Deafheaven + Drab Majesty + Uniform
A dynamic lineup clinching at Brooklyn Steel gave audiences a brutal, yet beautiful, sonic experience.
Uniform
Drab Majesty
Deafheaven
This is one of those shows where early arrival is required for the full experience. The appetizer was a set courtesy of local underground legend UNIFORM, giving a sonic assault that didn’t feel like a subtle first course; rather, an appropriate description would be: complex, heavy and intricate. It was the equivalent of swallowing a hand grenade with a sip of rosé.
After such an attack, the show gave a full turn to the dark-wave revivalists DRAB MAJESTY. Their reverb guitars and layered keyboards filled the room with austere melancholic melodies; providing a well-deserved rest for the audience while the mosh pit evolved into a dance floor where bodies floated with the ethereal sound of Deb DeMure, the androgynous leader of the band.
Both opening choices made complete sense for what was about to come: DEAFHEAVEN introducing their brilliant new album ORDINARY CORRUPT HUMAN LOVE. To the naked ear, the first two bands might have sounded like complete opposites, belonging on different aisles of a record store. But for a main act like Deafheaven, labels and stereotypes are not part of the story. With George Clarke commanding a fearless stage presence, the sound filled the room with layered shoegaze guitars, guttural death-growl voices, and light-speed drums – all mixed with beautiful and expressive melodies.
A brilliant lineup for a night to remember, this three-course sonic meal explored many layers of the musical palette offered by three bands with unique stories; three bands with bright futures ahead.
To make more sense of the music, I recommend listening to: The Sound of Perseverance by DEATH, Loveless by MY BLOODY VALENTINE, Soul Discharge by BOREDOMS and Violator by DEPECHE MODE.
Trust me, it all makes sense.
WORDS + PHOTOGRAPHY: A.F. CORTÉS