VIR

there is more than 1 artist with this name: 1. A post-punk, shoegaze trio from the San Francisco Bay Area. 2. An ambient drone coterie formed in Chicago, IL. 1997 3. A Polish, drone rock band. 1. With band now in the SF Bay Area but with roots in Christchurch, New Zealand, the album contends with a longing for home and a sense of loss despite the idealistic urge for challenge and experience abroad. Drawn to the contradictions and contrasts in the U.

1. A post-punk, shoegaze trio from the San Francisco Bay Area.
2. An ambient drone coterie formed in Chicago, IL. 1997
3. A Polish, drone rock band.

1. With band now in the SF Bay Area but with roots in Christchurch, New Zealand, the album contends with a longing for home and a sense of loss despite the idealistic urge for challenge and experience abroad. Drawn to the contradictions and contrasts in the U.S the album contends with a futile attempt and defiant struggle to challenge an insurmountable mountain, as a result, VIR produce an album evocative of the American landscape.

Vir's debut LP "Shadow of a Mountain" (2008) blends elements of post-punk and shoegaze to create a glacial, dark and elegant record. Sam Sloane's mercurial and echo-laden guitar drifts through the record while Natasha Arens and Jeff Paul's rhythm section build and swell around the escalating tension in Sloane's vocals.

Currently the band are mid way through recording their 2nd LP at Shark Bite studios in Oakland, whislt maintaining a solid schedule of Local and out of town shows.
Vir's music is unashamedly melodic, honest and affecting. The songs are built on an engaging dynamic of fragility, melancholy, ambiance and intensity.

Live, the band is uninhibited in communicating songs of love and loss and the fervor with which they play elevates the music to evocative peaks.

The band will be touring Shadow of a Mountain throughout the United States throughout the year and will come home to New Zealand in September 2009 for a national tour.


2. Vir
Members: Michael Anderson, Scott Cortez

Formed in Chicago, IL. 1997 to present

Strika b/w Solaris (7", Ltd, Gre) on Drone Records 2000
Painted Dream (CD) Dapur Losing Today 1999
Rewriting The Book This Book No To Be Sold Elsie & Jack Recordings 2001
Drone Records DJ-Set (CDr) Solaris Stillstand 2003
A Selection Of Drones Past: Singles 1993-2000 (2xCD, Comp) Strika tUMULt 2006