Quilts kicked off the night with a nice set of dance music, which unfortunately became background music, as people mingled inside and outside of the venue, as well as across the street at a food truck known as Saturday’s Waffle. ![]() STS actually looked like a live music venue, and a very cool one at that. The mini-ramp towards the back of STS, which typically faced a sea of desks with computers, was covered in stage equipment and the work desks had been completely removed. The front wall that’s painted black on the outside, and features the STS logo, is actually a 30-foot high garage door that fully opened on the night of the show. What I didn’t realize is how transformative the space actually is. If you’ve ever been to STS, then you know that their space, although stylish, is somewhat limited. concert, put on by a local music fanatic soon transformed into a large-scale event that became a unique and visceral, experience for many. Williams’ latest music showcase, Neighborhood Brains and Squarewave Sound present Magic Sword at Super Top Secret, was a night full of “firsts.” The showcase marked the first time 1991 had played live, the first time STS (which is a full-service ad agency) held an official music event at their venue and the first time mysterious retro-futurist group, Magic Sword, made an appearance in SLC. A fitting combination of skill, tone/genre, and performance – this band has the complete package and it’s easy to see why they’re so highly regarded as a live act.Lynden Williams is the man behind Neighborhood Brains, as well as a new music project known as 1991. Known by their identities as The Seer, The Keeper, and The Weaver, these musicians have clearly refined their sound and skills to create something accessible and engaging for fans of nearly any type of music a feat proven by many to be incredibly difficult. Musically, the group managed to carve a path filled with funky basslines and occasionally ripping guitar leads without ever feeling showy or pretentious. Fans packed the Echo and eagerly awaited their performance while swinging the most topical merch I’ve ever seen at a show: actual magic (toy) swords. ![]() The mystery surrounding Magic Sword and it’s masked members has served the Boise based group well over the years. Related content: Return To The Land Of Rape And Honey: Ministry At The Fonda Crystal Ghost Crystal Ghost His dance floor oriented compositions did an excellent job rounding out the tone of the evening and exemplifying the often overlooked variety of acts working within any “_wave” genre. Having performed alongside Magic Sword in the past, it makes sense that Crystal Ghost was the touring partner for the trio this time around. related content: Decibel Metal & Beet Fest After Party: Ghoul At El Cid Death HagsĬrystal Ghost, the moniker under which Elliott Baker produces retro-wave inspired beats followed with a set that provided a significantly lighter atmosphere to a crowd that was (honestly) ready to party. Shifting from synths to bass guitar and more all while singing in both english and french, it’s hard to believe Death Hags isn’t yet a household name in the city. Self described as “hypnotic art-pop,” Lola Jean’s act beautifully mixed elements of trip-hop with synth-wave through a gentle minimalist lens. The night began with a set by one of the most surprising acts I’d seen all year: the local one woman project Death Hags. related content: The Protomen: Mega Men on a Mission at the Echoplex Magic Sword Magic Sword ![]() I’d heard quite a bit about Magic Sword from (mostly metalhead) friends who praised their intense live show and use of live instruments and knew this would be an event I had to see for myself. ![]() Not too long ago, I didn’t care for the sub-genre much but I’ve since seen the light and witnessed quite a few acts that truly blew me away. Los Angeles has no shortage of synth-wave acts rolling through the city: venue calendars are littered with events hosting artists both well known and up and coming, but the quality is sometimes questionable in a genre that so easily falls into one-note nostalgia.
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