In 2015, nearly 25 years after Rasputina mastermind Melora Creager founded her band, it’s safe to say that she’s proven her group’s cello-based rock is no damn gimmick. True, Rasputina, which returns to favored local haunt Club Helsinki this Thursday, is indeed the first rock band of record with cello (Creager’s and usually one other) as its main instrument(s). But the fact of the matter is that the group’s dark, historically literate pop songs transcend any set-up and would likewise sound great if they were to be played by more traditional rock outfits—though that, of course, would mean missing out on Rasputina’s own special cauldron of sonic sorcery.
Rasputina’s newly unveiled ninth album, Unknown, was released by Hudson Valley resident Creager on CD exclusively and is not available via download—only in its physical form, by ordering from the band’s website or from their merch table at gigs. Bravo, that, insuring that the artist actually gets paid a decent amount, instead of putting the music up there to be more easily stolen or relying solely on the fractional pittance that drips in via streaming services.
Here’s Creager and crew doing their thing in Chicago last August:
Rasputina will perform at Club Helsinki in Hudson, New York, on October 15 at 8pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 day of show. For more information, call (518) 828-4800 or visit http://helsinkihudson.com/index.html.
This article appears in October 2015.
