AUSTERITY

Austerity are a three piece post-punk / anarcho-punk / dance-punk band from Brighton. They have gained praise for their intense and cathartic live performances and are earning themselves a reputation for their confrontational anarchist politics and intelligent nuanced lyrics.

Their sound is a high octane collision of swaggering bass and drum grooves, scratchy, chaotic guitar playing and snotty, snarling vocals which spit bile on complex political ideas but always remain rooted in everyday life. Austerity cite Scritti Politti, XTC and Wire as influences but they are most frequently compared to Gang of Four and Fugazi. The band have no problem with this.

In 2015 Austerity released their demo tape “Humanity will only be happy the day the last bureaucrat is hung by the guts of the last capitalist”. Only fifty copies were made and it is now sold out. Their debut single 'Glass House' received airplay from Melita Dennett (BBC Introducing: The South) and Tom Robinson (BBC 6 Music). It was also selected as one of Tom's favourite tracks in the BBC Introducing Class of 2016 playlist, featuring the best new music in 2016. This release was swiftly followed by second single 'Wage Freeze' which racked up over 1000 plays on SoundCloud on its first week of release. The follow up single 'The City is Dead' has racked up a frankly startling number of streams and has received airplay from Melita Dennet and Tom Robinson at the BBC. The band are currently recording material for their debut album.

In addition to their close ties to the DIY punk scene Austerity are keen to broaden their horizons and take an interest in a wide range of music, art and culture. Austerity have collaborated with film maker friends to produce music videos for 'Glass House' and 'The City is Dead' both singles are available for yr viewing pleasure on Youtube. Rather than an ego trip or soulless marketing device, Austerity music videos are raw, uncompromising and visceral. The band view them as a secondary artistic platform to be explored within the remit of the band. As a result Austerity's videos are lovingly crafted works which express and expand upon the band's politics, aesthetic, ethos and lyrical themes.

Austerity regularly publish 'The Austerity Times', a cut n paste photocopied zine that is given away for free at gigs. 'The Austerity Times' generally contains visual art, poetry and political writings. It is considered by the band to be an interesting way to directly engage with fans while also being creatively satisfying and providing a platform for more in depth analysis of the themes raised by the songs.

The band are planning to produce a series of podcasts and also intend to run a monthly residency in Brighton.

Austerity make post-punk that is reverent to the past but simultaneously going full throttle at the future. It is simple, catchy, infectious and easy to dance to, but there is also an interest in the avant garde, ear blistering noise and serious lyrical themes. A band of contradictions. Austerity make gloriously stupid music for clever punters. Join the anarcho punk dance party!

BBC Introducing Class Of 2016
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/playlists/zzzn36

"Swaggeringly Wonky Dadaist Debut" - Tom Robinson (BBC 6 Music)

"... as exciting as Swindons early raw XTC – with stunning bass play and unapologetic vocal delivery..." Fresh On The Net http://freshonthenet.co.uk/2016/11/faves218

“Brash, slithery, post punk with dance friendly sensibilities. Do you like the Ex? do you like Wire? do you like early XTC? all that stuff and more funnelled thru a lot of noise and political vigour.” - D.A.A.S

"They cite their influences as Scritti Politti, Gang of 4, Devo and XTC, but I'd add The Astronauts and Cardiacs in there too. They're a wonderful and fresh anarcho DIY punk band that anyone with even a fleeting interest in the genre would really enjoy." - Beside the Birdbath

"Austerity reveal music which fulminates of the ills in society grinding the 99% to dust. The City Is Dead roars across the room like a wrecking ball destroying all before it and laying behind a wasteland." - emergingindiebands.com

“an Austerity gig is like a carnival. For a few moments a room full of people can be in the moment, together, mindful, together, angry, TOGETHER. They are unselfconscious and dance together (fleetingly free), in the moment nothing else matters. That's why we do this” - Crouton