RVG announce two intimate nights at The Old Bar this February before their first US tour - showcasing at SXSW 2018
“There’s a reason why RVG are one of the most outstanding Melbourne bands around; something effortless in being on stage, something magical in frontwoman Romy’s voice. Guitars shimmer behind powerful vocals, surging with the urgency of 80’s new wave.” –The AU Review
Hailing from Melbourne’s northern suburbs, acclaimed post-punk band RVG have today announced two back to back shows at The Old Bar this February before they head overseas for SXSW, with additional US tour dates to be announced soon. RVG will be playing on Monday 26 February with Parsnip and Tuesday 27 February with Time For Dreams, with tickets on sale now.
RVG – known less formally as the Romy Vager Group – released their acclaimed debut album A Quality of Mercy in 2017. Self-recorded live off the floor at The Tote, and engineered by their bassist Angus Belle, the eight songs on A Quality of Mercy traverse through the myth of the tortured artist, the isolation of being trans, falling in love with a computer, the feeling of awaiting your fate on death row. Each song is played with wit, compassion and commitment, evident in singer Romy’s delivery, her “fierceness, her flow, and how clear it is she’s singing about what she knows” (The Guardian). The Fader called the album “a much-needed plea for kindness” with Triple R calling it “emotionally engaging”, whilst awarding their Album of the Week.
RVG signed with Our Golden Friend / Island Records who re-released their album in October, which led into a much-hyped BIGSOUND set and four nominations at The Age Music Victoria Awards – for Best Album, Best Song, Best Band and Best Emerging Act. Their set at Meredith Music Festival was one of the most talked about over the weekend, and they went on to support Camp Cope, and then Future Islands, at The Forum – one of, if not the most iconic venue in Melbourne. RVG have since signed with Isla Angus at ATC Live for bookings in the UK/EU and Lucy Beach at Paradigm for North America. All this growing from a band whose first release of their debut album came with no photo, no press release, no plan.
Together, RVG – Romy Vager (vocals, guitar), Reuben Bloxham (guitar), Angus Belle (bass), Marc Nolte (drums) – deliver a refreshing kind of honesty and intelligence that you don’t hear in your everyday garage band. These shows at their spiritual home of The Old Bar in Fitzroy will be your last chance to see them live before the rest of the world discovers the magic that is RVG.
RVG
UPCOMING LIVE SHOWS
Saturday 10th February @ Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong
Jerk Fest
TICKETS HERE
Monday 26 February @ The Old Bar, Melbourne
with Parsnip
TICKETS HERE
Tuesday 27 February @ The Old Bar, Melbourne
with Time For Dreams
TICKETS HERE
Praise for RVG - A Quality Of Mercy
RRR Album Of The Week
PBS Feature Album
RTR FM Feature Album
"A Quality Of Mercy is a much needed plea for kindness" - The Fader
“RVG evoke 80s Australian bands that crammed garage rock cred with sun-dappled hooks, such as Sunnyboys or the Go-Betweens. What makes these songs so moving is not Vager’s voice itself but her delivery. Her fierceness, her flow and how clear it is she’s singing about what she knows.”
- Kate Hennessy, The Guardian
"A Quality Of Mercy, an eight-track collection of tight, incisive post-punk/retro-pop infused with a liberal dose of downcast catharsis, confessional lyrics and downright infectious hooks."
– The Music
"A Quality of Mercy" is the debut album from Melbourne’s RVG, led by songwriter Romy Vager: a powerful LP of emotionally engaging work that draws inspiration from post-punk and new wave pop styles.” – Simon Winkler, RRR
“A Quality of Mercy is the title of RVG’s gripping, post-gothic, charcoal sounding album. Television’s Marquee Moon and Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures are influencing current bands just a Rumours did three years ago”. – Mikey Cahill, The Herald Sun (listed album 7 in 10 ten albums of 2017 so far)
“A Quality of Mercy – the debut album from Melbourne’s RVG, is a collection of sharp, driving pop songs that draw equally from the goth palette of early 4AD and the literary proto-punk of Television.” – Who The Hell
“RVG deliver a world-class first release. Prepare yourself to be thrown back and feel all your feelings.” – Beth AQ, PBS Breakfast Spread