photo by Lena Jackson
Chicago’s self-dubbed velvet-grunge group LAVISHER presents a new video for “Preemptive Waltz,” the song found on the band’s second LP, Aligned & Vital, released last November on Nefarious Industries.
“The waltz is the eternal dance of life, except here it’s preemptive, meaning you’re desperately trying to get ahead of the game, even if you keep failing,” states LAVISHER’s founding guitarist/vocalist Gavin Cushman III. He elaborates on the new video, “It’s essentially a performance video, but we shot it at three different speeds with some different wardrobes. Playing the song at double speed and then half speed for the cameras is a trip. Much slower and much faster than you’d think! Using practical effects was some extra work–we found a glass dome at an antique store and projected me up into it. It’s a video with multiple personalities, and the pepper’s ghost element takes the visualization of that a step further.”
The new video hits alongside a new set of tour dates in October. LAVISHER will head out with their friends in Sungaze for a nine-city run through Chicago, Louisville, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Medford, New York City, Washington, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati from October 16th through 24th. Tickets for all shows are on sale now.
Watch LAVISHER’s “Preemptive Waltz” video where the prior video for “Sultry” and the entire Aligned & Vital album is now streaming and available for purchase at Nefarious Industries RIGHT HERE.
LAVISHER Tour Dates w/ Sungaze:
10/16/2026 Burlington Bar – Chicago, IL [tickets]
10/17/2026 Portal – Louisville, KY [tickets]
10/18/2026 Happy Dog – Cleveland, OH [tickets]
10/19/2026 Nikki Lopez – Philadelphia, PA [tickets]
10/20/2026 Deep Cuts – Medford, MA [tickets]
10/21/2026 TV Eye – Ridgewood, NY [tickets]
10/22/2026 The Pie Shop – Washington, DC [tickets]
10/23/2026 Bottle Rocket – Pittsburgh, PA [tickets]
10/24/2026 MOTR – Cincinnati, OH [tickets]
LAVISHER is the creation of Chicago singer, songwriter, and guitarist Gavin Cushman III and drummer Benjamin Standage. With a sound that nods to Queens Of The Stone Age and A Perfect Circle, and hints of Deftones and Failure, LAVISHER conjures lush, distorted dreamscapes where beauty and decay meld inside a river of riffage. Formed in the summer of 2017, the band issued a self-titled five-song statement of intent followed by the 2019 debut full-length Drastic Shadows released through experimental-leaning Nefarious Industries. During the pandemic, a trio of standalone singles were recorded and released.
In 2023, Cushman connected with drummer Benjamin Standage, sparking a new creative phase. The two quickly began writing together, resulting in a full-length album which now arrives as Aligned & Vital. As LAVISHER continues to carve their niche in the modern rock landscape, their message is clear: the future of heavy, heartfelt rock has arrived—and it’s dressed in velvet. With twelve new tracks in just over forty-two minutes, the diverse LP delivers a wide spectrum of lush songs comfortably rooted in both nostalgia and exploration.
Aligned & Vital was written by LAVISHER founder Gavin Cushman III and Benjamin Standage, except “Way Too Much” written by Andrew Cushman. The vocals, guitars, bass, and synths were performed by Gavin Cushman III – the guitars and bass engineered by Adrian Kobziar at Ohmstead Recording and the vocals engineered by Cushman – and the drums performed by Benjamin Standage and engineered by Pete Grossman at Bricktop Recording. The album was mixed by Adrian Kobziar, mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, and completed with original artwork/photography by Puzzleman Leung, portrait photography by Lena Jackson, and design/layout by Greg Meisenberg.
“The chord progressions are a treat. The atmosphere is lush and thick. The vibes are a fun blend of eras. There’s not a lot of reasons that you shouldn’t give it a spin this November, especially if you love grunge and post-grunge with a blend of some 80s glam.” – Metal Epidemic
“…said to be their most vulnerable track yet! The song is buoyed by a quirky opening riff, shimmering dream-pop guitar licks, a generous low-end, and a great groove! Marked by a killer chorus and great harmony vocals, this song is catchy as hell!” – Ghost Cult Magazine (of the song “Detached)
“…a record that showcases their unique ability to paint lush, distorted realms where beauty and decay dissolve into a swirling river of sound… a record which captures an expansive blend of vibrant tracks that fuse retro charm with forward thinking soundscapes.” – Out Of Rage
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The post LAVISHER: Chicago Velvet Grunge/Space Rock Group Drops “Preemptive Waltz” Video And Announces October Tour With Sungaze; Second LP, Aligned & Vital, Out Now On Nefarious Industries first appeared on Earsplit Compound.