EZRA FURMAN IN CONCERT:
Gender-bending punk progeny Ezra Furman makes psych-tinged garage rock as edgy and vibrant as the red lipstick and shock-blue hair he flaunts on stage. Furman and his band The Boy-Friends whip up quite a show in concert, cranking their amps to the max and tearing through their subversive tunes with snarling energy and plenty of panache. Furman’s music is a modern-day answer to gritty, scrappy ‘70s outfits like The Ramones and The New York Dolls, but the thoughtful lyrics and creative instrumentation of nuggets like “Restless Year” add an inspired layer of emotional nuance to those tried-and-true Downtown sounds. Above all else Furman is a natural showman, and his blend of tough-guy punk attitude and heart-on-sleeve vulnerability make for a dynamic and unpredictable concert experience for totally stoked ticket buyers.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Chicago-born Ezra Furman began his rock and roll journey at Tufts University in 2006 when he formed Ezra Furman and the Harpoons with some classmates. The band released three albums including 2011’s critically acclaimed Mysterious Power, which they supported with a US headlining tour before breaking up. Furman made his solo debut the following year with the album The Year of No Returning, which he recorded and released with funds raised on Kickstarter. He put together a backing band for a tour in support of the album, and the lineup stuck – in 2013 the group released the album Day of the Dog under the moniker Ezra Furman and the Boy-Friends. Since then they’ve become critical darlings in both the US and the UK, flooring fans and critics alike with their live-wire performances and acclaimed albums like 2015’s Perpetual Motion People.
