Alpha Strategy

10 years ago this week, us Alpha Strategy fellers completed Drink the Brine, Get Scarce, our first of three records with dear old Steve Albini at Electrical Audio. We put it out as a tape (and not vinyl, for which Steve made fun of us, perhaps rightfully so) a few days later on March 7th. I (Rory) feel tremendously honored to have worked alongside my cherished friends James, Ben, and Evan for the realization of that record, and it remains one of my fondest memories.

These days, James, Ben, and Evan are still at it in the business of show. James plays guitar with as much unerring instinct as ever in the formidable Oil Giant with Dan (who of course absolutely owned Alpha Strategy bass guitar action in 2017, including on 2018's The Gurgler) and James Kearns who graciously and masterfully handled guitar duties during the end of our 2019 European tour. Ben has a new bonkers noise experimental project called Feral Agathist , and Evan continues his long-standing thoughtful and psychedelic electronic undertaking, Know Itself . All of the aforementioned are recommended listening via Bandcamp.

The goal is to play a few songs from the album on this Friday, February 27th at the "secret" venue, Papírenská 10, within the context an Aww Man organized evening. Martin, Ondra and Filip and I will start it off around 20:00 before LEVAG .band of Plzen and finally Lemongram from Berlin.

Media as appearing here:

1. Mixing of the song Path in the Studio B control room (video by Evan)

2. Studio B floor recording

3. Post-recording video with Steve that was intended to only be a photo

4. 2024 Drink the Brine crew camping reunion photo

5. Poster for the 27.2 concert

6. See you on Friday (photo by Martin)

How about it: Alpha Strategy's "Let's Make Everyone in CZ Really Happy by Leaving the Country for 9 Days" tour

27.9 Cluj-Napoca, RO @ Spațiul A.casă via Resilience Collective w/ Thorn Bug

28.9 Bucharest, RO @ Underworld via Beach Buddies Records w/ Didona

29.9 Plovdiv, BG @ Petnoto Na Rorschach w/ Low-key

1.10 Skopje, MK @ Beertija (new location) via Naked Mountain Collective

2.10 Athens, GR @ Naos - Not An Ordinary Space w/ Tiffany + Yummy Steaks

3.10 Sofia, BG @ Fabrika Avtonomia via Kontingent Records w/ Feedbacker

4.10 Timișoara, RO @ Nemesis Art Club via Dvvm Records

5.10 Trnava, SK @ Kubik w/ Mekenzy

Presented by Aww Man - Radio & Concerts

With support by SoundCzech , Ministerstvo kultury České republiky, and Národní institut pro kulturu.

And if that wasn't enough: tomorrow, September 18th, we play with Shearling (US) and Allarme (PL) at Klubovna here in Prague, via Heartnoize Promotion. Tickets available at GoOut.
Shearling + Allarme + Alpha Strategy ❤︎ 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔫𝔬𝔦𝔷𝔢

Live concert photos by .arts from June 2025 in Brno, CZ

Our next Prague show is at this year's multi-venue Žižkovská noc festival on March 21, event page below:
https://www.facebook.com/events/533546256409777/

CHEERS TO UNDERDOGS' - 31.12 ONE LAST TIME

Tomorrow it's the last ever show at the Underdogs' venue; the place that's been the geographical center for nights organized by Aww Man - Radio & Concerts, which has also hosted the majority of Alpha Strategy's Prague concerts including the first ever performance by our Czech-Canadian configuration in 2020 (photos / video here)

While it's bittersweet to mark the ending, we figure there's no better way to celebrate all of the great things that the Underdogs' collective has brought to the DIY/weirdo scene in Prague (and beyond) than to put off one last wild night in their space. An approximate schedule for the evening is below in this post.

There's no way I can thank the Underdogs' crew enough for all of the great performances they've hosted, the friendships I've made through nights in their club, their support of Alpha Strategy + Aww Man, and for their overall dedication to their mandate of facilitating alternative culture. These contributions and many others have resulted in the Underdogs' venue being not only my favorite in Prague, but for it taking the top spot out of all of the concert spaces that I've spent my time in during the past 25 years.

Per their statement posted earlier this month, Underdogs' collective is not ending, (look no further than the Underdogs' Cafe) and I'm very interested to see the outcome of other projects they are currently working on.

We look forward to seeing you, our friends, at Underdogs' on New Year's Eve.

-- Aww Man/Rory on behalf of the Alpha Strategy band

(Photos from CZ/CA Alpha Strategy's first concert at Underdogs' thanks to Pilou Barge / we're morons and can't remember who recorded the video, sorry)

Tickets for tomorrow are on sale at the link below, or buy them for a slightly higher price at the door after 17:00:
https://goout.net/cs/listky/aww-man-new-years-diensthund+alpha-strategy+dalsi/coocb/

19:00 - doors

20:20 - Ivy Z

21:20 - Tilikum

22:20 - Diensthund

00:15 - Alpha Strategy (thank you Renata, for asking us to be the last band to play in the venue)

01:00 - DJ Donaumarina

And finally, for anyone who missed Diensthund's performance on the Aww Man live radio stream yesterday and would like have a preview of their performance tomorrow night, the podcast/replay has been posted at http://awwman.net

We met many good people, seen lots of old friends, and maybe played half-decently at our concerts on our most recent tour - thank you all.

We'd also like to acknowledge the financial support of SoundCzech for these shows.

To finish off this year:
26.10 - Zagreb, HR at Grof Melin w/ The Hahas and the Blablas Rođendan Melina uz alter/punk/folk svirku!

27.10 - Zadar, HR at Nigdjezemska
Alpha Strategy i Drown u Nigdjezemskoj!

23.11 - Vsetín, CZ at Vesmír w/ Kulturní šok + Petr Válek + buchty/nouze
Das ist Deutschland 5

31.12 - Prague, CZ as part of the Aww Man - Radio & Concerts big annual New Year's show at our beloved Underdogs'

Group picture with Filip wearing the Cafe Wolf shirt is one of many great shots by Alex Horn which can be found at Abbazabaphoto.

Live performance photo by Sergio Retratando Voces as part of a write-up he kindly put together about our show in Barcelona:
https://retratandovoces.blogspot.com/2024/10/alpha-strategy-kyori-ateneu-popular-9.html

Photo of Martin, Filip, and Ondra in the van with our driver Martin by Rory.

All other photos by Martin Doležal.

Come hang out with us and the rest of the garbage:

28.9 - Nancy, FR @ Le Black Baron
Alpha Strategy + Väcärme + Entorse

29.9 - Marseille, FR @ Leda Atomica Musique
WA7 - Concert : ALPHA STRATEGY

30.9 - Barcelona, ES @ Ateneu Popular 9 Barris via Ojalá Estë Mi Bici
Alpha Startegy + Kyori en l'Ateneu popular de 9 barris

1.10 - Donostia-san Sebastián, ES @ Mogambo I Trintxerpe-Donostia

2.10 - Troyes, FR @ Le fer à gus via Datapanik

3.10 - Delémont, CH @ SAS
Jeudi "Bruit" & "Voyou" / Alpha Strategy (can/cz) + Grimace (ch)

4.10 - Cologne, DE @ Schmitzundkunzt via Mörtel Sounds
ALPHA STRATEGY / CHURCHLICKERS @ Schmitzundkunzt, Köln

5.10 - Kreuzlingen, CH @ Horst Klub
ALPHA STRATEGY (CZE) + BLACK MARKET KARMA (UK)

More shows in Croatia and the Czech Republic will happen before the end of the year.

We appreciate the financial support of SoundCzech for the tour.

This is how it will go for shows for the rest of the year, as far as we know

Jul 04 (tomorrow!) Brno, CZ via Bed People Booking
SESHLOST W/ Alpha Strategy, Endemit

Jul 05 - Boskovice, CZ @ BOSKOVICE – festival pro židovskou čtvrť
Palouk Potrvá & Boskovice 2024 festival pro židovskou čtvrť

Aug 16 - Krnov, CZ @ Pelhrimovy Festival

Sep 28 - Clermont-Ferrand, FR @ Raymond Bar

Sep 29 - Marseille, FR @ TBD

Sep 30 - Barcelona, ES @ venue TBD via Ojalá estë mi bici

Oct 01 - Donostia-San Sebastián, ES @ Mogambo

Oct 02 - Bordeaux, FR @ TBD

Oct 03 - France or Switzerland, TBD

Oct 04 - Cologne, DE @ Schmitzundkunzt via Mörtel Sounds

Oct 05 - Kreuzlingen, CH @ Horst Klub

Oct 26 - Zagreb, HR @ TBD

Oct 27 - Zadar, HR @ Nigdjezemska

Oct 31 - Prague, CZ w/ via Aww Man - Radio & Concerts
nunofyrbeeswax (garage post-punk DE) / Bibione / Alpha Strategy / David's Sister

We'd also like to say thanks to our fine friends at OBJECT:PARADISE who played a live recording of Mosquito Generation Point on their new radio program OBJECT:PARDOY from our performance at Underdogs' on May 15th. And a big thanks to our old friend Brian who played The Gargler as part of his tribute to Steve Albini on his radio show Chin Music On CHRW.

Finally, Rory will be doing his monthly Aww Man - Radio & Concerts live radio stream on July 7th at 17:00 CET / 1:00 pm ET, and might give away tickets to the Oct 31 show at Underdogs' while playing all the usual Bandcamp finds, old country, rockabilly, surf instrumentals, girl groups, et cetera. It'll be posted as a downloadable podcast shortly thereafter.

Concert photo by Jiří Přivřel, taken at Hlubina I, 25.5.2024, Letní kino, Olomouc, posted in Full Moon Magazine at
https://www.fullmoonzine.cz/hlubina-i-25-5-2024-letni-kino-olomouc

CZ shows and festivals soon:

May 15 - Prague @ Underdogs' + Aww Man - Radio & Concerts:
Drahla & sinks & Alpha Strategy Ⓤ Underdogs'

May 25 - Olomouc Letní kino Olomouc + HLUBINA + Psychedelic UMAMI w/ Atol Atol Atol (PL) + Nape Neck (UK) + Atomic Candy Creeps + 8 8 4 8.Lebanon + REK + Kittylinda DJ
https://www.facebook.com/events/388769100827476

July 5 - Boskovice BOSKOVICE – festival pro židovskou čtvrť w/ Hothouse + Neue Welt + Tomáš Palucha + Oswaldovi + more
Boskovice 2024 - festival pro židovskou čtvrť

August 16 - Krnov @ Pelhrimovy Festival

Shows west or south of CZ to come later in the year (send a message if you'd have us somewhere)

Photos by Jahvo Joža, Zagreb, November 25 2023

"I've never had goals in my life, there's never been anything that I've wanted to do or wanted to accomplish. I've essentially always operated on the basis of having a practice or having a process, and whatever the results of that are I'm content with because the practice and the process are sound in my mind."
- Steve Albini

All the AS guys and I have our own wonderful memories of working with Steve at Electrical Audio, made possible by his attention to detail, vast technical knowledge, ethical convictions, DIY approach, and sense of humor, amongst many other virtues. What an honor it is, to have recorded and spent time with a true musical and engineering great, who was also a Dude Incredible all-around. It's tremendously sad to hear about his passing, and we offer our condolences to Steve's family, friends, and the Electrical Audio crew.

Thanks for everything Steve, we already miss you very much.

Rory

Next week we have our three last shows of the year, including our first ever venture down to Croatia. Details below:

Nov 23 - Plzen, CZ @ Družba w/ Grant Havoc via GOOD BOYO booking
DRUŽBA SLAVÍ 6 LET - ALPHA STRATEGY + GRANT HAVOC

Nov 24 - Kroměříž, CZ @ Tovačovského 2, w/ Chistian Winther + Thistle via DAS LIGA
DasLiga presents: Alpha Strategy + Christian Winther + Thistle

Nov 25 - Zagreb, HR @ Češki narodni dom w/ Parnepar
Punk u Češkom narodnom domu: Alpha Strategy, Parnepar, pod

Big thanks to Anna Stepanova for these photos of us from October 27th at Eternia Smichov

We'd like to say thanks once again to SoundCzech for their support of the October 27th concert, and our upcoming Zagreb show.

It feels like ages ago since we finished off our tour, here we are just after getting back to Prague and unloading the van with our driver and pal Bedřich Bude.

Our last Prague show of 2023 happens at Eternia Smichov on October 27th (we're on first and it's early - approximately 19:15) and we'll be joined by Parnepar and Cosey Mueller:
Parnepar (garage punk HR) / Cosey Mueller (synthpunk DE) / Alpha Strategy (post-punk)

October 28th we're off for a BIG show in Bratislava at Nová Cvernovka, where we're happy to play once again with Cosey Mueller, and for the first time with Kal Marks, PLATTENBAU, and Krstní Otcovia:
Kal Marks (US) + Plattenbau (DE) + Cosey Mueller (DE) + Alpha Strategy (CZ/CA) + Krstní Otcovia

Next month we've got the following, more info soon:

November 23, 2023 - Plzen, CZ @ Družba via GOOD BOYO booking

November 24, 2023 - Kroměříž, CZ via DAS LIGA

November 25, 2023 - Zagreb, HR via Parnepar

We'd once again like to extend thanks to SoundCzech for support of the tour, and also for supporting our concerts with Parnepar in Prague and Zagreb.

Now that our van is fully functional again, two more shows to end off the tour - tonight in Marseille at EMBOBINEUSE THEATRE DE FORTUNE and tomorrow at Villa Albrizzi Marini in San Zenone degli Ezzelini, Italy, via Underground Mania

We give our thanks to Héloïse Cardi for the second picture presented here.