TODO Records Inaugural Showcase Is Electric, Stunning, And Makes You Feel Alive
Photos and Words by Madeline Breeze
A few weeks ago, I had the chance to visit TV Eye in Queens for a very unusual Sunday. TODO Records, a new label started by photographer Pooneh Ghana and Simon and Meesh Halliday based between NYC and Austin, TX, held its first ever showcase at the venue. As excited as I was to cover the show, I was not prepared for what came next.
The night started off with a set from Ken Park, a young NYC artist. Together with his band, he delivers a melancholy wall of sound. Crisp drumming establishes the atmosphere in which the bands’ lead and rhythm guitar weave together to create a beautiful, sullen harmony. His songs are full of intricate guitar parts that are drenched in emotion. Ken Park is quiet, focused on his playing, though he maintains a sweet disposition during banter between songs. He is not a showy frontman, nor does he need to be. The music alone is enough to transfix you in his shoegaze world. Ken Park’s set was full of heart and a load of talent.
Native Sun frontman Danny Gomez asks the crowd to come closer. He makes it clear that this is not a set the audience can hang back for; they will have to participate. Gomez’ nonchalant introduction does nothing to prepare the crowd for when Native Sun bursts into their set. It feels like they sent 1000 volts through the entire room and it is humming with energy. This band is relentless. On every song, they give 100% and they expect you to do the same.
There is no second to breathe, they just keep playing one high-powered song after the next, powered by Nico Espinosa’s pulsing drums. Jack Hiltabidle’s shreds on his guitar as Justin Barry’s melodic bass playing keeps the upbeat vibe going. Even as each member of the band is off doing their own crazy riffs, there's a strong cohesion to their sound. Gomez embodies the energy of the band as he runs between his bandmates, down through the crowd and up on an empty bar, hanging off a pipe as he shouts the lyrics to their latest single, “Adam,” with his unforgettable voice. The band’s restless energy catches on with the crowd who dance and jump in time with the music. They are incredibly catchy, fun and they simply rock.
Native Sun’s debut album, Concrete Language is out now and they will be touring the US starting in November. For more information, you can check out their website, www.nativesunnyc.com.
Tear Dungeon is a band that demands your attention and keeps the adrenaline pumping.
Build up the tension with a slow, driving drum beat and ominous guitar that suddenly breaks into a frenzied guitar solo as frontman Andrew Cashen descends upon the crowd. Cashen sizes the audience up as he barks lyrics and his voice bellows through the room like some kind of war cry. The band is instantly recognizable, dressed in all white aside from their matching black leather masks, but the look isn’t complete until Cashen downs a mouthful of fake blood–staining his shirt hot pink in the process–and spits it onto an enthusiastic fan who also dressed in white for the occasion. This is just the start of the crazy, bloody display, and suddenly the trashbags covering the monitors make sense.
Tear Dungeon’s only question for the audience is: are you going to join or what? While some in the crowd stood seemingly in awe of what was happening, others matched the band’s energy completely. Soon after Cashen pulled one of the trash bags over his head, he commandeered a guy’s shoulders and paraded around the room carried by the audience member who seemed surprised but happy to participate. But the band is not just here to be a spectacle, the thrash metal quintet can seriously play. Serrated guitars coincide with the punchy drums in a way that just makes you headbang, all while the bass brings a sinister feel to the music. As aggressive as their music is, there is still a feeling of fun to the whole room as people are invited to fully let out any pent-up emotion they have. At the start of their song “Banananana,” Cashen tells the audience to get low to the ground as part of a “gimmick” for the song where participation is mandatory. He is quick to clarify: “The masks - not a gimmick. The blood - not a gimmick.” As outlandish as their set may seem, Tear Dungeon plays with complete conviction. And it pays off, as the crowd jumps in unison when the band kicks the song into full gear and completes their high-strung set.
For more information on their current tour and upcoming releases, you can check out their Instagram @teardungeon. For the full Tear Dungeon experience, make sure to wear white to their next show.
As everyone moved the party to the outside patio of TV Eye, I hung back for a second, standing in the pool of blood left on the floor and processing everything these bands gave in just three half-hour sets. It’s a special thing when each band brings that much emotion and care to their performances that they can make the whole room feel alive. The first TODO Records showcase packed a punch, and I’m excited to see what’s next for these artists. For more information on the label, you can visit https://www.todomusic.net/ or check their Instagram, @todo.records
