“Their idea is a little bit of mad brilliance, really.”
Josh Terzino · January 7, 2013
Live review · Lincoln Hall
Science fiction dance music from Chicago. Cinematic electronic scores, live instrumentation and synchronized video.
Contact: [email protected]
Terrible Spaceship is a Chicago band that transforms classic science-fiction films, broadcasts and animation into original cinematic dance music. The band's projects have drawn source material from Orson Welles' 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast, the 1966 B-movie Zontar, the Thing from Venus, Fleischer Studios' 1940s Superman cartoons and the electronic world of 1982's TRON.
The live show pairs electronic beats and live instrumentation with synchronized projected video, turning the source imagery into part of the performance rather than background decoration.
Selected reviews and coverage from the archives.
“A mash-up of down-beat drums, radio static and electronic noise that sounds like DJ Shadow remixing an episode of ‘The Twilight Zone.’”
“Equally influenced by Danny Elfman, Portishead and Orson and H.G. Welles.”
Quoted in the band’s Martyrs’ profile
View the venue profile ↗“Their idea is a little bit of mad brilliance, really.”
Josh Terzino · January 7, 2013
Live review · Lincoln Hall
“gripping textures that can connect to the mind's eye.”
Hans Werksman · February 1, 2013
Album review · Invaders: 1938
“Somewhere, Orson Welles is break dancing on his head.”
Terry Flamm · January 25, 2013
Album coverage · Invaders 1938
“dancey, electronic grooves”
Katie Karpowicz · March 5, 2012
Concert preview · Zontar at Martyrs’
Invaders 1938 retells the story of War of the Worlds as famously presented by Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre, set to an original cinematic score.
Zontar, the Thing from Venus adapts a 1966 science-fiction B-movie into an electronic dance party.
Mechanical Monsters rebuilds the Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons as epic-scale instrumental hip-hop.
End of Line is a synthesizer-infused, upbeat retelling of 1982's TRON.
The projection is an integral part of Terrible Spaceship's live set. Venues should have the ability to accommodate video projection, or discuss projection options with the band when booking.
Terrible Spaceship's performance is designed around synchronized video projection. When considering the band for a show, please include information about the venue's projector, screen/surface and video-input options. If projection is not installed in-house, the band can discuss alternatives.
Contact: [email protected]