PREVIEW: Iconic Indie Rock Band Cursive Return to Capital Region
12/16 @ Lark Hall, Albany
**This article originally appeared in our December print issue**
Photo by Debi Gustafson
“Cursive is sure to put on an exciting and involved performance that will appeal to fans of many different genres.”
For the second time this year, DIVE Presents will be bringing indie-rock post-hardcore group Cursive to the Capital Region, this time to the iconic Lark Hall in Albany on December 16. They will be joined by opener AJJ.
In April, Cursive played an electric show at Troy’s No Fun between dates opening for fellow Omaha icons Bright Eyes. The groups also released a mashup of two of their well-loved songs, “The Recluse” by Cursive and “Lover I Don’t Have to Love” by Bright Eyes, performed each night of tour. The remix was released as part of an effort to raise money for Bright Eyes’ non-profit, The Poison Oak Project, dedicated to advancing equity for LGBTQ+ people, with a particular focus on supporting the trans community.
This month, Cursive will grace the stage at Lark Hall playing a wider breadth of songs from their extensive and diverse catalog. The band has promised tracks from older albums like Domestica and The Ugly Organ as well as from their newest record, Devourer.
Devourer is a solid sucker punch of a record, covering a range of topics from impending climate disasters, the process of songwriting, and critiquing right-wing politics. Cursive have never strayed from bold, topical statements but Devourer feels particularly relevant in the current reality of American politics. The record is also an impressive work of music, covering all of Cursive’s bases and spotlighting their range of musical styles. Devourer is supported by four singles, “Up & Away,” “Botch Job,” “Imposturing,” and “Dark Star.” Following in the tradition of their other albums, these singles have attention-grabbing, trippy music videos that complement the songs perfectly. With Devourer as the base for this show, Cursive are sure to put on an exciting and involved performance that will appeal to fans of many different genres.
Joining Cursive will be the band AJJ in their duo form, composed of Sean Bonnette and Ben Gallaty. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, AJJ compliments Cursive’s musical style with their own form of folk-punk and experimental music. The band put out the album Disposable Everything in 2023 and a remixed/demo version of the album, Disposable Everything Else, in 2024.
While not currently sold out, it’s unlikely that tickets will still be available the day of the show. If you’re on the fence about attending, take the leap now and head to DIVE’s website to get your tickets. Cursive and AJJ are going to bring a powerful, bursting performance to the cold evening of December 16th, and you don’t want to miss it.
Follow Cursive on Instagram at @cursivetheband and at their website cursivearmy.com. Find their newest record, Devourer, wherever you get your music.
Support the Poison Oak Project and learn more about their mission at poisonoakproject.com.
Follow AJJ and look for their upcoming shows on Instagram at @AJJtheband and at their website www.ajjtheband.com.
Keep up with DIVE Presents on Instagram at @diveupstate for updates on upcoming shows in the Capital Region. Visit their website at diveupstate.com.
