Deerhoof, Ekko Astral, model home @ Ruins @ Knockdown Center, Maspeth, Queens, NY 9/26/24

I'm trying to figure out the last time I saw Deerhoof. I seem to think it was in the mid to late aughts. I'm guessing Southpaw but there is no proof of that. In Brooklyn they've played plenty over the years including North Six and McCarren Pool around that time, so maybe it was one or two of those. Anyway, it's been a while and I'm glad I caught up. The drummer Greg Saunier like to get up and talk gibberish during and after technical difficulties are resolved. Bass/Vocals Satomi Matsuzaki is a true star singing and even dancing her way into your heart and mine.

The merch girl Jo said Ekko Astral would be my new favorite band. They were political punk you would expect from DC. I don't know if every band has to have a 5 minute monologue defining genocide, but like I said they were blatantly political with the eternal immobile targets, so there you go. I don't doubt their sincerity and there really isn't anything nuanced or up for interpretation with them. They might be better doing what they are doing in a hostile environment otherwise it's just appears to be preaching to the converted in a safe space and calling it activism.

model home were alt-hip hop/electronic with live drums also from DC. I couldn't help thinking the rapper might have been better served outside of the reverb echo chamber, but maybe that would make it a totally different kind of music.

One other new thing at least to me was the outdoor area at the Knockdown Center is now referred to as The Ruins so another permutation of Knockdown Center as opposed to the big indoor stage.