Low in NYC at the Concert Hall (at the SFEC) - 3/20/13

The primary challenge for any band that trafficks in slower and more delicate songs is how to engage and create depth instead of getting lost in their own limited-dimensional weavings.  The veteran “slo-core”/minimalist (and whatever other inadequate descriptor) band Low has continually solved this dilemma by creating multi-textured songs, sometimes glacially building over repeated phrasings, sometimes with rough, distorted guitar countering ethereal, yet full vocals, and with usually some form of a steady bass and brushed percussion undercurrent that provides foundation on which the tonal layers can soar.  Even at their quietest, slow-moving, they are masters of tension building.

Jay DeFeo at the Whitney

On a cold, grey, dirty end of February night, the Whitney was buzzing with a moderate crowd for the opening of the excellently curated, well-rounded Jay DeFeo retrospective at the Whitney Museum.  When I arrived, the crowd in the lower reception area was in full swing, chattering away, eyes darting over their plastic cups of house red or white, crunching on absurdly long breadsticks, and fat, lovely Cerignola olives.  A pleasantly entertaining rag-oldtimey jazz combo were tooting and shuffling, adding an extra layer of whimsical thickness that contrasted the black-clad attendees. (The invites called for “festive attire” - largely ignored, or more likely, simply interpreted as maybe adding an extra scarf of more black, with the exception of color hints peeking out, or partially exposed tattoos.) After some well-spent time amongst the social buzz, and myself and my companion for the evening broke upstairs to actually see some art.