Mama Coco's Funky Kitcheneers Go Nuts (Again)

Story and photos by Jim Testa

It was supposed to be a CD release party for the Harmonica Lewinskies. By the time things got going at full blast, it felt more like a revival meeting. If rock 'n' roll is a religion, this was a service you didn't want to miss.

The temple? A trendy DIY space in Brooklyn called Free Candy, a big room decorated with graffiti art, a professional sound system, and a paid bar. Admission was free, so the congregation - a couple of hundred mostly twentysomething true believers - got a a real bargain. It was, far and away, one of the best shows I've been to in a long time, from start to finish.


The Great American Novel, airborn

In case you haven't been reading all the praise I've been lavishing on the goings on at Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen, it's a small basement studio in Brooklyn run by Oliver Ignatius and Josh Tobin. They've created not just a roster of talented bands but a true community; this is more of a real "scene" than anything I've experienced in New York City in a long time. Tonight's show celebrated the release of The Harmonica Lewinskies' "Octopus Wall Street" (review here), so they were the main attraction. After a short opening set by the acoustic singer/songwriter Nina Violet, the rest of the night consisted of brother (and sister) bands from the Mama Coco's collective, with musicians from all of the bands jumping on stage, grabbing instruments and mics, and making the whole night seem like one big party.

That's the best kind of show, of course, one where the boundaries between musicians and audiences blur or dissolve entirely and everyone feels invested in making it a great night. The Great American Novel, fronted by the charismatic Layne Montgomery, kicked things off with a rollicking set of originals (and a cool Stones cover) from their new record, Kissing (I reviewed that one too.) Layne was in fine form, shirtless by the end of the set and literally bouncing off the walls, and the band (finally playing through a real sound system for a change) sounded great (even with a pickup bassist and a hype man, neither of whom I'd seen at any previous GAN shows.) I think I counted ten people on stage by the time the band finished. That's just what a Mama Coco's show is like.


Ghost Pal

Oliver and Josh's band Ghost Pal followed. Yes, they've just released a new EP too (that review is here) and opened with its first track, a swirling psychedelic cover of the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows." The band played a few of its catchy originals ("Wildebeeste Song" is my favorite,) debuted its new single "Hop, Skip, And Jump" (from Ghost Pal's forthcoming and highly anticipated magnum opus, Nathan Jones Is Dead,) and threw in a new song we all got to hear for the first time. Oliver's gritty vocals, multiple keyboards, and a baritone sax all added to the depth and ambience of the band's post-psychedelic but still very much pop sound.


The Harmonica Lewinskies

Then it was Lewinskies time. Dressed in their trademark white shirts and skinny suspenders, the band started playing and had the entire room involved in the set. No hipster arms-folded reticence here, nobody standing back at the bar looking vaguely distracted. Everybody got up, got funky, and sang along to the new record. Sparklers went off, filling the room with smoke and ashes. People danced and partied and exuded joy. The band's three singers - Dan McLane, Will Simpson, and Roberto Bettega - traded lead vocals, swapped instruments, and made room at the mic for the horn section. Then the three of them traded verses for an awesome cover of the Beastie Boys' "Funky Monkey" (I didn't know they could rap too.) Oliver ran onstage and started "playing" a trumpet at some point. Will's shirt came off. I think a couple of girls in the front row got pregnant. That's just the kind of set it was. Mark my words, these guys are going to become one of the most popular live bands in the city. Their show is just too much fun to deny.


Sons Of An Illustrious Father

There was absolutely no way to follow that set with more rock 'n' roll, so Sons Of An Illustrious Father didn't try; they simply chilled everyone out with their cerebral gypsy folk, featuring violin, guitar, and textured vocals. It was a great way to calm down. regroup, and refresh after the frantic antics of GAN and the Lewinskies, and made for a beautifully rounded bill.

Congrats to DINGUS music and The Snake Records for helping to put this thing together. If you get a chance to see a show at Free Candy, I highly recommend it. And you'd be a friggin' fool to miss the next Mama Coco's shindig, wherever it winds up. Watch Jersey Beat's Upcoming Shows page and we'll have all the details for you.

MORE PHOTOS

The Great American Novel






Ghost Pal






The Harmonica Lewinskies






Sons Of An Illustrious Father

Want some more? Here's another Mama Coco's show we reviewed and photographed.