In 2006, Downtown Records formed Downtown Events, LLC, an events and lifestyle brand. Two years ago, to celebrate the fifth anniversary, they held a series of sold-out performances as the Downtown Festival (with the likes of Santigold, Major Lazer, Miike Snow, and more). This year, Downtown Records & Events are holding Downtown Festivals across the country – and started in New York, of course, Friday & Saturday, May 10th & 11th.
QRO’s Chris Becker, Deborah Lowery, and Bashira Webb caught the action:
FRIDAY
Josh Elkes @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage #1 – Chris Becker
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Chris Becker started his Downtown Music Festival at both stages of Rockwood Music Hall (QRO venue review), with Josh Elkes on Stage #1 and Belle Mare on Stage #2.
Belle Mare @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage #2 – Chris Becker
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D’eon @ Capitale – Chris Becker
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After that, Chris Becker headed to an early show at Capitale, which featured Montreal’s D’eon and Downtown ’11 Miike Snow (QRO live review) frontman Andrew Wyatt. Wyatt played behind his new solo record, Descender (his first release since last year’s in Miike Snow Happy To You – QRO review), but didn’t stay solo on stage, as Joan Wasser of Joan As Policewoman joined him.
Andrew Wyatt @ Capitale – Chris Becker
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Rush Midnight @ Pianos – Deborah Lowery
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Deborah Lowery started her Downtown Music Festival at Pianos (QRO venue review) with Rush Midnight.
Earl Sweatshirt @ Element – Bashira Webb
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Meanwhile, Bashira Webb hit up Element for her start to Downtown, catching the latest member of the Odd Future (QRO live review) hip-hop collective go solo, Earl Sweatshirt.
The Earl Sweatshirt show was high energy, including being stage bombed by Trash Talk (see below) and ScHoolboy G from Black Hippy (see below). Some crazy fan kept trying to give Earl a cigarette, and Earl called security to “get this creepy dude off stage.”
-Bashira Webb
Palma Violets @ Bowery Ballroom – Chris Becker
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One of the bigger up-and-comers at Downtown Music Festival was Palma Violets, which both Chris Becker and Deborah Lowery caught at Bowery Ballroom (QRO venue review).
Palma Violets @ Bowery Ballroom – Deborah Lowery
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It was a raucous rock and roll show by a real brotherhood. The two frontmen (Samuel Thomas Fryer on guitar and Alexander ‘Chilli’ Jesson on bass) have an obvious bromance and a natural talent for whipping the audience into frenzy. In fact, you could feel the love between band members and their audience as well, with ardent fans two rows deep reaching out to touch the band and the band reaching right back. Just a really fun rock show and favorite of the night.
Someone took from audience members a banner that read, “Pete call Mom” and brought around and up to the stage to unfurl during the show – have no idea what it means and couldn’t find online any reference to band member Jeffrey Peter Martin (keys) ever being called “Pete.” An inside joke from one audience member to another?…
Music was raw & unpolished, but sloppy was good. Fans knew the words, and Jesson screamed them. He was the more energetic of the two – you can see his veins popping out of his neck in one shot (not to say Fryer was a slacker in the energy department – just next to Chilli anyone would look chill…)
However, while the show was great, it didn’t seem to compare to their show at Bowery’s sister venue in Brooklyn, Music Hall of Williamsburg (QRO venue review), a couple months ago. It was probably because at MHOW it was packed with fans just for them, and at Bowery it wasn’t just their show. You could see the balconies were sparsely filled and some people up there were just looking bored and checking their phones during the show… Probably hipsters out for a night of shows and for them this was just one of them, you know? Pacing themselves…
-Deborah Lowery
Beach Fossils @ Cake Shop – Deborah Lowery
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After Bowery, Deborah Lowery headed to the much smaller Cake Shop (QRO venue review) for Beach Fossils. The show was well-attended – real fans who seemed to know the songs and others new to the band; all really enjoying the show, swaying to the music. Even though there were some new-ish band members, all seemed so comfortable playing together and real camaraderie. Good sound. Obviously ‘intimate’ show with fans nearly nose to nose with lead singer Dustin Payseur. New guitarist not one to move all over the stage like Cole Smith did. Payseur’s the star.
In the last song, Payseur surged into the crowd to play his guitar and stayed there with fans draped about his shoulders and surrounding him. Then Payseur plunged himself into the drum kit and ended up in drummer Tommy Gardner’s lap, still playing guitar while Gardner still played what drums he had left. Payseur then got up, threw his guitar to the ground, picked up the big bass drum and hauled it out into the audience to who-knows-where. Then Payseur grabbed his stuff and the band followed him out the back door. Fans left standing around looking at each other like, ‘Was it something we said?’ All baffled. No encore. No one was disgruntled though – they enjoyed the antics and left with smiles on their faces.
-Deborah Lowery
Fat Tony @ Capitale – Bashira Webb
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Meanwhile, Chris Becker and Bashira Webb headed to Capitale early for Fat Tony, before the biggest event of the night…
Fat Tony @ Capitale – Chris Becker
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Black Hippy @ Capitale – Chris Becker
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Black Hippy! The biggest act at Downtown NYC ‘13 had to be the hip-hop supergroup, with high-profile West Coast rappers Kendrick Lamar (QRO photos at a festival), ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul. So of course all three QROers caught the Capitale show.
Black Hippy @ Capitale – Bashira Webb
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The crowd was super into it. When Black Hippy took the stage, weed smoke filled the venue. The crowd sung along to every song without missing a beat.
-Bashira Webb
Check out videos of Black Hippy:
Ab-Soul
ScHoolboy Q
Kendrick Lamar performing “Fuckin’ Problems”
Black Hippy @ Capitale – Deborah Lowery
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Good sized crowd (not packed tight but still well attended) and all sorts – saw DIIV’s (see below) Colby Hewitt there, as well as other hipster types enjoying the music and trying to dance…). By that point in the night it had begun to POUR and there was all-night construction going on in front of the venue – it was surprising that there were as many people as there were.
All four rappers came out together to perform, but soon they left and each guy performed on his own. That was surprising, as one thought it was more of collaboration, but instead, it was more like one show after the next. Still, the music well received.
At the end, the Kendrick Lamar just finished up his song and left the stage. Fans were calling for an encore and the DJ was sort of waiting a sec. But then the DJ just grabbed his computer and left, too. Black Hippy guys were milling off to the side but just sort of slinked away even though fans were really calling them back. Everyone seemed a little dumbfounded and stood around not sure of what to do next when the lights came up and everyone shuffled off. Didn’t go out with a bang…
SATURDAY
Jade <3 and Blind Benny @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage #2 – Chris Becker
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Chris Becker spent his second day of Downtown back at Rockwood Music Hall (this time sticking to Stage #2 – which is actually the bigger stage…), starting with Jade <3 and Blind Benny and San Fermin.
San Fermin @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage #2 – Chris Becker
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The Chevin @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage #2 – Chris Becker
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However, he showed up for The Chevin, the band that was previously known as Your Vegas.
TEEN @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage #2 – Chris Becker
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But particularly impressive was the amazing TEEN, with Ducktails closing out.
Ducktails @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage #2 – Chris Becker
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The Shackeltons @ Cake Shop – Deborah Lowery
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Early on, Deborah Lowery went back to Cake Shop for The Shackeltons, who are friends-of-friends-of-QRO’s, through Jonathan Thaler (QRO interview).
Purity Ring @ Bowery Ballroom – Deborah Lowery
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After that Deborah Lowery returned to the bigger acts at Downtown, with the electronic Purity Ring at Bowery Ballroom, then the indie-rock DIIV at Mercury Lounge (QRO venue review).
DIIV @ Mercury Lounge – Deborah Lowery
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Black Dave @ Tammany Hall – Bashira Webb
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Bashira Webb went to Tammany Hall for her second evening of Downtown, starting with Black Dave and Ratking. Black Dave had lots of energy – and his crew on stage with him. Meanwhile, Ratking was got crowd when they took the stage. It was a very chill vibe, as everyone was on their feet, feeling the music. Very early-’90s hip-hop.
-Bashira Webb
Ratking @ Tammany Hall – Bashira Webb
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Trash Talk @ Cake Shop – Deborah Lowery
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Deborah Lowery and Bashira Webb both headed to Cake Shop for Trash Talk to close out their Downtown Music Festivals.
Trash Talk @ Cake Shop – Bashira Webb
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Trash Talk was INSANE! Bodies flying everywhere, from the floor to Cake Shop’s low-hung basement ceiling. The show was very loud and very fast – hot and sweaty, with even circle pits in the tiny space!
-Bashira Webb
For two days in May, Downtown Music took over the Bowery area of Manhattan, which is still the center of music in the city that’s still the center of the world. Downtown Music Festival will be expanding beyond New York’s borders, with six additional festival dates in the downtown areas of Philadelphia, Toronto, Boston, Los Angeles, Denver and Las Vegas – which have a lot to live up to…
