherwise impressive songwriting. Heirs falls prey to that problem, but The Endless Shimmering finds the band coming back to earth, in so doing producing the most emotionally complex songwriting of its career. Amidst its volley of tempos and textures, “Mullally” sounds like the score to a recollection of a life’s best memories. “I’ll Share a Life” blossoms into one of the quartet’s most emotionally complex numbers, with palm-muted guitar lines coalescing with slowly building snare hits until the point that the guitars soar into a full-volume lead. And So I Watch You From Afar hasn’t needed to prove its instrumental bonafides for some time; Gangs more than cemented this group as one of instrumental rock’s most dazzling outfits. But with The Endless Shimmering, these Irish lads prove they have a musically emotional palette as colorful as its instrumental arrangements. For that reason alone – to say nothing of the excellent songwriting it contains – The Endless Shimmering is a new milestone for a band that hasn’t lost the ability to surprise. </p>
<p><b>RATING: 8</b></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49098642017-10-27T15:36:41-07:002017-10-28T00:01:10-07:00‘The Endless Shimmering’ Review // Spectrum Sound<img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/6a66c2ad30ec4894e516b85511c41bf3d11643ec/original/screen-shot-2017-10-27-at-3-29-13-pm.png?1509143458" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/893ac49c241e07b0e2a5314f8a3c5f81cf77ee3b/original/screen-shot-2017-10-27-at-3-29-21-pm.png?1509143461" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><p><a href="https://sargenthouse.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> are as exuberant as their name is ridiculous. Once upon a time, these frenzied lads’ best known song was a little ditty named “Set Guitars to Kill” which wasn’t just the first song from their first album, it also acted a mantra. But they got decidedly more—“happy” isn’t quite the word—euphoric. They indulged in “Adventure Time” fancies and smiley shout along choruses. It was math pop for lack of a better term. Sugar packed, major-key abusing, pure joyous energy delivered by smashing drums and hyperactive guitars. They were Slint obsessed with Cartoon Network rather than Nosferatu. It was best summed up by the first song on their last album, Heirs. “Run Home” was the sonic equivalent of a million pack of Crayola markers strapped to the sides of a rocket. But they’ve injected some darkness back in for their newest The Endless Shimmering, avoiding binging on shininess and producing one of their finest efforts. </p><!-- more --><p>Though there was plenty of muscle on their last two records, it often took a backseat to the fluttering, crazed riffage. They were dealers of rainbows and glitter covered guitars, here they’re much more likely to bring out curb stomping brute force. Opener “Three Triangles” lays out the thesis, a thumping drum beat and a screeching guitar lead are soon joined by an oceanically huge bass growl, one of the few times it feels appropriate to compare ASIWYFA to ISIS. And oh boy, the break down on this is a beast. It lives up to the title’s angular name and creates a mad math rock samba. It’s darkly danceable, a sinister edge to the raving guitar duel. You’ll probably look like a fool dancing to it, but it’s one of the most invigorating tracks of the year and a gnashing, proper opening salvo. </p><p>For those who got on ASIWYFA’s mad rollercoaster ride during the sheer sweetness era, there’s still plenty of colors here. The gleeful “Terrors of Pleasure” rides a bite-sized riff and “All I Need Is Space” even has some xylophone tossed in for a more whimsical feel. In this category, the title track comes away as the finest bear hug. Xylophone pops up again to reinforce a delicious guitar line that simply radiates warmth. The opening few minutes has the dudes creating a fireside atmosphere. You certainly wish that one campfire guitar noodler that comes along for every outdoor trip could play this well. For all their moshing tendencies, ASIWYFA could write lullabies, if they weren’t contractually obligated to end every song with a face-melting solo. And, of course, “The Endless Shimmering” does end with one of those, though it repurposes the main melody line, giving the original feeling of comfort a superhero-sized boost. </p><p>Meanwhile, their re-found brutality excels. “A Slow Unfolding of Wings” which, yes, does in fact unfurl from its thrashing start into a worship worthy solo, is magnificently heavy. No clue what god they’re praying to, but sign me up for that holy scripture. </p><p>The hyperventilating riffage of “Mullally” is right up there with their best metal-god excursions. There are at least two albums worth of guitar work just on this song, from an intricate duet, a speed demon lead and a solo that would have Yngwie tearing his luscious locks out. “Mullally” plays out an instrumental adventure of riding dragons, eating an ice cream Sunday and punching god in the face. </p><p>It’s also stunningly well-produced. The individual strums of some solos will ping across headphones, giving a tasty percussive feel to lines that once were much lighter. Or the sudden withdraws and additions of reverb and echo that make “I’ll Share a Life” crunchily dynamic. So guitarist Rory Friers’ claims that the band recorded and mixed the whole dang thing in nine days seems, to put it politely, batshit insane. </p><p>Hell, for a lesser band, “Dying Giants” would have taken nine days on its own. It carries on the ASIWYFA tradition of one seven-plus minute track and it is possibly their best since the glorious “K is for Killing Spree.” It’s got Tyrannosaurus-sized weight to it, but also a surprising amount of agility. Drummer Chris Wee brings the pain on the low end, giving a four to the floor groove that allows the spiraling guitars to Hulk smash even harder. “Dying Giants,” better than any other song, asks “How the hell do these guys not pass out after every song?” But the metal gods have smiled fondly upon ASIWYFA, blessing them (and us) with another furious, life-affirming collection of mathy madness. </p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bk0U8pEAbHU" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><p></p><p>Label: </p><p><a href="https://sargenthouse.com/" target="_blank">Sargent House </a></p><p>Release Date: </p><p>October 20, 2017</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49063262017-10-25T12:03:53-07:002017-10-25T14:01:00-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar Discuss Their Immersive New Record // Stereoboard<img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/55746438e60bbc7e37e732faa39a65edfbc9988a/original/screen-shot-2017-10-25-at-11-42-14-am.png?1508957762" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/f7f80068e2b79742d35d7f00c5f68a9c248a5f7a/original/screen-shot-2017-10-25-at-11-42-21-am.png?1508957762" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/e262d99181e1bd6e3061b6b81171ebd7ea1538da/original/eu7a6804.jpg?1492714528" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><p>We catch up with And So I Watch You From Afar (or ASIWYFA) at a particularly fitting time. The instrumental heavyweights’ fifth album, ‘The Endless Shimmering’, is easily their most tempestuous release, packed with anthemic guitar hooks and unpredictable detours. </p><p>Full article via <a href="https://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/211989/9" target="_blank">Stereoboard.</a></p><!-- more --><p> But when I ring guitarist Rory Friers, they’re facing a more literal storm as they prepare to kick off their latest tour by catching a ferry while Hurricane Ophelia rages. </p><p>The Northern Irish four piece have grown accustomed to extreme weather in recent months, though, after their Rhode Island recording studio essentially became a bunker in March due to a major snow storm that brought America’s north-east coast to a halt. The band made the most of it, recording the album in five days and mixing it over the next four. </p><p>“It was our Arctic laboratory,” Friers says. “That experience certainly seeped into the record somehow. When we arrived, we were told to pick up supplies in the store for a week and a half or so because six-foot snow was apparently on its way. We laughed about it, but lo and behold, the next morning the snow came and went and went. </p><p>“We lived and slept in the studio and just got it done. We already had a vision of what we wanted to do so I don’t know if the situation changed the songs structurally in any way, but sonically it changed the vibe. Oddly, it made for an immersive, enjoyable and intense experience.” </p><p>Intense isn’t necessarily the first word that comes to mind with ASIWYFA. Although their sound is intricate and often heavy, the band have been quite open about their inclination towards making positive and life-affirming music. </p><p>Sure enough, there are plenty of bouncy moments on ‘The Endless Shimmering’ to satisfy fans of their established style, but Friers admits the record is darker and more expansive than anything they’ve previously written. </p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pTacz_X6jz4" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><p></p><p>“I guess it’s not instantly coming from a super upbeat place,” he says. “On first listen, it’ll sound heavier and more tense to some people, but that’s what was exciting us. </p><p>“It was just natural – we didn’t fall into a deep depression or anything. But things change. It’s not exactly all happy stories in the news at the minute and I think everyone is feeling the pinch. So, it was quite cathartic for us. There’s an element of defiance, really.” </p><p>Evoking the band’s self-titled debut, the album is mostly dominated by dramatic riffs and punishing breakdowns. Gone are the vocal melodies that began creeping into recent projects. </p><p>In Friers’ words: “They were always the last element we added anyway.” To say the band have gone back to basics would be disingenuous considering their technical gifts, but their enthusiasm for writing this time around suggests their creative mojo is back. </p><p>“I guess the past couple of albums we’ve gone into the studio with a bunch of ideas and the producer has helped inform the direction it’s gone in,” Friers says. “This time we had every nook and cranny and nuance sorted beforehand. </p><p>“We explored every corridor and rehearsed to death. We didn’t need help moulding them – just a sympathetic ear to press record. In that sense, it was a lot of like the first bunch of songs we ever wrote.” </p><p>In a way, that will be something of a relief for fans. Many bands of ASIWYFA’s ilk might easily have become burned out by the 700+ gigs they’ve performed across 35 countries over the past decade. Their juggernaut show isn’t just an aspect of what they do but a unifying experience they’ve immortalised in everything from their song titles to their tattoos. </p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d6fLT-JLxn4" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><p></p><p>“Our shows have influenced our progression massively,” Friers says. “It’s hard to quantify which songs were written because of a knock-on effect of a show or whatever, but throwing ourselves into situations and getting out into the world has seeped into the makeup of the band. </p><p>“They’ve also solidified a love for variety and cramming everything we love into our songs, as opposed to trying to keep up with what’s cool or popular. We’ve always wanted our music to represent who we are as people and the experiences we’ve had. So, my own connection to the songs we’ve done will usually be something that’s happened on tour or a particular show or moment.” </p><p>Friers ticked off another location from his bucket list when the band toured Japan for the first time last year. Following their current six-week stint in Europe, they’re off to Asia again before heading down under to Australia. </p><p>It’s a landmark moment for the Belfast band, who, according to Friers, felt like a “freak show” when they first started recording back in 2007. Nevertheless, though the band deliberately avoided jumping on the post-rock wave, their international following suggests they’ve still been swept away by it to some extent. </p><p>“We’ve never had a rise to stardom or anything,” Friers says. “We’ve always kept our hands to the wheel and kept on grinding. Being from Northern Ireland, we always felt apart from a lot of those instrumental bands who all seemed to know each other. Whereas, in Ireland we had friends who made different styles that we felt a connection with. </p><p>“We felt an upswing most profoundly on our last tour. The dots aligned, I guess, and we’re finally filling out shows. You can’t ask for more. Every show we’ve played has been special for different reasons and we really felt like we came of age with ‘Heirs’ [the band’s last record]. </p><p>“There’s been this amazing sort of rise. Festivals like ArcTanGent, for example, have hammered home that we’re very lucky to be part of a real scene and a real collective of bands who, yes, are very different but have a certain creative connective tissue. There are people out there who are really open to weird, loud, messy, beautiful music.”</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49050412017-10-24T11:00:36-07:002017-10-24T16:15:21-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar - ‘The Endless Shimmering’ Review // DIY<figure data-orig-width="316" data-orig-height="158" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/82b721adfefd72440006ee0e1ef63038/tumblr_inline_oyc9vrra381r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1904" data-orig-height="344" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/1242d9c72bbbda19e96d7d05d0e907e6/tumblr_inline_oyc9vxJ4Am1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="2098" data-orig-height="728" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/d19a644ffd7dfb31e0f8d7f4d4bd64da/tumblr_inline_oyc9w2eC7c1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><p>In the lead-up to going in to record the nine songs that make up ‘<a href="https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">The Endless Shimmering</a>’, <a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You from Afar</a> practiced them extensively, the idea being that they’d be so well-drilled before they actually headed to the studio that it would be as if they’d already toured them. That’s something that shines through pretty clearly throughout what is far and away the tightest and most refined record to date from the Belfast outfit. As usual, they take a liberal approach to the volume dial across the board; the drums are thunderous, especially on opener ‘Three Triangles’, while the guitars flit frequently between shimmering (!) walls of feedback and the kind of agile licks that they’ve long plucked from their more melodic influences. </p><p>Full article Via <a href="http://diymag.com/2017/10/20/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-the-endless-shimmering" target="_blank">DIY</a></p><!-- more --><p>The band have stayed pretty true to the guitar since the outset, resisting the temptation to, like post-rock peers 65daysofstatic or Explosions in the Sky, branch out into electronic territory, but that’s not to say their sound hasn’t become more expansive on ‘The Endless Shimmering’; these are arguably the most complex compositions they’ve yet come up with. Perhaps most pleasantly surprising of all, though, is just how anthemic the album sounds. Instrumental outfits of their ilk are often the groups best placed to deliver the sort of apocalyptic soundtrack that frankly wouldn’t be amiss in 2017’s political climate, but instead, And So I Watch You from Afar are on frequently buoyant form here, especially on the soaring single ‘A Slow Unfolding of Wings’ and the irresistibly bouncy ‘Terrors of Pleasure’. The sense of optimism is infectious, and even with plenty of stiff competition for the title, ‘The Endless Shimmering’ might be the year’s most exhilarating post-rock album. </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/49050422017-10-20T10:40:19-07:002017-10-24T16:15:22-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar return with a formidable display of power // The Irish Times<figure data-orig-width="946" data-orig-height="126" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/5506088bf5b9442dfc22a6d02d54e32c/tumblr_inline_oyc8wfZYcW1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1168" data-orig-height="206" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/2fce5626748787e73728b2e8a2b35d97/tumblr_inline_oyc8wl1qF71r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1400" data-orig-height="1400" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/7049f7159a7ef0032d08b01d0dd36655/tumblr_inline_oyc8wyg9FO1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>It takes just over a minute for <a href="https://sargenthouse.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar’s</a> fifth album to go from intriguing to epic, as opening track Three Triangles demonstrates, but as they’ve proven over the years, that is the foursome’s default setting.</p><p>Since childhood friends Chris Wee and Rory Friers first began playing together as teenagers, they have always done things a little differently: made music that takes unexpected swerves into the unknown and packed surprises into their songs to jolt and disorient.</p><p>Full article via <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-return-with-a-formidable-display-of-power-1.3255323" target="_blank">The Irish Times.</a></p><!-- more --><p>In more recent years, that meant introducing vocals to their heady, experimental concoction of post-rock and math-rock, as heard on 2013’s All Hail Bright Futures – also the record that introduced synths into their sound – and 2015’s Heirs.</p><p>Their nascent lyrics and a more mainstream sound then raised eyebrows among the purists. It was all part of the plan, guitarist and de facto leader Friers told <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-producing-heirs-after-a-decade-in-the-game-1.2196932" target="_blank">The Irish Times in 2015</a>.</p><p>“I remember when we brought out [All Hail Bright Futures], someone said, ‘It’s insane that you put out that record, and it’s amazing that you did; if you’d put out another album like the first one, that’s when bands start to lose their appeal or become a bit predictable’.”</p><p>He was speaking in the cramped rehearsal room in an old Belfast linen mill where the band thrash out their ideas. “And he was right. I think we had that on our minds this time around, too. We never want to be predictable.”</p><p>In many ways it’s not too difficult to reconcile the band that exploded on to the scene in 2009 with one of the most incendiary rock debuts of recent times with the one here on The Endless Shimmering. As much as things have changed during their lifespan – including their line-up, with Niall Kennedy in for former guitarist Tony Wright since 2011 – their general ethos prevails.</p><p>Repetition remains the enemy; indeed, over the years the band have tempered the heavier, more aggressive aspects of their sound (as heard on 2011’s Gangs) with groove and melody. They’ve also earned a reputation as one of the most striking live acts around; a heavy touring schedule has forged loyal fanbases as far afield as Russia.</p><p>Five albums in, one of the most instantly noticeable things about The Endless Shimmering is just how in synch ASIWYFA are as a band, 12 years after they first formed. The album, which was recorded live in the midst of a snowstorm at a Rhode Island studio earlier this year, is the sound of a well-oiled musical machine humming just as it should.</p><p>Drummer Chris Wee must come in for particular praise, effortlessly flip-flopping between leading the charge and subtly playing behind the complex interplay of his bandmates’ guitars, as tracks such as A Slow Unfolding of Wings ably demonstrate. Friers and Kennedy’s duelling riffs are a joy, too, not least on the combustible title track and the forthright bluster of Chrysalism.</p><blockquote>“Quirky grooves combust in a blaze of savage riffs”</blockquote><p>Who needs words, anyway? The band have reverted to a fully instrumental set-up: carefully timed pauses mimic astonished gasps; intricate, insistent guitar riffs approximate fire-and-brimstone rants, more becoming of a southern preacher than a math-rock band from Northern Ireland. These nine tracks provide a formidable display of just how tight a unit they have become.</p><p>Quirky grooves combust in a blaze of savage riffs on the gargantuan Terrors of Pleasure. The stop-start twists and turns of I’ll Share a Life and the lush strings that close out the sprawling Dying Giants are as entrancing as they are unanticipated.</p><blockquote>“It’s difficult to find fault with this brilliantly paced, beautifully played album”</blockquote><p>The optimistic shimmering of the title makes itself heard on All I Need is Space, while the breakneck pace of Three Triangles gleefully brings a booming, crashing squalor to the tracklist.</p><p>It’s an eminently satisfying album, but will it convert nonbelievers to the church of And So I Watch You From Afar? Perhaps not. Nonetheless, it’s difficult to find fault with this brilliantly paced, beautifully played album, which acts as the convergence of the many strands of their back catalogue, pleasing both the arms-folded head-nodders and the kids who want to dance (or mosh) to their songs.</p><p>Their live show may still be where it’s at, but harnessing even a small amount of that bristling energy in the studio is no easy feat – and they’ve managed to do it for the fifth time. If such a winning formula ain’t broke, why on earth would you try to fix it?</p><p><a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">asiwyfa.com</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/48977452017-10-18T07:00:08-07:002017-10-18T20:30:32-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar Tour Starts Today!<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d6fLT-JLxn4" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><p>And So I Watch You From Afar begin their EU/UK tour today and their new album “<i>The Endless Shimmering” </i>is out everywhere on October 20th! </p><p>Tour dates below:</p><p>OCT 18 Haarlem, NL // Patronaat <br>OCT 19 Utrecht, NL // EKKO<br>OCT 20 Nijmegen, NL // Doornroosje<br>OCT 21 Osnabrück, DE // KI. Freiheit<br>OCT 22 Karlsruhe, DE // Stadtmitte<br>OCT 23 Eindhoven, NL // DDWMusic Festival<br>OCT 24 Rouen, FR // Le 106<br>OCT 25 Nantes, FR // Le Ferrailleur<br>OCT 26 Bordeaux, FR // Le Void<br>OCT 27 Barcelona, ES // AM Fest<br>OCT 28 Madrid, ES // Sala Caracol<br>OCT 29 Porto, PT // Hard Club<br>OCT 30 Lisbon, PT // Musicbox<br>NOV 02 Milan, IT // Magnolia<br>NOV 03 Fribourg, CH // Nouveau Monde<br>NOV 04 Winterthur, CH // Gaswerk<br>NOV 05 Pratteln, CH // MiniZ7<br>NOV 06 München, DE // Ampere<br>NOV 07 Prague, CZ // NoD Teatro<br>NOV 08 Leipzig, DE // Conne Island<br>NOV 09 Berlin, DE // Lido<br>NOV 10 Hannover, DE // Bei Chez Heinz<br>NOV 12 Cologne, DE // Gebäude 9<br>NOV 13 Wiesbaden, DE // Schlachthof<br>NOV 14 Essen, DE // Zeche Carl<br>NOV 15 Hamburg, DE // Knust<br>NOV 16 Groningen, NL // Vera<br>NOV 17 Maastricht, NL // Muziekgieterij<br>NOV 18 Louvain-La-Neuve, BE // Festival La Ferme<br>NOV 19 Kortrijk, BE // De Kreun<br>NOV 21 Paris, FR // Maroquinerie<br>NOV 22 Luxembourg, LU // Rockhal<br>NOV 23 London, UK // Koko<br>NOV 24 Manchester, UK // Academy 2<br>NOV 25 Glasgow, UK // Oran Mor<br>NOV 26 Bristol, UK // Thekla<br>DEC 28 Dublin IRE // Academy <br>DEC 29 Castlebar Co Mayo IRE // Garbo’s<br>DEC 30 Cork IRE // Cypress Avenue<br>DEC 31 Galway IRE // Roisin Dubh</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/48962122017-10-17T10:25:19-07:002017-10-17T22:01:20-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar – The Endless Shimmering: Exclusive Album Stream // The Independent<img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/db66bbb4db93ba4736315e1e3139e7ff7ee6d226/original/screen-shot-2017-10-17-at-10-12-43-am.png?1508260712" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/ee53bf1be3593fae40a980584a2f4262d5d486b8/original/screen-shot-2017-10-17-at-10-13-01-am.png?1508260713" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/edd1f50122400589e81f319cbbe5a88243c7f043/original/asiwyfa-ind.jpg?1508260702" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><p>Countless bands will attest to<a href="https://sargenthouse.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank"> And So I Watch You From Afar’s</a> influence on their own music; in 2009, the predominantly instrumental Belfast-based outfit released a self-titled record that few heard but almost every single person who did immediately took it upon themselves to start a band. As a result, they have had a direct effect on making math rock and instrumental music blossom into the modest but fertile scenes that they are in the UK today. Thanks to a myriad of local DIY independent movements and festivals such as ArcTanGent and Strangeforms, a style of music that could easily have just been seen as a small blip in the annals of music history has bloomed into something that can be genuinely regarded as a world-wide recognised movement. </p><p>Full article and album stream via <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-the-endless-shimmering-exclusive-album-stream-a8004436.html" target="_blank">The Independent.</a></p><!-- more --><p>For many, the Irish quartet, alongside bands such as Adebisi Shank, You Slut! and Maybeshewill, made the prospect of music with no vocals (with the exception of the odd yelp dotted hither and thither) exciting, by injecting it with a frenzied frenetic frisson and refusing to ever give the listener time to get remotely bored. Whilst the music they make is almost certainly too esoteric for it to ever be considered ‘mainstream’ (whatever that word even means in a modern context), they are originators and innovators in a genre that is adored by a modest but loyal and dedicated following of music aficionados. Their fifth album The Endless Shimmering, is available on Friday 20th October via Sargent House but you can stream the album in full below 3 days before it’s official release, exclusively with The Independent. </p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JFP0INgtErU" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><p></p><p>The Endless Shimmering ushers in a new chapter in the life of And So I Watch You From Afar. Broadly speaking, it’s possible to group the band’s previous four full-length albums into two distinct groups; their 2009 self-titled debut and 2011’s Gangs serve as an introduction to the band infusing predominantly instrumental music with a ferocious, exuberant youthful energy that has more in common with punk rock than post rock. Similarly, the colourful, schizophrenic, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink sugar-rush of 2013’s All Hail Bright Futures and 2015’s Heirs are natural bedfellows. The 9 songs that make up The Endless Shimmering are cut from an altogether different cloth, which guitarist Rory Friers puts down to the way in which these new songs were constructed. </p><p>“Heirs and All Hail Bright Futures were both projects where the songs were predominantly written in the studio, so we used more recording techniques and took advantage of being able to add more layers and extra instrumentation. We went in to the studio with songs that weren’t fully finished and we allowed them to come to life in the studio. That whole world is a really exciting and fulfilling one but as with everything, it’s not an approach that we want to take every single time. So this record felt like a natural point for us to step away from that studio environment when writing the songs. Before we started writing The Endless Shimmering, we knew that we wanted to spend a long time writing and rehearsing, essentially getting these songs to sound as amazing as possible as a live band.” </p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pTacz_X6jz4" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><p></p><p>This approach gives the songs on The Endless Shimmering more space and room to breathe; these 9 tracks are And So I Watch You From Afar’s most focused and taut songs to date and yet they still sound thrillingly vibrant and full of life. Both Heirs and All Hail Bright Futures took ‘weeks and weeks’ to record, whilst the band experimented with adding various bells, whistles, vocal lines and layers. Gangs was recorded in ’10-11 days’ but then took an additional 3-4 weeks to mix. In contrast, the band recorded andmixed The Endless Shimmering in just 9 days, making it the quickest And So I Watch You From Afar recording experience by a long shot. </p><p>“All the work was done before we came into the studio” says Rory, “there was never a moment where we’d sit around and ask ourselves ‘what should we be doing now?’ It was a very pre-meditated approach this time around and by the very nature of how we wrote this album, essentially the four of us playing live in a rehearsal room, the songs had to stand up on their own. They were generally recorded in one or two takes, in some cases maybe three and it felt as if we’d explored every possible avenue with each song before we entered the studio, so we knew as soon as we went in exactly how each song needed to be.” </p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tpI0UizDqp0" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><p></p><p>Around 30 songs were written for the record before being whittled down to the 9 that appear on the album. It’s tantalising to think that there’s so much material leftover that could potentially be turned into something that might one day be heard outside of a rehearsal room, but Rory quashes that particular notion. “It’s like an artist who wants to make a really cool painting; you’ve got to make several paintings that aren’t quite right in order to get to the really good one. And that’s ok, those not so good paintings are all a part of the process and throwing those ideas around in a room together has got us thinking and set us on the right path to the nine songs that we think of as being the really good ones. When you’re working on an idea, you always tell yourself that it’ll see the light of day at some point. But then, for whatever reason, you move past them and focus your attentions on something else. We’re a band that has very little interest in looking backwards or taking ideas from the past or being nostalgic in any way. The exciting stuff is always in front of us and so those ideas tend to never get to see the light of day. There was an EP that almost got released last year but we just didn’t get round to it and now it feels like we’ve missed the boat, because those songs just aren’t exciting to us anymore. When you play a song in rehearsal a million times, it can lose its lustre.” </p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LTl3QJun2TE" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe>Knowing which ideas to throw out and which to keep hold of is a difficult dilemma for any band; when you’re so close to material that you’ve written, how on earth are you meant to sort the wheat from the chaff? It’s something that And So I Watch You From Afar are very aware of and as such, the impulse was to follow their gut as much as possible this time around. “It’s easy to get distracted now at a time when music is thrown in front of you and consumed so quickly and easily” says Rory. "I’m speaking here as a consumer of music as well as a musician; there’s so much at your disposal so instantly and so quickly that it becomes difficult for us to live with records and really let them sink in. It’s got to a point where option paralysis is a very real thing. So I think our instincts for this record were to dismiss anything that’s wasn't speaking directly to us, to be drawn to the ideas that naturally lend themselves to the way we play and the four personalities that are in the room. Sometimes we might work on an idea where we’re trying something new but deep down we’ll know if it’s natural for the four of us to go down that route or not. We try not to be scared of going down those corridors and exploring them sometimes but I think at some point you have to start following your gut and not force anything, and that’s exactly the approach we tried to adopt with this album.” <p></p><p>The band flew out to Machines with Magnets recording studio in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, about 40 miles South-West of Boston. Just as they arrived, a major snowstorm brought the North-East coastline to a standstill, effectively isolating the band and focusing their attentions, a situation they welcomed with open arms, as guitarist Niall Kennedy explains. “I think it had a positive affect on the album; we’d talked about wanting to have this experience where we go into a studio and completely immerse ourselves in the process. When we’ve recorded in Belfast before, we’d spend all day in the studio, call it a day and then go home to our respective homes where normal stuff and social lives begin to creep in. So we were kind of hoping to create an environment where this album was our lives for the entire time that we were doing it. When we arrived and found out that there was going to be this snowstorm, it just added to the intensity of the experience and forced us into this little creative bubble. It heightened everything and made us feel even more immersed in putting together this record, the focus was on the album 100% of the time. We came away feeling like we’d accomplished everything that we had wanted to; it was a really positive experience.” </p><p>The Endless Shimmering is an album where everything is laid bare; one could see it as a ‘back to basics’ record, where the songs have been stripped of any unnecessary parts or vocal lines (of which, bar a tiny sample at the beginning of ‘Three Triangles’, none feature what-so-ever, a first for an ASIWYFA album). There’s been talk of The Endless Shimmering being the band’s most personal album to date and, whilst they’re reluctant to go into specifics, there’s a direct approach to the material here that suggests a desire to cut through the crap and get to the meat of the matter. </p><p>“We are fortunate enough to be able to make music that is very cathartic for us” says Rory, “something that is the product of four friends coming together and writing and rehearsing long into the night. Whenever I listen to this album, I can hear everything that went into it; it feels as if there’s a lot of emotion in there. I can associate each song with various different things that were going on in our lives and it makes me so much prouder that we managed to up cycle those events and turn them into something positive. It’s taken that negative energy and made it into 44 minutes of music that, regardless of what anyone else thinks of it, we view as our proudest achievement.” </p><p>The Endless Shimmering is released on Friday 20th October through Sargent House and is available to preorder on vinyl, CDand digitally now. The band begin a 40-date tour of the UK and Europe at Patronaat in Haarlem, The Netherlands on 18th October</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/48896342017-10-12T10:51:59-07:002017-10-12T19:15:43-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar premier “Terrors Of Pleasure” // PopMatters<img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/8b86dced9ed1c20881e6c116cf5a67f4987e5b29/original/screen-shot-2017-10-12-at-10-45-42-am.png?1507830434" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/0a9478ac0e7da1a028dc49acf934d4d61deec5b3/original/screen-shot-2017-10-12-at-10-45-48-am.png?1507830434" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/159790/4ce7d81edf73edc9c9a0a69c9d5a940341cdff64/original/screen-shot-2017-10-12-at-10-45-57-am.png?1507830439" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><p>With the four studio albums they have to their name so far, Belfast’s own <a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have perfected an instrumental playbook whose mantra requires a lot out of these musicians. Just about every one of And So I Watch You From Afar‘s songs involves the band tying itself into a series of seemingly irresolvable knots, with tricky time signatures and zip-fast guitar leads coalescing into mind-rattling figures. Yet by the end of each song, the quartet finds its way out. That is a rare act that makes a conservatory-worthy music clinic sound like an absolute blast; for a band of this caliber, it’s easy to indulge in time signatures as an end in of themselves, but these guys have figured out how to make instrumental prowess and infectious songwriting go hand in hand. </p><p>Full article via <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/post/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-terrors-of-pleasure-audio-premiere/" target="_blank">PopMatters</a></p><!-- more --><p>These things hold true on The Endless Shimmering, And So I Watch You From Afar’s fifth studio outing. Recorded over nine days in Rhode Island during a snowstorm that forced the group to concentrate all its energy on the studio, whether they wanted to or not. (They, of course, did.) PopMatters is happy to premiere “Terrors of Pleasure”, one of the fruits of those recording sessions, a characteristically intricate song that’s always two steps ahead of the listener, ready to throw the most insane—and fun—musical curveballs. Spindly guitar leads give way to crushing power chords and sprightly drum stops. It’s a lot to fit into five minutes, but with these chaps, it sounds effortless. </p><p>Guitarist Rory Friers says of the song, “I remember the day this track started to really come together, my brother was coming up to our rehearsal space to pick up some equipment. When he arrived he asked us to play him something new, so we started playing ‘Terrors of Pleasure’. When it kicked into the big middle section, I turned around and he was laughing and straight away I knew we were making a good song.” </p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bk0U8pEAbHU" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><p></p><p>The Endless Shimmering will be released <a href="http://smarturl.it/ASIWYFA-AM" target="_blank">digitally </a>and <a href="https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">physically</a> by <a href="https://sargenthouse.com/" target="_blank">Sargent House</a> on October 20th. </p><p>TOUR DATES <br>OCT 18 Haarlem, NL // Patronaat <br>OCT 19 Utrecht, NL // EKKO <br>OCT 20 Nijmegen, NL // Doornroosje (Purple Room) <br>OCT 21 Osnabrück, DE // KI. Freiheit <br>OCT 22 Karlsruhe, DE // Stadtmitte <br>OCT 23 Eindhoven, NL // DDWMusic Festival <br>OCT 24 Rouen, FR // Le 106 Club <br>OCT 25 Nantes, FR // Le Ferrailleur <br>OCT 26 Bordeaux, FR // Le Void <br>OCT 27 Barcelona, ES // AM Fest <br>OCT 28 Madrid, ES // Sala Caracol <br>OCT 29 Porto, PT // Hard Club <br>OCT 30 Lisbon, PT // Musicbox <br>NOV 02 Milan, IT // Magnolia <br>NOV 03 Fribourg, CH // Nouveau Monde <br>NOV 04 Winterthur, CH // Gaswerk <br>NOV 05 Pratteln, CH // MiniZ7 <br>NOV 06 München, DE // Ampere <br>NOV 07 Prague, CZ // NoD Teatro <br>NOV 08 Leipzig, DE // Conne Island <br>NOV 09 Berlin, DE // Lido <br>NOV 10 Hannover, DE // Bei Chez Heinz <br>NOV 12 Cologne, DE // Gebäude 9 <br>NOV 13 Wiesbaden, DE // Schlachthof <br>NOV 14 Essen, DE // Zeche Carl <br>NOV 15 Hamburg, DE // Knust <br>NOV 16 Groningen, NL // Vera <br>NOV 17 Maastricht, NL // Muziekgieterij <br>NOV 18 Louvain-La-Neuve, BE // Festival La Ferme <br>NOV 19 Kortrijk, BE // De Kreun <br>NOV 21 Paris, FR // Maroquinerie <br>NOV 22 Luxembourg, LU // Rockhal <br>NOV 23 London, UK // Koko <br>NOV 24 Manchester, UK // Academy 2 <br>NOV 25 Glasgow, UK // Oran Mor <br>NOV 26 Bristol, UK // Thekla <br>DEC 28 Dublin, Ireland // Academy <br>DEC 29 Castlebar Co Mayo, Ireland // Garbo’s <br>DEC 30 Cork, Ireland // Cypress Avenue <br>DEC 31 Galway, Ireland // Roisin Dubh</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/48743632017-10-02T10:49:07-07:002017-10-02T17:15:40-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar - “Dying Giants”<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d6fLT-JLxn4" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><p> </p><p><a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have released a new song entitled “Dying Giants” from their upcoming<b> </b><i><a href="https://www.hellomerch.com/collections/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar/products/the-endless-shimmering-t-shirt-bundle" target="_blank">‘The Endless Shimmering.’</a></i></p><!-- more --><p>EU/UK Tour Dates Below:</p><p>OCT 18 Haarlem, NL // Patronaat<br>OCT 19 Utrecht, NL // EKKO<br>OCT 20 Nijmegen, NL // Doornroosje (Purple Room)<br>OCT 21 Osnabrück, DE // KI. Freiheit<br>OCT 22 Karlsruhe, DE // Stadtmitte<br>OCT 23 Eindhoven, NL // DDWMusic Festival<br>OCT 24 Rouen, FR // Le 106 Club<br>OCT 25 Nantes, FR // Le Ferrailleur<br>OCT 26 Bordeaux, FR // Le Void<br>OCT 27 Barcelona, ES // AM Fest<br>OCT 28 Madrid, ES // Sala Caracol<br>OCT 29 Porto, PT // Hard Club<br>OCT 30 Lisbon, PT // Musicbox<br>NOV 02 Milan, IT // Magnolia<br>NOV 03 Fribourg, CH // Nouveau Monde<br>NOV 04 Winterthur, CH // Gaswerk<br>NOV 05 Pratteln, CH // MiniZ7<br>NOV 06 München, DE // Ampere<br>NOV 07 Prague, CZ // NoD Teatro<br>NOV 08 Leipzig, DE // Conne Island<br>NOV 09 Berlin, DE // Lido<br>NOV 10 Hannover, DE // Bei Chez Heinz<br>NOV 12 Cologne, DE // Gebäude 9<br>NOV 13 Wiesbaden, DE // Schlachthof<br>NOV 14 Essen, DE // Zeche Carl<br>NOV 15 Hamburg, DE // Knust<br>NOV 16 Groningen, NL // Vera<br>NOV 17 Maastricht, NL // Muziekgieterij<br>NOV 18 Louvain-La-Neuve, BE // Festival La Ferme<br>NOV 19 Kortrijk, BE // De Kreun<br>NOV 21 Paris, FR // Maroquinerie<br>NOV 22 Luxembourg, LU // Rockhal<br>NOV 23 London, UK // Koko<br>NOV 24 Manchester, UK // Academy 2<br>NOV 25 Glasgow, UK // Oran Mor<br>NOV 26 Bristol, UK // Thekla<br>DEC 28 Dublin, Ireland // Academy<br>DEC 29 Castlebar Co Mayo, Ireland // Garbo’s<br>DEC 30 Cork, Ireland // Cypress Avenue<br>DEC 31 Galway, Ireland // Roisin Dubh</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/48206702017-08-21T10:10:49-07:002017-08-21T10:16:32-07:00AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR ANNOUNCE THEIR NEW ALBUM WITH ‘A SLOW UNFOLDING OF WINGS’ // DIY<figure data-orig-width="360" data-orig-height="214" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/c6ee99fc3ed396349efe6a11eeaf0874/tumblr_inline_ov1oq1aIJ01r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="2014" data-orig-height="438" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/7cd665f6aa7f5d38d022e2930371f767/tumblr_inline_ov1oq5r7471r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1500" data-orig-height="1000" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/9b526dd5510c0fd0dcd46ba5de0703be/tumblr_inline_ov1oqafjo51r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><p>The Belfast post-rockers’ new LP ‘The Endless Shimmering’ is out on 20th October! </p><p>Two years on from releasing their last album ‘Heirs’, Belfast post-rock giants <a href="https://sargenthouse.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> are back, and they’ve announced their new album! </p><p>‘The Endless Shimmering’ is out on 20th October via Sargent House and is set to see the band operating on their instincts. To do so, the band flew to Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in March with the hope of capturing that instinct in live performances of the songs. </p><p>While a major snowstorm brought the area to a standstill, the band determinedly pressed on with the recording of the nine-track album. As guitarist Rory Friers says: “We tracked, ate, washed and slept at the studio, and 9 days later we had recorded and mixed the entire album just as the snow began to melt”. </p><p>Speaking of the album, bassist Jonathan Adger said: “We laid everything bare and put everything we had into the songs,” Adger says. “And we hope people can feel that and use that without us having to be to overt in how we present it. The album was charged with a lot of what we were all going through as individuals, but we wanted to allow it to become people’s soundtrack to whatever they need in their life at this moment”. See the tracklisting for the new album below. </p><p>1. Three Triangles <br>2. A Slow Unfolding Of Wings <br>3. Terrors Of Pleasure <br>4. Dying Giants <br>5. All I Need Is Space <br>6. The Endless Shimmering <br>7. Mullally <br>8. I’ll Share A Life <br>9. Chrysalism </p><p>As a first taster of what to expect from the new album, they’ve shared the epic ‘A Slow Unfolding Of Wings’. Combining a few slower, more contemplative yet complex melodies alongside passages of pure, blistering riffs and thunderous percussion, it shows off the raw energy that they aimed to instil into the whole of ‘The Endless Shimmering’. </p><p>Not only that, but the band will also be headed on a huge tour of Europe from October. As part of it, they’ll be returning to the UK in November, when they’ll be playing in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Bristol before heading to Dublin, County Mayo, Cork and Galway in December. Tickets are on sale now. You can see all of the upcoming European tour dates here. </p><p>Get the first spin of ‘A Slow Unfolding of Wings’ and see And So I Watch You From Afar’s upcoming UK and Ireland tour dates below. </p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pTacz_X6jz4" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe><p></p><p>NOVEMBER </p><p>23 London, UK, Koko <br>24 Manchester, UK, Academy 2 <br>25 Glasgow, UK, Oran Mor <br>26 Bristol, UK, Thekla </p><p>DECEMBER </p><p>28 Dublin, IRE, Academy <br>29 Castlebar Co Mayo, IRE, Garbo’s <br>30 Cork, IRE, Cypress Avenue <br>31 Galway, IRE, Roisin Dubh</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/48076912017-08-08T15:52:36-07:002017-08-08T20:16:23-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar Add Dates to 2017 Tour<figure data-orig-width="2287" data-orig-height="3001" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/37f45e01e024e5ba53cc0560a5e77408/tumblr_inline_oudru0BLe61r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p><a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have added dates in Ireland to their fall tour. Full list of dates below:</p><p>OCT 18 Haarlem, NL // Patronaat <br>
OCT 19 Utrecht, NL // EKKO<br>
OCT 20 Nijmegen, NL // Doornroosje (Purple Room)<br>
OCT 21 Osnabrück, DE // KI. Freiheit<br>
OCT 22 Karlsruhe, DE // Stadtmitte<br>
OCT 23 Eindhoven, NL // DDWMusic Festival<br>
OCT 24 Rouen, FR // Le 106 Club<br>
OCT 25 Nantes, FR // Le Ferrailleur<br>
OCT 26 Bordeaux, FR // Le Void<br>
OCT 27 Barcelona, ES // AM Fest<br>
OCT 28 Madrid, ES // Sala Caracol<br>
OCT 29 Porto, PT // Hard Club<br>
OCT 30 Lisbon, PT // Musicbox</p><p>NOV 02 Milan, IT // Magnolia<br>
NOV 03 Fribourg, CH // Nouveau Monde<br>
NOV 04 Winterthur, CH // Gaswerk<br>
NOV 05 Pratteln, CH // MiniZ7<br>
NOV 06 München, DE // Ampere<br>
NOV 07 Prague, CZ // NoD Teatro<br>
NOV 08 Leipzig, DE // Conne Island<br>
NOV 09 Berlin, DE // Lido<br>
NOV 10 Hannover, DE // Bei Chez Heinz<br>
NOV 12 Cologne, DE // Gebäude 9<br>
NOV 13 Wiesbaden, DE // Schlachthof<br>
NOV 14 Essen, DE // Zeche Carl<br>
NOV 15 Hamburg, DE // Knust<br>
NOV 16 Groningen, NL // Vera<br>
NOV 17 Maastricht, NL // Muziekgieterij<br>
NOV 18 Louvain-La-Neuve, BE // Festival La Ferme<br>
NOV 19 Kortrijk, BE // De Kreun<br>
NOV 21 Paris, FR // Maroquinerie<br>
NOV 22 Luxembourg, LU // Rockhal<br>
NOV 23 London, UK // Koko<br>
NOV 24 Manchester, UK // Academy 2<br>
NOV 25 Glasgow, UK // Oran Mor<br>
NOV 26 Bristol, UK // Thekla<br>DEC 28 Dublin, Ireland // Academy<br>DEC 29 Castlebar Co Mayo, Ireland // Garbo’s<br>DEC 30 Cork, Ireland // Cypress Avenue<br>DEC 31 Galway, Ireland // Roisin Dubh</p><p>Ticket links and info <a href="https://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">HERE. </a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/46868042017-01-04T13:43:25-08:002017-04-26T18:16:59-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar US Tour 2016 with RX Bandits. All...<img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/f86388dfad10b2d2013f4540c2ff0822/tumblr_oj9z0d9Xj01r533n8o3_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br> <br><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/5c20c674b8a2fe5d6352ab5c7b1ebee8/tumblr_oj9z0d9Xj01r533n8o1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br> <br><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/348a4ac73fd1fb890fb870c054eea725/tumblr_oj9z0d9Xj01r533n8o4_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br> <br><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/882bf73f91a4edab4eaea853df614e09/tumblr_oj9z0d9Xj01r533n8o2_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br> <br><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/b5cf525e7d4ee7e9d0fdc5c87be7069a/tumblr_oj9z0d9Xj01r533n8o5_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br> <br><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/a30d35511d680fcbda2a05cc9083b549/tumblr_oj9z0d9Xj01r533n8o6_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br> <br><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/c4cfa2fb31afd816b7d30625d8507da4/tumblr_oj9z0d9Xj01r533n8o7_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br> <br><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/a4e128682af16444aa0fe1bb5982203f/tumblr_oj9z0d9Xj01r533n8o8_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br> <br><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/c07fab64302a2ebc07a097fbcf16509c/tumblr_oj9z0d9Xj01r533n8o9_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br> <br><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/3a8160a5cad6cda41af380459b140cdb/tumblr_oj9z0d9Xj01r533n8o10_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br> <br><p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> US Tour 2016 with <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/rx-bandits" target="_blank">RX Bandits</a>. All photos by Ciara McMullan. <a href="http://www.ciaramcmullan.com/asiwyfa-and-rx-bandits.html" target="_blank">Click HERE for full photoset.</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/46868052016-12-14T13:36:40-08:002017-04-26T18:17:00-07:00Interview with Birthday Cake For Breakfast<p><a href="https://birthdaycakebreakfast.wordpress.com/2016/12/14/a-proper-festival-everyone-can-call-their-own-an-interview-with-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-at-arctangent-2016/" target="_blank"><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="70" data-orig-width="706"><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/6c461f38874ec5df28958479a95a78ab/tumblr_inline_oi72bb1W5F1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="347" data-orig-width="520"><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/a38db2ee6c167302953e9925dfc349c4/tumblr_inline_oi72c2RMzi1qbzv4w_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="213" data-orig-width="557"><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/5198b938c0838699581be322de8600d4/tumblr_inline_oi72c8ZIZw1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure></a></p><p>“All the weird and wonderful different types of music under one roof.”</p><p>When Chris Wee, drummer in <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>, is not hammering away at his kit, he’s hitting nails on the head. Sat backstage at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/atgfestival/?fref=ts" target="_blank">ArcTanGent Festival</a> a few months back with Chris and Rory Friers, guitarist in ASIWYFA, the festival itself is a topic they’re eager to talk about, the annual long weekend now being a notable date in their performance calendar.</p><p>“We got asked to do a bunch of stuff this summer and the guys who do this and 2000trees, they’re the only people who we felt like – we’ve got to do this.” Says Rory. The festival now being a must-do for the band sort of happened over night. But up until that point, it looked like it had the potential to just be any other festival.<br>“It was kind of in our diary and we’d never heard of it before. We had no idea what it was gonna be like or what it was really about. It didn’t really stand out.”He continues. “We were doing loads of festivals that summer; there was all the big European ones that we were really excited about and then there was this little one in Bristol. We were just like – we’ll do it on the way home.”</p><p>Arriving at the ‘little festival in Bristol’, a tired group of men pottered about backstage, setting up gear for the day. Unbeknownst to them, a swarm of riff-hungry, besotted math-heads were already bouncing off the walls in anticipation for their arrival.<br>“We pushed our gear out and from two minutes into the set it was like – holy fuck.” Beams Rory. “The sun started going down, the lights came on, and by the time that show finished it was like – this is probably one of the best shows. I remember all the crowd sat down at one point in one of the songs, ‘The Voiceless’, just on their own accord. It was so good. Really took us by surprise.”</p><!-- more --><p>There was a shared feeling amongst attendees of that first ArcTanGent Festival. From food vendors to merch sellers, punters to bands, drug sellers to those blokes who sell watermelon slices out of their van – It was obvious that the organisers of ArcTanGent were onto something. Lightning in a bottle.<br>“It was after that that we realised ArcTanGent really represents this little corner of the musical universe that all the bands here – and all the people here – reside in.” Says Rory. “We all go and play the little shows throughout the years, all over the world, and this is the place where everybody can congregate over the summer and have the big party together. You could probably ask anyone here, but everyone feels like this is our tribe. This is sort of where everybody gets together. You don’t need to explain what you’re into or what you’re about, everybody knows and everybody knows all the bands. It’s sort of beautiful to be able to have these bands playing in front of everybody on the big stages here with the great sound. A proper festival everyone can call their own.”</p><p>Prior to this year’s ArcTanGent Festival, the quartet had a bit of a warm-up session, playing a secret show to<a href="https://www.facebook.com/andsoiwatchyoufromafar/photos/a.280754626322.187999.25571011322/10154404823641323/?type=3&theater" target="_blank"> a host of energetic punters in Belfast.</a><br>“It was one of the coolest fucking things we’ve done for a while.” Says Rory of the underground basement show. “I guess we’ve been at home writing a record and hadn’t been doing any shows. We’ve been wanting to put on little secret basement party type vibes in Belfast, and we thought we’d put one on and play it ourselves.”</p><p>Whilst perhaps not the best kept secret, the event itself was advertised through Twitter, with the original venue having fallen through at the last minute.<br>“It was like the least secret secret party that’s ever happened – like 600 people turned up.” Smiles Rory. “It kicked off, it was brilliant. PA’s all knocked over… It was free in and bring your own booze, but we kinda just wanted to recreate… the shows we went to as kids that made us wanna be in bands.”</p><p>Before all this, there was also the small matter of the <a href="http://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk/" target="_blank">2000trees</a> tenth anniversary. Sharing the stage with the likes of Black Peaks and coming on just before The Bronx certainly seemed to bring something out in ASIWYFA, with the band putting in a memorably chaotic performance.<br>“’Cus we’d had a bit of time off, proper straight in at the deep end…” Comments Rory.<br>“Knowing The Bronx were on after us as well…You’ve gotta bring the noise.” Adds Chris with a smile.</p><figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-provider="youtube" data-orig-width="540" data-orig-height="304" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DLr1lD015OoI"><iframe width="540" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lr1lD015OoI?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure><p>Rory himself seemed to spend more time in the crowd than on stage, getting pure stuck into it with the revellers in the pit. Though as he soon realised, choosing the correct festival attire is key if you’re going to temporarily lose yourself in the moment.<br></p><p>“The crowd almost ended my life. I wrecked a good pair of jeans, actually. They were not my cheap jeans – they were my medium, going out on the town jeans.” He says with a laugh. “But it was amazing. We made sure we got a good set together. It’s mental to have such a nice slot at festivals like that, but then to be going on stage and there to be a full tent of people… We didn’t start this band with any expectation of those sorts of things happening. The festivals we looked at growing up, we never thought we’d have got to feature in them at all. That was one of my favourites that 2000trees set.”</p><p>“There’s something about the two festivals, Trees and this, I think it’s because they’ve deliberately kept them to this sort of size. They’ve cultivated such a strong identity.” Adds Chris. “You go to Reading and it’s just so fleeting; bills change and the crowds are all so different. Whereas here there’s a personality to the festival, it has its own life. When you go back, you know what you’re walking into. It’s like a really lovely way to go into a festival. It’s not like ‘I wonder what type of people are gonna show up this year?’<br>“Never take your best jeans to a festival. That’s basics.” Nods Rory.</p><p>Another highlight from ArcTanGent over the years for ASIWYFA has come from watching a good friend blossom on the big stage. Henry Kohen, a.k.a. <a href="http://myletsmusic.com" target="_blank">Mylets</a>. The youngster of the Sargent House family played one of his earliest UK shows at ArcTanGent, taking his jaunt to Blighty right in at the deep end. Like proud fathers, discussing Henry and his triumphant appearance at the festival has the pair beaming, Chris commenting. “From a sort of awkward kid to-“<br>“…An awkward man” Adds Rory with a laugh. “It’s hard not to feel complete pride, just in like how much of a boss he is. It’s been amazing to get to know him. When we first met him, he was probably about 3 or something… He was like 18, younger, but he had the brain of a 45 year old and the musical brain that surpassed the four of ours together. It’s been amazing just to see him take all his new songs all around the world. It’s class being here and seeing people with Mylets t-shirts on and I’m just excited for what he’s inevitably gonna go on and do over the next fifteen or twenty years with all his tunes.”</p><p>Mylets was a welcome addition to the lengthy ASIWYFA tour around the release of ‘Heirs’, opening up for them across their run of European dates. Reminiscing over the year of release, the pair laugh about a “big tyre blow out” and a cracked windscreen on the way to a show in Manchester (thank Christ they made it!), with the city being notable for some of the worst shows they’ve played (their words!)<br>“That whole touring cycle was crazy – Crazy quick.” Says Chris. “Russia then Europe, then festivals then the States. Then it was Christmas.”</p><p>Russia might seem an odd place for a band to tour, given what one hears in the news and following the whole Pussy Riot fiasco. Discussing the idea of four Northern Irish lads visiting Russia, Chris certainly had a few worrying thoughts prior to the trip.<br>“We’re quite lucky as a band. No matter where you go, you tend to encounter really like-minded people, whether you’re in the UK, Asia or wherever.” He says.“So all these worries about going to Russia and being scared of people chasing you down the street or something, you go there and meet the loveliest people. It tends to happen with music, especially that umbrella of music we’re involved with – that touring circuit of bands. Those people that come to the shows, if you could transport those Russian fans they’d probably love ArcTanGent. So we’re lucky, we go to far flung places and we’re like – fucking hell, we’re gonna be kidnapped – but we meet the loveliest people.“</p><p>The quartet also got to take themselves to the States and Japan with their fourth album’s release, with Rory citing the latter as one of their definite highlights.<br>“We’ve been wanting to get to Japan for years.” He says. “I always have this image of us going through that big tunnel for ages and ages and ages, then June was like ‘Look out the front when we come out here’ We came out this tunnel and it was like Mount Fuji, the whole thing, right in front of us. You’d recognise it like a famous person, I was like – Fuck, we’re in Japan, it’s happened.”</p><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="2592" data-orig-width="3872"><img src="https://68.media.tumblr.com/9f1c94777ecbf7e1e519d2297849fcfa/tumblr_inline_oi72ivfEZx1qbzv4w_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/andsoiwatchyoufromafar/" target="_blank"></a>“The shows there were amazing. That whole UK run was amazing.” Continues Rory. “There was just so many people coming to the shows. Chris was joking there about Manchester and the dark days, but UK is where we have played – consistently over so many years – shows with no one there. We just kept going back, over and over and over, playing to no one for years. On that run, four out of five of those shows were sold out and they were all in big venues.”<br>“All the hard work paying off finally.” Agrees Chris.</p><p>Whilst their mammoth run of shows over the past two years has been mostly in conjunction with the release of Heirs, Rory comments that there are a good number of songs from the record that have only had airings in a live format once or twice. Though their lack of inclusion is hardly down to a lack of enjoyment when putting the record together.<br>“I never listen back to any of our records ever… I dunno, what’s it go like again?”He laughs. “The whole process was so much fun; every record just informs what we’re doing now. Like all our records, we learnt so much from it, it taught us a lot, and how we’re approaching writing songs now is based off how we did then. It’s kinda mad. Where does the time go?” He chuckles.</p><p><a href="https://birthdaycakebreakfast.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/an-interview-with-rory-friers-on-heirs-the-fourth-album-from-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar/" target="_blank">Speaking with Rory last year ahead of the release of the album</a>, he considered his analogies in the form of chocolate bars. ‘All Hail Bright Futures’ was quite rightly deemed to be covered in popping candy and muli-coloured sprinkles, whilst Heirs was more fitting of an 85% bar of Green and Blacks. To continue with such an analogy, and with news of the quartet back in the studio and ready for album number five, I was interested to find out what we can expect from the latest album. A little chocolate truffle perhaps? A Reese’s peanut butter cup? After some deliberation, the pair began to consider their options.</p><p>“It’s difficult, it depends what bunch of songs we choose. There’s a Snickers in there for me.” Laughs Rory. “That’s a good question… I feel like at the minute we have all the ingredients all set about and we’re yet to form the final confectionery. We’ve written some pretty heavy stuff, we’ve written some pretty cinematic stuff, we’ve written two songs which will be the two longest songs we’ve ever written. We’ve also written some super short, little bangers.”<br>“So maybe it’s a box of fine truffles?” Chris asks. More deliberation.<br>“Maybe it’s a fuckin’ assortment.” Counters Rory. “Christmas box. Curly Wurly…”<br>“It’s a bit more upmarket than that. Bit higher than Milk Tray…” Adds Chris.<br>“Thorntons? Jesus. Sounds like we’ve got a box of Thorntons on our hands.” Laughs Rory.</p><p>Whilst they’re not in any shape to start printing labels for whichever type of chocolate they’ll be shifting with this completed album, it’s clear that a lot of thought is going into the follow up to Heirs. <br>“We did a lot before Christmas and we felt like we had sort of made the bones of the record.” Comments Rory.<br>The band decided to take a break during the holidays before coming together again following Japan, subsequently altering nearly everything that had been written up to that point.<br>“We tend to do that.” He adds. “We’ll write a bunch of tunes and that’ll be good, then slowly for every new tune that comes along one of them goes from the bunch until everything’s been replaced with all these new ones. We’ve written loads and loads of songs, but I think we’ve got to a place, like the last few that we’ve written-“<br>“Shaped the album.” Jumps in Chris. “Given us a good idea of what direction it’ll be.”</p><figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-provider="youtube" data-orig-width="540" data-orig-height="304" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7hLxI6Yz7zU"><iframe width="540" height="304" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7hLxI6Yz7zU?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure><p>The aforementioned chocolate analogy potentially crumbles with news of the band putting together a real odyssey, with a track under the working title of ‘Prospector’. Mere mention of the track creates excitement between the pair, as Rory explains further.<br></p><p>“It took weeks to put together, but it feels like a fucking opus at the minute. We always joke about our CPU in our own heads when we’re doing a song. The 9 minutes of that song when we’re playing, it’s like all of our brains are in overload – CPU spike. RAM full, Cache full.”<br>“Sixteen Internet Explorer tabs open, your Task Manager is just maxed out.” Laughs Chris.</p><p>“I think we wanna make something that’s just like super accomplished. I would say we’re 75-80% done on a record at the minute, we’ll just see whenever we’re ready to record it and we’ll do that.” Sums up Rory. “Whenever the vinyl plants can press it, we’ll put it out and go tour again. We’ve kind of tried this time round to approach it a bit more like that. We just wanna make good records. We’d previously try and squeeze everything all the time – we’d tour and write and write and tour. This time, we were just like we should just make the record and when it’s done, then go do that. So we’re nearly at that point of just doing that.”</p><p>The euphoric feeling felt within the crowd during a live show is reciprocated on stage, with each member of And So I Watch You From Afar not only looking like they’re having a great time performing, but feeling entirely connected with each other. There’s a continuation of this outside of the band, with the four-piece still hanging out on a regular basis. Rory and bassist Niall Kennedy even get together to entertain in a different sense, occasionally cooking for folks in exclusive supper clubs.<br>“Everything is just so chilled ‘cus we’re all at home.” Says Rory. “We’re probably hanging out with each other just as much, but it’s not in a van so you don’t piss each other off ever. But it’s good; you’re kind of having that collective experience of creating music, which is fundamentally such a unifying feeling. To have that excitement with three of your best buds is amazing. ‘Cus we’re in Belfast as well, we get to go to the pub every weekend together, hang out and go see Battles. Hang out with our friends and family. It’s just a nice time. As much as we love being on tour, I think we are really loving this session of writing at the minute. Closer than ever. Trying not to big them up too much ‘cus they’re sitting right here…”</p><p>The arrival of bassist Johnny marks the end of the interview, as the band head off to get in preparation mode – mere hours away from yet another enthralling ArcTanGent performance. Later that evening, And So I Watch You From Afar would go on to have one of the weekend’s most memorable performances, treating the crowd to a showing they’ll likely never forget. Well, as Rory says, we are all part of the same Tribe.</p><p><a href="https://birthdaycakebreakfast.wordpress.com/2016/12/14/a-proper-festival-everyone-can-call-their-own-an-interview-with-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-at-arctangent-2016/" target="_blank">(via Birthday Cake For Breakfast)</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/42958162016-07-26T10:56:52-07:002016-07-26T14:02:03-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar to join RX Bandits on Fall 2016 US Tour<figure data-orig-width="3872" data-orig-height="2592" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/9691fbf77871c93d4bbc3848a1039fe5/tumblr_inline_oaxo8pqskd1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p><a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/asiwyfa.com">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> will be joining <a href="http://rxbanditsofficial.com/">RX Bandits</a> on a tour of the US this fall. Tickets go on sale Friday, July 29th and will be available <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>. A full list of dates can be found below.</p><p><b>RX BANDITS & AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR US TOUR 2016</b></p><p>Sep 24 Berkeley, CA @ UC Theatre<br>Sep 25 Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades<br>Sep 27 Portland, OR @ Star Theater<br>Sep 28 Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey<br>Oct 01 Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall<br>Oct 03 Lawrence, KS @ Granada<br>Oct 04 St Louis, MO @ Fubar<br>Oct 05 Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge<br>Oct 08 Wantagh, NY @ Mulcahy’s Concert Hall<br>Oct 10 New York, NY @ Irving Plaza<br>Oct 11 Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero<br>Oct 12 Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre<br>Oct 14 Atlanta, GA @ The Loft<br>Oct 15 Orlando, FL @ The Beacham<br>Oct 16 Lake Park, FL @ Kelsey Theatre<br>Oct 17 Tampa, FL @ State Theatre<br>Oct 19 New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues<br>Oct 20 Houston, TX @ Numbers<br>Oct 21 Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey<br>Oct 22 San Antonio, TX @ Alamo City Music Hall<br>Oct 24 Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom<br>Oct 28 San Diego, CA @ SOMA<br>Oct 29 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom<br>Oct 30 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/42364382016-06-17T17:43:34-07:002017-01-10T06:30:21-08:00Live Photos from Belsonic Belfast<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/3efa1331d2269fc47ccdfa0b035b286e31ed5b0c/original/photo-17-06-2016-19-57-58.jpg?1466210391" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/ec65bd150858edb0e9e17361c4d01eb180da0891/original/photo-17-06-2016-20-19-36.jpg?1466210397" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/94e16d23f6b5c77723f7267ed2bb79ee11470235/original/photo-17-06-2016-20-22-33.jpg?1466210397" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/e1be35414a8d8ab9ee6bcfc2740b695a0c8a25f5/original/photo-17-06-2016-20-11-17.jpg?1466210397" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><p><a contents="And So I Watch You From Afar" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://asiwyfa.com">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> at Belsonic Belfast. <br>Photos by Graham Smith. </p>
<p>The band will be co-headlining <a contents="2000 Trees" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk/" target="_blank">2000 Trees</a> and <a contents="ArcTanGent" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.arctangent.co.uk/" target="_blank">ArcTanGent</a> festivals before heading to America to record their new album. More news to come…</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/39642662015-12-14T14:47:54-08:002023-12-10T11:26:27-08:00One Week SALE at North American Online Store<p><a href="http://hellomerch.com/collections/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar"><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="427" data-orig-width="640"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/27312f30f2458a4f20abdcd6867784fb/tumblr_inline_nzdduuTz8q1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure></a></p><p>Our label <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/">Sargent House</a> is having a holiday sale on all 2015 Album Artists, and we’re part of it! Head over to <a href="http://hellomerch.com/collections/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar">our Hello Merch store</a> to save 20% off all Bundles and CDs and 15% off all vinyl. Get these discounts on our newest album, <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/heirs">Heirs</a></i>, or any of our previous releases.</p><p>This sale ends December 21st and is good at the North American online store ONLY.</p><p><i><a href="http://thethinair.net/2015/06/asiwyfa-irish-tour/">photo by Isabel Thomas</a></i></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/39422242015-11-30T13:36:05-08:002015-11-30T16:16:31-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar announce Japan Tour 2016<figure data-orig-width="640" data-orig-height="640" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/3be8344c9f6a7fb70d7b7b519bb9f5b8/tumblr_inline_nyncxneAg61r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>And So I Watch You From Afar will be playing three dates in Japan with LITE in January 2016. Tickets go on sale December 6th, 2015, and will be available <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>. </p><p>AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR JAPAN 2016<br>All dates with <a href="https://liteband.bandcamp.com/">LITE</a></p><p>Jan 18 - Osaka, JP @ Conpass<br>Jan 19 - Nagoya, JP @ Apollo Base<br>Jan 20 - Tokyo, JP @ Fever</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/39359992015-11-25T16:22:03-08:002015-11-25T19:05:46-08:00Rory Friers from ASIWYFA releases 'Mend And Make Safe' Remix as Thrash Hat<figure data-orig-width="254" data-orig-height="96"><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/5eb9a4c519f5e3059a720cbf2a52f569/tumblr_inline_nyeacxk2eI1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="1024" data-orig-height="1024" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/7daed15d20d4a51e6477f66e5ac77ac6/tumblr_inline_nyead5Qfvj1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>Invariably trotting the globe wielding guitar and gusto as part of North Coast post-rock machine <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>, <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/rory-friers">Rory Friers</a> can also be found as found making electronic music as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThrashHatMusic/">Thrash Hat</a>. Having set beats to kill on debut track ‘<a href="https://soundcloud.com/thrash-hat/pandaface">Pandaface</a>‘ back in August – thereby setting the ball in motion for a hugely disparate yet no less enthralling sonic path in the making – we’re pleased to premiere two new tracks from Friers, ‘Owkwerd’ and a remix of his band’s very ‘Mend and Make Safe’. Where the former effort’s glitchy, darkly unravelling majesty stirs with some wonderfully discriminating shapes and shifts, the latter re-imagining brilliantly warps the the ASIWYFA track almost beyond recognition, its propulsive, 8-bit-leaning finesse re-contextualising the triumphant glory of the original.<br></p><p><i><a href="http://thethinair.net/2015/11/premiere-thrash-hat-mend-and-make-safe-remix-asiwyfa-owkwerd/">Click HERE to listen to the tracks</a></i></p><p>(via The Thin Air)</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/39177312015-11-06T12:59:27-08:002017-01-10T06:30:01-08:00Live photos from Lisbon // Ponto Alternativo<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/966c72252e92c9230340af310ab1761b3d8469a0/original/screen-shot-2015-11-06-at-12-54-14-pm.png?1446843320" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/0282cfadf4e629bf98a1f48e52ffcad81478092b/original/screen-shot-2015-11-06-at-12-54-25-pm.png?1446843332" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/82d7404f58b3c8b28c9d922d715635fe4a7e22b5/original/screen-shot-2015-11-06-at-12-54-33-pm.png?1446843332" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><p><i>photos by Lais Pereira</i></p>
<p><a contents="And So I Watch You From Afar" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/home" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> playing their sold out show at Music Box in Lisbon, PT.</p>
<p>The band has two more shows on this run - Teatro Barceló in Madrid on Nov 6th, and headlining <a href="http://www.amfest.es/">AMFest</a> in Barcelona on Nov 7th. Tickets are available <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ponto-alternativo.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-musicbox/">(via Ponto Alternativo)</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/39120142015-11-03T12:35:35-08:002015-11-03T14:16:38-08:00Heirs nominated for Best Art Vinyl 2015 - Vote now!<figure data-orig-width="562" data-orig-height="139" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/18965923657694c839264f4dc819b3a8/tumblr_inline_nx99v3pg6G1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="2000" data-orig-height="2032" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/d20367fa4ea3b36c390407193ebd9af8/tumblr_inline_nx99wsXHE01qbzv4w_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>’s newest album <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/heirs-2">Heirs</a></i> has been nominated for Best Art Vinyl 2015, and online voting is now live. Congratulations to the band and visual artist <a href="http://www.sonnykay.com/">Sonny Kay</a>! Cast your vote <a href="http://www.artvinyl.com/vote/">HERE</a>, and see <i>Heirs</i> with the other nominated albums at the below exhibitions.</p><p>January 2016 – Belgraves Hotel, Belgravia LONDON<br>January 2016 – Mono Art & Design, Budapest HUNGARY<br>May 2016 – HIGH END®, MOC, Munich GERMANY (2016)</p><p>And So I Watch You From Afar have a run of shows in Spain and Portugal this week - see all shows and buy tickets <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/38890782015-10-08T12:14:27-07:002015-10-08T12:46:36-07:00Audiotree Live session up now<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-provider="youtube" data-orig-width="540" data-orig-height="304" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DNTZxz20iM_w%26list%3DPLunIrIqYqs7-UafledYtoNXSQwp6tZFzM"><iframe width="540" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NTZxz20iM_w?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p>Check out the second full <a href="http://audiotree.tv/session/asiwyfa-2/">Audiotree Live</a> session of <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>, and don’t miss them as they finish their North American headlining tour with <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a> and <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/blis">Blis.</a> before they headline <a href="http://www.amfest.es/">AMFest</a> and play a few shows in Spain & Portugal.</p><p>Get your tickets <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>, and see an upcoming list of shows below.</p><p>ASIWYFA / MYLETS / BLIS. NORTH AMERICAN TOUR</p><p>10/08 - Redding, CA @ The Dip<br>10/09 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill<br>10/10 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah<br>10/12 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Teragram Ballroom w/Swollen Brain (feat. Nick Reinhart from Tera Melos + Eric Gardner from Dot Hacker )</p><p>ASIWYFA IBERIAN TOUR 2015</p><p>Nov 04 - Lisbon, PT @ Musicbox<br>Nov 05 - Porto, PT @ Hard Club<br>Nov 06 - Madrid, ES @ Teatro Barceló<br>Nov 07 - Barcelona, ES @ <a href="http://www.amfest.es/">AMFest</a><br></p><figure data-orig-width="424" data-orig-height="832" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/2beb95771a24af1c148a892fc3de1e72/tumblr_inline_nvx0ndYRhs1qbzv4w_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/38784242015-10-01T12:44:30-07:002015-10-01T12:46:25-07:00Live video from Audiotree Music Festival 2015<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-orig-height="304" data-orig-width="540" data-provider="youtube" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DnICX2idbezw%26feature%3Dyoutu.be"><iframe frameborder="0" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nICX2idbezw?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="540"></iframe></figure>
<p>This video of <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> live at <a href="http://audiotreemusicfestival.com/">Audiotree Music Festival</a> shows why we’re so happy to have them headlining our Sargent House Fall Tour alongside <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a> and <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/blis">Blis</a>.</p>
<p>Also excited to add the new project Swollen Brain consisting of Nick Reinhardt of <a href="https://teramelos.bandcamp.com/">Tera Melos</a> and Eric Gardner of <a href="http://www.dothacker.org/">Dot Hacker</a> to the Los Angeles show at Teragram Ballroom on October 12th.</p>
<p>Get your tickets <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>, and see a full list of remaining shows below.</p>
<p>AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR / MYLETS / BLIS.<br>10/01 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad<br>10/02 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre<br>10/03 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court<br>10/05 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile<br>10/06 - Vancouver, BC (CA) @ The Cobalt<br>10/07 - Portland, OR @ Analog Café<br>10/08 - Redding, CA @ The Dip<br>10/09 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill<br>10/10 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah</p>
<p>10/12 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Teragram Ballroom<br>With Special guests - Swollen Brain<br>(feat. Nick Reinhart from Tera Melos + Eric Gardner from Dot Hacker )</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/38661182015-09-23T17:32:05-07:002015-09-23T19:46:32-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar Live Audiotree Session // September 24th, 2015<figure data-orig-width="640" data-orig-height="354" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/0aa7d882211b4c8a2bf843728737cafd/tumblr_inline_nv5ns7TMC41qbzv4w_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> will be returning to Audiotree tomorrow, Thursday, September 24. You can <a href="http://audiotree.tv/live/">watch it live HERE online at 1:00pm CDT</a>.</p><p>After the session they have three more shows with <a href="http://thefalloftroy.com/">The Fall Of Troy</a> and <a href="http://slothrust.com/">Slothrust</a> before beginning their headline dates with fellow <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/">Sargent House</a> artists <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a> and <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/blis">Blis</a>.</p><p>For all show and ticket details, click <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>.</p><p>//</p><p><b>THE FALL OF TROY / AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR TOUR 2015:</b><br></p><p>09/24 - Chicago, IL @ Metro<br>09/25 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze<br>09/26 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theatre</p><p><b>AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR / MYLETS / BLIS. TOUR 2015:</b></p><p>09/28 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada<br>09/29 - Austin, TX @ Sidewinder<br>09/30 - El Paso, TX @ Bowie Feathers<br>10/01 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad<br>10/02 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater<br>10/03 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court<br>10/05 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile<br>10/06 - Vancouver, BC (CA) @ The Cobalt<br>10/07 - Portland, OR @ Analog Café<br>10/08 - Redding, CA @ The Dip<br>10/09 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill<br>10/10 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah<br>10/12 - Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/38632292015-09-22T12:25:12-07:002015-09-22T16:55:32-07:00US Tour Diary from ASIWYFA's Chris Wee<figure data-orig-width="254" data-orig-height="96"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/5eb9a4c519f5e3059a720cbf2a52f569/tumblr_inline_nv3evdr9Ax1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="628" data-orig-height="492" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/8503aea1f781c63561068e62f225bf2b/tumblr_inline_nv3evkSZFj1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>Hello from Philadelphia! As I write we’re at tonight’s venue the Union Transfer, waiting for our soundcheck slot while the mighty The Fall of Troy are doing theirs. We’re on tour with them and a great NY based band called Slothrust at the minute, both serving up masterclasses in their craft each night, keeping us blow-ins from Ireland very much on our toes each night. After this we part ways to meet up and do the rest of the tour with our <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/">Sargent House</a> label mates <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a> and <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/blis">Blis</a>.</p><p>We’re two weeks into the five week tour, having journeyed from the mid-west all the way to Florida and back up along the east coast, still to further zig-zag the country all the way to California. In between the hectic schedule of shows and the mammoth amount of driving required we have managed to squeeze a little downtime in amongst it. We swam in the Gulf of Mexico the other day during our stop in Tampa FL and we’ve seen some pretty amazing scenery and skylines on our hike so far, the only minor hiccup being a brush with a state trooper the other day due to slightly fast driving by one of us (not naming names) but touch wood it’ll be a smooth ride for the rest of tour.</p>[[MORE]]<figure data-orig-width="620" data-orig-height="412" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/6dcf04ea25aeb1d4aa453be7586e67e3/tumblr_inline_nv3f0yxWvR1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>We first stepped foot over here in 2010 as a completely unknown opening band struggling to get enough dollars to put fuel in our van and eat, so a few years on we’re lucky to have an amazingly supportive record label in Sargent House as well be continuing to cultivate a fanbase over here. Touring is a little more comfortable than it once was, yet you still face the same difficulties in maintaining your home life especially when you’re so far from it.</p><p>You experience time in strange ways whilst on tour. On one hand you are dashing in and out of some of the most incredible cities and taking in your surroundings the best you can, and before you know it you have covered several thousand miles in what seems like a day. And on the other hand time can lurch and drag with thoughts of home and the ones we love. We watch our kids grow up and maintain relationships over a smartphone screen, family members and loved ones fall ill, all too far out of our reach, while friends are bereaved with no way of you offering that hug you so desire to give.</p><figure data-orig-width="620" data-orig-height="412" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/3028b672cd12e10805070bd2d19181d1/tumblr_inline_nv3f1wH11w1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>It’s an aspect of touring that has always lurked in the background, away from the adrenaline of the shows or the interaction with the fans at the merch table. It’s just a part of life at the end of the day and although it’s not always easy to balance I don’t think any of us would change a thing. From our earliest desires of being in a band, thrashing through punk rock covers as young teenagers we now exist as a full time band in our tenth year of existence with four albums, moving city to city playing the music we love to people who love it too and to some that don’t know it yet. Talk to y’all soon. </p><p><b><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/chris-wee">-Chris Wee</a> </b></p><p><b>See more live photos from Webster Hall, NYC at <a href="http://thethinair.net/2015/09/us-tour-diary-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar/">The Thin Air</a></b><br></p><p><i><b>Catch <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> on their North America Fall Tour - <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">dates and tickets available HERE</a></b></i></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/38382052015-08-31T16:30:30-07:002015-09-01T14:16:49-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar "Wasps" Live Session // CutLooseTV<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-provider="youtube" data-orig-width="500" data-orig-height="304" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dtt2g81sRQN4"><iframe width="540" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tt2g81sRQN4?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p>CutLooseTV has unveiled the last video from the session in Glasgow with <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>. Check out their performance of “Wasps” above.</p><p>Don’t forget you can find this video, along with some of our other favorites, on our <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/videos">Videos</a> page.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/38227692015-08-17T11:32:39-07:002015-08-17T14:15:54-07:00Guitar Pedalboard Walkthrough via Total Guitar<figure data-orig-width="460" data-orig-height="151" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/9598b3ace335f96cc37633e32d0ac9d8/tumblr_inline_nt8o0f1dAS1qbzv4w_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-provider="youtube" data-orig-width="500" data-orig-height="304" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFOUrNRApnwA%26feature%3Dyoutu.be"><iframe width="500" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FOUrNRApnwA?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-provider="youtube" data-orig-width="500" data-orig-height="304" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXcwZfUMWC3Y%26feature%3Dyoutu.be"><iframe width="500" height="304" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XcwZfUMWC3Y?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/rory-friers">Rory Friers</a> and <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/niall-kennedy">Niall Kennedy</a> of <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> take you step-by-step through their pedalboards in the latest edition of <a href="http://www.musicradar.com/totalguitar">Total Guitar</a>’s Pedalboard Tour.</p><p>These boards will see a lot of action very soon - first at Reading & Leeds Festivals, then on a full tour of North America, before doing a run of shows in Spain and Portugal. See all dates and buy tickets <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/38168642015-08-12T12:02:23-07:002015-08-12T12:16:07-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar // Music & Riots interview and feature<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="108" data-orig-width="462"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/45cfb78d73231e84d5c08b8b46d82e3a/tumblr_inline_nszgftU6pG1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="989" data-orig-width="1413"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/1e7c30950b8dcbdc517f6d37704bc598/tumblr_inline_nszgggI3eV1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>Music & Riots interviewed Chris Wee of <a href="http://asiwyfa.com">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> about their new album, their ten year anniversary, and more in a six-page feature.</p><p>Check out Issue 13 of the magazine <a href="http://issuu.com/music_and_riots_mag/docs/issue_13_/92">HERE</a> or in the embedded reader below - the interview begins on page 93.</p><div data-configid="0/14741922" style="width:525px; height:371px;" class="issuuembed"></div><script type="text/javascript" src="//e.issuu.com/embed.js" async="true"></script>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/38138392015-08-10T12:10:39-07:002015-08-10T12:31:56-07:00'Run Home' video from CutLooseTV<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-orig-height="304" data-orig-width="500" data-provider="youtube" data-url="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKRhsW8bbbx8"><iframe frameborder="0" height="304" id="youtube_iframe" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KRhsW8bbbx8?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque" width="540"></iframe></figure>
<p>CutLooseTV captured a great session at the very beginning of <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>’s Europe tour in April - this is the first in a series they recorded from their newest album <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/heirs">Heirs</a></i>.</p>
<p>North America will get to see them touring with The Fall Of Troy before headlining the Sargent House fall tour alongside labelmates <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a> and newcomers <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/blis">Blis</a>. </p>
<p>Europe gets a few more chances to see them this year at <a href="http://www.readingfestival.com/">Reading</a> & <a href="http://www.leedsfestival.com/">Leeds</a> Festivals, as well as dates in Spain and Portugal leading up to <a href="http://www.amfest.es/">AMFest</a>.</p>
<p>See a full list of dates and purchase tickets <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/38018802015-08-03T12:51:47-07:002015-08-03T16:16:03-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar featured in Total Guitar<figure data-orig-height="79" data-orig-width="216"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/8b55c0d17a726a76d48189472046f86c/tumblr_inline_nsiussNhPN1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1024" data-orig-width="758"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/c2d31d41ea0f062a26c1de011ae70289/tumblr_inline_nsiut1RqDw1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/niall-kennedy">Niall Kennedy</a> and <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/rory-friers">Rory Friers</a> of <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> were interviewed for the August 2015 issue of <a href="http://www.musicradar.com/totalguitar">Total Guitar</a> about pedals, gear, and more. Get your copy on newsstands now!</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37593712015-06-29T11:18:32-07:002015-08-19T12:22:00-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar adds headlining dates to North American tour<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="534" data-orig-width="1000"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/f19ece575bc0de7ea480a7ef98255265/tumblr_inline_nqpwkfbMeW1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p>After their tour dates with The Fall of Troy, <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> will be headlining several shows across North America with support from <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a> and <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/blis">Blis</a>. Tickets for the shows with The Fall of Troy are on sale now and available <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>. Tickets for their headlining dates will go on sale Friday, July 3rd. </p>
<p><b>THE FALL OF TROY / AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR TOUR 2015:</b></p>
<p>09/06 - St. Louis, MO @ The Ready Room<br>09/08 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/In<br>09/09 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade - Heaven<br>09/10 - Orlando, FL @ The Social<br>09/11 - Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum<br>09/12 - Jacksonville, FL @ Underbelly<br>09/13 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle<br>09/14 - Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar<br>09/16 - Toronto, ON @ Opera House<br>09/17 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall<br>09/18 - Boston, MA @ Royale<br>09/19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer<br>09/20 - Ashbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony<br>09/21 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre<br>09/22 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Altar Bar<br>09/23 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall<br>09/24 - Chicago, IL @ Metro<br>09/25 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze<br>09/26 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theatre</p>
<p><b>AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR / MYLETS / BLIS. TOUR 2015:</b></p>
<p>09/28 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada<br>09/29 - Austin, TX @ Red 7<br>10/01 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad<br>10/02 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater<br>10/03 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court<br>10/05 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile<br>10/06 - Vancouver, BC (CA) @ The Cobalt<br>10/07 - Portland, OR @ Analog Café<br>10/08 - Redding, CA @ The Dip<br>10/09 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill<br>10/10 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah<br>10/12 - Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37567572015-06-26T16:39:48-07:002015-06-26T20:15:56-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar nominated for Progressive Music Awards 2015<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="370" data-orig-width="597"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/12c9add31ae6b7dc162ee8a1c13af712/tumblr_inline_nqigbd9xt11r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> are proud to be nominated for the ‘Vanguard’ category in <a href="http://prog.teamrock.com/">Prog Magazine</a>’s <a href="http://awards.prog.teamrock.com/vote/vanguard">Progressive Music Awards 2015</a>. </p>
<p>The winner of the ‘Vanguard’ category is determined by public vote, so <a href="http://awards.prog.teamrock.com/vote/vanguard">VOTE HERE</a> to help And So I Watch You From Afar get the award!</p>
<p>The Progressive Music Awards has established itself as one of the most respected events in the music calender. In its short but illustrious history, it has honoured and and hosted some of the world’s most renowned and respected artists including Peter Gabriel, Rick Wakeman, Ian Anderson, Genesis, and Rush. But this is about more than the old guard. Talent of tomorrow including Syd Arthur, TesseracT and Messenger have seen their careers go from strength-to-strength since picking up their award.</p>
<p>The 2015 awards will again take place at London's Underglobe venue, beneath Shakepseare's Globe Theatre, on Thursday September 3. This year, the event will be hosted for the first time by TV presenter Matthew Wright.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37549252015-06-25T12:12:35-07:002015-06-25T15:16:23-07:00Music & Riots // Glasgow Live Review<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="108" data-orig-width="462"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/45cfb78d73231e84d5c08b8b46d82e3a/tumblr_inline_nqikrtlg5g1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure>
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<p>The June 2015 issue of <a href="http://musicandriotsmagazine.com/">Music & Riots Magazine</a> has a great write-up on the first show of <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>’s tour with <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a>. See a <a contents="full-sized image HERE" data-link-label="music-and-riots-asiwyfa-livereview.png" data-link-type="file" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/files/193316/music-and-riots-asiwyfa-livereview.png" target="_blank">full-sized image HERE</a> or check out the full issue in the embedded reader below.</p>
<p>North American fans of the band won’t have to wait much longer to see the band live - their tour with The Fall Of Troy begins September 6th, followed by headlining dates to be announced next week. <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">Tickets and dates available HERE</a>.</p>
<div class="issuuembed" data-configid="0/13769543" style="width:525px; height:371px;"> </div><script type="text/javascript" src="//e.issuu.com/embed.js" async="true"></script>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37532252015-06-24T07:59:49-07:002015-06-24T10:46:28-07:00N American Tour with The Fall of Troy<figure data-orig-width="3300" data-orig-height="4800" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/032979277da02a72826a2a01f0d849fe/tumblr_inline_nqgefzIE3C1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> will be joining <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thefalloftroy">The Fall Of Troy</a> on their North American Doppelgänger tour this September, along with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Slothrust/120763131304926">Slothrust</a>. Tickets for these shows go on sale Friday, June 26th. A full list of dates can be found below.</p><p>Stay tuned for more news about headlining US dates, coming soon - always check here for the most updated list of shows: <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">http://asiwyfa.com/shows</a></p><p><b>Tour Dates with The Fall Of Troy</b><br>Sep 06 - St. Louis, MO @ The Ready Room<br>Sep 08 - Nashville, TN @ Exit/In<br>Sep 09 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade - Hell<br>Sep 10 - Orlando, FL @ The Social<br>Sep 11 - Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum<br>Sep 12 - Jacksonville, FL @ Underbelly<br>Sep 13 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle<br>Sep 14 - Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar<br>Sep 16 - Toronto, ON @ Opera House<br>Sep 17 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall<br>Sep 18 - Boston, MA @ Royale<br>Sep 19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer<br>Sep 20 - Ashbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony<br>Sep 21 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre<br>Sep 22 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Altar Bar<br>Sep 23 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall<br>Sep 24 - Chicago, IL @ Metro<br>Sep 25 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze<br>Sep 26 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theatre</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37507432015-06-22T11:40:31-07:002015-06-22T13:32:15-07:00Live reviews and photos of Irish shows<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="482" data-orig-width="639"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/3af37e39eccb4e06431a4425a0d8054a/tumblr_inline_nqcyccERTC1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
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<p>“There was no fat in this set, no time to scratch your arse as <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">ASIWYFA</a> had been calibrated to warp speed bustling through Run Home, Wasps and BEAUTIFULUNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION. <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/rory-friers">Rory Friers</a> was a Tasmanian devil in constant furious motion whose primary task seemed to be how hard he could push <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/chris-wee">Chris Wee</a> on drums, something Wee was well up to the task of. The measured 7 Billion People All Alive at Once is the closest thing ASIWYFA do for a pause to catch a breath.”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.goldenplec.com/live-reviews/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-the-olympia-theatre/">READ FULL GOLDEN PLEC DUBLIN REVIEW HERE</a></p>
<figure data-orig-height="96" data-orig-width="254"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/5eb9a4c519f5e3059a720cbf2a52f569/tumblr_inline_nqcyjsfLT91r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p>“Instantly it’s clear that this is not the ASIWYFA of years gone by; powerful as they may always have been. This is a band of conquerors, refined by their constant touring schedule and stronger for it. Selecting something like a greatest hits from their four albums they’ve put together a set of killer track after killer track. Playing loud, they reinvigorate songs like ‘Set Guitars to Kill’ and ‘7 Billion People…’ with a might and awe that other bands would sacrifice their teeth for. This is guitar driven music’s most high minded ideal. The sound is ear shakingly raw but the musicianship is polished and solid. The tight but organic changes come in with such clarity and deftness that they’re gasp inducing. It’s relentless and every track comes with a wild light display blasting the senses into a euphoric shambling heap.”</p>
<p><a href="http://thethinair.net/2015/06/asiwyfa-irish-tour/">SEE THIN AIR DUBLIN / BELFAST REVIEW + PHOTOS HERE</a></p>
<figure data-orig-height="100" data-orig-width="258"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/bb940fe6c42b8071ff1543d04b61efd7/tumblr_inline_nqcyx5peTY1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<a href="http://www.dublinconcerts.ie/asiwyfa-at-the-olympia-theatre-photos/"><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="595" data-orig-width="898"><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/a6dc2ddee388751f3732b9ca0fd5f3a7/tumblr_inline_nqcyujhXkZ1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1152" data-orig-width="1044"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/073b197cc113859e43aa601480bc3b86/tumblr_inline_nqczjnyQCR1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure></a>
<p><a href="http://www.dublinconcerts.ie/asiwyfa-at-the-olympia-theatre-photos/">SEE DUBLIN CONCERTS LIVE PHOTOS HERE</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37473392015-06-18T11:10:47-07:002015-06-18T14:46:14-07:00The Farm Family // On Tour with And So I Watch You From Afar<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="997" data-orig-width="1000"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/2ca275fe361b77836c8bb8cc64a5ae66/tumblr_inline_nq5ji4l0tJ1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p>Photos of <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> by Graham Smith from the Heirs EU 2015 tour are available on <a href="http://www.thefarmfamily.com/on-tour">The Farm Family</a>, with an introductory paragraph by tourmate <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.thefarmfamily.com/on-tour">http://www.thefarmfamily.com/on-tour</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37473402015-06-17T22:00:00-07:002015-06-18T14:46:15-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar featured on FreqsTV "Delayed Cinema"<figure class="tmblr-embed tmblr-full" data-provider="youtube" data-orig-width="500" data-orig-height="304"><iframe width="540" height="304" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xBMoSrLGOyE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p>Check out the short video documentary on <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>, part of <a href="http://www.freqstv.com/">FreqsTV</a> series “Delayed Cinema”, presented by <a href="http://lehle.com/">Lehle</a> and <a href="http://www.visions.de/">Visions</a> magazine.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37398922015-06-12T15:08:05-07:002015-06-12T18:02:23-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar announce Spain & Portugal shows<figure data-orig-width="536" data-orig-height="758" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/41c2a0dfd07f707654497f449abb1df7/tumblr_inline_npuqb3SbFd1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have added dates in Portugal and Spain ahead of their headlining performance at <a href="http://www.amfest.es/">AMFest</a>. A full list of announced dates can be found below. Tickets can be found <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>.</p><p><b>ASIWYFA Upcoming Shows 2015</b></p><p>Jun 19 - Dublin, IE @ Olympia<br>Jun 20 - Belfast, UK @ Mandela Hall<br>Jul 11 - Cheltenham, UK @ 2000 Trees Festival<br>Jul 12 - Perthshire, UK @ T In The Park Festival<br>Jul 17 - Dour, BE @ Dour Festival<br>Jul 23 - Nijmegen, NL @ Valkhof Festival<br>Jul 24 - Beelen, DE @ Krach Am Bach Festival<br>Jul 25 - Sheffield, UK @ Tramlines Festival<br>Jul 26 - Chester, UK @ The Live Rooms<br>Jul 27 - Milton Keynes, UK @ Craufurd Arms<br>Aug 01 - Briedel, DE @ Lott Festival<br>Aug 29 - Reading, UK @ Reading Festival<br>Aug 30 - Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival<br>Nov 04 - Lisbon, PT @ Musicbox<br>Nov 05 - Porto, PT @ Hard Club<br>Nov 06 - Madrid, ES @ Teatro Barceló<br>Nov 07 - Barcelona, ES @ AMFest</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37311912015-06-05T15:19:26-07:002017-02-04T16:56:34-08:00Arctic Drones interviews And So I Watch You From Afar<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="138" data-orig-width="615"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/16de8ee384cee42f27f0942873ac8a07/tumblr_inline_nphruibU781r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="838" data-orig-width="1050"><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/832b20d355fe524c2152173a76cf4226/tumblr_inline_nphruxas4P1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="121" data-orig-width="628"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/a5d3028e17b149f9e88fc84b10d7cbc3/tumblr_inline_nphrv2vWx71r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p><b>Good evening, gentlemen. How are you doing?</b></p><p><b>Johnny Adger</b>: Very good, thank you very much.</p><p><b>Are you enjoying your tour so far?</b></p><p><b>Johnny</b>: It has been unreal already. There has been a moment of realisation that we’re heading back out, because we had so long off with the recording of our new album and other things that were happening in our lives. We were asking ourselves if we could still go out there and survive, but everybody is feeling super fresh and excited and no one has killed anyone yet, so that’s good [laughs].</p><p><b>Right now, you guys are on quite a big tour across Europe and the United Kingdom. What are you excited about the most?</b></p><p><b>Johnny</b>: This might sound a bit cliché, but for me personally it’s having the privilege of playing the songs that we spent almost a year on putting together on stage, and the time we get to interact with the crowd. There isn’t one show or country in particular that I’m looking forward to.</p><p><b>Chris Wee</b>: The last five years we toured so extensively, that this last year was the longest time we’ve had off of the road, except for a handful of festivals and a couple of small tours. From August last year until the end of April, we had no shows at all, so we were just itching to get back to it.</p><p><b>Niall Kennedy</b>: We get to do the thing that we love for a living and we don’t have to work a shitty job that we hate. That’s really nice. And like Johnny said, playing our songs to people and seeing that the thing you do and love makes other people feel happy, it makes you feel like you’re doing something worthwhile. To make another human being happy is great, and to make lots of people happy every single night is probably the best thing for me.</p><p><b>You guys have some very devoted fans and it’s remarkable to see a number of them get your triangular logo tattooed on their body. Does it still surprise you when you see a tattoo like that?</b></p><p><b>Johnny</b>: It’s very flattering. We come from a very small town in a very small part of the world and then we go to these faraway places and somebody comes up to you and shows you their tattoo. It’s mind-blowing to see that people there care at all about what you do, and for them to care so much that they essentially get scarred for life with the band logo is unbelievable. It’s still weird thinking that there are a lot of people out there that have our logo or a song title tattooed on them for life. It’s amazing and really cool, but it’s also slightly scary I think [laughs].</p><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="750" data-orig-width="1000"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/7ec1844eb554318d74439efec16a0638/tumblr_inline_nphry3n6kB1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p><i>Photo by Graham Smith</i></p><p><b>You have already done some tours in the United States. We were wondering if there are any major differences between playing shows in the US as compared to Europe.</b></p><p><b>Chris</b>: I wouldn’t say there is one particular type of American crowd and one particular type of European crowd. You can go somewhere in America and the whole crowd will just stand there and clap at the end of each song, while the next night you’ll have a bunch of kids kicking each other’s shins. And the same goes for Europe. I suppose the big difference would be the level of hospitality. In Europe, it’s crazy good. Here you get amazing in-house food, whereas in the US, it’s a bit more basic. Over there you have to be a bit more hardened to it.</p><p><b>When you tour the summer festivals, do you ever still have the time to go and see other bands? Can you still be overwhelmed by their performance?</b></p><p><b>Johnny</b>: Whenever we get into the festival season, it usually involves a weekend of travelling, playing, and travelling back. But if time permits, we always try to go and see someone that’s playing that we know or want to see. It’s hard not to get caught up in the whole customer side of festivals, as well. Just because you’re playing yourself doesn’t mean you’re not excited to go and see other bands you look up to, even if that’s right before or after you were on the stage. Also, the beauty of festivals is that you may by accident hear someone play and find another band to get into.</p><p><b>I’ve read in another interview with (fellow member) Rory Friers that you spent “almost every waking moment” of the first half of 2014 in your rehearsal room writing the new album. Now you’re on this tour across Europe and the UK, how do you combine your busy band life with your personal life?</b></p><p><b>Johnny</b>: If you’re the right type of person and you know you want something to happen, you just have to make it work. I can only speak for myself, but in my personal life I have been really fortunate to make a lot of things work by accident; for example that family life coincided with time we set aside to be writing. So there were days I got to go hang out and spend the maximum amount of hours writing music with the guys in the rehearsal room, then go home to be a husband and father.</p><p><b>Niall</b>: You have to have people in your life that understand. Your friends and people you have relationships with have to be very understanding that you’re just going to be away a lot of the time.</p><p><b>Chris</b>: That did take a bit of time when we first started touring. We had never really done a lot of time away, and then suddenly we were gone for months and months at a time, and that did have an impact on relationships and families. But it’s good to look back on that now after almost seven years, with all the experience we have. With the amount of touring we’ve done we have been able to work out how to manage all that, so when we go away, we’re well equipped to deal with issues like being homesick and keeping in contact with our families.</p><p><b>You guys have just released your fourth studio album <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/heirs">Heirs</a></i>. When you compare the work in the studio for this fourth album to the work you did to record your first, has your approach changed?</b></p><p><b>Chris</b>: Well, we certainly have got a lot better ourselves, both with our instruments and at performing well in a recording environment. On the topic of putting together a record, on the self-titled we just threw an album’s worth of songs together. In the past years, we went from doing that to writing almost the entire third album in the recording space, to writing this fourth way before any of the tracking happened. So by the time we got to the proper recording, we had a very clear vision of what the album had to become.</p><p><b>We also noticed that there seem to be more vocals on every consecutive album. Is that something that happens naturally?</b></p><p><b>Johnny</b>: Initially it was just four friends playing music together. At that time, there was no desire to make it more than what it was. It was never deliberate to not have vocals, or to add more each record. However, if we felt a song would work better with another part, even if it happened to be vocals, we would do it. Then it got to the point where we just weren’t as scared of using our voices as another instrument.</p><p><b>Chris</b>: That goes for other instruments as well. There’s an especially big jump on the last album, <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/all-hail-bright-futures">All Hail Bright Futures</a></i>, where a lot of music that was written on the guitar ended up as a bass line. I think the same thing goes for the vocals. If they’re the best instrument to do a specific melody, we’ll end up doing it that way.</p><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1024" data-orig-width="683"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/bbba324880a91b2daa1a4b0cf4e9ca04/tumblr_inline_nphs23PDvB1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p><i>Photo by Ciara McMullan</i></p><p><b>We’ve got a question for Niall. You’ve been in the band for nearly three years now, but <i>Heirs</i> was in fact the first record you fully participated on. Do you think that your input changed the end result?</b></p><p><b>Niall</b>: I hope so [laughs]. I played a little bit on the last album, but when I joined the band they already recorded most of it. This time however, Rory and I wrote it together from the ground up. It’s fun to listen through the album and remember where and when I wrote some part. I hope I contributed – I feel like I did. It probably wouldn’t have been the same record if I hadn’t been there.</p><p><b>Chris</b>: I would say there’s definitely a lot of Niall’s personality as a songwriter in the record. While writing the last album, it was Johnny, Rory and myself in a studio together saying we needed to make an album. It was fun, but it was also a struggle at times to write all the songs. This time around we had Niall on board, who is a very gifted songwriter, and we had all this time in the rehearsal room without pressure and we got to work on ideas all day, every day. I think all that reflects very clearly in the album.</p><p><b>A while ago, over at the Arctic Drones mansion, we were looking for films, games, television series, etcetera, that had post-rock music in their soundtrack. If you could pick a movie to do the soundtrack for, what kind of movie or which specific movie would that be?</b></p><p><b>Niall</b>: Interstellar or Gravity. Something huge and space-themed.</p><p><b>Chris</b>: We were kind of on that sort of vibe in the writing process of <i>Heirs</i>. We had this idea of making a very grand, very large-scale-sounding album.</p><p><b>Johnny</b>: Or maybe the next Jurassic Park? Something like that – a small indie film [laughs].</p><p><b>Niall</b>: In fact, that’s a big ambition of mine. I would really love us to do a soundtrack. We’ll keep our fingers crossed. You set it up, we’ll do it [laughs].</p><iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2514936471/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=2ebd35/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" seamless=""><a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/heirs-2">Heirs by And So I Watch You From Afar</a></iframe><p><b>After four records, your popularity seems to be largely untainted. Where do you see <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> in a couple of years? What’s the big dream? Apart from soundtracks, that is.</b></p><p><b>Chris</b>: We’re quite proud that the band has been going for 10 years and that we’re still edging up. We’re happy with that noticeable progression we get every tour. Some bands get their big break and they’re gone in 18 months after that, but we’re still chipping away. If it continues like that for the next couple of years, we’ll be really happy. Anything extra is a bonus.</p><p><b>Johnny</b>: Just to be still doing it in two years would be good as well, even if it doesn’t get much bigger. I’d be happy if we were still able to say we’re a full-time touring band in two years’ time.</p><p><b>Niall</b>: We’re gonna be huge. Huge [laughs].</p><p><b>Johnny</b>: Playing football stadiums. That’s basically what we’re trying to say in a nice way.</p><p><b>Well, you do have the sing-along chants for it. Thanks a lot for the interview and good luck with the show. We’re looking forward to it.</b></p><p>And So I Watch You From Afar released their fourth full-length album, Heirs, on the 4th of May on Sargent House. It’s available in all digital formats on their <a href="https://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/">Bandcamp</a> page. Order the album on CD or Vinyl <a href="http://sargenthouse.awesomedistro.com/artists/asiwyfa">here</a> for people who live in Europe and the UK, and <a href="http://hellomerch.com/collections/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar/products/heirs">here</a> for people who live elsewhere.</p><p><a href="http://arcticdrones.com/interviews/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar/">(via Arctic Drones)</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37263792015-06-02T14:14:15-07:002015-06-02T15:46:16-07:00Stencil Mag Issue #31 // Interview with Chris Wee<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="307" data-orig-width="739"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/23cf151ca21f72b935319e59cc9d94f2/tumblr_inline_npc5g1jQaC1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_m justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
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<p>Issue 31, pages 23-27</p>
<p><a href="http://issuu.com/stencilmag/docs/issue31">Click HERE to read</a> or flip through below:</p><iframe frameborder="0" height="371" src="//e.issuu.com/embed.html#0/13225499" width="525"></iframe>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37166002015-05-26T12:15:15-07:002017-01-10T06:29:36-08:00Hot Press interviews And So I Watch You From Afar<figure data-orig-height="84" data-orig-width="167"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/7edec0f110f8917bb0d2eccd9a484e55cecf34a0/original/screen-shot-2015-05-26-at-12-16-52-pm.png?1432667829" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /></figure>
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<p>It’s an overcast May afternoon in Luxembourg city and, in a disconcertingly ketchy part of town, four Irishmen are lugging gear from a van.</p>
<p>Several hours before stage time, Belfast noise band <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have touched down at Den Atelier, a 1,200 capacity venue in a stretch of Europe’s mega-bucks duchy that, to the untutored eye, could pass for a dowdier corner of West Dublin. Squint and you could be in Kimmage.</p>
<p>“We’ve actually played in Luxembourg city a bunch of times – more than you’d imagine,” says the band’s unofficial leader, <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/rory-friers">Rory Friers</a>. “We love going off the beaten track. You get to see parts of the world that you would normally never go to – AND get paid for it. A win-win really.”</p>
<p>On the mean streets of Luxembourg, the worst that might happen is a local merchant banker mowing you down in his Bentley. However, the band have been in genuinely hairy situations on their travels – somewhere between a laugh and a shudder, Friers recalls being pulled over by police in Ukraine and finding themselves in a scene from one of the <i>Bourne</i> movies.</p>
<p>“At home maybe they’d knock on the window and ask to see your driver’s licence. There,it was a case of pulling open the van door and sticking a Kalashnikov in your face. All you can do is hand over your passport and shout ‘Irish, Irish!’”</p>
<p>The group are, as it happens, just back from their latest tour of the former Soviet Union (for obvious reasons Ukraine was not on the itinerary this time). Russia has a wild west feel – there is a sense of a place where the normal rules simply don’t apply. However, coming from Belfast and old enough to remember the Troubles, the band understand that a country is more than the mass of cliches it has accumulated.</p>
<p>“You do see things you have never seen before,” says Friers. “Definitely we’ve handed over cash to cops and stuff like that. Going over there this time, especially, there was a lot of edge to it, as a result of what’s happening [in Ukraine].</p>
<p>“Being from Belfast you can spot the similarities. As young fellas, whenever we’d go to gigs further afield, people would have this idea that we lived in a place where bombs where going off all the time and tanks were rumbling down the streets.</p>
<p>“Obviously, there were pockets of it. The general population got on with their lives. You definitely have the same feeling in Russia – not everyone is against gay marriage or hates homosexuality. You have lots of young, liberal, open-minded people. As someone from the north of Ireland, I know what it’s like to be represented by politicians whose views on certain issues make you feel embarrassed.”</p>
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<p><i>photo by Hana Ofangel for Metal Orgie</i></p>
<p>And So I Watch You From Afar have just released their fourth LP, <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/heirs">Heirs</a></i>. Friers is simultaneously nervous about the reception it may receive, and cheerfully devil-may-care as to how it goes down. At one level, he wanted to make a record that is well- regarded and perceived as a meaningful progression from the group’s earlier work. On the other hand, with ASIWYFA’s uncharacteristically melodic previous long-player <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/all-hail-bright-futures">All Hail Bright Futures</a></i> having provoked a schism in the fan-base, he’s prepared for a sharp reaction.</p>
<p>It’s probably as well he’s going in with his eyes open, as <i>Heirs</i> is likely to prove even more divisive than <i>All Hail Bright Futures</i>. Placing further distance between the band and the familiar tropes of post-rock, at moments on the new record they could pass for an Animal Collective-style acid-freak crew. There are zinging melodies, batshit crazy hamster vocals – all good clean fun, for sure, but potentially upsetting to those used to thinking of the band as Northern Ireland’s Mogwai.</p>
<p>“You can’t take a big step left or right from your initial sound without rubbing some people up wrong,” says Friers. “I understand the impulse: if I fall in love with a band, really, I don’t want them to change. There’s this selfish thing you have of wanting them to stay the same.</p>
<p>“Our last record seemed to polarise a few people. In a terrible way, I found that satisfying. It confirms were are definitely taking steps in the right direction – we’re not repeating ourselves, which is absolutely the worst you can do. You don’t want to look back and realise you’d put an album out for the wrong reasons: to satisfy a record label, or a fashion trend... We have a constant need to stay unfashionable.”</p>
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<p><i>photo by Hana Ofangel for Metal Orgie</i></p>
<p>These are heady days for And So I Watch You From Afar. A recent jaunt around the UK saw four-piece perform to sell out houses: today they’ve driven to Luxembourg from Dunkirk in France, where they stuffed yet another venue. The 1,200 capacity Den Atelier is unlikely to be heaving at the brim, Friers acknowledges. Nonetheless, a healthy attendance is expected – a far cry from early on, when the band would sometimes perform to the proverbial three men and a dog.</p>
<p>“It’s humiliating,” says the guitarist of the anguish of playing to an empty house. “Starting out... yeah it’s fine. You’re a kid – to have 10 people at your show is awesome. When you’ve put most of your adult life into doing something and the people you grew up with are getting mortgages you do start to question everything. The best you can do is put your head down and come through with a bit of humility. You’ve earned some stripes on your arm. Long term, it will stand to you.”</p>
<p>For a lark, before our interview I checked whether And So I Watch You’s music is available on Jay Z’s Tidal service. It isn’t – apparently Jigga has yet to discover the joys of Lagan-side post-rock.</p>
<p>“Yeah, he wanted us to come to New York for his press conference,“ deadpans Friers. “We’d already gone on tour. What can I say? We tried to let him down gently.”</p>
<p>To be briefly serious, he is happy the group’s music can be sampled on Spotify and other streaming services (it appears a Tidal deal is in the works). Well ‘happy’ is perhaps an overstatement. Put it this way: he’d rather people accessed the band’s material legally than gorge on it via Pirate Bay.</p>
<p>“I use Spotify because I’m poor, ”he half jokes.“ There are a lot of strong opinions surrounding it. I would rather people were listening to music on something like Spotify. It’s not as if we are going to get a bunch of money of it. At least the listener is contributing to some extent. Given the alternatives, that’s by far the preferable scenario.”</p>
<p><a href="http://www.hotpress.com/ASIWYFA/music/interviews/ASIWYFA-Interview/14108970.html?new_layout">(via Hot Press)</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37166012015-05-22T11:45:00-07:002015-05-26T16:02:45-07:00Metal Hammer/Team Rock + live review<figure data-orig-width="942" data-orig-height="530" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/1b4e16c05bca448b53fa3cc3a7b22de7/tumblr_inline_noz81xeuYh1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="590" data-orig-height="166" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/a4a6ba615dd124efe48ec64b5ab69460/tumblr_inline_noz82eBfKP1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>Having arrived late at the venue, <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> are initially somewhat flustered; doors were late, and it doesn’t appear as if the Belfast quartet had much time to soundcheck. Nevertheless, they crash straight into the start of their new album <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/heirs">Heirs</a>, careering through Run Home and Wasps with reckless abandon. Somewhat lacklustre on record, the tracks make a lot more sense live, with gang vocals complementing the frenetic guitars.</p><p>A trip into back catalogue is what really gets the crowd warmed up though, as the band play a run of songs from their 2011 opus <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/gangs">Gangs</a>, undoubtedly one of the finest instrumental guitar albums ever committed to tape. BEAUTIFUL UNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION is a clarion call, with the shredding opening riff and swaggering breakdown section of Gang that follows whipping the crowd into a frenzy, and S Is For Salamander from the <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/miscellaneous">Letters EP</a> is ecstatically received by the older fans present.</p><p>Tryer, You is an unexpected highlight; one of the more soundscape-heavy tracks on the new LP, it evokes well the cover image of an astronaut in deep space and live proves cavernous and all-enveloping. After that, the band down instruments, only to return for an encore of Eunoia and Big Thinks Do Remarkable from 2013’s <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/all-hail-bright-futures">All Hail Bright Futures</a>, followed by the track that made their name – Set Guitars To Kill, from their debut. The crowd explode, and there’s crowd surfing, stage diving and the obligatory co-ordinated shout of ‘woo!’ from all present. </p><p>Fundamentally, there’s one clear message from tonight; that despite the changes in their sound, And So I Watch You From Afar remain one of the best live bands in the world.</p><p><a href="https://metalhammer.teamrock.com/reviews/2015-05-22/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-live-review">(via Metal Hammer)</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37117092015-05-19T15:59:38-07:002017-01-10T06:29:33-08:00Delicious Audio interviews Rory Friers of And So I Watch You From Afar<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="117" data-orig-width="960"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/097b3ea893f84ba6b3dbf2346927c36c5c943e0c/original/deliciousaudio-logo2.jpg?1432076476" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /></figure>
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<p>The guys in Irish “post-math” band <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> are the kind of people who never choose the simple route. Blending metal, psychedelia, post rock and prog rock, their music is like a kaleidoscope of fragmented sounds and sections frantically chasing each other. Their focus on originality and experimental guitar tones makes them an ideal candidate for an interview about the creative process. Guitarist/vocalist <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/rory-friers">Rory Friers</a> answered a few questions in this regard.</p>
<p><b>INSPIRATION</b></p>
<p><b>What was your initial motivation to form a rock band?</b></p>
<p>Initially it was just so we could play shows, it was always about live in the beginning, hoping we would maybe get to tour one day like the bands we would go see play in venues in Belfast. But it was always about the scene and playing music to our friends.</p>
<p><b>Have your sources of inspiration changed throughout the years?</b></p>
<p>I suppose they have and haven’t, I’m still inspired primarily by music I like though some of that music has changed over time, and by places I’ve been and spent time in, which again has changed and broadened as I’ve gotten older. Playing live and the experience of being on a stage in front of people who care about your music has a huge impact on how you write your next songs I think, imagining playing them in that environment can’t help but shape your songs I think.</p>
<p>Also, we’ve traveled a lot, seen lots of new places. We’ve also all become uncles since the last record and our bassist <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/johnny-adger">Johnny</a> has become a dad so there’s a lot of new lives around us which has been very inspiring, we actually named the new album in honor of them all.</p>
<p><b>Is inspiration some kind of random blessing, or is it possible to set it in motion?</b></p>
<p>I’ve tried in the past to “get inspired” by locking myself away or putting myself in an isolated environment or trying to read a bunch or listen to a lot of music, and although sometimes something clicks it’s generally you just have to keep writing and creating and outputting and – before you realize it – you’ll suddenly be in a good place and making good stuff. You just hope you stay there for as long as possible.</p>
<p><b>Your music seems mostly focused on forging new sounds – rather than, say, on lyrics or emotions. Do you ever feel limited by this approach?</b></p>
<p>It can be hard, and I sometimes feel we’re always chasing after this perfect record which is just one step ahead of us all the time. I just want to always feel like I’m not scared to do something that’s new or out of my comfort zone. But I guess it has the potential to make you a bit dismissive of ideas that aren’t totally fresh feeling even if they are good, in that respect it has the potential to be limiting, but I want to try and let myself just be open to everything moving forward, I think we’ve been brave and made sure we didn’t get stuck in a genre.</p>
<p><b>Is there a rational conceptualization behind the band’s sound (i.e. are you purposefully trying to achieve something musically?) or are you just following your musical instincts?</b></p>
<p>We just follow our instincts really, in the past we might have tried to come up with a sound we want to go for or the type of record we want to make but what we end up doing is never what we talked about.</p>
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<p><b>BEING A BAND</b></p>
<p><b>Are you guys DIY or professionally trained musicians?</b></p>
<p>DIY. None of us have had any lessons really, I was at college studying recording for a year when I was 20, and Niall did the same, but musically everything has come from trial and error and forcing ourselves to play better so the songs can be better.</p>
<p><b>What’s the songwriting/arranging process in the band? To what extent is each band member’s role defined?</b></p>
<p>The initial ideas come from me and now <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/niall-kennedy">Niall</a> as well, we bring those into the rehearsal room and start to try and arrange and piece together the parts and figure out what has to happen to make it a song we love.</p>
<p><b>Are bands ever true democracies? What about yours?</b></p>
<p>I don’t know, we try and make it that way, in the past we’ve probably been too democratic and so decisions always took forever and we would talk and discuss everything for days, it was like no one wanted to offend anyone else but then it actually ended up making things quite tense because we all would have an opinion but nothing was getting decided. I think now though we all trust each other’s strengths a bit more and we’re able to follow each other’s lead a bit more without feeling discounted.</p>
<p><b>What do you guys do when you are stuck in one of those “negative” sessions, or one of those periods all bands seem to experience at some point, when nothing productive seems to happen?</b></p>
<p>We’ve been there many times, and the best way to get out of it is to keep working until you’re there. It can be scary, because you can end up being stuck in this horrible rut where nothing’s coming together and you wonder if maybe you’ve reached the end of any sort of good output. You’ve no idea how long it will last, but as our guitarist Niall always says you have to write your way out of it.</p>
<p><b>MUSICAL TOYS AND RECORDING</b></p>
<p><b>Are there any instruments, pieces of equipment or musical toys that lately made you rediscover the playful side of creating?</b></p>
<p>I’m still in love with effects pedals, we’re always getting new ones and spend all day making noises in our rehearsal room. My favorite new one is a [dual delay with reverb and modulation] <a href="http://earthquakerdevices.com/shop/Disaster%20Transport%20Sr./cat/13093">Disaster Transporter Sr </a>by Earthquaker Devices, it’s amazing.</p>
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<p><b>Has a piece of gear alone ever inspired a song? If so which? </b></p>
<p>Yeah lots, ‘<a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/track/set-guitars-to-kill">Set Guitars to Kill</a>’ happened because I discovered using an Ebow and a pitch shifter pedal together thanks to my good friend Dermot. ‘<a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/track/animal-ghosts">Animal Ghosts</a>’ off the new record was thanks to a technique I made up shifting the sound in 5ths and arpeggiating the strings. There’s a song we still are yet to release which which was entirely made around a pedal called <a href="http://earthquakerdevices.com/shop/arpanoid/">Arpanoid</a> by Earthquaker Devices which I used with an Ebow. A good pedal almost always inspires a new idea straight away.</p>
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<p><b>How much of your recording is done at home versus in the studio?</b></p>
<p>Before the last record it was almost all recorded in the studio, but over the past few years we’ve become way better at recording and collected some gear so we were able to make a lot of music in our rehearsal room, some of which made it onto the record.</p>
<p><b>If you use a studio, what do you record there and what do you record by yourself and why?</b></p>
<p>We record at <a href="http://starttogetherstudio.com/">Start Together Studios</a> with Rocky O’Reilly, we go there because we work so well with Rocky and he is very very talented. The studio is also full of incredible sounding equipment so we can make things that sound really amazing there. We record the first drafts and demos of everything ourselves, but we are limited to what gear we have and how well we can produce.</p>
<p><b>What are the pieces of equipment that you find particularly inspiring when recording at home? </b></p>
<p>First an foremost my guitars which is how I start all my music. I use two Fender Telecasters, one ’73 Thinline and one US Deluxe. I have loads of effects I use, reverbs and delays are always not far from hand, as I mentioned before the Disaster Transporter is my favorite delay at the moment. Other than guitar and pedals I use Logic to make songs in and I use some gorgeous synths in there to create texture at times.</p>
<p><b>What synths?</b></p>
<p>Logics’s <a href="http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may00/articles/emagic.htm">ES1</a>, <a href="https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/retro-synths/">Retro Synths</a>, a Juno, some old Moogs belonging to our producer Rockys and some old battered ones I can’t remember.</p>
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<p><b>Tell me about other pedals you love.</b></p>
<p>I create my drive using an <a href="https://orangeamps.com/products/guitar-amp-heads/thunderverb-guitar-heads/thunderverb-200w-head/">Orange Thunderverb</a>, I still haven’t found anything better than my gain channel on that.</p>
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<p>I love the <a href="http://line6.com/tonecore/verbzilla.html/">Line6 Verbzilla</a>, I get a really nice reverb sound from it, and I like that is very detailed in terms of changing and tweaking your sound.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everything <a href="http://earthquakerdevices.com/">Earthquaker Devices</a> does is always amazing, we’ve been really lucky to have gotten a lot of support from those guys.</p>
<p><a href="http://line6.com/m9/">Line 6 M9</a>, I like this pedal because I can make patches of effects for specific songs so I don’t have to try and switch 3 pedals all on at once, it’s helpful at times and although I prefer using my own delays, verbs and distortions, it works great for all the other sound combinations I might need.</p>
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<p><b>Do you have a particular recording style that you aim for?</b></p>
<p>Personally I never try and polish things too much when I’m producing stuff myself but the main objective it always to make it impactful.</p>
<p><b>What do you find to be the most challenging aspects of the recording process? On the flipside, what aspects are the most rewarding?</b></p>
<p>The most challenging is the endless options, I have to try hard to not get stuck in the paralysis of that. Sometimes that can really slow things down or halt it completely… I like to limit my options and select my arsenal of sounds at the start and stick to it. The most rewarding is always the moment you manage to create the thing you had in your head and make it a real song that people can hear, that’s always very special.</p>
<p><a href="http://audio.thedelimagazine.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afars-gear-and-creative-process/">(via Delicious Audio)</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37117102015-05-19T13:02:27-07:002015-05-22T13:05:09-07:00More live photos from Paris<img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/487975dba1c8234916158d166b3b46a3/tumblr_nom3x3UgXV1r533n8o1_1280.jpg" class="size_m justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/b485d061c134243ae56e9324abdb7b22/tumblr_nom3x3UgXV1r533n8o2_400.jpg" class="size_m justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/3e2419e37679e33a5b9aca3367eaf712/tumblr_nom3x3UgXV1r533n8o3_1280.jpg" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /><br><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/3a324ef6013a2fafdc4e67d5100f880e/tumblr_nom3x3UgXV1r533n8o4_400.jpg" class="size_m justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/6b1689969f19a7f83e2596ed5c3e98d4/tumblr_nom3x3UgXV1r533n8o5_1280.jpg" class="size_m justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/9bf81303a1a4e7720a7742e1e8ef883c/tumblr_nom3x3UgXV1r533n8o6_1280.jpg" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /><br><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/a3dc4d62e324089178239bb383808730/tumblr_nom3x3UgXV1r533n8o7_1280.jpg" class="size_m justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/db76742a5c63672bcb81e4a98949fa8e/tumblr_nom3x3UgXV1r533n8o8_1280.jpg" class="size_m justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/b9bfe2cc5d3ed2169ddecea3d58fc776/tumblr_nom3x3UgXV1r533n8o9_1280.jpg" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/8cc99cd2c04f486e5b71307a595519ef/tumblr_nom3x3UgXV1r533n8o10_1280.jpg" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /><p><i>all photos by <a href="http://hanaofangel.com/">Hana Ofangel</a> for Metal Orgie</i></p>
<p>Live photos of from La Fleche D’Or in Paris, France</p>
<p>Visit <a href="http://www.metalorgie.com/photos/galeries/519_AND-SO-I-WATCH-YOU-FROM-AFAR-MYLETS-La-Fleche-d-Or-04-05-15">Metal Orgie</a> for more photos of <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> and <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37117112015-05-18T10:57:00-07:002015-05-22T13:05:09-07:00Live review and photos of London show by XSNoize<figure data-orig-width="963" data-orig-height="181" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/4401b7951d85107b9a3af3b600df52da/tumblr_inline_nok3wmOjKY1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure data-orig-width="634" data-orig-height="418" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/0798dc54fe40d2984831d07a8718117f/tumblr_inline_nok40sOtLZ1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>Northern Ireland’s Indie Prog-Rock quartet, <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> play a sold out Islington Assembly Rooms in London on 1st May. Verdict? Utterly Awesome! Suitably warmed up and ready to rock, the audience eagerly anticipate ASIWYFA’s arrival on stage. As the lights dim, a rumbling electronic intro fills the venue. This pretence seems to drag on a bit and the crowd get a little restless after a couple of minutes, but as the stage lights go up in a flurry of colour and dry ice illuminating the quartet, it matters little.</p><p>The boys kick off the set with “Run Home” and the crowd go nuts from the off. They put forth a formidable wall of sound such as I have not experienced before and by the time they play their 3rd number, “Wasps”, the mosh-pit is already very well established and the audience are loving it!</p><figure data-orig-width="636" data-orig-height="424" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/1e3c848c608ca098fe85038ae3d7384e/tumblr_inline_nok450q5MF1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>“ASIWYFA’s performance is full of energy”<br></p><p>The set is a mix of material from their back-catalogue and the forthcoming LP <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/heirs">Heirs</a> and can be felt as much as it is heard. The music fills our ears with lightening paced drums and riffs which leave me totally awestruck. During “Gang (Starting Never Stopping)“, guitarist <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/rory-friers">Rory Friers</a> takes to the pit, playing his mind blowing riffs directly into the faces of the front row. Shortly after returning to the stage, the lights briefly illuminate the audience. Rory is obviously taken aback by the sheer volume of people here tonight “What the fuck are you all doing here?” He remarks!<br></p><figure data-orig-width="636" data-orig-height="954" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/4398c8f219cc74cc8577fe191f7c06bd/tumblr_inline_nok489DsXf1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>“Bassist, <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/johnny-adger">Johnny Adger</a> takes to the mic”<br></p><p>The band’s stage presence is commanding, so much so that during quieter moments in their tracks, they silence even the most rowdy audience members with a simple hand gesture. The respect the crowd has for them is obvious and they take their lead with claps, silences and offering their applause for Henry Kohen of <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a>, for whom the band express their gratitude more than once. After this mention, Henry joins ASIWYFA on stage with a friend for yet another blistering number.</p><p>Departing the stage briefly following “Tryer, You”, they return for a three track encore which gets the remaining members of the crowd leaping like idiots and the nights first crowd-surfers flailing overhead. Even the pit-side security guy was openly playing his air guitar! Finishing with “The Voiceless” , Northern Ireland’s new kings of rock leave the stage to the roar of a well deserved, frenzied applause from their London fan base of which I count myself a part.</p><figure data-orig-width="636" data-orig-height="424" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/61aca83d72e40399a659f9274b1287bd/tumblr_inline_nok4b2K37A1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><p>“Drummer <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/chris-wee">Chris Wee</a> taking his queue from Rory Friers”</p><p>One thing was true throughout tonight: these guys have the most energy I have seen live in at least a decade, they were mesmerising and their music live is awe inspiring, making even their recorded versions seem to pale in comparison.</p><p>Take it from me, if you haven’t caught ASIWYFA live yet, you should do so without a moment’s hesitation, I certainly won’t be the next opportunity I get.</p><figure data-orig-width="636" data-orig-height="848" class="tmblr-full"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/42903d6ef37671a4f2c884cdc1e8467f/tumblr_inline_nok4czvXPK1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37090322015-05-14T12:12:16-07:002015-05-14T14:02:22-07:00Johnny Adger and Chris Wee interviewed by Stay Tuned Interviews<iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="km-Ghi25pr0" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/km-Ghi25pr0/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/km-Ghi25pr0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="400" width="640" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br>Interviewed at the Marble Factory in Bristol, UK, for <a contents="Stay Tuned Interviews" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.stay-tuned-interviews.com/" target="_blank">Stay Tuned Interviews</a>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/37031622015-05-11T12:08:21-07:002017-01-10T06:29:31-08:00Live photos from Paris<img src="//41.media.tumblr.com/44440eff88cc69a01de318914076cd40/tumblr_no75zqYmuQ1r533n8o7_250.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><img src="//41.media.tumblr.com/6c69743dcb66e1669fe7af5c347a8ef8/tumblr_no75zqYmuQ1r533n8o2_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br><img src="//41.media.tumblr.com/d76f09a0017d4430f6201f02e6caf705/tumblr_no75zqYmuQ1r533n8o3_250.jpg" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br><img src="//40.media.tumblr.com/bf34eaf3b49081969e205f3274b63746/tumblr_no75zqYmuQ1r533n8o5_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="//36.media.tumblr.com/7215f974fe8451a1b313fa3601365900/tumblr_no75zqYmuQ1r533n8o6_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><em>all photos by Tom McGeehan</em><br><br>See the rest of the photos of their show at La Fleche D'Or <a contents="at The Thin Air" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://thethinair.net/2015/05/aaa-asiwyfa-w-mylets-la-fleche-dor-paris/" target="_blank">at The Thin Air</a>.Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36996192015-05-08T11:54:07-07:002015-05-08T13:15:51-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar interviewed by the Belfast Telegraph<figure data-orig-height="60" data-orig-width="290"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/da621e105e8b2e45913df73958dc8d37/tumblr_inline_no1niwFgqb1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="403" data-orig-width="623"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/a6223d2f0ea8ddf97bf5d567d9063c91/tumblr_inline_no1njnBszw1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p>Rock band, <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> (Rory Friers, guitar, Johnny Adger, bass, Niall Kennedy, guitar, Chris Wee, drums), recently released their fourth album, <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/heirs">Heirs</a></i>.</p>
<p>Q: Your last album sounded really happy and upbeat, this one much less so. What was the approach this time?</p>
<p>A: Rory - There was talk of the uber-triumphant album - for a while, me and Niall were particularly obsessed with that. <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/all-hail-bright-futures">All Hail Bright Futures</a></i> did really well for the band and we ended up being out on the road for ages, but by the time it came round, the record made itself. We had new pedals and we wanted it to be a bit lusher. If it was a bar of chocolate it would be Green & Black's 85% cocoa.</p>
<p>Q: You are well known for your tireless touring around the world. What has been the highlight of the last 18 months?</p>
<p>A: Johnny - We did a five-week US tour and then came home for three days and then off to India, which was pretty mental.</p>
<p>Q: Do you have many fans in India?</p>
<p>A: Rory - We didn't think so but there were a couple of kids with (ASIWYFA) tattoos, and a girl came up to us crying. It's quite profound when it happens so far away. If you're in New York, your brain can put together how it is that these people have heard your music. But to be in India, in a monsoon, and there's some kid with an ASIWYFA tattoo - it doesn't quite connect. We're from Portrush!</p>
<p>Q: You project a tight-knit image, and hang out together a lot in Belfast when you're not on tour. Are you really that close?</p>
<p>A: Niall - We also lived together for three-and-a-half years, so we'd be on tour, then hang out at home, and go out and party together and see bands. When you're on tour it's 24/7 - you drive together, soundcheck, eat together, hang out together backstage. It doesn't stop. If you can do that and still be friends, which we can, when you come home it feels natural to keep doing that.</p>
<p>Q: Johnny, you recently became a father to little Eisa. What effect has fatherhood had on the band?</p>
<p>A: Johnny - Nothing yet because of the timing. She was born at the end of August and that was the waiting period prior to the record coming out, so it was very considerate of her. She's on the album - the very last thing you hear on the record is her heartbeat. It also helped shape the name of the record, <i>Heirs</i> - we're leaving something behind for the next generation, and that's really poignant for me.</p>
<p>Q: You're approaching your 10th anniversary as a band. Do you still get as much of a kick out of touring and travelling the world?</p>
<p>A: Johnny - It's different but we're all still doing it for the same reasons, which is to play the music that we've made, talk to people and absorb different cultures. That buzz that you get out of the connection with somebody who identifies with something that you've been partially responsible for creating - that's why I'm doing it and we all have the same feeling.</p>
<p>Q: You are clearly ambitious, driven individuals, but did you always believe things would work out as well as they have?</p>
<p>A: Rory - The night after we recorded our first song, I was at Johnny's, we were drunk out of our minds and he said, "we're going to do this forever." I really believed it.</p>
<p>ASIWYFA have just been added to the lineup for <a href="http://www.dourfestival.eu/">Dour Festival</a>. Check out a full list of their upcoming tour dates and buy tickets <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36987902015-05-07T16:30:45-07:002017-01-10T06:29:31-08:00A Ton of Reviews for Heirs<img src="//31.media.tumblr.com/bf35dd3ec97d3842f9d51b4b6179ae91/tumblr_inline_nknfjwwVSJ1r1itoc.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><p>"...this record feels familiar while coming across as totally fresh and invigorating, and if you didn't manage to grab a strong cup of coffee this morning, <em>Heirs</em> will do you just fine." - <a href="http://www.thefader.com/2015/04/27/hear-the-intense-new-album-from-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar">The Fader</a><br><br><img src="//41.media.tumblr.com/9742009fe86f3783c28b5fccbd1bcbaf/tumblr_inline_nmuj33Q8Yy1r1itoc_250.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>"Like the sonic equivalent of a Rorschach test, each track is riddled with vast soundscapes begging to be explored and made sense of." - 4/5, Kerrang!</p><img src="//40.media.tumblr.com/3a953cdf8f3d7f2e9961243619744398/tumblr_inline_nmrmq5bte81r1itoc_400.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><p>"ASIWFYA remain the most exciting band in instrumental rock." - 9/10, <a href="http://tmblr.co/ZSxRiw1iLlnhI">Total Guitar</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/6a4ce218c8ea75fd09d4e2c3b441745894724ed8/original/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-12-46-41-pm.png?1431028039" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br>"Let this band do their thing. This album's blaze of focused, intense, sublime and ridiculous alt-rock prove it's clearly worth it." - 8/10, Rock Sound<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/c0381440266234d37f86f3cf7bd7a513efffce58/original/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-12-49-49-pm.png?1431028212" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br>"Looking back, we're a long way from their self-titled debut, however 'Heirs' feels a much more full affair, with plenty more vocal expressions coming through. Its complexity and frantically upbeat mantra leaves a heart warming smile on your face. A masterpiece." - 9/10, Big Cheese</p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/feadf02c706ab1327fae90bec5b5b3cc40ca34ee/original/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-12-54-32-pm.png?1431028496" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><p>"Group chants, warped guitar shreds, and a seemingly incessant furious energy. Sound familiar? For fans of Belfast’s And So I Watch You From Afar, this should resonate loudly; have no fear, the quartet shows no signs of changing, as is clear from forthcoming release Heirs." - 7/10, <a href="http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-heirs">The Line Of Best Fit</a></p><br><img src="//www.heavyblogisheavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/250x250_trans_white-glow.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><p>"<em>All Hail Bright Futures</em> certainly left the band bigger than ever, but the question leading up to their follow-up to that, <em>Heirs</em>, was if they would build upon that success by doubling down on that formula, returning back to their musical roots, or by flipping the script again and doing something completely different once more. <em>Heirs</em> suggests that the band have decided to do all three at once, and the result is a very good album that mostly succeeds in threading the needle of past, current, and future." - 4/5, <a href="http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/2015/05/05/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-heirs/">Heavy Blog Is Heavy</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/9554fcc76060fbb8cd06d28a9149e80c867257d1/medium/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-12-59-41-pm.png?1431028816" class="size_m justify_none border_" /><br> </p>
<p>"2015's <em>Heirs</em> is a propulsive fusion of guitars, synthesizers, and drums, with wordless clouds of vocals hovering over it all as the musicians generate crisp, forceful fields of sound that hit hard but maintain a striking melodic grace. Heirs demonstrates a band that can be articulate without speaking in words, and And So I Watch You from Afar are a smart, inventive group who continue to progress with each visit to the recording studio." - 3.5/5, <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/album/heirs-mw0002838363">AllMusic.com</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/f5c25a233870620fd1ffe95ceedeefb9e5b4977c/original/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-1-23-42-pm.png?1431030248" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br>"<em>Heirs</em> is, in a word, huge. Everything about it is huge. Presumably, the album sales and crowds on their extensive European and North Ameircan tour will be too. And why shouldn't they be? <em>Heirs</em> merits these things and more." - 5/5, <a href="http://state.ie/album-reviews/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-heirs">State.ie</a><br> <br><img src="//40.media.tumblr.com/91f6cdb447a9d49480fa3ba8fccd6a02/tumblr_inline_nnw6vxHNpp1r4656p_400.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>"...<em>Heirs</em> is a perfect mix of old and new sounds and as I shouted at the start of the review, their best album yet." - <a href="http://echoesanddust.com/2015/04/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-heirs/">Echoes And Dust</a><br><br><img src="//www.sputnikmusic.com/newdesign/images/logo2.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>"<em>Heirs</em> is And So I Watch You From Afar’s most mature effort yet, marrying relentlessness and relaxation in a way that should attract even those who usually don’t like the genre." - 4/5, <a href="http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/66961/And-So-I-Watch-You-From-Afar-Heirs/">Sputnik Music</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/76e7fa8a261ffb2e48bc050752d4007ad905905a/original/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-2-23-44-pm.png?1431033852" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br>"<em>Heirs</em> neatly summarises everything And So I Watch You From Afar have created so far - moody and glowering but with an increasingly sunny outlook. A compelling experience from top to bottom." - <a contents="The Skinny" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/reviews/albums/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-heirs" target="_blank">The Skinny</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/bafe84f8e534a4d2ae8eb483618df6c7450898f2/original/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-2-26-31-pm.png?1431034014" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /></p>
<p>"<em>Heirs</em> is an album that’s all about action. Where ASIWYFA excel is is leaping between sections most unexpectedly, with instantaneous changes in tempo and dynamic without it ever sounding contrived or forced. They also excel at being a rock band. And <em>Heirs</em> does definitely rock." - 8/10, <a href="http://www.shout4music.com/albums-eps/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-heirs">Shout 4 Music</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/9247794b93676d4db9b20d3c91fa5dfcd053b4f9/original/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-2-45-23-pm.png?1431035155" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br>"The increased vocal presence, having only really been introduced for the first time on third album All Hail Bright Futures, is a welcome addition to ASIWYFA’s arsenal, and is one of the main reasons Heirs feels simultaneously more varied, yet also much more focused sonically." - 3.5/5, <a href="http://www.headstuff.org/2015/05/review-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-continue-their-ascent-with-heirs/">Headstuff</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/eccde347a0e0e6d2e69537885031c3b5cd5261be/medium/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-3-01-52-pm.png?1431036160" class="size_m justify_none border_" /><br>"It feels like a rush of blood through the head, which carries both something serious/sad and something intriguingly amazing." - <a contents="Stereofox" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.stereofox.com/album-review-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-heirs" target="_blank">Stereofox</a><br><br><img src="//38.media.tumblr.com/98ebda4fafb78ef7689aef35333855b0/tumblr_inline_ne2b5mMxUc1qbzv4w.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br>"From cover to cover, there is all the youthful exuberance of <em>Bright Futures</em> – those spritely, sun-drenched hooks, meshed with the contemplative sensibility of <em>Gangs</em> and their self-titled debut." - <a href="http://feckingbahamas.com/watch-afar-heirs-2015">Fecking Bahamas</a></p><img src="//pastiebap.com/wp-content/uploads/pastie1.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br>"ASIWYFA have honed skills from ‘All Hail Bright Futures’ and compacted and improved the formula. A truly unclassifiable sound, uplifting, and inspiring, perfecting a technical sound that is readily accessible (no mean feat)." - <a href="http://pastiebap.com/music/album-review-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-heirs/">Pastiebap</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/da38d1bbdb88ec42b8a23e06b208b4a9e55c4e83/original/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-1-29-30-pm.png?1431035772" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br>"To sum up, ASIWYFA have created another sonically stunning set of songs that sees them further their quest as sonic sculptors and powerhouse musicians and furthermore cementing them as one of the best progressive rock bands in the world today." - <a href="http://www.nobrainerzine.co.uk/articles/album-review-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-heirs/">No Brainer Zine</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/0d6f18ce11187d961f8793444e91f861feeacb18/original/screen-shot-2015-05-07-at-3-05-45-pm.png?1431036380" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br>"As the band releases their fourth album, the Belfast natives are holding onto their melodic roots, but with a more polished, tight-knit feel. <em>Heirs</em> pushes the boundaries of math-rock, carefully and meticulously fusing hardcore and instrumental elements." - 4.5/5, <a href="https://dustyorganmusic.wordpress.com/2015/05/05/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-heirs/">Dusty Organ Music</a>
<p><br><img src="//33.media.tumblr.com/64860424464bb313d640c1a712ae8cdf/tumblr_inline_n5a155XJdF1rlbw04.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br>"With <em>Heirs</em> And So I Watch You From Afar have carved out a sound that mixes the raw energy and passion of their 2009 self titled debut, the groove and intricacies of 2011’s <em>Gangs</em> and the vocal progression of 2013’s <em>All Hail Bright Futures</em>. Taken as a whole it could easily be considered their strongest (and most accessible) to date." - 9/10, <a href="http://altdialogue.com/2015/04/25/album-review-heirs-by-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar/">Alt Dialogue</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36941582015-05-05T11:15:18-07:002015-05-05T11:16:00-07:00Irish Times interviews And So I Watch You From Afar about new album Heirs<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="47" data-orig-width="464"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/d284478d7fbba508809b14154e6a0350/tumblr_inline_nnw1vtF9kI1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
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<p>From the balcony of the apartment Chris Wee and Rory Friers share in Belfast, they can see aircraft taking off and landing at Belfast City Airport and hear the rumble of trains from the nearby Central Station. Considering their extensive globetrotting in recent years, it’s a base that has served them well. At the crack of dawn tomorrow morning, for example, they’re off to Russia for several gigs.</p>
<p>“It’s always a bit crazy over there,” says Wee, the friendly drummer of <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You from Afar</a>.</p>
<p>Apart from a Northern Irish Music Award hanging on the wall of their sittingroom, there is little to suggest that two members of one of Ireland’s biggest independent rock bands – and their tour manager – call this place home. Loyd Grossman would have a hard time of it, but it’s indicative of And So I Watch You From Afar’s general ethos: head down, socks up, work hard, play loud. It’s been that way since the childhood friends first started playing music together as teenagers in their hometown of Bushmills, on the north Antrim coast. “We’d practise for 20 minutes and then play basketball for the rest of the day,” he laughs.</p>
<p>A short drive across town, right on the border of east and west Belfast, guitarist Rory Friers is waiting for us. It is here, in a small room in a converted linen mill, that And So I Watch You From Afar rehearse, plan and thrash out ideas. It’s also where they demoed their new album, <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/heirs">Heirs</a></i>, and song titles remain chalked on a blackboard. Beer cans are strewn around the room: two nights ago, they played the new songs live in front of an audience for the first time, squashing “about 60 people in”, Wee says proudly. They went down well, he adds.</p>
<p>It has been a steady ascent for And So I Watch You From Afar. <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar">Their first album</a>, released in 2009, built so gradually that they weren’t even aware of it.</p>
<p>“I remember our label saying, ‘I think you’re gonna be up for a Choice Music Prize.’ I said, ‘I have no idea what that is. Is that good?’ ” says Friers, laughing. “Then it was up for XFM album of the year; I was like, ‘Are they Cork or Limerick?’ I see so many bands putting out that first record and it’s really tough. I feel like it’s only now that I appreciate how well that did, with hindsight.”</p>
<p><b>Green beginnings</b></p>
<p>The pair discuss how “green” they were back in those days, bringing friends on tour to do crew, sound and lighting – and paying them all, “even though we had no money”, says Friers. In more recent times they have been forced to become more career-minded, but not in a hard-nosed way.</p>
<p>“We’re not a huge band; we’re not even a medium-sized band, by any stretch of the imagination,” says guitarist Niall Kennedy. “I guess we are a small band who can consistently get people to shows, and have built up a bit of a reputation. And now that there’s – well, not a lot of money, but now that someone’s offering us a bit more than 25 quid and a box of beer for a show – it’s like we’ve suddenly realised that we have the responsibility to kind of do ourselves justice and to be smart with that.”</p>
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<p><b>Producing <i>Heirs</i></b></p>
<p>There have been numerous changes in the band’s camp over the past few years, musically and personally. Firstly, bassist Johnny Adger became a father last year, while other children born to family members of the band partially influenced both the title and theme of Heirs.</p>
<p>“Suddenly, we weren’t just the youngsters, there was all these other lives about, and that was really inspiring,” says Friers. “We got talking about that and the importance of that kind of handing down of your values, where we came from and how we got here. That tied in with music as well; how all songs are just reinterpretations of all the music we’ve listened to. We’ve taken all these ideas and spun them out into this album. It’s been a kind of self-propelling thing.”</p>
<p>There have been changes in line-up, too; new guitarist Kennedy is now on board as a full-time member, and he contributed much to the writing process this time around. They’ve also shaken up their management team and booking agent in recent years.</p>
<p>Most notably, to this record the band have brought the sense of creative freedom they gleefully plundered on 2012’s <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.com/all-hail-bright-futures">All Hail Bright Futures</a></i>. That album marked the first time they had used vocals and guest performers; this record continues to use vocals on tracks such as “These Secret Kings I Know” and “Fucking Lifer”, all blended with their trademark frantic, dynamic riffs. They began jamming ideas in early 2013 and demoed them in the rehearsal room that summer, before recording with Rocky O’Reilly in his Belfast studio. It was the longest – seven months – they had spent working on an album.</p>
<p>“All Hail was such a daring side-step into other stuff; we ended up being in a room with just synths on one occasion, and I remember thinking, ‘What the f*** are we doing?’ ” says Wee, chuckling. “Doing stuff that was so far removed from what we’d normally do was really fun.”</p>
<p>“When we came out the back of that,” says Friers, “we thought, ‘Okay. We can get away with doing this much more.’ It was like an exercise in stretching ourselves. We talked about this record so much on tour. We conceived so many different albums – there was definitely one that was going to be really . . . galactic,” he adds, dissolving into laughter. “I remember the word ‘regal’ being important for a while. ‘Regal, boys.’ I think what we meant was that we wanted there to be a real deep sense of atmosphere to it.”</p>
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<p><b>Live and dangerous</b></p>
<p>Of course, anyone who has seen an And So I Watch You from Afar gig will be aware that live has always been where it’s at. Their touring schedule is generally insane after an album release. But being one of Ireland’s hardest-working bands has its pitfalls.</p>
<p>“I certainly feel like because we’ve been at home so long, that I’ve definitely got into this routine that’s a bit more like ‘normal’ life,” says Friers. “You go into town, get your little coffee, relax for a bit, do a bit of work, see people you know, hang out with your girlfriend, go see your family at the weekend. As you get a bit older, you realise how time with other people is so much more important – but you’re the one pulling yourself out of it, and it’s your call . . .”</p>
<p>Not only does 2015 mark the release of the band’s fourth album, but it has also been a decade since they officially began playing as And So I Watch You From Afar. Do they feel they have another 10 years in them?</p>
<p>“I really do, yeah,” Friers says without hesitation. “I don’t know whether that sounds cool or naive. Obviously there’s been lots of things that have happened to the band, mostly over the last four or five years, and we’ve definitely had to consider that the band could be indestructible for one second. Whether it’s personal stuff, or financial stuff . . . there have been these big threatening things, but we’ve got through them all.”</p>
<p>“It hasn’t been a fairy tale: massive success and made millions and millions,” Wee says. “But what we do have is a very solid and steady progression through a load of s**t throughout the years, while making all of the music. We’ve got to travel so much and see so much, and we still have the excitement and enthusiasm to keep going.</p>
<p>“It’s a nice place to be at after 10 years, because it’s a very real thing we have. It’s a very solid foundation.”</p>
<p><b>NO LONGER INSTRUMENTAL? ONLY IN ONE SENSE</b></p>
<p>“I remember when we brought out the last album, someone said, ‘It’s insane that you put out that record, and it’s amazing that you did. If you’d put out another album like the first one, that’s when bands start to lose their appeal or become a bit predictable.’ And he was right. I think we had that on our minds this time around, too. We never want to be predictable.”</p>
<p>(via <a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-producing-heirs-after-a-decade-in-the-game-1.2196932">Irish Times</a>)</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36933232015-05-04T15:25:17-07:002017-01-10T06:29:30-08:00Heirs by And So I Watch You From Afar is out today!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/92e7eabcb7775fc081a0a63a181161ae03d37301/medium/heirs-album-art.jpg?1430777744" class="size_m justify_none border_" /><br><br>Happy album release day!<br><a contents="And So I Watch You From Afar" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/home" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>'s newest album <em><a contents="Heirs" data-link-label="Heirs" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/heirs" target="_blank">Heirs</a> </em>is out worldwide.<br><br>You can purchase CD or Vinyl copies from our <a contents="$ Store" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hellomerch.com/collections/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" target="_blank">$ Store</a> which ships worldwide, or from our <a contents="£ Store" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://sargenthouse.awesomedistro.com/artists/asiwyfa" target="_blank">£ Store</a> which ships anywhere in the EU.<br>Digital copies are available via <a contents="Bandcamp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/heirs-2" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> or <a contents="iTunes" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://smarturl.it/HeirsiTunes" target="_blank">iTunes</a>.<br><br>And be sure to catch them on their EU tour with support from <a contents="Mylets" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://myletsmusic.com/" target="_blank">Mylets</a>--full list of dates below:<br> <p>Apr 28 - Glasgow, (UK) @ King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut*<br>Apr 29 - Manchester, (UK) @ Gorilla*<br>Apr 30 - Bristol, (UK) @ Marble Factory*<br>May 01 - London, (UK) @ Islington Assembly Hall*<br>May 02 - Dunkerque, (FR) @ 4ecluses*<br>May 03 - Luxembourg, (LU) @ Den Atelier*<br>May 04 - Paris, (FR) @ La Fleche D'Or*<br>May 06 - Brussels, (BE) @ Vk*<br>May 07 - Rotterdam, (NL) @ Rotown*<br>May 08 - Eindhoven, (NL) @ Effenaar*<br>May 09 - Deventer, (NL) @ BURGERWEESHUIS*<br>May 10 - Nantes, (FR) @ Le Ferrailleur*<br>May 11 - Clermont-Ferrand, (FR) @ La Cooperative De Mai*<br>May 12 - Zurich, (CH) @ Dynamo*<br>May 13 - Bern, (CH) @ Dachstock, Reitschule*<br>May 14 - Geneva, (CH) @ Usine*<br>May 15 - Milan, (IT) @ Leoncavallo*<br>May 16 - Rome, (IT) @ Traffic Live*<br>May 17 - Modena, (IT) @ La Tenda*<br>May 19 - Ljubljana, (SI) @ Kino Siska*<br>May 20 - Zagreb, (HR) @ Zedno Uho Festival*<br>May 21 - Budapest, (HU) @ Dürer Kert*<br>May 22 - Vienna, (AT) @ Arena*<br>May 23 - Munich, (DE) @ Ampere*<br>May 25 - Prague, (CZ) @ NoD Teatro*<br>May 26 - Wiesbaden, (DE) @ Schlachthof*<br>May 27 - Leipzig, (DE) @ Tåubchental*<br>May 28 - Berlin, (DE) @ Bi Nuu*<br>May 29 - Hamburg, (DE) @ Logo*<br>May 30 - Essen, (DE) @ Zeche Carl*<br>May 31 - Cologne, (DE) @ Underground*<br>Jun 01 - Amsterdam, (NL) @ Paradiso*<br>Jun 19 - Dublin, (IE) @ Olympia<br>Jun 20 - Belfast, (IE) @ Mandela Hall<br>Jul 9-11 - Cheltenham, (UK) @ 2000 Trees Festival<br>Jul 24 - Beelen, (DE) @ Krach Am Bach<br>Jul 25 - Sheffield, (UK) @ Tramlines Festival<br>Jul 26 - Chester, (UK) @ The Live Rooms<br>Aug 29 - Reading, (UK) @ Reading Festival<br>Aug 30 - Leeds, (UK) @ Leeds Festival</p>
<p>*with <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/" target="_blank">Mylets</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36928042015-05-04T10:37:50-07:002015-05-04T15:02:14-07:00Live review of And So I Watch You From Afar in Manchester<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="371" data-orig-width="520"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/528d691816d9808d6b2f2528d944b067/tumblr_inline_nnu421zjCX1ry933h_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p><i>review via <a href="https://birthdaycakebreakfast.wordpress.com/2015/05/03/live-review-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-at-gorilla-in-manchester-29415/">Birthday Cake For Breakfast</a></i></p>
<p>With their terrific fourth album ‘Heirs’ released next week, Northern Irish four-piece <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> are out on the road around the UK and Europe this spring. This past week they came to Manchester, their second stop having played a sold out show in Glasgow the night before.</p>
<p>This would turn out to be my third time seeing And So I Watch You From Afar, having seen them at <a href="http://www.arctangent.co.uk/">ArcTanGent</a> the past two years. I was keen to catch them in an actual venue this time around, as opposed to pissed up in a field at a festival. It’s odd though, as even though one would assume the intimacy and atmosphere might get lost in the open environment of a festival, it was the complete opposite. Their set at last year’s ArcTanGent was one of the highlights of the whole weekend, with the crowd pretty much coming together as one, united and in awe of this fantastic band. So would that feeling translate to the confines of hip Manchester joint <a href="http://www.thisisgorilla.com/">Gorilla</a>? I was soon to find out.</p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="450" data-orig-width="600"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/c59694b7e0ec2e25551ce7c8970d88b9/tumblr_inline_nnu4phiKNq1ry933h_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p>With much fanfare, ASIWYFA entered the swelling room, greeted by a thoroughly enthusiastic crowd. The first three tunes from their new albumHeirs would also be the first three of the evening. The brilliant ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgTbdo_OJcM">Run Home</a>’ was slightly marred by an issue with the sound (in that for parts of it, you weren’t able to hear Rory’s guitar) but it was terrific fun to hear it live, having personally played it to death the past couple of months. ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5maQQqV1Kwk">These Secret Kings I Know</a>’ has fast become one of my favourite tracks from the new album, and it was tremendous here. That guitar sound and the vocal combination are just gorgeous. Without much room to breathe, second single ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF9BgEt_WMM">Wasps</a>’ was up next, and it’s a total blast, working a treat in building up the atmosphere in the room. From album number four to album number two, ASIWYFA shifted gears from ‘<a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/heirs-2">Heirs</a>’ to ‘<a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/gangs">Gangs</a>’ and blasted into the immense ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfRq8KhLM_M">BEAUTIFULUNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION</a>’ which really lit a fire under the arses of everyone in the room. The whole congregation became one sea of people, all swaying with the sweet, sweet sounds of this dancey staple, and this was pretty much how the crowd remained for the rest of the show. The awesome ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLafUk_cV98">7 Billion People All Alive At Once</a>’ was a huge highlight for me, having been one of the tracks that really got me onto the ASIWYFA bandwagon, and it really had the crowd swept up and singing along, as did the unbelievable ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W43nFIpTA7A">Like A Mouse</a>’.</p>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="390" data-orig-width="520"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/f7dabaf6b48a70cec7ffce119ec303ea/tumblr_inline_nnu4qolJ2e1ry933h_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p>There was a real intense moment during one track where the band got the crowd to drop to complete silence. That earlier analogy of the congregation becoming one sea of people was most evident here, with such a calm falling over the crowd. It was as if time stood still as everyone basked in the quiet, every hair on one’s neck standing to attention.</p>
<p>I can’t begin to imagine how techy this stuff is to play, and at certain points it actually looked like Rory’s heart was going to explode at any minute with the amount of effort he was putting into it! There was a funny moment when they were starting one track where guitarist Niall put up his hand to halt it before it could begin, having looked slightly overwhelmed with the giant pedal operation that lay before him, which the band just laughed off. It really looked like they were having a blast up on stage, and there was a particularly sweet moment when the room was encouraged to sing Happy Birthday to bassist Johnny. I’ve heard of how the lads that make up ASIWYFA are great people, and it seems very much the case. They seem like the loveliest dudes, and very humble too.</p>
<p>Following on from a set that was made up of wall-to-wall hits, with everything from the new record sounding terrific, where do you go from there? An encore made up of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5b41CudXA8">‘Eunoia’, ‘Big Thinks Do Remarkable’ </a>and the bone-crushing favourite ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEKkkhJCjcM">Set Guitars To Kill</a>’, which the crowd went fucking ballistic for. That sing-along for Big Thinks Do Remarkable is always one that puts a lump in my throat, it’s just so wonderful. What a terrific band.</p>
<p>The next time I’ll be seeing ASIWYFA will be at this year’s <a href="http://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk/">2000trees </a>(a preview of which you can find <a href="https://birthdaycakebreakfast.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/2000trees-2015-preview-is-this-years-line-up-the-biggest-yet/">here</a>) – I guess I just can’t escape these lads at festivals! But that’s fine with me.</p>
<p>Before the release of Heirs, I spoke with guitarist Rory to get an insight into what went into this new record and the feeling amongst them as they near in on ten years as a band. <a href="https://birthdaycakebreakfast.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/an-interview-with-rory-friers-on-heirs-the-fourth-album-from-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar/">You can check that interview here</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://birthdaycakebreakfast.wordpress.com/2015/05/03/live-review-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-at-gorilla-in-manchester-29415/">READ THE FULL LIVE REVIEW HERE</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36787522015-04-27T08:18:05-07:002015-04-27T10:02:20-07:00The Fader streams the new And So I Watch You From Afar album Heirs<a href="http://www.thefader.com/2015/04/27/hear-the-intense-new-album-from-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar"><figure data-orig-height="90" data-orig-width="279"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/467abf912867678a8923657feb350456/tumblr_inline_nnh0ur5R0E1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure><figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="633" data-orig-width="953"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/84ae6bc7325847462289f85e40137752/tumblr_inline_nnh0vxRjBG1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure></a><p>When I listen to <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/heirs">Heirs</a>, the new album from Belfast rockers <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>, I think of bands from the last ten years like Fang Island and, minus some extreme tempo changes and helium-infused vocals, the Mae Shi—groups who toyed with toothy pop melodicism and applied it to song structures indebted to left-field instrumental rock structures that swept American indie around the mid-2000s. That is to say, this record feels familiar while coming across as totally fresh and invigorating, and if you didn't manage to grab a strong cup of coffee this morning, Heirs will do you just fine. It's out May 4 via <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/">Sargent House</a>, but why wait that long—you can stream the whole thing below, right now.<br></p><p><a href="http://www.thefader.com/2015/04/27/hear-the-intense-new-album-from-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar">CLICK HERE TO STREAM THE FULL ALBUM VIA THE FADER</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36757372015-04-24T10:34:12-07:002017-01-10T06:29:28-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar interviewed in The Sun<a contents="" data-link-label="getpage-131.jpg" data-link-type="file" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/files/185965/getpage-131.jpg" target="_blank"><div class="captioned justify_center"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/3688394e8648092ce71fd0cfc186e3e0edf26920/large/getpage-131.jpg?1429896757" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /><p class="caption">click for hi-res image </p></div></a>
<p><i>p. 56, Friday, April 24, 2015</i></p>
<p>The band kicks off their EU tour in Glasgow at King Tut’s on April 28th supported by <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a>. See all dates and buy tickets <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE</a>.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36698572015-04-21T12:17:24-07:002015-04-21T14:02:12-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar to play Reading & Leeds Festivals<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="844" data-orig-width="1500"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/2eae7509582f04f582d1ac5d8bd4ad0c/tumblr_inline_nn67vv7C7E1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p><a data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/home" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have been added to the line-up at Reading & Leeds Festivals for 2015. They will be playing The Pit stage on August 29 at <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.readingfestival.com" target="_blank">Reading</a> and August 30 at <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.leedsfestival.com" target="_blank">Leeds</a>.</p>
<p>The band has just returned from their Russia shows and are about to head out on their massive EU tour with support from <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.myletsmusic.com" target="_blank">Mylets</a>.</p>
<p>You can see all announced tour dates and purchase tickets <a data-link-label="Shows" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/shows" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673532015-04-15T04:53:25-07:002017-01-10T06:29:18-08:00Kerrang! premieres new song, “Redesigned a Million Times”<figure data-orig-height="76" data-orig-width="249"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.kerrang.com/30348/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-release-new-song-redesigned-a-million-times/" target="_blank"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/9742009fe86f3783c28b5fccbd1bcbaf/tumblr_inline_nmuj33Q8Yy1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="86" data-orig-width="724"><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.kerrang.com/30348/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-release-new-song-redesigned-a-million-times/" target="_blank"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/602e154eda416680741ea4c7f475ce44/tumblr_inline_nmuj50JJGz1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></figure>
<p><img src="//www.kerrang.com/wp-content/uploads/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar1.jpg?455978" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><br><a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/www.asiwyfa.com">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> are premiering their new track, Redesigned a Million Times, exclusively with <a href="http://www.kerrang.com/30348/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-release-new-song-redesigned-a-million-times/">Kerrang!</a>.</p>
<p>The track is taken from the Belfast math-rockers’ new full-length, <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/www.asiwyfa.com/heirs">Heirs</a>, which is out on May 4 via <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/www.sargenthouse.com">Sargent House</a>. Get excited! Stream Redesigned a Million Times below, and let us know what you think in the comments. And be sure to pre-order And So I Watch You From Afar’s new record now on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/heirs/id972238461">iTunes</a> or <a href="http://sargenthouse.awesomedistro.com/artists/asiwyfa">Sargent House’s official webstore</a>.</p>
<p>To coincide with the release, the band will be embarking on a huuuuuuge tour throughout the UK and Europe – full dates and ticket info below.</p>
<p>Stream Redesigned a Million Times below:</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/200691739&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p>Apr 15 - Moscow, (RU) @ Teatr Club<br>Apr 16 - St. Petersburg, (RU) @ Kosmonavt<br>Apr 17 - Yekaterinburg, (RU) @ Nirvana<br>Apr 28 - Glasgow, (UK) @ King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut*<br>Apr 29 - Manchester, (UK) @ Gorilla*<br>Apr 30 - Bristol, (UK) @ Marble Factory*<br>May 1 - London, (UK) @ Islington Assembly Hall*<br>May 2 - Dunkerque, (FR) @ 4ecluses*<br>May 3 - Luxembourg, (LU) @ Den Atelier*<br>May 4 - Paris, (FR) @ La Fleche D'Or*<br>May 6 - Brussels, (BE) @ Vk*<br>May 7 - Rotterdam, (NL) @ Rotown*<br>May 8 - Eindhoven, (NL) @ Effenaar*<br>May 9 - Deventer, (NL) @ BURGERWEESHUIS*<br>May 10 - Nantes, (FR) @ Le Ferrailleur*<br>May 11 - Clermont-Ferrand, (FR) @ La Cooperative De Mai*<br>May 12 - Zurich, (CH) @ Dynamo*<br>May 13 - Bern, (CH) @ Dachstock, Reitschule*<br>May 14 - Geneva, (CH) @ Usine*<br>May 15 - Milan, (IT) @ Leoncavallo*<br>May 16 - Rome, (IT) @ Traffic Live*<br>May 17 - Modena, (IT) @ La Tenda*<br>May 19 - Ljubljana, (SI) @ Kino Siska*<br>May 20 - Zagreb, (HR) @ Zedno Uho Festival*<br>May 21 - Budapest, (HU) @ Dürer Kert*<br>May 22 - Vienna, (AT) @ Arena*<br>May 23 - Munich, (DE) @ Ampere*<br>May 25 - Prague, (CZ) @ NoD Teatro*<br>May 26 - Wiesbaden, (DE) @ Schlachthof*<br>May 27 - Leipzig, (DE) @ Tåubchental*<br>May 28 - Berlin, (DE) @ Bi Nuu*<br>May 29 - Hamburg, (DE) @ Logo*<br>May 30 - Essen, (DE) @ Zeche Carl*<br>May 31 - Cologne, (DE) @ Underground*<br>Jun 1 - Amsterdam, (NL) @ Paradiso*<br>Jun 19 - Dublin, (IE) @ Olympia<br>Jun 20 - Belfast, (IE) @ Mandela Hall<br>Jul 9-11 - Cheltenham, (UK) @ 2000 Trees Festival<br>Jul 24 - Beelen, (DE) @ Krach Am Bach<br>Jul 25 - Sheffield, (UK) @ Tramlines Festival</p>
<p>*with <a href="http://myletsmusic.com/">Mylets</a></p>
<p>(via <a href="http://www.kerrang.com/30348/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-release-new-song-redesigned-a-million-times/">Kerrang!</a>)</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673542015-04-13T15:09:11-07:002015-04-20T11:55:18-07:00Total Guitar gives Heirs a 9/10<figure data-orig-height="98" data-orig-width="288"><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/3a953cdf8f3d7f2e9961243619744398/tumblr_inline_nmrmq5bte81r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<figure data-orig-height="446" data-orig-width="188"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/7c06afba8c099a62631db38adb455cf2/tumblr_inline_nmrmq9F0v21r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673552015-04-06T21:34:39-07:002017-01-10T06:29:18-08:00Huffington Post interviews Rory Friers of And So I Watch You From Afar<a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/holley-perry/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar_b_7011400.html" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/d3796ff8eb4bf9b9bf8d3fff2d723d508fa8f211/original/screen-shot-2015-04-06-at-9-24-19-pm.png?1428380687" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /></a><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/cf4a55cdc7cdbcddbd8f1aade7917e78ecfc878c/original/11007767-1615998621978883-1247481810-n.jpg?1428380611" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br><br>A few days ago, I finally caught up with Rory Friers from the band And So I Watch You From Afar. The band is from Northern Ireland, so I have been watching them from afar. He was able to answer a few questions despite the time difference. ASIWYFA, as they are often called, has a new album, <em>Heirs</em>, and a new tour this year. Currently, they are my favorite instrumental band of all time. If you give their new album a chance, they might be your favorite instrumental band of all time also. Keep reading to find out if you'll become a fire-breathing dragon. I'm just saying, anything is possible.
<p><strong>1. What was your inspiration for the new album?</strong></p>
<p>It pretty much just came down to just wanting to make better music. The idea of making new songs or an album is an inspiration in its self really. Each time we get to put something new into the world its exciting, it's a chance to say something louder than we would ever have had the chance to if not for the band.</p>
<p>What an album represents for us is so much more than a piece of vinyl or a CD, it's a reason to see the world all over again. It gives us purpose for the next 18 months. The feeling that a song you're writing in a little rehearsal room in Belfast will be, in a year's time, possibly a meaningful addition to someone else's life is a cool notion for me. It's amazing.</p>
<p>It was also Niall's first record with us. So having him to bounce off and write with was so, so good. He made me make better songs and he brought loads of ideas to the table as well. We would spend hours talking about how we might construct an album when we were on tour, so by the time we got back to Belfast the whole band was almost vibrating with motivation to start crafting songs into something that spoke of where we were at that moment. We ended up with something I'm really proud of.</p>
<p><strong>2. How would you describe your audience?</strong></p>
<p>Heartfelt, loyal, incredible, flame breathing dragons.</p>
<p><strong>3. Is there a reason that you don't have lyrics or very many vocals?</strong></p>
<p>When we first started we had no PA or microphone so when we were writing we didn't straight away start throwing lyrics or words over our ideas, and maybe we ended up compensating by making our songs a little more interesting. On the other hand, we also really loved a lot of instrumental bands too. We all liked Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. I was really into bands like Hella and Rumah Sakit and Sleeping People. Being a band in the rural north coast of Ireland, we were excited to be doing something which was very different from what everyone else was doing. We tried to continue that as a motivation to always keep making music that feels exciting and like we're doing something we haven't done before.</p>
<p><strong>4. Is there anything that you haven't accomplished yet that keeps you awake at night?</strong></p>
<p>I guess I have a lot of ambitions, as soon as one thing is ticked of another 10 suddenly pop into my mind, but one that keeps getting away is the ever-elusive Japanese tour. For whatever reason its keeps nearly happening and then not, we've been so close to going a few times but fate seems to have conspired against us, which is so frustrating as its one of the places I would most want to spend time in the world, so I often think about that. But maybe soon, fingers crossed.</p>
<p><strong>5. Are there any causes/organizations that you support?</strong></p>
<p>We all individually support and get behind a lot of stuff that's affected us. We, as a band, try and make a stand for the things we believe in, especially here in Belfast, from the anti-racist marches and shows we're involved in, to the peace rallies at city hall and most recently the Gay Rights issues. An issue happening at the minute is a disgusting bill trying to be introduced called a 'conscience clause,' which would effectively void some equality laws. It would allow religious people to discriminate against people, whose identities clash with their religion. There's still a lot of politics and tension and small mindedness from some folks in our country. There's a lot of stuff, which is a long way from being perfect, but there are a lot of amazing people who are behind trying to get it there.</p>
<p><strong>6. What is the worst thing about touring? What's the best thing?</strong></p>
<p>Probably, quite predictably, the worst thing is missing people, family, friends, girlfriends, wives and now thanks to Johnny, a beautiful child. So that's always a bit sore on the heart when you have those moments of needing those people around you and they're on the other side of the world. But then there's this whole other family around us on tour that can read and support that. Other than getting to play our music at the end of every day that might be the best part, that real sense of togetherness, and quest with these people your so close with, it's an adventure.</p>
<p><strong>7. The band has been together for 10 years and only one lineup change. What's the key to staying together for so long?</strong></p>
<p>I think we have really learned from many mistakes, and ups and downs, the things that contribute to the good times and the things that contribute to the bad. So each year and each record and each tour we've sort of upgraded our operating systems in a way and just gotten better at seeing things for what they are and appreciating what we have together. Don't get me wrong we will sometimes want to kill each other but it's all pretty momentary.</p>
<p><strong>8. Do you feel as if performing a show now is different than it was 10 years ago?</strong></p>
<p>Yes and no, we actually watched some old stuff recently and it's hard not to cringe a bit at how we were, so much passion and not quite sure where we wanted to direct it all, everyone in their own little worlds. But as the passion and energy has grown we are now more assured of what to do with it, we've, over the past four records, made it to a sort of point of understanding about what it is that we want to do, what we want to play and what we want a live show to feel like, and that's a cool place to be, there's a bit less panic and a bit more cohesion and unity.</p>
<p><strong>9. Who is the marathon runner in the group?</strong></p>
<p>That would be me actually! How did you know that? Yeah, I started in late 2013, I always had this weird obsession with always privately setting myself little challenges and endurances all my life. I would always time how long I could hold my breath in school, or how quickly I could make breakfast, or how many months I could not drink alcohol. I don't know why, its maybe a way of me feeling like I'm in some sort of control.</p>
<p>But yeah, one day I just thought I'd love to be able to run a few miles and not be destroyed afterwards, so I sort of secretly started going out at night in my weird mis-matched get up and would time my runs. From there I just started getting into it way more and entering races and mountain runs and stuff. I love it that all I need is my shoes and I can go into my own little world for an hour or two, plus it's my favorite way to listen to new music.</p>
<p><strong>10. For the parents in the group, has becoming a parent changed anything about how you view being in a band or songwriting?</strong></p>
<p>I guess Johnny would be the man to ask about that as he's just become the first Daddy in the band. From talking with him, I suppose the main thing is just the unknown of how it will all co- exist. We're still to go out and tour, so I suppose that will be the big test. I guess if it had of happened a few years ago it would be hard to make it all work, especially when the band was so in debt financially and we had a crazy schedule. Luckily things have become cool and we are in a good stable place so we can keep everyone is happy and tailor things to make sure of that.<br><br>(via <a contents="Huffington Post" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/holley-perry/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar_b_7011400.html" target="_blank">Huffington Post</a>)</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673562015-04-03T13:08:55-07:002017-02-04T14:51:41-08:00ASIWYFA on the list of the 25 best songs from Northern Ireland<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="95" data-orig-width="347"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/1cc83244edf48aa392dd0f4ee8cba15d/tumblr_inline_nm8xu7J9mz1r1itoc_540.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<figure class="tmblr-full" data-orig-height="1667" data-orig-width="2500"><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/6fab5b14d3e4ebfab384c26f84319ff5/tumblr_inline_nm8yas9xgr1r1itoc_540.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p><a contents="AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/home" target="_blank">AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR</a> – SET GUITARS TO KILL (2009, on ‘And So I Watch You From Afar’)</p>
<p>The aggressive soundtrack for triumphant mob rule, this is a blistering, face melting mash of enourmo-riffs and colossal drums. Exhausting.</p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3267636200/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=63b2cc/tracklist=false/artwork=small/track=309653366/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;"><a data-cke-saved-href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar" href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar">And So I Watch You From Afar by And So I Watch You From Afar</a></iframe>
<p>(via <a href="http://www.belfastlive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/best-25-northern-irish-songs-8975098">Belfast Live</a>)</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673572015-03-03T09:35:00-08:002015-04-20T11:55:18-07:00FADER premiere: And So I Watch You From Afar "Wasps"<figure><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/bf35dd3ec97d3842f9d51b4b6179ae91/tumblr_inline_nknfjwwVSJ1r1itoc.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
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<p>This spring, Belfast four-piece <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> will release their fourth full-length, <em>Heirs</em>. Album cut "Wasps," premiering below, is mostly instrumental, aside from a reverb-y vocal passage that sounds like it was recorded a cavernous space with lots of fog and really good acoustics. Unlike some other post-rock songs, which can feel sonically gratuitous, "Wasps" benefits from its chiseled vision. "'Wasps' began as a six minute track," the band told FADER over email. "We then sliced and sanded it down to two-and-a-half minutes of the purest form of our initial idea. 'Wasping' became our word for ripping songs to pieces and throwing away all the bits that weren't needed. 'Thats's good but it needs to be wasped,' or, 'Shit, we really wasped that.'" <a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/heirs/id972238461?ls=1">Heirs</a> drops May 4th via <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/">Sargent House</a>.<br>Stream "Wasps" below:</p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/193910827&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe><br><br>(via <a contents="Fader" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.thefader.com/2015/03/03/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-premieres-wasps" target="_blank">Fader</a>)Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673582015-03-02T09:40:00-08:002015-04-20T11:55:18-07:00An Interview with Rory Friers about the new album & tour<figure><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/ebe4f28cce1a722627a98c8e883ed218/tumblr_inline_nklnneJxRs1r1itoc.png" class="size_orig justify_none border_" alt="image" /></figure>
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<p>Boy oh boy, this year has already been great for album announcements. The first month of the year saw loads of bands announce that they would be releasing a new album in 2015. January 26<sup>th</sup> was the turn of Belfast four-piece <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>, who announced the release of their new album ‘<i>Heirs</i>’ out on May 4<sup>th </sup>through <a href="http://www.sargenthouse.com/">Sargent House</a>, much to the delight of fans the world over. Along with the album news, they also announced an extensive list of <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/asiwyfa.com/shows">UK and European tour dates</a> to coincide with its release.</p>
<p>Their fourth album in almost ten years together as a band, <i>Heirs</i> follows on from 2013’s ‘<i>All Hail Bright Futures</i>’ and will be their second album release on Sargent House (home to such incredible acts as <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/ttng.net">TTNG</a>, <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/teramelos.net">Tera Melos</a> and <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/russiancirclesband.com">Russian Circles</a>)</p>
<p>Having only ever seen ASIWYFA at festivals, I’m eager to catch them on their upcoming UK tour. The band have been a big part of the <a href="http://www.arctangent.co.uk/">ArcTanGent </a>festival the past two years, appearing high up the bill on the main stage in its first year and headlining the Yohkai stage on the Thursday night last year. The atmosphere on that Thursday night was incredible, and it was almost as if the whole crowd had joined together as one. Beautiful.<br> </p>
<p>Whilst they’ve not been announced for ATG this year, they have been announced for this year’s <a href="http://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk/">2000trees</a> festival, joining a huge lineup with the likes of <a href="http://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk/line-up/xcerts/">The Xcerts</a>, <a href="http://www.idlewild.co.uk/">Idlewild</a>, <a href="http://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk/line-up/pulled-apart-horses/">Pulled Apart By Horses</a> and <a href="http://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk/line-up/turbowolf/">Turbowolf</a>.<br>Check out this clip of ASIWYFA performing ‘7 Billion People All Alive At Once’ from last year’s ArcTanGent, courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/smallpondrecordings">Small Pond Recordings</a> below. </p>
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<p>So far from the new album we’ve heard little snippets here and there, and most recently the full version of the extremely energetic, uplifting ‘<a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/track/run-home">Run Home</a>.’ It’s an adrenaline charged blast and a good sign of things to come. Though I guess we will have to wait until May 4<sup>th </sup>to hear the whole thing, or live in hope that they release more singles before then!<br>In the meantime, I put some questions to ASIWYFA guitarist Rory Friers to get the scoop on <i>Heirs</i>, performing at ArcTanGent the past two years, coming up to a decade as a band and what their discography would be like if it consisted of chocolate bars.</p>
<p><b>BCFB: Your new record ‘<i>Heirs</i>’ comes out in May on Sargent House – What can you tell us about it? What can people expect this time round?</b><br>Rory: The album came out of a lot of ideas, something like 30 songs I think, so our filtering system was pretty brutal and only our absolute favorite parts and songs made it through. The metaphorical cutting room floor was pretty thick with casualties. It was hard to leave off a lot of what we’d written, but what its meant is we’ve ended up with an album where all four of us are in love with every little nook and cranny, are invested in every second of sound on there, because every part and nuance had to justify its existence on the record. It feels like we’ve made something brand new, something very dense, it’s really thick and rich and I think our most emotive sounding record to date. We wanted to create very strong feelings when you listen to it and for it to have a journey like feel from the first note to the last, like it’s meant to be listened to in one go. It’s come off sounding very steeped in all the things we were feeling throughout the making of it and what we wanted it to do to the listener.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p><b>This being your fourth full length album, how was it going into the studio this time round? Can you give a little insight into the production process?</b><br>It was a really intensive process; we spent all day every day on the third floor of this old Linen Mill in West Belfast where our rehearsal room is, just chipping away at this record for 6 months straight. We spent the first week in January clearing out gear and building a small make shift studio set up to demo everything as we went. We had blackboards on each wall where we would write all the working titles and songs in progress, then each song would migrate onto the next board as it got to the next level of completion, like a little factory belt; it was always exciting when a track made it onto the last board. We did way more work on the front end in our rehearsal room, so when it was time to go into the studio we actually got all those parts laid down relatively quickly because all the songs where already so honed in. I can really hear it in our playing on this album, that we were all at a level of comfort with the parts already. I think it’s the best Chris has ever played, the drums on the new record are my favorite by far.</p>
<p><b>Following on from ‘All Hail Bright Futures’, did you have any sort of game plan or direction in mind for what you wanted with this new record?</b><br>We just wanted to make sure we continued stepping out of our comfort zone, making new sounds, approaching how we arranged things differently. All Hail felt so good in terms of shedding that worry about what people are going to think of you and just embracing that experimental mindset and progressing yourself as a musician, so we really just wanted to keep that mentality in what ever it was that was going to come out when we got in the room. It feels like this record wouldn’t exist without what we did on All Hail, but that Heirs has taken another big step towards something new again. It’s sort of like the same chocolate bar, but this album has a way higher cocoa content! All Hail was covered in popping candy and multi colored sprinkles and Heirs is like an 85% bar of Green and Blacks.</p>
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<p><b>You posted up a teaser recently in the form of a 30 second video, featuring the track ‘Run Home’ from the upcoming record. It quickly clocked up over 700 likes on Facebook and over 5000 views on YouTube. The response has been good then?</b><br>Yeah, it’s crazy to see how many people are following what we do now. It wasn’t long ago we really had to shout and scream for anyone to take notice, but we’ve worked so hard for nearly ten years now so when we are able to put out a new song like we just have and have people respond and be excited about it, it feels like a bit of affirmation that this thing we’ve dedicated ourselves to is worthy of any attention.</p>
<p><b>You’ve also announced a list of upcoming live dates across Europe, with a North American tour in the works as well. Where are you looking forward to getting to on these upcoming tours?</b><br>Of course we are super excited for all the shows and there is the usual bigger cities that have that bit of magic about them the day of a show like Paris or Berlin or Amsterdam, but I think I’m probably most excited about the first few shows we have in the UK, purely as that’s the place we first took our band out of Ireland to go play this endless cycle of toilet venues for years with very little progress in terms of our audiences. So to be selling, for us, a lot of tickets in those places now makes it really exciting. I guess a bit of a coming of age vibe to it, again, like all that energy and love we’ve put into this band was never in vain.</p>
<p><b>You had a pretty incredible showing at last year’s ArcTanGent festival (and there’s video evidence to prove it!) How was the festival for you, and how was it to be invited back for its second year?</b><br>That festival is so, so good. It really flies the flag for a lot of music that isn’t represented nearly enough out there. So we were very honoured to be asked back for a second time, and to headline the opening night was such a huge occasion for us. The tent was rammed and the atmosphere was insane; such good memories.</p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/189381749&color=ff5500" width="100%"></iframe>
<p><b>Coming up to ten years as a band, a decade which has seen you produce a number of records and travel the world, how are things in the ASIWYFA camp?</b><br>Things are great. The past few years we’ve really been able to find our feet and work out what’s important and how to do it. I get to make music and travel with my best friends instead of doing something I don’t like doing. I’m very, very grateful for that and the fact that the lads have so much ambition and drive and passion to do and make and see more and more, it’s impossible not to stay inspired and excited for the next thing and the thing after that and the thing after that. I still cant switch my band brain off, I don’t think anyone in the band can, its sort of a shared obsession, so to realize that we’ve got to nearly ten years and are in no way bored makes me excited that we could maybe just keep doing it forever. A weird life, not for everyone, but for me, a happy one.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/asiwyfa.com">And So I Watch You From Afar</a>'s ‘<i><a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/asiwyfa.bandcamp.com">Heirs</a></i>’ will be released worldwide on May 4th through <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/sargenthouse.com">Sargent House</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://birthdaycakebreakfast.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/an-interview-with-rory-friers-on-heirs-the-fourth-album-from-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar/">written by: Andrew David Hughes for Birthday Cake for Breakfast</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673592015-03-02T09:25:00-08:002017-01-10T06:29:18-08:00Russia dates added to growing 2015 Tour<figure><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/101ab32da0b7b4f150132f6db4546fca2e755f8f/original/screen-shot-2015-03-12-at-4-40-26-pm.png?1426203673" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /></figure>
<p><a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/asiwyfa.com">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have announced new concerts in Russia, adding to their constantly growing list of tour dates beginning April 15.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/asiwyfa.com/shows">Click HERE to for ticket links and info.</a></p>
<p>ALL ANNOUNCED TOUR DATES BELOW</p>
<p><b>ASIWYFA 2015</b><br>Apr 15 - Moscow, (RU) @ Teatr Club<br>Apr 16 - St. Petersburg, (RU) @ Kosmonavt<br>Apr 17 - Yekaterinburg, (RU) @ Nirvana<br>Apr 28 - Glasgow, (UK) @ King Tut's Wah Wah Hut*<br>Apr 29 - Manchester, (UK) @ Gorilla*<br>Apr 30 - Bristol, (UK) @ Marble Factory*<br>May 1 - London, (UK) @ Islington Assembly Hall*<br>May 2 - Dunkerque, (FR) @ 4ecluses*<br>May 3 - Luxembourg, (LU) @ Den Atelier*<br>May 4 - Paris, (FR) @ La Fleche D'Or*<br>May 6 - Brussels, (BE) @ Vk*<br>May 7 - Rotterdam, (NL) @ Rotown*<br>May 8 - Eindhoven, (NL) @ Effenaar*<br>May 9 - Deventer, (NL) @ BURGERWEESHUIS*<br>May 10 - Nantes, (FR) @ Le Ferrailleur*<br>May 11 - Clermont-Ferrand, (FR) @ La Cooperative De Mai*<br>May 12 - Zurich, (CH) @ Dynamo*<br>May 13 - Bern, (CH) @ Dachstock, Reitschule*<br>May 14 - Geneva, (CH) @ Usine*<br>May 15 - Milan, (IT) @ Leoncavallo*<br>May 16 - Rome, (IT) @ Traffic Live*<br>May 17 - Modena, (IT) @ La Tenda*<br>May 19 - Ljubljana, (SI) @ Kino Siska*<br>May 20 - Zagreb, (HR) @ Zedno Uho Festival*<br>May 21 - Budapest, (HU) @ Dürer Kert*<br>May 22 - Vienna, (AT) @ Arena*<br>May 23 - Munich, (DE) @ Ampere*<br>May 25 - Prague, (CZ) @ NoD Teatro*<br>May 26 - Wiesbaden, (DE) @ Schlachthof*<br>May 27 - Leipzig, (DE) @ Tåubchental*<br>May 28 - Berlin, (DE) @ Bi Nuu*<br>May 29 - Hamburg, (DE) @ Logo*<br>May 30 - Essen, (DE) @ Zeche Carl*<br>May 31 - Cologne, (DE) @ Underground*<br>Jun 1 - Amsterdam, (NL) @ Paradiso*<br>Jun 19 - Dublin, (IE) @ Olympia<br>Jun 20 - Belfast, (IE) @ Mandela Hall<br>Jul 9-11 - Cheltenham, (UK) @ 2000 Trees Festival<br>Jul 24 - Beelen, (DE) @ Krach Am Bach<br>Jul 25 - Sheffield, (UK) @ Tramlines Festival</p>
<p>*with <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/myletsmusic.com">Mylets</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673602015-02-27T09:25:00-08:002017-01-10T06:29:18-08:00Inside the making of Heirs by Rory Friers<img src="//41.media.tumblr.com/ebf01874f9d9e3b3a23c3a51a4205b8f/tumblr_nk9y23MEJg1u3swnko2_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="//40.media.tumblr.com/c61ec247117253dc65c7e5196fa096fa/tumblr_nk9y23MEJg1u3swnko4_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="//41.media.tumblr.com/1bf60de52e1a75d36d8951d460682841/tumblr_nk9y23MEJg1u3swnko6_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="//40.media.tumblr.com/592da54ab1a4e3f43177a646c4fa3e88/tumblr_nk9y23MEJg1u3swnko8_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="//40.media.tumblr.com/7d2d191bf26e25deffd3b2417fcc694c/tumblr_nk9y23MEJg1u3swnko3_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="//41.media.tumblr.com/0edd437bc21e10a90b984ce29620e009/tumblr_nk9y23MEJg1u3swnko1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="//36.media.tumblr.com/aea3bdf16424cebad822bb6bd7e06236/tumblr_nk9y23MEJg1u3swnko10_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="//36.media.tumblr.com/5cbec6ce2f392451913a52850296c132/tumblr_nk9y23MEJg1u3swnko7_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="//40.media.tumblr.com/b39a4cc652f4cda9bc56d2df545d5e3b/tumblr_nk9y23MEJg1u3swnko5_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="//40.media.tumblr.com/f11ee5044df0573db72971b499b494e7/tumblr_nk9y23MEJg1u3swnko9_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><p>Making Heirs</p>
<p>Thought id just put up a small selection of photos from the making of our album Heirs and tell you a bit about the process. The album came out of a lot of ideas, something like 30 songs in total I think, our filtering system was pretty brutal, only our absolute favorite parts and songs made it through. It was hard to leave a lot of what we’d written off the album but what it meant was we ended up with something where all four of were in love with every little nook and cranny. We were invested in every second of sound on there because every part and nuance had to justify its own existence and it had to fit together as an album, so we have a bunch of left over tracks that we’re going to do something with at a later date.</p>
<p>It was a really intensive process; On the third floor of an old Linen Mill in West Belfast in our rehearsal room we spent the first week in January clearing out gear and building a small make shift studio set up to demo everything as we went, then spent all day every day just chipping away at songs for 6 months. We had blackboards on each wall where we would write all the working titles and songs in progress, then each song would migrate onto the next board as it got to the next level of completion, like a little factory belt, it was always exciting when a track made it onto the last board.</p>
<p>Sometimes it got very intense, It was like being underwater for a few months, like anything that wasn’t album related seemed to be muffled and a bit distant, i think thats why it feels so emotive to me when i listen to it, like all the songs absorbed that tense drive we all had making it and we wanted to create very strong feelings when you listen to it and for it to have a journey like feel from the first note to the last, like its meant to listened to in one go.</p>
<p>We just wanted to make sure we continued stepping out of our comfort zone, making new sounds, approaching how we arranged things differently. Our last album All Hail Bright Futures felt so good in terms of shedding that worry about what people were going to think of us and just embracing that experimental mindset and progressing ourselves, we really wanted to keep that mentality in what ever it was that was going to come out when we got in the room for Heirs. It feels like this record wouldn’t exist with out what we did on All Hail, but Heirs has taken another step towards something new again. Its sort of like the same chocolate bar but this album has a way higher cocoa content! All Hail was covered in popping candy and multi coloured sprinkles and Heirs is like an 85% bar of Green and Blacks.</p>
<p>I'm very very grateful that i got to make this album with Johnny, Chris and Niall, they have so much ambition and drive and passion to do and make and see more and more its impossible not to stay inspired and excited for the next thing and the thing after that and the thing after that. </p>
<p>We hope you like it.</p>
<p>Rory Friers - <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/new/roryfriers.tumblr.com">taken from his own personal blog HERE</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673612015-02-05T09:25:00-08:002015-04-20T11:55:18-07:00HEIRS Pre-Orders for Vinyl and CD now live in the US & UK Stores<figure><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/7d07203eb3b495b41e5d241f1a961d08/tumblr_inline_njbqb6UNo31r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p>The pre-orders for the new <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/asiwyfa.com">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> Album "Heirs" are now live in both the <a href="http://hellomerch.com/collections/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar">N. American $ store</a> and the <a href="http://sargenthouse.awesomedistro.com/artists/asiwyfa">EU/UK £ store </a>- The Vinyl comes in Opaque Yellow (only available in N. America 1k) and Translucent Lime Green (Only available in Europe 1k) and then in Black which will be in retail stores. Pre-orders will ship on or around April 30th - the Album comes out on Sargent House on May 4 in Europe and May 5th in USA. The Bundles come with a choice of shirt and poster all designed by <a href="http://sonnykay.com">Sonny Kay</a>.</p>
<p><b>N. America: <a href="http://hellomerch.com/collections/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar">http://asiwyfa.hellomerch.com</a> </b></p>
<p><b>EU/UK: <a href="http://sargenthouse.awesomedistro.com/artists/asiwyfa">http://sargenthouse.awesomedistro.com/artists/asiwyfa</a></b></p>
<figure><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/4bdb957b9004dc9f0698c85cc3227ebf/tumblr_inline_njbqkkBev01r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p>There is also the "Heirs" Astronaut zip up hoodie available in both stores.<br><a href="http://hellomerch.com/collections/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar">US</a> / <a href="http://sargenthouse.awesomedistro.com/artists/asiwyfa">UK </a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/35080072015-02-05T09:24:39-08:002015-02-05T10:03:54-08:00DIY Premieres first new track Run Home - Irish Dates announced to EU Tour<figure class=""><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/2192fd9f858f430993d28d00473dc3e2/tumblr_inline_njb6w1lGYC1qbzv4w.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><figure class=""><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/aaadc35289f740fb5bfd691dbc845c17/tumblr_inline_njb6mijrnO1qbzv4w.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></figure><p>This May, Belfast four-piece <a href="https://www.facebook.com/andsoiwatchyoufromafar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> release their new ‘Heirs’ album on <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/" target="_blank">Sargent House</a>. Their fourth LP, it’s being led with the mind-flowingly triumphant ‘Run Home’, a track so pumped on adrenaline that it well and truly lives up to its title - seriously, try staying static for one split-second with this playing. </p><p>‘Run Home’ is one of an initial thirty tracks penned from the record, with writing sessions spanning six months. Off the bat, it sounds like one of the band’s most meticulously-constructed songs to date, a brilliantly restrained exercise in tightly-wound rock. Double-timed drums, rollicking “yo” chants and ear-gouging guitar licks - this is a shameless showcase of all things bonkers. </p><p>‘Heirs’ is released on 4th May. Check out And So I Watch You From Afar’s UK and European dates with Sargent House label mate Mylets opening on all but Irish ones <a href="http://asiwyfa.com/shows" target="_blank">HERE.</a><br></p><iframe src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/189381749&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no"></iframe>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673622015-02-05T09:20:00-08:002015-04-20T11:55:18-07:00DIY Premieres first new track Run Home - Irish Dates announced to EU Tour<figure><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/2192fd9f858f430993d28d00473dc3e2/tumblr_inline_njb6w1lGYC1qbzv4w.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<figure><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/aaadc35289f740fb5bfd691dbc845c17/tumblr_inline_njb6mijrnO1qbzv4w.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></figure>
<p>This May, Belfast four-piece <a href="https://www.facebook.com/andsoiwatchyoufromafar">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> release their new ‘Heirs’ album on <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/">Sargent House</a>. Their fourth LP, it’s being led with the mind-flowingly triumphant ‘Run Home’, a track so pumped on adrenaline that it well and truly lives up to its title - seriously, try staying static for one split-second with this playing.</p>
<p>‘Run Home’ is one of an initial thirty tracks penned from the record, with writing sessions spanning six months. Off the bat, it sounds like one of the band’s most meticulously-constructed songs to date, a brilliantly restrained exercise in tightly-wound rock. Double-timed drums, rollicking “yo” chants and ear-gouging guitar licks - this is a shameless showcase of all things bonkers.</p>
<p>‘Heirs’ is released on 4th May. Check out And So I Watch You From Afar’s UK and European dates with Sargent House label mate Mylets opening on all but Irish ones <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/asiwyfa.com/shows">HERE.</a></p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/189381749&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673632015-01-27T13:02:03-08:002017-02-04T14:51:42-08:00Heirs album to be released May 4th, 2015 - EU tour dates announced<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/7c22299c90a4f0734903334f7d867144/tumblr_inline_nit4qwKIuK1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p>
<p>We're excited to announce the release of Heirs, the fourth full length studio album by <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/www.asiwyfa.com" target="_blank">And So I Watch You from Afar </a>which will be released on May 4th via <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/www.sargenthouse.com" target="_blank">Sargent House.</a> The band will also head out in support of the new record on a headlining European tour starting on April 28 through June 1st, with label mate <a href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/www.myletsmusic.com" target="_blank">Mylets</a> as the opening act on all the shows.</p>
<p>There is also a new website at <a href="http://asiwyfa.com" target="_blank" title="asiwyfa.com">asiwyfa.com </a>where you can now sign up for their mailing list to stay up to date on all news and for their first track premiere from the album coming soon.</p>
<p>EU Tour dates and details can be found below, and yes Irish shows and a N. American tour are all to come as well...<br> </p><script src="https://widget.bandsintown.com/javascripts/bit_widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p><a class="bit-widget-initializer" data-artist="And So I Watch You From Afar" data-prefix="fbjs" href="https://www.bandsintown.com/And%20So%20I%20Watch%20You%20From%20Afar">And So I Watch You From Afar Tour Dates</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673642014-12-15T10:15:00-08:002015-04-20T11:55:18-07:00State Magazine on 'No Parachute' Photo Exhibit and ArcTanGent Live Video<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/875526f5da0f6227448c677b2dece956/tumblr_inline_ngnhint9M81r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p>
<p><a href="http://state.ie/features/new-asiwyfa-live-video-and-photo-exhibition"><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/61134596bf7d33c2bc606727ec17ab73/tumblr_inline_ngnf9vqFtF1qbzv4w.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/06958c33551e5207f5ded563ae138c60/tumblr_inline_ngnfa6Z5gH1qbzv4w.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p>
<p>Approaching their tenth anniversary and the release of album number four next year on Sargent House there’s increased activity on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/andsoiwatchyoufromafar">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> front. Ahead a larger project in 2015, on December 18th sees a work in progress launch for <i>No Parachute</i>, a visual document from the band’s Rory Friers and tour manager Graham Smith. Featuring photographs such as the one above, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/establishedcoffee">Established Belfast</a> will host a selection of the work for three days.<br><br></p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jexYQaSMeVw?rel=0" width="500" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>State is also chuffed to bring you an exclusive video premiere of the band playing at the <a href="http://arctangent.co.uk/">Arctangent Festival</a>, courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/smallpondrec">Small Pond Recordings</a>. All of which whets are appetite for their imminent return to action…</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673652014-10-26T10:15:00-07:002015-04-20T11:55:18-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar "D is for Django the Bastard" Live from ArcTangent Festival<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gAxI6WJApqo?rel=0" width="500" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p>Thanks to the good people at <a href="http://www.smallpondrec.co.uk/">Small Pond Recordings</a> for making and sharing this live video of <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar">ASIWYFA </a>from their set at <a href="http://arctangent.co.uk//">ArcTanGent festival</a>. <br><br></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673662014-10-26T10:10:00-07:002017-01-10T06:29:18-08:00Pedal Chatter with Rory Friers<p><a href="http://feckingbahamas.com/collect-pedals-youre-watch-afar"><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/98ebda4fafb78ef7689aef35333855b0/tumblr_inline_ne2b5mMxUc1qbzv4w.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/d68c82b732303ffe519c76efd524f177/tumblr_inline_ne2b5uMP7l1qbzv4w.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p>
<p>After doing a <a href="http://feckingbahamas.com/how-to-collect-pedals-if-youre-tera-melos" title="HOW TO COLLECT PEDALS… IF YOU’RE TERA MELOS">special on <b><i>Tera Melos</i></b></a> and the pedals used by their guitarist, Nick Reinhart, I felt the need to make it into a series. Yes, the topic is close enough to my heart that I could probably talk all day about pedals. But my real reason for wanting to do this series is that sometimes you have the privilege of seeing a guitarist play live whose pedals are more than a cheap trick, or a simple tone enhancer. It becomes something else entirely: a truly indispensable part of the way the artist is able to express themselves. After Reinhart, the next person on my hit-list was (and it won’t come as a surprise) Rory Friers from <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar"><i><b>And So I Watch You From Afar</b></i></a> – a Belfast band with a more than mammoth sound. Thankfully he had a spare moment to talk to us at this year’s ever-brilliant <a href="http://arctangent.co.uk/">ArcTanGent festival</a>. This is what was learned.</p>
<hr><p><b>FB: How did you go about choosing your pedals?</b><br><i>R: I think to begin with, I didn’t have any pedals and the first pedal I got that really made my ears and eyes prick up was just a delay pedal. I remember, I didn’t really know anything about effects, but a lot of the bands we were playing with at the time, like <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/Adebisi_Shank"><b><i>Adebisi Shank</i></b></a>, and a band from Belfast called <b><i>Killing Spree</i></b>, and a band called <b><i>We Are Knives</i></b>, they were playing this weird mathy instrumental stuff, and we didn’t really know what we were doing but we just knew that we enjoyed that kind of music and it was just kind of like “why is it that those bands sound different from my band?” and it was “oh they’re using these things in the ground”. So all I had was a distortion pedal; I don’t even think I had a tuner at the time, so buying pedals was kind of like going into a sweets shop and picking the one that looked cool to begin with; a delay and a reverb, and then gradually as you become a bit nerdier and a bit more obsessed about it all, you just start collecting things. I guess everyone’s done that trip to try and differentiate your band from another band.</i></p>
<p><b>And you just got into it all gradually?</b><br><i>Yeah, because like none of us are particularly good musicians in a way. Like none of us really learned how to play our instruments properly, and we were only as good as the last song we wrote, and we had to become better to write better songs. So pedals helped us feel like we were making noise that other people weren’t.</i></p>
<p><b><img src="//feckingbahamas.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6937788442_d65deea813_z-225x300.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="6937788442_d65deea813_z" /></b></p>
<p><b>So using pedals is partly about helping you make a sound that’s more individual.</b><br><i>Yeah, absolutely! Because there’s only so much you can do with chords and notes you know? And when you can turn one small movement on a guitar into something vast or huge, or deep, or far away, you can dynamically change how people are perceiving what’s happening in front of them. And I guess that just starts with a pickup, and an amplifier. Because essentially you’re just playing this tiny little note, and it’s just a way of recycling that and making it into something exciting.</i></p>
<p><b>If you could only choose one pedal, would it be a delay?</b><br><i>That’s a tough one! Is your amp allowed to have distortion?</i></p>
<p><b>Yeah, your basic tone is mostly sorted already.</b><br><i>Yeah, then I guess a really awesome delay pedal. You know, it’s just cool how you can turn one note into many. It used to be back in the day, just something for making lots of extra noise, but once you get into the details and you can become selective over where extra notes are landing, you can create anything from like arpeggiated things to really long glitchy soundscapes. So I guess it would be one of the most versatile pedals.</i></p>
<p><b>And it can make some really simple riff just sound massive and complicated.</b><br><i>Yeah! Like what you said there pretty much sums up my entire attitude towards playing. Like I’m not a virtuoso on guitar so anything that makes it all sound cooler and better…</i></p>
<p><b>There’s like a smoke and mirrors element…</b><br><i>One hundred percent, yeah. Like I have this one pedal that makes a note go from its current pitch to like two octaves higher – like a pitch shifting thing. It does a really linear unnatural straight up. And whenever you play and there are kids in the front row who maybe aren’t into pedals, and I use this effect, all these kids are like, “fuck!” and it’s the most cheater basic thing, and I just use it all the time, and they’re like, “fuck yeah! That’s awesome”. So yeah, smoke and mirrors, completely.</i></p>
<p><b>What was your first pedal and where were you… and what year was it? Go back in time. Paint us a picture</b><br><i>It was many moons ago. Well I was very lucky and my Dad’s brother had passed down the Fender Telecaster I’m playing today, a twin reverb amplifier, and a box of some pedals, and in there was an auto-wah, which is, you know, really terrible; there was a chorus, which at the time I really hated – it just reminded me of <b>Type O Negative</b> or something; but then there was this MXR distortion pedal, and it was my first run in with a distortion pedal. And I would connect all these pedals together and turn the MXR up so that it was creating feedback, and I wouldn’t even play the guitar, I’d just sit the guitar at the amp and sit and twiddle knobs. And I just thought, “this is unbelievable, I don’t even have to do anything”, and I would just listen to how these soundscapes unfolded, which essentially was just feedback I guess, just terrible noise. And my mum really hated it, and she would switch the amp off and my ears would be ringing.</i></p>
<p><i>Actually, it was really weird, because other than the MXR, the other two pedals were Boss pedals, so I got in my head for some reason that these little Boss stomp pedals were good and that other pedals looked silly. So my other first pedals were a Boss delay and a Boss reverb, and a Boss octave, and I looked like I was a Boss demo guy. And I didn’t have a pedal board or anything, so I’d have them all in a line. It was terrible because they’d always get kicked and I’d turn around and there’d be these seven pedals scattered into the crowd, and it wasn’t like where you’d pull out a cable and put it in, it would be like stopping the songs and having to connect all the pedals together again. So that was when I was about sixteen or seventeen.</i></p>
<p><i>But since then we’ve been collecting and a new pedal would come along and make another one redundant. Some of the new pedals we’ve got recently, and some of the companies – especially smaller ones – are making stuff that’s incredible. We got some pedals given to us from a few different people for the new album we’re making at the moment. And they’re just incredible. It’s always a testament to a pedal, when you get a new one and you’ll write a song that day. Like you just switch it on and it’s like you’ve got a new song. That happened a few times on the last record.</i></p>
<p><b>Has there ever been a moment, maybe on stage, where you’ve just felt that the tap dance becomes too complicated?</b><br><i>Yeah, yeah, definitely. There was a point where – and this isn’t even a joke – there was a point where I was thinking about taping a ruler, like cello-taping a ruler across here [points under one shoe], so I would be able to do two pedals at once. Just one of those six inch rulers. And I started telling the guys and they were just like, “dude, that’s the lamest thing I’ve ever heard”, and it would have been me with these paddles on my feet. Like you’ve just gotta figure out a better way to do things. But it just becomes like you’ve got your pallet of stuff and after a while you just know where they are. So your wee tap dance becomes your wee ritual, and your arsenal in a way. It does get too much sometimes, but it’s kind of a beautiful skill.</i></p>
<hr><p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gAxI6WJApqo?rel=0" width="500"></iframe></p>
<p>As a bonus addition to this Focus feature, our good friends at <a href="http://www.smallpondrec.co.uk/">Small Pond Recordings</a> have kindly provided this amazing live video of ASIWYFA at ArcTanGent festival. Stay in touch with what ASIWYFA are up to (including the making of their new album, which we in the Bahamas are more than excited about) through their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/andsoiwatchyoufromafar">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://feckingbahamas.com/asiwyfa.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>.<br> </p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673672014-10-02T10:10:00-07:002015-04-20T11:55:19-07:00ASIWYFA Cover story in October Issue of The Thin Air<p><a href="http://thethinair.net/"><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/95a479d0c9befcd122a55789d1eb9d41/tumblr_inline_ncukj5CrZA1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a><br><a href="http://sargenthouse.com/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> were honored to be asked to be on the very first cover of the debut of <a href="http://thethinair.net/">The Thin Air</a> Magazine in print. With a feature story about their upcoming album coming out on <a href="http://sargenthouse.com">Sargent House</a> in 2015.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673682014-10-02T10:05:00-07:002015-04-20T11:55:19-07:00Live Video Interview from Nantes, France<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3sflbuzqcKA?rel=0" width="500" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673692014-09-03T10:05:00-07:002015-04-20T11:55:19-07:00Le Garage TV Video Interview: ASIWYFA<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZZ1nz9mujkY?rel=0" width="500" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/66c1ae3696d3d5697bc063aad512b375/tumblr_inline_nbc7mvEkHA1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673702014-08-25T08:15:00-07:002015-04-20T11:55:19-07:00ASIWYFA featured in Guinness Amplify film The Artist's Journey<iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="IclxdEoVskg" data-video-thumb-url="http://img.youtube.com/vi/IclxdEoVskg/0.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IclxdEoVskg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br><a contents="And So I Watch You From Afar" data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/home">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> are featured in the short film by <a contents="Guinness Amplify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.guinnessamplify.com/" target="_blank">Guinness Amplify</a>, a new initiative by the Guinness Brewing Company to "connect the freshest new music talent with audiences all over Ireland, as well as providing them with some of the resources and expertise they need to help them along the way." <br>The film focuses on the obstacles that performing artists face, and also features James Kelly of <a contents="WIFE" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/wifesounds" target="_blank">WIFE</a> and Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) providing voiceover.Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673712014-07-08T09:45:00-07:002015-04-20T11:55:19-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar Audio - Photos from Recording Drums for New Album<p><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/3106964f463a106cbd92115af03c5219/tumblr_n8enntfUco1rj4gc9o1_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/634f66f03ea236b5c0bb1675b27617ed/tumblr_n8enntfUco1rj4gc9o2_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/ed671cb0cea6ce71431b411e19865b88/tumblr_n8enntfUco1rj4gc9o3_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/c4b20e4d2f5061492c49a51bb2548726/tumblr_n8enntfUco1rj4gc9o4_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><img src="https://41.media.tumblr.com/0988f7872e155f275121cb34dc8ee128/tumblr_n8enntfUco1rj4gc9o5_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/410babbd43b10559a9ec5297ae3046e6/tumblr_n8enntfUco1rj4gc9o6_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/6f07804165801c4f3f5a1afc3fd7ee6b/tumblr_n8enntfUco1rj4gc9o7_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/2c7fb7a2d656aaec7cf018dee5362f23/tumblr_n8enntfUco1rj4gc9o8_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/d2f22e3f3f6d1d0e564cb533ab6304ae/tumblr_n8enntfUco1rj4gc9o9_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><br><br><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://sargenthouseeu.tumblr.com/post/91167810652/and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-have-just-started">sargenthouseeu</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p><a href="http://sargenthouse.com/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> have just started recording for the new album. Here are some pictures from the guys. Day 1 & 2… Drums are first.<br>You can follow to see more and get news from the band on <a href="http://instagram.com/asiwyfa_music">instagram @asiwyfa_music</a> or twitter @asiwyfa_band</p></blockquote>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673722014-06-05T09:45:00-07:002015-04-20T11:55:19-07:00Rory Friers of ASIWYFA heads back to Marrakesh to teach music<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VW8f9rgj_qs?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>Last year, <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> played in Marrakesh for the Sun Festival, while there they helped to teach local artists how to record. Above is a clip made by the <a href="http://www.britishcouncil.org/">British Council</a> from that journey. Rory Friers will be heading back this week again with his friends and allies from Belfast to teach again. Many thanks to the British Council for supporting art and music.</p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673732014-05-19T09:40:00-07:002017-01-10T06:29:19-08:00Chris Wee featured in new issue of The Drummers Journal<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/158282/26ae722afdcc013cea8db0c1480595598a070d1a/original/screen-shot-2015-03-11-at-2-27-28-pm.png?1426109332" class="size_orig justify_none border_" /><br><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/f072f11e14b245dc4bd1b1620c3f3c60/tumblr_inline_n5ufh8ZXLi1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/3a80de20d9a2cb0379df0597825f9c55/tumblr_inline_n5ufhle4Jf1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/072bf7caf58dff15c9b6c732847395fc/tumblr_inline_n5ufi1vebv1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/1a7312e4f339e29464c236d7bdc1d046/tumblr_inline_n5ufikonV41r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/01b29c3c53e78a95a34a15af37f34a01/tumblr_inline_n5ufj69CSu1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/99188601214e148141c347e3bf265a7f/tumblr_inline_n5ufjk0TTA1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p>
<p><a href="http://thedrummersjournal.com/TDJ-Issue-Six.pdf">CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FULL ISSUE / CHRIS WEE ARTICLE IS IN (ISSUE 6, PAGE 18-23)</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673742014-05-06T09:40:00-07:002017-01-10T06:29:19-08:00EMM Live Review of ASIWYFA Headline set at Handmade Festival<p><a href="http://www.eastmidlandsmusic.co.uk/reviews/handmade-festival-friday-review/"><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/5aeed6dd02ec1330afa5c579941aa2c5/tumblr_inline_n55way2YFO1qbzv4w.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/b3cd9915a9e52878e0e076ab5cb33058/tumblr_inline_n55wbd4nvW1qbzv4w.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a><br>...And so to <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar"><b>And So I Watch You From Afar</b></a>. Shamefully I have to admit I had not come across this band before, despite them coming from my hometown of Belfast. The band have performed in Leicester many times and almost consider it their musical home from home. The previously cluttered stage took on a very bare and clear appearance and it was soon obvious why. These guys don’t stand still for a minute and deliver a frenetic set of alternative math, prog and post rock. Fresh from a tour of Asia and Europe this is their closing night before returning to the Emerald Isle.<br><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/f2ebc75100b9f6104bf7addd66b9ba40/tumblr_inline_n55wc8K91S1qbzv4w.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p>
<p>The band are mainly an instrumental set-up with occasional vocals led by Rory Friers and more likely to be chants than lyrics. Opening with <i>Euonia</i>/ <i>Big</i> <i>Thinks</i>, from their most recent album, <i><a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com">All Hail Bright Futures</a>,</i> I initially thought I was in for a night of Celtic Rock but the sound develops quickly into something less generic – a wonderful fusion of powerful riffs, structure-shifting rhythms, catchy melodies and experimentation with time signatures. Whilst many of the songs go through similar power riff, ballad, power stages, there is plenty of variety.</p>
<p>Working through tracks from both <i>Gangs </i>and <i>All </i><i>Hail </i><i>Bright Futures, </i>the band have the crowd in the palm of their hand and Rory intersperses songs with genuine friendly banter – not the usual meaningless ‘this is our new song’ mumblings. Clearly Leicester has a special place in their musical souls.</p>
<p>The band is much lauded for positivity in it’s music and this comes through both in the music and the audience reaction. During the performance I could hear very occasional Celtic influences that took me back to one of my favourite Irish bands, Horselips. But with <b>And So I Watch You From Afar</b>, they are very much in the background.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.eastmidlandsmusic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/As-I-Watch-You-From-Afar-3.jpg"><img src="//www.eastmidlandsmusic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/As-I-Watch-You-From-Afar-3.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="And So I Watch You From Afar" /></a></p>
<p><i>Django</i> was one of my favourites and as with many of their songs could be aptly summed up as aggressive but gentle when it needed to be.</p>
<p>The band finished off with favourite, <i>S is for Salamander</i> and left the stage, in stages, each to febrile adulation and genuine warmth. A set of over an hour and we were leaving the majestic setting of Hansom Hall approaching midnight musing on a magical Handmade bill.</p>
<p>Come back soon <b>And So I Watch You From Afar, </b>but maybe shorten the name for the sake of my typing fingers!<br><br><a href="http://www.eastmidlandsmusic.co.uk/reviews/handmade-festival-friday-review/">See full review here</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673752014-03-26T09:40:00-07:002015-04-20T11:55:19-07:00And So I Watch You From Afar Tour Photos from Asia<img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/dedc42ae144bce182457c78864202f69/tumblr_n31yz4Tuvd1r533n8o1_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/57ec349d44b1692eef5e338366a7732c/tumblr_n31yz4Tuvd1r533n8o2_400.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
margin-top:-111px;
width:268px;" /><img src="https://36.media.tumblr.com/7892d96601b6a0b4357e6d2f4d887613/tumblr_n31yz4Tuvd1r533n8o3_400.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:268px;" /><img src="https://40.media.tumblr.com/a2b0c4c49f3fe198b5e783fdac0bc68b/tumblr_n31yz4Tuvd1r533n8o4_1280.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="
width:540px;" /><br>Photos of <a contents="And So I Watch You From Afar" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.sargenthouse.com/asiwyfa" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> from their recent tour in Asia.Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673762014-03-14T09:30:00-07:002017-02-04T14:51:50-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar Announce UK & Europe Tour for April 2014<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L5b41CudXA8" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p>Only just returned home from their recent Asia tour <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/andsoiwatchyoufromafar">And So I Watch you From Afar </a>embark on their last European tour of their current run supporting “All Hail Bright Futures”, which has already seen them play all across USA, India, Asia, Europe, Africa and more!</p>
<p>More festival slots are still to be announced for the rest of 2014 but then the band will return to the studio later in 2014 to begin working on new material.</p>
<p>Make sure <b>NOT</b> to miss these dates!</p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/1942dbc6ba6d272bb7b90d1d1ba11e12/tumblr_inline_n2ffefcW0j1ryyjn7.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p>
<p>pic by <a href="http://www.daramunnisphotography.com/">Dara Munnis</a></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="no" height="450" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/3987397&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p><b>APRIL</b></p>
<p>Fri 18th - Zottegem, Belgium @ <a href="http://www.dunkfestival.be/">Dunk Festival </a><br>Sat 19th - Schijndel, Netherlands @ <a href="http://www.paaspop.nl/">Paaspop Festival</a><br>Mon 21st - Augsburg, Germany @ Musikkantine<br>Tue 22nd - Poznan, Poland @ Minoga<br>Wed 23rd - Bratislava, Slovakia @ Randal Club<br>Thu 24th - Budapest, Hungary @ A38<br>Fri 25th - Vienna, Austria @ Flex Club<br>Sat 26th - La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland @ Bikini Test<br>Mon 28th - Leeds, UK @ Belgrave Music Hall<br>Tue 29th - Newcastle, UK @ Cluny 2<br>Wed 30th - Edinburgh, UK @ Studio 24</p>
<p><b>MAY</b><br>Thu 1st - Liverpool, UK @ <a href="http://www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk/">Liverpool Sound City</a><br>Fri 2nd - Leicester, UK @ <a href="http://handmadefestival.co.uk/">Handmade Festival</a></p>
<p><a contents="KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST ASIWYFA SHOWS ON THEIR WEBSITE" data-link-label="Shows" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/shows" target="_blank">KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST ASIWYFA SHOWS ON THEIR WEBSITE</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/36673772014-02-20T09:30:00-08:002015-04-20T11:55:20-07:00POPSPOKEN Interview: A is for And So I Watch You From Afar<p><a href="http://popspoken.com/entertainment/2014/01/interview-watch-afar/"><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/60225cf54ac280dafadabcda7e9d4757/tumblr_inline_n1batj8d2o1r1itoc.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://popspoken.com/entertainment/2014/01/interview-watch-afar/"><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/a3e44ec1bf4ad3c36e60ae54897d3538/tumblr_inline_n1batpoYQn1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></a></p>
<p><b><a data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/home" target="_blank">ASIWYFA</a></b> on touring, producing a new album and smelling like ‘manly meat’? </p>
<p>Since the release of their latest album <a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/"><i>All Hail Bright Futures</i></a>, the post-rock outfit hailing from Belfast have had their work cut out for them. Just like finding a lost object, you’d leave no stone unturned. The men too have not been leaving stones, or in this case countries ‘unturned’. They have been playing countless shows to fans in the USSR to China and now thanks to the good folks at Kitty Wu Records, they’ll be playing a show right here alongside local prog favorites sub:shaman!</p>
<p>We managed to snag the band consisting of Rory Friers and Niall Kennedy on guitar, Johnny Adger on bass and Chris Wee on drums in between their swamped schedule to discuss the process of writing and producing the album, band dynamics and of course, touring!</p>
<p><b>Hello And So I Watch You From Afar! What have you guys been doing recently?</b></p>
<p>Hello there! We’ve just finished an amazing year of by playing some Irish shows that started the 13th December in Dublin and finished on New Years Eve in Cork. Prior to that we had the absolute pleasure of playing our first shows in India, a very successful American co-headline tour with our label mates <a href="http://www.sargenthouse.com/T_T_N_G">TTNG</a> and since <a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/"><i>All Hail Bright Futures</i></a> was released in March, some of the best shows we have ever played across Europe and beyond.</p>
<p><b>So first things first, how did And So I Watch You From Afar come about?</b></p>
<p>ASIWYFA came together in 2005 on the north coast of Ireland. At the time I wasn’t part of a band but the other boys were and I was very keen to get back playing live music. One evening after an alcohol fuelled conversation (in which I revealed my next musical project would be called And So I Watch You From Afar) I was persuaded to come to Rory’s house to jam and the rest is history.</p>
<p><b>What gave you the reason and motivation to record All Hail Bright Futures? Also, what is the meaning behind the album?</b></p>
<p>I think All Hail was the second album we really wanted to make but due to circumstances at the time it didn’t happen and Gangs did. When we started working on what became All Hail as a three piece, it became apparent to us that we could continue to push ourselves and the music in whatever direction we wanted so we did. The comfort zone was left far behind and things happened in the studio which we’d never thought possible at a time. The album represents that point in everyone’s life when it’s time to put up or shut up. The point where you come out at the other end of the tunnel and realise that’s the direction you should’ve gone in the first place but you realise you’re a better person for having taken that detour.</p>
<p><b>How do you guys approach writing and recording songs?</b></p>
<p>Song writing had always stemmed from an idea that one of us brings to the table and if we all like it we jam it out and figure our parts out. For All Hail it was the first time that we were suggesting each other’s parts and coming up with vocal harmonies! Everything felt new so we’re keeping that mentality as we head into writing the new record. This time Niall is involved and we are all excited about ideas that have been jammed so far.</p>
<p><b>What was the process of producing the album like?</b></p>
<p>Rocky O’Reilly at Start Together Studios in Belfast produced the album and as a lot of the album came together in the studio, I felt really glad to be working with him again. (He had recorded and had a lot to do with our other two albums) Rocky is an exceptionally talented musician who fully gets what ASIWYFA are about and that makes the production process a lot easier and more enjoyable.</p>
<p><b>The first time I heard your demos, I felt that ASIWYFA’s sound was pretty darn unique and it felt almost as if it had its story to tell. Not many bands are able to achieve this, what was the secret behind it?</b></p>
<p>Thank you very much. Truth be told, what you heard on that first demo was very heavily influenced by music we’d been listening to at the time but it ended up tweaked somehow and with our slant on it all. All four of us had separate tastes in music but it came together in the middle and worked.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/L5b41CudXA8" width="460"></iframe></p>
<p><b>How has performing been so far? Were there any downright bat shit crazy experiences that you and your band have shared?</b></p>
<p>On stage is where we feel most comfortable so over the years I think the shows have gotten better. Performing the songs we’ve created and watching the crowd enjoy them is my favourite part of being in this band. There have been loads of amazing moments with the crowds since we started touring, from comically timed stage diving to circle pitting to The Voiceless. One year at Pukklepop festival in Belgium I sang with Gallows whilst the rest of the lads looked on. Not bat shit crazy but great times with great people.</p>
<p><b>What type of crowds do you all prefer playing? Small and more intimate gigs or large festivals?</b></p>
<p>I think all of us would answer this question differently. There is always something special about playing a show where the crowd are as sweaty as you and in your face feeding of each other’s energy. However, it’s also an incredible experience to play a festival (in Portugal for example) where people know your songs and go fucking mental.</p>
<p><b>What have been the craziest fan experiences you all have gotten?</b></p>
<p>We’re very lucky to have an incredibly devoted fan base who are all just on the journey with us. I have never met a fan I’d consider crazy. It is so fucking awesome that so many of them have the band logo or a song title tattooed on them somewhere, including a very good friend of ours Jarlath who has an entire back piece based around the Gangs artwork. Legend.</p>
<p><b>If you guys could pick an epic band you’d want to support, who would it be?</b></p>
<p>For me personally it’s got to be Queens of the Stone Age or Mastodon. We are all huge fans of so many bands though it’s hard to pick one. We have had the pleasure of playing with some unbelievable bands. We played a few shows with Them Crooked Vultures so got to meet and play with heroes . Also playing with Nine Inch Nails in our home city was very special.</p>
<p><b>If your sound could be represented by a scent or a flavor, what would it be?</b></p>
<p>Given the popularity of bananas and coconut milk between the rest of the boys, probably a combination of these! You can’t beat the manly smell of cooking meat though!</p>
<p><b>Will this be your first trip in Singapore?</b></p>
<p>For three of us it will be. Another beautiful place I can’t believe I’m going to play. I think for Chris it’s a dream come true as he has family there and has spent many hours in Singapore.</p>
<p><b>What have you heard about the crowds here and what is one thing that you guys would want to do when you’re here? (E.g. try the local food)</b></p>
<p>I haven’t heard too much about the crowds but if you guys are ASIWYFA fans you’ll be the same appreciative amazing people that keep us making music and keep us on the road so we can’t wait to meet you.</p>
<p><b>Lastly, what do you want your audience to feel after catching your set?</b></p>
<p>Like finally making that fucking life changing decision they’ve been putting of for the past while only sweatier!</p>
<p>There’s no doubt we’ll be sweating it out at Zouk on the 28th! Grab your tickets ASAP <a href="http://kittywurecords.wordpress.com/2013/12/13/asiwyfa-singapore/">here</a>.</p>
<p><b><a data-link-label="Shows" data-link-type="page" href="http://www.asiwyfa.com/shows">CLICK HERE FOR ALL AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR TOUR DATES</a></b></p>
<p><a href="http://popspoken.com/entertainment/2014/01/interview-watch-afar/">By: Isabelle Chan</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/34834082014-01-16T14:05:25-08:002015-01-23T17:07:00-08:00ASIWYFA the Acoustic Sargent House Glassroom Session<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="325" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/MrI5l0a_1P4?rel=0" width="500"></iframe></p>
<p>There is a first time for everything and when you visit <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/" target="_blank">Sargent House </a>headquarters in Los Angeles a Glassroom session is a must. <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> performing acoustic. Who would have thought it. <br><br><br></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/34834092014-01-07T16:31:43-08:002015-01-23T17:07:00-08:00And So I Watch You From Afar announce first two tours of 2014 from France to Asia <p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/c136f5773096db5b08a7a5edd9ceeef2/tumblr_inline_mz1gfuIcRy1ryyjn7.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p>
<p>Not ones to stay off the road for long, <a href="http://asiwyfash.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">And So I Watch you from Afar</a> have just announced their first two tours of 2014. First they will do a run in <a href="http://tmblr.co/ZVV8-t13Ty7wS" target="_blank">France & Luxemborg</a> in early February then the band will return to Asia for a second time now to tour their latest release <a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/all-hail-bright-futures" target="_blank">"All Hail Bright Futures"</a>. That tour kicks off in Singapore on 28th February and takes in Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and China.</p>
<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/971bc4655b660a20a637e7d1a7ca4560/tumblr_inline_myzlsyaii71ryyjn7.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="image" /></p>
<p><strong>ASIWYFA LIVE - FEBRUARY 2014<br></strong>1st - Besançon @ La Rodia<br>2nd - Lille @ Le Peniche<br>3rd - Paris @ Batofar <br>4th -Luxembourg @ Den Atelier <br>5th - Orleans @ Astrolab<br>6th - Nantes @ Le Ferrailleur<br>7th - Lyon @ Marche Gare<br>8th - Nimes @ La Paloma<strong><br><br>ASIWYFA ASIA TOUR 2014<br></strong>28th Feb - Singapore @ Zouk Club<br>1st March - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia @ Black Box (Publika)<br>2nd March - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam @ Q4<br>4th March - Bangkok, Thailand @ Mongkol RCA<br>7th March - Manila, Philippines @ Alpha Tent<br>8th March - Hong Kong @ Hidden Agenda<br>11th March - Shanghai, China @ Mao Livehouse- <a href="http://www.juefestival.com/" target="_blank">JUE Festival</a><br>12th March - Beijing, China @ Mao Livehouse- <a href="http://www.juefestival.com/" target="_blank">JUE Festival</a></p>
<p><a href="http://artistdata.com/asiwyfa/shows" target="_blank">SEE ALL ASIWYFA SHOWS AND DETAILS HERE </a></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/L5b41CudXA8" width="100%"></iframe></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/34834102013-12-19T13:23:18-08:002015-01-23T17:07:00-08:00Live4Ever's Top 20 Essential Albums of 2013 - All Hail Bright Futures at #1<p><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/9ac19f55f8cb873f81300c1006bb68de/tumblr_inline_my2om8AUaE1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/006fd88a5b7e939fd8374ef5f84accd1/tumblr_inline_my2oniwFIs1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>Another year of essential listening draws to a close today with The Albums.</p>
<p>From the ‘rich arcane pleasures and secret thrills’ of veteran Richard Thompson, to the ‘near flawless, brazen, yet reflective dancefloor filling triumph’ of Arctic Monkeys’ ‘AM’ and the ‘explorations and celebrations of life and death’ which inform Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s ‘Specter At The Feast’, both high profile and under-the-radar album releases have fallen under the gaze of Live4ever’s talented writing staff as 2013 has progressed, and here a select 20 have been pulled out and revisited for you to take a look through. <a href="http://www.live4ever.uk.com/2013/12/live4evers-essential-listening-2013-the-albums/" target="_blank">SEE FULL LIST HERE</a> <br><img src="https://31.media.tumblr.com/695e88d731da98c4e69bfdd734f17eb5/tumblr_inline_my2oq6YgnM1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/34834112013-12-16T12:19:00-08:002017-02-04T09:42:39-08:00Spread Music: Live Videos & Interview ASIWYFA in Montreal<div class="logo"><a href="http://www.dontspreadbullshitspreadmusic.com/spread-session-watch-afar/" id="custom_logo" target="_blank"><img src="//www.dontspreadbullshitspreadmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/113-px-Logo.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /></a></div>
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<div class="post_img"><a href="http://www.dontspreadbullshitspreadmusic.com/spread-session-watch-afar/" title="Spread Session – And So I Watch You From Afar" target="_blank"><img src="//www.dontspreadbullshitspreadmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/1391427_10151991123266323_1341828744_nsized-600x400.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /></a></div>
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<span class="post-ratings" id="post-ratings-9305">" </span>These guys are the real McCoy.” - Sargent House 2013 Tour Lineup</div>
<p><a href="http://sargenthouse.com/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar" target="_blank"><em>And So I Watch You From Afar</em></a>, also known as <em>ASIWYFA</em>, was formed late in 2005 and went through a couple of member changes. The current members are Jonathan Adger on Bass, Rory Friers on Guitar, Niall Kennedy on Guitar, and Chris Wee on drums.</p>
<p>I recently had the chance to witness one of their numerous live performances in Montreal when they were on tour with <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/TTNG" target="_blank"><em>TTNG</em></a> and <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/Mylets" target="_blank"><em>Mylets</em></a>. Being natural performers, they deliver a live experience that is as intense as it is organic. The raw beauty evocated through the fingertips of these musicians is something that can only be felt in person. They are truly <!-- more -->exceptional people, and <em>Big Things do Remarkable </em>music. They give back to their local scene in grandiose ways and really offer up support to up and coming acts. They even let <em>100 Onces</em> and I stay at their place when touring through Belfast.</p>
“These guys are really humble and talented guys who make super bomb music” – 100 Onces
<p>I sat down with the guys in an interview to discuss their exploratory and fun-loving writing process, their different influences, the band’s unique sound, their future plans, and their numerous experimental jams. Listen in to the entire interview below.</p>
<p>Great guys, great tunes, and great shows.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/119772618" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vrnl8tZ1-iQ" width="100%"></iframe><br><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2ga1jd3Duw0" width="100%"></iframe><br><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f2wPA1oyRTy" width="100%"></iframe><br><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OWvG8-TOCyE" width="100%"></iframe><br><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8lNvpLAclj4" width="100%"></iframe><br><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6bnJqyq2vGQ" width="100%"></iframe><br><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ONHyB1HRt3s" width="100%"></iframe><br><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FL16gSEIGgQ" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p><iframe src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1227770086/size=medium/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/"></iframe></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dontspreadbullshitspreadmusic.com/spread-session-watch-afar/" target="_blank">Taken from an article on Spread Music.</a></p>
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</div>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/34834122013-11-25T11:18:59-08:002015-01-23T17:07:00-08:00ALTAR TV LIVE SESSION: And So I Watch You From Afar "Ambulance"<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="325" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SrJwhdfEH-g?rel=0" width="500"></iframe> <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar</a> performs “Ambulance” live for <a href="http://altartv.com/videos/663-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-ambulance" target="_blank">AltarTV </a>shot while on a US tour stop in November 2013. This track is from the album ‘<a href="http://asiwyfa.bandcamp.com/album/all-hail-bright-futures" target="_blank">All Hail Bright Futures</a>' out now on <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/" target="_blank">Sargent House.<br><br></a><br>Don’t Miss ASIWYFA 2013 Holiday Shows in Ireland <a href="http://artistdata.com/asiwyfa/shows" target="_blank">- SEE ALL SHOW DETAILS HERE</a></p>Sargent Housetag:www.sargenthouse.com,2005:Post/34834132013-11-22T13:03:08-08:002017-01-10T06:28:49-08:00
Don’t let the ridiculously long name fool you, because And So I Watch You From Afar [ASIWYFA] are a...<p><a href="http://rollingstoneindia.com/irish-instrumental-rockers-and-so-i-watch-you-from-afar-in-india-this-week/" target="_blank"><img src="//media.tumblr.com/aa672f67ca92c28483f113348abf7565/tumblr_inline_mwonkwMEMA1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><img src="//media.tumblr.com/94cca28f99e6c5895c32234c791218f5/tumblr_inline_mwonl90T231r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></a><img src="//media.tumblr.com/e8da52dc6d2aab73a5d6ced51d87e2ec/tumblr_inline_mwonliVSNE1r1itoc.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>Don’t let the ridiculously long name fool you, because <a href="http://sargenthouse.com/And_So_I_Watch_You_From_Afar" target="_blank">And So I Watch You From Afar </a>[ASIWYFA] are a lot more punk rock than post rock. The Irish instrumental rock band’s drummer Chris Wee says, “I hope that we’ve never disappointed anybody at a show, if they were expecting the straight-up post rock formula.”</p>
<p>The band, which formed in 2005, has released three EPs and three albums until date, with the last four years being their busiest yet. With each release, they also moved away from their seaside resort town beginnings in Portrush, Northern Ireland to their current base in the capital city Belfast. They’ve be touring all over the world from Belarus to China. And they’re not tired yet. Says drummer Chris Wee, “I think that [tiredness] is only a very short-lived feeling. Overall, our job satisfaction level is pretty high.” Another country they are marking off on their tour map is India, where they play at the Bacardi NH7 Weekender in Bengaluru [November 23rd and 24th] and Delhi NCR [November 30th and December 1st] as well as a UK showcase at Blue Frog, Mumbai on November 26th.</p>
<p><strong>You guys have played what seems like every corner of the world – from the US to Russia to China. Now you’re adding India to that list. Where next?</strong></p>
<p><!-- more -->I think we’re fortunate as a band that we’ve been able to travel so far and play so many different places. As soon as we heard about the offer from India we totally jumped at it. There’s not many other places we are yet to get to, so that’s really cool.</p>
<p><strong>You’ve released three albums and an EP in the span of four years. And that’s including a change in lineup [guitarist Tony Wright left the band in 2011]. Do you feel it’s risky to put out so much music constantly or is it a necessity for today’s bands? </strong></p>
<p>I guess from our band’s point of view, it’s just the way we work. We’re constantly on tour, but we’re also writing music while we’re on the road, we like to keep busy. All these ideas come out [when we’re touring] and as we’re developing songs, it just becomes a natural cycle. Once you’ve got a body of work together, you want to record it and want to release it.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s risky. Probably, in this day and age, when music is quite easy to access due to the Internet and illegal downloading, you need to continue bringing out fresh music. People consume so much these days so you need to keep getting people’s attention.</p>
<p><strong>It’s a bit of a misconception that you guys are post rock. There’s more of a math rock/punk rock influence going on, with only the slower songs sounding post rock. Have you ever played to fans with that misconception?</strong></p>
<p>Whenever we play abroad, we’ll get people like the foreign press describing us as post rock or math rock or whatever. I guess they are just labels to catch people’s eye. A rough sort of genre of music, I guess. I hope that we’ve never disappointed anybody at a show, if they were expecting the straight-up post rock formula.</p>
<p>We’ve never thought of ourselves as post rock band. We always think there are elements of our music like that, but we draw so much influence from elsewhere, you know.</p>
<p><strong>In August, the band played four festivals in four days in four different countries. I remember the comment you posted with that – “It ain’t a job, it’s a lifestyle.” Has it ever felt like a job, though?</strong></p>
<p>[<em>laughs</em>] I think we’re all very fortunate to be doing what we do. We all grew up playing in bands, but now to be in it full-time, we feel very fortunate. We get really tired by a long tour, sometimes. You have a day when you’re on tour and exhausted and like, ‘I wish I could just have a day off’ or something. I think that’s only a very short-lived feeling anyway. Overall, our job satisfaction level is pretty high [<em>laughs</em>].</p>
<p><em>Watch ASIWYFA’s tour diary while playing four different countries in four days: </em></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/UMvrzlo75Ho?rel=0" width="500"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>What did those four festival shows feel like, though? </strong></p>
<p>That was pretty cool. It was exhausting, but in between all the travel, we were playing these amazing stages – huge crowds. You get such a massive buzz off that. It carries you through those moments when you’re sitting, waiting at an airport to go somewhere. And you’re like, ‘Oh, I’d love to catch some sleep’ and then you’re thinking about the next tour and the excitement of playing abroad and the opportunity to play to a lot of new potential fans.</p>
<p><strong>You’ve played guitar stores, festival stages and clubs – what do you change around for each performance?</strong></p>
<p>It all comes down to the time that you have on stage. Sometimes at a festival, you only get 30 minutes, you have to tailor your set you have to give the crowd the experience of the band, as a whole – you want to begin in a certain way and keep their attention. But if you have a 90-minute set, then you have to rethink the whole thing. You have to choose the songs the right way. But I think the one thing that stays the same no matter how big or small the show is, we are a very energetic band, we always play very hard and it’s a lot of fun on stage.</p>
<p><strong>One of the major differences between the first album and <em>All Hail Bright Futures </em>is that the debut album was just so loud and raw. Now it’s better produced and polished. What’s changed about your production?</strong></p>
<p>With the first album, we recorded that mostly live with drums and guitar with no click track. It felt like a live sound, a lot more raw. As we progressed, we started adding click tracks and more instruments. By the time we did <em>All Hail Bright Futures</em>, we had a lot of ideas about different instruments, synths and vocals. Playing with click tracks also makes it easier to do post-production. The earlier stuff is like just us playing instruments live and the new album there’s a lot more thought going into the songwriting in the studio – replacing guitar lines and vocals. For instance, the song “Ka Ba Ta Bo Da Ka,” you know that one? Our producer was like, ‘You should try doing that with vocals’ and that’s how it came about. It was a real fun process.</p>
<p><strong>What’s the funniest story behind how you came up with one of your song titles? </strong></p>
<p>That’s a tough one. I’m sure you’d agree that the song titles are off-the-wall and quite random-sounding. With the opening track on <em>Gangs</em>, “BEAUTIFULUNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION,” we were sitting there and thinking, ‘What does this song sound like?’ How do we represent that in a name? That song feels so positive and triumphant to us. How do we squeeze in four most positive words to describe it and then we thought, what better way to do that than to stick them all together and just gratuitous representation of the song.</p>
<p><strong>I also wanted to know the symbolism behind all your artwork – how the ‘A’ shape is one of your main logos. You’ve even got a tattoo of it. </strong></p>
<p>Our logo was designed by a friend of ours; Tim Farrell worked with us in the early days to come up with the imagery of the band. As soon as we got to see it [the logo], it was just so stark and immediate – we felt like it was such a strong logo. There’s no super-deep meaning behind it. But I think that’s the great thing about it. So many different people look at that thing and they conjure up their own interpretation of how the logo fits with the music. It’s more of a subjective thing for the individual. </p>
<p><strong>You’re playing three shows in India and none of them are back-to-back, unlike the ones in China. What have you got planned while you’re here? </strong></p>
<p>None of us have ever been to India so we’re really excited to go. Hopefully, we’ll have to time to explore and get a real sense of the country. What happens a lot on tour is that we play a city and we have to leave immediately. Friends and family are all like, “You get to travel to so many places,” a lot of the time the reality is that we don’t see these amazing places, because we have such a tight schedule. So I guess this time, we have the luxury of a couple of days off between shows, we’re definitely going to be the tourists for once rather than the passing musicians. That will be really nice. I’m hoping we can find some food and authentic aspects of India.</p>
<p><em>And So I Watch You From Afar plays at Bacardi NH7 Weekender, Bengaluru at the Embassy International Riding School on November 23rd, at the Bacardi Arena at 6.30 pm and NH7 Weekender Delhi NCR on November 30th at the Bacardi Arena at 5 pm.</em></p>
<p><em>ASIWYFA also performs at Blue Frog, Mumbai on November 26th, along with British bands We Were Promised Jetpacks, Dry The River, Zervas & Pepper. Entry: Free.</em></p>
<p></p>Sargent House