Brooklyn pop-rock sensation Razor Braids has released their latest single, “She,” a femme-focused, upbeat pop track that captures the excitement and spontaneity of Sapphic love. Accompanied by a carefree music video portraying a lively party scene, Razor Braids invites us into the vibrant world of queer hookup culture.
“She” isn’t just a song; it’s an anthem for being unapologetically yourself and seizing the opportunity for love. With vocal timbres reminiscent of Carly Rae Jepsen and The Cranberries, “She” offers a fresh take on pop. However, production-wise, the track introduces a rougher edge, echoing the spirit of punk-rock legends such as The Clash and Bikini Kill.
In discussing the themes of “She,” Razor Braids shared, “Letting yourself be present during moments of change or uncertainty is a common thread across our upcoming releases. ‘She’ is such a fun encapsulation of that theme: embracing the unknown and jumping into something that feels good and joyful, and allowing yourself to accept that joy even when fear is also present in that moment.”
Regarding their distinctive sound, Razor Braids explained, “We all grew up in different places and with different musical influences. We’ve learned how to embrace and utilize that within our songwriting. We all bring so many different inspirations to the table: country, folk rock, garage, indie rock, and punk. By tapping into the elements of these genres that we each connect with most, we’ve shaped our music. Connection—connecting with each other and with our audience—is an integral part of our live performance.
“We want everyone to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves when they see us live. That really shines through in the music and lyrics and also with how wild and fun we get on stage.”
No Fun, a Capital Region music venue on River Street in Troy, hosted five live electronic acts this past Saturday, July 29. The night included an hour-long set from Albany-native Atlas.B, alongside performances from fellow DJs Spike Right, SM Ink, Dito, and Waybach.
The self-proclaimed “hub for experimental music in the Capital Region” is a smaller-sized bar and music performance space owned by Downtown Albany bar Pint-Sized. No Fun has created a comfortable community vibe using multicolored string lights, wall murals, a low stage, and a spacious dance floor for crowd engagement.
Lighting Designer Riley Irving from Colonie’s Technical Video Inc. programmed a dual-screen stage set-up featuring LED wall tiles that cycled through kaleidoscopic color patterns as a live visual accompaniment to the music. Spike Right accompanied by Sherwood traded on-and-off the DJ setup for an hour of live D.I.Y. beats mixed with samples from popular rappers like Ice Spice.
By 9 p.m., No Fun was packed from stage-front to the side of the bar with concertgoers. The crowd was made up of Capital Region locals out for an evening of casual nightlife, alongside electronic dance music (EDM) fans who brought the party with rave glow wands and brightly colored outfits. Shuffling and freestyle moves took over the dance floor as other crowd members encouraged more people to join in and clap to the beat.
Dito and SM Ink continued the night with similar vibes of fresh beats intertwined with well-known hits. In contrast to the other performances, Waybach and Atlas.B have a deep bass and funk vibe. The pair have previously collaborated with singles “Life is So Hard” and “All Out of Time.” Altas.B not only performed previously released songs but also experimented with new mixes and techniques using Ableton Live.
The variety and creativity of each DJ set refreshed the crowd and kept the good energy flowing throughout the evening, with dancing only increasing with every passing hour. Listen to Altas.B’s newest single, “Don’t Look Back,” released on July 20, 2023, on all major platforms.
For information on future shows at No Fun, visit their website at NoFunTroy.com.
Dan Deacon brought his colorful glitch pop to No Fun in Troy on Thursday, June 8th. This is his first tour since the pandemic, he had a huge tour planned in support (he was scheduled to play Ithaca) of his studio album from 2020, Mystic Familar, and it was just about to kick off as everything shut down.
During the downtime, Dan turned his energy towards writing numerous film scores, including the Academy Award-nominated documentary “Ascension”, and the Adam Sandler Netflix film “Hustle.” The Troy show was almost at end of a scattered tour that started in March, and even though he was pulling double duty (there was an early and a late show) the passion of his performance had not faltered or aged from years past, once the music started, he still had the charm of a mad man possessed.
Joining Dan Deacon on the tour was drummer Jeremy Hyman. Hyman has played for Ponytail, Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks and also toured with Animal Collective when Panda Bear decided to sit out on drums during the Painting With tour. You know that if Panda Bear turned over the drumsticks to Jeremy for a tour, that he is an absolute monster behind the drum kit.
Starting out the night was Jeremy Hyman with a DJ set of some lovely ambient/house music that was the perfect appetizer for the night. His set entranced the crowd with some tripped out soundscapes, while occasionally locking into a deep house beat that would get the crowd moving. After his set he came back out with Dan to play drums, and since there were two shows and he played both sets, that made for an impressive 4 sets over the course of the night for Jeremy Hyman, a monster indeed.
Seeing a Dan Deacon show isn’t an average electronic music dance party, it is that, but it’s also an interactive slumber party with some like-minded strangers. It’s like going to a concert and all of a sudden that day in gym class breaks out where you didn’t have to play sports, and you just got to play silly games with a parachute. There is a lot of focus on the crowd and their dancing, which makes everyone feel silly and goofy, which is perfect mood for the kind of insane pitched up, ADHD-riddled, electronic pop music providing the soundtrack to all of this. Dan Deacon has really built up a nice catalogue of tunes to play live, and when you really distill down all of those earcandy electronic pop songs into a single show it’s a very impressive concert, musically, along with everything else going on. With the tour wrapped up and all of those scores under his belt, I think it’s a safe bet that Dan will be returning to the studio at some point in the near future for his next full length album.
Setlist: Become a Mountain, The Crystal Cat, Change Your Life (You Can Do It), Learning to Relax, Arp I: Wide Eyed, Arp II: Float Away, Arp III: Far From Shore, Arp IV: Any Moment, Wham City, Snookered, Sat By A Tree, Paddling Ghost, When I was Done Dying, Feel the Lightning
No Fun, located on River Street in Troy, will welcome five live electronic performances on Saturday, July 29, featuring Atlas.B with friends and collaborators Waybach, Dito, Spike Right, and SM Ink.
Producer and DJ Atlas B combines elements of funk, soul and blues with a modern electronic synthesis technique, including sampling and live instrumentation. Downtempo beats and upbeat electronic bass make his live sets a journey through influences and inspirations.
Atlas B has opened for Maddy O’Neal, Manic Focus, Marvel Years, Michael Menert, 5AM Trio, Tvboo, Gspace, Luzcid and many more. Recently, Michal Menert and Atlas B played a three-night run in Albany, Portland and Worcester.
On July 29th, Atlas B. will be playing his set using Ableton Live, allowing him to “clip launch” sections of songs live and rearrange, add fx and remix songs in a live/interactive way.
For this show Atlas B brings with him Lighting Designer and VJ Riley Irving from Technical Video Inc in Colonie. A stage full of LED wall tiles will feature multiple programs and software such as Resolume, Synesthesia, and Microdose VR by Adroid Jones, for visual accompaniment this evening. These programs are fully freestyle and an interactive visual journey, bringing a human/freestyle element to the live visuals making them unique and different every set.
Atlas B has also curated a selection of friends and collaborators to support this show. Having worked on two songs with Waybach, hailing from CT/NYC, you can find collaborations here and here. Waybach and Atlas B both work in a similar realm of funky bass music, known to share the stage together to test out new songs and experiment with live fx and clip launching through Ableton Live.
Albany local DJs Dito, Spike Right and SM Ink will get the crowd moving and the party started, as these DJs are all known for playing shows around the area sometimes supporting large national touring acts.
A selection of retro video game tables will be going throughout the night, and was featured at the previous show from Atlas B at No Fun back in February. Expect battles, prizes, and increased games and consoles.
When discussing the capital region’s vibrant post-COVID underground music scene, it’s impossible to ignore Troy’s No Fun. Founded in Dec. 2021 by August Rosa, originator of the Albany/Saratoga Springs craft beer business Pint Sized, the venue has quickly become a hotbed for DIY music in the capital area and greater northeast region.
More than just a place, Rosa views it as a project and a springboard for creativity in the area. “I built it here so we could have new and different artists come through,” he said. “I’m trying to involve the folks that I think have their head in the same place that want to bring new, challenging different artists to the capital region.” While Rosa initially intended for No Fun to be an extension of his first enterprise, he’s enjoyed seeing the space take a life of its own.
Performance by Algonquin singers/drummers The Medicine Singers at No Fun in September. (Photo credit: Rudy Lu)
Rosa fits the appearance of your prototypical mid-30s punk. He sports thick frame glasses and a brown beard, wearing a gray beanie, blue-yellow flannel, and gray jeans. Even though he scoffs a bit at his fashion sense, Rosa had an active eye for aesthetic when setting up the venue itself.
Made for 200 people, No Fun is an artsy yet minimalistic space, with a checkerboard floor, walls of white sheet rock, and a modest yet decently sized stage area in the back, complete with a disco ball. The single bathroom specifically emits a punk aesthetic, featuring a crude black paint jump and walls covered by graffiti and posters for future No Fun shows. Aspiring for a genuine atmosphere, Rosa modeled the space with DIY venues of NYC in mind. “I want it to feel like you’re more at an art space or your friend’s apartment than a business,” he said. “I think that’s resonated, for sure.”
While No Fun’s physical layout was very much intentional, Rosa feels its importance pales in comparison to the people actually occupying it. We’ve had packed houses on the regular here,” he said. “I think we’ve sold out about a dozen shows this year so far which is awesome.”
In terms of promotion and planning of shows, Rosa describes No Fun as a team effort. Describing his noteworthy act booking efforts, he mentions hauls such as NYC noise rock band A Place To Bury Strangers and global acts such as Algeria’s Imarhan and an upcoming show featuring Australia’s Surprise Chef. There’s Shane Sanchez, the frontrunner of Super Dark Collective, a capital region promotion which hosts shows on the grittier and experimental side. Rosa also credits Sanchez as having “amplified the hip-hop angle” at No Fun.
He additionally mentions bartender Shane Secor, the man behind promotion arm Hey Greasy!, shouting out his booking of Gibby Haynes from Butthole Surfers and his rock-and-roll and Rochester connections. Rosa also namedrops a couple peripheral figures such as Rachel Freeman, ex-runner of the Byrdhouse venue in Albany and current regional promoter through Byrdhouse Records. “I want to give massive credit to the team that I initially put in place here, and I’m so grateful that they’ve stuck around,” he said. “Between the people that were initially hired here, and the folks that evolved with it as it continued, the place wouldn’t be the same without them.”
Despite the hindrances of an Omicron-delayed beginning for No Fun, Rosa has found nothing but joy in the project so far, delighting in memorable and unique performances at the venue. He reminisces on hosting prolific New Jersey indie pop group Pinegrove and organizing for an interesting collaboration between Algonquin singers/drummers the Medicine Singers and members of legendary noise rock band Swans. “I’m seeing more of people just coming out to stuff where they’re like, ‘I saw some weird band that No Fun booked, it’s probably gonna be cool, I don’t know much about the band,’” said Rosa.
This same approach went into his program on Friday, March 3, a four-band showcase featuring some new and some native to the Capital District scene.
Tonight isn’t a sellout, but the crowd is still significant and full of enthusiasm. Up first is Aaron Wilson, co-owner of Herbie’s Burgers on Lark Avenue and tonight, frontman of a folk rock four-piece. The guitarist has long auburn hair and dons a light beard and glasses, singing about beer and romance. The five-song set starts upbeat before becoming wistful for a couple tracks, closing out with an energetic and quick number backed by thwacking drums.
Next is Binghamton dream pop act Pleasure Dome. They’re a six-piece with two keyboardists and one guitar, fronted by vocalist Cydney Edwards who softly sings over waves of reverb. Their six-track set ranges between slow, moody shoegaze and uptempo surf rock, featuring plaintive melodies. Their stage presence is expressive but not overzealous, inspiring dancing near the front of the crowd. “Tonight was really fun, but the venue is mislabeled because we had a good time,” said guitarist Brandon Musa after the performance.
Third is Precious Metals, a local alt-rock band. Lead vocalist J. Lee White reminisces of glam with frizzy brown locks and a jean jacket over a tank top, singing in a shrieky falsetto that harkens of Journey’s Steve Perry and Geddy Lee of Rush. The four-piece mixes groovy, urgent originals with covers such as Jimmy Eat World’s “Sweetness,” building the excitement and motion from the show’s earlier half.
Closing the night is singer-songwriter The Age, who steals the show. Age oscillates between blue-eyed soul and funk rock across his six song set, crooning Billboard-worthy melodies, dueling with his backing guitarist John Drabnik, interpolating Arctic Monkeys and the Outkast, and effortlessly engaging his audience. His four-man group’s musicianship is commendable and their enthusiasm is infectious, with the checkered tiles of No Fun becoming a dance floor by the second song. To finish, Age shreds the closing track in Purple Rain-esque fashion, capping off a magnetic performance.
The Age on March 3. (Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis) The Age on March 3. (Photo credit: Kiki Vassilakis)
The scene at No Fun as the night ended is exactly what the venue is about: an excited swarm of people having enjoyed a wide-ranged and impassioned show of regional music over the course of three hours. Nights like these prove just how much the No Fun mission can pay off.
Rosa’s been patient, understanding that “just like anything, it takes time to develop your crowd, to have people feel comfortable to have them feel like the space is theirs.” If the space wasn’t theirs before, now it is.
