NYS Music 20​19

Category: Brooklyn

  • Gang Starr Releases First New Song in Sixteen Years Featuring J. Cole

    After a sixteen-year hiatus, legendary hip-hop duo, Gang Starr, is temporarily back on the scene with a new release, Family and Loyalty. The record, their first release since their 2003 LP The Ownerz features a posthumous verse from fabled Emcee Guru, along with current hip-hop juggernaut, J. Cole.

    Backed by DJ Premier’s renowned scratching and drums, Guru opens and closes the record with his acclaimed delivery, flow and rhymes. With his verses being interrupted by J. Cole, who delivers a devastating lyrical onslaught in his own right. It is the first single from what appears to be a new Gang Starr album.

    gang starrDJ Premier, one of the most revered producers in hip-hop and the duo’s other half, has been teasing fans about a new LP with cryptic social media messages, tweeting, “I WONDER WHAT PEOPLE WOULD SAY IF I RELEASED A NEW…,” alerting fans that new music may be on the way but left it unspecified.

    The mythical Premier seems to have confirmed the suspicions, after posting what appears to be a promotional video on his Instagram which features a voicemail from legendary rapper Nas. Saying, “Yo Premier, what up man it’s your man Nas. Is it true there’s a new Gang Starralbum? That’s crazy man let me know man. Alright chill.”

    Nas and DJ Premier have a history in their own right, with the producer handling a lot of the production on the rapper’s acclaimed debut project Illmatic.

    A new Gang Starr album would be much anticipated. The duo, known for classic hip-hip songs like “Work,” “Above the Clouds,” and “Mass Appeal,” would surely bring many fans memories of the genre’s golden age.

    It will also be refreshing to hear unreleased verses from Guru, nearly a decade after his death from cancer in April of 2010 at 43-years-old.

  • STS9 Achieves Lift Off at the Brooklyn Mirage

    Santa Cruz, California’s Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) touched down on September 20 at the Brooklyn Mirage for their Apo11o tour, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. STS9 celebrated a theme of space exploration in their setlist and gave New York City a much anticipated dose of their celebrated livetronica. They were joined by some of their favorite musical friends: Orchard Lounge, Cut Chemist and Mark Farina. 

    Hunter Brown of STS9

    Orchard Lounge kicked off the festivities with a delicious set of eclectic dance mixes, downtempo and “bass-dropping efunk.” Hailing from Chicago, the band members include Spencer Lokken, Bethany Lokken and Ben Silver. Their melodic interwoven beats had the crowd moving and grooving immediately.

    Orchard Lounge

    Next up was Cut Chemist, also known as Lucas McFadden, a DJ from California who utilizes original 45 records along with his digital production. He specializes in hip-hop, funk and scratching, an art form that is dying in the current digital revolution. Drawing from artists like the Beastie Boys to Chali 2na, Cut Chemist delivered adventurous breakdance-worthy urban beats.

    Cut Chemist

    STS9 took the stage to a packed house and did not stop playing their space exploration-themed jams until the first set ended. The first set began with a new urban tune “Strange Games” that later turned into “When the Dust Settles Reprise,” a morphing of “When the Dust Settles” from the album of the same name. The jam sandwich continued with “Tooth” transitioning into “Golden Gate,” also from When the Dust Settles, as well as old school favorites “Golgi” > “Grow” > “Kamuy.” The band closed out the set with new song “Push The Sky” and then took a well deserved setbreak.

    STS9

    The second set continued to go where “no sectornaut has gone before,” as the band had landed on the Moon, metaphorically speaking of course. “Looking Back On Earth” opened the set, and transitioned into “Rabble” and “Open E,” transporting the crowd into the ethos. “Scheme” was up next, another tune from When the Dust Settles, followed by “Hubble”, the STS9 classic named after the famous satellite telescope. The crowd could not contain their excitement during this rarely played tune from Interplanetary Escape Vehicle. A transition from “Seed” into “Click Lang Echo” followed with more tasty intergalactic jams. The set wrapped up with “World Go Round” from The Universe Inside. STS9 finished the evening on a high note with the perennial favorite “Inspire Strikes Back”, named after the famous Star Wars sequel.

    STS9’s Zach Velmer addresses the audience

    DJ Mark Farina kept the festivities going with his signature blend of house, jazz and downtempo. Known for his “Mushroom Jazz,” Farina wove well-known and obscure tracks into a dance tapestry that delighted the late night crowd well into the early morning hours.

    DJ Mark Farina

    The Brooklyn Mirage was successfully launched into outer-space by post-rock dance musicians Sound Tribe Sector 9, supported by their savvy DJ friends. NYC Fans were delighted by the space exploration theme well into the night, and excitedly await their next trip into the cosmos with this talented band.

    The crowd loving STS9

    Set One: Strange Games >> When the Dust Settles Reprise >> Tooth >> Golden Gate > Golgi > Grow >> Kamuy >> Push The Sky

    Set Two: Looking Back On Earth >> Rabble >> Open E, Scheme, Hubble, Seed >> Click Lang Echo, World Go Round

    Encore: Inspire Strikes Back

  • The Morning Sea release video for “Mad in Berlin”

    Brooklyn-based, folk-Americana group The Morning Sea recently released their new single and video, “Mad in Berlin” via Americana-UK. Recorded in band member Sonny Ratcliff’s Brooklyn apartment, “Mad in Berlin” is the second single from their upcoming album Half Keys and features footage from the band’s travels to Berlin.

    “Mad in Berlin” portrays an air of excitement and freedom, and a sense of optimism slightly obscured by a wary sense of struggle on the horizon. The song’s video, directed and edited by Ratcliff, captures these emotions beautifully by combining a blend of joyful and melancholy images.

    Songwriter / frontman, Adam Cohen, started The Morning Sea as a solo project in 2013, but the project quickly flourished into a full-fledged band with the help of a talented crew of New York City musicians, notably including Cohen’s long-time collaborator Ratcliff, a multi-instrumentalist and producer. The band has since gone on to create three previous albums, multiple singles and videos, and have played countless shows at New York City’s most prominent venues.

  • In Focus: Andrew Bird’s ‘Finest Work Yet’ at Kings Theatre

    Andrew Bird has spent much of the year supporting his newest album, My Finest Work Yet, and Tuesday night at Kings Theatre was no different. The band played the entire new album nearly straight through in the first leg of the show. At one point, Andrew even confessed to the audience how much he loved playing this particular set of songs together live.

    Andrew Bird at Kings Theatre – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Opening the night was Chicano Batman, behind their excellent EP Black Lipstick, from earlier this summer. Their blend of of psychedelic, Latin funk was a wonderful complement to Andrew Bird. The lively grooves and melodies bounced around the cavernous Kings Theatre with ease.

    Eduardo Arenas of Chicano Batman – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Kings Theatre is a unique piece of Brooklyn history. First opening in 1929 the theater hosted movies, shows and vaudeville. After sitting closed for decades and a five year renovation, the theater reopened in 2015 as a modern concert venue. Once past security, the space transports you back in time with gorgeous velvet decor and intricate carvings throughout.

    The band sounded particularly sharp inside Kings Theatre. Andrew’s whistling echoed around the room, mixing seamlessly in and out of the lush strings and vocals from the rest of the band. A tall, projected backdrop framed the band and made them seem as large as the theater itself.

    Andrew Bird, Kings Theatre – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    After running through My Finest Work Yet, Andrew treated the crowd to a few classics, including “Pulaski at Night.”

  • Runaway Gin to bring “Evil Phish” to The Knitting Factory this December

    On the heels of their first 3-song second set at a Hurricane Dorian Afterparty in Charleston, SC, Runaway Gin – a Tribute to Phish has announced the “Ophishal YEMSG Preparty” along with Facebook groups Phish Chicks and Phish Tour 2014. The event will feature two sets of “Evil Phish” starting at 8:30pm on Thursday, December 26th at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY.

    The band recently released an HD Video of “Tube” from their March 30th show in Richmond, VA.

    Runaway Gin 2019 Fall/Winter Tour:

    Saturday, September 7th: Charleston Pour House

    Friday, September 13th: the State Theatre – Greenville, NC^

    Saturday, September 14th, the Ramkat – Winston-Salem, NC

    Friday, October 11th: the Glass House – Lynchburg, VA

    Saturday, October 12th: the Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, NC

    Thursday, October 17h: Victory North – Savannah, GA

    Friday, October 18th: Capri Theatre – Montgomery, AL

    Saturday, October 19th: Zydeco – Birmingham, AL

    Friday, November 1st: Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC^

    Saturday, November 2nd: the Broadberry – Richmond, VA^

    Friday-Saturday, November 8th: the Woodlands Festival – Charleston, SC

    Thursday, November 14th: 1904 Music Hall – Jacksonville, FL

    Friday, November 15th: the Orpheum – Tampa, FL* 

    Saturday, November 16th: Revolution Live – Ft. Lauderdale, FL* (with Pink Talking Fish)

    Friday, November 29th: the NorVa – Norfolk, VA

    Friday, December 6th: Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC+ (Just the covers Phish afterparty)

    Thursday, December 26th: the Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY

    Saturday, February 1st: Cervantes – Denver, CO

  • Jason & The Rex release debut music video and single “Bullets are Flying”

    Brooklyn alternative hip-hop artist, Jason & The Rex recently released their debut single and accompanying music video for “Bullets Are Flying.” Inspired by emotion from the Parkland shootings, Jason unfurls a pensive, sometimes manic flow that expresses the convoluted public discourse surrounding the gun violence epidemic in the U.S. over vibrant horns, a melancholy piano lead, strange-sounding synths, and a reverb-washed chorus create a dense soundscape.

    Hoping to inspire activism within his art, Jason layered hidden meanings and messages with each aspect of both the video and the track. The dancers movements, the TV screens, sounds and atmospheric layers created from voice samples of common gun-violence soundbites are just a few examples of the extreme intuitiveness found in the creation of this video, conveying an emotive message of gun violence. 100% of proceeds from “Bullets Are Flying” will be donated to March For Our Lives.

    Hip-hop, future-funk, and dream-pop influences blend to create a densely layered lamentation of our nation’s gun violence crisis in “Bullets Are Flying.” Jason draws on his love for socially-conscious 90’s hip-hop artists like De La Soul and Common with the synth-heavy, lush soundscapes of psychedelic dream-pop artists like the Cocteau Twins, the Cranberries, and Tame Impala. The video is directed by Samantha Silver and produced by Tag Brum.

    “Bullets Are Flying” will appear on Jason’s forthcoming EP Synthesizer or Variations of: An Endemic Cycle, which will explore and expand the theme of living in the mass shooting generation.

  • John Leguizamo’s one-man play ‘Latin History for Morons’ returns to NYC

    Following its Tony-nominated hit Broadway run seen by tens of thousands, Tony Award winner John Leguizamo’s one-man play Latin History for Morons will return to New York for one night only at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, November 9.

    Latin History for Morons is inspired by the near total absence of Latinos from Leguizamo’s son’s American History books. Leguizamo embarks on an outrageously funny, frenzied search to find a Latin hero for his son’s school history project. From a mad recap of the Aztec empire to stories of unknown Latin patriots of the Revolutionary War and beyond, Leguizamo breaks down the 3,000 years between the Mayans and Pitbull into 110 irreverent and uncensored minutes above and beyond his unique style.

    Ben Brantley of The New York Times called the show a “surprisingly poignant one-man play that slyly poses sharp and timely questions of what culturally defines American identity and who, in the nationalistic age of Trump, has ‘the right’ to be here.”

    Latin History For Morons

    Latin History for Morons concluded its successful run on Broadway on February 25, 2018. The original 16-week engagement was extended an additional three weeks on opening night, November 15, 2017. The production was the first play of the 2017-2018 season to recoup its entire capitalization.

    This marks theatre’s most prolific modern Latino playwright, John Leguizamo’s sixth one-man venture onto the stage, following success on Broadway with Ghetto Klown (Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award), Freak (Drama Desk Award), Sexaholix…A Love Story (Tony nomination) and Off-Broadway with Mambo Mouth (Obie Award) and Spic-O-Rama (Drama Desk Award). 

    Directed by Tony Taccone (Wishful Drinking, Bridge & Tunnel), the Tony-nominated production of  Latin History for Morons is written and performed by Leguizamo, featuring scenic design by Rachel Hauck, lighting design by Alexander V. Nichols, and original music and sound design by Bray Poor. Latin History for Morons is produced by THE WOW Agency, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and The Public Theater.  

  • Hot Chip Hits the Dance Floor at Brooklyn Steel

    Hot Chip brought their electronic-infused indie rock to Brooklyn Steel on September 4 in support of their new album, A Bath Full of Ecstasy. This was the middle of a three-night sold out run. Holy Fuck opened the night which featured a guest vocal/sample appearance from Alexis Taylor. [Update: Holy Fuck have released this single featuring Alexis Taylor, “Luxe.” Listen here]. 

    Hot Chip at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    The night began with the opening track from their last full length album Why Make Sense? “Huarache Lights,” followed by the title track from 2010’s One Life Stand. The band then played two sequential tracks from In Our Heads, “Night & Day” and “Flutes.” It was not until the halfway point of the set where we heard the first new song, “Hungry Child.”

    Hot Chip – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    The stage was built to resemble classic bandshell stages, with projection towers in a crescent shape behind the band projecting various color palettes throughout the show. A dramatic laser show came and went throughout the night, an effect well received by the fans in the room.

    The second half of the set saw a very frenetic rendition of the Beastie Boys’ classic “Sabotage” before two more tracks from A Bath Full of Ecstasy, “Melody of Love” and “Positive.”

    The tour is just getting underway. The band tours North America throughout the fall, followed by shows in Japan, Europe and South America into December.

  • Banks Shows Off Her Dance Moves in Brooklyn

    Banks brought her energetic live show to Brooklyn Steel on September 10 in support of her fantastic new LP, III. This was a second night added due to the first night on September 8 selling out so quickly.

    Kevin Garrett opened the night with a soulful, beat-backed set of ballads. The crowd was full of Kevin Garrett fans as they willed him on by, singing and dancing along. His new album Hoax, released back in March of this year, was a nice complement to the evening, setting a warm tone but not stealing away any energy from Banks.

    Banks
    Kevin Garrett at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    As the stage hands removed the opening band’s instruments, it was immediately clear that she would be dancing from one end of the stage to the other. With a keyboard set-up far stage left and a drum kit far stage right, the entire Brooklyn Steel stage was turned into Banks’ and Co. personal dance floor – and they sure used every inch.

    Banks
    Banks at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    The audience was in full-throat for every song – belting out all the lyrics and trying to mimic Banks’ dance moves on the packed GA floor. Some of the more adventurous dancers drifted to the back of the room and the balcony where there was ample space to dance.

    Banks
    Banks at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    This is only the start of the III World Tour. Banks continues in North America through October then hits Europe in November.

  • Boris Drones on at Elsewhere in Brooklyn

    Boris needs no introduction at this point in their career. Their upcoming studio release, LφVE & EVφL, will be their 25th(!) full length LP to date. This is not even counting the numerous live albums, EPs, demos and collaborations they have put out since their formation in 1992 in Tokyo.

    boris
    Boris at Elsewhere, Brooklyn – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    The band is currently on a lengthy tour of North America and they rolled through Elsewhere, Brooklyn on Tuesday night in advance of the new album being released. Uniform provided support, delivering a very heavy and frenetic opening set, dense with noise and reverb.

    Boris took to the stage with little fanfare, and quietly began setting up their loops and pedals. Then, equipped with a double neck guitar/bass combo, Takeshi Ohtani began laying down the heavy drones. The set had many peaks and valleys as the band transitioned from heavy, nearly uncomfortable drones to more melodic and vocal bits. All three band members contribute to the vocals, making for a very hypnotic sound.

    boris
    Boris at Elsewhere, Brooklyn – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    During the encore, Uniform joined Boris on stage for a rendition of “Akuma no Uta,” the title track from their 2013 full length. This was quite the treat for the many Uniform fans in the crowd. The show concluded with the track “Statement,” a track from an alternate version of the album Smile.

    boris
    Boris at Elsewhere, Brooklyn – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Boris continue on their long tour with upcoming stops in the Northeast and on the West Coast before heading back to Japan. The band will end the tour, and their 2019 with a show in Athens, Greece on December 21.

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