The Telescreens Are On Their Way

Photos by Taylor West

On a scorching day in Austin, Texas, the Telescreens were gearing up to grace the stage at the iconic Antone’s Nightclub. Still basking in the afterglow of their recent rock and roll performance at Le Bain in New York, the band set to deliver another unforgettable night of music. Local Austinites have been fortunate to witness the start of this band's rise, with numerous opportunities to catch their shows around town, all thanks to Howdy Gals, a woman and non-binary-led booking and promotions group.

From sharing links to their most recently released song, “Burns,” to sleeping on floors in cities they’ll be in for less than two days, the band – comprised of vocalist/guitarist Jackson Hamm, Josiah Valerius on keys/synth, Austin Brenner on bass/synth, and drummer Oliver Graf – has made their mark on the DIY scene. Their actual shows are sweaty expressions of love in the best way possible. Even a SXSW bar crowd looking for something to do on a Tuesday night was able to lose themselves in their performance, something unfortunately not common for many of the showcase performances. Witnessing Hamm’s passionate vocals or Graf’s drum kit falling apart from sheer intensity, it’s not such a far leap from the days of Joy Division to New Order. 

The 2002 film 24 Hour Party People shows the DIY scene of the 80s and gives a glimpse of how those legendary musicians came from simply starting a band with their friends with the shirts on their backs and their love for music. It isn’t hard to believe that the Telescreens are now carrying that same legacy.

Check out their music here!