A Place to Bury Strangers

A Place to Bury Strangers are a New York–based noise rock band composed of Oliver Ackermann (guitar/vocals), Dion Lunadon (bass) and Jay Space (drums). The band plays a heavy, atmospheric wall of sound-influenced blend of psychedelic rock, shoegaze and space rock. The band is commonly known by the initials APTBS.

A Place to Bury Strangers are a New York–based noise rock band composed of Oliver Ackermann (guitar/vocals), Dion Lunadon (bass) and Jay Space (drums). The band plays a heavy, atmospheric wall of sound-influenced blend of psychedelic rock, shoegaze and space rock. The band is commonly known by the initials APTBS.

History

Early days

A Place to Bury Strangers formed in 2003 when Oliver Ackermann offered to be the drummer for Tim Gregorio's band. He switched to guitar and vocals after the first practice. They played their first show at Luxx in Brooklyn in 2003. Jay Space and Jono Mofo, both from the New York City-based band MOFO, joined the band when Tim Gregorio left. It was then that they decided to focus on increasing the quality of their music rather than focus on pure volume. In 2006, APTBS handmade three different untitled EPs with different color schemes; these later become known as the Red, Blue, and Green EPs.

In 2006, the band gained some acclaim following their Webster Hall performance with Brian Jonestown Massacre. They returned to Webster Hall in 2007 to play with one of their major influences, The Jesus And Mary Chain.

Throughout these formative years, the band's live shows got increasingly chaotic which garnered them the title of New York City's "loudest band" from various indie reviewers and bloggers, as well as "the most ear-shatteringly loud garage/shoegaze band you'll ever hear" by The Washington Post. The New York Times applauded their revival of "the ominous, feedback-drenched drones of the 1980s"

The first record and touring

In 2007, Jon Whitney from Killer Pimp Records wrote on a napkin the contract for their first release, a self-titled album. In August 2007, the band gained national attention after a favorable Pitchfork Media review of this album.

In 2007, the band joined Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on the "Holy Fuck" tour.

In April 2008, it was announced that the band would open for Nine Inch Nails for several dates on their US tour.

The band's first UK release came in May 2008 where they played a handful of UK shows and garnered strong praise from the British media with early support from NME and Kerrang!. In November 2008, the band returned to Europe and the UK on tour supporting MGMT. Their album, out the same month, once again made a stir amongst UK media.

Exploding Head

In early 2009, APTBS signed to Mute Records. The band also announced another European tour and appearances at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Seaport Music Festival, Rock al Parque, and Siren Music Festival.

Their second album, Exploding Head, was released in October 2009.

In early Spring 2010 it was discovered that Jono MOFO had decided to leave the band for personal reasons (after recently getting married) rather than tour with the band during their US tour supporting The Big Pink. He was replaced for that Spring tour by Dion Lunadon, formerly of the bands The D4, and The True Lovers.

On July 5, 2010, APTBS went for the first time to Bogotá, Colombia and presented in Rock al Parque which is the largest free rock festival in South America.

On February 14, 2011, Ackermann stated that the band has begun working on their third full-length album.