Grizzly Bear Playing Bernie Sanders NY Rally, Recording New Album

Vampire Weekend and Grizzly Bear both announced Tuesday that they would perform at a series of Bernie Sanders rallies in New York over the next few days. While Vampire Weekend has already stumped in support of the Vermont senator, the gig marks the first time in over two years that Grizzly Bear have played live together.

After eight months of inactivity, Grizzly Bear’s Twitter arose from its hibernation with a series of tweets concerning the Sanders rally as well as informing fans that they will begin work on their new LP, the follow-up to 2012’s Shields, in May.

“We are starting to record the new album next month with tons of songs,” the band tweeted. “We love all! We r passionate to make amazing music for years to come! And we are passionate about changing the political system in the US. Thanks so much to all of you all that still care! We are ready to unleash a fresh album and hopefully under a fresh government! once in a lifetime chance to elect a true progressive. We all know the Repubs will never hand deliver such easily defeatable candidates. I just want you to know, politics aside, we are all super excited to record this new album next month. We feel great about it, and excited.”

In a separate Instagram post, singer Ed Droste detailed why Grizzly Bear is supporting Sanders. “I canvassed for [John] Kerry and [Barack] Obama, and I’ve phone banked for Bernie, but never before have I felt so inspired by a candidate’s purity and integrity,” Droste wrote. “So to me, I used to vote with my own interests at heart. This election had forced me to LEARN and EDUCATE myself in a way like no other has. Does my vote help or hurt civilians abroad? Does my vote contribute to the decimation of income inequality? Does my vote sit well within my global moral compass? Only one candidate will fight for what we need. @berniesanders!”

Droste added that voting for Hillary Clinton would be “accepting the corruption we’ve been desensitized to. We are allowing pointless wars. We are perpetuating a system that systematically makes it THAT much harder to get ahead as a woman or minority in politics.”

Read Droste’s full Instagram post in support of Sanders below:

 

I’m so optimistic and hopeful New York can change the tides. I’ve been following politics since I could vote at age 18…I first voted in ’98 for Clinton because I grew up in a liberal family (and I’m so grateful I did) , I canvassed for Kerry and Obama, and I’ve phone banked for Bernie, but never before have I felt so inspired by a candidate’ purity and integrity. So to me, I used to vote with my own interests at heart. This election had forced me to LEARN and EDUCATE myself in a way like no other has. Does my vote help or hurt civilians abroad? Does my vote contribute to the decimation of income inequality? Does my vote sit well within my global moral compass? Only one candidate will fight for what we need. @berniesanders ! I am a lucky privileged soul. I am the definition of privilege. I HATE that money defines policy and political sway. It decides what you see. It decides what you eat. It decides how we die. Money is not meant to be in politics. The fact that anyone , let alone a democrat can take money from privatized prisons is INSANE TO ME. You realize that means, prisons, make $$$ for locking people up. I hate to shit talk the other dem candidate Bc it doesn’t ever help the argument. I just want you all to realize that by choosing Hillary we are accepting the corruption we’ve been desensitized to. We are allowing pointless wars. We are perpetuating a system that systematically makes it THAT much harder to get ahead as a woman or minority in politics. We are justifying a “game”…this is our country and our lives and it’s not a game. Corporate greed will continue to destroy our water, our infrastructure , our middle class….our WORLD! We are not alone here. Please research the damage HRC has done to Libya and Honduras….think of those thousands of souls suffering and dying because of our solipsism and greed. We need reform. When you eat lunch tomorrow, you may not know it, but consider this…thanks to lobbyists we aren’t entitled to know what GMO ingredients are in your food …we are contributing to the decline of our health , our nation and the world. #berniesanders

A photo posted by Ed Droste (@edroste) on Apr 12, 2016 at 11:02pm PDT

As for Grizzly Bear’s fifth studio album, Droste told Rolling Stone in April 2015, “We’re feeling more adventurous with the sonic directions, changing it up a little bit – not like, a techno dance album… It’s in the beginning stages. Only a couple songs have started to take shape and it’s gotta be like, a good dozen or so before we get the picture.”

In addition to Vampire Weekend’s Washington Square Park rally and Grizzly Bear’s Prospect Park performance, TV on the Radio will also hold a Sanders rally in Queens on Monday, April 18th, a day before New York’s Democratic primary.