Stars of the Lid @ Good Shepherd Faith Church, NYC - pics
photos by Chris Owyoung
The night ended with Stars of the Lid, founded in Austin in 1993 by Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride, making their first New York appearance since 2000. They played slow, soft drones on their guitars, accompanied by string players and abstract projections filling the sanctuary.
As I sat there, listening to pieces such as “Ballad of Distances” and “Requiem for Dying Mothers,” I felt like there was a cinderblock sitting on my chest. This is music of irrepressible sadness, of deep and abiding loss. It’s the soundtrack to a broken heart.
Their last number, “December Hunting for Vegetarian Fuckface,” evoked awe and wonder, filling the space with majestic chords like those at the end of a Messiaen organ cycle, held to the brink of unbearableness. I couldn’t tell how they were getting all those sounds out with only five instruments, but whatever it is, these guys have figured something out. [Feast of Music]
More pictures from Friday’s show below….
This show was part of the Wordless Music Series. The entire lineup was:
Stars of the Lid (w/string quartet & projections)
itsnotyouitsme
Face the MusicFace the Music is an NYC new-music ensemble comprising 19 students in grades 4-10 from the Kaufman Center’s Special Music School. They will perform recent chamber music by John Adams (Hallelujah Junction), Ira Mowitz (Kol Aharon), and Michael Gordon (Yo Shakespeare).
Good-Shepherd
Faith Church
Amsterdam Avenue
& West 66th StreetFriday May 2, 2008
Stars of the Lid are just finishing up their tour.
