Fun bands are great. It’s strange, in that some bands, you listen to their music and lyrics and you feel so light that you don’t realize how difficult the music might be to put together. Like they say; the great ones make it look easy. And it’s refreshing to have a music that just does what it’s supposed to and gives you a good time.
Haunted Cat is just such a band, and from their eclectic mix of grooves and styles to their never shying away from engaging in festivities, you will find a good time the moment you click ‘play.’
RRX: Haunted Cat has a lot of holiday specials, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. To see a band do one holiday special in a year is something, but it seems a pattern for the band. How did Haunted Cat start doing holiday specials? Was it a goof that just stuck, or was it something in the band’s basic design?
DB: Let me start by saying it warms the cockles of my heart that you think of HC as a fun band! We have heard that and always appreciate it. We also aim to strike terror into the souls of audience members so their hair turns fully white on the spot, and folks are frequently seen sobbing heavily at our shows as well. Those people are usually watching Steel Magnolias on their phones. The key is, we want to take people on an adventure and hit on all the emotions one could possibly feel, as long as it’s not boredom.
To that point, and with respect to the specials, there are all these ideas that excite us beyond what we’re going to play at a live performance or release as audio recordings. Stuffing those ideas away because they’re outside of a traditional band activity would be bad for morale. They need to happen. We don’t want to just do holiday specials either, we may soon venture into fetish videos, reenactments of obscure political assassinations, revitalizing the Jurassic Park franchise… and, look, this could all be the same project. The important thing is, we want to keep ourselves entertained and interested, and if we are doing that, some other people will probably be entertained and interested. Hopefully?
RRX: The band seems to have a sort of light, sort of lackadaisical feel, from what I’ve listened to. It’s very inviting, very welcoming. And I feel like it leaves a lot of room to experiment and improvise with your sound; you don’t seem tied to some traditional orthodoxy. But do you have any root notion around which the band revolves?
DB: My heart cockles are an absolute inferno right now by your words. “Root notion” whence we orbit? There are some bands that are consciously trying to sound like bands that they like, or a specific genre. It kind of makes sense, you like that music, you want to play music pretty close to like that. I would say the most important thing for Haunted Cat is to operate extremely far away from that, and rather separately and intensely appreciate all art via any mediums that we find most exciting, and filter things we love through ourselves and our collaborators into something that is hopefully unique and new. We get compared to other acts, and writing about music it’s very hard if not impossible to avoid that, but I never think we actually sound like those things.
RRX: The previous question alluded to the fact that Haunted Cat’s sound is diverse. That usually comes from people that have diverse tastes in music coming to the table. I saw that, in one of your specials, you had a song originally sung by Liberace mentioned. That seems like a big shot out in left field for music in these parts? What was that about?
DB: To clarify, in last year’s Halloween Special we brought Liberace back via seance, which was not as easy as you think, and we were granted an exclusive performance of “Violet” by Hole. Liberace is a total pro and we are still honored he showed up despite being very busy with his afterlife passions of snowboarding and jai alai. We could have brought John Lennon back because he has the universal stamp of acceptance, but that would have been extremely boring unless it was the period where he was getting super trashed and making an ass of himself in public, toward the end there. Liberace was way more fun. We had a wheel we spun that included Bam Bam Bigelow and Jesse Pomeroy, but we spun the wheel and the wheel spoke.
RRX: I also saw a picture of you all playing at the Low Beat, which is no longer around. It’s bittersweet to see venues go, as far as the memories we have as listeners, audience members. But a fun night for us may have been a major accomplishment for a band onstage. Any venues, Low Beat included, whose loss you’ve really felt? Why?
DB: For a very long time I couldn’t think about the loss of Valentines without feeling real sorrow, and when I pass that area, I still truly feel the loss. It was devastating to Albany when Valentines closed. That was the place for me and for a long time, nothing came close to filling that in the immediate Albany area. But looking forward there are a lot of great newer venues. No Fun in Troy is just amazing. Every time I go there I have a blast, and it seems it’s just getting better. We still haven’t even played there yet, but we have really enjoyed seeing other shows there. I absolutely love Rare Form and saw like 100 great bands there last summer! We are playing there again on 7/23!
RRX: Going back to the specials. I see specials on television, and they’re usually themed, usually extravaganzas, and it’s as much me being in a holiday mood as it is the special’s performance. But when you guys do these specials, you go all out. And you probably start them well before the season. So, is it like celebrating the holidays twice?
DB: We collaborate with local artist-of-all-trades and technical wizard Eric-jon Tasker on many artistic endeavors, but we truly couldn’t do the specials without him. Together I think we started the Halloween one in April and we would just have our incredibly wonderful and game guest stars come weekend after weekend to film, and then we’d edit whenever we could. We lost a ton of footage when a hard drive fell on a concrete floor, and it was a wild ride. We have such limited resources so it was really a miracle that we pulled it off, especially since it included a live performance filmed at Desperate Annie’s like two days before we released it. By time Halloween came we were pretty much ready to move on to The Brazilian Republic Proclamation Day Special. The goal is that we can increase our resources, funds, etc. so we can go even bigger and have more options with whatever we want to do creatively.
The Coronas have been releasing music since 2007, but despite streaming numbers in the millions on even their earliest albums, the Irish band has found themselves getting a different kind of name recognition in the past couple years. And instead of shying away from their unintended ties to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Coronas decided to face it head on.
Their 7th album, Time Stopped, released last week on October 7, focuses heavily on the pandemic and its aftermath. To celebrate its release, The Coronas are heading off on an international tour, with a stop in NYC on November 5, featuring Róisín O.
The Coronas is a three piece band, with Graham Knox on bass, Conor Egan on drums and Danny O’Reilly as lead singer. The band is extremely passionate about performing live, even going so far as promoting their last album, released during the pandemic, by driving around in an ice cream truck to still bring live, if socially distant, performances to their fans.
Irish singer Róisín O, whose solo album Courageous was released in the spring to positive notices, joins The Coronas as their special guest on their tour of North America. Róisín will join as the support act as well as playing keyboards and singing backgrounds on their headlining shows.
This summer, The Coronas sold out shows in Cork and Dublin. Before they land in the U.S., the band will play multiple venues in Germany and Switzerland. Lead singer Danny O’Reilly said the return to live audiences will be affecting.
“Time Stoppedwas written to be played live,” O’Reilly said. “We’re ridiculously excited to be on the road again and to play these new songs to full capacity rooms around the world. It’s going to be emotional.”
It’s not every day you get the opportunity to be a part of Europe’s largest club festival, but over September 22-25, I traveled to Hamburg, Germany and experienced all that Reeperbahn Festival had to offer. Northern Europe’s version of South by Southwest, Reeperbahn has been going strong for 17 years, highlighting a wide variety of artists from across the European continent, and from around the world. Each year, the festival partners with another country, bringing artists from all over and press from the partner country, to see all that Hamburg has to offer.
Partnering with America in the post-pandemic era meant that the ability to travel overseas had more ease and certainty of flight status than anytime in the past three years. Hamburg reached out to NYS Music for coverage of the festival, and it was an opportunity impossible to pass up.
With 24 combined hours of travel planned, and only 60 hours to spend in Hamburg seeing indie and punk bands in small club settings, the stage for the weekend was quickly set. Add in learning a bit about Hamburg and the role the city plays not just geographically, but also in music history, plus seeing performances at truly marvelous once-in-a-lifetime venues, and this whirlwind trip to a gem of a port on the North Sea made for the perfect return trip to Europe.
Roller Disco
Reeperbahn is the area of Hamburg prime for entertainment and nightlife, with musicals, music venues, restaurants and a red light district that, all combined, offer a little something for everyone. ‘Ropewalk’ in English, the Reeperbahn was where rope was made, being just near the Elbe River that brings you well into the European continent or out to the North Sea, The British Isles and Scandinavia. This makes Hamburg “Das Tor zur Welt” – the Gateway to the World.
The Festival Village has its main grounds in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg, with a few stages, a Flatstock poster exhibit, roller skating disco, educational displays including water reclamation efforts and a few pop up band performances. Slightly underwhelming as it was – and intentionally so – the Festival Village is not a single-location music festival, but rather spread out across the Reeperbahn area at dozens of clubs and theaters, as well as outdoor stages in the median of the Reeperbahn. Flanked by the ‘dancing towers’ and the neon lights of the red light district, the nightlife was as vibrant as you’d find in Amsterdam. While not a city-wide festival, Reeperbahn gave a taste of what Hamburg has to offer, and left me wanting to return to see more of the city outside the entertainment center.
For comparison sake, take a psychedelic remix of St. Mark’s Place – multiple blocks worth – and with a paid wristband, you get to hop from club to club, seeing bands from across the country, all with the goal of finding their footing and making it to the next level.
This kind of festival of course does happen in America, with SXSW the inspiration, as co-founder and managing director Alexander Schulz shared during a dinner at Restaurant Nil with press from America, England, Denmark and Germany on Thursday evening. For an hour, Schulz entertained questions that got to the heart of why Reeperbahn is not just a notable festival for Europe, but a destination event that draws an international crowd.
Co-founder and managing director of Reeperbahn Festival, Alexander Schulz, breaks bread with journalists at Restaurant NIL.
Schulz sees Reeperbahn as a way to combine a consumer program with a professional program, with both audiences meeting in the evening. Add in the Reeperbahn ANCHOR awards show on Saturday, showcasing six international finalists, and a strong relationship with the city of Hamburg, and a recipe for success is served up each September.
Navigating the pandemic by partnering in 2020 with Denmark (from which fans could drive) and in 2021 with South Korea (although the festival was mostly virtual), the first year fully back in person brought in the USA and the hope of rekindling the flame that was dimmed for a year or so.
Dr. Carsten Brosda, Minister of Culture and Media for the city of Hamburg, proudly noted that the festival is much bigger than music, and with full capacity allowed and no restrictions, it didn’t take much to get the local and regional governments behind the Reeperbahn Festival. “Whenever something is possible, we do it,” said Brosda. With hundreds working the festival plus more pre and post, the feeling of doing things together has returned, as the culture, concerts and inspiration they provided were not something the city wanted to lose. In 2020, it was the first time seeing artists on a stage all year, following months of lockdown, and some bands didn’t want to leave the stage. Skip ahead to 2021 and a second period of lockdown made it more difficult to hold the 2021 event and was thus virtual.
While global inflation certainly impacted the 2022 event, and the German government maintained a public transportation mask mandate, Reeperbahn Festival served as the gateway to European music, and connected the rest of the world via the United States. This year’s lineup of bands was meant to appeal to the musical tastes of Americans: contemporary, classic rock, techno and electronic, plus German acts that have crossover (including Hamburg duo BOY)
Following dinner, I linked up with Justin and Sam from Aquarium Drunkard, based in Los Angeles. We headed to the Reeperbahn and to Drafthaus to see Afghan-Dutch artist Ferdous, who provided a taste of futuristic R&B, the first music of this 60 hour jaunt. Making the most of the club nature of the festival, we headed over to Molotow where four venues are contained under one roof, including an outdoor ‘Backyard’, the ‘Karatekeller’, the Club and the Skybar, the latter of which we caught the soundcheck and most of the performance of Montreal band Choses Sauvages. Watching the lead singer bust out Ric Ocasek vocals (and fit the look a bit when his sunglasses were on) gave a new wave of new wave, along with animated crowd interaction that commands a second viewing in the near future on this side of the pond.
Choses Sauvages
We headed to the Backyard for a brief taste of HighSchool, a post-punk trio from Melbourne, Australia. An 80s indie vibe resonated, along with a bassist who looked as though he had recently placed second in a Lou Reed look alike contest.
Next stop was Gruenspan – the largest stand-alone venue on the Reeperbahn with a capacity of 850 – for Vancouver-based Destroyer, one of the many recommendations provided to me by Parisian friend Benjo. When I first glanced at the lineup, not a single band was familiar, and this was not the ‘wow I am getting old if I don’t know any of these bands’ first takes. Dozens of unsigned bands and no true headliner of the festival made every band a new discovery, and thankfully some guidance helped line up acts that were well worth venturing to see. Notably, Gruenspan was the first venue that had any third party sponsorship with Rolling Stone banners around the second level, as corporate sponsorship was present at the festival, but not overwhelming as seen at large North American festivals.
Destroyer
Starting promptly at 11:30 pm with strong bass and drums, the groove was no doubt excellent and the performance quite lively, but the catch was the lead singer Dan Bejar. Destroyer itself was a unique offering, with Bejar adding the flair that made this show well worth the recommendation. Performing in the vein of a freak poet, Bejar would take a knee after his portion of the song was complete, the band behind him carrying the tune to completion. Odd for the uninitiated (myself included), the music was at times feedback and a slow grinding for the audience, but they delighted in it nonetheless. Perhaps there is a Western Canadian appeal to the European crowd, or what this westerner presumes to be European influence on a Vancouver export, yet this remained a fantastic band to catch live and an otherwise great discovery.
Friday of Reeperbahn began a little late, as jetlag and exhaustion had finally caught up with me, and the beds at Premier Inn certainly not helping by being so inviting following a long day at school, followed by 12 hours of planes, trains and automobiles, then 6 hours of club-hopping. The German saying ‘Es ist nicht der Alkohol, der den Káter verursacht, sein Aufwachen” (it’s not the alcohol that causes the hangover, its waking up) never rang truer, and one that has always stuck with me since a trip to Bavaria and Austria in 2011. While no one pursues a hangover, travel, time change and revelry were quite the combo to contend with.
Venturing out into the bustling Spielbudenplatz, I found excellent Vietnamese at Com Nieu 21. While pho would have been a good option, a noodle salad and summer rolls with a Vietnamese iced coffee worked nicely to push through the aforementioned Káter. Taking a walk just a few minutes off the main drag, I found the city to be immediately quieter and residential, with kids playing, riding scooters and enjoying the day.
I walked down towards the Elbe River for a boat cruise and tour of the port area along with bloggers from Lithuania, Brazil and England. Drinking Astra beers and eating fried fish sandwiches fresh from the Elbe that day, the boat cruise was accentuated with great music and company amid canals reminiscent of Amsterdam, with twists and turns as we navigated the port. Spectacular views of the city and the Elbphilharmonie, where we would see a live performance that evening, gave a full scope view of the city to all.
The Louisiana Star riverboat and the Elbphilharmonie
Disembarking at the Elbphilharmonie in HafenCity, and part of the Speicherstadt warehouse district (a UNESCO World Heritage site), we could see theaters for Der König Der Löwen (The Lion King) and Eiskönigin (Frozen) across the river, each of which had their own ferry for patrons. Hamburg is, after all, the third largest city in the world for musicals, with Hamilton having opened on October 6.
Located in the Kontorhaus business district with the Chilehaus, the Elbphilharmonie opened on January 11, 2017 and serves as a symbol of the city’s past, present and future. With an old warehouse serving as the foundation, when the Elbphilharmonie was constructed, supports were built into the river to ensure stability for this landmark on the Elbe River.
Mine
More than a concert venue, the building houses a Westin hotel, apartments, restaurants, conference rooms and a spa, plus the original cranes, all at a 866 Million Euro cost; while that price tag was controversial, the venue is a boon to the city and a must visit for anyone seeking acoustically perfect performance spaces. With the full concert hall having seating for 2100 created in a terraced manner so that no seat was more than 30 meters from the stage, the venue itself is decoupled from the rest of the building, ensuring that the sound is pristine with no outside interference.
Acoustics are so acute thanks to 10,000 individually shaped gypsum fiber panels, with a design for classical music in mind that ensures sound is distributed to each and every corner. What’s more, an organ was built inside the walls, and the stage location gives nearly a theater-in-the-round perspective to all in attendance.
Taking a closeup look at the stage before a performance by Mine (Mee-na), I marveled at the arrangement of the seating, the proximity to the stage, and the music that we would be experiencing shortly. Taking a seat alongside Erik, a music critic from Copenhagen, this 75 minute performance, while entirely in German, stands out as one of the most spectacular of the festival, and the calendar year.
Mine
Entering the stage were a 13-piece band, including five strings, three backup singers and Mine, the lead singer who describes her music as “German-language folk with hip hop, jazz and electronic elements” arrived on stage and began a most symphonic performance. Joined by three additional drummers for the second song, not knowing German didn’t help, as Mine spoke to the audience between songs, with laughs and applause at times in a show that got more upbeat as it progressed.
Projections on the stage from overhead were mixed with lighting, with a South Asian flair added to each song via percussion, guitar and theremin. Joined by a New York letter jacket sporting Fatoni, whom Mine dueted with on “ROMCOM” in 2017, this James Corden lookalike (and thankfully not Corden) stayed for a few tunes to freestyle rap, eliciting approval from the audience.
Then the bagpipes began, with a piper coming in from the wings to crush the one song he was there to play. Mine continued into the performance, alternating between melodic solo songs and heavier full band engagements, bringing out a pink-haired vocalist for a song that drew huge applause, and establishing herself as the perfect artist to perform tonight in this monumental venue. A total of 21 musicians performed with Mine over the course of the show, and the audience gave a standing ovation the likes of which are rarely seen at American live music performances. Mine was a highlight of the weekend in a venue that is just as incredible as photos and videos show.
WEQX has long been the preeminent independent station in the Capital Region of New York, broadcasting from Southern VT to an ever-expanding listening audience. NYS Music brings you a preview of artists to discover each week, just a taste of the talent waiting to be discovered by fans like you.
grape juice- “ICICLES“
grape juice is an indie-alt band from Saratoga Springs. They make chill and indie music, that centers on sad things. Their new single “ICICLES” came out on Sept. 30 and will be featured on EQXposure.
Haley Moley- “Deep Silence”
Based in Troy, Haley Moley is comprised of house music DJ and dance music producer Jennifer Maher Coleman and features Paul Coleman on guitar, Andrea Kosek on keyboard and guitar, Pat Thorpe on bass, and Mike Broomhead on drums. Their newest single “Deep Silence” will be featured on EQXposure.
New American Cuisine-“Talking”
Five-piece Saratoga Springs indie band New American Cuisine released their new single “Talking” on Sept. 16. The band met in high school, and continues to collab during winter and summer breaks while they are at different colleges.
Indie rockers Yo La Tengo will return to the stage of Bowery Ballroom for an eight-night run during Hanukkah, starting December 18.
The band noted on Instagram, “Yup, we’re going to be back at the Bowery Ballroom this year to play all eight nights of Hanukkah.” They’ll aim to not repeat a single song over the eight nights, as well as have an unannounced opening band and comedian joining them for each night’s show. Additionally, the run of shows benefit a charity of Yo La Tengo’s choosing.
The series of shows began in 2001 in their hometown of Hoboken, NJ at Maxwell’s, then took a break when the venue closed in 2012. The tradition was renewed in 2017 at Bowery Ballroom and has continued each year since, with the 2020 event liverstreamed due to the Covid pandemic.
Brooklyn Steel will welcome Swedish punk rockers Viagra Boys, all the way from Stockholm, for their only New York show on Tuesday, October 18. Viagra Boys are touring in support of their third studio album, Cave World, released by Year0001 in July. Written during the COVID-19 pandemic and recorded last winter at Silence Studio and RMV Studio, the album is produced by Pelle Gunnerfeldt and DJ Haydn.
Photo by Ollie Nordh
Viagra Boys, a name chosen as a pun to mans’ failed role in society, have already gained a reputation as being an unapologetically raw live act. They are led by frontman Sebastian Murphy, whose wild and energetic stage persona has led to comparisons with iconic performers Iggy Pop and Nick Cave. The sextet is rounded out by Henrik Höckert (bass), Tor Sjödén (drums), Oskar Carls (saxophone), Elias Jungqvist (keyboards) and Linus Hillborg (guitar).
Cave World Album Art
Joining Viagra Boys on the bill as a co-headliner are Shame, a post-punk band from South London, England. Formed in 2014, Shame are the quintet of Charlie Steen (vocals), Sean Coyle-Smith (guitar), Eddie Green (guitar), Charlie Forbes (drums) and Josh Finerty (bass). Their debut album (Songs of Praise) was released in 2018, followed by Drunk Tank Pink in 2021 – both to critical acclaim via Dead Oceans, an independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.
The show is at 7:30 pm, with doors at 6:30 pm. Tickets are on sale here.
Viagra Boys Tour Dates
October 2, 2022 – The Observatory North Park – San Diego, CA
October 4, 2022 – Hotel Congress Plaza – Tucson, AZ
October 5, 2022 – Sister – Albuquerque, NM
October 7, 2022 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
October 8, 2022 – Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO
October 10, 2022 – Red Flag – St. Louis, MO
October 11, 2022 – Brooklyn Bowl Nashville – Nashville, TN
October 12, 2022 – Headliners Music Hall – Louisville, KY
October 14, 2022 – Woodward Theater – Cincinnati, OH
October 15, 2022 – Mr. Smalls Theatre – Millvale, PA
October 17, 2022 – White Eagle Hall – Jersey City, NJ
October 18, 2022 – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY
October 20, 2022 – Union Craft Brewing – Baltimore, MD
October 21, 2022 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
October 22, 2022 – The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
October 23, 2022 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA
October 27, 2022 – White Oak Music Hal – Houston, TX
October 31, 2022 – Granada Theater – Dallas, TX
November 6, 2022 – Primavera Sound – São Paulo, Brazil
November 18, 2022 – Festival Corona Capital – Mexico City, Mexico
December 7, 2022 – Astra Kulturhaus – Berlin, Germany
December 8, 2022 – Substage – Karlsruhe, Germany
December 9, 2022 – Paradiso Grote Zaal – Amsterdam, Netherlands
December 10, 2022 – TivoliVredenburg – Utrecht, Netherlands
December 11, 2022 – Bataclan – Paris, France
December 14, 2022 – X-tra Hotel – Zürich, Switzerland
December 15, 2022 – Fabrique – Milan, Italy
January 20, 2023 – Rock City – Nottingham, England
January 21, 2023 – Barrowland Ballroom – Glasgow, Scotland
January 23, 2023 – 3Olympia Theatre – Dublin, Ireland
January 24, 2023 – The Great Hall at Cardiff University – Cardiff, Wales
January 25, 2023 – O2 Academy Brixton – London, England
January 28, 2023 – Annexet – Stockholm, Sweden
February 19, 2023 – Paradiso – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nearing the end of a 22-date fall reunion tour of North America that kicked off in early September in San Diego, Pavement played the majestic Kings Theatre in Brooklyn this past Sunday, October 2, for the third of four consecutive sell-outs. Often described as one of the most influential bands to emerge from the underground scene in the early-1990s, the indie rockers formed in 1989 in Stockton, California have achieved a cult-like following among its legion of fans.
Stephen Malkmus of Pavement | Photo by Michael Dinger
Arriving just in time for the 6:30 pm doors on a chilly early-October evening, excited concertgoers were spotted congregating in small groups along nearby sidewalks, hastily exiting their Uber beneath the grand marquee or frequenting the bar on the nearby corner of Flatbush Avenue and Duryea Place that doubles as a tattoo parlor. As patrons filed past the security checkpoint, many had a sheer expression of awe on their faces as they witnessed the theater’s ornate, French Baroque style for the first time. The nearly 3,700-seat venue had been restored to its vintage condition and reopened to the public in January 2015, including repairs to the 50,000-square-foot ornamental ceiling.
Kings Theatre marquee | Photo by Michael Dinger
As the minutes ticked down before the night’s opening act would take the Kings Theatre stage promptly at 8:00 pm, Pavement fans continued to pack the lavish and decorative lobby with gilded walls paneled in American walnut. Many of whom checked out the merch tables, grabbed a drink from the array of bars strategically placed on all levels of the venue, or snapped a cell phone picture of the historic venue’s centerpiece, the console of a “Wonder Morton” pipe organ that was installed in the original Loew’s New York City movie theaters.
Kings Theatre lobby | Photo by Michael Dinger
Preceded by openers The Goon Sax and Water From Your Eyes on Friday night, and 75 Dollar Bill on Saturday night, Horsegirl would be providing support for their Matador Records labelmate on this night of the residency. The indie rock trio of Penelope Lowenstein (guitar, vocals), Nora Cheng (guitar, vocals), and Gigi Reece (drums) formed Horsegirl three years ago after meeting in Chicago and eventually bonding over their shared love for acts like Sonic Youth and Stereolab. Cheng would announce to the Kings Theatre audience that “Pavement is one of the reasons we started this band.”
Horsegirl | Photo by Michael Dinger
Backed by a large video screen resembling a hanging piece of abstract art in a museum, Horsegirl walked onstage bathed in soft purple light as the steadily increasing crowd quietly took to their seats. With palpable, undeniable chemistry, Horsegirl performed a 10-song set filled with guitar feedback and hypnotic melodies from their debut album (Versions of Modern Performance) released this past June. Two of their set numbers, “Ballroom Dance Scene” and “Sea Life Sandwich Boy,” can be found on 2021’s limited edition 7” single (Sonic Cathedral Recordings). As their 35-minute set concluded and by gauging the big round of applause given to these teenage girls who even self-produce their own music videos, it’s a safe bet that Horsegirl is on their way to a very bright future.
Horsegirl | Photo by Michael Dinger
After a 30-minute turnover of the stage by Pavement’s crew, the quintet comprised Stephen Malkmus (vocals and guitar), Scott Kannberg (guitar and vocals), Mark Ibold (bass), Steve West (drums) and Bob Nastanovich (percussion and vocals) unassumingly appeared in the dark shadows just a couple of minutes past 9:00 pm. Additionally, for this reunion tour, the band is joined by Rebecca Cole (keyboards and backing vocals), a former member of the Minders and Wild Flag.
Pavement | Photo by Michael Dinger
Completely mixing up their setlist from each of the previous two nights, the first of Pavement’s 25-song collection was “Major Leagues,” from their fifth and final studio album Terror Twilight (1999). With the exception of Nastanovich, each band member would remain in their respective stage location for the majority of the 1-hour and 50-minute show. Nastanovich, on the other hand, served as a second drummer and as lead vocalist on several songs that often required screaming, and which also found him directly engaging with the throng of die-hard fans standing in the small pit section along the stage apron.
Stephen Malkmus of Pavement | Photo by Michael DingerMark Ibold of Pavement | Photo by Michael DingerSteve West of Pavement | Photo by Michael DingerScott Kannberg of Pavement | Photo by Michael DingerBob Nastanovich of Pavement | Photo by Michael DingerRebecca Cole of Pavement | Photo by Michael Dinger
Touring for the first time in 12 years, when they undertook a well-received reunion tour in 2010, Pavement’s third successive Brooklyn show bestowed upon their loyal fans yet another representative sampling of their impressive discography. Accompanied by Malkmus’ humorous and often cryptic lyrical themes, at least three songs were performed from each of their five studio albums released between 1992 and 1999, including “We Dance” (Wowee Zowee, 1995), “Cut Your Hair” (Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, 1994), “The Hexx” (Terror Twilight, 1999), “Stereo” (Brighten the Corners, 1997) and “Here” (Slanted and Enchanted, 1992). Pavement fans were also treated to tracks selected from five of their early- to mid-1990s EP releases, including “Gangsters & Pranksters” (Pacific Trim, 1996).
Pavement | Photo by Michael Dinger
With only a few minor hiccups and far more highlights, all six band members were in prime form. However, with the crowd standing all night long, but still relatively subdued overall, one of several stand-out moments included the raucous crowd sing-a-long during the pre-chorus of “Range Life” – “Don’t worry, we’re in no hurry. Schools out. What did you expect?” – taken from the aforementioned Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain studio album. During the evening, Nastanovich would also praise Horsegirl as a “fantastic band,” while Malkmus later offered thanks to all the people who work at Kings Theatre, “they’ve all been really nice” [during our stay here].
Stephen Malkmus of Pavement | Photo by Michael Dinger
Following an encore break that lasted several minutes, Pavement would not disappoint yet again, performing fan-essential tunes such as “Spit on a Stranger” (Terror Twilight, 1999) and “Summer Babe” (Slanted and Enchanted, 1992). The extraordinary show closed shortly before 11:00 pm with “Stop Breathin” and an epic ‘on his knees’ guitar solo by Malkmus, another track from 1994’s Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.
The final show of Pavement’s North American reunion tour will be at Austin City Limits Live on October 11. The current leg of the tour will then be immediately followed by an international trek that will take Pavement to the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Japan, and Australia, finishing in early March 2023.
Pavement setlist | Photo by Michael Dinger
Horsegirl Setlist: Electrolocation 2 > World of Pots and Pans > Ballroom Dance Scene > Homage to Birdnoculars > Option 8 > Anti-glory > Live and Ski > Sea Life Sandwich Boy > Beautiful Song > Billy
Pavement Setlist: Major Leagues > In the Mouth a Desert > Two States > We Dance > Harness Your Hopes > Cut Your Hair > Heaven Is a Truck > The Hexx > Frontwards > Home > Stereo > Kennel District > Range Life > Folk Jam > Embassy Row > Fight This Generation > Here > Blue Hawaiian > Motion Suggests > Unfair > Encore: Spizzle Trunk > Spit on a Stranger > Gangsters & Pranksters > Summer Babe > Stop Breathin
Snail Mail opened up a highly anticipated show at The Brooklyn Mirage on Oct. 3. The band, an indie rock project started by Lindsey Jordan, opened for the trilogy of Baltimore-based acts. The group warmed up the crowd for JPEGMAFIA and the main act, hardcore band Turnstile.
As the remnants of Hurricane Ian descended upon the open-air venue, a sizable crowd huddled together to keep warm. Decked out in ponchos and raincoats, the crowd didn’t let the bad weather deter them from Snail Mail’s set.
In an effort to preserve the equipment on stage, the band was forced to perform under tents. Though the circumstances were far from ideal, they didn’t let the environment affect the quality of the performance.
Snail Mail performed a carefully curated mix of songs, including “Pristine” and “Heat Wave,” two standouts from their first album, Lush. The band mixed in many songs from their critically acclaimed sophomore album, Valentine, most notably performing “Valentine” and “Ben Franklin.:
Valentine is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2018’s Lush, which Jordan released at just 17 years old. Now at 22, Jordan has gained much more life experience. She’s able to dive deeply into life-altering experiences, ranging from navigating life-altering success, a painful breakup, and 6 weeks in treatment.
We look forward to Snail Mail’s continued growth as the band matures and hope that the next time they perform in New York, they’ll be able to do so without the constriction of a tent. Listen to our favorite song off of Valentine, “Ben Franklin” here and enjoy the photo recap of the show below.
This fall, Secret Machines heads out their first US tour in 12 years, starting on September 24th in Asheville, NC and wrapping up with two nights at Brooklyn Steel over October 27-28. They’ll be joined by Metric for all 24 shows of the tour.
In 2007, co-founding guitarist Benjamin Curtis (who passed away from a rare form of lymphoma in 2013) left his brother Brandon and Secret Machines’ stellar drummer Josh Garza behind to focus on his new project School of Seven Bells. The saving grace of Benjamin’s departure from Secret Machines despite two buzz-worthy albums and years of electrifying live shows together, however, was guitarist Phil Karnats. A fellow Dallas native who played alongside Brandon and Benjamin in the psych-pop band Tripping Daisy, he wasted no time falling into place alongside Josh’s lead-footed rhythms and Brandon’s sinewy, rip-roaring hooks.
Secret Machines’ original label (the Frank Sinatra-founded Reprise Records) never quite got the group. Warner Brothers’ way of supporting the trio’s powerful sound in the four years between their breakout debut (2004’s Now Here is Nowhere) and the Secret Machines sessions wasn’t to try and wrap their heads around it. They’d rather boost the band’s studio budget until it burst and hope a hit would emerge from the ether.
That is until they heard Secret Machines’ third album. Reprise was so perplexed by the bold LP they immediately hit the brakes and refused to promote it. “One particular guy epitomized the vibe,” explains Brandon. “He was obviously unhappy with the record, but the way he communicated his feelings was so convoluted. He asked us to make changes, and as I expressed our willingness to discuss any ideas he may have, he just kept saying ‘no.’ I’m not sure what he was even saying ‘no’ to!”
“At that point,” adds Josh, “the writing was on the wall. They felt like they’d given us a chance and were really upfront. So we asked them to give us the album and they were like, ‘Sure, take the album; no harm, no foul.’”
Reprise’s eagerness to cut their ties from Secret Machines led to a rushed, ill-fated deal with World’s Fair Label Group. While it had already worked with such reputable artists and imprints as Rough Trade, Jarvis Cocker, and Daptone, the part-time PR company shuttered its own label right in the middle of a Canadian tour that was supposed to support the band’s self-titled record. A record it hadn’t bothered to officially release, mind you.
People didn’t even know the album was out. Things got really bad from there and started leaving a bad taste in our mouth. Our problem was never with the music, though; it was with the business itself.
Josh Garza
The good news about Secret Machines’ DOA status is that it’s finally being released as it was originally intended. Much like a long overdue director’s cut, it now features a dynamic sequence that makes far more sense in the long run than the original and boasts the added benefit of hindsight and a renewed sense of purpose within the group’s widescreen back catalog.
Rather than spark the record’s proceedings with the candy-laced chords and immediate hooks of “Atomic Heels,” the power trio now knocks our jowls back like a Maxwell ad with the jarring opening of “The Fire is Waiting.” It’s as if they’re daring us to step one foot closer, only to reward our patience with a subtle recorder pattern from glam-rock demigod Tony Visconti and a windswept, 11-minute sequence Phil rightfully describes as “like being swallowed up by an indomitable, mountainous wave, bated breath and an inevitable end.”
Bringing the record into full relief are crisp remastered recordings by Slowdive drummer Simon Scott, and tracks that have taken on a new life in 2022 — from the torn space-time continuum of “The Walls are Starting to Crack” to the simmering intro and gleaming, rigid groove of “Have I Run Out.”
Tickets are on sale on now and can be purchased here.
On Oct. 16, the all-women F.I.R.E. festival will take place at the Oswego Music Hall from 1-5 P.M., featuring a wide variety of artists, musicians, and businesses.
The F.I.R.E. festival was created by Jess Novak, who performs alongside the Jess Novak band. She has performed over all over the country, recorded multiple albums, and is an award-winning journalist. The festival was created because of the frustration caused by all-men lineups at festivals.
As a musician, I’ve been on so many festivals where women are under-represented or when they are included, are only singers. While there’s nothing wrong with amazing female vocalists, I wanted to be sure we presented more than that. I want original music writers and players. I want female-run businesses and brilliant artists to decorate the walls. I want to transform the space in an effort to show that Central New York is bursting with female talent. I also want to provide young ladies with something I wish I had when I was a kid-proof that we can do and create whatever we dream.
Jess Novak
The event is part of the Oswego Music Hall guest curator series where people from the community pitch event ideas to utilize the space. Novak planned the event at a downtown location back in March 2020 but COVID stopped it from happening. She wasn’t sure she wanted to do it again, but women kept coming to her asking her if she was going to plan it, and that inspired her to make it happen.
The lineup for the festival is all women, including the vendors and businesses. Musicians include local performers Ella Drotar, Ashley Cox and Novak along with many others, and world-renowned violinist, Lydia Violet.
Novak, who is also seven months pregnant, will be celebrating a new book and the release of a new album. Copies of the book, “Dare to Begin” will be available for sale for the first time at a public show. All ages, and people, are welcome to the F.I.R.E. festival, and admittance is $8.
