MUSIC | Notes on a Show - The Mast, Color War, and Moon Furies @ Glasslands 04/06/2013
Above: Color War
Above: The Mast
Above: Moon Furies
Saturday nights in Williamsburg are like a busy fashion show curated by Alexa Chung, with the runway leading straight to cheap bars and multiple venues. Everyone is stoked to be there from old dudes to young girls alike, so as you can imagine, spirits are high. The scene at Glasslands this past weekend was no exception. Bushwick-based trio Moon Furies brought the clamor of the Williamsburg evening into the venue and to the crowd, with their upbeat and frenzied performance. Comprised of Andy Kiel on guitar and Jim Wittman on bass (both shared vocals and synth duties), as well as drummer Sammy Clark keeping the beat to their spasmodic display. Running around, changing instruments and sweating profusely, this youthful band pushed out a heady string of dance tunes carefully crafted for us to shake along with them. Wittman’s intensity was enough to wake up the crowd as he periodically beckoned us to join him. At one point, working as one cohesive unit they gathered around Clark’s drum set in a synth based tribal percussion segment. If you need light hearted, fun and catchy dance beats look no further than Moon Furies, whose sole intent is to get you out of your head and into their world.
In a marked change of pace, Brooklyn-based electronic duo Color War, took to the stage ushering in a bohemian darkness that perfectly complimented their lush, layered sound. Together they created an aural plane punctuated only by lead singer Lindsay Mounds shrill highs and light movements. On synth was Billy J Lin, who anchored the duo in a focused, stoic manner as he worked to create their enveloping mood. Their distinct sounds were so well balanced and interwoven that a moody, dark canopy of sound draped over us, intensified by the slow and deliberate visuals that accompanied the music. A seemingly natural extension of both of their personalities, their presentation and music melded to create one of the better performances I’ve seen in some time. Color War managed to usher in a new world: full, complex, dark and somehow inviting, which I fully and happily enjoyed exploring.
Headliners, The Mast set up and began their show with little fanfare, but this belied the subtle and upbeat tempo that would soon take hold. To my right, a writhing gaggle of neo-hippies danced elatedly (maybe they brought their girl Molly to assist) through the crowd, where everyone swayed to the pointed wave of sound coming from the stage. The Mast, a multi-talented duo fronted by Haale Gafori and driven by the precision of Matt Kilmer’s production and drumming come across as a studied and stately electronic dance pair. Fluid and clear, The Mast had the introspective and meticulous quality of Portishead without stifling the excited and jovial mood during their set. Even I, naturally averse to dancing, found myself uncontrollably swaying and moving my feet, becoming a welcome part of the dance troupe. So unique and crisp is their sound, culled from a range of electronic genres, that their fans swarm to be an extended part of the show, transforming it from a performance into a dance fest. The beginning of each song elicited excitement and proved that the crowd was on the same wavelength, as displayed when they begged The Mast for an encore. Their praise is well deserved and I might very well find myself at their next show at Public Assembly on the 18th where I can enjoy an intimate performance before they make it big, which they surely will.
Words | Kian Esmaeili
Photos | Rosie Wilt and Kian Esmaeili