On Monday night, Brooklyn’s bar and colorfully lit back room venue Baby’s All Right threw one massive SCHOOL NIGHT! NYC party. The crowd seemed to circulate in and out for favorite bands, and the place always seemed packed with fresh faces. The bill was stacked with bands who had been exploring their musical horizons for quite some time, but all were clearly were ready to go even further into the great unknown of artistic creation.
The first band In India doesn’t seem to have much of an online presence, but this youthful ensemble had an expansive lineup and an even more sprawling sound and played with the expressive density of youthful rock veterans. With a slight country twang and some deeply jazzy complexities, these guys played a smooth jam that stretched far into the great beyond. The next band was QTY, who at the core are a duo project between singer and guitarist Dan Lardner and lead axe woman Alex Niemetz, but also had a big band sound behind them. They too, built a very nicely expansive unit around them like a perfectly precious sound cocoon that busts out into a gorgeous rock symphony when you least expect it. The band’s sound is generally a smooth ride, with some pristinely angelic harmonies and some lengthier explorations, until Alex kicks into a blazing guitar solo and you then start to hear how impressively skillful this band really is. They actually have been in London recording with Bernard Butler of Suede, and they were releasing an EP this night with a full length expected out sometime later this year. The new song “Dress/Undress” is insanely good, and I suggest you snatch it up soon as these two are clearly going places far beyond.
In India
In India
In India
In India
In India
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QTY
QTY
QTY
QTY
The following band, Mannequin Pussy was one I needed no introduction to as I’ve been following them for years. Even back to the first time I saw this now Philadelphia-based band at Lit Lounge several years ago, I could see this seething volcano of rock power for what it was; ferocious molten magic. Within their often short and breakneck-paced songs they have their tranquil more shoe-gazey moments, but when frontwoman Marisa Dabice opens the flood gates with her howls and wails, it feels as though they could conjure the devil himself from the depths of the Earth. With a raw and rusty punk and metal edge to make their cuts all that much more deadly, Dabice and her troop of rock monsters can truly tear up a stage and melt some faces. They just released an amazing album called Romantic late last year, but they are already playing new material, so I look forward to many more chances to get blown away by them.
Mannequin Pussy
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Mannequin Pussy
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Mannequin Pussy
Finally, there was Active Bird Community, a Brooklyn garage pop quartet that had one of the most expansive sounds of the night. There’s a real veteran feel to their sound which is actually pretty straightforward and direct, with lots of hooks, and a laid-back and extra-chill bounce. They just released their sophomore album Stick Around that is all about growing up, showing that even these guys are ready to grow and learn beyond what is typically expected of a pop punk group.
Active Bird Community
Active Bird Community
Active Bird Community
Active Bird Community
Active Bird Community
Active Bird Community
Article: Dean Keim
