Death from Above 1979 started in Toronto in 2001 with one bass, one drum kit, and a stated ambition, by Sebastien Grainger's own account, to be the AC/DC of hardcore punk.
Jesse F. Keeler runs his bass through a wall of distortion and synths while Grainger sings and drums at the same time, and the resulting noise made their 2004 debut sound like a whole band.
They've split, reunited, changed their name twice, and kept the same stripped-down formula throughout.
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Most of the duo's dates are standing rooms in clubs and theatres, so the real choice is usually floor position versus balcony view.
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What to Expect from a Death from Above 1979 Concert?
Two people make the sound of a much bigger band, with Keeler's bass sitting at the center and Grainger driving the beat while singing over the top.
The duo's mix of punk, noise, and dance rhythms gets crowds moving quickly, and the front of the room tends to become a mosh pit from the first song.
Songs are short, loud, and built around hooks, so there's little downtime between the riffs.
Anniversary tours have also seen them play full albums, giving longtime fans a chance to hear records front to back.
Death from Above 1979's Biography
Jesse F. Keeler and Sebastien Grainger formed the band in Toronto in 2001, with Keeler on bass and synths and Grainger on vocals and drums.
Their 2002 EP, Heads Up, came out on the Vancouver label Ache Records, and a legal dispute with DFA Records, the label run by LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy, led to the "1979" being added to their name.
Their 2004 debut, You're a Woman, I'm a Machine, made dance-punk feel dangerous, and they opened arenas on a North American tour with Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age before splitting in 2006.
They reunited in 2011, with a barricade-smashing riot at a South by Southwest performance among the early signs of how much fans had missed them.
The band's name has changed back and forth since, dropping "1979" from 2017 to 2020 before restoring it.
Death from Above 1979's Albums & Projects
The Physical World, released in 2014, was the duo's first album in nearly a decade, arriving alongside a documentary titled Life After Death from Above 1979.
Outrage! Is Now followed in 2017 under the shortened name, and Is 4 Lovers arrived in 2021 with the cyber-metal riff of "Modern Guy."
Away from the duo, Keeler plays in the dance project MSTRKRFT, while Grainger records as Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains.
Most Popular Death from Above 1979 Songs and Setlist Selections
"Romantic Rights," "Blood on Our Hands," and "Black History Month" remain the debut-era songs most fans are waiting for.
"Trainwreck 1979" from The Physical World regularly turns up as well, alongside newer material from Outrage! Is Now and Is 4 Lovers.
Previous Death from Above 1979 Tours and Festival Appearances
Their 2005 arena tour with Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age was without a doubt the biggest run of their early career, and the duo reportedly split during it.
After reuniting they became festival regulars, playing Lollapalooza, Coachella, Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Osheaga, and Lowlands.
They've also toured with Eagles of Death Metal, and later marked the 20th anniversary of their debut with a run of shows built around the album.
Key Facts about Death from Above 1979
- Formed in Toronto in 2001 by Jesse F. Keeler and Sebastien Grainger
- Changed their name to Death from Above 1979 in 2004 after a legal dispute with DFA Records
- Debut album You're a Woman, I'm a Machine came out in 2004 and led to an arena tour with Nine Inch Nails
- Split in 2006 and reunited in 2011, releasing The Physical World in 2014
- Keeler's work in MSTRKRFT and Grainger's solo project both feed back into the duo's sound at live events