Death of a Party (band)

The Death of a Party formed in the summer of 2003 in the Oakland house party scene and quickly earned a loyal band of followers. With a dark, sometimes heavy, often dancey, post-punk sound and a manic live show compared to a "full-on, endorphin-charged gang fight", the Death of a Party are committed to delivering an exciting and unique experience for anyone willing to listen. "Lyrically and musically, The Death of a Party create a darkened world where the listener hears and envisions secrets and stories...full of complex literary themes and minimally intricate rhythms" with a "focus on artistic contradiction between the pounding bass and echoing riffs." "The band's jerky rhythms and popish punk hooks recall first-gen punks the Buzzcocks and the Clash. And it conjures up the kind of dark and paranoid imagery that had post-punks of that era reaching for the black eyeliner." 

In 2005 Death of a Party crossed the United States touring with the indie band Metric. The Death of a Party has also played with the Lovemakers, Bloc Party, The Plot to Blow up the Eiffel Tower, Deerhoof, evening, Scarling., Von Iva, The Mall, hey willpower, Black Ice, Vanishing, The Phantom Limbs, and Get Hustle amongst others.

Line-Up
The band formed in 2003 as a project between Gareth Lloyd (then playing guitar), Justin Gabbard (bass guitar) and Sarah Domenico (drums). Sarah left the band after slapping Adam (deservedly) after a particularly fevered set at Bottom of the Hill. Adam Beck (also of Red Voice Choir) quickly joined the band a couple months later taking over on guitar. In 2004 Justin Gabbard left the band (due to a debilitating Dr. Pepper addiction and a burdgeoning career in the Russian aerospace industry) and Alex Restrepo, aka "Al Pastor" (an original member of the goth band Cinema Strange) became the bassist known for his inimitable "slap & tickle" style. With this line-up they recorded their debut EP, The Shame of the Sweet, though by the time it was released in 2005, Patrick Lynch had become their semi permanent drummer. He also recently joined the Oakland queer-punk-sterno band, Battleship- currently that band's 12th or 13th drummer. Patrick was also the first to discover that Gareth's bones are actually "made of steel." This coming to his attention after several "punching contests" (not fights) that the two engaged in resulting in Patrick breaking his hand (twice).

File this band under: indie, emo, bi-curious? rock.

Discography

 * 2007 - The Rise and Fall of Scarlet City LP (Double Negative Records)
 * 2005 - Shame of the Sweet EP (Double Negative Records)
 * 2004 - Oakland The Secret is Out (Compilation on Warm and Fuzzy Records)