In Remembrance: Ari Ari
Ari Ari was short lived, but we won’t forget their energetic, downright ridiculous live shows.
In Rememberance is a weekly article where Andrew Scott looks at bands who may, or may not have, broke up well before their time.
Ari Ari – ever heard of them? Don’t feel bad, not many have, but that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be part of your musical repertoire. The Indianapolis four-piece were by no means a big act, but in their short, active period they were one of the most chaotic, driven bands in the Midwest. Their unique brand of noise manipulation mixed with ferocious female vocals has yet to be matched.
Ari Ari started in late 2005, and led a hectic existence based around an exhaustive touring schedule. Ari Ari split in the fall of 2006. During this time they were rumored to have played about 150 shows and released two EPs Movements and There’s A New Sheriff In Town.
I had the pleasure of seeing this band live once, and what had started as a small show in a coffee house exploded into something completely unexpected. The first thing I noticed about Ari Ari was their lack of a bassist. Another thing to note of the band’s live set up was the insane guitar equipment the scrawny guitarist Ryan Reidy was touring with - a variable Frankenstein’s monster comprised of vintage cabinets, heads and effects of every possible variety.
The set itself was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Vocalist Jill Weiss proceeded to propel herself from the top of speakers onto members of the crowd during particularly energetic points in the songs, and even stopped to take an impromptu smooch break with some lucky fan during one point in the set. Not the slightest bit shadowed by Jill’s antics, Ryan put on a show of his own, as he not so much played his guitar but had a dangerously sensual romp with it. And let it be noted, this wasn’t an important show by any stretch, this was merely a Thursday in a small town in Indiana at the local coffee house, but their intensity never wavered.
Since the split the members have decidedly formed two separate factions, both of which are still active. Guitarist Ryan Reidy went on to form and front the Thunders while the remaining three members (Jill, Mark and Brandon) have since started We Are Hex.
Posted by Andrew Scott on Jul 24, 2009 @ 10:00 am