Ecstatic Music Festival continued at Merkin Concert Hall, Kaufman Center, this past Saturday with a cappella group, Roomful of Teeth. They performed pieces by William Brittelle, Caleb Burhans, and —  our favorite — Merrill Garbus a.k.a Tune-Yards. Merrill joined them on stage for “Hatari” — which she’d promised to perform in NYC only after finishing her sophomore album — and “Doorstep”, a new track off that sophomore album, coming out April 19.

Here are the four Tune-Yards performances recorded from that event, in the order they were played in:

Download “Ansa Ya”
Download “Hatari”
Download “Doorstep”
Download “Quizassa”

Few more photos after the jump.

Jelly-bean hot-spring new* music to paint your Monday Morning a sugar-toothed yellow. Download the twinkie.

1. “Lemonade” by Braids (Native Speaker)
2. “A Cold Freezin’ Night” by The Books (The Way Out)
3. “Safety” by Tune Yards (Bird-Brains)
4. “Hospice Gates” by Lower Dens (Twin-Hand Movement)
5. “Most Wanted” by Cults (Cults 7″)
6. “Lawn Knives” by Gobble Gobble (Secret 7″)
7. “Medulla Oblongata” by Buke and Gass
8. “Apple Option Fire” by Hot Lava (Lavalogy)
9. “South Dakota” by Magic Man (Real Life Color)
10. “De Vienne A Paris” by Ödland (Ottocento)

*and the occasional old

Not only is Tune Yards selling Bell House out these days, Merrill Garbus’ adoring fans knew all the words and sang along without being asked. The performance was superb; there were a few new songs.

This being her first headlining show in New York, she noted the newness of knowing that everyone present was there to specifically see her; and it was great to see the recent addition of a bass guitarist to what had previously been a solo stage act—not that she needed the extra help.

If you haven’t watched my Secret Garden session with Tune Yards, watch it here.

In case you missed it, read about this performance here.

Thanks so much to everyone who came out, especially the fabulous bands who played, and to Trophy Bar for hosting the whole madness. I know everyone I invited to play were some of my favorites, so of course I was thrilled more than anybody else to see them all at one place, but I was extra excited because they all played incredibly strong sets. A ton of pictures are posted here with helpful captions, and we filmed pretty much the whole thing, so video will come soon too! All pics were taken by me (Sarahana), except where noted.

Afuche

The Afuchitas – a feisty gang of interpretive dancers put together by our explosive opening act, Afuche.

Not only was there a lot of dancing, but quite a bit of synchronized screaming.

Afuche decided to go pick up their badges and free Kangaroos shoes after setting up. They played in their new shoes.

And they even sported the free Kangaroos shirts they got in their gift bag.

The amazing drummer of Afuche is clearly adored by his group of dancers.

tUnE-yArDs

Zach Condon’s crew was drinking outside and they all got up and rushed in as soon as we heard Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs testing her voice inside.

I’d asked her if she wanted to do an acoustic set, and she performed on a sole (tenor) ukulele. I had goose bumps throughout her set.

Pic below by Sahara

Zach Condon of Beirut, Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs, Ruben Sindo Acosta of Afuche hanging out in the backyard.

Luke Winslow-King trio

This was my dad’s favorite set at the show. When Luke Winslow-King’s most handsome trio in the world played their 20s inspired rag tunes, and given the Trophy Bar decor, I felt like we were sailing on a boat.

The washboard kills.

And look at this fabulous tuba.

Gracious Calamity

Ideally these girls from Gracious Calamity would play at your bonfire party or your porch. They played a quiet folk-y set that sounded like sweet lullabies.

Doesn’t this look very warm and fuzzy? It’s only missing a bonfire.

Glass Ghost

Glass Ghost provided just the bit of diversity we need in our line-up. Eliot Krimsky’s haunting voice, idiosyncratic rhythms, and awesome bass setup on the keyboard. I was so glad to have them on. I misplaced my camera during their set, so didn’t get to take pictures, sigh.

Pic below by New York Rock Market

Pic below by Sahara

Pic below by Sahara

I found my camera as the set ended. Here’s drummer Mike Johnson.

Drink Up Buttercup

I’ve seen Drink Up Buttercup a bunch of times, but this was the best set I’ve seen from them, period. Drunken sailors all around. Can’t thank them enough.

They played a song about penises and another one about “female anatomy”.

Consulting a last-minute set list they’d made on their iPhone.

Jim had to kneel cause he was using the one little mic we had for his guitar. It was his birthday eve.

Sharon Van Etten

Sharon Van Etten started off by saying she didn’t have any songs about penises.

And that she was wearing her mom’s shoes (with holes).

She was stellar, of course. I don’t even need to mention that.

Pic below by Sahara

Pic below by Jessi Bautista

Pic below by Jessi Bautista

Pic below by Sahara

Pic below by Sahara

Mark Charles of Vandaveer laughs at Sharon’s jokes.

Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs watching Sharon perform.

Adam Arcuragi

Adam Arcuragi arrived with a crew he put together in the last minute. It included a saw player, and plenty of clapping and stomping.

This man changed his plans to be in Chicago to come play here instead. He’s crazy like that. He’s moving to New York soon and you should be on the look out for backyard performances.

When they discovered there was only one mic, they improvised plenty of things.

Vandaveer

Vandaveer started indoors, but after an issue with the mic levels, they yelled, “Who wants to go outside?” and we all poured into the backyard.

It was a fine call! The light rain had cleared just in time.

It was very French, really.

Rose Guerin of Vandaveer strikes a pose.

Mark Charles climbs a table. La Strada looks on.

Motel Motel

People kept asking me who our secret guests were. I had to clarify that it wasn’t a secret at all, but just that Motel Motel is very special. I’d asked them to play a set that would be a “Secret Garden” set and I’m amazed by how much these guys grasp the idea of the Secret Garden without me having to explain anything at all.

Bassist Timo Sullivan and drummer Jeremy Duvall played a guitar case and a banjo case instead.

Look at Mickey Theis. Doesn’t he look like a very handsome man from the 50s?

Eric Engel doesn’t really need the mic at all.

They played “Harlem” the same way they played it for our Secret Garden video (coming soon): a capella, backed up by a recording on a tape. Erik Gundel and Mickey Theis provided gorgeous harmonies.

Timo Sullivan taking a break from his exhausting guitar-case-playing session.

Delicious kebab rolls my mom sold in the backyard.

Thanks everyone! Seriously, it was the best party I’ve been to!

Apart from the awesome bands and their awesome managers, and supportive friends in general, notable thanks to Sahara (my sister and trusty helping hand), Kevin Eder and China Kirk (both devoted friends and moral supporters), Ray of Ray Concepcion (he filmed the whole thing!), and my mom for staying up all night to make the delicious food.

Download the Hooves on the Turf Northside Sampler (49.8mb).

It includes a song each from all bands playing our showcase, in the order of appearance.

1. “Karate” by Afuche
2. “Hatari” by tUnE-yArDs
3. “As April Is to May” by Luke Winslow-King
4. “Song that Grows Like a Vine (Live)” by Gracious Calamity
5. “Sosey & Dosey” by Drink Up Buttercup
6. “Mechanical Life” by Glass Ghost
7. “For You” by Sharon Van Etten
8. “Ain’t No Grave” by Adam Arcuragi
9. “Woolgathering” by Vandaveer
10. a song by our special guests

Last week I finally headed out to Bruar Falls in Williamsburg, a new venue by the folks who run Cake Shop. The occasion was a release party for multiple releases, with friends Ladyfingers, Sister Suvi, Afuche and Tune Yards all celebrating a newly available body of work, though Ladyfingers pointed out he had nothing to sell at the venue since his release was digital-only (with suggested donations).

It was somewhat of a family affair, where everyone seemed to be fond of every one, except that one guy in reddish leather jacket with a penchant for experimenting on his point-and-shoot camera. I think I saw Phosphorescent. I’m 98% sure that only he can be the bearer of that longish face with hair and beard that are a burst of golden curls. Also, it was Charlie Chaplin’s birthday, and several (but not enough) people had followed the direction to wear only black and white. Sister Suvi, Afuche and Tune Yards ran a projection of a Charlie Chaplin film throughout their  sets.

Tune Yards

Tune Yards (Merril Garbus) went on past midnight. She was celebrating the vinyl release of Birds and Brains, and it seemed quite a few people present were fans of the record. The hallmark howl of “Hatari” was the equivalent of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. Everyone knew it. Ruben Sindo Acosta of Afuche even sang it to test his microphone. I was fortunate enough to be standing next to two young men who were familiar with and extremely touched by all her songs (like “Little Tiger” and “Fire”). At one point when someone from the back interrupted Merrill’s story with his own random comment (which I didn’t quite get), and Merill got distracted and didn’t resume her own story, one of these two young men was abruptly pissed, saying to his friend something along the line of “She didn’t get to continue her story because of that jerk”, which was I thought was adorable.

Download “Hatari“

Afuche

Afuche kicked off their set as if they’d been waiting to do so all their life. The experimental aspect of the music can get a little cerebral, but I found it really fun to watch because it seemed like they were having a ton of fun playing. Their drummer Keith Parker was a power house. When he stretched his legs after an explosive song, the spritely front man Ruben Sindo Acosta teased him if he wanted to play the next song twice as fast. Ruben reminded me of the guitarist from the Mae Shi, except Ruben seemed thrice as ecstatic. They were celebrating the release of their CD, I Made Dots….

Download “Karate“

Sister Suvi

This was my first time seeing a full set from Sister Suvi, and though their sound is quite different from Tune Yards, you could pick up some of the same spirit at times. Almost like a more rock alter ego, but belonging to the same specrum, though I have a feeling this had to do with how the songs were performed that night. Their newest is Now I Am Champion, which can also be bought digitally for whatever price you want. They’ll be playing the Earfarm showcase at Northside Festival in June.

Download “The Lot“

Ladyfingers

Ladyfingers is Adam Weiner. He said his website is ladyfingers.org because he’s a not for profit! Open Your Robe can be downloaded at whatever price you choose to pay, but it also comes out on vinyl in May.

Download “Wonderful Boy“

Websites: Tune Yards, Afuche, Sister Suvi, Ladyfingers

We headed downtown and went to Red Eyed Fly to catch Harlem Shakes. This band’s got a ton of good things going, but I’m still not sold on the lead voice. I remember seeing them at Southpaw eons ago and thinking the same thing.

Other than wanting to see what Harlem Shakes has been up to (I hadn’t seen them since their reunion), I thought it might be nice to catch up with Princeton.

The Kivel brothers are really good at writing songs that are catchy and fun, yet with plenty of thoughts and attention to details in them (I love that new one about loving the man who comes home). But there is probably a point in what the person standing next to me told me during the set, “They’re adorable, but I’m not sold”. I think that if they just learn to relax and have fun on stage without appearing stressed out, their live shows will do justice to their music; some of this is evident when they play “Shout It Out”, a song where they let loose a little. The brothers have seemed a little under pressure the last few times I’ve seen them, and that doesn’t appear to help, since to create a good show for others you must immerse yourself in it first. I’m sure they’ll mature as a live act very quickly though.

On the other hand, I’ve noticed drummer David Kitz is always at ease when he’s on stage, and that gives him a pleasant presence.

Outside, more parties were going on.

People were in line for yet another day.

I ran into Parenthetical Girls waiting in the VIP line there. They have such awesome faces!

We headed north to Waterloo Cycles, a bike shop that was hosting shows outside. One Happy Island was playing.

Mexico City’s Hello Seahorse was next and they sounded good.

I’m on an ongoing hunt to find new cool bands from Mexico, or any other Latin country, and I think Hello Seahorse was my first real success. I’m obviously ignorant when it comes to bands from Latin America, though I already like some hip hop artists and have been a fan of Gotan Project for a while, so if you have recommendations, email me; by “cool” I mean bands that aren’t stuck with the 80’s-to-90’s idea of a traditional rock band.

My Brooklyn friends swore by The Besties, who came on next.

The sound was a little muddled, and I thought they were just okay. I need to give ‘em another try. The women seemed to be the main singers, but I preferred the male voice (guitarist Richard Francis), especially when he did a little test during sound check.

We went back to the east side, to an awesome place called Moose Lodge, which was truly in the middle of nowhere. Once again the events lined up for the evening were the doings of the coolest DIY kids we encountered in Austin, a circle of musicians based around the band Quiet Hooves, of Athens Georgia. Inside, this band with scarry masks was playing.

Outside, it was all sweet breeze and green grass and awesomeness.

Prince Rama of Ayodhya played on the balcony.

This isn’t exactly my favorite kind of music on record, but in person they sounded excellent.

I was sold, which is why I left my nice green grass to catch their set.

It’s no surprise that my real reason for making it out there was to see Tune Yards one more time. Here is Merrill watching Prince Rama:

She went on next. It wasn’t an ideal setup for her because there wasn’t enough volume to have her looped samples as loud as she wanted, but it was still pretty freaking good.

She gave it all.

She always does!

Quiet Hooves played next.

They were giving out free CDs and they gave me a whole bunch, which I’ve yet to listen to. I guess I’ll have a more reliable opinion of the music when I get to those recordings (because the sound setup was very DIY indeed and it was hard to tell the details apart), but for now, I can say that their set was pretty rocking. I loved it 30 seconds into it. I think they were probably one of my very few discoveries that I hope to look further into.

On our way out, more bands were playing inside.

We were back at our base, Todd P’s patio party at Ms. Bea’s, which was the most happening place by the end of it all.

Going there was always like coming up for air. It was the last night, and Crystal Stilts were playing.

It was a festival of its own.

Our two new really nice friends from Austin told us they didn’t mind us Brooklynians at all: hi!

We left Ms. Bea’s to go to a private house party These United States was playing.

It was all unamplified by the fire, so of course it was awesome. The cops gave the hosts a second warning, so they had to take it indoors for the last song. They played “Speed of Light”, which was a strong finish.

The Lonesome Heroes, from Austin, played there next. They were good but I was hoping to like them a whole lot more (Rich Russell grew up in Greenpoint and he’s not even Polish!). The only issue I couldn’t quite move past is that Landry McMeans’ breathy singing style just doesn’t feel natural; I really want to hear her own voice some time. The rest of it was fun and good, and they’re really nice to be around.

We got inside and had These United States for breakfast.

We went on a mission to see Parenthetical Girls at Radio Room.

They were awesome. I’m a fan of the drama front man Zac Pennington introduces to their live shows, syncing the movement of picking a guitar up with the tempo of a quickening phrase, throwing one cymbal at a time on the floor to the beat and later playing them squatted, and so on. It’d be one thing if it seemed like he was trying too hard, but I’m convinced that this is how Zac would perform even when nobody’s watching. He’s obsessed with the relationship of his movements to the music, and I love it.

There’s also the undeniable effect of Rachel Jensen’s divine stature and intense face.

Zac walked around quite a bit.

He jumped off the stage to play this pole.

And this floor.

Referring to the comedian who went before them, Zac mentioned they didn’t quite have the guts that Alex the comedian did, but I think they did, and much more.

Line continued outside, but it continued to move swiftly.

We made our way outside of the downtown area, back to the eastern part of the town. Treasure City is the back of a thrift store, and some of the coolest DIY kids in Austin had organized a show and were playing too. Reverse X Rays were on when we got there.

The saxophone player was running around half naked.

What’s Up was next. Their music was pleasant.

DD/MM/YY

This free distribution of coffee and grilled cheese sandwiches is one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen.

A member of Quiet Hooves was sitting there making one grilled cheese sandwich after the next.

And his friends were helping him out.

His other friends were dancing.

My reason for being there, other than Treasure City being a fun place to hang out at, was Tune Yards.

She blew everyone away. I don’t have many pictures of the set because I was filming it. Will be edited and posted once I’m back in New York. Someone gave her CDs of his band because he was so impressed with her performance.

Merrill sold copies of her vinyl, Bird-Brains.

No Kids and Parenthetical Girls were there. They’re touring together.

The No Kids Tune Yards fist bump.

Next stop was Iron Gate to catch Dark Dark Dark at the Minneapolis party. They’d just started their set.

I was extremely pleased to run into Caroline Smith (of Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps), Sara Lucas of Callers and Walt McClements of Hurray for the Riff Raff there. Jesse Elliott of These United States and Peter Silberman of The Antlers were there, too.

Nona Marie was looking particularly lovely, I thought.

With Jesse Elliott with t-shirt holes.

Back to Ms. Bea’s, our resting place. Todd P’s patio parties were getting more and more crowded by the day. I felt like everyone I knew from Brooklyn was there that night.

20. Those Darlins

This is the sound I was looking for when I clicked on far too many terrible country bands from the SXSW official artist list. I’m sticking with Those Darlins instead.

Download “Wild One“

19. Hurray for the Riff Raff

When Walt McClements plays that accordion and Alynda Lee sings her sad songs, there’s no sense at all in leaving the room.
Watch their “Secret Garden” video.

Download “Grocery (Live at the Secret Garden)“

18. Fanfarlo

I really dislike the high synth lines in this particular song, and there’s one track in their album Reservoir that sounds a little too much like its arrangement was modeled after Beirut, but this voice is too good to resist.

Download “Harold T. Wilkins“

17. Liz Green

What a hauntingly magnificent voice. In her live performances she is joined by the fabulous Gus Fairbairn and John Fairhurst (whose solo set itself is sure to be awesome). Liz doesn’t have any unofficial shows planned as of now, but you can follow my twitter if you’re interested in keeping up with any last-minute performances and/or house shows she’s sure to play.

Download “Midnight Blues“

16. Sharon Van Etten

One of a kind, and best paired with whiskey. She’s only playing unofficial shows.
Watch her “Secret Garden” video.

Download “It’s Not Like“

15. Left Lane Cruiser

This just sounds like an enormous amount of fun.

Download “Big Momma“

14. Cotton Jones

Paranoid Cocoon is a fine album, and Cotton Jones is one of the most graceful bands today.

Download “Blood Sentimental Blues“

13. Motel Motel

Motel Motel is easily one of the more interesting bands to have recently come out of Brooklyn.

Download “Coffee“

12. Dark Dark Dark

Their sea-bound traveling songs are always a treat. They’re only playing unofficial shows.
Watch their “Secret Garden” video.

Download “New York Song“

11. Adam Arcuragi

I love Adam’s wholesome voice; there’s just the right combination of swagger and heartbreak in it. He’s only playing unofficial shows.
Watch a video of him playing with his friends from These United States.

Download “The Bottom of the River (Live at IOTA)“

10. Lonnie Walker

It doesn’t look like there’s been much recorded, yet there’s an unmistakable and likable personality that comes through in the few songs available.

Download “Compass Comforts“

9. Micachu

This is probably the band in this list that intrigues me the most.

Download “Golden Phone“

8. Callers

When Sara Lucas sings, you can be sure that it’s to your benefit. It probably even makes your heart healthier. Callers is from Brooklyn.
Watch their “Secret Garden” video.

Download “More Than Right“

7. Suckers

Suckers is equipped with a great drummer and a fantastic combination of two very distinct voices; hopefully Quinn Walker has recovered his by now, after losing it temporarily. Suckers is also from Brooklyn.

Download “Afterthoughts and TV (Demo)“

6. Drink Up Buttercup

These guys seem to deliver engaging shows without a fail; probably because they’re some of the most confident and assertive performers I’ve ever seen, and they’re totally bent on making the shows fun for themselves.
Watch their “Secret Garden” video.

Download “Sosey Dosey (Live at Earfarm’s CMJ show)“

5. Floating Action

My favorite new band. Their upcoming self-titled is already one of my best-loved of the year.

Download “50 Lashes“

4. The Tallest Man on Earth

I guess Kristian Matsson must lead at least two lives, because he most certainly leads one in my dreams!

Download “The Gardener“

3. These United States

It’s a good thing These United States plays so many shows so very often, because I’m pretty close to becoming dependent on seeing them perform every now and then. I’d like to think that I’ve seen many great bands who are brilliant on stage, but not all of them have the dangerous effect of acting like a magnetic field to what you consider important and what you don’t. In your life, I mean.
Watch their “Secret Garden” video.

Download “Honor Amongst Thieves“

2. Tune Yards

Some of the most important songs I’ve heard recently are from Tune Yards’ album, Bird-Brains. Merrill Garbus, the woman behind it, is a rare jewel; her songs have nine lives, and her voice is their overarching, irreplaceable mother-ship. You’re gonna have to be driven if you want to catch her though: I was told she’ll most definitely be playing only one show, that being the Force Field PR + Asthmatic Kitty party. I’m guessing her other band Sister Suvi’s multiple-show schedule has something to do with it.
Watch her “Secret Garden” video.

Download “Hatari“

1. White Denim

Badass! Their album Exposion is one of my absolute favorites from the last two years, but I’ve never seen them play before. I’m on a high-priority mission to catch at least one White Denim show while in Austin this week.

Download “Don’t Look That Way at It“

On a side note, there will be no Secret Garden shows for the next two Tuesdays, but there will be daily updates from Austin, and there will be new videos after I return. If any of the twenty artists listed here interest you, you should follow me on Twitter.