If they aren’t already, Chicago’s Van Ghost should be on your radar. Charmingly ambitious, incredibly easy to like and dedicated to real craftsmanship in what they do, this young band proffers modern rock with a classic feel, a sound that reminds one of a time when turning on the radio wasn’t a gamble but a near guarantee of a tune that would stick in your head all day. Anchored by the songwriting and lover man croon of Michael Harrison Berg (vocals, guitars), Van Ghost also boasts the talents of endlessly powerhouse singer Jennifer Hartswick, the under-known shredding of Grant Tye and the lock-tight rhythm team of Greg Marsh (drums) and Klem Hayes (bass). Together they create rock with a tenacious groove, the hand-in-glove pairing of Berg and Hartswick’s voices winging gracefully through melodies that tickle the ear like a come-hither suitor. Taken together, these elements suggest a contemporary Fleetwood Mac in the making. (Dennis Cook)
Van Ghost is giving away The Effect EP to introduce their music to a wider world, and you can listen and download it here.
To celebrate the release of the new EP, the band is embarking on a March Tour of the South Eastern U.S. starting this week.
Van Ghost Tour Dates
03/08/12 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall (supporting John Oates)
03/09/12 Lexington, KY Buster’s
03/10/12 Nashville, TN Exit / In
03/12/12 Mobile, AL Soul Kitchen Music Hall (supporting Big Head Todd & the Monsters)
03/13/12 Atlanta, GA Smith’s Olde Bar
03/14/12 Greenville, SC Handlebar (supporting Big Head Todd & the Monsters)
03/15/12 Charleston, SC Music Farm (supporting Big Head Todd & the Monsters)
03/16/12 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore Charlotte
03/17/12 Black Mountain, NC Pisgah Brewing Company
Below you’ll find a new video for “Domino” directed by Ian Gelfand (American Pickers/Kings of Leon) and Grayson Ross (MTV/VH1), along with two clips filled with live footage from Van Ghost’s performances at Wicker Park Fest, North Coast Music Fest and the Black Wednesday Affair at Schubas for their Thanksgiving 2011 show.
