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David J - A night of spoken word and music
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CRITIC'S PICK
Thu., Jun. 12
In a special studio presentation, The Hot Place, featuring Lisa King (vocals, hand percussion), Jeff Calder (guitar) and Mike Lynn (guitar), will open for former singer-bassist for Bauhaus and Love and Rockets David J Haskins at Electron Gardens Studio in Avondale Estates. The Hot Place Band will perform acoustic arrangements from their 2023 self-titled album.
Haskins is releasing 'The Mother Tree,' along with a companion book of poetry titled 'Rhapsody, Threnody and Prayer.' Both works are partly tributes to his mother, the late Joan Nancy Haskins, as well as other figures in Haskins' life including Ian Curtis, Kurt Cobain, Jeff Buckley, Jack Kerouac and Mark Linkous.
David will be performing both spoken word and music, and special guests are expected. Very limited seating. — Doug DeLoach
From the venue:
Event Description
SPOKEN WORD WITH MUSIC
David J
with The Hot Place
David J Haskins, of Bauhaus and Love and Rockets renown, will release a new album, The Mother Tree, along with a companion book of poetry titled Rhapsody, Threnody and Prayer. Both works will be released on June 6, with The Mother Tree issued on 12” LP vinyl, digital download, and streaming platforms by Erototox Decodings. Rhapsody, Threnody and Prayer will be published by Fonograph Media.
The acclaimed musician, poet, and cultural icon, best known as David J, has created these two intimate, deeply personal and evocative works partly in tribute to his mother, the late Joan Nancy Haskins and others. David J’s decision to release these projects under his birth name, “Haskins,” (the name his brother Kevin used in both their bands together: Bauhaus and Love and Rockets) underscores their deep familial and emotional significance to him. He calls The Mother Tree “my most personal work yet.”
The Mother Tree is a poignant 5-track album featuring David reciting his poetry to the accompaniment of lush, dramatic, atmospheric music, showcasing his multidimensional musical artistry. Rhapsody, Threnody and Prayer is a book collecting his poetry written over several decades. It includes profound reflections on life, love, loss, and touching tributes to late cultural icons and artists including Ian Curtis, Kurt Cobain, Jeff Buckley, Jack Kerouac and Mark Linkous.
Taken together, this album and book illuminate Haskins’ enduring legacy as both a musician and a poet possessed of a uniquely sensual, visceral, and occasionally surreal vision. The songs and poems thread together vivid imagery, raw emotions, and intimate storytelling, giving audiences a glimpse into his personal and creative journeys over the decades.
David J - A night of spoken word and music | 06/12/2025 7:00 PM