Here’s an unusual treat for the denizens of RVA–The Evens, a surprisingly mellow postpunk duo consisting of hardcore/punk veterans Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina, will be performing in our fair city for the first time in several years, and you’d be unwise to miss it.
Here’s an unusual treat for the denizens of RVA–The Evens, a surprisingly mellow postpunk duo consisting of hardcore/punk veterans Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina, will be performing in our fair city for the first time in several years, and you’d be unwise to miss it. MacKaye, who originally made his name in Minor Threat and coined the term “straight edge” (albeit by accident), spent 15 years playing in Fugazi before that band went on hiatus in 2002. Since then, he’s combined efforts with his longtime partner, Amy Farina, former drummer in such groups as The Warmers and Ted Leo’s Pharmacists. Using a minimal drum kit and a baritone guitar, the two make stripped-down music that eschews the high-volume attack of their previous bands in favor of a calmer, more melodic sound, which demands close attention.
Their latest album, The Odds, was released last year, and features a collection of uniquely constructed songs that gain strength from the duo’s delicate vocal interplay–though the moments in which Farina takes the lead vocally tend to be quite striking as well. The couple, whose first child was born in 2008, don’t often venture outside of DC these days, and never play venues that serve alcohol, but they’ve found a perfect spot from which to present their music to an eager RVA audience. Manchester’s Plant Zero is a DIY art studio space that also features several performance areas and even a cafe! The Evens performance will be the inaugural event for the portion of Plant Zero known as the RVA Event Space, and is sure to kick things off in fine fashion. So this Saturday night, head across the Manchester Bridge to enjoy some great postpunk sounds from DC in an excellent new location!
WHAT: The Evens At Plant Zero!
WHERE: RVA Event Space at Plant Zero, 0 E. 4th St in Manchester
WHEN: Saturday, March 30, Doors open at 7 PM
ADMISSION: $5
The Evens are an unusual group, and words don’t necessarily always do them justice. So for those who haven’t seen them before, we present a video, shot in Annapolis MD last December, of The Evens performing live at Ka-CHUNK Records’ second anniversary party. This performance of “Cut From The Cloth,” the song that opens the group’s second album, Get Evens, shows the way these two dynamic performers work together vocally and musically to come up with a sound that simultaneously evokes their history in hardcore while also taking things in a unique direction. And be sure you pay close attention to the quiet breakdown that starts around four and a half minutes in to catch an amusing interruption from none other than MacKaye and Farina’s four year old son. Despite it nearly derailing the song, it’s totally adorable.
