Turns out I had no reason to worry, however. The People’s Center is a cute New England house, with a wood-floored first room and an out of tune piano, that is used for shows and events for the community. Bands set up shop and sell merchandise, and vendors sell vinyl. I was greeted by two smiling Manic Productions employees at the door. This is what I dreamed speakeasies would evolve into in the modern age; a modest communal space, without messy rivers of alcohol, for a new kind of 'prohibited' material- weird, new music.
Cute houses? Friendly, non-ironic people? I guess I'm not in NY anymore, and I've realized that can actually be okay. Less people and more room ultimately leads to more fun.
But, uh, when are the people going to arrive?
I was the only concert-goer in the room for a little over an hour. After a few awkward moments sitting, reading and staring by my lonesome, the throng began to gather. The crowd ended up just as amiable as the folks from Manic Productions, but with much more facial hair. Beards are the new black these days.
I missed most of Open Star Clusters' set, but they did their fair share of moshing, screaming and noise-making.
The Massachusetts trio Neptune followed, with one of the most impressive instrument set-ups I’ve seen. Most of their equipment was handmade, including synths controlled by lightswitches, guitars made out of scraps of metal and gas-mask vocal processors. Here's a photo from Brooklyn Vegan from another show:
But, uh, when are the people going to arrive?
I was the only concert-goer in the room for a little over an hour. After a few awkward moments sitting, reading and staring by my lonesome, the throng began to gather. The crowd ended up just as amiable as the folks from Manic Productions, but with much more facial hair. Beards are the new black these days.
I missed most of Open Star Clusters' set, but they did their fair share of moshing, screaming and noise-making.
The Massachusetts trio Neptune followed, with one of the most impressive instrument set-ups I’ve seen. Most of their equipment was handmade, including synths controlled by lightswitches, guitars made out of scraps of metal and gas-mask vocal processors. Here's a photo from Brooklyn Vegan from another show:
Neptune played a set of hardcore-inspired experimental noise rock. Somehow, they managed to make their brand of apocalyptic noise almost catchy and atmospheric. Trails of sound mesh and clash, and somehow through the noise, simple riffs emerge with clarity and signal your brain to dance. The nearly-non melodic vocals only sometimes add to the songs, but most often blandly accompany them. I haven't yet listened to their recorded material, but I have a suspicion that Neptune is the type of band that is best enjoyed in this very particular setting: in a small room with only a few people and virtually no artful sound engineering, intently watching the band members play with their melody-creating gadgets.
Neptune is an older trio, which, as I’ve mentioned before, is strangely refreshing. Usually Inherent in age is confidence and assurance in one's own musicianship and sound. The drummer affirmed this at one point when he sarcastically shouted, “I want the lights on. I don’t really know what I’m doing.” Between each song, he’d guzzle some booze, picking up a different bottle each time. I turned guessing what he’d pick up next into a game. It got increasingly difficult, but I’m not quitter.
These are Powers did a 30 minute set featuring some "world premieres" of newer material. I've mentioned before that opening bands can reveal a lot about the main act, and this show was no exception. Though I've felt These are Powers' heavier influences, they've always been shadowed by the music world's new emphasis on the diverse new-primitivist scene. Live, These are Powers seemed to exemplify exploding hardcore and punk leanings in the context of other deep influences: 3 parts punk, 2 parts dance and 2 parts "new-primitivism". Maybe 1 part miscellaneous darkness and mystery for good measure. (A while ago I promised to define this genre, but today is not that day.)
Lead singer/howler/”ghost punker” Anna Barie is not your typical ball of energy- dry and sarcastic but deliberate and only slightly sporatic. She spent most of the show hovering over her cup of (who knows what), spitting occasionally. During her set, she’d go on tangents about random things as if everyone watching knew exactly what she was talking about. I was amused, but the band just ignored her. She cried, “You can sing along because you already know the words...because they can be anything you want...they could be the last VHS you watched…” Near the end of the show, she jumped on her mic stand as if mounting a horse, and rode through the audience.
Seems appropriate. "These" are precisely "her powers". Her powers lie in ghost-like ambiguity of words and general vocal obscurity, ghost-like amalgamation of genres past and present; and the darkness, freedom, and punch of art punk. (EMPHASIS ON THE 'PUNK'. BRING EARPLUGS.)
These are Powers did a 30 minute set featuring some "world premieres" of newer material. I've mentioned before that opening bands can reveal a lot about the main act, and this show was no exception. Though I've felt These are Powers' heavier influences, they've always been shadowed by the music world's new emphasis on the diverse new-primitivist scene. Live, These are Powers seemed to exemplify exploding hardcore and punk leanings in the context of other deep influences: 3 parts punk, 2 parts dance and 2 parts "new-primitivism". Maybe 1 part miscellaneous darkness and mystery for good measure. (A while ago I promised to define this genre, but today is not that day.)
Lead singer/howler/”ghost punker” Anna Barie is not your typical ball of energy- dry and sarcastic but deliberate and only slightly sporatic. She spent most of the show hovering over her cup of (who knows what), spitting occasionally. During her set, she’d go on tangents about random things as if everyone watching knew exactly what she was talking about. I was amused, but the band just ignored her. She cried, “You can sing along because you already know the words...because they can be anything you want...they could be the last VHS you watched…” Near the end of the show, she jumped on her mic stand as if mounting a horse, and rode through the audience.
Seems appropriate. "These" are precisely "her powers". Her powers lie in ghost-like ambiguity of words and general vocal obscurity, ghost-like amalgamation of genres past and present; and the darkness, freedom, and punch of art punk. (EMPHASIS ON THE 'PUNK'. BRING EARPLUGS.)
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