Well, that’s a DIY underground tour right there, with Thunderchief heading out from their Richmond home base in order to hit up the Midwest and venues with words like Tavern, bar, pub and, more curiously, skatepark, in their names. The tour runs as far west as Lincoln, Nebraska, and is essentially a loop that will carry the duo of Rik Surly and Erik Larson back toward home by the finish, going in support of their Dekk Meg… release, which compiled a year’s worth of covers released as singles. With one day off on a 16-show stint, one would not accuse them of taking it easy on themselves.

Safe travels to them and a hearty word to bring earplugs if you’re headed out to any of the shows. One doesn’t expect they’ll take it easy on their audience’s hearing either.

The below comes from the PR wire, and I’m pretty sure it’s the first time I’ve ever seen anyone’s anything referred to as a “powerfuck.” To wit:

THUNDERCHIEF Goes to Nebraska

Richmond, VA’s very own 2-piece powerfuck, THUNDERCHIEF, is heading West in July—to the Midwest, that is. The band will be bouncing around the Heartland, delivering a hodgepodge of songs from “Witchduck EP”, “No Sufferance For Thy Fools”, “Synanthrope”, and their latest release on ASR Records, “Dekk Meg…”, and maybe some new material if time allows.

The tour begins in Harrisonburg, VA, and meanders thru a variety of venues, skateparks & DIY spots, sharing space with a slew of killer bands, including Ommnus, Slow Attack, Crack Mountain, Long Cold Stare, Some Kind of Nightmare, and on the final show of the tour, the band finds themselves in direct support of LIE HEAVY’s Record release show (featuring Karl Agell & crew)

This will be THUNDERCHIEF’s first venture to the Midwest, and the band couldn’t be more excited to celebrate July 4 week in the nation’s Breadbasket!

Tour dates, news and all things THUNDERCHIEF can be found here…
www.thethunderchief.com
www.thethunderchief.bandcamp.com

6/28 Harrisonburg, VA — Golden Pony
6/29 Lansing, MI. — Mac Bar
6/30 Kent, OH — Zephyr
7/1 Chicago, IL — Liars Club
7/2 Waukegan, IL — Starlight Skatepark
7/4 St. Joseph, MO — Sk8bar
7/5 Des Moines, IA –Hull Ave. Tavern
7/6 Lincoln, NE — 1867
7/7 Kansas City, MO — Black Tar Pit
7/8 Indianapolis, IN — State St. Pub
7/9 Louisville, KY — Mag Bar
7/10 Murfreesboro, TN — CxR
7/11 Birmingham, AL — Saturn
7/12 Chattanooga, TN — JJs Bohemia
7/13 Atlanta, GA — Star Bar
7/14 Raleigh, NC — Pour House (LIE HEAVY release show)

Thunderchief are:
Rik Surly – Guitar/vocals
Erik Larson – Drums

www.thethunderchief.com
www.thethunderchief.bandcamp.com
www.instagram.com/thunderchiefofficial
www.facebook.com/thunderchiefrva

Thunderchief, Dekk Meg… (2023)

The new release from Richmond, Virginia’s Thunderchief brings together a series of covers the duo have been releasing over the course of the last year in one handy collection. You’ll find the latest of the bunch — a take on Dinosaur Jr.‘s “Don’t” — streaming at the bottom of this post along with 2021’s Synanthrope (review here), and between here and there is a decent stretch of tour dates they’ll undertake beginning Jan. 9. Their route takes them southward, because who the hell wants to head north in January anyway, and be out for two solid weeks, heading as far west as San Antonio before looping back around toward home.

The title here, Dekk Meg…, is “cover me” in Norwegian, if you’re wondering, so fair enough for being a collection of covers. As you can see below, it’s been a not-insignificant undertaking on the part of Rik Surly and Erik Larson (the latter also Alabama Thunderpussy, etc.), and I’ll look forward to digging into the whole bunch together when the opportunity presents itself.

Info from the PR wire:

THUNDERCHIEF is heading South in support of their new release “Dekk Meg…” (ASR Records)

Richmond, VA’s 2–piece nihilistic Sludge ‘n’ Roll outfit THUNDERCHIEF are heading out due south to support their new CD release, “Dekk Meg…” (ASR Records), slated for Friday, January 6, 2023.

The album is the culmination of 12 cover songs that were digitally released as singles throughout 2021/2022, and have now been re-mastered at New Alliance East in Boston, MA. This collection of deep cuts by Sheer Terror, Joe Walsh, Neanderthal, among others, showcases the band making full use of the pandemic downtime.

“Dekk Meg…” (“Cover Me…”) was created in 3 sessions with 6 powerhouse engineers–Mike Dean, Mark Miley, Jordan Faett, Lance Koehler, Allen Bergendahl, and Nick Zampiello

Tour begins January 9 in Asheville, NC and continues on with heavy support from CrankBait, Hot Ram, Christworm, and a rare appearance from Southern heavyweight titans, Hexxus.

1/9 Asheville, NC Static Age Records
1/10 Murfreesboro, TN cXr
1/11 Little Rock, AR Whitewater Tavern
1/12 Denton, TX Dan’s Silverleaf
1/13 San Antonio, TX Faust
1/14 Austin, TX Lost Well
1/15 Houston, TX Black Magic Social Club
1/16 New Orleans, LA Siberia
1/17 Gulfport, MS VFW #1406
1/18 Birmingham, AL Saturn
1/19 Atlanta, GA Star Community Bar
1/20 Charlotte, NC The Milestone
1/21 Charleston, SC Trolley Pub
1/22 Raleigh, NC School Kids Records

Cover & Artist Photos: Chris Boarts Larson

Thunderchief are:
Rik Surly – Guitar/vocals
Erik Larson – Drums

www.thethunderchief.com
www.thethunderchief.bandcamp.com
www.instagram.com/thunderchiefofficial
www.facebook.com/thunderchiefrva

Thunderchief, “Don’t” (Dinosaur Jr. cover)

Thunderchief, Synanthrope (2021)