Tag: Brooklyn Steel

  • Daughters Headline Industrial Triple Bill at Brooklyn Steel

    This past Thursday night, Brooklyn was treated to an incredible metalcore/industrial triple bill: Daughters, HEALTH and Show Me The Body. Both HEALTH and Show Me The Body are still supporting new releases from earlier this year (Vol. 4 :: Slaves of Fear and Dog Whistle, respectively) and Daughters is still going strong behind their excellent and genre-defining release You Won’t Get What You Want from late 2018.

    Daughters at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Show Me The Body was up first and the room was already packed to see the group open the night. Frontman Julian Cashwan Pratt had an intense level of energy on stage – violently throwing his body back and forth all while playing hardcore riffs on a heavily distorted banjo. Several friends of the band came on stage for brief guest vocals, and subsequently stage dove into the pit to amp up the crowd even more.

    Next up was electronic-infused industrial rock greats HEALTH. Their intoxicating bass and melodic vocals were a sharp contrast to openers SMTB, but fit so nicely in the middle of the triple bill. Their latest release, Vol. 4 :: Slaves of Fear, sees the band soundtracking an industrial rock dance club, reminiscent of where Neo met Trinity in The Matrix. They present a stripped back stage with blinding, beat-synced strobes that overwhelm your senses regardless of where you are in the room.

    Daughters have been looked up to in the metalcore, industrial rock cloud ever since their debut in 2003. But in 2010, their self-titled LP made a firm statement as one of the best records in the genre, only to see the band then break up and go on a long hiatus. They briefly reunited in 2013 for a one-off show, but it would not be until 2018 that the band returned with the excellent You Won’t Get What You Want. This record is essentially the soundtrack to your worst nightmares. With shrill, spine-tingling guitar riffs; despondent, brutal lyrics; and a relentless flow from start to finish, the record taxes your emotions no matter how many times you’ve heard it. The rare slow down on the album comes from the track “Less Sex.” The song opens with a funky bass groove, but the high pitched guitar riff and haunting, repetitious monologue conveys a hopeless feeling for the listener.

    Alexis Marshall of Daughters at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Frontman Alexis Marshall has a stage presence that truly conveys the tortured sentiment of the record. Several times during the show he would appear to choke himself with his microphone chord, his fist (or the fist of a lucky(?) audience member) or his clothing. His facial expression would convey the darkest emotions of the human mind and he would frequently jump down to the audience to mosh and engage with the energetic fans. As dark as Daughters’ music is, the connection between the band and those listening cannot be understated.

    Daughters at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    The show at Brooklyn Steel was one of the last of the combined tour, which wrapped up on December 21 at a sold out show at Paradise Rock Club in Boston. HEALTH have shows in Europe next April while Show Me The Body play New Year’s Eve at the newly opened NYC venue The Dance.

    This iteration of the Daughters lineup seems to have a deep connection on stage, and they deliver an intoxicating performance. This was my second time seeing them on this tour cycle and the presentation of YWGWYW somehow got substantially better the second time around. Hopefully we see more from the group in the near future!

  • CAAMP Shave Off the Peach Fuzz at Brooklyn Steel

    This past July, CAAMP put out their latest LP, By & By, on Mom + Pop Music and are still touring strong behind the record. This past week, the group made their way to Brooklyn for two sold out shows at Brooklyn Steel on December 10 and 11.

    caam
    Taylor Meier of CAAMP at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Support for these shows came from Savannah Conley; presenting a stripped back solo performance of breezy folk music. She was joined on stage for one song by the violinist from CAAMP’s band.

    caamp
    Savannah Conley at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello
    caamp
    Savannah Conley at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    After blasting John Lennon’s “Mind Games” over the PA, CAAMP walked out to a massive ovation from the audience. The band has quite the following here in NYC, that was on clear display over the two nights in Brooklyn. Frontman Taylor Meier confessed to the crowd after the first song that he was very sick, joking “Why did this happen when the tour got to NYC? Couldn’t I have gotten sick in Omaha?” Despite the illness, Taylor performed seemingly unaffected and got a lot of help from the entire room singing along to each song. (Update: Taylor actually came down with the flu and subsequently cancelled the upcoming Philly and DC shows).

    caamp
    CAAMP at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    The band adorned matching denim jackets with their names embroidered on the chest, band logos on the back (Taylor was also sporting a Courtney Barnett pin). There was a full drum kit on stage, which was only used for a few of the songs. One band member primarily playing banjo had a separate kick drum which provided the beat for most songs.

    caamp
    CAAMP at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    The band continues their winter tour through December, concluding with three hometown shows (the last on New Year’s Eve) in Columbus, Ohio at Newport Music Hall. They hit the road again in the spring/summer for a lengthy tour with several festival stops along the way.

  • Matisyahu’s Festival of Light Returns to Brooklyn December 29

    Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Matisyahu has announced his annual Festival of Lights show for 2019, scheduled for December 29 at Brooklyn Steel. The special evening falls on the last night of Chanukah and will feature performances from Matisyahu, Bedouin Soundclash and Your Old Droog, as well as other special guests to be announced.

    Founded in 2006, Matisyahu‘s Festival of Light is a concert celebration occurring during or throughout the Chanukah season. It presents a community of like-minded musicians to celebrate the season’s spirit of unity and to transcend barriers. The show kicks off at 6:30pm

    The Festival of Light show wraps a string of tour dates across North America, with Matisyahu playing the likes of Salt Lake City, Aspen, Tulsa, St. Louis, Montreal and Buffalo alongside reggae/rock band Bedouin Soundclash.

    Perhaps one of the most eclectic talents in popular music today, singer-songwriter Matisyahu has been captivating audiences since he burst onto the scene in late 2005. His infectious mix of reggae, hip hop and soul has attracted the praise of a multitude of fans and critics alike, with his performances showcasing a raw expression of his spirituality to thousands of people across the world.

    Matisyahu's Festival of Light

    Matisyahu Tour Dates

    Dec. 5 – Belly Up Aspen – Aspen, CO

    Dec. 6 – Center for the Arts – Crested Butte, CO

    Dec. 7 – Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO

    Dec. 8 – Aggie Theatre – Fort Collins, CO

    Dec. 11 – Cannery Ballroom – Nashville, TN

    Dec. 12 – Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, OK

    Dec. 13 – Delmar Hall – St. Louis, MO

    Dec. 20 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY

    Dec. 21 – Corona Theatre – Montreal, QC

    Dec. 22 – Higher Ground Ballroom – South Burlington, VT

    Dec. 26 – Ridgefield Playhouse – Ridgefield, CT

    Dec. 27 – Greenwich Odeum – East Greenwich, RI

    Dec. 28 – Tupelo Music Hall – Derry, NJ

    Dec. 29 – Festival of Light – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY

  • Tennis announce ‘Swimmer Tour’ with Molly Burch, new album due in February 2020

    Acclaimed indie-pop duo Tennis has announced a major North American headline tour heralding their highly anticipated fifth studio album SWIMMER, due out on Feb.14.

    The first single from the album, and first new music in nearly three years, “Runner,” was released with news of the tour, along with a colorful companion video, directed by longtime collaborator Luca Venter and inspired by singer Alaina Moore’s love of “old musicals and all things Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Bob Fosse.”

    “Runner” was called an “incandescent taste of Tennis’s upcoming fifth LP,” by Australia’s Happy, and Cool Hunting hailed the “Runner” video with advice to “Bliss out in technicolor. The visual treatment is full of sequins, night skies and satin—the ideal accompaniment for Moore’s falsetto, crescendoing synths, and lush production.”

    Known as a captivating and charismatic live act, Tennis will celebrate the recent premiere of “Runner” with a much-anticipated headline performance at Atlanta, GA’s Over/Under Music Fest on Saturday, Nov. 23. The duo has spent much of its existence on the road, including sold-out headline runs, festival sets, tours alongside such like-minded artists as Father John Misty, Spoon, The Decemberists, and The Shins, and most recently, a sold-out summer double bill with Mumford & Sons at Englewood, CO’s Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre.

    Produced by Tennis and mixed by four-time GRAMMY® Award-nominee Claudius Mittendorfer (Panic! At The Disco, Parquet Courts), SWIMMER sees the Denver, CO-based husband and wife duo of Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore elevating their distinctive pop approach to heretofore unexplored new heights, experimenting with atypical instrumentation, complex time changes, and an increased focus on lyrical storytelling fueled in part by a series of life-changing experiences that only served to strengthen their already powerful personal and creative bond.

    “’Runner’ is the first song we wrote for our fifth record,” says Moore. “It began as a guitar riff Patrick recorded while we were living off-grid, anchored in a fisherman’s cove called San Juanico. The only instruments we had on board were an acoustic guitar and a drum sequencer, but the limitations seemed to work in our favor. Until that point, we had no clear vision for our writing. The demo Patrick recorded that day outlined our future, the first contours of our next record.”

    In addition to their frequent live activity, Tennis has made a number of high profile media appearances, spanning NPR to NBC, while also collaborating on campaigns for top brands like Gucci, Madewell, and Vinyl Me, Please.

    Tennis Swimmer Tour dates

    November 2019
    23 – Over/Under Music Fest – Atlanta, GA

    February 2020
    25 – Madrid Theatre & Cafe – Kansas City, MO
    27 – Granada Theater – Dallas, TX
    28 – Paper Tiger – San Antonio, TX
    29 – Stubb’s Bar-B-Q – Austin, TX

    March 2020
    2 – White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX
    4 – Meow Wolf – Santa Fe, NM 
    26 – Metro Music Hall – Salt Lake City, UT
    28 – Top Hat Lounge – Missoula, MT
    30 – Venue Nightclub – Vancouver, BC
    31 – Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA

    April 2020
    1 – Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
    3 – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
    4 – The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
    5 – Belly Up Tavern – Solana Beach, CA
    8 – Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ
    10 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO 
    16 – Slowdown – Omaha, NE 
    17 – Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN 
    18 – The Vic Theatre – Chicago, IL
    20 – Majestic Theatre Center – Detroit, MI
    21 – Deluxe at Old National Centre – Indianapolis, IN
    22 – The Opera House – Toronto, ON
    24 – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT
    25 – Royale – Boston, MA
    26 – Port City Music Hall – Portland, ME
    28 – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY
    29 – The 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
    30 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA

    May 2020
    1- Haw River Ballroom – Saxapahaw, NC
    4 – Saturn – Birmingham, AL
    6 – Cannery Ballroom – Nashville, TN
    8 – Headliners Music Hall – Louisville, KY
    9 – Delmar Hall – Saint Louis, MO

    All headline dates with Molly Burch

  • Toro y Moi Unveils ‘Soul Trash’ for Sold Out Run at Brooklyn Steel

    Toro y Moi (aka Chaz Bundick) has been going strong ever since he broke onto the scene at the start of the decade, and 2019 has proven to be no exception. Back in January, Chaz released the excellent album Outer Peace and has been touring on and off since. Now, just as the fall tour was wrapping up with two sold out nights at Brooklyn Steel, Chaz dropped a surprise LP, Soul Trash.

    Toro y Moi at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Support for the fall tour came from exciting newcomer Channel Tres. His infectious blend of hip-hop and deep house kept the packed Brooklyn Steel dance floor moving for the entire opening set. Flanked by two backup dancers and thunderous house beats, Channel Tres performed his entire 2019 release Black Moses, including the hit “Sexy Black Timberlake.” The set was rounded off with other singles like “Topdown” and “Jet Black.” The future is incredibly bright for Channel Tres, including much anticipation for a full length LP. He has several West Coast dates coming up, with a show at Elsewhere’s Zone One next May.

    Channel Tres at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello
    Channel Tres at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Toro y Moi has a very unique blend of styles. One of the few surviving bands from the chill-wave movement, Toro has maintained success by mixing elements of classic R&B and disco with more modern electronica and indie palettes. Each release takes a new approach to these sounds and keeps the ever growing Toro y Moi discography fresh and exciting.

    With so much material to draw from, including the new LP Soul Trash released just two weeks before, the set provided by Toro y Moi was truly representative of his entire discography. The title track “Soul Trash” opened the show, while tracks from Outer Peace included “Ordinary Pleasure” and “Freelance” (which closed out the show). A personal favorite, “Rose Quartz” from the incredible 2013 LP Anything in Return, echoed effortlessly around the room. The band glided through a 21-song set without a single dull moment.

    Chaz Bundick of Toro y Moi at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Saturday night was the last show of the current tour, with a late night DJ set at Elsewhere just to top it all off. Chaz has some DJ sets scheduled out west in December, but for now, we just look forward to what he has in store for 2020.

  • Flatbush Zombies: A Halloween Special

    The Flatbush Zombies drew a huge costumed crowd that packed Brooklyn Steel on Halloween night. Erick Arc Elliott opened as a DJ, playing noise-music of a sort that jumped from soothing jazz to banging trap. This kicked off the chain of shenanigans that would precede the show.

    Meechy Darko emerged, in a bright yellow leather patched suit and heavy clown face paint, as the Joker to kick off the costume contest – the grand prize being $1000. They brought up ten selected members of the audience and let the rest of the crowd decide on who the winner was. The list of costumes at Flatbush Zombies included but was not limited to a Spiderman, Frozone, Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain, and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. They went down the line with hovering hand over heads and listened for the cheers. Then it was down to the final three: Frozone, Sally, and a masked killer. The crowd overwhelmingly hailed Frozone as king of the costume contest, who then proceeded to deliver a heartfelt acceptance speech before being abruptly kicked off stage by a raging Meechy.

    After a set change, another Joker entered the stage waving and boasting his wrestling championship belt. Zombie Juice was following, promising to relinquish him of it. A fierce fight ensued with all sorts of jump kicks and WWE slams. When the dust finally cleared, Zombie Juice stood victorious.

    Flatbush Zombies
    Flatbush Zombies
  • Brooklyn art-pop group San Fermin ‘Run Away’ with Carly Rae Jepsen Cover

    San Fermin, an art-pop project from Brooklyn, have shared an acoustic cover of Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit single “Run Away with Me.” Reinterpreted by bandleader Ellis Ludwig-Leone, San Fermin’s cover finds vocalists Claire Wellin and Karlie Bruce harmonizing for a warmly emotive take on the Emotion classic. 

    Regarding the acoustic rendition, Ellis Ludwig-Leone says, “Carly Rae’s version is a perfect party song, with that synth lead and four on the floor bass drum, so we went the other way with it. The lyrics are actually pretty intimate and lend themselves well to a quieter version. It was fun for us, as a band with eight members, to do something truly stripped down.” 

    “Run Away with Me” follows the October release of the group’s newest album The Cormorant I. Currently in the midst of their North American tour, San Fermin will continue with headlining dates across the U.S. and Canada before concluding with a hometown finale at New York’s Brooklyn Steel on December 6. Get ticketing information and details here.

    San Fermin is the project of Brooklyn-based composer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ellis Ludwig-Leone, who pairs lushly avant-garde arrangements with pop-minded melodies that are brought to life by his bandmates. Formed in 2012 – shortly after Ludwig-Leone completed a job assisting composer Nico Muhly – San Fermin made their debut with a self-titled 2013 release hailed by NPR as “one of the year’s most ambitious, evocative, and moving records.” With the 2015 release of Jackrabbit and 2017’s Belong, San Fermin garnered extensive critical acclaim, selling out shows worldwide and appearing at major festivals and opening for the likes St. Vincent, The National, Arctic Monkeys, alt-J and more. Having recently signing to Sony Music Masterworks, San Fermin usher in a new chapter with the release of The Cormorant I, the first of an eventual two-part project encompassing the scope of their new trajectory.

     San Fermin
  • Kero Kero Bonito Draw Battle Lines at Brooklyn Steel

    Sarah Perry of Kero Kero Bonito at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Fresh off their new EP, Civilisation I, London-based band Kero Kero Bonito brought their edgy electro-pop to Brooklyn Steel this past Thursday night. Negative Gemini opened the show, delivering a dance friendly set to a highly energetic crowd, eager to get the night started.

    Negative Gemini at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Originally a trio, Kero Kero Bonito have expanded their live band to include two more members; adding a whole new layer of noise and groove to their live sound. Sarah Perry fronts the band and continuously engages the crowd while adding quirky theatrical elements, like waving an oversized white flag during the opening song “Battle Lines.”

    Sarah Perry of Kero Kero Bonito at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    New band members James Rowland and Jennifer Walton were on percussion and keyboard duties, and throughout the show they kept switching instruments for various solos and jams. They each brought their own style to the instruments and the band remained just as sharp regardless of who was playing what.

    Jennifer Walton of Kero Kero Bonito at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    Kero Kero Bonito have a dedicated and highly engaged fanbase. The audience sung along to every track and did not let up the energy one bit. The lengthy 21 song main set never felt dull, even when Sarah announced a “break” to perform one of the groups slower songs. Break time quickly ended and the high energy performance continued. During the encore, there was an unlikely cover of U2’s “Vertigo,” which sent the crowd into a frenzy.

    Kero Kero Bonito at Brooklyn Steel – Photo: Joseph Buscarello

    A unique mix of punk and electro-pop with a traditional J-pop influence really set Kero Kero Bonito apart from other indie pop blends. They present a vibrant performance and their discography continues to evolve. The band continues on their North American tour through November.

  • 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.