Monument Music Festival always find a way to book compelling and memorable shows for interesting causes that deserve the social amplification.
Last Thursday, Monument Fest, Brooklyn’s Suckers and DFA’s REWARDS united to raise money on behalf of Common Good City Farm. Common Good are fighting obesity by making fresh produce available to residents who typically don’t have access to it. They champion a healthy lifestyle in the same way Monument Music champions a great show, uniting the community with musical food for thought.
Hailed by Stereogum as a band to watch, Suckers are fronted by Quinn Walker’s joyous falsetto and are produced by Yeasayer’s Anand Wilder. Suckers opened with “Roman Candles,” beckoning the audience its infectious whistling, as Pan, Quinn, Brian and Austin filled the room with harmonies that could flatter a seal. That’s right, seals are fucking mean, and Suckers music could totally subdue any seal any day. Anyway, Suckers played a bunch of songs from their 2010 album Wild Smile, including “Black Sheep,” which had the entire audience fist pumping and singing along.
Suckers made a special effort to drive down from New York for this one-off show, but they didn’t need to point it out to us; we could tell this performance was something special. The energy in the room could have squashed a polar bear. Polar bears are also mean motherfuckers, and they are becoming endangered, but Suckers, who busted out a fucking live trumpet, are not so threatened by extinction—they have only just begun to take over. And if you have any doubt as to weather or not singer Quinn Walker’s vocals can get as high as they do on “You Can Keep Me Running,” the answer is an emphatic hell, yes.
It’s pretty amazing how the soaring harmonies of four bandmates can reach the almost insurmountable heights of Canada’s Arcade Fire. Lush and layered elctro-synths encircle rather minimal baselines, yet Suckers’ sound coalesces into a monumental force of sheer creativity with half the force of Arcade Fire’s eight members. And they have a trumpet.
Opening to a smaller crowd obviously deterred by rain, REWARDS’ Aaron Pfenning is clearly a front man with a lot of heart. And where were all the Halloween pre-gamers that night? We busted ass to get there so as not to miss REWARDS, and frankly I’m surprised more people didn’t do the same, but they did start to fill in eventually.
Having only heard the latest REWARDS EP that is out on DFA, I was expecting a dance magic DFA-style set. REWARDS are more brooding modern New Wave, at times more Twin Shadows meets early Hot Chip, with Pfenning’s velveteen vocals comforting a melodious baseline and supporting a strong backbone of steady drums.
I have to give props to the Hall and Oat’s mustachioed keyboardist, who helped give me something to look at aside from Pfenning’s long beautiful locks draped over his face, tickling the tops of his guitar strings. The keys started off behind the drummer but eventually pushed out to have more of a presence after a couple songs; REWARDS is all about Aaron leading the charge. I was taken back by one rockabilily, almost early Cramps-like song, showing REWARDS’ versatility and range of influence.
One things for certain, the ladies loooove REWARDS and are not afraid to shout about it. Pfenning, with his charming baby face and long blond hair, responded to shouts of adoration from the crowd with approachability and grace. Similarly, Suckers warmed the audience with infectious pop that had my jaw dropping at how many people were actually dancing at a DC show.
