Miami-based band Heavy Drag is gearing up for its summer tour that will kick off with a performance at The Atlantic on July 6.
Heavy Drag is not a run-of-the-mill band. The band is composed of four members: Jacob Israel on guitar, Michael Ruiz-Unger on bass and vocals, Andres Bedoya on drums and percussion and Andreas Wong Chong on guitar and vocals, who are all involved in different creative outlets. Ruiz-Unger has even had success publishing his very first comic book “Dark Beach.”
“The four of us used to be a band called Lil Daggers,” Israel said. “Now we’ve been a band for about two years.”
Israel is as laid back as a rock-star on the rise can be, and calls his band mates “dudes” frequently. All four musicians also belong to another band as drummers.
After recording their first long playing record, Sábana Ghost, a year ago, the band is excited have it finally released on July 22.
“Putting out records takes forever,” Israel said.
All four members believe in original content and creating something unique to stand apart from the music industry. Israel describes the band as something that goes against the grain of everyday music.
“We’re pretty creative dudes,” he said.
The fan base agrees, and so does columnist Bao Le-Huu, who described Heavy Drag as packing “every bit of tonnage their name promises.”
Catherine Herrick, the band’s publicist, started out as a fan.
“I knew within the first few moments of listening that I wanted to work with them,” Herrick said. “It’s rare that something hits me that immediately, so when that happens, it’s very, very exciting.”
Sábana Ghost, which translates to sheet ghost, will debut their 10-track album in mid-July, but right now their first single, “Kinda Slow,” is available at limitedfanfare.bigcartel.com.
The tour will start in Gainesville at The Atlantic at 9 p.m. on July 6. The event will also feature the bands Dark Hedges and Average Friend. Tickets are available at the door for $5.
For the band that is described as Miami Psych Rock, this tour is a major milestone that will take them all the way to New York this summer.
“We’re just excited to be doing this,” Israel said.
