Music
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The Chamber Music Society: Growing With The Modigliani Quartet
Glancing at the program, I noticed that the ages of the instruments that this quartet were going to play ranged from the newest being a 233-year-old Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin to the oldest being a 423-year-old Luigi Mariani viola. I wondered about the different musicians hands that held and played these fine instruments through the centuries. The quartet would be performing pieces from Haydn, Dohnanyi and Debussy. … read more
Exceptional Shoegaze: Juval Haring of Israel’s Vaadat Charigim
“The idea for the album’s name and glue that sticks the songs together came from stargazing. I thought a lot back then about how there really is no present time. About the paradox of perception that happens when you look up at stars and are actually looking into an image of the past. The album deals with displacements like that one, with the feeling that there is no now.” … read more
Dax Riggs, Red Telephone, Breakers @ Urban Lounge 11.06
Last Wednesday night brought one of, if not the most, anticipated shows of the year for this fearless narrator. Dax Riggs is probably in my Capitoline Triad of music gods, which brings admittedly high expectations for a show. I’ve been to a lot of shows in my life, and you’re always prepared for a disconnect between the wind-blown fantasies in your brain and the reality. However, Wednesday was quite unusual, and I wouldn’t be doing my job if I wasn’t honest about it. … read more
Deerhoof @ Urban Lounge 11.10 with LXMP and Palace of...
Deerhoof are a bundle of paradoxes: both tightly in control in the precision of their playing and seemingly veering out of control like a car with no one behind the wheel into the chaos of oncoming traffic—conventionally rock n’ roll, yet at moments as “out there” as any experimental group. They’re sweet and playful and, at the same time, as brutal as any heavy metal band. … read more
Cold War Kids @ The Depot 11.06
This is the band that created “Sensitive Kid,” so honesty and humility blend in a foot-tapping way that this concert hall could hardly hold; however, The Depot did its best and the former House of Blues sound system thumped pleasantly with tappings and noddings of all sorts. “Bulldozer” is a subtle metaphor for the types of emotions felt in these situations, but hearing it live added a level of hope to being run over completely and the lyrics became real in a way you could only appreciate by closing your eyes. … read more
EDM Pillow Talk: An Interview with Borgore
“I think what makes a good artist is not classifying yourself under one genre. I’ve made a lot of house records and I’m kind of trying to be able to do everything. I think that’s the future. Being a true musician is having no boundaries in art,” says Borgore. … read more
Southern Charm: An Interview with Royal Teeth in Voodooville
Throughout their set, more and more people wander into their performance in search for something a little more refreshing than the press-play-and-go antics provided by Calvin Harris across the park. By the time the band played their closing song, “Wild,” from their debut album Glow, they definitely had quite a few new fans, including myself. I sat down with Royal Teeth for an interview where they gave SLUG the low-down on their current careers, future plans and what it took to get where they are now. … read more
Bonobo @ The Complex 10.31 with Real Magic
Everyone’s eyes, glassy from drink or smoke, are all affixed to the stage again, a pale blue light accentuating their impatience to see the main attraction: Bonobo. Soon enough, there is movement on the far right of the stage and a man in a tiger mask makes his way onto the stage and takes his place at another DJ booth that sits higher center stage, above the drum set, the other DJ booth, keyboard and wind instruments. Simon Green, the mind behind Bonobo and the person behind the tiger mask, begins to adjust his equipment and music is being built in front of our very eyes. … read more
Our Beat Is Heavenly: Interview with John Peña
Heavenly Beat is the sort of band name that sticks to a project perfectly. John Peña’s Balearic indie pop arrangements balance classical guitar, steel drums, harmonica and mellotron to make lush, serene, heavenly songs. … read more
From Dylan to Modernity: An interview with of Montreal’s Kevin...
“Every creative decision I make happens organically and I don’t question it. I don’t think, ‘Is this good for my career or bad for my career? It’s whatever I’m just naturally interested in and just sort of driven to do, in a way. I don’t really question it,” says Barnes. It is Barnes’ avid interest in the world and lack of musical inhibition that has allowed of Montreal to experiment with a spectrum of different sounds and ideas that would make most musicians jealous. It is this kind of unbridled passion for life and music that makes of Montreal so unique. … read more