You were warned. Or at least, the patrons of Cheer Up Charlies were warned. Before taking the stage on Friday night, The Golden Dawn Arkestra paraded the perimeter of Cheer Up Charlies blaring their instruments–saxophone, trombone, and various percussive pieces–ominously declaring in chanted intonations, “The golden dawn is coming.” They weren’t kidding. Soon enough, the band, in elaborate attire and featuring masked dancers, took the stage to deliver a captivating and transfixing set.
Fresh off a performance at Austin Psych Fest, the group played to a smaller but equally engrossed group of onlookers. At first, the bar’s patrons stood wide-eyed, trying to grasp the spectacle before them. But soon, the beat-centered music that blends psych rock with jazz and funk couldn’t be ignored, and the entire venue was dancing a few inches away from the stage. The Golden Dawn Arkestra is based in Austin, but many aspects of the band–their blending of genres, the incorporation of jazz, even their ethnic diversity (sadly, a rarity in Austin) feels quintessentially New Orleans. Hey, even their tendency to parade prior to their set wouldn’t be out of place in the Crescent City.
It has to be noted that the band is far outside of the comfort zone for standard indie-rock fare, and deserves accolades simply for their bravery and audacity at defying Austin’s norms. The group will play The Continental Club on May 17th. Until then, you can check out a YouTube video of them performing live at Antone’s. The video takes a few seconds to get going, so if you want to cut to the chase, we suggest the 1:30 minute mark. A photo gallery from Friday night follows the embed.
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All photos © Bryan Parker & Pop Press International; all rights reserved. Click any photo to open in slideshow viewer.
