By: Stacy Schwartz
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| The Hot IQs Elaine Acosta - Photo by Stacy Sandstrom (click for full set) |
I’m sort of ashamed to admit it, but I’ve been schooled. On a normal weekday I rush from work to class, whining about having to sit through another boring lecture. Somehow, on March 30, I unintentionally found myself in an advanced class on How to Create Art instead... And boy, am I glad I did. In case you missed it, here’s a little bit of what I learned. First off, start with a danceable electronic beat. Once you see people bobbing their heads in rhythm, add a floating crescendo of orchestral violin and cello. You should see a few more feet tapping and some swaying bodies. Now let’s throw in some electric bass here, a smattering of guitar there and, oh yeah, some drums. Once you’ve done all this, you may be a little frustrated to find you’re still getting nowhere near the expertise of the artists that took over the stage at the Varsity Theater on Friday.
The night opens on a good note, with New Yorkers Kaiser Cartel releasing their mellow folk rock flavor onto the crowd. Since this was the early show it was laid back, and not many people feel the need to rise from their seats. The second band, The Hot IQs, made a successful effort to wake the audience up, and you could see the sleepiness of the corporate drones (myself included) being rubbed from eyes. Drummer Elaine Acosta alone was reason to watch the band, as she blew bubblegum bubbles and wildly shook her hair—I waited to no avail for the whole thing to end in a gum-hair catastrophe. Lead singer Eli Mishkin’s voice was unlike any other; a lower-toned, smoky voice that seemed mismatched with the nerd-rock sound coming from the band. Thankfully, it worked so well that there was a long line for merch right after their set.
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| Cloud Cult painter Scott West - Photo by Stacy Sandstrom (click for full set) |
Of course the main event was Cloud Cult, where my education in art hit its peak. The audience staggered to their feet and pushed forward as the lights dimmed in anticipation. Cloud Cult’s show was full sensory overload. Beforehand you couldn’t help but notice two large blank canvases flanking either side of the stage. As the show progressed, these become noisy, beautiful works of evolving art that commanded just as much attention as the music; it was sometimes hard to decide what to watch. Do you watch artists Scott West and Connie Minowa paint to the beat, creating musical landscapes in oils and watercolors? Or do you focus on cellist Sarah Young as her bow glides along the instrument, releasing notes that cascade across the guitar being played a few feet away? The good news is that you didn’t have to decide, as it was all laid out in an easy-to-learn format ready for absorption into your brain.
Lead singer Craig Minowa’s voice reminded me of an in-tune Alec Ounsworth, and I couldn't help but sit back and just bask in the sound. It was like sitting in the middle of a sun-filled lawn, and I was content. The mix of orchestral sounds, electronics, and '60s hippie rock washed over the crowd and created a positive vibe, similar to the feeling I’d gotten when watching The Polyphonic Spree—only the cheesiness had been removed. Cloud Cult played the majority of their new album, The Meaning of 8, and they obviouslyknew what they were doing. There was great consistency in their set, and I continued to be amazed at what I was witnessing. As their time on stage came to an end, I could almost see a glow materializing from the crowd. I imagine all of these people left the venue happy and content—and maybe a bit inspired to go home and create some artwork of their own. How could they not? We'd just been taught by masters.
Location Info:
The Varsity Theater
Artist Info: Cloud Cult, Hot IQs, Kaiser Cartel
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