By Dustin Carroll
Poster by Kecik Pusak
Groups like Swans, Between the Buried and Me, and Mr. Bungle have pushed and twisted the ideas of music through avant-garde fashion for years, but few artists have taken it upon themselves to create and re-create entirely new musical concepts the way Toby Driver has. Driver, the musical wunderkind behind Boston-based experimental outfit Kayo Dot, casually walks the line between freeform jazz, extreme metal, math rock, prog, and postmodern classical music, sometimes all at the same time. With an always changing and evolving lineup of live and studio musicians at his side, Driver uses Kayo Dot’s music to subjugate listeners into truly having to think about what it is they’re hearing. A musicians band by all means, the group melds intricately written passages and almost unreal time signatures into sometimes chaotic, sometimes beautiful, always-interesting forms. While the casual listener may at times be made to feel uncomfortable, lost, or put off, the patient and open minded music fan will find a wonderful breath of fresh air while listening to Kayo Dot fearlessly evade trends and stagnation.
Bellingham prog-thrash-metal gurus Dog Shredder are slated for direct support, and the distinctly heavier group will undoubtedly appeal to fans of nearly any form of fast, heavy, well-crafted music. Another group that clearly doesn’t let genre-boundaries hold them down, Dog Shredder press forward with a style that Akimbo and Converge fans will drool over.
Opening the night are Seattle’s Rose Windows, who can best be described as an acid trip in audio form. The 9-piece of multi- instrumentalists flow in and out of the 70’s psychedelic movement, modern doses of indie rock, and dreamlike atmospheres. A fitting opening for a night of abstraction and new ideas.
Kayo Dot, Dog Shredder, and Rose Windowsperform Saturday, September 1st
at the Highline. 210 E. Broadway. $10. 10:00pm, 21+
