Red Pens

Seeing the Minneapolis duo Red Pens is like witnessing a demonstration. A demonstration in raw sonic bliss. Howard Hamilton III is a string bending master and knows how to make feedback work to his advantage. His confident vocal stylings coupled with drummer Laura Bennett's all or nothing kit pounding are about as uniquely refreshing as it gets these days. The stage is littered with junk shop amps and guitars Hamilton seems to almost get tangled up in while he and Bennett exchange doses of laser beam eye contact showing off a seemingly deeper connection between the two of them than your average indie rock outfit.

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Hamilton and Bennett met in the arena of visual arts and started Red Pens as a way to express their deep love for rock and roll. Howard's old project The Busy Signals went on tours with The Shins and it's beat and loop based jams proved to be an underdog favorite in the early two thousands. Laura is well known as a painter and is best known for her painting on guitar effects boxes. She even has her own signature fuzz pedal, not bad for a drummer. Their debut album Reasons on Grain Belt Records is a mid-fi bonanza of fuzzy reverb drenched art rock. The wiggly winding guitars, slap back vocals and killer back beats are sure to give you that silly grin you've been starving for.

Past Shows


Nov
20
th
2011
7th St Entry
Nov
20
th
2011
7th St Entry

Har Mar Superstar

with Red Pens and SEXCAT
Oct
13
th
2011
Turf Club
Oct
13
th
2011
Turf Club

Smoking Popes

with Red Pens and BNLX
May
21
st
2011
7th St Entry
May
21
st
2011
7th St Entry

Eternal Summers

with Red Pens and The Beets
Apr
23
rd
2011
7th St Entry
Apr
23
rd
2011
7th St Entry

Red Pens

with Oaks, Total Babe and the Cloak Ox
Mar
12
th
2011
7th St Entry
Mar
12
th
2011
7th St Entry

Caroline Smith

with ANDY ULSETH and Red Pens
Mar
2
nd
2011
7th St Entry
Mar
2
nd
2011
7th St Entry
Dec
25
th
2010
7th St Entry
Dec
25
th
2010
7th St Entry

Grant Hart

with Red Pens and THE SEX RAYS
Dec
10
th
2010
7th St Entry
Dec
10
th
2010
7th St Entry

BNLX

with Farewell Continental, Red Pens and VOYTEK
Nov
24
th
2010
7th St Entry
Nov
24
th
2010
7th St Entry

Red Pens

with Gospel Gossip and DOUBLE BIRD
Nov
6
th
2010
7th St Entry
Nov
6
th
2010
7th St Entry

Red Pens

with Zombie Season, Fauna and Indian Style
Sep
5
th
2010
7th St Entry
Sep
5
th
2010
7th St Entry

Nice Purse

with Red Pens, Gospel Gossip and Teenage Moods
Aug
6
th
2010
7th St Entry
Aug
6
th
2010
7th St Entry

Luke Redfield

with Red Pens, Kristoff Krane and BUBBLE TEETH
May
28
th
2010
7th St Entry
May
28
th
2010
7th St Entry

Zoo Animal

with Red Pens, His and Her Vanities and Hildur Victoria
Apr
16
th
2010
Mainroom
Apr
16
th
2010
Mainroom

VOLTAGE

with Ruby Isle, Caroline Smith and Red Pens

More Shows

Mar
22
nd
Fine Line

Russian Circles

with Pelican
Dec
27
th
7th St Entry

Jaki Blue

with KAYCYY and Sophia Eris
May
3
rd
The Fitzgerald Theater

Ichiko Aoba

Apr
13
th
7th St Entry

Wheatus