Echo and the Bunnymen Perform on One Special Sunday Night at John Ascuaga’s Nugget

Sparks/Reno, Nev. – The standard-bearers of Liverpool's neo-psychedelic movement, Echo and the Bunnymen's moody, atmospheric music combines punk's energy and edge with the Doors' poetic theatricality. In the midst of playing a major-venue tour, see EATB play one special night, Sunday, April 18, in the intimate 700-seat Celebrity Showroom at John Ascuaga’s Nugget.
With a plethora of commercial success, the Bunnymen grew out of a late-'70s trio featuring vocalist Ian McCulloch, Pete Wylie, and Julian Cope. Cope and Wylie left the group by the end of 1977, before McCulloch met guitarist Will Sergeant in the summer of 1978. The pair began recording demos with a drum machine that the duo called "Echo." Adding bassist Les Pattinson, the band made its live debut at the Liverpool club Eric's at the end of 1978, calling itself Echo & the Bunnymen.
In March of 1979, the group released its first single, "Pictures on My Wall"/"Read It in Books.” The single and their popular live performances led to a contract with Korova. After signing the contract, the group discarded the drum machine, adding drummer Pete de Freitas. Released in the summer of 1980, their debut album, Crocodiles, reached number 17 on the U.K. charts. Shine So Hard, an EP released in the fall, became their first record to crack the U.K. Top 40. With the more ambitious and atmospheric Heaven Up Here (1981), the group began to gain momentum, thanks to positive reviews; it became their first U.K. Top Ten album. Two years later, Porcupine appeared, becoming the band's biggest hit (peaking at number two on the U.K. charts) and launching the Top Ten single "The Cutter."
"The Killing Moon" became the group's second Top Ten hit at the beginning of 1984, yet its follow-up, "Silver," didn't make it past number 30 when it was released in May. Ocean Rain was released that same month to great critical acclaim; peaking at number four in Britain, the record became the Bunnymen's first album to chart in the U.S. Top 100. The following year was a quiet one for the band as they released only one new song, "Bring on the Dancing Horses," which was included on the compilation Songs to Learn & Sing.
Echo & the Bunnymen returned with new material in the summer of 1987, releasing the single "The Game" and a self-titled album. Echo & the Bunnymen became their biggest American hit, peaking at number 51; it was a success in England as well, reaching number four. However, the album indicated that the group was in a musical holding pattern. At the end of 1988, McCulloch left the band to pursue a solo career; the rest of the band decided to continue without the singer. Tragedy hit the band in the summer of 1989 when de Freitas was killed in an auto accident. McCulloch released his first solo album, Candleland, in the fall of 1989; it peaked at number 18 in the U.K. and number 159 in the U.S. Echo & the Bunnymen released Reverberation, their first album recorded without McCulloch, in 1990; it failed to make the charts. McCulloch released his second solo album, Mysterio, in 1992. Two years later, McCulloch and Sergeant formed Electrafixion, releasing their first album in 1995. In 1997, the duo re-teamed with Pattinson to re-form Echo & the Bunnymen, issuing the LP Evergreen. Two years later, they returned with What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?
The new millennium brought Echo & the Bunnymen back to the basics. The British press touted the band's storybook flair found on 1983's Ocean Rain and figured such spark would be found on their ninth album, Flowers. Issued in spring 2001, it reflected McCulloch's dark breezy vocals and Sergeant's signature hooks. Live in Liverpool, a concert disc capturing the band's two gigs at Liverpool of Performing Arts while on tour in support of Flowers, followed a year later. For 2005's Siberia, McCulloch and Sergeant joined producer Hugh Jones for the band's most classic effort since their 1997 comeback. A second proper live album, 2006's Me, I'm All Smiles, captured the Bunnymen's gig at Shepherds Bush Empire while on tour in support of Siberia. In 2009, the band released their next album, The Fountain, as well as played a show at Radio City Music Hall to celebrate their 30th anniversary.
Prior to coming to the Nugget, the Bunnymen will be featured at the massive Coachella Festival. Much like when Morrissey played the Nugget a couple of years back, the chance to see EATB in a venue such as the Celebrity Showroom is certainly a must-attend for fans.
Echo and the Bunnymen play one night, Sunday, April 18, at 8 p.m. in the Celebrity Showroom at John Ascuaga’s Nugget. Tickets are $60, and are available by calling (800) 648-1177 or 775) 356-3300 or by visiting janugget.com. Dinner and room packages are available. “Do the Nugget Tonight!”