Live Shows @ Brooklyn Night Bazaar, The Iridium, Shea Stadium

The motivation to compile, record and present significant live shows attended is an arbitrary one.  Most often, chronological order is the best way to go.  Of equal measure is the necessary element of featuring their recorded music, which more often than not present a unique point of view - or at the very least - a new twist on a previously established canon. What follows here is a loose, somewhat random combination of relatively recent live experiences, coupled with the artists associated recorded music.  All are noteworthy and deserving of deeper investigation.

The final Saturday of January 2015 (and the final day of the month) presented an opportunity to catch Brooklyn Night Bazaar's showcase headlined by Crocodiles.

One of my fave venues in all of New York City (and certainly topping a Brooklyn area with many other worthy spaces), Brandon, Charles and the rest of the "crocs" brought their latest album release to life.

Charles and Brandon are the core team that continue to evolve a sound they began developing seven years ago.

With a full live band that includes the expected drums, bass and keys - a very special guest backing vocalist sat in on this particular night as well.

None other than Dee Dee from the Dum Dum Girls (who not-so-coincidentally is married to Brandon) added backing vocals that gave the overall live presentation an added sonic depth.

The packed audience came ready to party and appeared to enjoy the mix of (mostly) new (and some classic) material from the band.

Check out their latest song and video for "Crybaby Demon"

Back to this particular night's live show - natural frontwoman Dee Dee stepped forward to assist leading the audience through an inspired encore.

At this point, more than a few "special guests" were onstage with the band, making for a entertaining (if somewhat chaotic) atmosphere.

Through it all the band played on.

The songs played

And the "social network" heedfulness that sometimes follows

The band kicks off their next tour at Union Pool in Brooklyn, NY on 4/29/15 and returning back home to New York on 6/7/15 at the Mercury Lounge. In between those dates they hit many other cities, and you can find a complete listing of all that right here.

 _________

Earlier that night, Brooklyn's garage-rockers The Teen Age showcased their high-energy live show.

The band's heavy bass guitar driven sound explodes in cascades of dreamy angst-laden vocals and shimmering guitars.

Tracks like "Stop" - with it's "I won't get you back" hook perfectly capture the personal wreckage of opportunities lost.  That it comes packaged in a catchy, jangly pop tune once again demonstrates the power of song.

The band will be playing their record release show next at Shea Stadium in Brooklyn on April 7, and all details on that can be found here .

 _________

Longtime friends of this blog Lazyeyes were up next.

Having gone through a few minor personnel changes since their inception, the core members of Jason, Paul and Jeremy remain solidly committed to their original vision of how they should sound.

A sound that one writer (which just happens to be me) described as having vocals like "impressionist colors against pastel blue and pink skies."  That writer went on to reference "iconic 90's bands like Ride through present day jammers Diiv" as having "similarly appealing qualities."

The band's recently released track "Minds Eye" is fast paced and bass guitar driven.  The guitars still feature their signature sound of undistorted individual note picked riffs. While the percussion skews towards the higher-end sonic spectrum, with high-hat cymbals and stick-struck tambourine rings further up in the mix.  Deep vocals are less "impressionistic" this time, with a clearly defined message of the mind processing what is seen.

Give a  listen to it here:

Just following this BKB performance, Lazyeyes headed out to Austin for a successful run at the SXSW Music festival.  They'll now be setting off on a brief East Coast Tour run in April, and those dates can be found here. They've also  recently released an EP,  titled "New Year," on cassette via Burger Records imprint label, Weiner Records.

* * * * *

Friday, February 20, 2015 was one of the more freezing cold days during a winter that seemingly had an endless supply of them.

Even those arctic winds weren’t enough to prevent this intrepid reporter (and companion) from venturing out and braving the more-difficult-than-it-should-be-to-get-to midtown west side of Manhattan.

The reason?  To catch a live set from celebrated modern jazz guitarist/composer Wayne Krantz at the venerable institution The Iridium.

Wayne is an incredible musician, noted for his utilization of complex rhythmic and harmonic concepts.  A graduate from Berklee College of Music in Boston, he has gone on to teach there, as well as New York University and numerous workshops worldwide.

His live band exhibited an equally brilliant skill level and overall musical sensitivity.   Wayne's longtime drummer Keith Carlock is what musicians often refer to as a "monster."  That it, so technically accomplished and powerful, yet having the adaptability to improvise and flow at a moments notice.  The bassist for this show was another frequent collaborator and accomplished legend, Anthony Jackson.  In addition to his truly inspired playing, Jackson is known worldwide for having devised a “six-string bass”, tuned B-E-A-D-G-C, which he called the contrabass guitar.

Krantz and Carlock connect on an intuitive level.

This night's set featured songs from Wayne's 10 solos albums including his newest, Good Piranha/Bad Piranha.  On that record Wayne performs four different tracks with two different interpretations of each.

Listen to this truly inspired cover an instantly recognizable song, that is immediately advanced miles past the original, here:

The view from our table.

An interesting artifact spotted on a wall display at the venue.

As well as this one directly above the stairway down to the performance space.

Wayne Tweets you to come on down to the show!

With post show revelers Tweeting their approval as well.

* * * * *

Saturday, March 7 featured promoter Kelly Knapp's Noise Love event at always accessible Brooklyn haunt Shea Stadium.

Arrived just in time to catch the visually intriguing, controversially named Food Stamps

 The show they present is dark and electronic, with eerily erotic imagery.

With various members wearing a variety of hoods, shrouds and surgical masks, the physical presence of already-tall, high-heeled vocalist/percussionist Amy Lynn made a distinct impression.

Glowing orbs of light contribute to an overall sense of mystery.

The combined power of these visuals with a sound that at times touched on early Nine Inch Nails kept the fascination level high.

With the lights stripped away, the appeal remained.

Dark - mysterious - unsettling.  And always the "trail of honey"

Having a quick chat with Amy backstage, a photo or two was taken.

The now expected social network sharing of yet another snapshot garnered more than a few responses.

Which in turn inspired an artist-friend to make enhancements!

And one for the photo-archives, because we live in a picture-with world.

____________ 

Up next were old friend Veda Rays, now in their newly rebooted format.

Jason and James remain always as the original core visionaries.

New keyboardist Maria now adds a feminine touch to what was previously a guys-and-wires configuration.

Live (traditional) bass also takes the previously electronics-heavy sound into a more song oriented format.

And it is the songs that are most impressive about Veda Rays.  Well constructed, heartfelt pieces of pop continue to emerged from these determined veterans of the scene.

Veda Ray fun in cyberspace.

Check out some videos and recently uploaded demos on their official website here .

____________

Following them were the all-out over-the-top 80's-glam-referencing party band The Makeout Club

Borrowing bits and pieces of visual cues from the likes of Adam Ant, Billy Idol and perhaps mythical Satyrs as well, the sound they produced referenced the happier spectrum of early 80's UK artists.

That would point to an era of music that brought us the likes of ABC and Haircut 100.

Though true it their Brooklyn roots, the overall presentation is a bit "dirtier."  Their core audience loved every bit of it as they straddled the line between accomplished retro tribute and tongue-in-cheek satire.

The horns that adorn

_______________

Headlining this evenings bacchanal was another act not unfamiliar with this blog - Courtship Ritual

The deliberately minimal bass guitar driven progressions allow for the vocal storytelling to take center stage.

Vocalist Monica Salazar has a commanding stage presence that instantly hold your attention.

Against dramatic backdrop projections, deliberate physical movements enhance the mood of each song played.

Allowing for these sultry, hypnotic sounds to hold the audience entranced.

Light reflected, sound projected.

Social networks like Twitter and Facebook complete the information stream.

A newly released song called "Gris-Gris" can be heard via their label's annual GODMODE compilation, dubbed "AMERICAN MUSIC". Produced by Adam Moerder and Nick Sylvester, more info can be found about it all here.

* * * * *

Gasparilla Music Fest, BBDDM, The Jaguar Club, Leslie Paris Viking

It’s always great to see true indie acts getting a shot at performing on a bigger stage from time to time. More than a few will get that opportunity at the Gasparilla Music Fest, which takes place March 7-8 in Tampa, Florida at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and Kiley Garden.

Among some of the bigger name acts like Modest Mouse, The Gaslight Anthem and Mutemath, indie road veterans Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. will be afforded the opportunity to showcase their sound in a location other than the usual haunts they seemingly are always at (at least here in New York). Just namecheck every currently popular venue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and/or the lower east side of Manhattan. In other words – all the places I usually find myself at.

Headliner Modest Mouse will release their new studio album, Strangers to Ourselves, via Epic Records on March 3 just prior to their appearance at GMF making this their first studio album since 2007’s We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. Modest Mouse gained mainstream attention when their 2004 single, ‘Float On’ became the band’s first #1 song on Billboard’s Modern Rock Chart and was nominated for a 2005 Grammy Award for Best Rock Song.




The festival is an actual Florida 501(c)-3 non-profit corporation whose mission is to nurture and promote the cultural life of the Tampa Bay Area by presenting a spectacular range of inspiring musicians and performers across all genres that leads to music awareness, education and the continuance of the urban renewal of Tampa. It was founded in 2011 with financial support from several Tampa Bay area based businesses and the organization’s founding members, The Ring of Fire.

New Orleans favorite Mutemath, whose sound fuses elements from psychedelia to traditional gospel to modern electronica yet still firmly rooted in New Orleans rhythm and blues, will also be releasing a new recording later this year. While Jamaican roots reggae trio, The Abyssinians, are famous for their close harmonies and promotion of the Rastafari movement within their lyrics. Formed in 1968, the band has gone through a number of lineup changes with the current trio touring since 1997 including dates at Reggae on the River, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival and The Bob Marley Day Festival in 1998. The group was also nominated for a 1999 Tamika Award.

I first wrote about and began promoting this wonderful fest over here on the great Dingus site


Full Artists lineups and participating Vendors can be found here   http://gasparillamusic.com

* * * * *

It is an interesting genre of music where vocals are employed and yet the actual lyrics are completely unintelligible. The two most popular that immediately come to mind are black metal (where vocals are screamed) and the dreampop/shoegaze first popularized by The Cocteau Twins.

Brooklyn’s preposterously named Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk are firmly embedded in the latter category. Their sound however is a truly beautiful one. “Saturday” moves with the minor key melancholia and descending progression of prime mid-90’s dreamgaze practitioners like Slowdive.



 Additional tracks like “Burt” pops and crackles with the feel of a late night jam session. The melody is strong, but any semblance of literal meaning is merely suggested. The musical equivalent of an impressionists water color painting. A surprisingly soulful element emerges however, with the romanticism of early 1970’s R and B act The Chi-Lites discovered under a layer of Kevin Shields’ My Bloody Valentine filters. The band is currently in the studio recording new material.

BBDDM on The Deli Mag by Dave Cromwell

* * * * *

Reuniting this past summer after a four year break to work on other projects, Brooklyn’s The Jaguar Club prepare to release their latest EP “Close” on March 3rd. Having recently hosted a weekly Wednesday night residency at Pianos, the band continues to expand on its signature sound.

“Heat Of The Sun” pairs crooner vocals with distinct guitar lines, echoing The Smiths Morrissey/Marr relationship. The lyrical mood is more positive, however as heartache goes “bouncing off the ceiling,” giving way to the light (and heat) the sun produces. Spacious instrumental interludes emphasize ambient keyboards, jingly tambourine and brightly strummed guitar chords.

“Sleepwalking” builds around a dominant bass guitar progression, with loose jammy guitar and reverberated percussion. The overall feel leans closer to early Cure tracks like “10:15 Saturday Night.” Other tracks like “The Sirens” benefit from some inspired, aggressively soulful guitar work near the end of that song.

The Jaguar Club on The Deli Mag by Dave Cromwell

 * * * * *

Brooklyn based folk-pop artist Leslie Paris Viking showcases an ironic wit via a series of recently released tracks. With a vocal tone reminiscent of late 70’s/early 80’s troubadour Steve Forbert, the folk genre may be “alive on arrival” once more.

“This Machine” presents the sort of thoughtful wordplay any poetry fan can appreciate. Couplets describing the title subject as “A positive action machine” with “no regretting from now on” and being “hellbent on heaven and whatever else you do for fun,” point to the author using metaphor in describing his own feelings. Alternately, “The Greatest Singer In The World” morphs from over-the-top braggadocio to self-doubt. “No one approaches me” eventually becomes “that’s lonely.” Of “all the people on this train, I can’t be the only one who’s unsure of the bargain.” It’s basic two chord guitar progression with understated keyboard, guitar and drums accompaniment present what Forbert fronting The Velvet Underground might have sounded like.

Leslie Paris Viking on The Deli Mag by Dave Cromwell

* * * * *