Part I-
When I hear "Central Park" uttered, I think of grandeur: big-time Park commissioners with fancy names and inspiration from Parisian gardens, a sense of enlarged freedom in the middle of a chaotic city. Perhaps I'm just a Brooklyn girl who doesn't visit Central Park much, because Rumsey Playfield isn't reminiscent of such grandeur: bleachers, small spaces, and fake grass remind me instead of playgrounds for toddlers or some toy version of a highschool football field (Not like I know what a highschool football field even looks like). I certainly didn't expect the venue to be as small and humble as it was, but I couldn't pick a better bill with which to pop my Central Park cherry: a day representing the broad (and still growing) spectrum of "new-primitivist" leaning music in the New York scene.Black Dice -
They began their set with what would be famous last words, "I hope you guys have fun". With a pair of enthusiastic fans (read: drunk) fans in front, I could only imagine that Black Dice had more supporters in the audience than they were ever expecting (as in, more than just their friend Avey Tare of Animal Collective who listened behind the stage). A record. After a few minutes, photographers cleared the pit, concert-goers vigorously scratched their heads, and some keeled over in fits of confused laughter. As the 40-something minute set continued, some gave up and ignored them all together (as much as they could, anyway).
Maybe Black Dice could have hoped a little harder.
Each of the three members covered their rig like a shrine, sharing the stage but almost completely ignoring the presence of their other members.
What makes them so likeable for me, is that they don't strive to be likeable, and what makes them so interesting to critique is that they almost make themselves beyond critiquing. To critique them by merely saying you don't enjoy the lack of structure and melodic phrasing, and the is to to state a bunch of mute points. It's purposefully non-musical, and the music embraces its anti-musicality with sincerity. There's no gimmicks, or even any chatter between songs (if you could even distinguish where one began and another ended). It's nearly impossible to critique them based on their music, so you have to look at something else. They're not the first noise rock band, but I do see them putting their own spin on the genre: adding more grit and giving it a more "new primitivist" edge. Not only is it "new primitivist" in the possibly racist and Western-leaning sense, but in a more basic sense. Black Dice works to move to the lowest common denominator of music. They focus on energy, and what sounds work best, forgetting phrases, melodies or real instruments in favor of the most basic element of music- the wave.
But putting aside noise rock's (lack of?) validity, this particular show was enjoyable because of Black Dice's minimalist, fragmented show. Each of the three members covered their own rig like a shrine, almost completely ignoring the presence of the other members. They rarely looked up. Not a comprehensible word was spoken. An atmosphere of confusion, frustration, and astonishment was created just by noise. A crowd filled with people who like them just because of the company they keep; people who are surprised by their bobbing head and tapping toes; people who cringe; people who sit their pondering; a few drunk people; and one or two people who actually enjoyed their music. To think that this band could have cleared the entire floor if Battles weren't coming on next was thrilling, especially because it didn't seem like they were trying to fool me- they were being sincere. They were odd, weird and comprehensible; in a word: themselves.
Chances are, you'll hate Black Dice. But roll and take a chance anyway. See them live. Have a drink or two, or make sure the guys in front of you are plastered. Don't complain. At the very least you'll have a laugh. "I hope you have fun".
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