Gardens & Villa Played Music Hall of Williamsburg [photos]

E0A8665 620x413 GARDENS & VILLA PLAYED MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG [PHOTOS]

Photos by Jonathon Bernstein

Waterstrider, hailing from Oakland, California, is a five piece with deep roots in salsa and world sounds. They achieved their dance-inducing-feel-good-vibe with congas, egg shakers and guitar tones mimicking a steel drum. Repetitive melodies and upbeat rhythms were married with classical elements of salsa and reggae, while melodic bass lines competed with harmonized guitar riffs and lead singer Nate Salman belted falsetto notes with beautiful but haunting intensity. His lyrics acted more as questions than heartfelt sentiment with themes including detachment, wanderlust and yearning.

Diane Coffee (Shaun Fleming of Foxygen) is a collision of lustful sexual frustration and unapologetic rock and roll day-dreams. With angelic backing harmonies, gospel wurlitzer and a sermon-esq delivery from Fleming, their live performance feels more like the Diane Coffee Sunday Church service than a rock show at a dirty nightclub. Fleming is a glamorous modern rocker, paying homage to the likes of Freddie Mercury and Mick Jagger with a large vocal range. He transitions from a darling falsetto to a riotous scream with ease. From behind a curtain of sweaty blonde locks, he emphatically crooned to the audience, his face contorting with each syllable, “Girl give me that comfort! Give me something!” Pure excitement forced Fleming to his knees, arched backwards from the weight of his guitar, head to his heels. The dirty southern rock guitar solos were reckless while remaining tasteful, and the basslines were simple but dominating, allowing for Fleming’s vocals to fill the space in each song. A vintage Danelectro guitar paired with a chorus pedal reverberated into the crowd. By the end of the show, Fleming threw himself about the stage, thrashing and punching the crash cymbal with his fists.

Gardens & Villa’s sound is best described as chill, indie dance music. The many layers of synths drone forward and are accented by slap bass, while dreamy and simple vocals gently rest atop the mix. Electronic drums combine with a live kit, loops and samples. Their melodies seem to float to the end of each song, and the band’s stage persona is statuesque, often silhouetted from projections of neon shapes and blurred, dancing figures. Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Chris Lynch began the set shyly behind a Panamanian wood flute. Lynch broods sex appeal, his head cocked to the side, one hand grasping the mic and the other groping the stand as he wailed somberly. His motions were emphatic and deliberate as he burst into a pogo dance move with each build, whipping his curls in time to reverb engulfed electronic snare hits. Lynch truly commanded the stage once comfortably cradled behind his telecaster, and his vocal range was best showcased when singing in his chilling falsetto. Their set picked up halfway through, saving their most melodic and danceable tunes for their encore.