Upsilon Acrux

Progressive rock band from California

Upsilon Acrux

Origin| Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres| Progressive rock, rock in Opposition, zeuhl, noise rock
Years active| 1998–present
Labels| Cuneiform Records, Planaria Recordings
Members| Paul Lai
Dylan Fujioka
Noah Guevara
Mark Kimbrell
Patrick Shiroishi
Past members| see below

Upsilon Acrux is an American progressive rock band from Los Angeles formed in 1998.

## History

[edit]

Upsilon Acrux first appeared on record on a 1998 compilation entitled Trummerflora 2.[1] Soon after they contributed a song to a compilation entitled Before the Pirates Came.[2] They went from a 4 piece to a 3 piece before releasing 2002's Last Train Out.[3] They expanded to a five-piece, including two drummers for Volucris Avis Dirae-Arum in 2004. By 2005 they had done away with the dual-drummer setup, and signed with Cuneiform Records later in the year.[4] 2007 saw the release of their first album for Cuneiform, Galapagos Momentum.[5] They released their sixth full-length album, entitled Radian Futura, on May 19, 2009.[6] In 2015, on April 14, they released a new album called Sun Square Dialect.

## Releases

[edit]

### Galapagos Momentum

[edit]

The lineup of Applehans, Kiersnowski (the King), Lai and Miller (Ice) performed for two years, recording Galapagos Momentum in 2006. Before the recording was pressed, a new incarnation was assembled with Cobb (McEnroe, Bart Garfunkel),[7] Lai, Meszler (Mezz, Meszloforte), Moeggenberg (Moeggen) and Sataman (Martron, Marty-Party) in March 2007. This new lineup promoted Galapagos throughout the U.S. in summer 2007. The album was critically acclaimed,[8] earning a number 2 position on Organ Magazine's end of the year album list.[9] The group would share stages with The Locust, Qui, Tatsuya Yoshida, Polar Goldie Cats, The Mae Shi, Ancestors, HEALTH, Abe Vigoda, Weasel Walter, and Cheer-Accident.

On November 17, 2007, Upsilon Acrux played the Barking Tuna Fest in Kalamazoo, MI. Mission of Burma followed.[citation needed]

### Radian Futura

[edit]

In December 2007, Upsilon began work on their magnum opus, "Transparent Seas (Radio Edit)". On June 6, 2008, the song was premiered at Cafe Mariposa in Echo Park, CA.[10]

Radian Futura was released on CD by Cuneiform and in September 2009 on vinyl by Thin Wrist Recordings. Upsilon promoted the album nationally and on a month-long jaunt in Europe, autumn 2009. The album was met with critical acclaim,[11][12][13][14] and the band shared stages with Yowie, Ahleuchatistas, Zs, Bad Dudes, Peter Brötzmann, Honey Ride Me a Goat, Nels Cline, Carla Bozulich, Extra Life, Adebisi Shank, and Peter Kolovos.

On September 18, 2009, Upsilon performed for a crowd of over 400 at the Gertje Fest 5 at the Landbouwebelang in Maastricht.[15]

Upon the group's return from its European tour, Upsilon Acrux performed a 70-minute set at The Smell. The concert was professionally mixed and recorded.[16]

## Personnel

[edit]

Paul Lai has remained with the group since its inception.[17]

Current lineup (2010–present)

* Paul Lai – guitar
* Noah Guevara – guitar
* Patrick Shiroishi- Rhodes/sax
* Mark Kimbrell – drums
* Dylan Fujioka – drums

Founding members

* Paul Lai – guitar, Moog
* Cameron Presley – guitars, Moog
* Tommy Cutler – bass, vocals

Former Members

* Chris Meszler – drums
* David Moeggenberg – guitar
* Phil Cobb – Moog
* Marty Sataman – bass
* Jesse (Klecker) Applehans – drums
* Eric Kiersnowski – bass
* Nick Lejejs – Moog
* Brady Miller – guitar
* Josh Quon – bass
* Muir Tennerstet – bass
* Derek Bruns – drums

Guest musicians

* Devin Sarno – bass (Last Pirates of Upsilon)[18]
* Bobb Bruno – bass (Last Pirates of Upsilon, Last Train Out)[19]
* Glen (Galaxy) Galloway – baritone sax (In the Acrux of the Upsilon King)
* Brady Miller\- drums, drum programming (Radian Futura)
* Mike Armstrong – saxophone (Radian Futura, White LP)
* Peter Kolovos – guitar (White LP)
* Elvis Presley – harmonica (Last Pirates of Upsilon)

## Discography

[edit]

* 1999 In the Acrux of the Upsilon King (Accretions Records)
* 1999 The Last Pirates of Upsilon (Win Records)
* 2002 Last Train Out (Hactivist Records)
* 2004 Volucris Avis Dirae-Arum (Planaria Recordings CD / Epicene Records vinyl)
* 2006 Last Train Out (Daft Alliance vinyl reissue)
* 2007 Galapagos Momentum (Cuneiform Records)
* 2009 Radian Futura (Cuneiform Records)
* 2009 White LP (split w/ Honey Ride Me A Goat) (Kitchen Dweller Records)
* 2015 Sun Square Dialect (New Atlantis Records)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Accretions...catalog...trummerflora 2". www.accretions.com. Archived from the original on 29 December 2002. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
2. ^ Upsilon Acrux at AllMusic
3. ^ Brutal Prog and Beyond, San Francisco Bay Guardian, August 7, 2002. Accessed March 26, 2008.
4. ^ Mapping the Path to Obscurity. Prefixmag, October 18, 2006. Accessed March 26, 2008.
5. ^ Review, BBC, September 14, 2007. Accessed March 26, 2008.
6. ^ "Search Results for "barbes"".
7. ^ "UPSILON ACRUX @ THE SMELL". Larecord.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
8. ^ "Upsilon Acrux: Galapagos Momentum". PopMatters.com. September 20, 2007. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
9. ^ [1] [dead link‍]
10. ^ "Yahoo! Groups". Groups.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2001. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
11. ^ "UPSILON ACRUX – Radian Futura (2009)". Progarchives.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
12. ^ "Upsilon Acrux – Radian Futura Album Review". Prefixmag.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
13. ^ "Upsilon Acrux: Radian Futura album review". Allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
14. ^ "Album Review – Upsilon Acrux "Radian Futura"". Lotsofswords.wordpress.com. June 22, 2009.
15. ^ "Lbbm.nl – Duurzame levensstijl". Lbbm.nl. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
16. ^ "Upsilon Acrux Merchandise". Upsilonacrux.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
17. ^ Bottom of the Listings, Top of the World. New Angeles Monthly, February 2008. Accessed March 26, 2008.
18. ^ "Devin Sarno | Discography". Devinsarno.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
19. ^ "bunny tuff – bobb bruno". Bunnytuff.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.

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