Pittsburgh local music spotlight: Microwaves

Formed in 2000, Pittsburgh experimental noise rockers Microwaves are back with another new album.

As for what’s kept them going this long?

“A unique combination of anxiety and boredom,” according to drummer John Roman.

“Temporal Shifter,” set for a March 27 release, is the band’s ninth studio album and features the first single, “All Direct Hits.”

“There might be a story (behind the song), but we delivered it in a kind of secret code, so you’ll have to figure it out through repeated listens,” Roman said. “I doubt you’ll get it on the first try.”

The band will play a March 27 release show at Brillobox in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood.

(The) best thing about playing live is that you get to drag your gear all over creation,” Roman said. “Best place to perform is and has always been Brillobox. That’s why we booked the show there, to give you the best experience possible.”

The album has artwork done by Neil Burke of the bands Born Against and Sinking Body, and will come with in two colors: 140 gram orange vinyl plus a limited edition of 50 on 180 gram black vinyl “for the audiophile snobs,” Roman said.

Microwaves has a few out-of-town shows scheduled this month, so here’s hoping they can avoid a repeat of a memorable night from their past.

“One time on tour we were scheduled to sleep at a building where a friend lived,” Roman said. “We went to the correct building, but we walked into the wrong apartment. It was completely dark and some guy ran at us, completely naked thinking we were trying to rob him.”

Roman filled in TribLive on what else we should know about Microwaves:

Band: Microwaves

Band members: David Kuzy (guitar, vocals); Zach Moore (bass, vocals); John Roman (drums)

Founding story: Sometime back around the turn of the century, Dave and I were working on material with the interest of forming a little band. Eventually, Steve Moore (Zombi, Lovelock, Goblin, etc.) was added on bass and vocals. After a few years Steve left to focus on Zombi and soundtrack work. There have been a string of other bassists since his departure. The band evolved, but no matter the lineup has never expanded beyond three persons.

Origin of band’s name: We had an offer to play a show, and we needed to come up with a name real quick. For some reason, Microwaves was the only thing our feeble brains could conjure up. We figured we’d make the endeavor as challenging as possible.

For fans of: Devo, Voivod, Naked City

Influences: More things than one would assume: everything from classic rock to classical, rap music, punk, avant-this and that, science fiction, paleontology and advertising and design.

Releases: “Professional Systems Overload” EP, 2001; “System 2” album, 2002; “Attack Decay Sustain Release” album, 2004; “Contagion Heuristic” album, 2006; “Psionic Impedence” album, 2012; “Regurgitant Phenomena” album, 2014; “Via Weightlessness” album, 2018; “Discomfiture Atlas” album, 2022; “Temporal Shifter” album, March 27, 2026

Next shows: March 13 at Machines with Magnets in Providence, R.I.; March 14 at Gold Sounds, Brooklyn, N.Y.; March 20 at Westside Bowl, Youngstown, Ohio; March 27 at Brillobox, Pittsburgh

How to find them: Microwaves can be found on Instagram.

Three other Pittsburgh area bands to check out: Spotlights, Love Ethic, Thoth Trio

Favorite pizza shop: Vincent’s Pizza Park

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