First/Last-Love and Radiation

Love and Radiation

Club Cafe

Friday, April 26, 2013

Southside

"Love and Radiation is the project of Adele Nicholas and Lakshmi Ramgopal, vocalists, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists based in Chicago. Love and Radiation's first album, You Will Know Me, is out now. Propulsive beats, moody synths and unexpected dissonances create a haunting soundscape. Evoking meditative forests alongside pulsing dance floors, You Will Know Me explores darkness and ritualism with an urgency hard to dismiss."

Check out the band at their official Website, Facebook, Twitter and BandCamp. The duo hit Pittsburgh tomorrow night for Club Cafe's late show touring behind their brand new release, "You Will Know Me", on a bill with locals Action Camp and Mad Rapture. My thanks to both Lakshmi and Adele for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Lakshmi Ramgopal: "The Phantom of the Opera". With Michael Crawford and Sarah Brighton, of course.
Adele Nicholas: "The Blue Album", Weezer (on cassette).

Your last album bought?
Lakshmi: "Stripes", Pleasure Curses.
Adele: “Afraid of Heights”, Wavves (my tastes apparently haven’t changed at all in twenty years).

Favorite album of all time?
Lakshmi: "This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About", Modest Mouse.
Adele: "Surfer Rosa", The Pixies.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
Lakshmi: Modest Mouse's "Good News For People Who Love Bad News." Those were sad times for me.
Adele: I'm going to go with Adele's “21”. I haven't actually heard it; I'm just mad that she stole my cool mononym.

First concert attended?
Lakshmi: Goo Goo Dolls. I was a for realz alt-rock junkie.
Adele: Dave Matthews Band. It’s what the cool kids were doing in middle school!

Last concert?
Lakshmi: Airiel at the Empty Bottle. Great Chicago shoegaze band.
Adele: Deadbeat, Richard Album, and David Yontz at Cole's in Chicago.

Favorite concert ever?
Lakshmi: Definitely the first time I saw Modest Mouse, though the venue was terrible (House of Blues). Born Gold also put on an unforgettable spectacle in Chicago last year at the Empty Bottle.
Adele: The first time I saw Sleater-Kinney was incredibly inspiring.

Least favorite concert?
Lakshmi: Anything involving one of Chicago's outdoor street festivals. Whenever I go to one, I instantly regret it. The music is always terrible and cheesy!
Adele: Seeing Weezer at the United Center in Chicago in 2001 was a giant bummer. I loved Weezer so much, and it was such a letdown to see them in a huge arena where I had to be so far away from the band.

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
Lakshmi: I lived in Philly briefly a long time ago and was bummed to have never made it to Pittsburgh. I love industrial cities: they have a palpable, indomitable spirit and incredible architecture. I'm especially excited to visit Pittsburgh on tour: my brother will be moving to the city in a month to start his residency, so this should be the first of many visits!
Adele: I grew up in an industrial area in upstate New York, so Pittsburgh looks like my hometown. I’m looking forward to checking it out.

Thanks, ladies. Should be a cool time tomorrow night. Also, I can't tell you how many musicians are disappointed in Weezer! That band always pops up in those questions.