Gang of Four Tickets

Gang of Four Tickets

It's rare that a band's success can span five decades, but ever since the late 1970s, Gang of Four has been bringing its unique style of post-punk "funk rock" to their fans all over the world. They've obviously evolved over the years, but even though they've ventured more towards dance-punk recently, they're still considered one of the most influential bands of the post-punk movement.

Schedule

With a career lasting this long, it's no surprise that those with Gang of Four tickets have made music in every corner of the world. The band has played everywhere from the C-Club in Berlin to Manchester Academy. They've graced the stage at Melweg Oude Zaal in Amsterdam and tore the house down at La Machine du Moulin Rouge in Paris. They've even made it over to the colonies and played at The Independent in San Francisco and Warehouse Live in Houston. Other appearances will have the band visiting Grand Central in Miami, Tipitina's Uptown in New Orleans and Islington Assembly Hall in London.

Trivia

Gang of Four laid their roots in political-oriented music, and this is what led to their band name. While driving with two of the members from the group, one member from the British rock band The Mekons came up with the name after reading about the "Gang of Four" in China -- a group that faced an intra-party coup.

Band/Singer

Gang of Four came together as a four-piece in 1977 with lead singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bassist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. Their debut EP was released in 1978 and, along with extensive touring, got the band noticed and signed on with the EMI label. Once signed, they released their debut album Entertainment! In 1979. This would be the first of four albums that would be released before the band broke up in 1983. By the time the split occurred, the bassist had already been replaced and Sara Lee, who worked with the B-52s and Indigo Girls, had joined. The band would go through several changes and reformations before the original four members came back together in 2004 and released Return the Gift. Again, this lineup would not last. Currently, Andy Gill is the only remaining founding member, and he plays alongside vocalist John Sterry, bassist Thomas McNeice and drummer Jonny Finnegan.

Breakthrough

Gang of Four undoubtedly had their breakthrough moment with Entertainment! The band received perfect to near-perfect reviews from music publications ranging from Spin Alternative and AllMusic to Rolling Stone. There's no doubt that the attention garnered from their aggressive and controversial lyrics greased the wheels before its release, but the album stood on its own after being ranked as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone and the 8th best album from the entire '70s by Pitchfork Media.

Hit Albums

Much like Entertainment!, Gang of Four found critical and commercial success with their 1981 release Solid Gold. Pitchfork Media named the album one of the best of the entire '80s. It was so popular that it was re-released to huge fanfare in 1995 with additional songs. Songs of the Free came out in 1982, and it was also listed as one of the best albums of the '80s by Pitchfork Media. When 2015 came around, the band released What Happens Next, and while it was a far cry from the band's earlier highly political and controversial work, it was still able to draw in fans and several critics.

Show Experience

Those with Gang of Four tickets should be prepared for a trip back in time. Everything the band does, from the songs they sing to the clothes they wear, is a cry back to the early '80s grunge and punk scenes. Indoor venues may very well be the most exciting since the lights are often turned down low and the band members are only visible through random blasts of light coming from overhead. Fans dance nonstop, and if it weren't for the loud riffs coming from the band onstage, you'd be able to hear the crowd roaring until Gang of Four exits stage left.