The writing was probably on the wall earlier this year – only it was written in invisible ink – when Aereogramme cancelled a few U.S. tour dates with The Twilight Sad. Perhaps there really were some visa problems that prevented the Scottish noisemakers from playing all the dates on their spring tour, but with the recent announcement by the band that they are finished, one has to wonder.
With three full lengths to their credit, Aereogramme were like Mogwai’s louder, little brother and did something far more often than Mogwai ever did — included vocals, prominently, in their songs. I had the chance to witness a show in Columbus, Ohio on April 1, 2003 (I truly thought the concert announcement was an April Fool’s joke being played on me) and it was one of those shows that, after it was over, I was sure I had witnessed something special and something I’d be able to tell my kids about when they grew up (“Yes kids, I DID see Aereogramme play to just a handful of people in a nice, intimate setting and that’s why your old man can’t hear you so well, even this many years later. They were LOUD.”) Alas, it was not meant to be despite the fact that Aereogramme released one of my favorites of 2007, My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go, in February (read my review here).
In a note to fans, Aereogramme blames their death on “the never ending financial struggle coupled with an almost superhuman ability to dodge the zeitgeist”. The band will honor it’s touring commitments with a handful of shows between now and August in Scotland (supporting Biffy Clyro) and Germany.
If you never had the chance to see Aereogramme, this fantastic website called Fabchannel has a full 2005 Aereogramme show available for your viewing pleasure.
