Heralded by a stream of overwhelmingly celebratory reviews for their latest full-length album ARCTIC MOON (their first in over 24 years), CHAMELEONS are now on a North American tour that lands at Black Cat in Washington, DC, on Friday, April 17.
With the original nucleus of Vox (vocals, bass, lyrics) and Reg Smithies (guitar) back together and with longtime members Stephen Rice (guitar), Danny Ashberry (keyboards), and Todd Demma (drums) all in songwriting and recording sync, the band have delivered a record that fits squarely with their catalog, complete with exquisitely layered guitars, a beautifully orchestrated rhythm section, and Vox’s intricate and topical lyrics, while adding a whole new contemporary sheen in the production and delivery.
Bestowed with triumphant and across-the-board stellar reviews, Arctic Moon found Chameleons growing exponentially both musically and in popularity. Containing seven new songs including the single “Saviours Are A Dangerous Thing,” a re-recorded version of the 2024 single “Where Are You?”, plus longer compositions such as the slow-burning epic “David Bowie Takes My Hand” — a worthy tribute to the Thin White Duke, recalling his The Man Who Sold the World album.
“There is an obvious maturity to the songwriting on this record, and anyone familiar with our past work will hear that this is a positive step forward,” bassist and singer Vox (Mark Burgess) said. “While we’re proud of the band’s legacy, we really wanted to forge something fresh while retaining that profound and imaginative quality we’re known for. We think that we have managed to do that and deliver a very strong record!”
Watch the official music video for “Where Are You?” by The Chameleons on YouTube:
Long cited as a hugely influential act, having inspired the likes of Verve, Oasis, White Lies, The Slow Readers Club, Interpol, The Killers, and Editors — among countless others — and known for their transformative musical catalog and intense and emotionally charged live performances, Chameleons continues four decades in with four albums under their belt: Script of the Bridge (1983), What Does Anything Mean? Basically!’ (1984), Strange Times (1986), and Why Call It Anything? (2001).
Their unique sound quickly captivated the public through their mix of melancholic yet energetic and powerful tunes, hypnotic, ethereal riffs, and the potent, timeless lyrical style. Chameleons are considered one of the most influential guitar bands of the ’80s and ’90s, contributing substantially to the post-punk, shoegaze and indie scenes. They are often regarded as one of the most underrated bands ever to emerge from Manchester, England.
2024 saw the band releasing two critically-hailed EPs – Where Are You? which was comprised of three new songs, and Tomorrow Remember Yesterday which contained five songs from the vault that were re-recorded, and kicked off a new chapter for Chameleons. Arctic Moon sees the band starting a whole new book.
The Chameleons
W/ The Veldt
Black Cat
Friday, April 17
Doors @ 8pm
$35.65
All ages
