ULTRAPOP: Live at the Masonic (Blu-Ray) [DVD]

The Armed are set to release ULTRAPOP: Live at the Masonic Temple, their narrative-driven concert film on Blu-Ray. The film is Part “Lemonade,” part “Live at Pompeii” and fully infused with a sense of Lynchian dread. Live performance and story-driven narrative melt seamlessly into one another, as the film confronts themes of identity, information warfare, the commoditization of artistic product, and commodification of the artist. The film also definitively shines a light on The Armed’s often-mysterious, collaborative structure—revealing an ever-changing lineup over the course of its runtime. The project is a stunningly-filmed cinematic document of live performances taking place within the opulent chapels, imposing asylum rooms, full-size indoor handball courts, halls (and more) of the mysterious Masonic Temple of Detroit; a 550,000 square foot fortress in the heart of the city.

The Armed’s latest album ULTRAPOP, released in April of 2021, received acclaim across the board, gaining the highly coveted Pitchfork Best New Music and praise from The New Yorker Magazine, Vulture, Stereogum, Revolver. AV Club, Fader, Bandcamp, Entertainment Weekly, Interview Magazine, and so much more. Reaching the same extremities of sonic expression as the furthest depths of metal, noise, and otherwise "heavy" counterculture music subgenres, it finds its foundation firmly in pop music and pop culture. A joyous, genderless, post-nihilist, anti-punk, razor-focused take on creating the most intense listening experience possible, and now with ULTRAPOP: Live At The Masonic, the most intense live experience possible.