Here's some pics I took of the most awesome Magik Markers experience last night at Tonic in NYC (with WFMU sometime-fill-in DJ Russ Waterhouse's great duo Watersports also on the bill). As far as liberating rawk in 2005 goes, I'm with this trio all the way home. All the Teenage Jesus comparisons aren't really fair; sure, there's a no-wave ethic at work in the mix but it only scratches the surface. Singer/guitarist Elisa Ambrogio's free-spoutings are more confounding than Lydia Lunch has ever been and her nervous mix of power and vulnerability is quite distinctly its own unhinged animal. Guitar-wise, Instead of copping Lyd's open-tune slide stance, Elisa pretty much treates the thing as anything but, holding it under her arm like a notebook while it howls, playing it from above holding the neck floor-down while swinging it like a golf club, and more often than not, just letting anyone else in the audience mangle it. "Fill in this horseshoe of 
cowardice" she demanded of the crowd before the set's beginning as they stood in a curving arc away from the stage, somewhat prepared for the experience. Amidst her universe-destroying guitar and vocal spew came the groovy rhythmic detuned-din of second guitarist Leah Quimby and drummer Pete Nolan (who got in a full cymbal/stand fight with Elisa by show's end), with Elisa getting more manic and jittery as the set went on to its eventual destructo ending. Climbing inside the bass-drum, crawling to audience members' feet, balancing herself upright on a seated onlooker's legs, I 
couldn't help think of Adris Hoyos of Harry Pussy via Piper Laurie in Carrie for some reason I can't quite reckon, maybe just the factor of just not knowing what the hell was about to happen next. Oh, I dunno, go seem 'em!
Check out the Dusted article here, visit their site here, two vidclips from 2004 here (Quicktime),and hear a track from their recent Ecstatic Peace LP from Hatch's show here (Real Audio). Oh yeah, check this letter from Elisa's dad, who was quite chuffed to have filled in on drums for the MM's recent NYU show.
I'm listening to Morris House (from Hatch's ever-so-convenient May 8th show start time links) and Crass is the first comparison coming to mind; though, I'm reluctant to make comparisons for a sound like this. And that's two too many Mark Allen references in one sentence for me to ignore digging up the start time for "The Most Beautiful City On Earth" from his June 23rd show. (How does Harry Pussy figure into the mix, you ask: Harry Pussy on Harry Pussy here -- right after Bob -- from his 07/03/04 Listener Hour). So I'm hooked -- when are they playing? Mid-July -- no problem. And then: what? They're opening for Dinosaur Jr.? Have I been in a coma? And even if I have, grrr, twenty-eight bucks isn't exactly a "nice price." Gotta catch-up on Dinosaur Jr. now ...
Posted by: Zach in Philly | June 28, 2005 at 12:19 PM
very good point: one should go SEE this band, as it's obviously more of a participatory performance art thing than a gimme some headphones "music" thing.
consequently, i see no reason to buy this band's albums (or videos). one must BE THERE to appreciate what they do. but, of course, there will be geeks and/or followers that'll buy the stuff because they're obsessed and/or influenced.
in sum, thank you for NOT telling us to purchase any recordings by this group. tickets are all that matters. and beer, of course. yada yada yada, manhog
Posted by: manhog | June 28, 2005 at 05:02 PM