Banquet

Banquet is a rock group from San Francisco. The act is associated with hard rock and rock n’ roll, and is also described as fuzz rock, 1970s rock, retro rock and psych rock. Its sound is characterised by dual lead guitars, vocals and a rhythm section. The group also uses glitch beats, sampling and live looping, with the laptop treated as part of the instrumentation.

Style and formation

The group forms in mid-2006 and presents itself as a four-piece with broad musical tastes and a strong interest in live performance. It keeps its shows distinctive by combining conventional rock instrumentation with electronic elements. The group’s approach to computers is part of its identity: it uses them in a way that aims to avoid the cold, sterile image often attached to them in music.

Sound and identity

Banquet is rooted in San Francisco rock tradition and is described in terms that stress loud, distorted guitar work and an aggressive live sound. The band frames itself as a response to the city’s changing musical landscape, with a focus on forceful playing and a deliberately unpolished edge. An early live instrumental recording is noted as not fully representative of the group’s usual sound.

Other act using the name

Another act called Banquet also appears under the same name. This separate group is a Japanese vocal and dance boy group with five members, which debuts in 2019 with the album WELCOME TO THE BANQUET WORLD.