Adventurous Listening: Battles, Black Dice, Gang Gang Dance at SummerStage

Battles, Black Dice, Gang Gang Dance Central Park Summerstage, 8/16/08

Three of New York's finest and most original bands shared the stage on Saturday for a free concert at Central Park SummerStage. Presented in the pleasant outdoor setting of Central Park on a beautiful day, hundreds of people who would normally never come to experience the experimental tribal sounds of Gang Gang Dance got to see them in a perfect setting. The swaying trees played perfect compliment to their mystical songs.

Brooklyn's noise pioneers followed with an ear-shredding set that was not for everyone, but helped showcase the extent of their influence over the entire NYC music scene.

Headlining was maybe the most accessible and brightest of the three bands, Battles. The instrumental math rock quartet glistened with a dizzying array of spiraling guitars and keyboards, and the most precise drumming on the planet. Though he was the only member not utilizing loops, sequencers and modern technology, John Stanier seemed the most inhuman, keeping better time than a machine with his superb drumming. Loaded with the talent of four incredible musicians, who are fully aware of the capabilities of modern technological, Battles displayed that there is still new musical frontiers to explore in the 21st century.

Battles

Black Dice

Gang Gang Dance

Photos by [Jonny-Leather]