Sacred Bones 10 Year Anniversary - Red Bull Music Academy
photo by Amanda Hatfield

Sacred Bones 10th Anniversary RBMA show in pics (Zola Jesus, Jenny Hval, more)

Of all the Red Bull Music Academy events this year, one of the ones I was most interested in attending was the Sacred Bones 10th Anniversary at Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse. I expected a dim warehouse, thick with fog, but instead there was light pouring in through windows on the ceiling of Greenpoint Terminal, and a huge full moon suspended at its center. Stages at either ends of the warehouse with alternating sets meant things ran on time, and there was a taco truck outside if you got hungry over the course of the evening.

The lineup showcased of the best of the unique label’s eclectic but dark offerings, starting with a set from Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and Edley O’Dowd with Blanck Mass, and continuing with Uniform, Marissa Nadler (who covered Black Sabbath), Psychic Ills, Moon Duo (who had director Jim Jarmusch along on guitar), and The Men.

Jenny Hval performed under a pyramid of lasers and included some on-stage hairstyling (with trims to wigs and the actual hair of an audience-member).. Blanck Mass delivered a blast of noisy electronics under pulsing strobe lights. Zola Jesus finished out the night with a dramatic set that included a new song and plenty of older favorites. See pictures of the whole day in the gallery above.

Sacred Bones aren’t finished celebrating their 10th anniversary, either. They have a showcase for Northside Fest with Institute, Pop 1280, The Hunt, Pharmakon, Gary War, and Destruction Unit at Brooklyn Bazaar on June 10. Tickets are on sale, or you can try to get in with your Northside badge (entrance based on capacity).

Elsewhere: Marissa Nadler was just added to the lineup of Legacy of the Witch III at Saint Vitus on June 3. The variety show also includes music from Azizaa, Bootblacks and Anatomy; burlesque hosted by Severely Mame & Dymaxion with performances from Minx Arcana, Bunny Buxom, C’était BonTemps, Miss Lana Monroe, Kat Lloyd, Songs for the Spirits, and La Maison du Rouge; and vendors and tarot readings. This year’s event doubles as the book release party for Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring The Sex Positive, and a portion of the proceeds go to R.A.I.N.N. Tickets are on sale.

Jenny Hval, meanwhile, is part of this year’s Summer Happenings series at contemporary Los Angeles art museum The Broad. She performs in “Warhol Icon,” a Nico-inspired musical and performance art piece, which also features Kembra Pfahler, Rose McDowall, Tiny Vipers and Geneva Jacuzzi. Other Summer Happenings programs this year include performances from Downtown Boys, Xiu Xiu, A Place to Bury Strangers, Zebra Katz, and others.

And this weekend, Psychic Ills kick off Union Pool’s free Summer Thunder series on Saturday, May 27 with Blazer Sound System.

photos by Amanda Hatfield