Thee Ultimate VAG

Scott Verrastro – percussion (mem. of Kohoutek, Chromatic Mysteries, PRV Trio, Kuschty Rye Ergot, Insect Factory)

Chris Grier – electric guitar (mem. of To Live and Shave in L.A., Scarcity of Tanks, Kohoutek, Sean McArdle Band, Demon Fling)

Drummer/percussionist Scott Verrastro utilizes a plethora of sticks, brushes, bells, shakers, cymbals, gongs, metal, contact mics, and household items — in addition to a traditional drum kit — to coax a wide palette of sounds. Verrastro received a degree in music literature from Northeastern University in Boston and continues to examine many forms of music, including all styles of improvisation and traditional folk. His main percussion influences are Milford Graves, Rashied and Muhammed Ali, Sunny Murray, Han Bennink, Jaki Liebezeit, Bill Bruford and Jamie Muir from 1973-era King Crimson, and yes, even John Bonham, Bill Ward, Keith Moon, and Nick Mason. His improv psych ensemble Kohoutek explores a wide range of sonic territory, veering from drony Krautrock-inspired psych-rock to abstract noise freak-outs and everything in between. Verrastro also plays in a duo with guitarist Chris Grier (of To Live and Shave in L.A.) called Thee Ultimate VAG, a trio with guitarists Anthony Pirog and Ed Ricart called PRV Trio, often accompanies guitarist Jeff Barsky in Insect Factory and multi-instrumentalist John Stanton in Kuschty Rye Ergot, and has collaborated with saxophonists Marshall Allen (of Sun Ra Arkestra), Elliott Levin, Paul Flaherty, Dan Scofield, and John Dikeman. He has also performed with Damo Suzuki (of Can), Richard Pinhas (of Heldon), numerous Bardo Pond projects, Fern Knight, and multi-instrumentalists Mike Tamburo and Little Howlin’ Wolf.

Chris Grier was a Washington, D.C.-based musician who has been making brutal and beautiful music here and abroad since 2003, with results that skitter along that rarely glimpsed border where “wildly seductive” meets “what the hell?”

He collaborated, recorded and performed with some of the planet’s most interesting and inventive musicians, including Thurston Moore, Mike Watt, Andrew W.K., Tom Smith, Don Fleming, Matthew Wascovich, Hugh McElroy, Ian Wadley, Little Wings and Little Howlin’ Wolf. He is also a member of the long-running avant-garde collective To Live And Shave In L.A. Grier also recently played on Sean McArdle’s debut solo LP, Northern Charms, some of which can be heard, oddly enough, being piped through the ceiling speakers of every Starbucks outlet in North America. As a group and solo artist, he has appeared on bills with the likes of Bob Pollard, Dan Higgs, Max Ochs, Grey Daturas, Flower Travellin’ Band, Wolf Eyes’ Nate Young, Sightings, Magik Markers, Wooden Wand, Religious Knives, Six Organs of Admittance, MV+EE, and many other fellow adventurers in the world’s rock and underground scenes. Recordings featuring his solo and group work have been released on a plethora of labels in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. He is currently writing an LP’s worth of material with McArdle, as well as songs for the next Scarcity of Tanks LP and a solo record to be released in 2009 through the Sockets label.

VAG shows

  • 4/29/06 @ 611 Florida (Tarantula Hill benefit show) w/ Jesux, The Cutest Puppy in the World, The Plums SpanOrb Orchestra, Scott Allison & Andy Hayleck, Insect Factory, Rebecca Mills & Hugh McElroy, Big Cats
  • 6/28/06 @ Staccato’s w/ FFFFs
  • 8/3/06 @ The Red & The Black w/ Plums
  • 9/30/06 @ Nutstock w/ George Willard, Stuart Chandler, Rex Morgan MD Trio, Weird Paul, Phred Rainey, Soul Excursion
  • 12/3/06 @ Electric Possible w/ Facemat, Loco Ono
  • 2/13/07 @ Velvet Lounge w/ Sightings, Demons
  • 6/8/07 @ Velvet Lounge w/ Plastic Crimewave Sound, The Scarcity of
  • Tanks, Howdy Duty Band
  • 7/26/07 @ 611 Florida w/ This Is My Condition, Neg-Fi, FFFFs
  • 8/17/07 @ Velvet Lounge w/ Religious Knives, Woods, Twilight Memories of the Three Suns
  • 10/11/07 @ Velvet Lounge w/ Grey Daturas, Jason Simon, Dactyl
  • 1/16/08 @ Velvet Lounge w/ Little Women, Twilight Memories of the Three Suns, Serfs
  • 4/10/08 @ Velvet Lounge w/ Eric Carbonara, Nick Schillace, FFFFs
  • 7/2/08 @ The Velvet Lounge w/ Puttin’ On The Ritz (BJ Rubin, Kevin Shea + Mostly Other People Do The Killing) Li’l Howlin’ Wolf (Chicago blues legend)
  • 7/3/08 as Chris Grier @ Dahlak, 1771
  • 7/5/08 @ The Schoolhouse w/ United Bible Studies (IRL) Talibam! (total criminals fr. Brooklyn), Sharron Krause (UK) Thinguma*jigsaw (Irish/Norwegian combo)
  • 09.26.08 Wall of Soundfest DC w/ True Womanhood, Joy Wants Eternity (SeatTle), Ultimate VAG, Dark Sea Dream, Electric Lions (Detroit)
  • 6/25/08 @ The Lighthouse, DC w/ Little Howlin’ Wolf, Michael Thomas Jackson 8pm
  • 6/26/08 @ The Church of Crystal Light, Richmond w/ Caves Caverns, Head Molt, Dark Sea Dream 8pm, donations requested
  • 6/27/08 @ Bolmongani’s Barracks, Winston-Salem (334 E. Sprague St.) 6pm, donations requested
  • 6/28/08 @ Harvest Records, Asheville 7pm, donations requested
  • 6/29/08 @ Dino’s Diner, Nashville (411 Gallatin Ave.) w/ Mr. Natural, 84001 9pm, $5 donation requested
  • 6/30/08 @ CBGB, St. Louis (3163 S. Grand Blvd.) w/ N. Nomurai (mem. of The Conformists) 8pm, free!
  • 7/1/08 @ Chopin Theatre, Chicago w/ DRMWPN (mem. of Plastic Crimewave) and a Sandy Bull documentary screening! 9pm, $7
  • 7/2/08 @ The Space at 6th and Oak, Louisville w/ Softcheque (mem. of Sapat)
  • 7/3 /08 @ Duck Island, Cleveland w/ Scarcity of Tanks
  • 7/4/08 @ 6814 Baker St., Pittsburgh (bbq w/ meat & beer! fireworks over the river at night!) 5pm, donations requested
  • 7/5/08 @ The Bank, Baltimore (2013 Frederick Ave.) w/ Little Howlin’ Wolf, Lexie Mountain Boys, Scott Allison, and more TBA 4pm, donations requested (more bbq aktion!)
  • 11/18/10 @ Party Expo, NYC w/ Heavy Medical and more