Randy J. Klodz - Static-X Summer Plans: Release “Beneath Between Beyond,” Attend Family Picnic

Aug. 12, 2004

Static-X Summer Plans: Release “Beneath Between Beyond,” Attend Family Picnic

By Randy J. Klodz

Death-disco rockers Static-X will be making a return the Chicago area with a unique tour planned, the Family Picnic tour, supporting the July release of “Beneath Between Beyond,” a collection of Static-X demos and other rarities. Static-X hits Tweeter Center in Tinley Park, when the Family Picnic tour rolls through.

Static-X includes Wayne Static (vocals, guitar), Tripp Eisen (guitar), Tony Campos (bass) and Nick Oshiro (drums). With Family Picnic tour, an outdoor, summer version of the famed Family Values tour, a handful of hard-rock bands converge upon amphitheatre sheds, with Static-X taking on headlining duties, with cheap ticket prices. Tickets prices are listed for $10 each, with females arriving early getting in free.

Why females free? Take the musical sound of Static-X, a hard-rock sound with a dance-beat background. It seems in some way that marketing to females is the recipe for the band’s success. “I’ve know this since the beginning, that’s why when we started this band, we do dance beats because chicks like it,” said Static-X vocalist/guitarist Wayne Static, with a laugh. “If you get the girls to the show, then the guys are going to show up too, that’s the way it works.”

Another exciting reason for Static-X fans to check out this tour is that the band plans to also play some never-heard rarities from “Beneath Between Beyond,” an album packed with 18 tracks of demo material and other rare tracks. Static-X wanted to give fans something new, by offering songs that may sound familiar, but don’t have a post-production spin to them. “We tried to pick demos that were a little bit different than the album versions so people can kind of hear how a song goes from a demo stage and then see what really happens for the finished product,” Static said.

Tweeter Center is at 19100 S. Ridgeland Ave. in suburban Tinley Park. Show time is slated for 5:30 p.m. Other bands scheduled to participate on the Family Picnic tour include: SOiL, TRUSTcompany, Lo-Pro, Arithmetic of War and Strata. A side stage featuring other local acts is planned. For more information on Static-X log on to www.static-x.com.