Post-rock? That'll be Slint in Limelight2

WE'RE not fairly sure what exactly 'post-rock' is, but one of the leading exponents of 'post-rock' are US band, Slint. And, they're playing in Belfast's Limelight2 on August 18th...


Publicity types label them as "seminal" and "influential", yet the fact remains that they produce good rock music - we can even forgive them for the sin of having influenced Mogwai and hordes of shoe gazers with floppy fringes.


To put Slint in their historical context mainstream music in the 80s was largely crap: hair metal saved MTV in its formative years, but great acts such as Crue were mercilessly lampooned by the media in the US, and to an extent here in the UK.


Thrash was spreading its wings as the 'Big Four' attracted a disaffected youth; and with the drug dreams of listening to Lou Reed, the prog elements of thrash, and the more avant garde elements of punk the American 'underground bubbled across that vast continent. With ranges of volume and tempo at all ends of them spectrum Slint can be a challenging act to latch on to.


Of their two full-length albums released before they disbanded in 1992, Spiderland was perhaps the one that garnered most attention.


With a few festival dates and demand from a generation not constrained by being 'one genre' listeners, Spiderland is being re-released on Touch & Go Records later this month in expanded format and with a DVD documentary about the band.


And rock, post-rock, metal or punk -  you gotta tour to promote your product.


Hence Slint play Limelight2 on August 18th. Tickets, priced at £18.50 (+ booking fee) are on sale fro Katy's and all the usual outlets. Floppy fringes not required.