this week in music

IN CONCERT — BJÖRK: BIOPHILIA LIVE

BJÖRK: BIOPHILIA LIVE (Nick Fenton & Peter Strickland, 2014)
BAMcinématek, BAM Rose Cinemas
30 Lafayette Ave. between Ashland Pl. & St. Felix St.
Thursday, August 3, 7:00 & 9:30
Series runs through August 13
718-636-4100
www.biophiliathefilm.com
www.bam.org

“Welcome to Biophilia, the love for nature in all her manifestations, from the tiniest organism to the greatest red giant floating in the farthest realm of the universe. . . . In Biophilia, you will experience how the three come together: nature, music, technology. Listen, learn, and create. . . . We are on the brink of a revolution that will reunite humans with nature through new technological innovations. Until we get there, prepare, explore Biophilia.” So announces British naturalist Sir David Attenborough at the beginning of Björk: Biophilia Live, Nick Fenton and Peter Strickland’s lovely film of Icelandic musician Björk’s final show of her Biophilia tour, a more-than-two-year journey in which she presented a dazzling multimedia concert experience based on her 2011 album and genre-redefining interactive app. Filmed at the Alexandra Palace in London, the cutting-edge in-the-round show features Björk performing such complex songs as “Thunderbolt,” “Moon,” “Crystalline,” and “Virus” from the hit record, accompanied by the twenty-woman Icelandic chorus Graduale Nobili and a group of visually dramatic instruments built and/or adapted specifically for her, including a pendulum-swinging gravity harp, the percussive hang, a gameleste, and a Tesla coil. In addition, most songs have related animation that ranges from the far reaches of space to deep inside the human body. Fenton, a longtime documentary editor, and Strickland, the writer-director of such fiction films as Berberian Sound Studio and Katalin Varga, often splash the animation on the front of the screen, immersing the viewer in a vast array of shapes, colors, and scientific imagery, like a turned-around Joshua Light Show.

But even amid all the gadgetry and computers, Björk is the real star, ever charming in a wild wig and futuristic costume as she sings in her engaging accent and unique voice, enchanting the audience for more than ninety minutes as she brings together nature, music, and technology in a whole new way. We saw the show when it came to Roseland in March 2012 and can heartily affirm that Fenton and Strickland have done a wonderful job capturing the feeling of being there, something that is rare in concert films. Björk: Biophilia Live is screening August 3 at 7:00 & 9:30 in the BAMcinématek series “In Concert,” which continues through August 13 with such other live-music films as Bill and Turner Ross’s Contemporary Color, Will Lovelace & Dylan Southern’s Shut Up and Play the Hits, and Mel Stuart’s Wattstax.

LINCOLN CENTER OUT OF DOORS: ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO’S REMAIN IN LIGHT / IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE

Angélique Kidjo performs Talking Heads’ Remain in Light at Bonnaroo last month

Damrosch Park Bandshell
60 Lincoln Center Plaza
Wednesday, August 2, free, 7:30
www.lincolncenter.org
www.kidjo.com

In October 1980, Talking Heads released its fourth studio album, Remain in Light, which was heavily influenced by African rhythms and melodies and specifically the music of Nigerian star Fela Kuti. The record was a big hit, featuring such songs as “Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On),” “Crosseyed and Painless,” “Houses in Motion,” “The Great Curve,” and the classic “Once in a Lifetime.” (The reissued CD contained the bonus track “Fela’s Riff.”) Were Remain in Light released today, it likely would have been condemned by many as blatant cultural appropriation, but not everyone might agree. “It was a record that was ahead of its time, and it was radically different from other pop music around,” Vernon Reid told the BerkshireWeb in 2001, shortly before his band, Living Colour, played the entire album at Mass MoCA. “It was an evolution of the coming together of African music, electronics, funk, and a kind of post-punk new wave, a culmination of things that had already been in the air.” This past May, the Benin-born, Brooklyn-based singer Angélique Kidjo reclaimed the record at Carnegie Hall, reinterpreting it song by song, joined by Talking Heads leader David Byrne, the Antibalas Horns, and Nona Hendryx, who appeared on the original LP.

On August 2, the Grammy-winning Kidjo, who has released such albums as Logozo, Oremi, Black Ivory Soul, and Djin Djin over the course of her twenty-five-year career, will perform the record again in a free show at the Damrosch Bandshell as part of the annual summer Lincoln Center Out of Doors festival. In 2013, she staged a fabulous free live River to River show in Rockefeller Park, inviting dozens of fans (yours truly among them) onstage to dance with her during a smokin’ hot version of Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up.” Opening at Damrosch Park is Ibibio Sound Machine, making its U.S. debut; the group was founded by London-born Nigerian singer Eno Williams. Lincoln Center Out of Doors continues through August 13 with such other events as a silent screening of the Coen Brothers’ The Big Lebowski on August 3, Nick Lowe’s Quality Rock ‘n’ Roll Revue with Los Straitjackets and Cut Worms on August 5, and The Jayhawks: A Celebration of Chuck Berry (with Reid as music director) on August 12 as part of AmericanaFest NYC.

PANORAMA NYC VIDEO OF THE DAY: “RAN” BY FUTURE ISLANDS

Who: Future Islands
What: Panorama festival
Where: Randall’s Island Park
When: Friday, July 28, Panorama Stage, $125, 5:15
Why: Baltimore trio Future Islands has a special connection to New York City; their video for “Cave,” from their latest album, April’s The Far Field, features Jonathan Lamberton, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s rather expressive sign-language interpreter, signing the lyrics to the song. Perhaps Lamberton will be onstage with the band on July 28 when they play the Panorama festival on Randall’s Island. Future Islands was formed in North Carolina in 2006 by high school friends Gerrit Welmers and Samuel Herring along with William Cashion and Erick Murillo; Murillo left the next year, and since 2014 lyricist and lead singer Herring, keyboardist Welmers, and guitarist Cashion have been joined on tour by drummer Michael Lowry. The new album also includes such heartfelt, synth-driven songs as “Ran,” “Aladdin,” “Time on Her Side,” “North Star,” and “Shadows,” with special guest Debbie Harry. And yes, in December 2015 they covered WHAM!’s “Last Christmas.” Future Islands will be on the huge Panorama Stage at 5:15, after Vance Joy and before MGMT. The full Friday schedule is below.

PANORAMA NYC VIDEO OF THE DAY: “ALL AROUND THE WORLD” BY MURA MASA FEAT. DESIIGNER

Who: Mura Masa
What: Panorama festival
Where: Randall’s Island Park
When: Sunday, July 30, the Pavilion, $125, 5:35
Why: World musical influences sampled from the internet + a teen in a bedroom: Electronic producer and songwriter Mura Masa (Alex Crossan) has pretty much perfected that mix. Though the isle-of-Guernsey–born twenty-one-year-old describes himself as “more of a ‘stay at home in my room and eat cereal’ kind of guy,” he’s touring worldwide after his singles, many released on the innovative Majestic Casual channel as well as on SoundCloud, have become #1 viral hits on Spotify; his “Love$ick” feat. A$ap Rocky has been viewed more than 30 million times on YouTube. He’ll be at Panorama on Sunday, just about two weeks after the release of his self-titled debut album, but he’s got a deep store of cuts going back to 2014, including “Lotus Eater” and “Firefly” feat. Nao, as well as the previously released “1 Night” with Charli XCX, “All Around the World” feat. Desiigner, and “What If I Go?,” which also appear on the new album and are bound to keep the crowd moving at the Pavilion at 5:35. This down-to-earth and immensely talented twentysomething is definitely someone we want to keep on our radar. The full Sunday Panorama schedule is below.

panorama sunday

MOCA MIXER: SUMMER JAM

moca mixer summer jam

Museum of Chinese in America
215 Centre St. between Howard & Grand Sts.
Friday, July 28, $30, 6:30
www.mocanyc.org

On July 28, the Museum of Chinese in America is hosting a multidisciplinary Summer Jam, with live music by YouTube ukelele star Nix, singer-songwriters Grace Ming and Jessica Rowboat, and Brooklyn folk duo Heartland Nomads, spoken-word poetry by Edric Huang and Lavinia Liang from Songline, stand-up comedy with Joon Chung, and storytelling from Talkingstick cofounder Master Lee. There will also be a raffle and a sale in the shop benefiting the museum’s educational program, light hors d’oeuvres courtesy of the pulled-noodle experts at the awesome Xi’an Famous Foods, and unlimited Hiro Sake, Tiger Beer, Bruce Cost Ginger Ale, and other alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. And as a bonus, attendees will be treated to a preview of MOCA’s upcoming exhibition, “FOLD: Golden Venture Paper Sculptures,” which opens October 5.

PANORAMA NYC VIDEO OF THE DAY: “FUCK THEY” BY SOFI TUKKER

Who: Sofi Tukker
What: Panorama festival
Where: Randall’s Island Park
When: Saturday, July 29, the Parlor, $125, 4:20
Why: Do you give a fuck about they? Because Brooklyn duo Sofi Tukker sure doesn’t, as they declare over and over again on their hit single, “Fuck They.” (Of course, we’re pretty sure they’re not referring to LA duo THEY., which is playing Panorama on Friday.) The Grammy-nominated band, which was named after both groundbreaking singer-comedian Sophie Tucker and themselves, Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, will be at Panorama on Saturday, playing their groovin’ dance pop at the Parlor at 4:20. Be on the lookout for such hot numbers as “Drinkee,” “Matadora,” “Awoo” (feat. Betta Lemme), “Déjà Vu Affair,” “Moon Tattoo,” and “Hey Lion” from the duo’s debut 2016 EP, Soft Animals, as well as such other hoppin’ tunes as “Johny” and “Greed.” You can also check out their sizzling September 2016 DJ set at the Lab NYC here. The full Saturday Panorama schedule is below.

panorama saturday

PANORAMA NYC VIDEO OF THE DAY: “HOT THOUGHTS” BY SPOON

Who: Spoon
What: Panorama festival
Where: Randall’s Island Park
When: Friday, July 28, the Pavilion, $125, 5:55
Why: No one can predict New York weather these days, but Hot Thoughts will be in the air on Friday, July 28, at Panorama when Spoon takes the stage at the Pavilion on Randall’s Island. Twenty-one years and eight albums after their 1996 debut, Telephono, the critically acclaimed and wildly popular Spoon returned to their original label, Matador, with the March 17 release of their ninth record, Hot Thoughts. An enthusiastic reception at SXSW was followed by triumphant appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Ellen, and more. Coproduced with Dave Fridmann, who has also produced such acts as the psychedelic Flaming Lips and Saturday’s Panorama headliner, Tame Impala, Hot Thoughts brings the beloved Austin band, led by original members Britt Daniel on vocals and multiple instruments and Jim Eno on drums, into new territory, with touches of funk, disco, and Bowie on tunes including “Can I Sit Next to You” and “I Ain’t the One,” while “Us” brings in some spacey jazz, only fitting for a band named for a 1972 song by Krautrock pioneers Can. Spoon — which also features Rob Pope, Alex Fischel, and Gerardo Larios on guitars and keyboards, will be playing the Pavilion at Panorama at 5:55 on July 28; you can see the full Friday schedule below.

panorama friday