Among the festivities was a notable performance by Uruguayan singer/songwriter Juan Wauters at 3 pm, who lured in an intrigued crowd by offering enchanting melodies and an exotically warm presence. As herds of flannel-wearing New Yorkers strolled beside the Fulton Street stage, countless heads turned in curiosity as Wauters strummed delicate tunes while belting out passionate musical poetry.

At about 4:30, Nashville breakout band Those Darlins took charge of the main stage across the street. Just as swarms of drunken VIPs began to accumulate on the overlooking bow of the SS Christgau, which was docked on the pier, the Music City rockers chanted grungy, rebellious anthems, with hairstyles to match. The sea of onlookers was dotted with more than a handful of sweaty foreheads, most of which bobbed along to upbeat tracks like “Screws Get Loose” and “Optimist.”

Later in the day, the main stage was seized by gap-toothed Canadian artist Mac Demarco. A dense audience assembled, and the slacker-rocker moseyed out in front of his worshippers before playing a handful of songs from Salad Days, his April-released project. Cups of beer were raised toward the sky, partially in admiration, to commend the young musician; partially to avoid spilling Shock Top on neighboring crowd members.

As the afternoon wound down, 4Knots attendees made final stops at empanada trucks and free t-shirt tents to gather around the main stage for the festival’s final performance – Dinosaur Jr. A gentle breeze rolled over the pier and swept the hair of front man J Mascis while he led the band in beloved oldies like “Feel the Pain” and “The Lung.” The fanatics, hipsters and children alike danced along, rattling the wooden foundation of Seaport as they took in the final rays of the Saturday sunshine. This year’s 4Knots was no doubt a success, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year.

The post Making waves at the Seaport: 4Knots Festival takes over appeared first on Quip Magazine.

At the Warsaw House, you could catch the bands performing from the main stage, you could take a step into the dining area and buy some tasty kielbasa, or finally, you could take a step even further away and groove to the tunes while drinking some imported beer from the tap. Wauters, playing third, captured the crowd. With an acoustic guitar, he manages to personify the early sound of Pink Floyd with the folk tradition of Bob Dylan. His debut vinyl is labelled North American Poetry. His lyrics are psychedelic throwbacks and his voice is hypnotic.

At this point with the glowing lights on stage illuminating Wauters thin frame a small group of people in the crowd shouted “play your hipster music,” as if an insult. Although people had to pay for their tickets and must have had some general knowledge of Captured Tracks’ lineup, there was still a need to call someone out for being a hipster in Brooklyn. Irony is that thing that hipsters thrive on right?

The other stellar performance came from Axxa/Abraxas and I immediately apologise for using the words “Southern authentic” to describe them for their attire or sound and making a comparison to an independent rock Lynryd Skynryd. The band rocked, and their positive grooves had a love circle form in the centre where the crowd took turns dancing and cheering each other on. Their music is Southern authentic because they’re incorporating a country aesthetic into their overall sound. They sound like the progeny of a southern state.

Captured Tracks deftly pulls together a stellar lineup of independent bands. Their innovation is built by allowing their bands to be creative in their own way and giving them time to feel out their own sound. A year after their five-year anniversary show, the lineup is stronger than ever and the love and support find their way into the crowd.

The post Captured Tracks showcase: the next great bands appeared first on Quip Magazine.

New York City music has thrived by creating supportive enclaves. In the 1970s musicians moved into lofts in broken and burning parts of the city and turned them into performance spaces. Whether it was the Happenings that brought in visual artists to shock and awe, or the classical artists who were attempting to minimalize their product and expand their sound at the same time. Music and art was assaultive, supported by friends and like-minded creatives who enabled the scene to expand from nothing.

Captured Tracks is a Brooklyn label that promotes local bands. In addition to a supportive label that works with musicians to finish the product the way they want to, the label has opened up a record store to push their bands and their obsessions, and started an annual showcase. In a conversation with John Pena of Heavenly Beat last year, we talked about the aesthetic behind his vinyl records and how closely he worked with the label artist to achieve his personal vision. When major artists are creating their own labels and complaining about the majors that they do have to sign on with, the music industry needs the feeling you get in a small town where everyone knows your name and where people care.

On June 13^th as part of Northside Festival, Captured Tracks is bringing up five of their bands at Warsaw (261 Driggs Avenue) in Williamsburg. Your best way of approaching this show is by arriving early to Williamsburg and just wandering around, getting lost, until you find Driggs Avenue and stumble upon the haven that will be the CT showcase.

Beach Fossils will bring you back to DIY punk with a touch of lo-fi shoegaze in the vocals. Their summer melodies wrap pleasantly through relaxing nights and contemplating failed relationships in a post-acceptance glow. The band will soothe and glide you to a satisfaction of your place. Their lo-fi charm removes distance and helps form that supportive enclave. The music is all enveloping and comforting.

The showcase continues the shoegaze vocal trend, a minor quirk that can be seen running through other Brooklyn identifying bands such as Small Black and Little Daylight. This shoegaze showcase continues with Craft Spells’ melancholic dancing rhythms, as if in appreciation for the somber reality of twenty-something existence but the acknowledgement that entertainment and outlet need to exist.

Queens based musician Juan Wauters mixes English prog-pop rock from the early ’70s with American melody driven surf. His songs are nostalgic numbers with psychedelic vocals. If Beach Fossils and Craft Spells often defer to the contemplative dancing mood, Wauters finds himself borrowing from the truth-telling punk tradition, spouting lyrics of impact. Self described as garage folk, Wauters is a front man waxing philosophic.

The night rounds out with the bands Axxa/Abraxas and Donovan Blanc. A year after holding their fifth anniversary festival, this Northside showcase highlights Captured Track’s commitment to presentation and remaining a part of the community. There is a special music scene around the label, and it can be a music scene that includes you.

The post Captured Tracks anniversary showcase preview appeared first on Quip Magazine.