I’M A BROOKLYN BABY: Just when the trends of New York’s hippest borough seem so thoroughly rehashed and beaten that they could fill a whole cemetery with dead horses, along comes an exciting new act to remind you why acts from Brooklyn continue to draw so much buzz.
Ava Luna brought its weirdo New York R&B-funk-wop to the FUNZONE on Sunday, May 17, evoking forefathers like The Velvet Underground and Talking Heads in their bassy punctuations and lovely harmonies, but a bit more Poetry Club. Not a head stopped bobbing during their entire set. Highlights included Felicia Douglass’s heavenly vocals on “Coat of Shellac” and Becca Kauffman’s theatric stares on the spoken-word number “Roses and Cherries.” I went from unfamiliar to instant fan.
Joining the bill was Chicago-bred Young Jesus, powerful indie rockers, perhaps a bit too earnest but still strong; FUNZONE mainstays the Sun Daes, their relaxed vibes even more so sans drummer; and bright young area duo Honey Maid, which nearly stole the show with its opening post-pop-punk set that featured rocking sad-happy songs like “Sadness Mattress” and “Microwave.” Though the touring acts may have had a tad more polish to them, none were as fun.