826NYC – a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting grade and high school students with their writing skills – put on its second benefit event this past Wednesday at Coco66.
For a whole sixteen bucks, book nerds, hipsters and concert junkies alike were able to partake in a preshow open bar, watch a Chuck Klosterman reading and jam out to Here We Go Magic. And did I mention that this was a charity benefit?
When my friend and I arrived at Coco66, the free Svedka was running out so we grabbed a drink and headed to the barely noise proof back room to see catch the reading. Mr. Klosterman, author of Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto, casually “read” essays from his novel, cracked jokes, ripped on New York and shot the shit with an open, but slightly bogus, self-deprecating attitude and cartoonish goofiness.
Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs is not intellectual literature but guilty-pleasured entertainment, commenting on pop culture in the most philosophical and lofty way possible. (Wait, is this possible? Well, he thinks so).
Klosterman went through some of the essays that make up the whole of his chaotically structured book, and while he tried to describe the stories behind these essays, and defend the craziness inherent in his writing, his approach was circular and scrambled. Although he didn’t really get through much, he definitely made the audience laugh. After about 45 minutes though, right around the time everyone started laughing a little less, he cut straight to a quick Q&A.
Klosterman’s literary language embodies his literary persona – geeky and bizarre – and, there’s his voice too, which is also pretty amusing.
The hit of the night was Here We Go Magic. The intimacy of Coco66’s close, extremely hot quarters were ideal for this folksy, hippie-rock five-piece group.
To begin with, the sound was unexpectedly impressive: both overbearingly and passionately loud. While their first self-titled album as well as the most recent, Pigeons, are records for chill hangouts – sipping wine with friends, dozing off in the summertime – the loudness shocked the audience into eyes-closed, body-feeling dancing.
In concert, Here We Go Magic dominates; whether it be the soulfully instrumental jam out sessions or the keyboard-guitar harmonizing textures, they know how to put on a crowd-loving show. The set list was diverse and compelling, starting off with a power-packed version of “Fangela,” followed by a mix of tracks from both albums, including the hazily sexy “Casual,” and concluding with Pigeons favorite, “Collector,” – a song that encapsulates the sparkling energy and effervescence of their sound.
While I just became familiar with Here We Go Magic’s music, I was very moved to get more into it after seeing them live. Because that’s what this band is – inspiring.
WATCH “Collector” by Here We Go Magic:
