I had still only seen Osees under 10 times the first time I thought about missing one of their shows- I think I was offered free Lakers tickets- good seats. But the team wasn’t that good that year so I opted for the gig- which was the last time I saw Thee Oh Sees at The Teragram Ballroom. What I realized that night was that unlike the Lakers, every Oh Sees show is just as good as the first- I’ve never seen any composition of the band under any name have an off night. How is that possible?
related: The 4th Wave Of Garage Rock- A Retrospective
Sometimes, I imagine John Dwyer in a basement beating his drummers when they get off tempo. Like some Rock and Roll Kobe Bryant not allowing anyone who works with him to show any less passion than he in his preparedness for perfection and greatness in his craft. An artist and a scientist, taking the mathematics of art and doubling down to provide a more powerful experience. An endless human algorithm of DIY spewing content. He is not a prototype but he is a prolific model.
related: Thee Oh Sees And The Practical Application of Quantum Physics
From the ever changing branding of his life’s work on Thee Oh Sees to the Castle Face Records platform that he uses to lift like minded artists into the public consciousness, no music marketing class would ever recommend some of the choices he’s made in the business. That authenticity and disregard for the status quo in music is exactly what makes him a magnet- instead of a magnate. Blue collar all the way.
So I came to the Teragram Ballroom the evening of Saturday, August 29th for yet another Osees show. I hadn’t heard one note off Abomination Revealed At Last, the latest Osees album released on August 8th by Deathgod, the rebranded name of Castle Face Records, making me wonder if some DIY witness protection program exists. Being that it is nearly impossible to truly capture 2 drummers on a track in a studio, this is always the best way to hear new John Dwyer music for the first time.
It was the usual, unusual relentless assault by the band and the typical unbounded energy from almost everyone inside the Teragram Ballroom. The new material, drummers Dan Rincon and Paul Quattrone, bassist Tim Hellman and the no longer new addition of Mr. Elevator keyboardist and song writer, Tomas Dolas contained a polish I had yet to hear, even from this band. Certainly the acoustics and sound system at The Teragram played a part, being one of the best in town. But there was something else that was cleaner that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
Just as much of a motivation as the known entity of the excellence of a Osees show was the motivation to see Squid Pisser. Guitarist Tommy Meehan (Sweat Band Reocrds/Gwar) describes the sound on his record label’s website as “Glitched Out Squid Core”. I describe it as Hardcore on Endor. A genre is forming amongst bands like Squid Pisser and others such as Haggis. A sound that can’t be attributed to anything earthly. It’s as if an alien craft crashed on Earth and this is what was pulled from the wreckage. One thing is certain- Squid Pisser has that signature, frenetic, manic and precise Tommy Meehan riffery reflected in all his projects from Deaf Club to Cancer Christ. Not the typical opener you’d see on an Osees lineup, Squid Pisser urinated on all that is holy during their set.
related: Threeoneg Radiation- Deaf Club at The Echo
related: Hell is a Laughing Matter- The Manx at The Hi Hat
When the show was over, I was left like I always am- free from burden and with a new Squid Pisser obsession. Osees will be back to the Teragram Ballroom twice before the end of the year. Check out the tour schedule below.
Catch Osees 2025 tour dates in major U.S. markets like Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, Brooklyn, and more—plus a rare performance in Querétaro, Mexico. The tour supports their latest albums Sorcs 80 (2024) and Abomination Revealed at Last (2025), and features special appearances by Brigid Dawson at select Los Angeles shows. If you’re hunting for Osees concert tickets, venues include Neumos, Teragram Ballroom, Hotel Vegas, Thalia Hall, and more—DO NOT MISS THIS EXPERIENCE.
Key 2025 Tour Stops (U.S. & Mexico):
- September 5–6: Seattle, WA at Neumos
- September 8: Boise, ID at Shrine Social Club
- September 9: Salt Lake City, UT at Metro Music Hall
- September 10: Denver, CO at Ogden Theatre
- September 30 & October 11: Los Angeles, CA at Teragram Ballroom, featuring special guest Brigid Dawson in Osees lineup
- October 17–18: Austin, TX at Hotel Vegas
- October 19: Dallas, TX at Ferris Wheelers
- October 22: Indianapolis, IN at Old National Centre
- October 24: Philadelphia, PA at Underground Arts
- October 25–26: Brooklyn, NY at Warsaw
- October 28: Cleveland, OH at Globe Iron
- October 29–30: Chicago, IL at Thalia Hall
- November 5: Phoenix, AZ at Crescent Ballroom
- November 22: Querétaro, Mexico at Cervecería Hércules
- November 29: Los Angeles, CA again at Teragram Ballroom
December 19: Los Angeles, CA finale with a Holiday Spectacular at Teragram Ballroom
words: Danny Baraz
photos: Albert Licano
