*This is part of our “Aftershock Festival 2018 Spotlight” where we branch out and focus on some of the up-and-coming bands that fans can see at this year’s Aftershock Festival on October 13th & 14th. This week, we’re checking out AMIGO THE DEVIL.*
Adding a healthy dose of variety to the Aftershock lineup this year is acoustic folk artist Danny Kiranos, aka Amigo the Devil. For the most part Kiranos delivers a one-man unplugged performance with just his vocals along with a guitar/banjo. His musical style can range from tongue-in-cheek humored, singalong bar ballads such as “I Hope Your Husband Dies” to the dark and morbid, Harry Chapin-esque “Cocaine and Abel” while drawing inspiration from bluegrass, southern rock, and extreme music. The sonic depth and emotion of Amigo the Devil received a much-appreciated, unfiltered treatment in the studio via veteran mega-producer Ross Robinson (Korn, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit) who produced the new album ‘Everything is Fine.’ It was recorded at Valentine Studios, which had been untouched since the seventies, with all original gear, straight to tape. With Brad Wilk (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave) overseeing the project, the record is exactly what Kiranos had always wanted, commenting, “It was the first process of recording that ever made complete sense with absolutely no filler or veil to compensate for the sounds … It was absolute and pure brutal honesty …”
For inspiration for Amigo the Devil, which Kiranos refers to as “an outlet for the brutal honesty that people didn’t feel comfortable discussing,” he listens to what’s going on in his world – at a bar, while eating dinner, at the DMV. By focusing on the basic human condition that we all share, Kiranos realized how many of us are “falling into the well,” alone and unable to see those around us who care. He says, “I saw people climbing out of [the well] too. These are the stories of leaving the burden behind, whatever that may be and hopefully along with it the realization that carrying them for any period of time doesn’t break us, but makes us stronger than we ever were.”
Amongst a fully-stocked arsenal of powerful live bands at Aftershock this year, Amigo the Devil should feel like a unique and refreshing palate cleanser with its minimalist take on dark, modern folk. If you are planning to attend Aftershock in October, be sure not to miss Amigo the Devil as part of Sunday’s lineup for what is sure to be an intimate and moving live performance.
Get your tickets for Aftershock Festival 2018 here.
