Author: kali kugler

  • A Sold Out Show at Irving Plaza for Valley on “Lost in Translation Tour”

    On Friday, April 28th, the line of eager Valley fans spilled from the doors of Irving Plaza to wrap around the block. Despite the misting rain, the energy pulsing in the camped-out line was warm.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    On their “Lost In Translation Tour,” Valley sold out their New York City show. As the venue filled, it became increasingly undeniable that Valley deserved to be at a larger venue. They had performed at the lovely Irving Plaza a year prior, and since then it was clear they’ve collected a larger fanbase.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    The opener for Valley , Aidan Bisset, kicked off the night with his pop-grunge music. The crowd immediately received Bisset’s stage presence and relatable lyrics. He sang of toxic romances, new love, and break-ups. With two electric guitars and a drum set, he commanded a fast rhythm and infectious persona of youthful fun and passionate intensity. Bisset performed some of his hits, three unreleased songs, and even took on the vocally renowned cover, Kings of Leon’s, “Sex On Fire.” Bisset engaged with the crowd, taking their BeReals, getting level to level with them to chat, and wooing over new fans. Before leaving the stage, he graciously thanked Valley for having him on their tour.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    The set change was fascinating. Usually, microphones are changed and some of the instruments are shifted around. Valley’s upcoming set brought on multiple box-screen televisions to be stacked on top of each other, an ambiguous rectangular frame of notable size with drapes hanging over it, and countless additional lights. Valley’s pre-show setlist had the crowd belting familiar songs in each other’s embrace. Fog began to roll down from the balcony level and off the stage. This grabbed hold of the crowd’s attention. When the lights suddenly shut off and Irving was pitch black, the curious murmur rolled into an uproar of excitement.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    The TVs stacked on top of each other switched on. Their screens matched the static sound emanating overhead. Flashes of the band members’ faces and old television clips emerged sporadically through the static. The lights slowly faded from a hint of color to a bright broadcast of a Valley inspired color palette. Bass vibrated the floor, and the crowd stood in awe.

    Eventually the band ran onto the stage. Drummer, Karah James, took her throne behind the drums. Guitarist, Michael Brandolino, and bassist, Alex Dimauro ran to their instruments. They played an adrenaline inducing intro for their lead singer, Rob Laska. Laska ran onto the stage, with an electric guitar slung around his shoulders. The crowd’s response was deafening.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd
    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    Valley opened with one of their most popular songs, “There’s Still A Light In The House.” The song is a tribute to love and the endless possibilities of finding one’s self in New York City. The lyric on the bridge that goes Is it New York? Or Heaven? I can’t think twice now, was sung proudly by the New York City crowd. Laska, infatuated with the crowd’s energy, encouraged their singing. The audience sang back to the band with one collective voice that shared an affinity for their conversational lyrics.

    As the show went on, the performance became more personal. Laska jumped into the pit that separated him from the crowd to sing with some fans. In between songs, he conversed and told stories about band memories in New York City. Laska reminisced, “New York City is special to us, we wrote our first record in this damn city! We’ll be coming back forever.” This led to Valley announcement of their new record Lost In Translation, set to release on June 23rd.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    The draped frame that was brought onto the stage during set transitions became a crucial filament of the show. Over half way through the concert, the TVs turned back on and the lights dimmed. Laska approached the frame and tore the drape off to reveal a reflective mirror surface with strobe lights hanging from it. A phone began to ring, and Laska tugged a landline phone from the structure. He sang one of their hits, “A Phone Call In Amsterdam,” into the phone. The entire show was an artistic performance, rather than a band just performing on stage. The appreciation for the theatrics and the attention to detail resembled The 1975’s “At Their Very Best Tour.”

    As Valley trailed towards the end of their setlist, Laska emphasized his gratitude for everyone choosing to be at their show. “There’s a lot of cool shit going on in New York City on a Friday night, so I’m happy we all found each other in this vortex.” Underneath the twirling Irving disco ball, the fans really unified in their fandom. He invited everyone to join them in a state of appreciative awareness for the last couple of songs. Without a clear goodbye, Valley left the stage. The crowd was not going to leave without an encore.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    Heads turned in a whiplash from the front of the stage to the back of the venue. A murmur of eager confusion echoed throughout the venue. Suddenly, a spotlight shone on the back of the crowd. Laska began to make his way through the crowd towards the stage, singing “Paper Cup (sorry for myself).” The audience parted like the red sea for him to make his way towards the front of the crowd, where he sang for the remainder of the song. The rest of the band took to the stage, and Laska joined them to finish out their set with their popular song, “hiccup.”

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    The encore applause was impressive. The sounds of cheers and screams took over Laska’s volume as he thanked the crowd. All the band members joined him at center stage to take their hard-earned bow. Karah James tossed her drumsticks, kisses were blown, and hands clasped in praise for New York City. Laska closed out the night with a sweet send off,  “Take care of each  other, love one another, and we’ll see you very soon!”

    Photo gallery by Emma Dowd

  • A New York City Night with Fruit Bats at Webster Hall

    On Thursday, April 20th the Fruit Bats returned to New York City, having not played on the island of Manhattan in three years. The East Village’s beloved Webster Hall slowly filled with an eclectic crowd.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    People of all ages mingled and spoke about their relationships to the band, as they sipped wine and other elixirs. The energy was timid and sweet, emulating the same experience the Fruit Bats create with their sound.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    Hums of conversation and the movement on the floor fell to a still hush when the openers, H.C. McEntire took to the stage. The lights glowed golden and a light fog rolled onto the crowd, as the lead singer transitioned the night into an experience. Slowly, each instrument organically introduced itself into the song. Multiple guitars, a bass guitar, and a percussion set melded together to create a culmination of bluegrass and folk. The audience was entranced as they drank in the band’s filling guitar riffs, and weighty vocals.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    When H.C. McEntire humbly exited the stage, they were rewarded with hoot and holler applause. After a half an hour set change, the Fruit Bats made their way onto stage. Each band member made themselves comfortable behind their instruments. The keyboardist, Frank LoCastro, even poured himself a tall glass of red wine. Multi-instrumentalist Josh Mease, bassist David Dawda, and drummer Josh Adams situated themselves as their lead singer, Eric Johnson, approached the mic. He greeted New York City warmly, expressing his gratitude for having returned to “the big island.”

    The show commenced with Johnson’s raw voice dueting with the melody pulled by the guitar. The first lyric to be sung was from their song, “The Pet Parade”: Hello from me to all you out there. The crowd waved back to Johnson, their swaying hands casted a moving pattern of shadows across the notorious Webster velvet drapes that frame the stage.

    The Fruit Bats’ sound felt like a location. It held a midwestern kindness that could not be missed, as they performed songs tributing their roots in Chicago, Illinois. Though, the music was transient. As Johnson told stories through his lyrics, the audience was brought along with him to his muses. The journey was a long one, given that the setlist expanded over a vast culmination of records dating back to 1997.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd
    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    The band performed songs from Johnson’s early career all through their newest record, “A River Running To Your Heart,” that was released last week. The record’s first debut to the world happened in New York City. Johnson asked if the crowd minded if they played something new. The audience welcomed the proposition with open arms and open minds, as they listened to the fresh record. He sang of “proverbial shame,” “chosen family,” and the thread of most albums “love.”

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    The show concluded peacefully, the audience fulfilled and the Fruit Bats doused in gratification. Claps and utters of “thank you’s” vibrated in the crowd. Their goodbye was swift as they stilled their instruments and waved to their listeners as they made their way backstage. The stage emptied and the lights came on, but the crowd stayed awhile. Ushered to the bar, they stayed carrying on the story of the music they just heard.

  • The Yumi Kurosawa Trio Celebrates “Metamorphosis” At Joe’s Pub

    On Thursday March 30th, The Yumi Kurosawa Trio showcased their new new album Metamorphosisin the intimate setting of East Village’s historic Joe’s Pub. The small public theater had a limited guest list, for Yumi’s sound pulled in a high demand of listeners. The contemporary Japanese composer commanded the dimly lit setting as she and her instrumentalists told phonetic stories to the audience.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    A multitude of instruments were perched on display before the trio and a couple of musical guests began to woo the crowd with their sound. A violin, a drumset, a variety of percussion instruments, a microphone, and Yumi’s infamous twenty-string koto. She grew up playing the koto, Japan’s national instrument, and eventually her talents transcended her into national stardom. On her koto, she composed her discography, and with the addition of strings, percussions, and horns her album “Metamorphosis” was fortified. Naho Parrini on the violin and Eric Phinney covering percussion completed the trio.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    After performing some soothing introductory songs, Yumi took to the microphone. With gratitude overtaking her stage presence she beamed, “I have waited for today for a long time.” She proceeded to introduce the members of the trio, which elicited a warranted applause from the audience. Thanks were made to ZOHO Records, the Chamber Music Award, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and lastly those who chose to be there that evening.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    With each song came a story. While one song embodied the anxieties and thrills of traveling through South America on her previous tour, the other was meant to infuse life into the emotional stages she goes through when she composes. Her range as a composer was admirable. Traditional Japanese musical roots, Middle Eastern sounds, and contemporary instrumentals were living influences in “Metamorphosis.” She spoke on her ideas, calling them her most “beautiful and unusual” ideas, and referred to the term mandala – sequenced art.

    The Yumi Kurosawa Trio surrendered to their music as the instruments seemed to be in control of their bodies. Yumi’s arms flailed into the air and swarmed across the koto strings. Her hands looked so natural. How new spring branches dance from the body of a tree. One couldn’t help but pay attention to their physical show, it almost seemed inhuman, the way they moved. Or perhaps it was the most human thing a person can do, devote their bodies to their instruments and their sound. Their expertise was magnetic, no one could pull their eyes away. 

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    Two guests joined the trio on stage; Carlos Maldonado on the Latin percussion, and Zac Zinger on the shakuhachi and the alto saxophone. Their sound layered ethereally with the trio’s. All of their instruments blended to produce music of the elements. The very raw echo of the hand drums, the fine notes of the violin, the pluck of the koto, and the hollow whistle of the shakuhachi transported the audience out of New York City, to the forests of Japan. If a sound could float, “Metamorphosis” hovered above our heads as a soft rain cloud.

    Carlos and Zac left the stage, taking their bows and waving their goodbyes. The trio thanked them and carried out the rest of their show. Once they arrived at their final song, Yumi spoke about her hometown Morioka-city, Japan. She told the audience about their annual event “Obon,” a tradition of welcoming back their ancestors and bidding them farewell again. She related the celebration to the closing of her show by performing their song “Departure.” Each instrumentalist on stage took turns soloing in the middle of the song to “display their roots.”

    When Yumi signaled their outro, the audience erupted into lengthy applause. Yumi, Naho, and Eric took to their bows and expressed their grace. The trio reminded everyone to pick up their CD copy of their album, and to tell their neighbor about their sound. Yumi took the microphone and with a proud smile she bid farewell. “We hope to see you again somewhere.”

  • JAWNY Electrifies New York City’s Bowery Ballroom

    On Friday March 31st, lo-fi pop rocker JAWNY took over Manhattan’s infamous Bowery Ballroom. JAWNY and his opener Wallice had performed their first night in New York City at Brooklyn’s Baby’s Alright just a couple nights before, but they expressed their bottled excitement they withheld for the ballroom. Just over half way through their North American tour, the JAWNY and his crew still had lots of energy to rock with.

    Photograph by Sophie Gurwitz

    The opening act, Wallice, put on a full indie-rock concert of her own. The crowd was immediately responsive to her sound, as they sang all her lyrics right back to her. Her stage presence was inviting, and commanded a sort of confidence most artists aim to possess. The Bowery Ballroom show was Wallice’s last with JAWNY, because as he revealed later in his set, she will be supporting The 1975 on their Australian leg of tour set to start on April 8th. She kicked off JAWNY’s North American Tour at the start of March, and concluded her contribution with an electric bang.

    When Wallice bid her farewells, the floor of the ballroom volumized tight with fans. Conversation was buzzing under the fluorescent blue lights, and the clock ticked down meticulously to JAWNY’s set. Finally, the lights dimmed and the universal music-listener’s hype song “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers took over the speakers. The conversational buzz erupted into an animated sing along. When the first chorus fell into silence, the crowd jumped and called out for JAWNY.

    Photograph by Sophie Gurwitz

    The instrumental intro mimicked the “Twin Peaks Theme” song. The eerie guitar riff turned hype as it successfully revved up the crowd. On the stage was a tall mannequin with a long-haired platinum wig adorned in a suit to mimic JAWNY’s presentation, a green electric guitar, a bass, and a drumset. Out came JAWNY’s supporting band members, Gambee on the bass and Curtis Kelley on the  drums, and they took to their instruments. They played their own welcoming intro for JAWNY before he ran onto the stage, pumping his arms to elicit screams from the crowd. He wanted noise, and unsurpassable volume is what he got.

    It seemed as though the crowd’s volume exceeded Bowery’s usual noise capacity. As the strobe lights cascaded onto the crowd and the percussion pounded against the venue’s foundation, the building’s body began to shake. Before singing his first song, JAWNY affirmed into the mic, “It feels good to be home in New York City baby.”

    Photograph by Sophie Gurwitz

    He dove into his setlist with one of his most popular songs “strawberry chainsaw.” The song’s lyrics preached the paradoxical sweet violence of young love, as did many of the songs on his setlist. JAWNY’s lyrics paid ode to the blissful oblivion of being young and the tumultuous and continuous transition into the awareness that’s only awarded to a person by time. His rocker presence invoked a surge of movement in the audience. As he jumped and kicked around on stage while shredding his guitar, members of the crowd bounced on and off of each other.

    In between songs, he paused to tell a story he “hasn’t told on tour yet.” He reminisced on a Whitney concert he saw at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, another renowned New York City venue, in 2016. He told his girlfriend at the time that he was going to sell out a venue like this. She and his friends laughed at him, because he had never put out a song. The crowd also collectively laughed in response, but he interjected and declared his dreams fruition, “But you all made that dream come true. I just sold out two nights in New York City!”

    Photograph by Sophie Gurwitz

    His music held such an individual sound, but shared the affectivity of artists like Twenty-One Pilots, COIN, Still Woozy, and Peach Pit. This promised a night of dancing and scream-singing various fan-favorite lyrics. JAWNY revealed that the Bowery Ballroom show was going to have “the longest set on tour.” He went on to play new and old songs, like his aged song “4Tounce,” that weren’t usually on his setlist.

    Photograph by Sophie Gurwitz

    As the night flowed on, JAWNY expressed his gratitude for New York City. “Y’all are f*ckin’ fun,” he praised. Sadly, the neon lights had to fade and the high energy had boiled down to a steaming simmer. When JAWNY made his final departure and the ballroom lights turned on signaling the crowd’s exit, there was a brief moment of the surreal. Music was still playing in everyone’s ears and the lights danced behind their eyes. Everyone stood still.

  • The 502s’ New York City Happiness Resurgence: At Bowery Ballroom

    On the journey of their “Fresh Squeezed Happiness Tour,” The 502s and Oliver Hazard made a stop at Manhattan’s Bowery Ballroom for a double-header. Wednesday February 22nd was night one’s send off, and it was sweet and citrusy. With a sold out crowd and a New York City induced adrenaline, the two folk bands performed a summer-esque show to remember and cherish amidst the frigid February winds. 

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    The trio Oliver Hazard opened the show for the 502s. They introduced themselves with a warning and a premeditated apology when they said their songs are rather sad, and they’re ironically opening for “the happiest tour on Earth.” One of the three vocalists, Mike Belazis, explained that none of the band members are named Oliver Hazard. The name has historical ties to their hometown Waterville, Ohio.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    As their short but endearing set progressed, they played songs allotting for an immersive sing-along experience with the audience. They redeemed themselves and their melancholic reputation when they performed their joyful hit “Dandelion.” The crowd sang back to Belazis and the other two Hazards, Devin East and Griffin McCulloch, with lyrical ease. New York City was even lucky enough to hear their new single “Ballerina.” Their performance was the perfect warm up for the 502s convivial stage presence.

    The audience attending the “Fresh Squeezed Happiness Tour” matched the tour name’s feel. Strangers turned into friends as fans underneath the notorious Bowery disco ball. Bodies filled the stairs leading up to the balcony and huddled around the bar. The 502s produce a very kind and inviting sound to develop a fondness to, and their fans emulate the same energy.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    It wasn’t long before the 502s set rolled into the night. The stage was a display for a multitude of instruments that fortify the sound of experimental folk. The instruments that paint the scene for road trips with pals, breezy beach days, or long summer days that turn into long summer nights. The six-man band made their way onto the stage with the widest smiles spread across their faces. Lead vocalist, Ed Isola, came strapped with a banjo slung around his shoulders. Joe Capati, the saxophone and trumpet playing vocalist, followed with his sax. Sean Froehilch, the percussionist and drummer, made his way to his throne behind his customized 502s drum set. Their keys player, Matt Tonner, who doubles as an electric guitar player got comfortable behind the keyboard. Lastly the two guitar playing harmony vocalists, Jake Isola and Nick Malashenko, followed suit.

    As soon as the first strum of the banjo rang through the rows of fans, the stage erupted into a flow of movement. The bandmates jumped around, did high-knees, skipped in circles, and danced all while impressively maintaining the breath to sing their fast paced songs. The audience reciprocated their energy, jumping in a playful folk-version of a mosh pit, locking arms to do a makeshift linedance, and extending their hands in way of a physical sort of praise. To witness such a physical surrender to sound was a beautiful thing. A few songs in, the 502s spoke to this innocent chaos when they commended New York City for being “easily the best crowd.” 

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    After a few songs, Ed Isola reminisced on past shows in New York. Their first ever show in the city hosted a whopping twelve people. “Now we have two sold out nights at Bowery Ballroom,” Isola said with heavy gratitude in his affirmation to the crowd. They continued their sprightly show in a fluid harmony of a wide collection of instruments: a banjo, acoustic guitars, an electric guitar, a bass guitar, the tambourine, the saxophone, a trumpet, the keys, the drums, a harmonica, and even a kazoo. The intentional layering of particular sounds was admirably tasteful. Within the working collaboration of the songs, it felt as if two instruments would be duetting within the skeletal structure of the song. This allowed for intimate conversations between specific instruments. The mechanics of their sound were unmatched.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    As the show progressed towards its end, the band decided to spice things up. Everyone but Joe Capati, the horn player, vacated the stage. The lights dimmed as he took the center-spot, and began to play his saxophone. Unfamiliar freestyles wowed the crowd as he blew away expectations. Familiar covers of Marley’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” and George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” were easily fan-favorites.The band joined Capati’s introduction to their own tune and resumed their show. The audience continued their reciprocation to the band as they seemed to exist as a sole entity, pulsing in unison.

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    What the band thought was going to be the 502s’s encore, turned into an electric drum solo from Froehilch. He whipped his drumsticks at rapid speed, which only fed into the addictive energy feeding the show. His band members joined him once again to finish a song before actually leaving for an encore.

    When the six-man band returned to the stage, their audience of friends roared with excitement from the tangible passion of their performance all night and for what was to come. The 502s immediately kicked back into gear, bouncing and ricocheting off of each other’s physical bodies and each other’s instrumental sound. Their two song encore turned into a mic-sharing party where each of the members took turns coming to the front microphone to do their own personal riff with their own instruments. A wide spectrum of voices were presented, which elicited an aggressively pleased applause. 

    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    All six members finally concluded their show by gathering at centerstage and clasping their hands into a bow. Sweat-soaked from dancing, playing, and belting songs, the group looked like they could’ve kept going all night long. They said their goodbyes, and the ballroom bid farewell in a sweet ovation. The 502s left the room, the city, happier than they found it.

  • Gregory Alan Isakov Embodies Indie-Folk At Brooklyn Steel

    On the Friday evening of January 27th, Brooklyn Steel hosted a heavenly evening with Gregory Alan Isakov. A sold out crowd strewn in through the doors, waiting patiently at the base of the stage for the show to begin. Gregory and his band have been touring consistently for the past year, though their solo trek began at the start of January. Fans stood shoulder to shoulder, faces illuminated with the anticipation live music ensues. When the velvety lighting dimmed and the smoke poured over the stage, the soft murmurs vibrating throughout the crowd simultaneously hushed into a hungry silence.

    gregory alan isakov
    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    Isakov has been making music since 2005, and his sound remains remarkably particular. He was born in South Africa and moved to the United States at a young age, so his music holds space for a little bit of everywhere. Gregory’s fans are able to depend on him and the band to deliver consistent words of universal consolation and epiphanic life perspectives. His latest release was a single cover of The Lumineers‘ “Salt And The Sea,” in 2021, so his show was set up to be a tasteful selection of his songs from the past decade or so.

    gregory alan isakov
    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    The band members made their way onto the stage to introduce their instruments slowly one at a time until their sounds melded together into song. The violin, the cello, the drums, the guitar, the ukulele, the banjo, the piano, and other complimentary instruments made their appearance throughout the evening, emulating the skeletal archetype of folk music. When Gregory Alan Isakov himself materialized from the smoke, he sang into their first song of the night, “Southern Star.” Isakov’s songs are long works of spoken poetry made to be heard aloud in acoustically sound warehouses like Brooklyn Steel. Each pluck, each percussion, each riff had the respected time to be consumed and digested. 

    gregory alan isakov
    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    Gregory spoke to the crowd intimately about his songs, his experiences with songwriting, and live performances. Each song came with a story, and a dose of gratitude for their origins. The band emanated from Colorado, which Gregory paid ode to when he exclaimed “this one has a bit of Colorado in it,” when referencing the song “San Luis.” The rest of the fifteen song setlist flowed brilliantly with musicality and words of appreciation from Isakov. Smiling out to the crowd he rhetorically asked, “How lucky am I to do this?”

    “This one has a bit of Colorado in it.” – Gregory Alan Isakov

    Fans of Gregory’s music held a poetic stoicism to them. With their respect for esteemed lyricism and intentional instrumentals, the crowd devoted their attention to every filament of sound that came from the stage. The storytelling lore of folk music and the communal effect it curates laid the foundation for a silent conversation between Gregory Alan Isakov and the regardful audience. 

    gregory alan isakov
    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    In Between concluding songs, Isakov announced that he and his band have a new record coming out. He did not specify the release date, but the news landed excitedly as cheers ricocheted off the steel walls. Without a ‘goodbye,’ Gregory and the band left the stage, and the crowd didn’t let up until they reappeared. For their first encore, they sang “Dandelion Wine” and “Saint Valentine.” Huddled around the microphone, the band played the songs acoustically. A multitude of laboring instruments like the tambourine, the spoons, and the harmonica made an appearance. These songs seemed to be a couple of the band’s favorites to play, for their high energy was infectious.

    Waving to the crowd, Gregory and the band left once again. With a dimly lit waiting period, the crowd’s murmur resurrected in a ponderous curiosity as they wondered if the show would go on. At last, the stage lit up for the final encore. The band gave the crowd one last song, “All Shades of Blue,” with such tangible appreciation for the night everyone in the room had just shared. When the song finished, the band took their bows and thanked New York City for being an unmatched host and embracing their music with artful openness.

    gregory alan isakov
    Photograph by Emma Dowd

    Setlist: Southern Star, Dark, Dark, Dark, San Luis, Master & a Hound, This Empty Northern Hemisphere, Chemicals, Liars, She Always Takes It Back, Virginia May, Amsterdam, The Stable Song, Appaloosa Bones, Big Black Car, Second Chances, Caves
    Encore (1): Dandelion Wine (acoustic, full band), Saint Valentine (acoustic, full band)
    Encore (2): All Shades of Blue (acoustic, full band)