Cosmic consciousness expanding, I am transcending physical existence. Last Thursday night at Museum of Human Achievement, Karla Manzur celebrated the release of Star-Taker, the first album from her project Nightblooms, which also includes help from a number of other notable musicians–Lauren Gurgiolo (Okkervil River), Christopher Cox (Feverbones), Zac Traeger (Zorch), and Matthew Shephered (Dana Falconberry) among others. The physical copy of the album doubles as a working astrolabe (direct translation: star-taker), an ancient device used for navigation and time telling. But that’s just the beginning of the mysterious wonders this band has in store. The show took place inside of an inflatable planetarium, provided by Austin Planetarium, and featured projections of stars, constellations, and other cosmic entities.
Ghostly ephemeral tulle covers the floor as I crawl through the doorway of the planetarium along with 29 other excited participants. A soft blue light shines around the base of the perimeter of the dome we now stand within. People slowly trickle in until the space is packed with people knee to knee, sitting cross-legged on the floor. Every sound in the room echoes crisply. The blue light goes out, and the set begins with Manzur and Gurgiolo playing a handful of songs as a duo, as this has been the primary format for Nightblooms’ live shows thus far. The songs feature Manzur on keys and vocals as Gurgiolo creates experimental sonic textures with electric guitar and a fleet of pedals.
I’ve never noticed before, but Manzur’s vocals share something with Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg, a band she and I have discussed with frequency. Her voice, like his, is high in pitch but feels rich and smooth, rounded out by an inexplicable low end. As they play, a dusky horizon fades to a dark sky, and stars appear on the dome above us before turning into illustrated constellations. They pass slowly across the dome and then a new set of stars appears. The sights are beautiful and serene.
After a few songs, Manzur moves to the center of the dome, where a solitary mic stands, emitting a blue glow. Although the show has been transfixing and enchanting so far, it does not parallel what is to come. A 16-piece choir consisting of many of the aforementioned musicians surrounds the perimeter of the dome. Manzur acts as conductor as she begins to sing through glorious and transcendent songs supported by interwoven vocal contributions from the various members of the choir. The sky above her becomes a mystical swirl of cosmic bodies unfurling majestically. She is the mother of this universe, and we witness the birth of a completely new existence, are transported to a new state of being. Galaxies tumble around her at her command as her voice wills them into being. These voices work as conduits for our collective consciousness to pass from the physical world to a new spiritual realm fostered by community, togetherness, and art.
In the end, the experience can’t be retold or communicated in words. What made Thursday night so special is that there is a close-knit community of people committed to making art and music memorable, interesting, profound, and transcendent. The physics of the cosmos tells us that for every action there is an equal and opposite action. As commercialization and commodification of music increases, it is only natural that the number of those seeking genuine art and honesty will increase. I try to be among them when I can. And Austin owes Karla Manzur enormous thanks for creating such a magical world on Thursday night. This community is lucky to have every person who made this show happen and a space like Museum of Human Achievement to house it.
All photographs © Bryan C. Parker & Pop Press International. Click any image to open set in slideshow viewer.
