In many ways, Texas is just about as far away as you can get from Hong Kong. Whilst we might not have the vast openness of their horizon, we here at TPP believe that there probably isn't a better backdrop in the world for The Secret Machines’ tripped out space rock than the neon wonder of our fair city. So we thought we’d put our theory to the test and have them plough their epic, motorik groove under our lazer-lit sky, in their first ever show in HK.

Brothers Brandon (vocals, keyboard) and Benjamin Curtis (guitar) along with drummer Josh Garza formed the band in Dallas, Texas before relocating to New York, and it shows: they have the expansive sounds of traditional southern rock, coupled with the artier edge of their adopted East coast city.

Their debut EP release 'September 000' dropped in 2002 and immediately garnered the band a reputation as critically acclaimed ‘ones to watch’. The first full length LP 'Now Here Is Nowhere' was released on major label Reprise in 2004. The band’s metronomic precision and stadium sized melodies was now attracting fans across the globe in considerable numbers. 'Ten Silver Drops' followed two years later and cemented their place as visionaries in their field. In 2007 Phil Karnats replaced Ben Curtis on guitar. The same year the band contributed three songs to the Beatles tribute musical film 'Across The Universe' including a version of 'I Am The Walrus' with Bono on lead vocals. Their self-titled album came in 2008 and is one of the only albums to ever receive a perfect 5 star rating from respected music site Venus Zine. Their latest single 'Like I Can' was released digitally on Feb 2nd 2010, and already has the hipster blogosphere going into overdrive.

At the heart of all this is the music. Their sound a swirling canvas of brooding beats, soaring guitar and soulful rhodes piano. Rolling Stone magazine suggest “They take Pink Floyd psychedelia, Led Zeppelin stomp, and The Who-inspired choruses and charge them full of big-rock beats, atmospheric keyboards and all kinds of electronic whooshes." Not bad company to be keeping…

Musically, the band are most commonly associated with prog and krautrock movements, and whilst they do encompass elements of both, it’s their melodic majesty that makes them so special. You can hear echoes of Neu!, Pink Floyd, Can, MGMT and Flaming Lips in their sound, but equally Crazy Horse and The Band. It's pulverising yet fragile, emotional yet cerebral; they are one of few bands able to recreate the thrill of zombieing out to trance music in a modern rock context.

Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce is a huge fan. REM’s Michale Stipe calls them “Pure sex”. U2 personally invited them to tour across Central America with them, playing to 100,000 capacity stadiums. Similarly, the likes of Kings of Leon and Interpol have insisted on sharing the stage with the Texan trio.

Live, the Machines' focus and sincerity is wholly song-based. Leaving hardly any gaps between tracks, they create the kind of buffeting aural environment that can pick you up and drop you out at the back-end of a set feeling transported: A mesmerizing, epic trip, and an ‘experience’ in the best sense of the word.

So ready thyself folks, for a magical, dynamic journey into sound courtesy of The Secret Machines.

Grappas Cellar. 17th March. Clear Eyes, Full Hearts.
You know what to do.

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The Peoples’ Party Presents:
The Secret Machines
+ support
Feb 17th
Grappas Cellar, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Rd, Central
8pm
Tickets*: Adv $280 from Grappas & White Noise Records, or on the Door $320 (both include 1 drink)

* Tix available from the 24th February