Austin

Levitation: The Coathangers Thrill and Thrash at Barracuda

Posted on:

  

 

The Coathangers, a punk rock band from Atlanta, headlined at Barracuda on a Friday during Levitation. First thing that comes to mind when you think of a  coat hanger? If you’re thinking DIY abortions, you got it. This 3 piece female outfit arrive at the venue early to sound check and shoot the shit. Meredith, the bassist, and Stephanie, on drums, were there to answer some questions. Check out the interview at the end of the article. 

They went on at 12:30am. The show was loud and fun and upbeat. Julia, lead vocalist and guitarist, takes the stage in a raspberry beret. One of the funky features of Levitation is the wild fashion that walked the streets. Everyone looks like they are in the band, and this weekend revealed that berets are back. 

They progress through the set with only a few pauses to laugh or banter between songs, or ask Karen to bring them all shots of tequila. The played mostly songs off their new album released this year, The Devil You Know. As the band loosens up with tequila, so does the audience begin to jump around and get hyped along just in time for “F the NRA,” an anthem that sounds exactly how it sounds. Fuck yeah. 

For the final songs, the ladies rotated instruments clockwise: Meredith moved to drums, Stephanie moved to vocals, Julia moved to bass for “5 Farms.” Stephanie on vocals was a visceral affair, her rapping raspy voice stirred the crowd into a mild mosh marked by jumps and stomps in unison. The audience shouts along to the liberating (and existential) chorus: “Can’t take it with you/ Nobody gets out alive.” 

Back to their own instruments, they close the set with “Bimbo” and Julia has now introduced a squeaky toy. She squeaks the squeaker how someone would bang a tambourine, the squeaks complementing the satirical nature of the song as she laughs maniacally with her bandmates. See the music video once, and you’ll wish you were in their band too. 

The Coathangers give their entire selves to the performance. You can see the spirit of music pulsing through them as individuals but also through the band as a greater entity from beyond the ether. Saturday night at Barracuda was one of the most alive lineups of Levitation, and these ladies killed it with a class of their own coathanger design. 

-Mel Green

Do you ever feel fear when releasing music or art out into the world? 

 

Meredith: Not really because we do it for ourselves.

Stephanie: No, fuck no. Everyone’s going to have an opinion and you can’t control that. 

 

Did you have to cultivate that feeling within you?

 

S: It’s with anything else, I guess. If you live your life based on what other people think about you, it’s not much. 

 

What advice do you have for young punks?

 

S:  Do whatever you want but be nice. 

M: Just be nice! 

 

What artists inspire you the most?

 

S: Jesus. The good lord, Jesus. 

M: Julia and Stephanie inspire me. 

S: Yeah, my other Coathangers. We were inspired to start the band because of a lot of local Atlanta bands back in the day. It was Predator, The Hiss, Black Lips, Dear Hunter, Mastodon. That’s what helped us get the idea to do what we do now. 

 

There’s a lot of music in Athens, too, right?

 

S: What we joke about back home is that Athens is the musicians, and Atlanta is for people in bands. So, they do drum circles and stuff there and we just get drunk and play shit. 

Chicago

Blase “Elusive Colors”

Posted on:

Blase released his debut EP, “Elusive Colors”, last week. This is the hazy Psych Pop of Mitch Settecase who has spent the last few year performing with the likes of Jude Shuma, Dried Spider, Niika, B Forrest, Subhi, and more.

The EP’s opening track is called “Weightless” and is accompanied by the B Forrest directed video below.

New England

Rhett Price offers a taste of urban classicism in new single “Get It”

Posted on:

There is nothing quite like discovering new music that is provocative, inspiring, and tastefully unique. Boston’s Rhett Price impresses with his novel take on hip-hop: by letting luscious violin melodies lead the way Rhett creates feverish beats that have a touch of the classical, an urban haze to them, and an elegant club tinge. The intrepid violin work of Rhett is on full display in the artist’s latest track, “Get It,” which boasts an ominous-lingering bass that complements the violin flourishes coloring the composition. The song is direct, graceful, dangerous, and wholly unique. Rhett is an artist doing things his way, one not afraid to try something different; if you ask us, we say that he is walking down the right path. Stream his latest single below and discover something different. – Rene Cobar

NYC

Shake the Baby Til the Love Comes Out have get darkly rhythmic on new LP, play Trans-Pecos 11.27

Posted on:

New York duo Shake the Baby Til the Love Comes Out have no problem making disconcerting-yet-engaging math rock (as their slightly unsavory name belies). Their new LP Growth and Healing Through Bringing Others Down continues the stumbling momentum of last year’s in a pretty suit; sludgy melodic riffs and absolutely massive drum fills on single “For All the Days That I Am Happy” shows Shake the Baby has no problem letting the lead out while seamlessly switching rhythmic gears. Revel in the noise below, and catch them at Trans Pecos on November 27th for their album release show.

Chicago

The Daisy Heaves “Apparition”

Posted on:

Last week The Daisy Heaves released two new singles, “Apparition” b/w “Missing”, from their forthcoming full-length album, the sleep of reason produces monsters.

The Daisy Heaves is primarily the Dream Pop of Ryan Dahl, and these first two single show a lot of promise first upcoming album.

Chicago

Quiet Pterodactyl Launch Event @ Constellation (11/27)

Posted on:

A new nonprofit focused on the creation of music and art, called Quiet Pterodactyl, is launching this week. They are hosting a launch party and fundraiser on Wednesday, November 27th at Constellation. The event will feature performance from a handful of Chicago’s most talented musicians including Dan Bitney, LeRoy Bach, Dustin Laurenzi, Jeremy Cunningham, Macie Stewart, and Lane Beckstrom.

The event will also include a silent auction with proceeds going to cover the startup fees and their first public activation series, which will begin in January 2020 and announced at the Launch Party.

Chicago

Yumi Rose “KYSS”

Posted on:

Future Society Collective member Yumi Rose (aka Erik Norman) released a new track, "KYSS", for the first time in awhile earlier this month. This is instrumental Hip Hop and futuristic funk, and a great sign of what we may be able to expect from his forthcoming album Lazy Smokers Club.

Chicago

Kachi The Band “This Is Not”

Posted on:

Kachi The Band has released a new single called “This Is Not”. This is the first single from the band’s forthcoming EP, "I Only Want To Play For You”.

This is the Indie Rock group fronted by Kachi Ebiringah who is supported by Griffin Tarach, Austyn Carey, and Collin Acklin.

NYC

Follow SUO’s nocturnal hunt in video “Unsatisfied Blood,” plays The Broadway 12.14

Posted on:

It’s possible you’re already acquainted with Brooklyn-based musician Saara Untracht-Oakner by way of indie four-piece tour de force BOYTOY, but under the name SUO she steps out as a solo act to lay down grooving, tactile indie rock on new track “Unsatisfied Blood.” Muted guitars and atmospheric wah-wahs underlay Untracht-Oakner’s post-punk vocal delivery, drawing inspiration from a wide range of artists including David Byrne, Prince, and Patti Smith; the song (and its lyrics detailing insatiable bloodlust) serve as a nice score for the music video in which SUO engages in nocturnal bloodsports, Man Bites Dog style. Check it out below, and catch her at The Broadway on December 14th. 

Austin

Pidgeons Playing Ping Pong Mesmerizes Audience at Emos

Posted on:

 

 
Maryland funk jam band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, blazed the stage with two full sets at Emo’s on Friday night with a spectacular light show and performance. Frontman, ‘Scrambled’ Greg Ormont, was full force in his theatrics and brought increasingly high energy to an eager crowd. 
 
The band kicked off their first set with "Whoopie", enticing the crowd to start grooving along with them. Their call was indeed heeded, and the dancing never stopped. "Julia" from their 2014 album Psychology, was undoubtedly a crowd favorite with it’s beachy cabana vibes recalling an adolescent missed opportunity with a girl named Julia. It would be remiss of me not to mention the mesmerizing rainbow of stage lights that transformed the bare concrete inside of Emo’s into what I can only imagine psychedelic dreams are made of.
 
The band returned for their second set, and Ormont acknowledged a blow up pickle prop and even performed a short, improvised and amusing song about the pickle. However, the apex of the night came halfway through their second set, when the band transitioned from "Burning Up My Time" into a cover of "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. A bold move, but the cover was well received by a plethora of cheers and subsequently a mix of hands and cell phones shooting into the air to capture the moment. Jeremy Schon, on lead guitar, bravely ripped out a high energy solo before the band transitioned back into "Burning Up My Time," to the crowd’s absolute delight.
 
The cheers for an encore were answered with, "Lowdown" and "Schwanthem." When the set finally concluded and the house lights came on, all eyes were wide and satisfied, adjusting back into reality and perhaps experiencing some light tracer sensations following a gratifying performance of sight and sound in equal parts.
 
-Amy Arnold