I remember the first time I heard the album Entertainment! by Gang of Four. The first thing that really hit me was the jaw dropping production. In a sea of reverb and echo ridden albums in Post-Punk, Entertainment was dry as a bone. Aggressive and fearless, Entertainment! rips through your comfort zone with trebly compressed guitar attacks, rolling bass lines, and sharp political diction. Within a month of hearing it, I owned the record and it quickly became one of my favorite documents of the Post Punk era.
On October 28, 2016, we have an incredible opportunity. Gang of Four will be gracing Salt Lake City at In The Venue (219 South 600 West, SLC). The current lineup includes the original guitarist/songwriter Andy Gill along with three new members. The band is currently touring with The Faint, who will also be at the SLC show. A good friend of mine just saw them on this tour last week in Chicago. He described Andy as “mesmerizing”. He said he could tell those in the audience who were there for The Faint were equally transfixed on the sound and essence of Gang of Four. Gang of Four influenced (and continues to influence) generations of bands.

Kurt Cobain sited Entertainment! in his top 50 favorite albums of all time, Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers sites their bass lines as some of his favorite of all time, and even local SLC heroes Foster Body were heavily influenced by the band’s work. This may be one of the last chances to see Andy Gill and Gang of Four. If you’re a fan of rock n roll at all, I strongly urge you to come see one of the world’s greatest forgotten bands.

You can purchase tix here: https://www.24tix.com/event/99290180/the-faint

-Josh Price