We Are Droid. (No, not the phone.)

How sad it is that every time I hear the word Droid now, I automatically associate it with the electronic telephonic device known as Motorola's DROID. The reality is, that the DROID I'm talking about is more commonly known as the band of Amir Ziv, (drums) Jordan McLean, (trumpet) Adam Holzman, (synthesizers) and Tim Lefebvre, (bass). I didn't really know how to describe their music, so I checked it out on their myspace. Unfortunately, it didn't offer me much help, because under, "sounds like:" it read, "This question has been known to make certain band members froth and the mouth and grow red with horns." After a bit more reading, I found that many credible sources would describe their music as essentially, "improvised music, mixing elements from breakbeat/electronica, to industrial rock and nu-form jazz." (According to their myspace.)

So why do these guys get a blog post all to themselves? Well, I had the opportunity to see them on Saturday night at a show they put on in Amir's apartment in the LES. The space is known to show-goers as the Lower East Side Estate, and it is nothing short of a groovy-candle lit, art-ridden loft space with endless rooms, (including a recording studio?!) and a large kitchen/living space where all the musical-magic takes place. The studio doorway offered as a makeshift $3 beer stand, and red light-bulbs paired with a plethora of scented candles lit the entire space.

As soon as the music began, the audience, (I'm going to say, maybe 35 people crammed into this space) fell silent. Slowly, I began to watch peoples heads bobbing with the music, swaying to the sound and following the fast-paced quick changing drum that Amir completely tore apart. (Not literally. You should hear some of the other words drummers use for playing the drums; "I want to get there early so I can talk to Amir before he eats drums," my friend Jake Amber.) Him and I, along with a couple other friends of ours, got to talk to Jordan before the show, and I discovered that he is the Assistant Musical Director for the Broadway show, Fela! To add, Adam Holzman, is known as the musical director of Miles Davis. The bassist, Tim, was not there tonight, but apparently he has made several musical appearances in big time movies and TV shows.

Uhh...oh man.

To put it simply, there was a distorted trumpet with synth playing over it, keyboards with psychedelic alien sounds, the fastest drumming you'll ever hear, and no vocals whatsoever. The sets were long, and the people were completely drawn in, because nobody said a word, except maybe to yell some sort of praise at any given point. Needless to say, it was an entirely unique experience, that I totally took in with enthusiasm. Between sets, the mood was not that of a concert, but moreso, of a bunch of music lovers together at some really hip party. And a good chunk of the audience were what I would consider to be, older hippies. It was certainly interesting.

My assessment of DROID? I loved them. I love them, I love D'n'B, I love how tall and strapping Jordan McLean was, (far left...) and I loved the new show experience I was able to have. The reality is that I will probably never experience anything like that, unless it's perhaps a basement show. And even that, is a basement. Not a spacious loft in the LES.

I swear this blog is about music, not attractive older musicians...

Anyways, I think you should check out DROID. You'll be in for a treat, I seriously believe it.
Myspace

Be well.

 

(Poorly planned on my part, sans-flash, but that's just a glimpse of the gigantic drum set that Amir uses...if I were to guess, I'd say there's at least 30 different components to it.

An Evening With Mainland Fever

Picture this. A home-y cozy rehearsal space in DUMBO, Brooklyn. The setting is sultry and mood-lit, where instruments and recording equipment mesh with Chinese lanterns that hang from the ceiling, oriental rugs that cover the floor, and Mexican blankets on comfy couches which line the outer edges of the large studio space. Mirrors, posters, tapestries create a cool vibe for the walls. In this sweet atmosphere, Mainland Fever tunes their guitars and drums and prepare themselves to rehearse for however long they need to in order to feel ready for their upcoming recording session.

Mainland Fever is: Jordan Topf, (20, guitar and lead vocals) Zachary Walter, (21, bass) Corey Mullee, (21, guitar) and Dylan Longstreet, (23, drums). I found myself at their rehearsal space after my friend Zachary invited me to sit in on the evening's rehearsal. And all I can say, is that it made for a really beautiful Wednesday evening. Why? Maybe it just felt like the whole vibe was really sweet when I entered the studio, a bunch of guys coming together to produce some excellent music, completely on their own time. Or maybe it was the fun tunes combined with the skilled lyrical work of Jordan. All I know is that something triggered my case of the Mainland Fever. (ha ha ha)

Their music to me, is essentially Indie Pop Rock, if we're going to be specific. But I for one, am not a huge believer in the simplification of a type of music by giving it a specific genre title. And neither are these guys. When I asked them what type of music they considered theirs to be, they took a while to respond. Not because they didn't know, but because no one could really agree. I heard indie pop, indie rock, dream indie pop, chillwave new "bedside" pop, (which I personally really liked...) and many other titles, which I can't remember. And I can understand why they wouldn't want to identify with one specific genre: it's very limiting to their music, especially when the band itself is still young in its' existence and constantly changing.

Having started in the mid-summer of 2010, Mainland Fever found themselves quickly gaining popularity without expecting to. "This was one of those things that I personally started doing for fun. It ended up turning into something much bigger, which is amazing," Zachary said. Essentially, isn't that what it's all about though? Doing what you absolutely love, and having it surprise you in the most unexpected way?

Mainland Fever has gained significant popularity as of late, playing shows with major indie bands like SHAPES. (They just played at Shea Stadium, the warehouse venue, not the baseball stadium with a bunch of different bands, including SHAPES.) When I looked online, I found a couple of photos of them playing a show where a band member of the Moldy Peaches was found dancing to their jams. (Win.)

It's hard to relay my experience with them. They're fun. They're groovy. They're handsome. And they all have tremendous amounts of talent, and it really warmed my heart to hear them talking the way they were about their music. I'm going to go ahead and call it right now: with the direction these guys are headed, I see huge things happening. And by god, do they have the mind-set. They just love what they're doing! So much. And I think that's the only ingredient, (aside from talent and networking, which they clearly have...) needed to climb the mountain that is success.

Myspace. Facebook. Last.FM do it UP!

Here's some photos I creepily took when they weren't looking...as it turns out, I think they knew the whole time. Aw.