Some of our reviews will include voices from two of our writers who were there — just in case you disagree or agree more with one or the other.

Pictures of bands are below.

THURSDAY JUNE 24, 2010

Mike and I met Kiani Angus-Torres in Northside Fest’s HQ, down on Bedford Ave. I was calling every writer I knew to see who would be available to cover for Mike Saturday and Sunday. No one was available. Upon hearing my distress, Kiani stepped in, offering to fill in. Here’s who she saw, heard, met.

Jive Grave @ Bruar Falls
Although their band was missing a drummer and bass for this last minute show, Jive Grave was full of gall and pride, performing music that can be described as the bastard child of Americana and Jazz, complete with twangy guitar solos over smooth keys. Jive Grave provides us with an unmade bed of purposeful chaos, featuring a brass section of a trumpet and bass sax, with Geo Wyeth on keys and guitar. Their fast songs are easy to bop and dance to, but you may very well find yourself stopping to just listen to the raw quality of the lyrics, as sung by a soulful Mr. Wyeth in a bitter blend of broken melody.

Jive Grave is a storytelling collective, whose satisfying performances leave us feeling a little happy, but also a little dirty. One of their tightest tunes, “So Funny; Maybe Death” offers a panoramic view of Wyeth’s own Bed-Stuy neighborhood which makes us nostalgic for the romance of a proper community in which everyone, including the musician living upstairs and the girls playing double-dutch, participates in a collective culture. Songs like this, and bands like Jive Grave, offer a certain depth of perspective and tilt of the lens, through which we see Brooklyn, thus making them an ideal addition0. — Kiani Angus-Torres

Chris Mills @ The Cameo Gallery

Seated under thousands of light-catching hanging strings, singer-songwriter Chris Mills brought some unassuming, mid-western down-home fun to Brooklyn’s Cameo Gallery. Mills’ band was a perfect balance of percussion, as played by Konrad Meissner, violin, by Jean Cook, and keys, by Max Crawford. Each element complimented the other, with high energy, and a sense of refreshing deep-felt sincerity.

It’s music you can take home to mom and dad, with enough edge that you’ll still feel hip listening to it on your own. Each song spells out the kind of sentimental moment and that we’ve all had a hum about in our own heads: absurd crushes, turning your frown upside down, or making light of heavy lessons. His between-song chatter, about seeing ‘Toy Story 3’, and his father’s brain surgery, was consistent with his style – matter-of-fact, and personable.

The setting was a bit unfitting – the string sculpture so imposing that it prevented the band from moving with the audience. A venue with a lower stage would have been more suitable for this entertaining ensemble that makes you want to rock out with your sweetheart, or perhaps find a sweetheart to rock out with. — Kiani Angus-Torres

DINOSAUR FEATHERS @ Public Assembly

Local natives from Brooklyn, Dinosaur Feathers performed at the Brooklyn Assembly at this years North Side Festival. The group fuses elements of afro-centrisim, reggae, calypso and soul, which is comparable to Columbia prep-sters Vampire Weekend and the harmonious, but classic Beach Boys. Even though they are only a 3-piece band, their 4th member the drum machine, which was stationed in a suitcase, added a more stylish and ample presence on stage. They provided catchy hooks and harmonies in unison, which almost felt like you were watching the show Jersey Boys. The only thing that gave it away was the member’s only jacket and the Williamsburg style of shorts (cut off jeans or jorts). During their set, they experienced some technical difficulties when their bass player broke a string. But luckily, these guys had a great sense of humor and referenced jokes about providing advice to their audience and jokes about G-d. Hopefully, next show everything will run smoother for them. Otherwise, they better have a list of more material to help warm up the crowd. — Mike Scher

Thao & Mirah with The Most of It All @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

One part folk and one part soul, these ingredients helped solidify the perfect recipe of indie rock songwriting through two renowned artists such as Thao Nguyen and Mirah. This side project or collaborative perspective of playing each other’s songs on stage with the help of backing band “Most of All” was a unique and fresh perspective to performance art that fused new styles of harmonies and a variety of instruments ranging from acoustic & electric guitar, the steel guitar, bongo’s, banjo, violin to the clarinet.

Mirah’s soft whisper, but warm sounded voice mesmerized the audience through her dark chord progressions and lounge sounding (jazz café) instrumentation. Her stand out track was the song “Gone Are the Days.” However, Thao’s high energy and funkier style of music was the perfect added element to her counterpart, especially with her sporadic yells to the crowd and playful storytelling. Her music reminded me a lot of Rilo Kiley, which is not surprising that she opened up for her back in 2008. Her stand out track was “When We Swam.”

Overall, the band was extremely tight and set the bar extremely high for forthcoming side projects. It helped provide a fresh and more exciting outlook to the live show. — Mike Scher

Friday June 25, 2010

MEN @ The Knitting Factory

Kiani’s take on the whole thing:

When in doubt, dance yourself Queer, and look out James Murphy, because MEN just showed you up in your own hood. After enduring several shows with only a handful of head-boppers and torso-twitchers, MEN brought it all on, and then took it all off.

We came upon the Knitting Factory on our way from Union Pool to Trash Bar, and were drawn in by a small crowd of hugging, laughing, smoking, faux-hawk-mullet-headed girls dressed like boys, boys dressed like girls dressed like boys, and the first SOLD OUT sign we’ve seen since the festival started.

The theme for this event, as indicated by the massive black-on-white DIY sign above the stage, was ‘Who Am I To Feel So Free?’, although it should go without questioning that this event was all but completely liberating. JD Samson, backed by nearly nude Michael O’Neil on bass and Ginger Brooks Takahashi on guitar, led the audience in a series of fist-pumping chants reminiscent of early gay-lib marchers, while dropping electro-pop inspired beats, and spitting simple, literal lyrics that almost made you want to think, if you weren’t too busy dancing and checking out the best looking crowd I’ve seen since…the last queer dance party I went to.

The theme was tied together by a performance piece in which the crumpled rainbow flag below the sign came to life, and presented a politically driven spoken-word piece. From the flag emerged a nude woman with short hair and white plastic glasses who kneeled in the middle of the stage as the band joined in, and the audience went wild. — – Kiani Angus-Torres

MEN @ The Knitting Factory

Sometimes walking into a music venue during a festival with the feeling of unfamiliarity of a line-up can help bring a renewed sense of life to the stage. This is because you’re delivered an open playbill of new bands and genres that could potentially be added to your rotation or playlist. For instance, the band “MEN” were one of the acts at this year’s Northside Festival that won me over as well as the packed crowd in Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory. Almost every person in the venue were singing along to the catchy hooks of synthesized indie pop, which reminded me of some preeminent bands such as The Gossip, The Sound and even Devo. This awesome threesome consisted 1/3 male of JD Samson of Le Tigre (female- lead singer /laptop/synthesizer), guitarists Michael O’Neill (male) and Ginger Brooks Takahashi (female). The backing rhythm played up their self-effacing style with a unique wardrobe of being topless, while in their underwear dancing around in ballet shoes and high heels, while the singer wore an army one suit. Most importantly, “MEN” not only played the soundtrack to the party, but also instilled important messages of individuality, the idea of being comfortable with one’s own sexuality and women’s rights. Towards the end of the set, an audio file of spoken word was being played as a blanket was removed off the stage and a woman popped up in minimal clothing chanting along hymns about women’s liberation with the singer. The overall tone was extremely supportive. No matter what your sexual preference was or where you came from, there was a strong sense of togetherness amidst the perspiring show-goers.

Despite their serious tone, the band also played quirky upbeat songs that contained unusual lyrics, especially for the song “Credit Card Babies”- – “I’m going to fuck my friends and make a little tiny baby” and another song poking fun at the band 30H3 for biting their style.

Stand Out Tracks:

“Off Our Backs”
“Credit Card Babies”

Overall, “MEN” were one of my favorite bands at this year’s festival. It just comes to show you to stop being responsible by planning an itinerary. Just have fun! — Mike Scher

The Brought Low @ The Trash Bar

After a gay old time at Knitting Factory, we finally made our way over to Trash Bar for a crowd of a different color, or at least a different gender identity. As The Brought Low tuned up and spat a little chatter about rock bands, a member of the audience ceremoniously shouted, “ROCK AND ROOOLLL!!!” and so begun a proper Rock and Roll show. In fine order, the lead singer/guitarist and bassist donned the appropriate attire – worn- out black logo tees, relaxed fitted jeans, and black Vans and Chuck Taylors, respectively. Head-banging? Yes. Fist-pumping? Absolutely. And a sassy PBR & whisky soaked audience to boot. Sample dialogue:

Lead Singer: This song is called ‘Everybody Loves a Whore’

Drunk guy: Fuck you! I hate whores!

The sound was a throwback to post-hair, pre-grunge rock, ala Guns & Roses, with the ever looming influence of Led Zeppelin. The Brought Low is your brother’s band who used to make too much noise in the basement, and who you thought sucked until one of your girlfriends decided they had a crush on the bassist and you actually went to see them, and they actually rocked.  — Kiani Angus-Torres

Saturday June 27, 2010

Mike was in North Carolina for a wedding. Kiani hung out at the Knitting Factory while Carlos roamed endlessly, looking for that great big show.

ZAZA @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Oh! Capital letters! With the country swept up by Tao Lin-style lower case writing, ZAZA ups the irony ante with a set steeped in the dark art of breathy vocals, mopey ambient music and a band name that defiantly sits up straight. Jennifer Fraser’s bass rumbled throughout the music hall and the percussion worked tribal rhythms as she and guitarist, Danny Taylor exchanged vocal duties. It didn’t take long to recognize the Radiohead influence and an audience who appeared to be enjoying themselves. — Carlos Detres

Savoir Adore @ Brooklyn Bowl

Americana/Indie band, Savoir Adore was one of the most anticipated bands of the festival but they could also be mistaken as a charicature of themselves due to Brooklyn’s tendency toward troubadourism rather than balls-out Rock and Roll. One could easily succumb to numb ears after hearing many similar-sounding bands but it would be a mistake. If the critic’s ears are powered off for a few songs, accute emotional moments may occur. Both singers harmonized together under the sparkling dashes of light from the giant disco ball of Brooklyn Bowl and the track of spotlights turned green and blue like halos. The mood matched the music they played; stringed, pained, and often defiant stuff. — Carlos Detres

Reading Rainbow @ The Knitting Factory

How about this? How about we just bang a drum, play some electric guitar, and sing loud and well harmonized? And we call it something simple, cute, and fun, because that’s who we are…. READING RAINBOW! The impact-ful candor of this band was truly refreshing, and their soulful rhythms (finally!) got the crowd dancing, and a couple were even inspired to have a push-up contest! The Philly-based pair, Robbie Gee on guitar and Sarah Eee on drums, were attentive and purposeful in their performance, reminding us that less is more, and may even be more fun. — Kiani Angus-Torres

The Beets @ The Knitting Factory

This carefree, adorable pop-punk/post-punk inspired trio hails from Jackson Heights, Queens. In keeping with Reading Rainbow, who had played just before them, The Beets’ songs were made up of simple melodies and a standing drummer who stuck to banging out the basics — tom, floor tom, and snare. They also seemed to have the freakiest prop of the festival – a lady-manikin head with a black mohawk, and enormous translucent blue eyes.  — Kiani Angus-Torres

xx xy Dance Party @ Public Assembly, Featuring DJ sets by VHS or Beta, Trash Yourself, Kids at the Bar, and more

This free, late night show became the alamo, should anything go wrong, like lackluster bands, closed venues, bar wretches strangling eachother on the street. So the lights went out in the back of Public Assembly and rising with the darkness was the crescendo of dirty, electro goodness, spun by some folks you didn’t know DJ’d — or if you did, you didn’t know they were this good.

The music sounded like a Lords of Acid orgy without all of the silly lyrics and pills. The music was hard, electric, nasty, meaty, and relentless. I admit bad reporting, being ignorant to the names of all of the DJs but you can pick any name and it wouldn’t matter since their styles were so similar, only increasing in gut-wrenching velocity.

I do know this.

There was a girl. She had black hair and a pretty face and she manipulated the music more distinctly skillful than the rest of her crew.  Wherever you are, pretty lady, thank you for rocking out this Saturday night. We needed it. — Carlos Detres

Sunday June 27, 2010

Boy oh boy was it hot on this day but what a way to end a 4 day party.

Les Savy Fav @ Newtown Barge Park – The Metro PCS Stage

This was Rock and Roll. This was a real Rock and Roll band, complete with the savage lead singer and a band that could pick up on its singer’s antics and enhance his presence. I’ve been a fan of Les Savy Fav for a few years and have heard things, things that made the hairs of my skin perk up. Yes, Tim Harrington, lead singer for Les Savy Fav is the barbarian everyone said he was but he was pure beauty; the composed signature of Rock and Roll, bearded and wrought with a passionate zeal to share his love of music and the live show with an audience who had come to see his band play.

Harrington ripped a can of jubilation and pandemonium, inviting audience members to sing the words he was probably too breathless to sing. He would jump off the stage, run through the park, while the stage’s tech crew chased after him, feeding his mic the cable, while it whipped through the crowd. At one point, he stood on a stack of speakers and shot a snot rocket, narrowly missing my face but then he made up for it by grabbing someone’s water bottle and shoving it into my mouth, followed by someone else’s can of beer.

For me, for us, Les Savy Fav closed out the festival properly, leaving its audience something to look forward to next year, and something to look back on for years to come. — Carlos Detres

I debated whether to include any of the bands that preceded Les Savy Fav but after their blitzkrieg performance, I needed to dedicate a post solely to them. Enjoy the pictures of a performance from a band who really care about Rock and Roll. All pictures are from June 27, 2010 @ Metro PCS Park.

All pictures were taken at L Magazine’s Northside Festival in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Pictures of ZAZA @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, and The Tony Castles, and Savoir Adore @ Brooklyn Bowl, including a pic from underground in The Trash Bar.

All pictures were taken at L Magazine’s Northside Festival in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

MEN featuring JD Samson of Le Tigre @ Knitting Factory, The Brought Low @ The Trash Bar, bathroom of Death by Audio, and other miscellanea.

All pictures were taken at L Magazine’s Northside Festival in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Enjoy the picture show.

La Strada @ Dam, Stuhltrager Gallery, Summber Backyard Series

Bookending the Northside Festival

The dark wooden floor of Public Assembly in Williamsburg, Brooklyn creaked as a patron quietly requested another drink from the bartender, whose gaze had been fixed upon the stage filled with six musicians. The bartender turned, quickly procured a can of an unknown beer, placed it on top of the bar then folded his arms as the patron returned to the mass of onlookers watching the curly haired singer of La Strada croon into the mic, pushing and pulling apart the pleated bellows of an accordion.

The backing string section converted the cavernous room into a Midwestern prairie, adorning it with an imagined verdant veneer of an old American era when people gathered to listen to stories of heartbreak and loss. Then, when it was over, the smiling audience quietly shuffled away and the band returned the instruments to their silent casings.

This quintet (and sometimes septet) of pan-American musicians was the fitting bookend for the Northside Festival – a celebration of music and art held at manifold venues throughout Greenpoint and Williamsburg back in June to showcase the culturally diverse influences seen and heard in these neighborhoods.

La Strada, which means “the road” in Italian, is an appropriate name for a band whose members had come together from different regions of America to this plot of land on the north end of Brooklyn. By way of friends and Craigslist, the band joined piecemeal throughout the two years of its existence from California, Vermont, Kentucky, and New York to make an infused amalgamation of music influenced by Americana folk and European ‘60s pop.

Lead singer and the man behind the accordion, James Craft explained the evolution of La Strada’s sound, saying, “I spent a lot of time in Europe so I had that coming at me. It was an amazing and satisfying direction to take for me.” Being in close proximity to some of Europe’s more traditional music influenced Craft to learn and play his instrument. Joined by bassist, Devon Press, guitarist, Ted Lattis, violinist, Daniel Baer, and drummer, Brady Miller, the band has issued a catalogue of music that is both clear and profound.

When asked how the band had adopted its name, Craft says, “We spent a lot of good time working on the name. We watched a lot of Fellini’s films together and it seemed that the names had these nice open-ended sounds. Then we watched La Strada. It was a really good movie so why not go for this? For me, the name was so symbolic but it was so clear and simple.”

La Strada has been on the move throughout the States and receiving approbation from audiences that tend to be fickle about bands they’ve never heard of. But music that flows with honesty, passion, and technical skill can fortify the unseen aura of a group of musicians as well versed in their own language as these guys are.

This past Februrary, the band released its debut E.P. – a collection of six songs meticulously crafted by all members of the band and what it delivered was a supple beginning of the road less traveled by most people – the exhibition of one’s own declaration of willful expression.

La Strada’s self titled debut E.P.

The band’s style is en vogue at the moment, with bands like Gogol Bordello, Devotchka, and Beirut; however La Strada’s distinct sound is represented by their self-titled E.P. - a blend of cinematic imagery, folk melody, and crisp songwriting that is meant to include the listener on the band’s emotional history.

Songs like, “Flying”, “Starling”, and “Mama” indicate a unit of musicians that regard story telling and composition as equal components for rich songwriting. “Orphan”, for example, exhibits sensitivity to both American and European influences. Miller’s thunderous drums are strong and prevalent and Craft sings reassuring words to enhance the bold theme that the song portrays.

One of the albums best moments is illustrated in “Mama” – a heart rending song that begins with one long note on the accordion, which is soon accompanied by Lattis’ mournful guitar, and backing vocals. A nostalgic melody is played on a toy piano to let the listener in on a message sung by Craft to his mother who passed away when he was a young boy. The song ends with a lasting note on the accordion to bring it back to the beginning, like a closed book, and is met with the opening notes of “Starling” – perhaps the strongest song on the E.P.

“Starling”, in contrast to “Mama” is a greeting to a newly realized experience – the cinematic closure of this compilation of music. It is both elegant and complex in its composition but does not saunter off into intangible territory. Although the lyrics on La Strada’s E.P. aren’t fancy in a contrived kind of way, they are poignant and deliver a response to the strife and hope of the human condition.

From the Northside Festival to some of the band’s favorite clubs in Chicago, La Strada performs for its audiences a new kind of folk music that is both existential as it is engaging. The group currently has plans to release its first full length album in the next five to six months.

La Strada’s Performance Dates

07/10 New York, NY @ Webster Hall w/the Subjects

07/16 Charlottesville, VA @ Tea Bazaar

07/17 Norfolk, VA @ The Boot

07/18 Washington, D.C. @ IOTA

Tune Yards Bird Brains

1. tUnE-yArDs “Fiya” – There’s a little Led Zeppelin in this song by tUnE-yArDs Merrill Garbus. It’s a beautiful tune that had people gasphing after she performed it at Glasslands last weekend. A little ukulele + ass-shaking beats + love = hot fire! And to think that she recorded the whole album, Bird Brains on a Sony digital voice recorder. Not bad.
2. Deastro “Biophelia” – Once in a while, you capture a snapshot of an artist’s rise and you can’t get their music out of your head so you can’t do anything but write and write and write about it until your readers are just so fed up that they finally go and check out the album. Well, this is one of those artists. Sometimes you hear what sounds like pure talent but it’s really just a lucky hit. Deastro is not one of these examples. His album, Moondagger just keeps getting better with every listen. There’s a little post-punk, a little electro, a little pop, and a little indie.
3. Michna “Swiss Glide” – Now this is different. Electro-jazz from the Midwest. Now that almost sounds scary but it’s not. After your prototypical breakbeat bassy grooves, there’s the introduction of brass horns. It’s not distracting at all. It’s just groovy.
4. Emanuel and the Fear “Jimme’s Song” – This song sounds “good” on the EP. It definitely doesn’t compare to the live version. The potential this song has as an anthem (that’s right, you read right) for a generation of rock and roll fans is tamed on the CD and that’s a shame. Either way, it’s a good listen from a band that really pulls off a striking set live. Hopefully the full length album they are currently recording will match their live sound. If you are reading this, please change the production theme for the next album. It’s ok to sound like a rock and roll band.
5. Anima Anonima “IA Electric” – Now it’s true that they did not play at Northside Festival, however they did play this past Thursday at Public Assembly — the scene of many lost bands sucked into the cavern of the back room. This band transcends trip hop and fills that void between pop and trip hop. This is from their latest album entitled, Mechanic Organic. It’s a gas. Also, check out our upcoming profile about this band from Ellen Donbeck.
6. Wakey! Wakey! “Take it Like a Man” – This piano heavy somber little tune has some nice erratic moments that exhibits the lead singer’s great voice and musicianship as he horrowly declares an inside prolcamation. They also played in the back room of Public Assembly this past Sunday for Northside Festival.
7. Wild Yaks “I’m Crazy but Not Afraid” – I wrote something about them in the festival review and what I wrote was that these guys really rocked something wonderful. It was full of energy, hype and destruction. One of my own favorite quotes (yeah, I have a list of favorite quotes I’ve coined…egotist? Maybe) is “Destruction is my currency”. Well, if that’s what Wild Yaks might think, then they spend their “currency” well. There are some hints of Misfits in this so enjoy.
8. Bob Dylan “They Times They Are A-Changin’” – Of course Bob Dylan didn’t play Northside Festival last weekend — but he should have. I’m not 20 years old anymore nor do I wish I was but this song always affirms my idealism. Every generation should use this tune as its anthem to remind us of our responsiblity to change the ways of the previous generation and to make the future better. OK, I’ll shut my idealism down for now. I created a whole website based on this anyway so if you’re here then maybe you agree with this philosophy.
9. Led Zeppelin “Travelling Riverside Blues” – This Robert Johnson cover is not only fair but was necessary to create and exhibit the power of Delta Blues.  This is one of my favorite Zep tunes. Sure, these guys covered everyone from Muddy Waters to Howlin’ Wolf but let’s be honest – these remakes are better than the originals. I said it. So, if you want a trip down to the muggy swamp lands of the South, just hit play on this one and take a needed sojourn.
10. The Doors “Not to Touch the Earth” – Psh…I wish. When the Doors meditated on their sound, their vision, they hit the studio and created, Waiting for the Sun. An album that is rife with southwestern indian influence, from the hypnotic beat to Morrison’s trippy lyrics shouting into the well of our depravity and carnality. How this song always misses inclusion in any of their Greatest Hits is a fuckin’ mystery to me because it truly is one of their best. Light a bonfire, eat some peyote, and dance around with your doppleganger and see what the mirror reflects…uh oh…it’s already starting to take effect. brb…

Deastro @ Studio B

What felt like a world away from Manhattan began with a little swarm of clouds hanging in the sky, intermittently drizzling some rain on the sidewalks of Williamsburg. Nevertheless, across two towns, revelers descended upon the north side of Brooklyn to attend the manifold shows that stretched from Williamsburg to Greenpoint. On these sidewalks, stray musicians grabbed guitars and played for an audience who wandered around from venue to venue for what was to be the revelation of the first L Magazine’s Northside Festival.

This is the first festival of at least three that will be covered this summer. Everything you can imagine happened and, with the permission of Consequence of Sound, I present to you the performance details that occured during this four day festival.

Thursday, June 11: Day 1

Marie Sioux

Studio B

Studio B is a large building, most likely converted from a warehouse in the industrial section of Greenpoint on Banker Street. Once inside the large club, a serene sound whispered from the halls that came from Marie Sioux, who was sitting on a stool on the center of the stage. This dark-haired folk singer sang softly and strummed an acoustic guitar, while her guitarist stood offstage amongst the audience.

Marie’s songs had a tinge of aching in them, which was accented by her guitarist’s slow and rhythmic strumming. The sound of the guitar warbled throughout the room, issuing a calm vibe that sank the audience into her lyrics. But then came along the last song. After a lengthy applause, Sioux mentioned that she had just written a new song but it seemed as if her guitarist wasn’t notified. She began to sing off key a bit and the error leaked into rhythm guitarist’s playing. It must also be suggested that the sound issues she had experienced throughout the set finally took effect, and unfortunately the gaffe was jarring.

Brightblack Morning Light

Studio B

The headliner of the night was Brightblack Morning Light, a band from New Mexico with a mystical, freak folk sound that bled heavily into the realm of psychedlia. Strangely, their brew of sonic mysticism fit into this hole of Brooklyn. The crowd, which had dispersed immediately after Marie Sioux, had returned to watch one of Matador’s finest offerings. The five piece band wrought a hefty amount of hypnotic peace that was built from rich instrumentation with singer, Naybob Shineywater breathing words into the mic.

Just because they’re psychedelic, doesn’t mean that they can’t funk either. The loping beats from the drummer added to the intensity of Brightblack’s performance, revealing a depth to their music that most bands in this genre miss. A very passionate keyboardist, Rachel Hughes, worked her keyboard, swaying and pounding her feet onto the stage. When they finished, the whole room was ready to discuss transcendentalism. Good times.

Friday, June 12: Day 2

Well, it was back to Brooklyn…and back to Studio B for Ghostly International’s Ten Year Anniversary Bash. A little splatter of rain didn’t take away from the draw of this night’s evening of musical performances.

Deastro

Studio B

Ranolph Chabot, the 22 year old behind Deastro, was back on stage in New York for the second time in a week (the first was at Mercury Lounge on 6/10). Having just released his latest album, Moondagger, he was ready to throw down a fresh set of tunes and deliver what many had been waiting to hear as a live performance. And guess what? He threw down hard.

Deastro’s set was draped with a sheet festooned with little cartoon images of Batman but once it was removed, Chabot walked onto stage wearing a Daisy Duck hat. At first, he was focused on a laptop, singing into the mic as if his hands were unoccupied by his stabs at the keyboard or clicks on a mouse. Electronic-pop music swirled through the room and the band played a flawless set that consisted mostly of songs from the new album, like “Vermillion Plaza” and “Biophelia”. There was one exception, however – an ambitious effort of covering “I Would Die For You” by Prince. But he can be forgiven. It’s Prince, you know?

Michna

Studio B

A common occurrence during Northside Festival was the appearance of genre-busting artists and Michna was evidence of this trend. So, what do you get when a saxophone and a trumpet is introduced to bass-driven electro beats? A rich and heavy sound exuding a slight touch of jazz and a lot of dance generating music. Michna walked that fine line, pumping the room with energy; however it still was a difficult task following up Deastro’s near perfect performance.

The mostly electronic set was backed by a hard-hitting drummer who often sped up the tempo, blasting drum and bass beats. The camaraderie of the band was apparent as they often smiled at one another and breaking out into short bursts of laughter. After a while, the music gained a hypnotic momentum, so much that by the end, its effect was awash. Unfortunately, the tweaky sounds and rumbling bass lines eventually left the audience kinda sleepy.

Lusine

Studio B

Those who stuck around for Lusine’s set were treated to some fantastic techno. This was one of the few instances in which the live performance sounded better than the original recordings. Geared with nothing but a laptop, Lusine, tweaked his grooves and beats with knobs and clicks. The crowd gathered onto the dance floor, looking for action and were swept up in the techno vet’s minimal bass lines. It was the style of music that has burrowed under the streets of Brooklyn and it was all familiar ground for Lusine’s music.p>

Saturday, June 13: Day 3

So, not only was everyone celebrating music inside these venues but they were also out in the street, drunkenly passing each other high fives and smiles. Book sellers, designers, food vendors parked out in a closed section of Bedford Avenue and suddenly we had Shakedown Street right in the middle of Williamsburg’s bloodline.             And all of this would be fine and good except for the goddam rain, again. Nevertheless, the people were out, even if they had to duck under awnings to enjoy their “coffee” and “smoothies”.

Dave Paisley

Union Pool

Ernest Jenning Record Company presented an event at Union Pool that was abundant with folk artists but unfortunately for this writer, due to a previously scheduled event, only Dave Paisley’s performance was attended – but what a performance. It’s not often that you get to see a large crowd of people in a tiny room, ecstatic about traditional American folk music but there they were, rocking their bodies along Paisley’s pained rhythm and heartbreak lyrics.em>

The man stood alone, framed by a string of yellow lights to illustrate pictures of his life in the words of a talented songwriter. Paisley weaved stories about isolation and despair into his handy guitar craftwork, singing about all those sad, terrible things you expect out of a folk song. Folk music has that timelessness to it and it was interesting to note that all of the music heard at Northside Festival had its beginnings rooted in this genre. Bob Dylan said, in response to accusations about copying much of Woody Guthrie’s style, that folk music is storytelling. You continue telling it. So, Dave Paisley told his version of the human experience.