Tag Archives: bryce dessner

VIDEO OF THE DAY: “SORROW” BY THE NATIONAL

SUNDAY SESSIONS SEASON FINALE: RAGNAR KJARTANSSON PRESENTS A LOT OF SORROW FEATURING THE NATIONAL
MoMA PS1, VW Dome
22-25 Jackson Ave. at 46th Ave.
Sunday, May 5, 415, 12 noon – 6:00 pm
718-784-2084
www.momaps1.org

One hundred years ago, Dick Burnett recorded what is believed to be the first version of the traditional folk song “Man of Constant Sorrow,” which was later made famous in the 2000 Coen brothers film “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” The tune includes such lines as “For six long years I’ve been in trouble / No pleasures here on earth I found / For in this world I’m bound to ramble.” On May 5 at MoMA PS1, Matt Berninger will be rambling for some six hours (that might feel like six years) as he leads the Brooklyn-based band the National through six consecutive hours of their 2010 song “Sorrow,” from their album High Violet. It’s part of a durational performance for the season finale of “Sunday Sessions” at the Long Island City institution, where the group is collaborating with Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson, who regularly combines multidisciplinary elements into his work. This time he’ll be creating a sculptural presence in the music of twins Aaron Dessner (guitar and keyboard) and Bryce Dessner (guitar), brothers Bryan Devendorf (drums) and Scott Devendorf (bass), and lead singer Berninger, whose brother, Tom, directed the tour documentary Mistaken for Strangers, which recently premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival — O brother, where art thou? indeed. “Parting is such sweet sorrow,” Juliet tells Romeo, but for this performance, the Men of Constant “Sorrow,” whose new album, Trouble Will Find Me, drops May 20, might be looking to part ways with this song after six straight hours of it, no matter how much they might change and adapt it as they play.

CROSSING BROOKLYN FERRY

Brothers Bryce and Aaron Dessner have put together quite a multimedia festival at BAM (photo by David Kressler)

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, Bam Rose Cinemas, BAMcafe
30 Lafayette Ave. between Ashland Pl. & St. Felix St.
May 3-5, $45
718-636-4100
www.crossingbrooklynferry.com
www.bam.org

In his poem “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” from Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman wrote, “Cross from shore to shore, countless crowds of passengers! / Stand up, tall masts of Mannahatta! — stand up, beautiful hills of Brooklyn! / Throb, baffled and curious brain! throw out questions and answers! / Suspend here and everywhere, eternal float of solution! / Gaze, loving and thirsting eyes, in the house, or street, or public assembly!” BAM is now inviting Manhattanites — and everyone else — to once again dare to venture across the river for “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” a three-day film and music festival curated by Bryce and Aaron Dessner of the National. The festivities begin May 3 with live performances by the Walkmen, Sharon Van Etten, Twin Shadow, Jherek Bischoff, ZS, Callers, People Get Ready, yMusic, JACK Quartet, Heather Broderick, and Yellowbirds, with nine short films (which will be screened each night) by Poppy de Villeneuve & Missy Mazzoli; Jonas Mekas, Dalius Naujo, and friends; Michael Brown & Glenn Kotche; Bill Morrison & William Basinski; Justin Davis Anderson & Juan Comas; Tunde Adebimpe & Ohal Grietzer; Matthew Ritchie & Bryce Dessner; Su Friedrich; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt & wirrow. On May 4, the musical lineup features St. Vincent, the Antlers, Tyondai Braxton, Sō Percussion, Buke and Gase, Sinkane, Ava Luna, Missy Mazzoli and Victoire, NOW Ensemble, Hubble, and Nadia Sirota, followed by DJ sets by Chris Keating and Joakim. The May 5 show is sold out, but in case you can still score a ticket somehow, it includes Beirut, Atlas Sound, My Brightest Diamond + yMusic, Caveman, Oneohtrix Point Never, Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang, Skeletons, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, the Yehudim, Benjamin Lanz, and Thieving Irons, with late-night / early-morning DJ sets by Pat Mahoney and Nancy Whang.

VICTOIRE

Victoire will celebrate release of their debut CD at Joe’s Pub on October 2

Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette St. between East Fourth St. & Astor Pl.
Saturday, October 2, $14, 7:30
212-967-7555
www.myspace.com/victoiremusic
www.joespub.com

Atmosphere is everything when it comes to Victoire, and what an atmosphere they create. Led by Brooklyn-based keyboardist and composer Missy Mazzoli, Victoire is a five-piece all-woman avant-garde chamber ensemble that tests the limit of classical music by incorporating elements from a myriad of genres, along with haunting vocal samples and pure noise. Mazzoli, violinist Olivia de Prato, clarinetist Eileen Mack, keyboardist Lorna Krier, and double bassist Eleonore Oppenheim have followed up their 2009 EP, A DOOR INTO THE DARK, with their debut full-length, CATHEDRAL CITY (New Amsterdam, September 2010), a stunning collection of eight forays into the unknown. Throwing in a hint of jazzy percussion in the title track, some German Expressionism with Irish tinges in “A Song for Mick Kelly” (featuring the National’s Bryce Dessner on guitar and soprano Mellissa Hughes on vocals paying tribute to the American peace activist) and more than a touch of Coldplay-esque piano in “A Door into the Dark,” Victoire glides along on a cloud of mystery. Things turn rather melancholy on “I am coming for my things,” while “India Whiskey” ends the record in an exciting blur of experimentalism. CATHEDRAL CITY is like a journey through the dark, daring world of the Brothers Quay. Victoire will be celebrating the release of the new record with a launch party at Joe’s Pub on October 2, promising that there will be “special secret guests.” The band will also be playing at the Brooklyn gallery Smack Mellon on November 4 at 7:00. (In addition, “Missy Mazzoli and Sarah Snider: A Night of Chamber Music” will take place October 5 at Galapagos in Brooklyn, featuring the New York premiere of Mazzoli’s “Death Valley Junction,” performed by the MIVOS Quartet.)