KARRERA KLUB pres.: May 17, 2006

live: Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra
& Tra-La-La-Band (southern/can)

Silver Mt. Zion is a group led by founding Godspeed You! Black Emperor guitarist Efrim. Joined by fellow GYBE members Sophie (violin) and Thierry (contrabass), SMZ debuted with a performance at Constellationís Musique Fragile concert series in spring 1999 and went on to record their first record in November of that year. Built around Efrimís simple piano figures, the debut SMZ album also marks the first recording to document Thierryís move from electric to acoustic upright bass, and the first recorded instance of Efrim on vocals since a rare 1996 GYBE cassette release. The band expanded to six members in late 2000 with the addition of Beckie (cello), Ian (guitar) and Jessica (violin), and toured Europe in early 2001, returning to record a double album, released under the name The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band. With minor variations, the larger band has worked under this name ever since, releasing two more double albums in 2003 and 2005. These records have moved progressively towards a greater use of lead and group vocals, and an expanded vocabulary of influences and instrumentation, all rallied towards a highly original and uncompromising redefinition of punk-rock protest music. Multi-instrumentalist Scott (drums, mandolin, guitar) became the seventh Tra-La-La member, after joining the group for a 2004 tour. SMZ has also been re-invented a couple of times in recent years, first as Thee Silver Mountain Reveries on a 2004 recording that originated with Efrim laying down song sketches in the studio and bringing in some SMZ alumni and others to fill out the arrangements, and more recently as Thee Silver Mountain Elegies Play War Radio, a band comprising four Tra-La-La Band members along with Gen and Eric from Hangedup, who wrote new music for a short tour in the fall of 2005. Tra-La-La Band members play in a long list of other bands, including Black Ox Orkestar, Esmerine, Fifths of Seven, The Mile End Ladiesí String Auxiliary, Re:, Sloth is the Love and many others.