Southern California based alternative rock band ACIDIC will rejoin Smile Empty Soul on their Merican Chemicals Tour tour, wrapping up in Sacramento, California on December 12.
ACIDIC, which consists of lead singer and guitarist Michael Gossard, bassist Ted Dubrawski, drummer Matt Whitaker, and guitarist/back-up vocalist Josh Bennett, released their fourth full-length, 10-track album Copper Man this year. The band once again teamed up with producer John Ryan of Chicago Kid Productions; Ryan has worked with Santana, Lynrd Skynrd and Styx among others on Copper Man. “This album is the album we’ve been wishing and praying for. We love playing these songs. This was a pure collaboration of the whole band, a labor of love between three friends. It’s organic, carnivorous rock n’ roll,” says frontman Gossard. In describing their sound, Gossard calls it “a high-powered fusion of insanity-based rock,” adding “I find that much of our music is inspired by grunge bands like Pearl Jam as well as Green Day, Cage the Elephant and Foo Fighters. I also find inspiration from artists like Mozart for structure and harmonies.”
Copper Man has already received critical praise on their latest tour: “This threesome took the stage by storm opening the night with their set and a song titled Drive Thru, from their album Copper Man. With a hint of a Green Day sound, this trio never slowed down once they took the stage. Throwing in their rendition of Come Together by the Beatles has everyone along for the ride,” said Erika Thomas of Screamer Magazine. Benjamin Ricci of Performer Magazine said, “Straight from the get go, ACIDIC brings forth its frenetic energy and passionate sound in waves of indie alternative delight. Copper Man opens up this ten-song album with distortion-glazed guitars, dazzling percussion and bass and high-octane rocket powered vocals.”
In the past two years ACIDIC has toured with Candlebox, Fuel, Warner Drive, Alien Ant Farm, Marcy Playground, Filter, Hawthorne Heights, The Higher, and Trapt. In 2011, the band visited Germany and Kosovo as part of an Armed Forces Entertainment tour, an experience that inspired Gossard to write “The Brave.” “I would be approached by all these soldiers and they’d tell me stories,” Gossard said. “I’d listen and decided I needed to write about it.”
When they’re not touring, ACIDIC regularly plays around Southern California recently playing to a sold out house at the legendary Troubadour.
The dates for the tour are as follows:
DATE CITY/STATE VENUE