THENEWYORKER,MARCH2, 2020 9
ILLUSTRATION BY EMMA ROULETTE
Like any self-respecting young arts space, Knockdown Center is
carved from the shell of a former factory. By now, it’s probably best
to ignore the political implications of aesthetes revelling where their
ancestors once made doorframes and simply enjoy this cavernous, rav-
ishing Goliath in Maspeth, Queens. On Feb. 29, Knockdown inaugu-
rates “Outline: Winter,” a shrewdly programmed showcase that prizes
novel sounds over boldface names. The headliners, John Maus and Boy
Harsher, plus the band Patience, foreground a brooding undercurrent
of eighties synth pop. Bleaker still is Katie Gately, whose every note
suggests the score to a particularly harrowing contemporary-dance
recital. On her heart-stopping new album, “Loom,” Gately navigates
the death of her mother, crooning over distorted samples of animal
howls, earthquakes, and a closing coffin. It’s haunted music seemingly
tailor-made to echo through a ghostly old factory.—Jay Ruttenberg
AVANT-POP
1
NIGHTLIFE
Musicians and night-club proprietors lead
complicated lives; it’s advisable to check in
advance to confirm engagements.
Bruce Barth
Soapbox Gallery
Although best known for beguiling work
with trios and small ensembles, the pianist
Bruce Barth can also cast an enchanting spell
as a solo performer. This recently opened
Brooklyn performance space, with its fine
acoustics and sterling keyboard, is an ideal
spot to experience his artistry.—Steve Fut-
terman (Feb. 26.)
Marta Sanchez
Bar Bayeux
The composer and bandleader Marta San-
chez’s signature ensemble sound aligns two
saxophones with her own piano and an alert
rhythm team. Here, as on her celebrated
album “El Rayo de Luz,” from last year, San-
chez takes full advantage of the interpretive
and improvisational powers of the tenor sax-
ophonist Chris Cheek, an acclaimed player
in his own right.—S.F. (Feb. 26.)
Tibet House U.S. Benefit
Carnegie Hall
Every winter, New York raises the flag for a
region known for serenity (Tibet) at a venue
synonymous with classical music (Carnegie
Hall) with a concert dominated by blistering
rock and roll. This year’s Tibet House Benefit
is particularly rich with monumental figures,
including Patti Smith, Bettye LaVette, Lau-
rie Anderson, and the organization’s artistic
director, Philip Glass. But, if the past is any
indication, all eyes will fixate on the sin-
gular bolt of lightning that appears here in
human form: a shirtless senior citizen known
to earthlings as Iggy Pop.—Jay Ruttenberg
(Feb. 26.)
Khai Dreams
Baby’s All Right
Khai Dreams, an indie singer-songwriter from
Los Angeles, has quietly built a following by
crafting songs as earnest and heartfelt as home-
made valentines. His D.I.Y. approach blends
touches of R. & B. and surf guitar, but the
production is sparse enough to emphasize his
youthful voice and the simplicity of his lyricism.
On songs such as “Sunkissed,” an acoustic ditty
that’s become a favorite on TikTok, he sings
with enough sincerity to make lines like “It’s
so lovely loving you” sound sweet rather than
ham-handed.—Julyssa Lopez (Feb. 27.)
Celine Dion
Barclays Center
Last November, Celine Dion released
“Courage,” the twenty-seventh album of
her four-decade career. Though the record
proves her longevity and her fixed position
as one of the great power balladeers of her
generation, it also marks new beginnings:
the songs, written after the death of her
husband, are more upbeat, dance-oriented
collaborations with contemporary artists
such as Sia, Lauv, and Sam Smith. The
album also led to her first U.S. tour in a
decade, but her sixteen-year-long Vegas res-
idency has kept her voice in top shape.—J.L.
(Feb. 28-29.)
Marshall Jefferson
House of Yes
Aside from the late Frankie Knuckles,
Marshall Jefferson was the producer most
responsible for the sound and shape of
late-eighties Chicago house music. His
string of classics can still set a party off
like little else, and when Jefferson d.j.s he
offers a goodly helping of his own catalogue,
as he should.—Michaelangelo Matos (Feb. 29.)
Schwarzmann
Avant Gardner
The second edition of Cityfox Live—all real-
time performances, no d.j.’ing—features a ro-
bust bill that includes the Chicago native Kate
Simko, who specializes in lush orchestration,
and the Brazilian techno-minimalist Gui Bo-
ratto. Most enticing, though, is Schwarzmann
(the German techno producer-d.j.s Frank Wie-
demann and Henrik Schwarz), accompanied by
the supple Chicago house singer-songwriter
Robert Owens. Their performances as a trio
have a charming hominess that fits Owens’s
soulful catalogue to a T.—M.M. (Feb. 29.)
iyla
Rough Trade NYC
The singer iyla—whose whimsical video for her
single “Juice” went viral last year, springboarding
her to an eager audience—is both a visual- and a
vocal-oriented artist. The stunning qualities of
her voice, suffused with soul and pop sensibilities
in equal measure, are only enhanced by her music
videos, which traffic in playful eccentricities as
much as they do markers of high art; each frame
is a portrait as each note commands its own
space.—Briana Younger (March 2.)
dedicated to his work. Two brief pieces—in-
cluding Hess’s arrangement of the heart-fill-
ing “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”—bookend a
traversal of “The Art of the Fugue,” in which
Bach braided voices in double, triple, and
quadruple fugues to create vibrant tapestries
of sound.—O.Z. (March 3 at 7:30.)
