Astrakhan and Mendozza at Studio Vostok, this Friday: new space, new shows, new news!

I have no idea if I've been to any of the 300-odd shows put on by Art Signified in Vancouver. I don't always pay attention to the people who put shows on, y'know? - as big a contribution as they make. I think I might have talked to Mitch Ray, of that collective, somewhere before, but I'm not sure - I chatted with him last night, and he seemed familiar to me...

Anyhow, Mitch and Taya Fraser, both of Art Signified, have a new space: Studio Vostok, at 246 Keefer. Beatroute article on it here, Discorder here. I missed their opening party, last weekend, but I think I'm going to make it out to see Mendozza and Astrakhan (and Heron, and Seer) this Friday. 

There's a song off Astrakhan's new album, Reward in Purpose, here; the music ("progressive sludge" they call it) is pretty cool, but the vocals are a bit Tool-ish for me; I'm with Mark Prindle on Tool). But I could dig this in the context of a gig. Mendozza's bandcamp is here - this is also pretty cool stuff. Glad I'm going to get to see these guys, I gather they hung it up for awhile.

By the way, Vostok is really easy to find - take a right off Main at Keefer, on the south side of the street, and walk down half a block. It *feels* like an underground space - it feels like your classic unused retail in East Van underground venue with no address on the poster, where you go gotta know someone who knows where it is to even find the pace. But it isn't like that at all.

Or, well, maybe it's like that a LITTLE, but it's a New! Official! Licensed! venue, for punk, metal, or whatever Mitch and Taya deem worthy. And hey, this gig sure sounds worthy to me. See you Friday?