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Thank you, Ludicra

2004
2006
2010

. . .

My favorite band has disbanded. I feel as if a friend has died, which is strange. Bands disband all the time, and I usually don’t feel a thing. But here I am, pacing my room, looking at old photographs, and generally mourning. That’s not typical of me – but Ludicra was no typical band.

In vulgar terms, Ludicra combined sadness, defiance, and power like few could. In meaningful terms, Ludicra was the real deal. A band without pretense, it made music, lyrics, and artwork – all top-notch – as pure expression. If a city could sound like a band, it was Ludicra. In the band’s hands, San Francisco’s sickness and beauty took sound. I was fortunate enough to live there and have Ludicra soundtrack my life with unflinching empathy.

Ludicra did not fit into boxes. Many reviewers, myself included, failed at language when describing the band. Ludicra was just Ludicra.

The records were strong; the shows were transcendent. Time after time I watched the band whip up crowds into a frothing frenzy. People got possessed by Ludicra. The sound made people do things – shake, clutch themselves, shove the nearest bystander. When the band was on, you knew it. Your body tuned into a different frequency. Ludicra filled you with black electricity.

Not enough people heard Ludicra. Near the end, the band finally started touring. The last record came out on Profound Lore, and people finally started caring. But to what end? It’s tough to take 12 years to escape local band status. During that time, the members lived lean. Each time I saw them, they had worry in their eyes and more lines on their faces.

But they were never anything less than some of the most genuine, quirky, warm, and talented people I’ve ever met. They were themselves, and they were good at that. I have never heard anyone who saw Ludicra live say that the band half-assed it. In fact, I’ve only heard otherwise. Ludicra usually stole the show and became people’s new favorite band.

The music: incredible. The memories: indelible. Thank you, Ludicra, for all that you’ve given. Our lives are better for it.

— Cosmo Lee

. . .

Ludicra – “In Fever”
[audio: LUDICRA_INFEVER.mp3]

. . .

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