On Saturday, music and arts collective Raw Paw flooded Empire Control Room with a mass of devotees in celebration of the release of their fifth literary publication, this installment entitled Dreamz. The title served as a mantra for the night, during which strange wonders and many spectacles unfolded within the walls of the 7th St. venue.
Raw Paw’s aesthetic appeal consists of a recipe one part youthful joy and one part acid trip. Upon arrival and entrance through a futuristic white archway, a glowing three rimmed basketball goal towered above me as people tossed large clear balls toward the baskets. Space hoops for the carnival lover in all of us. To the right, glowing monoliths illuminated an assortment of people, some painting patrons, some selling Raw Paw’s new zine, some engaged in some strange futuristic dream dance: two girls wearing nude body suits and masks stood locked in poses, shifting slightly every few seconds.
On the venue’s back patio, a circus top with a net enclosed a girl writing poetry on a typewriter as tangle of lights twisted through the branches of the trees around her. Parading the venue’s many rooms were a group of painted people covered only by undergarments and Ace bandages. Later in evening, they would unite onstage to reveal that their painted bodies bore the portmanteau Dreamzine. The night was filled with strangeness to be sure, but also exuberance, color, wonder.
The artistic spectacle is only part of what Raw Paw offers, as the musical lineup for the evening featured some outstanding bands. Mother Falcon’s set stood out as a highlight of the night, featuring their usual ensemble of orchestral musicians performing unhinged and raucous chamber pop. The group performed a surprise cover of Arcade Fire’s anthem “Wake Up,” and no one in the place could resist chanting along enthusiastically. It’s likely the only time an Arcade Fire cover has sounded remotely close to its original incarnation, and the group did an excellent job executing it.
Hikes also performed an energetic and powerful set, plowing through emotionally intense math-folk songs as their fans moshed and crowd-surfed. I haven’t seen Hikes in some time, and the band continues to sharpen and solidify their live show. With their earnestness and an approach that feels fresh and diverse within Austin’s music community, they’re one of the city’s most exciting young acts. Hikes fill a personal void for me, and likely others who were discovering independent music in the 90s, by channeling acts like early Modest Mouse and a slew of acts from Chicago’s math-rock scene. The group adds their own Austin folk spin to make the songs rootsy and organic while being progressive and technical. I’ll be seeing them again soon for sure.
Milezo also played a dynamic set of noisy, psych-leaning indie rock under a wash of projections. Multi-instrumentalist Andrew Stevens filled in for Max Colonna on bass. Stevens did well standing-in for such an accomplished bassist, lending some insight into the incredible depth of the talent pool in our city. Check out our photo gallery from the night below. All images © Bryan Parker & Pop Press International; all rights reserved. Click any image to open in slideshow viewer.
