As if the teenaged me wasn’t excited enough for that Promise Ring reunion, now the teenaged me is back-flipping (hey, I was young) for the confirmed reunion of At The Drive-In, who have also promised a new set.
“ATTENTION! To whom it may concern: AT THE DRIVE-IN will be breaking their 11 year silence. THIS STATION IS …. NOW… OPERATIONAL,” the rock band wrote on their seldom-used Twitter yesterday (Jan. 9), only hours ahead of the lineup announcement for the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. At The Drive-In — along with Sweden’s Refused — were among the biggest surprise additions, considering the reformation.
UPDATE: Apologies for my egregious mistakes on today’s post. The band is no longer with Fearless records, and its band page has been updated to this website. They have touted their forthcoming stint with the video, below. The station is now… operational.
Bixler-Zavala’s and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’ other active band, The Mars Volta, intend to release new material this year, too, perhaps as soon as March. But you don’t see them on the marquee for Coachella….
Bixler-Zavala and Rodriguez-Lopez are shared by Mars Volta and At The Drive-In, so obviously recording and touring priorities are in need of sorting-out. However, it’s a question of if and what new material will be released from ATDI. Mars Volta’s last album was “Octahedron” (2009) and I’m curious if there will be any similarities. Coachella is a good crowning jewel in a touring schedule: if ADTI is to premiere new material their new material is likely to be previewed during that time.
I’m impatient. Now that I know I can have it, I want it now. Last I saw Mars Volta in 2009, Bixler-Zavala’s voice still astounds. I’m ready to have 2000’s “Relationship of Command” blasted in my face in 2012, and if that last mark informs the new, then I’m happy to have that blasted, too.
At The Drive-In Website Intro from MONDIAL on Vimeo.