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Artist Spotlight: Poptone

Poptone, compromised of post-punk legends, Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins along with his daughter, Diva Dompé, is a new wave of the goth rock scene from the ‘80s. Known for their prior work in Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, and Love & Rockets, guitarist, Ash, and drummer, Haskins, are back with a retrospective project that revamps the sound from their impressive repertoire of music.

The group has been touring since March of 2017, performing classic hits while adding a raw, modern flare to their performances with a collective of other covers. Recently, they released their debut album, which features recreations of classics like "Movement of Fear" and "Christian Says.” The 13-track self-titled album not only celebrates their extensive discography together, but adds a refreshing twist to each recorded track.

This May, Poptone released an official video for their track, ‘Go!’ that features video from an energy-filled live performance. The video perfectly captures Poptone’s undeniable passion for their work and the audience’s unshakeable devotion, and the onstage chemistry comes completely naturally to the group despite the fact that Ash and Haskins have not worked with each other for years.

Prior to Poptone's creation, Ash has tried his hand recording as a solo artist, while Haskins spent time scoring soundtracks for films and video games. But, when Ash was jolted awake by a Motorhead song late one night, he said he knew he had to perform live again, and this time, he would revive the music that started his entire career. In an interview with Billboard Magazine, Ash says, “I can’t explain it. Something just kicked me up the bum and said, ‘It’s so obvious what you should do right now.’”

Haskins was more than willing to collaborate with Ash, but this time, he would be adding a twist. Haskins added his daughter and talented bassist, Diva Dompé, to the group to refresh and revamp the sound that he and Ash created in the '80s. Dompé has had more than enough experience working in music with her multi-talented family, her last project being an indie-rock band, “Blackblack.” This also featured her sister on the drums and plenty of their father’s psychedelic influence in their goth rock sound. With her fresh take on the basslines of Bauhaus, Love & Rockets, and Tones on Tail classics, Dompé was the perfect addition to complete the trio.

Their shows from their tour have featured all of their classics as well as covers of classic blues rock songs. Their setlist for their past shows this tour has included the following:

1. Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley Cover)
2. OK, This Is the Pops (Tones on Tail)
3. Mirror People (Love & Rockets)
4. Moments of Fear (Tones of Tail)
5. Happiness (Tones on Tail)
6. No Big Deal (Love & Rockets)
7. Lions (Tones on Tail)
8. Twist (Tones on Tail)
9. Love me (Love & Rockets)
10. Performance (Tones on Tail)
11. An American Dream (Love & Rockets)
12. Christian Says (Tones on Tail)
13. There's Only One (Tones on Tail)
14. Balls of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) (The Temptations Cover)

Encores have included songs such as "Flame On," "Go!," and "Slice of Life" as well. See the magic for yourself at the Poptone Chicago stop at Concord Music Hall on June 21st. Grab your tickets HERE!

Written by Kaitlin Logan

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