Rhythm & Beats Category
RETURN OF THE AUSSIES – EMPIRE OF THE SUN AND CUT COPY MAKE ME WANNA DANCE…
I finally got a chance to see the theatrics and production of Australia’s Empire of the Sun, last week at terminal 5 in New York City. Their album “Walking on a dream ” was something I had listened to non-stop while creating my S/S 2010 collection “Some Kind of Bliss” and felt strangely connected to. Even though one can argue their music is quite poppy, after seeing them live I understood what the draw was for me personally. Seeing Empire of the Sun live is a must experience for any visual freaks out their like me. They have an entire choreographed, frequent costume changed, laser light, and visual projection experience that is one hell of a production. The background projected images looked oddly similar to those of my vision board for that season. I tend to love it when music is about a whole experience and thought process from concept to completion, it’s clear that Empire of the Sun think in very broad terms. As explained in Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore’s words ”the name comes more from the idea of [and you’ll see this in the ongoing videos) the fact that we’re traveling around the world going to all the places of empires of the civilization where the sun has been a theme of worship.” I totally get it. If you want a real surreal visual trip, do yourself the favor and check out for the showmanship alone a live show from these guys. A word of warning though, people seem to love them or hate them. Click on the image to see what I’m fussing about.
I’ve seen Australia’s (yes it’s an Aussie themed post) Cut Copy live a few times, and it’s never a dull Un-dancey moment with them. So much so, that I ended up on the speakers non-stop throughout one of their last shows here. Last week’s performance at Jellypool was such a blast, they killed it. What makes Cut copy special is what a solid buzz they seem to always have. Earlier that day I was shopping and must have bumped into at least 5 cuties mentioning this show. There is something about them that reminds me so much of early New Order. Would you agree? Click on the link so see my favorite shows this summer (so far)!
BEIRUT AND THIER CRAZY FANS
Beirut have been around for a while. They’re one band that have developed an outstandingly loyal, crazy, and somewhat cult-like following. Upon announcing their recent 7/6 show at one of my personal favorite venues: Music hall of Williamsburg, tickets sold out in minutes from a presale. Avoiding scalpers and non die hards, Beirut decided to make tickets available for sale for the first night exclusively only at 2 venues in NYC. You can imagine what their fans would do for a $9.99 chance to see true artistry, namely wait on line joyously for 2 hours.
There is a reason that no one seemed to mind the Que., because Beirut is brilliant. Frontman Zach Condon wandered Europe at the age of 17 soaking in of Balkan folk music, jazz, and world music which proved to be instrumental in the development of their melodic sound. I got to check them out in 08′ at the Brooklyn Academy of music and it was one of the best live shows I have ever seen, playing with a full 20 piece orchestra is precisely the way you would imagine their larger than life sound. Witnessing them in an intimate setting reminded me that it’s all about fan bonding for Beirut. You’ve never seen Balkan gypsy music fuse perfectly with indie. Click on the photo above for video footage and see what the fuss is about.
CARIBOU.. IS KINDA DANCEY
Liquid dance music is what Dan Snaith and his boys called Caribou are aiming to make. It sure felt like that at a May 8th sold out show at Bowery Ballroom. Check out Odessa, one of the videos of their recent album, “Swim”.
THE XX SHOULD REALLY BE CALLED THE XXX- 3/31 WEBSTER HALL
GANG GANG DANCE
Gang Gang Dance are five individuals who combine a knack for showmanship, mesmerizing ritualistic dance oriented music, and Kate Bush style vocals. With strong ties to the art community, Gang Gang Dance grew out of “the turn of the century null New York scene in 2002”. Both times I’ve seen them in New York, has been a real tribal experience as they perform with an entire entourage including a synchronized dancing flag waving mascot or two. Lizzi Bougatsos, the lead singer, also has an amazing style sense giving me a real Vivienne Westwood Buffalo girls / meets neo Stevie Nicks vibe. I’m all about the synchronization of fashion and music and feel this loose baggy on baggy neo Fleetwood Mac gypsy look will be a trend echoed out in the runway and the streets. Their almost spiritual, ethereal sound which they call “TRIBAL-FUTURISM”, makes so much more sense upon reading one of the original members was struck by lightning and killed while watching a storm on the roof of his apartments building. Check out you tube footage from one of their last performances I saw on January 15th.
THE BIG PINK
The Big Pink’s ” A Brief History of Love” , about ”every different aspect of love… The good, the bad, the boring, the exciting, the dreams, the nightmares, the whole thing” was one of my more played albums last summer. I recently checked out their 12/4 show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, and was psyched to find out that apparently one of the members used to be a quitarist for Alec Empire who is insane.
Overall the show was packed, fun and with all the magical lighting effects, you can definitely feel every aspect of love.
