Laurel Canyon

Laurel Canyon Live at Cafe Wha? | Sunday August 6th | 7PM Show, 6PM Doors | Two Item Minimum

Biography: Grunge punk foursome Laurel Canyon – Nicholas Gillespie, Serg Cereja, Dylan Loccarini and Lachlan Driver – formed in 2019 when Nick and Serg met after sharing an interest in Arthur Rimbaud and The Stooges in their working-class hometown of Allentown, Pennsylvania. The two began to write poetry and rehearse together in Serg’s garage. By October 2020, Serg and Nick began composing original songs together as Laurel Canyon, the first of which, “Two Times Emptiness,” was released on May 1, 2021. Following the release of “Two Times Emptiness” b/w “Enemy Lines,” Nick and Serg traded in their characteristic jangle for fuzz pedals and established a relationship with veteran producer Bryce Goggin (Pavement, The Lemonheads) at Trout Recording in Brooklyn.

Between July and November of 2021 the group recorded a 5-track EP “Victim,” released on January 14, 2022, rounding out the line-up with bassist Dylan Loccarini and drummer Lachlan Driver. The artist Savage Pencil, who has worked with Big Black and Sonic Youth, drew the EP artwork. Singles “Daddy’s Honey” and “Eczema” have created a buzz online and were featured in Spotify playlists “All New Rock” and “Smells Like Stream Spirit.” Thomas Gallo of Look At My Records wrote: “Their live performance had the ferocity and ear-blistering guitar vigor of Frank Black on speed. Is this Mark Arm and Steve Turner blowing the roof off of City Gardens in 1991?” Since the release of their debut EP, Laurel Canyon have recorded new songs with Steve Albini and opened for Agent Orange and the Strawberry Alarm Clock on two separate occasions at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles. The Steve Albini produced tracks make up their second EP “Drop Out.” Their debut LP, recorded by Bryce Goggin and Steve Albini, will be released on March 31, 2023 via Agitated Records.

"Strap yourself in people, here's the debut full length from Philly’s Laurel Canyon. After some online EP releases, and a (now) sold out 7” with Savage Pencil screened artwork, Agitated Records is excited to announce the release of their self-titled album! Guitars are drenched in an Asheton worshiping haze and pummel, melded alongside a Velvets chug and mid-to-late 80s Pacific Northwest guttural / primal howl... this is American primitive music at its most powerful. Pigeonholers beware, this album takes its cues from all the most potent places… Funhouse, Loaded, Green River, early Sub Pop, all providing valid reference points. In amongst this over-amped harmonious murk are 10 visceral and catchy pop songs practically screaming for attention, Serg, Nick, Dylan and Lachlan have created a beast of a record. Some tracks were recorded with Steve Albini, some with Bryce Goggin and all were mastered by Howie Weinberg. The band played 40 chaotic shows in 2022 alone from New York City to Los Angeles, where they opened for Agent Orange and Strawberry Alarm Clock on two separate occasions at the Whisky a Go Go."