WSPC'S SESSION NOTES NOVEMBER 2015: DASH HOUNDS/POST SOCIAL LIVE AT BRIGHT RED STUDIOS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015

FROM THE DJ's STUDIO DESK:

This may be a bit "Salinger-esque" as I must begin this month's activities with a very special evening I had a few nights ago and then, I must work backwards, thus bringing everything into its fullest and most complete circle.

Throughout this year, as I became introduced to the music of both Madison's Post Social and Modern Mod, and having met many of the band members, I would occasionally receive invitations through Facebook announcing a new concert date. On every single occurrence, I unfortunately had to politely decline their gracious invites as my teaching schedule and the time that I would have to awake each morning just did not coincide with the time they would hit the stage the night before. So, aside from their performance on Record Store Day this year, I have not seen Post Social perform live. And as for Modern Mod, I haven't seen then perform at all to date.

Thankfully, most everything changed a few nights ago. 

On the evening of Friday, October 30, 2015, and again thanks to an invitation delivered to me by Post Social's guitarist/vocalist Mitch Deitz, I attended a pop-up art gallery event organized by the ArtWrite Collective and held at Madison's Bright Red Studios. The night centered around the debut print run of "F-Zine," a self-described "womanist and feminist" zine of art and writing created and produce by a collective of local artists. In addition to the zine, the gallery also provided a showcase for a variety of artworks, from paintings to sculptures, including one created by Modern Mod's lead singer/guitarist Emily Massey and utilizing one of Post Social/Modern Mod drummer Brendan Manley's old drum heads. 

The soundtrack for the event was provided by three local bands, two of whom I knew that I had to make an effort to see, especially at this was indeed a Friday night and my early hours were non-existent for Saturday morning. At last, I was to see a full performance by Post Social and I am thrilled to say that the band did not disappoint in the least.

With a set that served as an incredibly enthusiastic push for their latest album, the raucous and addictive "Young Randolphs" (released October 3, 2015), Post Social performed the bulk of the album with supreme vigor, tight musicianship and tremendous energy. They truly made the very most out of the slightly cramped performance area, treating their patch of land as the greatest stage set. 

 

Mitch Deitz again proved that he is a rock star, the perfect frontman and whose enthusiasm is completely infectious as you just find yourself wanting to jump up and down with him, as waves of guitar heroics lift him aloft. 

Guitarist/Vocalist Shannon Connor made for a perfect counterpoint to Deitz with his more stationary physical presence, a certain stoicism that belied the guitar fireworks that blasted from his fingers, especially on songs like the exuberantly performed band favorite "Ohio," the soaring lead solo on "TV Row" and the shimmering textures he and Deitz created on "Days," and especially "Haunt Me" and "Green Screen," two tracks on which Connor took lead vocals.

Without any sense of hyperbole, and having just seen the man in action up close and personal, I have to say that Bassist Sam Galligan is easily Post Social's John Entwistle as every song is pushed to greater heights by his fluidly melodic and propulsive playing while he stands in a mostly stationary position, music flowing through his spirit to his fingers. 

And as for Drummer Brendan Manley, he continued to impress me tremendously, creating that perfect rhythm section with Galligan and bashing out crisp, punchy beats while often hunched over his drum kit. 

Post Social truly delivered the goods with a performance that exhibited many of the same hallmarks that made the recent Garbage concert such a smashing success as well. The pacing of the show, the placement of the songs and most importantly, the songs themselves! As it has been said in the past, and completely applies here, it was all killer and no filler. Post Social is unquestionably a force to be reckoned with.

But, now I have to explain about arriving full circle.

In addition to Post Social, I was also graced to witness the live debut performance of the new band Dash Hounds, a formation featuring Brendan Manley in full collaboration with Modern Mod Bassist Alivia Kleinfeldt, who also sings lead vocals. During the stretch of time as I was interviewing Post Social, I was also interviewing Kleinfeldt, who first informed me about her new band and how she and Manley would be writing and recording as a duo on all instruments and then augmenting with more players for live performers, in this instance featured Mitch Deitz and Drummer Teddy Mathews, which meant that Manley would be switching to the role of guitarist for the first time in his professional career. 

What made this piece of the evening that much more significant was the fact that during the entire time I have been interviewing Kleinfeldt, she and I had never met in person. And on this night, at last we met!!! While I'll never really know about her, I have to admit to being more than a little nervous as our conversations over the last several months, and entirely through Facebook, have been so easy-going and so natural that I hoped that nothing would feel awkward face-to-face. Thankfully, Kleinfeldt was as warm, friendly, loquacious and gracious as she was over the internet and I was honestly very humbled that she would have been so accepting of someone who she hadn't met in person, and over quite a considerable amount of time to boot. 

We spent much of the time before her performance simply chatting and I praised her boldness for debuting Dash Hounds so early in their existence as they have released only one song (entitled "Idee Fixe" and you can find it on their Soundcloud page), have a few more in the works and were only going to perform four songs total. I felt it to be a bold and brave move, demonstrating a confidence that I would not have myself if I happened to be in her position. By the time Dash Hounds took to the stage as the first band to perform this evening, my curiosity, already piqued, ultimately became filled with the anticipation for hearing more. 

Talk about confidence, Dash Hounds took to the stage and performed as if they had been a long established and seasoned act. If any of the band members were nervous, most of all Kleinfeldt and Manley, they never exhibited any signs whatsoever. Manley switched to guitar (and as I had been informed,a guitar he had built himself, no less) with seemingly effortless ease, therefore impressing me all the more with the extensiveness of his talent. Teddy Mathews handled the drums solidly and during the performance of "Idee Fixe," he even illustrated a certain Nick Mason feel that took the song into near Pink Floyd territory during its extended ending section. Deitz, while not downplaying his enthusiasm, easily slid into the more supportive role fluidly.

Modern Mod's Emily Massey even showed up to perform on one song, which I was told was a former MM selection, written by Kleinfeldt, yet never recorded by the band. So, in some ways, I (sort of) saw a Modern Mod performance with three fourths of the band present and accounted for.

Yet, the focal point of Dash Hounds was indeed Alivia Kleinfeldt, who exuded that aforementioned confidence with her rich, low voice and her command of her melodic, flowing bass playing combined with her strong stage presence. During all four songs, Dash Hounds displayed a diverse musical palate that stretched across the boundaries of pop, alt-rock, gently psychedelic and atmospheric, and the final song, which recalled The B-52's tinged with a taste of The Police, just left me hoping that Kleinfeldt perhaps had a fifth song tucked in her back pocket, ready to surprise us with its unveiling. 

And speaking of unveiling, this month upon Synesthesia, I am so, so excited to unveil the long-in-the-works interview project I have been conducting with Alivia Kleinfeldt. And believe me, I am certain that after you read everything that she has to say, you will see that she is indeed the real deal, a musician whose passion and enjoyment of music and her role within creating music is paramount.

I exited the night truly upon a high. It meant so much to me to not only see and meet some new, young writers and artists so proud and excited about their work and community and unafraid to express themselves in the spirit of feminism, a term that has sadly taken some strange, ugly spins over the years and especially now in 2015. 

To have Post Social align themselves with the ArtWrite Collective would have been special enough but to see Dash Hounds on the ground floor to wherever they will ultimately land was as warming as it was inspiring. And finally, meeting Alivia Kleinfeldt was truly the icing on the cake!

Stay tuned, the EXCLUSIVE Synesthesia interview with Alivia Kleinfeldt is about to be released! And for all the music that you listen to and create, remember to always...

....PLAY LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!