LPR X: Kishi Bashi with Ensemble LPR Double String Quartet, Gracie and Rachel
7:00 pm doors, 8:00 pm show | 18+
$25 general admission
Violinist, singer and composer Kishi Bashi released his sophomore album titled Lighght, in May 2014. Taking its title from the one-word poem by minimalist poet Aram Saroyan, Lighght (pronounced "Light") continues and expands the sound of his critically acclaimed debut, 151a, which earned Kishi Bashi the title of "Best New Artist" for 2012 by NPR. Since the profoundly successful release of 151a two years ago, Kishi Bashi has toured relentlessly, captivating audiences across the globe with his loop-based live show, and fostering a groundswell of devotees.
151a was crafted over a four-year period while Kishi Bashi, the pseudonym for artist K. Ishibashi, was touring and recording with Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and of Montreal (where he was a full-time member and co-producer). In late 2012, after the success of 151a, Kishi Bashi decided to focus solely on his own music and began composing the new material, which led to the songs that are featured on Lighght.
Though violin remains his primary instrument and songwriting muse, Kishi Bashi has expanded his palette to include more diverse and nuanced instrumentation on Lighght. Bright and soaring avant-pop songs are prevalent, as are Eastern-tinged arrangements, gentle ballads, Philip Glass- inspired improvisations, and more than a few moments that flirt with ‘70s prog (in the tradition of ELO or Yes). If this sounds jarringly kaleidoscopic, that's because it is. But it works.
Gracie and Rachel are a study in duality: light and dark, classical training with a pop sensibility, Californians in New York. On their debut full-length, Gracie and Rachel pit anxiety and tension against an almost serene self-assurance. The duo announced the album via NPR alongside the introspective video premiere for “Only A Child." The self-titled record (out June 23, 2017) quickly won the hearts of NPR fans who voted them to #4 on NPR’s Your Favorite New Artist, with Bob Boilen describing as having “a terrific tension in the sound, an underpinning of mystery set against a baroque, but modern, pop foreground.” The duo has since recorded an NPR Tiny Desk Concert and was named to NPR 100 Best Songs of 2017, Bob Boilen’s Top 10 Albums of 2017 and Slingshot 2018, public radio’s artist incubator program for emerging artists.
Their music is a compelling juxtaposition of Gracie’s piano and lead vocals and Rachel’s violin and voice, augmented with stark percussion. The nine orchestral pop songs on Gracie and Rachel tell a story that’s rooted in the truth —their truth — but retain an enigmatic air that makes them relatable to anyone who has ever found their heart racing with doubt and pushed forward regardless or triumphed in subverting expectations imposed from without. Seen on stages with Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, Joseph, Ani DiFranco, Tall Heights, and San Fermin, the live experience displays a passionate, tangible quality to their deeply rooted bond, an intimate connection that is vibrantly apparent on stage and equally imprinted on their record.
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