Brothers Bryce and Aaron Dessner of international indie rock acclaim The National have a penchant for bringing together disparate musicians, musical styles, and artistic genres. This February they present two uniquely programmed evenings of music featuring work from various side- and not-so-side-projects.
The first night will feature Clogs and songs from their new album (with special guests Aaron Dessner and Shara Worden); their powerful and nuanced chamber compositions leaving "no question that the classical and indie realms can share a border where music turns pensive, knotty, and otherworldly" (New York Times). Night two brings fresh works from both Bryce and Aaron with special performances by frequent collaborator Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond and Rachael Elliott, Thomas Kozumplik, and Padma Newsome of Clogs. Additional artist and program details to be announced.
Performance dates: February 19 & 20, 2010
Fri. & Sat. at 8pm
Pre-show reception at 7pm each night sponsored by The Red Stag Supperclub
Tickets: $22
Southern Theater box office: 612.340.1725
1420 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55454
www.southerntheater.org
Auxiliary events at Weisman Art Museum
Sat. February 20, 5:30-6:30pm -
A discussion with Bryce & Aaron Dessner of The National/Clogs, Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond, Weisman Art Museum curator Diane Mullin and 89.3 The Current's Steve Seel
Free. Advance RSVP to rsvp@southerntheater.org or 612.340.0155 ext.310.
This discussion with members of The National and Clogs, along with My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden, explores parallels between the musicians' work and the Weisman exhibition Common Sense: Art and the Quotidian. The problem of "the everyday" is central to much of the most enduring and challenging twentieth century art, design, and craft. The exhibition features works from the Weisman collection that reveal how this period engaged, celebrated, and investigated ideas of the everyday and the common. In a conversation with the musicians about their philosophies, practices, and resulting music, the discussion will examine connections between the rarified and the everyday and between high and low culture in both music and art.
Saturday Feb. 20, following the performance -
Meet the artists at a casual post-show reception at the Weisman Art Museum. View the exhibition Common Sense: Art and the Quotidian, and enjoy complimentary refreshments while listening to tunes from the Dessners' self-selected playlist.
Aaron Dessner is a multi-instrumentalist best known as a primary composer and all-around tinkerer in the acclaimed indie rock band The National. When he isn't unearthing new National songs, Aaron writes, produces, and performs music in collaboration with many artists. In 2009, Aaron co-produced the critically acclaimed album Dark Was The Night for the Red Hot Organization to benefit AIDS charities. The album features 31 exclusive recordings by artists including Arcade Fire, Antony, Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, Feist, Kronos Quartet, and many others. On May 3, 2009, Aaron co-produced a sold out performance of songs from Dark Was The Night at Radio City Music Hall. Recently, Aaron has performed with Final Fantasy, Doveman, Grizzly Bear, and David Byrne, contributed music for an award-winning documentary on youth NASCAR racing, "Racing Dreams", and recently co-composed The Long Count for the 2009 BAM Next Wave Festival. Aaron is also a co-founder of Brassland Records, home to artists including Clogs, Buke and Gass, Doveman, and Nico Muhly.
Bryce Dessner, a composer/guitarist/curator based in New York City, is the guitarist for celebrated indie rock band The National. Their recent albums Alligator (2005) and Boxer (2007) were named among the top 100 albums of the decade by various international press including Pitchfork, Uncut, Paste, and NME. The National's recent concerts include headlining shows for Central Park's Summerstage, the All Tomorrow's Parties Festival in the UK, Pitchfork Festival, the Royal Festival Hall in London, and a tour of the US opening for REM. Bryce has also received widespread acclaim as a composer and guitarist for Clogs, who will release their 5th album in February 2010. He has also performed and/or recorded with some of the world's most dynamic musicians including: songwriters Sufjan Stevens, Antony Hegarty, and David Byrne; Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo; composers Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Philip Glass, and Michael Gordon; and contemporary ensemble, the Bang on a Can All-Stars. Alongside his brother Aaron, Bryce also recently co-composed The Long Count for the 2009 BAM Next Wave Festival. The 70-minute multi-media song cycle features singers Kim and Kelley Deal (Breeders, Pixies), Matt Berninger (The National), and Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), as well as an animated film and set by visual artist Matthew Ritchie. Bryce is also co-founder of the Brassland record label, which is home to a diverse group of artists. In 2009, Bryce and Aaron also produced an extensive AIDS charity compilation, Dark was the Night, for the Red Hot Organization. As of November 2009, Dark was the Night has raised over $600,000 for AIDS charities.
