Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Godspeed You! Black Emperor released a string of albums from 1997-2002 widely recognized as redefining what protest music can be, where longform instrumental chamber rock compositions of immense feeling and power serve as soundtracks to late capitalist alienation and resistance. The band’s first four releases—especially F#A#∞ (1997) and Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven (2000)—are variously regarded as classics of the era and genre. Godspeed's legendary live performances, featuring multiple 16mm projectors beaming a collage of overlapping analog film loops and reels—along with the distinctive iconography, imagery and tactility of the band's album artwork and physical LP packages— further defines the sui generis aesthetic substance, ethos and mythos of this group. GY!BE has issued two official band photos in its 25-year existence (the second, left, a 2010 recreation of the first from 1997) and has done a half-dozen collectively-answered written interviews over that same span. The band has never had a website or social media accounts. It has never made a video. Few rock bands in our 21st century have been as steadfast in trying to let the work speak for itself and maintaining simple rules about minimising participation in cultures of personality, exposure, access, commodification or co-optation.
Following a seven-year hiatus that began in 2003, Godspeed returned to the stage in December 2010 (curating the UK festival All Tomorrow’s Parties) and the band’s post-reunion period has now lasted over a decade, marked by hundreds of sold-out live shows and four additional albums, all of which have been met with high acclaim.
"NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD" – the band’s fifth post-reunion album (and ninth overall) – will be released on October 04, 2024.
Live Dates
08 Oct 2024 • Nantes, FR • Stereolux (with Mat Ball) SOLD OUT
09 Oct 2024 • Nancy, FR • L'Autre Canal (Jazz Pulsation Festival)
10 Oct 2024 • Zürich, CH • Volkshaus (with Mat Ball)
11 Oct 2024 • Lausanne, CH • Les Docks (with Mat Ball)
12 Oct 2024 • Frankfurt, DE • Zoom (with Mat Ball)
14 Oct 2024 • Berlin, DE • Huxleys (with Mat Ball) SOLD OUT
15 Oct 2024 • Amsterdam, NE • Paradiso (with Mat Ball) SOLD OUT
16 Oct 2024 • Brussels, BE • AB (with Mat Ball) SOLD OUT
18 Oct 2024 • Athens, GR • Floyd (with Mat Ball)
03 Nov 2024 • Hamilton, ON • Bridgeworks (with Kee Avil)
04 Nov 2024 • Hamilton, ON • Bridgeworks (with Kee Avil) SOLD OUT
05 Nov 2024 • Toronto, ON • HISTORY (with Kee Avil)
06 Nov 2024 • London, ON • London Music Hall (with Kee Avil)
07 Nov 2024 • Grand Rapids, MI • Elevation (with Kee Avil)
08 Nov 2024 • Chicago, IL • The Salt Shed (with Alan Sparhawk)
09 Nov 2024 • St Paul, MN • Palace Theater (with Alan Sparhawk)
11 Nov 2024 • Lawrence, KS • Liberty Hall (with Alan Sparhawk)
12 Nov 2024 • Fayetteville, AR • George's Majestic Lounge (with Alan Sparhawk) SOLD OUT
13 Nov 2024 • Nashville, TN • The Basement East (with Alan Sparhawk)
14 Nov 2024 • Knoxville, TN • Bijou Theater (with Alan Sparhawk)
15 Nov 2024 • Atlanta, GA • The Masquerade (with Alan Sparhawk)
16 Nov 2024 • Charleston, SC • Music Farm (with Alan Sparhawk)
17 Nov 2024 • Saxapahaw, NC • Haw River Ballroom (with Alan Sparhawk) SOLD OUT
19 Nov 2024 • Washington, DC • 9:30 Club (with Alan Sparhawk)
20 Nov 2024 • Brooklyn, NY • Pioneer Works (with Kee Avil)
21 Nov 2024 • Brooklyn, NY • Pioneer Works (with Kee Avil) SOLD OUT
22 Nov 2024 • Norwalk, CT • District Music Hall (with Alan Sparhawk)
23 Nov 2024 • Boston, MA • Roadrunner (with Alan Sparhawk)
24 Nov 2024 • Philadelphia, PA • Union Transfer (with Alan Sparhawk)
25 Nov 2024 • Montréal, QC • MTELUS (support TBA) SOLD OUT
26 Nov 2024 • Montréal, QC • MTELUS (support TBA)
25 Apr 2025 • Austin, TX • TBA
26 Apr 2025 • Dallas, TX • Granada Theater
28 Apr 2025 • Denver, CO • Ogden Theater
30 Apr 2025 • Los Angeles, CA • The Bellweather
01 May 2025 • Santa Ana, CA • The Observatory OC
02 May 2025 • Tijuana, MX • Cine Bujazán
03 May 2025 • Ventura, CA • Ventura Music Hall
04 May 2025 • Oakland, CA • Fox Theater
06 May 2025 • Portland, OR • Wonder Ballroom
07 May 2025 • Portland, OR • Wonder Ballroom
08 May 2025 • Seattle, WA • The Neptune
09 May 2025 • Seattle, WA • The Neptune SOLD OUT
10 May 2025 • Vancouver, BC • Vogue Theatre
12 May 2025 • Kelowna, BC • Revelry
13 May 2025 • Calgary, AB • Palace Theatre
14 May 2025 • Edmonton, AB • Midway