Reunited Post-Hardcore Super Group Brings Tour To The Chapel

By Dave Pehling

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Reunited experimental post-hardcore outfit June of 44 brings it's current tour to San Francisco to play its first show here in two decades at the Chapel Tuesday night.

Though they were only together for five years, June of 44 were responsible for some of the more creative and cathartic rock music to come out of the American scene during the '90s. Founded Louisville, KY in 1994 by a group of musicians who had already established reputations in various math rock and post-hardcore groups, the quartet featured guitarist/singer Sean Meadows (Lungfish), bassist/trumpet player Fred Erskine (Crownhate Ruin, Hoover), guitarist/singer Jeff Mueller (Rodan) and drummer Doug Scharin (Codeine, Rex and later the solo project HiM and Bay Area band Enablers).

Drawing together elements of angular '80s experimental rockers Slint (one of the most influential bands to come out of Louisville during the decade), the punk intensity of Fugazi and Shellac as well as cinematic post-rock crew Tortoise and the members' collective experiences, the band's 1995 debut Engine Takes to the Water on Quarterstick Records showed off the group's gift for navigating complex time signatures and writing evocative tunes powered by Scharin's propulsive drumming.

The band expanded on that sound on its sophomore album Tropics and Meridians, incorporating broader instrumentation (including synths and vibraphone), ambient dub influences and a dynamic chamber ensemble approach on the moody "Lawn Bowler" and the churning "June Leaf." June of 44 toured extensively, winning over fans with its powerful live performances across the U.S and Europe. The group's followed up in 1998 with Four Great Points, its most left field combination of looping guitar figures and droning dub atmospherics yet.

The band would release its final album Anahata and a live in-studio EP In the Fishtank 6 the following year before announcing the band was splitting up. The members would move on to other projects, with Mueller and his former Rodan bandmate Jason Nobel focusing on Shipping News (a band that got its start making music for the NPR show This Modern Life), while guitarist Sean Meadows formed Everlasting the Way, Erskine joined the band Abilene and Scharin continued with HiM along with numerous other groups

After nearly two decades of dormancy, June of 44 announced a series of concerts in Italy in 2018. That successful tour was followed this year by more European dates -- including an appearance at the Primavera Sound Festival in Spain -- and its current American tour. The band comes to the Chapel in San Francisco Tuesday night with support from synth-powered Oakland post-punk group Public Interest.

June of 44
Tuesday, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. $30-$35
The Chapel