The Orwells

Ripping into Portland to thrash some Northwestern minds, The Orwells will arrive at Star Theater on Nov. 16 offering a haze of good old fashioned sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. In a career comprising two studio albums and a handful of independent EPs and singles, these guys have a lot to say about post-adolescent lust, rhythm, sedation, triumphs and tragedies.

Formed in the band’s high school years in a Chicago suburb, The Orwells comprise cousins Mario Cuomo (singer) and Dominic Corso (guitarist), twin brothers Henry Brinner (drummer) and Grant Brinner (bassist), and guitarist Matt O’Keefe stands on his bloodline alone. If you were to twist and swirl the sounds of The Killers and Weezer, and then throw in some Midwest psychedelic garage vibes, into a bowl of marijuana and a lot of alcohol you would render the Orwells.

Their resumé includes a 2013 appearance at Lollapalooza and a handful of shows supporting The Arctic Monkeys. The Orwells released their latest full-length studio album Disgraceland in 2014, and their talents shined for millions on The Late Show with David Letterman. They left Letterman and the crowd in a frenzy, with the host calling for a rare musical encore as the credits rolled. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen because O’Keefe had broken all of his guitar strings by that point. The song, “Who Needs You,” had gotten some attention on an Apple commercial and was featured in Grand Theft Auto V. Their latest release is an 86-second single titled “Buddy.” Currently they are touring all over the globe and keeping up the raw energy that is leaving crowds everywhere raging.»

– Ellis Samsara