For the first edition of the new concert/party series SAALFEST, festsaal Kreuzberg is teaming up with queer music platform Expatriarch for a transgenre musical experience, featuring local and internationally recognized bands and DJs.
After wrapping up their spring tour of Australia, Kool Thing return for their first Berlin show of 2012. Last year, Domino Records released the synthgaze duo’s remix for Austra’s “Beat and the Pulse”, raising their profile as they won over new fans playing with the likes of Maria Minerva and JD Samson + MEN.
Earlier this year Kool Thing self-released the Light Games EP and are now following up with the brand new Plan.Life.Go EP, the first 12” from Dublin-based label Laser Guided Melodies. Reflecting their evolution in the studio, Julie Chance and Jon Dark have bolstered their live set with the addition of drummer Valentin Plessy, providing a primal beat for the textured washes of guitar, shadowy synthesizers and layered vocals.
Kool Thing | Light Games
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=o-DrWB7tyXE
Since forming last summer, Godmother has brought their sci-fi S&M cabaresque pop to stages throughout Berlin with anti-hits like the gangsta ballad “Murder She Wrote” and infectious tune “A Very Special Episode (Remember the AIDIES?)”, earning comparisons to Lou Reed, Marc Almond and the Faint. Their tranny anthem “MTFTM” can be heard streaming online, along with “Gay til I Met U”.
As bass player of !!!, an outfit that both predates and has outlived the “punk-funk” tag, Tyler Pope eventually won the attention of DFA’s James Murphy who recruited him to co-write, record and tour as bass player with LCD Soundsystem. Aside from this, he’s also played with Hercules & Love Affair, Pantha du Prince, and of course the dubby !!!-offshoot Out Hud.
!!! with Tyler Pope | Jamie, My Intentions Are Bass
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=C3zrAynlU3o
Meanwhile, !!! (one of the first proper “bands” signed to the electronic-minded Warp Records) are currently recording their fifth full-length album. Pope’s nimble fingers are adept not just at plucking strings, but also overlapping the grooves from his snap-crackle-poppin’ vinyl collection, as you’ll hear for yourself.
Establishing himself within NYC’s gay club scene of the 90s as he launched his own label Balihu, Daniel Wang went on to work with other labels like Environ, Ghostly and Playhouse. Over the years he has become one of the most respected figures of today’s disco revivalists, thanks to his quality-over-quantity release schedule and infectious positivity from behind the decks, DJing throughout Europe, America or Asia.
Daniel Wang | Gotta Get Up
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=wVwgEg77W2A
Rush Hours Recordings released the Daniel Wang presents Balihu collection a few years back, and most recently he teamed up with Balihu protégé Massimiliano Pagliara to remix Wolfram, released by Permanent Vacation.
Just visiting from Portland, Oregon, Allan Wilson is also a core member of !!!, both in the studio and on the road, tooting the sax and banging the percussion and keys. In addition to being a talented multi-instrumentalist, he is the band’s official afterparty DJ, showing his love for pristine techno, dusty diva house and even kwaito and other leftfield shit.
Dark Asylum | Dark Allies (Joey Hansom & Dickey Doo remix)
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=yBQZlwG60-A
Dexterously blending together disco, electro, house and pop from the last several decades, Joey Hansom disregards the mythical binary of underground versus mainstream. Aside from playing at some of Berlin’s best-attended parties (Horse Meat Disco, Gegen, Blitz), he’s done remixes for Light Asylum and SSION and produced the brand new 7” single from Alexander Geist.
________________________________________________________________
Saalfest:
w/ Kool Thing, Godmother, Tyler Pope, Daniel Wang, Allan Wilson & Joey Hansom
presented by Expatriarch
Friday, 08 June 2012 | 22:00 CET
Festsaal Kreuzberg | Skalitzer Str. 130 | 10999 Berlin/Kreuzberg
koolthingmusic.com | omgodmother.tumblr.com | soundcloud.com/tpope | expatriarch.com | festsaal-kreuzberg.de
________________________________________________________________
