DJs quickly claimed our backyard. Soul Summit, Octo Octa & Eris Drew, Get Wrecked and Carry, 718 Sessions and more all hold much-anticipated parties back there, while Tiki Disco practically camps out from season opening until close. But live music has been an integral part of the calendar as well. 2023 saw two standout installments from Outline, with performances from Laraaji, Makaya McCraven and Standing on the Corner in May and Model/Actriz ripping the non-existent roof off in August. Avalon Emerson & the Charm, Swamp Dogg, Frankie Cosmos and Pharmakon all recently played incredible sets there, and this year, we’re doubling down, presenting a slate of live shows under the dusky, twilit sky. Here’s a quick look at the next four shows.
In just under a month, Helado Negro headlines following the release of his new album PHASOR. The Ecuadorian-American artist’s mellow psychedelia practically demands a summer breeze and a shady tree. Describing his song “I Just Want To Wake Up With You,” he talks of “creating a groove that felt like hands and fingers interlocking. The sweetness of the melody, the tempo and feel illustrate this texture of life. It’s like a rock that anchors your love. It’s ten toes on the ground.” That could easily describe the bulk of Helado Negro’s catalogue. With a small crew of outstanding, dedicated players, he brings the fuzzy, homespun intimacy of PHASOR to life.
Two weeks later, modern EBM/goth pioneers (just don’t call it electroclash) ADULT. headline. The Detroit duo’s 25+ years of collaboration has fused darkly seductive synth pop, gnarly industrial techno, blunt force garage rock, punky EBM and of course the techno their hometown is famous for into something all their own. Their fierce commitment to experimentation and artistic integrity has set them apart; ADULT. is a rare band you can hang your hat on. Montreal’s Pelada returns to the stage for their final NYC show ever - they’ve announced a breakup at the end of the year - while Colombian-via-LA’s Nuovo Testamento make their debut.
On Sept 19th, modular synthesist Caterina Barbieri is back for the first time since her landmark set at Unsound New York in 2019, joined by percussionist Valentina Magaletti and sound artist Fuji|||||||||||ta. The analog synthesizer has seen a huge resurgence in the last fifteen years, but Barbieri is no mere trend-follower. Anyone can purchase the same rig as her, but you can’t fake her ear for captivating melodies. Barbieri’s classics - try out “Fantas” to start if you’re unfamiliar - tap into a primordial yearning that would hit home on any instrument. The Italian synth maestro has become revered for her elegantly confounding, captivating arrangements which use sparingly few elements to craft pieces that feel infinite and elliptical. It’s an adage that simple music is hard to make, and so is minimal music. Barbieri’s intertwining melodic lines could go on forever and never get old.
Later in the month, two shows highlight paragons of modern art rock. On Sept 26th, Deerhoof headline The Ruins. The SF four-piece are certified legends, having been active since the late ‘90s. From their earliest transmissions through career-defining albums like Milk Man, Apple O' and The Runners Four to their most recent Miracle-Level, their commitment to joyous and ecstatic, freewheeling, careening and gloriously skronked lullabies is unmatched. (Check out this mind bending Tape Op interview on the making of Milk Man for insight into their truly singular approach.) If you've seen them play, you know why they're revered. If you haven't, we invite you to discover one of the greatest groups of our lifetime. Washington DC represents in the support slots: Ekko Astral and model home open up.
And on the 29th, Mica Levi is joined by breakout UK trio Still House Plants and emo-ambient superstar claire rousay. Levi’s work extends across forms, as the bandleader for Micachu and the Shapes, film composer for Under The Skin, Jackie and The Zone of Interest and as a behind-the-scenes producer. In each iteration, Levi finds radical new paths, pushing against expected boundaries and finding pockets of startling resonance. (It should be noted that Levi’s frequent collaborator Tirzah headlines indoors in just a few weeks, on August 9th, with Loraine James and Purelink.) Similarly, Still House Plants have crafted a musical language all their own. Their recent LP If I don’t make it, I love u is an out-and-out masterpiece of slippery, untethered, and unflinchingly vulnerable post punk.