Love and be loved, and other lies

Our updates for the month. Take a seat and dig in.

Feb 24, 2025

Hey cybernauts! We hope you’ve been doing well.
It’s not easy to stay optimistic in today’s climate, so we hope you can be surrounded by the friendship and love of your close ones.

This week, we have the following to share with you:

How we’ve been
The gear we can’t live without
Garden Gnome Transmitter #02
Our memes of the month

How was it? Weird.

08/02 - Guarda (PT) - Teatro Municipal

So, first time in Guarda and it was pretty cool. The place we played had a weird sunset-rooftop-dj-set vibe to it, but it was pretty chill. It’s harder for these cities to get into the indie and underground music circuit and receive small to medium bands, since they are kind of secluded in the countryside. Nevertheless, they’re warm and welcoming people, and that’s the important part.

We were a bit worried that everyone would get up and leave as soon as we started playing, since they were all sitting down before the show, but that didn't really happen. Only a couple of people bailed, and everyone else seemed to be into it - as we say in Portuguese: só faz falta quem cá está.

The best part was that people were really digging the new songs, which is always a great feeling. And Guarda itself is just a beautiful city - we felt lucky to be able to play there. All in all, it was a great show, and we're stoked to have had such a positive reception from the crowd. The whole thing just had an excellent energy to it, and we're already looking forward to coming back and doing it again.

Setlist:
Intro loop
Workworkwork
Corpse Light
I Got Friends
Strategic Planning For Your Garden
Body Craves Data
Operation Vacation Finito
Zombie
Charlie Don’t Surf/Post Breakup Stoner
Sleepy Sun (2022 version)
Chameleon Kid
Oscillations
Encore: Castle Spell

15/02 - Paredes de Coura (PT) - Xapas Sessions

Paredes de Coura has always treated us pretty good, and this time at Xapas Sessions was no different. The staff was nice, helpful, and went out of their way to ensure that everything ran smoothly, helping to create a good time for all involved. From the soundcheck to the final song, they were supportive and accommodating, making it a pleasure to perform at the venue. One could not ask for more in terms of hospitality and professionalism.

Unfortunately, the day was bittersweet, as we received the news before the show that the former president of FC Porto had passed away. As supporters of the team, we hope that our performance was a fitting tribute. It was a special night, and we're grateful to have had the opportunity to share it with the people of Paredes de Coura.

The show itself went on pretty well, with a great energy from the crowd. Once again, people were really digging the new songs, and it's been a lot of fun for us to try them out on the road and see how they resonate with our fans. We've been experimenting with the set list and tweaking the arrangements, and it's exciting to see the new material taking shape and getting such a positive response.

Hopefully, we’ll be back soon.

Setlist:
Intro loop
Workworkwork
Corpse Light
I Got Friends
Strategic Planning For Your Garden
Body Craves Data
Operation Vacation Finito
Zombie
Charlie Don’t Surf/Post Breakup Stoner
Sleepy Sun (2022 version)
You Have Fallen... Congratulations!
Chameleon Kid
Oscillations

As we take a breather from the live circuit, we wanted to let you all know that we don't have any new shows booked for the time being. We feel it's time to take a step back, recharge, and focus on some other exciting projects that we've been wanting to tackle. We're looking forward to using this downtime to prepare the release of new material, so we can get back on the road asap.

Additionally, some of us will be working on side projects and collaborations outside the band, which we're eager to explore. These projects will allow us to express ourselves in different ways, try new things, and bring new ideas and inspiration back to the band.

We're always looking for ways to grow and evolve as musicians, and we're excited to see where these new endeavours take us. We'll be sure to keep you all updated on our progress, and we appreciate your continued support.

What’s the gear we can’t live without?

Carlos

First, I would like to say that I’m not affiliated or sponsored by Death by Audio, although I would love to - Hey Oliver, if you’re seeing this let’s talk :)

Hmm, this one’s hard because there are a couple pieces of gear that are very important to my sound. I guess (one of) the gear I can’t (play) live without would be the Apocalypse guitar pedal - it’s my trusty sidekick, my sonic ray gun, my key to unlocking a world of aural chaos.
I've been playing guitar for years, and I've tried countless pedals, but none have ever come close to the Apocalypse. It's like it was made specifically for me, for my music, for my very own brand of noise.

I remember the first time I plugged it in, I was blown away by the sheer intensity of it. The Apocalypse is like a tidal wave of distortion, a tsunami of fuzz that crashes down on you while you’re playing. It's not just a pedal, it's an experience. I use the Apocalypse in every song, in every solo, in every moment where I need to unleash a little chaos.

I've had the Apocalypse for years now, and I still can't get enough of it. Not only that, but I've used it on every album, and every single song we've ever recorded since getting it (yes, even the ones with no guitar, think about that for a sec).
It's like it's a part of me, a part of my sound, a part of my very being. I couldn't imagine playing without it, couldn't imagine making music without the Apocalypse at my feet.

If you're willing to unleash a little chaos into the world, and if you have the chance to get it, then this is the pedal for your chaotic needs. The Apocalypse is more than just a piece of gear - it's my sonic salvation, and I'll be riding its wave of destruction for as long as the music keeps playing.

Carolina

I would say my cymbals are the most important part of my personal gear. Sometimes we have fly-in concerts where we can’t bring all the breakables, and every time that happens I say “I’ll never go anywhere without my cymbals again”. And then I do because we’re not being paid enough for extra baggage fees or something like that, and I have to use the backline provided by the production and I get to the end of the show thinking “well, that sucked”.

So yeah, I would say my full drum kit would be essential, but I can go for the cymbals for simplicity’s sake.

It took me awhile to find the perfect cymbals for my sound. Right now, I’m using Zildjian K Ride and Hi-Hats and Murat Dirill Crash. I feel like these cymbals allow me to have a better control of dynamics since it’s easy to control their sound using different angles with the drumsticks.

Also, they’re the perfect balance of brightness and sustain and everything nice. So, please don’t ever ask me to put duct tape on my ride because it’s “too bright”. I didn’t spend hundreds of euros on this gear just to dampen the sound because the tech guy thinks I’m too loud.

Fred

I'm a guitarist turned bassist and in 7 years of playing bass, I feel that with each passing year I'm discovering things about the instrument that make me continually excited about picking up the bass again the next day, playing and discovering new personality traits of this 4-string secret agent.

I've never had the opportunity or financial capacity to seriously invest in my instrument, which means I have to make it with what I have and make the most of what I have.

That said, I've never had any pretensions with specific brands or types of pedals, which leads me to a simple piece of nylon that allows me to express myself and seal the obligatory rhythmic marriage with the drums.

Yes, picks are my piece of material that can NEVER fail/miss. They are not 0.60 thickness, 0.80 thickness, THEY ARE 0.71 thickness.

I only discovered quite recently the perfect thickness of picks and as we say in Portugal, equipa que ganha não mexe, so I'm sticking with 0.71.

I could talk about flat wound strings, Fender basses, Ampeg amplifiers, compressors, fuzz blablabla but no, the pick is the thing that without it, I can't play.

Garden Gnome Transmitter #02

Once again, Carlos brings to you a playlist filled with bangers. These playlists have been a trusty companion to our drives around the continent, for the last few years.

Available at Mixcloud, and as a playlist on Tidal.

Have any questions for us?

If you have a burning question that needs to be answered, like, what's our go-to meal on the road, how we come up with inspiration for our songs, or what's the story behind our favourite lyrics, now's the time to ask.

Maybe you're curious about our writing process, or what it's like to be on tour. Perhaps you want to know more about our individual musical influences, or how we balance our personal lives with the demands of being in a band.

Whatever it is, we want to hear from you and share our experiences with you. So go ahead, ask us anything, and we’ll be happy to answer them on next month’s newsletter!