Punk rock isn’t known for its dedication to humor, but for Dari Kaveh, it’s essential.
The guitarist and songwriter of Minneapolis noise punk band Disasteratti said the group often plays stand-up comedy during rehearsal.
“I love it when weirdness and strangeness find their way into rock music,” he said. “Embracing those things adds more color to your palette.”
Disasteratti began in a basement during late 2005. Kaveh and a childhood friend, who’s no longer with the group, started to develop the band’s brand of cymbal-crashing, riff-ripping rock with nothing more than some basic recording equipment and ideas.
Their noisy aesthetic is the centerpiece of the outfits’ newest album, “Cerebral Hack Artist.” On the thumping track “We Should Do This Again,” listeners are thrown into an assault of time signature changes, fuzzy walls of guitar thrash and a towering sense of anxiety. Kaveh settles the clamor about two minutes in, though — he takes 30 seconds to tell listeners a joke.
It’s evident the musician isn’t looking to transition to the business of laughter. The clowning’s purpose, Kaveh said, is to balance his dark, paranoid lyricism.
“I realize there are abrasive elements to this style of music, but we have moments of rest,” he said.
Bassist Dan Earixson has been playing in Disasteratti for only three months, though he’d seen them play shows around the Twin Cities for years.
“The band sort of blew me away the first time I saw them,” he said. “They played this aggressive, short set and transitioned through it all so quickly. It was a blur.”
When bass player Antoine Martinneau had to leave the band a few months ago to work with the Occupy Homes movement, Earixson jumped on the opportunity to contribute to the noise.
“Punk music is all about how much power you can put out,” he said. “Sending that energy out into a crowd is one of the greatest feelings.”
This idea keeps Disasteratti going. Kaveh said that inciting that energy transfer is one of his favorite things to think about when composing new material.
“The live event works towards this communal power trip,” he said. “A lot of people in this scene are lifers because of it.”
Earixson and Kaveh said their commitment comes from exploring this feeling.
If the sense of power wasn’t so strong, it’s probable that the band members wouldn’t be doing this.
“It’s exhausting and time-consuming, and there’s no way I could stop doing it,” Kaveh said.
What: Disasteratti with Buildings, Mrs. and Animal Lover
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: 7th St. Entry, 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis
Cost: $5
Age: 18+
