Rising noise-rock band headlines Thee Stork in Oakland
Popular Atlanta-based noise-rock outfit Whores. returns to the Bay Area to headline Thee Stork in Oakland Monday night, sharing the stage with local favorites Facet and Praying.
Founded in Atlanta by guitarist/singer Christian Lembach in 2010, Whores. announced itself to the world with the corrosive, sludgy assault of their Ruiner EP the following year that nodded heavily to the Amphetamine Reptile school of sonic fury. The band released several EPs and singles before unleashing their crushing full-length debut Gold. in 2016, their first recording with bassist Casey Maxwell.
The brutal album showcased Lembach's gift for pulverizing riffs and comical song titles -- "I See You Are Also Wearing a Black T-shirt" and "I Have a Prepared Statement" are just two examples -- and ended up on multiple best-of lists. Unfortunately, the band saw setbacks after a couple of injuries to Lembach -- including a fall onstage in Toronto that damaged his knee badly enough to require surgery -- slowed their activity and forced the guitarist to perform seated.
Whores. returned to the road and released a couple of new recordings since Lembach's injury and recovery -- an original song for the Amphetamine Reptile Bash 17 compilation and a cover of the AC/DC song "Have a Drink on Me" recorded with Bill Kelliher of fellow Atlanta band Mastodon. The latter tune was the first to feature new drummer Douglas Jennings Barrett, who joined the band in 2021. It wasn't until last year that rumblings of a highly anticipated second full-length effort surfaced with the new tune "Imposter Syndrome."
The band returned to San Francisco in late 2023, playing a blistering set in support of Bay Area experimental punk legends Oxbow. Last April saw the release of the new salvo from Whores. entitled War. Another visceral blast of tuneful noise-rock, the latest effort equals the intensity and fury of the band's best work, earning them spots on a number of year-ending "best of" lists including one published by Rolling Stone.
The band announced last fall that drummer Jennings Barrett was diagnosed with lymphoma and would be forced to sit out the group's planned tours as he undergoes cancer treatment, leading former drummer Donnie Adkinson to rejoin the group for the time being. For this Monday night show at Thee Stork Club, Whores. will be joined by a pair of Oakland bands. Bludgeoning noise-rock trio Facet has been aboard for the entire tour, playing songs from its recently released split album with like-minded outfit Haunted Horses, while self-described "snowflake sludge" crew Praying opens the show.
Whores. with Facet and Praying
Monday, Feb. 24, 8 p.m. $20-$25
Thee Stork Club
