Knifethrower, born of the ashes of their latter rock group Skeleton Key, performed at Baby’s All Right venue in Brooklyn, NY. It was an eclectic symphonic blend of that signature unwavering and raw New York sound. The band performed a couple of instrumental duos, including two on the drum set and two on the saxophone. The unique and complex instrumental combination made for a sound that is just as enigmatic as the band itself. The crowd had some clear followers of the frontman Erik Sanko’s work, a pocket of a niche fandom. His command of the stage and audience was veteran, he has been a musician since the ’80s performing with his band Ui on MTV back in the day. The drummers led an incredible rhythm that brought a punk edge to the funk sound of the saxophones and vivid angsty lyrics from Sanko. The band performed clad in an all white uniform, bringing a negative space that highlighted the avant garde instrumental set up as the focal point of the performance. Intermittently as Sanko established rapport with the audience he explained the venue’s name “Baby’s All Right” is a homage to the Brain Eno song, “Baby’s on Fire,” eliciting a lot of ooh’s in the crowd. At the end of the performance the band joined the viewers and fully engaged themselves with the crowd, a clapping pattern was given to the audience to perform with the band. There was a familial feel to the show, a relationship between the audience and the performers that didn’t ask for a glass divide between the two but broke it and begged us to all be participating members of the sonic echos through the room. Perhaps an ode to the recent Mardi Gras, as the brass band and bass passed through in an almost marching band style fashion.
Puzzled Panther performed with the visionary artist Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello, an OG Punk band born in the Lower East Side featuring artists from all over the world. All members were dressed in a matching Rock n Roll School type uniform. Short shorts and ties, chaotic haircuts and red blazers. Eugene Kutz commanded as their teacher in rock n roll arms, his legendary status was felt in the audience as murmurs of Gogol Bordello’s presence were felt in the crowd. Props were brought out multiple times in the performance, a mega phone to belt out the soul angst in the song “Fake Ass Freedom Fighters,” marching the crowd alongside their protest. In their love song “that’s not really a love song,” a candle on a candelabra was brought out to set the ambience. The visual cue for the somber tone of the song made the audience sympathize with the lyrics of what it feels like to be in the singer’s world of love-not-love’s. The front woman had incredible command of the stage, her prowess and rebellious energy on-and off-stage was magnetic. The indie-sleaze nostalgia mixed with the ripe history of true New York artistry exclaims that this band is genuine heart and soul.
KNIFETHROWER SETLIST
1.)I Should Stay in Bed
2.)The Future is Clear
3.)Tint The Kills
4.)Scare Crow
5.)Something Shitty to Focus On
PUZZLED PANTHER SETLIST
1.)Dazed & Confused
2.)Smoke and The Mirrors We Broke
3.)Unknown Ways
4.)What’s It Gonna Be?
5.)Legs Long
6.)Fake Ass Freedom Fighters
7.)“Open Love Letter to New York” mashup of Dirty Boots (Sonic Youth), Contort Yourself (James Chance and The Contortions), Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio? (Ramones)
9.)Haunted House
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