SHOT & EDITED BY CORGAM ©
INTERVIEW
SYNESTHETIC
PROJECTIONS
If there is one “must see“ live show nowadays, it has to be The Black Angels. The psychedelic band from Austin, Texas, alongside collaborator Bob Mustachio, bring out a remarkable and hypnotic set of images which connects all senses to experience their music in a whole new level. Synesthesia spoke with guitarist Christian Bland about projections and their visual identity.
Photos + Post by Corgam
San Francisco, Oct 20, 2017
SYNESTHESIA: Your concerts are such an image-driven force for the audience, does that happen from a creator's point of view, is there ever a moment of Synesthesia while creating music?
Christian Bland: Absolutely. I design our album covers while we’re in the studio recording so that the visuals more closely represent the sounds we’re creating. We’ve always viewed the visual show to be just as equal to the music we’re playing.
S: Who made the images projected at your shows and how involved was the band in them, as well as the concept?
CB: Bob Mustachio of the Mustachio Light Show. He used to be the drummer for The Warlocks. It's a perfect fit having someone with such awesome rhythm creating our visuals. We brainstorm with Bob and create the general concept for the visuals, but no show is exactly the same. He creates on the spot with general ideas to bounce off of.
"We draw from everything that happens in life. We’re observers soaking in everything like a sponge, and then wringing it all out once it's time to record."
"We don’t ever just do things without putting any thought into it. We’re very picky when it comes to anything visual we release."
S: Do you draw inspiration from other art forms while creating your music?
CB: We draw from everything that happens in life. We’re observers soaking in everything like a sponge, and then wringing it all out once it's time to record.
S: How important is the photography aspect for a band like The Black Angels?
CB: With everything we do, it needs to represent the band in a way that we see fit. We don’t ever just do things without putting any thought into it. We’re very picky when it comes to anything visual we release.
"We’ve always viewed the visual show to be just as equal to the music we’re playing. "
S: These photos were taken at The Fillmore show in San Fran, is there anything memorable from that show that you care sharing? What was the mood like?
CB:It was definitely a highlight from this last west coast run. The Fillmore is such a historic venue, so to have sold it out was really exciting. The Fillmore posters are so iconic and have been an influence in my poster design, especially Wes Wilson. It's always an honor to play at the Fillmore and the SF crowd defintely helped seal the deal.
S: What did you think of the photos?
CB: That's exactly how a Black Angels show should look, and what better place than to have a full on light show than at the Fillmore. We've always hoped to bring back the spirit of the late 60’s psychedelic light shows, but to push them even further into the future.
