Astrid : (as-trid), a female given name, meaning beautiful goddess of divine strength
Pierce : a male given name, meaning rock, or extremely talented, powerful, handsome man
Astrid Pierce is a four-piece rock 'n' roll band residing in "The Modern Venice" of America; otherwise known as Brooklyn, New York. The group consists of singer/guitarist Michael Pawlowicz, bassist Matthew Vollmer, drummer Cici Harrison and singer/guitarist/violinist Craig Harff.
Astrid Pierce was born in early 2008, after Cici responded to a “Drummer Wanted” ad she found on Craigslist that was posted by Mike and Matt, who were looking to form a new project. These three met up, began writing material and quickly broke into the New York club scene with their first phase of Beatle-esque, melodic, post-punk anthems which resembled Joy Division rhythms covered in My Bloody Valentine’s reverberant ambience. The group documented this first “3-piece edition” phase of the band with the self-released “Part One”
EP released in February of 2009.
The Astrids went about a “take whatever you get” mentality towards show playing in their first year as a band, which, at times led them to headlining vacant parking lots during electrical storms on the Southeastern banks of Wisconsin. Eventually, the group found homes in numerous NY venues, including Fontana's of Chinatown, Willyburg's Public Assembly (for Trashbat parties), along with a monthly residence at the "clubsters paradise" dreamworld of Bar 13.
In October of 2009, longtime childhood friend of Mike, Craig Harff, joined Astrid Pierce and the group recorded the first in a string of new EP’s set to be self-released in the upcoming months. These new recordings will show the band’s maturity and various influences, with the main musical focus being primarily on the “song”. Vollmer’s bass lines play like a lead guitar, dancing all over the floor like a young McCartney, blending with Peter Hook’s sweetest perfections. Harrison drums in a style all of her own, primal and tribal, direct but adjacent, along with tiny hints of homage thrown to Mr. Bonham, Mr. Grohl and Mr. Mullen Jr.. Pawlowicz’s and Harff’s vocal lines weave in and out of focus, like two old friends that share a polite, Gallagher sneer with a Yorke-like charmed shiver. And all the while there’s The Edge, playing his chime-like delayed guitar through Paul Weller’s AC-30, with the sound of Astrid’s violin in the background, echoing the piercing melodies of tomorrows silentious childlike dreams.
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