Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Stargazer Lilies, herMajesty, Mahogany, Northside Fest 2018

The month of June has proven to be a particularly stacked one as far as live shows go.   You would expect as much with the seemingly only notable festival left in NYC (Brooklyn's Northside) commanding most of the second week.  However, just prior to that were two events within the very first days that without a doubt also warrant serious Crom-combulation.

Saturday the 2nd saw the magical world of Black Moth Super Rainbow touch down at Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Having recently released their latest (long overdue 6th) album Panic Blooms the previous month, a serious amount of anticipation had been building for this show.

Eternal gratitude and respect to the professional colleagues (and friends) making sure attendance at this was fully realized.

Already familiar with the analog synths and vocoder enhanced vocals this band is famous for, it is the convergence of those sounds with a stunning visual presentation that elevates the live show to another level.

Using a front-of-stage, mesh see-through screen, an incredible 3-D effect is established via video projectors placing images both behind and in front of the live musicians.

Coupled with the deep buzzy synths and live percussive beats, the visual effects create an immersive experience that convincingly takes you on a psychedelic trip.

It would not be an overstatement or exaggeration to say this is the closest you can get to the hypnagogic hallucinations state of consciousness from a musical performance without having to ingest any mind altering substances.

In addition to the shifting and overlaying patterns frequented in dreams, a number of elements from nature and earthy environments were frequently featured.

After opening with a number of more familiar tracks from their catalog, “New Breeze” was the first played off of their latest album.  A severely pitch-bended synth texture serves as the introductory and subsequently recurring sonic hook.  Deliberately slow, almost sultry vocals emerge, giving the impression of motown soul music run through a parallel universe.  What's returned is severely restructured by cybernetic forces.  A second “hook” comes by way of a heavily vocoded “AH – AH” (with the initial pitch-bended synth line syncopated against it) “always dissolve when I'm near you. AH – AH, hope you're hear when I fall through. New breeze came – evil won't stay – new breeze came – drove it away.”

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“Harmlessly” combines church cathedral organs with downward diving tones approximating an electronic version of the double reed woodwind oboe instrument. Against a staccato percussive pattern, an additional melody line emerges with brighter flute-like qualities. The repeated vocal line “from just underneath” takes on a mantra aspect while lively synth lines run freely over top.

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“Bad Fuckin Times” pushes wind rushes through the initial keyboard melody, while muffled electronic piano (of sorts) echoes a vague counterpoint. Voices emerge but appear to be slowed down to a point where demonic horror movie audio resides. Lyrics become somewhat more intelligible at quicker tempos “had another day that fell apart, but that was yesterday (that was yesterday), and I can only feel it when the sun goes down, but it's always down (it's always down).” Wild forays of synth lines rise with a sense of abandon throughout the following instrumental passage that gives way to a more sparse and controlled segment. That pattern is repeated with further sonic manipulation that includes complete momentary supression (submergence?) of additional passages.

Check out the sights and sounds from this show.

Continuing with material from the current album, “Permanent Hole” evokes a melancholy vibe in both pacing and chord structure. With two distinct keyboard patterns (one layered atop the other) driving things forward, lyrical sentiment states that “something tells me this is not your day.”  In addition to more wind-rush keyboard and vocoder vocals, a lively bass pattern is given space in the mix.  Despite the possible negative connotation of the song title, there's a warmness felt through these keyboard tones and ultimate lyrical hook that celebrates “sunshine” and “running with your old time friends.”

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“Sunset Curses” makes use of open space and minimal notes, allowing room for the soul-inflected vocoded vocals. It's this minimalism that adds a dramatic effect to each nuanced moment, especially the distorted and otherworldly tones emanating from these analog synths. While the basic chord progression is played on a traditional electric piano sound, breathy FX enhanced vocals emphasize emotional impact.

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Another short clip from this evenings performance

This clip on Instagram

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There is a romantic sentiment exuding throughout album closer “Mr. No One.”  Bright, buzzy sine waves usher in a funk-inflected bass and percussion rhythm that makes it feel both dancey and introspective as the same time. A central vocal hook stating “she keeps a little more sunshine, she keeps a little less haze around me” suggests an ultimately more hopeful outlook going forward.

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There were so many different, brilliant visual looks throughout the shows 20 song set.

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Natural visual elements would morph from winter snow to autumn leaves and back again.

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Find out more about Black Moth Super Rainbow here.

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Opening the show this night (and for the many dates following on this BMSR tour) were heavy dreamgaze rockers The Stargazer Lilies

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Playing behind the see-through projection netting may have created some photographic challenges, however other unexpected shadows made for some surprisingly interesting images.

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After opening the show with their "Ambient Intro," the band then played one of their most recognizable tracks, 2013's  "We Are The Dreamers."   Breathing new life into this cut's timeless appeal, Kim Field's soft falsetto vocals and pulsing bass lays the foundation for John Cep's wall of pitch-distorted guitar forays. Live drumming from Cliff Albert (centrally positioned with an impressive drum kit) added a more ferocious element to the original recordings simpler percussion.

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The band then played two brand new unreleased tracks "Dizzying Heights" and "Monsters Of Your Thought" which are expected to appear on their next album.   The latter track made a distinct impression, with it's explosive high cathedral ceiling headspace tumbling down into cerebral plateaus, allowing for more of John's slightly warped guitar tones. A minute clip was captured of this one, and can be heard here:

This video on The Stargazer Lilies Instagram

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Dipping into their 2016 “Door to the Sun” material, that albums final cut “A Beautiful Space” was then played.  The track's wall of sound, sonic tour-de-force is well suited for the live environment, with it's hypnotic, rubbery bass pattern, shards and shreds of distorted guitar bursts and mad thundering drums.  It's like the backward loop rhythm of The Beatles' “Tomorrow Never Knows” and the vocal style of The Rolling Stones “We Love You” were run through their own cement mixer to produce this sludgy concrete.

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Another brand new track titled “Icarus Sun” was debuted, and it too has been mentioned for probable inclusion of the bands forthcoming album.

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Next up was a medley of their “Door to the Sun” album opening track “Golden Key” and BMSR's 2009 cut “Gold Splatter.” While “Golden Key” is slow, dreamy ambiance tuning in to “sunshine,” “Gold Splatter” focuses on a “beautiful friend.” However the two tracks have far more simularites than differences, and a medley of the two makes for a perfect match.

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They closed out their show with the appropriately titled "Space Jam," whereby John levitated his guitar overhead for maximum effect.

Their brilliant work on vinyl

More shows to come!

Previous features about The Stargazer Lilies on this site can be found HERE and HERE.

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Three days later brought the Crom-train down to NYC's much beloved lower east side venue The Mercury Lounge.  Having covered shows there for what must be 15 years now, this particular night of June 5th paired new and long-time favorites together with herMajesty and Mahogany sharing the same stage for the first time.

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An initial special mention goes out to Crystal Thompson for her outstanding visual projections that enhanced the overall show experience.

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Opening their performance once again with the lead track and single off of David Bowie's 2003 Reality album, "New Killer Star" came to life with each nuanced vocal inflection and instrumental passage.  Captured below is how it went down on this night.

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In keeping with recent live show sets, original songs "Fashion Trance" and special colored vinyl single release "I Saw The Dog" were next.  On the latter, a buoyant chorus goes “dance my little libertine - dance my little pretty thing- let your nucleus spread it's wings.”

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Moving smoothly through the bands back catalog, songs "Lisbon Street" and "Crystals" were delivered with an intimacy these musical stories require.

The flip side of their multi-colored vinyl single release, Patti Smith's "Dancing Barefoot" was next and was once again delivered with an appropriately reverential reading.

Earlier this year I premiered the bands follow-up single "Weightless" on The Deli Mag, and this evening's live performance accentuated each quality element.  Layered guitar hooks, driving backbeat and vivid lyrical poetry.  “Let the colors and the scent settle on your skin - let the yellow lilac and the brooding rose pull you in this violet dream” create visually dramatic moments.  The chorus reveals the need to rise above a “concrete wall” and the limitations we place on ourselves, to become “weightless.”  Written over a four year span and recorded in numerous cities, the final mix was done by Giovanni Nicoletta in Berlin.

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Moving on to live show staples "Operator (NYC)" with it's search to "make things right" and "shine so high," and "World Smiles" positive sentiment for "all the shiny precious times."

Choosing to close out the night once again with "Turn To You," the band made good on their (unstated but implied) promise to entertain while also evoking an emotional reaction.

Secrets of the guitar pedal beehive.

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After the obligatory brief changeover, symphonic dreampop masters Mahogany rolled out a new model "Hypercube."

Immediately launching into traditional show opener "Keystone Sonata," a clever montage of their own unique visual projections served to enhance the multimedia experience.

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Appearing trim, healthy and appropriately stylish, Jaclyn and Andrew followed with a bright and angular rendition of the equally traditionally placed second song "Commutator."  How it looked and sounded is captured below:

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With the video projections creating horizontal lines across Jaclyn's balletic posture, a newer song "Universal Promenades" was presented.  Look and listen to this one minute clip of it:

A blizzard of textures wash over the artists.

With a clearer view emerging periodically throughout the performance.

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Other newer material "Polyvalence" and "In White Rooms" (with it's "Jackie - all my love" refrain) blended in seamlessly with more familiar tracks like "A Third Prism," and "Phase Caress" ("Phase Break" shortened to a more manageable live set length).

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Jaclyn putting down the guitar one more time to take a solo mic turn on "Express Clean Power," of which a :15 second clip can be seen and heard right here:

With important precision details spotted near the Charvel headstock.

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"Resistance and Release"

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And the heartfelt "Love Bombing"

Backstage with Jaclyn

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and the social media fun with that

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Great show overall!

Follow the continuing exploits of Mahogany here.

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A scant two days after that saw the music portion of Brooklyn's Northside Festival get under way.

Seems they created their own "avenue" here.

Fancy.  What Williamsburg, Brooklyn is increasingly becoming.

Credentials, guides and a loose idea of where to head off to.

Wisely avoiding the futile attempt at catching specific performances in multiple venues, Sunnyvale became the chosen space for Thursday, June 7.  There were more than enough intriguing artists on this showcase, making bouncing around spaces an unnecessary endeavor.

Arriving at the relatively early 7 pm-ish time, new (out of Minnesota) band Services were just getting underway.

There was an immediate appeal in the bands overall sound, with swirling atmospherics being churned out by their youthful, Thurston Moore-like guitarist.

Additional sonic weight came by way of FX-heavy bass and keyboards.

Impressive beams of light rain down over the proceedings.

Equally impressive were the sound enhancing pedals and stomp boxes used to create their big sound.

Additional noteworthy mention goes to the drummer, who picked up a guitar midway through the set and played it without moving out from behind his drum kit.

There's not much information to be found about this band at the moment, but following their Facebook page is as good a start as any.

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Next up was the country western inflected Americana from Shane O'Malley Firek's The Ferdy Mayne.

There are elements of Bob Dylan in the lyrical approach to current album opener "Factory Release," while a track like "Real Shackle" displays their self-admitted love for The Grateful Dead.

Featured track "Define My Name" shuffles along an easy vibe rhythm and traveling troubadour vocals that bring to mind an artist like Steve Forbert (leading the late 70's next wave of talented Dylan acolytes) and his career defining "Alive On Arrival" album.  For his part, O'Malley Firek puts his own impeccable stamp on this time-honored American genre.

This evening's show was crisply paced and moved smoothly from one song to the next, capably backed by the accompanying low-key, professional band.

Dig in to The Ferdy Mayne sound here.

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Following that was a second time opportunity to catch swirling dreamgazers No Swoon (the first being their 1/25/18 opening night slot at Berlin).

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The bigger stage and better sound system suited them quite well as they proceeded to fill the venue with their particular brand of dreamy, hazy wall of sound.

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The three piece build their compositions with an intensity that makes full use of throttling percussion, rich keyboard textures, shearing guitars and soft-to-soaring vocals.

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Check out their live sound via this clip recorded directly from this show:

All aboard the pedal train.

Keep up with the hair whipping events of No Swoon here.

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No stranger to this site (having covered them here and here, as well as two features on The Deli Mag) devotional purveyors of "The Message" HNRY FLWR played an updated set of their material.

Presenting a less flamboyant, more stripped down show this go around, principal members led the newer rhythm section through the deliberate and measured songs.

Central focus still falls on the towering figure of David Van Witt, who seemingly channels beams of light with his "sermons."

HNRY FLWR want you to be a "Belieber" - but not in that guy - rather they encourage you to join them in their journey from mass hysteria to musical rapture.

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Next up was a mysterious and dramatic performer using a number of masks to represent their songs going by the name of Lou Tides.

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Initially shrouded in a long leather coat, matching elbow length gloves and full head-covering (to go along with the mask), the overall effect was far more theatrical than what had come before.

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Soon shedding those cover-ups to reveal the performer underneath, the artist turned out to be Teeny Lieberson who has fronted her own band TEEN for a number of years now.

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A series of precisely exaggerated hand gestures and physical dance movements served to enhance the electronic backing music and vocals quite well.

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Those backing tracks consisted mostly of keyboards and percussive beats, while the exotic presentation captivated with strong live vocals. One particularly impressive song combined both the grandiosity and sincerity often found in the works similarly styled artists like Zola Jesus.  Other material presented featured angular, robotic beats (and movements) making use of hand held masks that brought to mind the Japanese Noh Theater and Kabuki actors.

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Previous features on this site about this artist can be found HERE and HERE.

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The night closed out with a truly over-the-top spectacle by LA-to-NY transplants Sloppy Jane.

Fronted by “shock” performance artist Haley Dahl, the time-tested attention getting move of playing most of the show almost entirely naked certainly made the intended impression.

As the undressing commenced, a gooey blue substance began oozing out of her mouth, adding the "balance" of horror props to the visual proceedings.

There was fair amount of cacophony emerging from the band while stage writhing commenced in earnest.   The songs were choppy, noisey-to-quiet affairs that were often punctuated by an eerie female chorus (off the to the side) singing things like "this happens all the time."

This chorus loomed larger as the set progressed, amplifying the storytelling by driving home the repeated lyrics "I did it, I did it I got off the floor I walked right in To the kitchen store I bought myself A plate and a cup Look at me, Mom Look at me, Mom Look at me, Mom I'm all grown up."

While Haley has been quoted mentioning Frank Zappa as an influence (and there is certainly much of that in the bizarre song construction),  a nod should be given to Captain Beefheart as well, along with elements of Wendy O. Williams and the Plasmatics parody porn star mayhem.

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Another foray into the Northside Fest commenced in the early afternoon hours on Saturday, June 9.

Lumbering into The Knitting Factory, chunky chord, Stones-y rockers Native Sun were just getting underway.

The boys quickly whipped things up to hyperdrive, playing a number of kickass tunes from their "Love And Hate" EP.

Songs delivered with hint of sneer that draw from Stooges-era Iggy and Mitch Ryder (and his Detroit Wheels).  It's classic garage rock with a rebellious edge.

The Knit was hoppin' and the tunes were droppin'

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That was followed by the high octane punk rock punch of Grim Streaker.

Last covered here on this site after their triumphant Bowery Electric show, the Streaker came through once again with their noisy, gothic, skate-punk show.

It's a precision driven, high speed, five piece unit that knows how to "do it" quick and dirty (and who doesn't like it like that?)

Leaning into it with the right amount of fury, the best cuts from their recorded works "Guts" and "Girl Minority" had the crowd pumped.

Amelia confronts the audience mid-set, to ask if their footwear is as comfortable as it looks.

Back to full intensity action.

Check out the bands upcoming show listings here.

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Heading over to the other side of Brooklyn's "northside," it was time to check out the Deli Mag's Stompbox Exhibit and Synth Expo at Absurd Conclave in Bushwick.

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Inside the place was packed with musicians eager to try out all the latest gear.

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Reports indicate this was the best attended Stompbox Exhibit yet with numbers reaching around 2,500 total visitors.

There were keyboards to check out as well, and the event overall has to be considered a great success.

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Final destination of the night was over to the nearby El Cortez (The Safari Room) for headlining (and legendary) NYC act The Bush Tetras

Comprising of 3/4's of the original lineup with guitarist Pat Place, drummer Dee Pop and lead vocalist Cynthia Sley (bassist Val Opielski being the newest member, coming on board in 2016), the band delivered a brilliant set of 14 songs that included, of course their most popular songs.

One of the original early 80's "No Wave" bands, The Bush Tetras were on the cutting edge of formulating that sound with other like-minded artists like Gang of Four, The Contortions, Talking Heads, Richard Hell and The Voidoids and even early Devo.

 Check out their initial single release in 1980 - "Too Many Creeps"

Full setlist of what they played.

Check out two of their other most notable track from back in the day via these links:

"Can't Be Funky"

"Das Ah Riot"

and this brand new clip I shot at the show.

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