"Dolly Parton just got weird."
That’s the one phrase I scribbled in my notebook app during Powerkompany’s concise yet powerful show at Big Irv’s, a new DIY space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The special Valentine’s Day set was the final stop on the band’s Fashion Week Tour, which had the Athens-based dream-folk duo trekking up the East Coast to open the Tilly & William FW 2014 fashion presentation. That show ended up getting canceled (hotels take snow days?), but the 30 or so 20-somethings that huddled at the living room-y venue were treated to a low-key, intimately moving half-hour.
Flagpole attended the inaugural Mountain Oasis Electronic Music summit last weekend. Here are some highlights.
Photo Credit: Usman Khan
Friday, October 25
Neutral Milk Hotel
Topping off a week that included a three-night stand at the 40 Watt, Neutral Milk Hotel gave an awe-inspiring performance at Asheville's Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Frontman Jeff Mangum sounded sublime, clear and confident and showed none of his purported agoraphobia during his hour-and-a-half set. He opened by playing “Two Headed Boy” alone before transitioning to “The Fool” with his full band.
More after the jump.
The inaugural Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit happens this weekend (Oct. 25–27) in Asheville, NC. Like Moogfest, the organizers' former event (which is continuing separately), Mountain Oasis will cull together some of the most interesting minds in electronic music today. (See photos from last year's Moogfest here.)
There's a little bit here for everyone—from electro-bros who crave the drop (Bassnectar and Panty Raid) to indie rockers (Cut Copy and Animal Collective) to elitist bass heads (Actress and Raime). The programmers at Mountain Oasis are so demanding that pretty much everything is worth seeing, but here's who we'll be sure to catch, schedule conflicts be damned. And of course, Flagpole will be in the trenches bringing you all the dirty throughout the weekend.
Our picks after the jump.
Flagpole attended the CMJ Music Marathon in New York City last week. Here is a recap of some of the action.
Photos by Usman Khan
Tuesday, Oct. 15
From the very first brass notes, it was clear that we were in the presence of an auteur who had meticulously fussed over all the details. That's unsurprising coming from Woodkid, a French director who's done visionary work with Lana del Rey, John Legend, Rihanna, Drake and Katy Perry. From the projections (he makes his own and used to work in CG effects) to costume to the light show, everything was accounted for and perfected.
At Webster Hall, Woodkid wore Air Jordans, color-blocked cropped sweatpants, a color-blocked jersey and a fitted New Era cap printed with his signature double key logo (the same mark that is tattooed on his forearms). He is diminutive and stylish with a dense beard, but Woodkid's voice seemed to come from an altogether different, older, more world-weary man. The seven orchestra players that accompanied him all donned identical black skinny jeans, t-shirts and patent leather Air Force Ones.
Much more after the jump.
Photo Credit: Christopher Joshua Benton
Hometown heroes-turned-NY transplants Bambara celebrated the vinyl release of their sophomore LP DREAMVIOLENCE Friday at the Cake Shop in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Turning the Cake Shop into an impromptu UGA class reunion, the Bambara boys bought together a legion of Athenians and NY locals for a packed out headlining show, rounded out with support from Dusted, Rarechild and '80s post-punk revivalists Rituals.
After the jump, read the rest of the review, and check out a photo slideshow.
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Nguzunguzu, Reptar with Jace, Pure X