Jon Batiste Transmits A World-Wide Sonic Message
NEW YORK, NY—Jon Batiste’s shows have always felt like a kind of baptism, a renewal of faith. And I mean baptism in the most expansive sense—not the strictures of scripture but an unwavering belief that by making and sharing music, we wash away the stain…
The “Fail of Fianna Fáil” and the Triumph of Fontaines D.C.’s Post-Punk Imaginings
NEW YORK, NY- They hurl jokes about the IRA, tauntingly call him “Paddy,” and tell him to go home. Grian Chatten, the frontman of Fontaines D.C., is an Irishman living in London. Though the UK of 2022 is not the landscape of The Troubles,…
Belle and Sebastian’s Undeniable Charm
BROOKLYN, NY — Our memories begin at a microscopic level — at the scale of molecules. We hear a song, and our brain’s auditory cortex transforms the sound waves into electrical signals. Chemicals are released across synapses. A rush of hormones lends color to the…
Polo & Pan Took Brooklyn on a Musical Journey Through the World
BROOKLYN, NY- Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint, BK turned into Little France when French duo Polo & Pan took over the 1,800 capacity concert hall. I felt as if I was magically transported to Europe when I stepped inside the venue. French was spoken by the…
Cosmic Drifters: Two Nights with Lord Huron
New York, NY — Japanese retro rock played in the background as fans poured into Brooklyn Steel. Initiates to the world of Lord Huron may have puzzled over the inclusion of 50’s Nippon rockabirii in the pre-show playlist. But if you’ve seen frontman Ben Schneider’s dance…
The EELS’ Beautiful Reconstruction
NEW YORK,NY- “There are times you have to tear something apart to find something beautiful inside.” That’s the last sentence of EELS’ unconventional bio. It’s characteristic of Mark O. Everett, or E — both disarmingly forthright (“fuck all this jibber jabber and see if you…
Unknown Mortal Orchestra Steers Emotion Through Art At Brooklyn Steel
BROOKLYN, NY- Unknown Mortal Orchestra transformed the lofty stage at Brooklyn Steel into an atmospheric, Urban Outfitters-esque living room on Wednesday night, complete with succulents stacked on shelves, plush fur rugs, a record player, and what appeared to be a tray of milk mimicking the rest of…
Rainbow Kitten Surprise Gave Brooklyn a Puurrrfect Show
BROOKLYN, NY – I had April 10th circled in my calendar for about two months. The reason: a band I discovered by chance on Spotify named Rainbow Kitten Surprise was going to be performing at Brooklyn Steel in Greenpoint, NYC. Its name is a bit…
Josh Ritter Is “Miles Away”, Yet Close To The Heart
Josh Ritter penned the new single, “Miles Away,” after flipping through a book of photographs taken from space. It’s a ruminative piece that flits between a sweeping, bird’s eye view and a grounded, granular gaze. Zach Hickman lends his production talents in addition to his…
New York City Surrenders To Japandroids’ Fist Pumping Rock
The title track of Vancouver’s Japandroids traces the arc of guitarist/vocalist Brian King’s artistic and personal journey, parsing the fine distinction between home and hometown, destiny and dream. On a chilly New York evening, the singalong chorus got the crowd “all fired up,” King’s defiant…
