Looking for the perfect way to spend your Friday night? It’s not often that you get the chance to see a celebrated violin virtuoso like Kishi Bashi in such an intimate venue like The Basement East. But the musical master is here in support of his 2016 record Sonderlust, which has been praised for its emotional and insightful lyrics set alongside a spiraling mix of orchestral pop and elements usually found in jazz and classical compositions. But this is no boring conservatory recital. Kishi Bashi is known for blowing away crowds with his engaging and breathtaking live shows. Tickets for the concert, which also features charismatic indie folk outfit Tall Tall Trees, are still available right here. Grab yours while you can and keep reading to find out more about the show.
KISHI BASHI
Born in Seattle, Washington and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, Kaoru Ishibashi (better known as Kishi Bashi) was born into a family of creative intellectuals. His parents were both professors, and helped guide him into studying film scoring at Berklee College of Music. That was where he honed his talents on the violin, picking up touring gigs with artists like Regina Spektor and of Montreal. It wasn’t until 2011 that Ishibashi recorded his own full-length solo album 151a. The record earned rave reviews for its masterful instrumentation and unique mix of classical and modern, experimental musical elements. He quickly followed its success with Lighght, which featured even more distortion and experimentation with his violin sequences.
After relentless touring and a new focus on his sound, Kishi Bashi released his third album in 2016. Sonderlust is an evolved and intricately weaved soundscape that uses rock, folk and classical elements to take on the more difficult and complicated parts of human existence and relationships. His live show has been hailed for its mesmerizing qualities, so make sure you see it in this intimate setting at The Basement East.
TALL TALL TREES
Mike Savino is the man (and the beard) behind NYC’s indie folk phenom Tall Tall Trees. His self-titled debut record dropped in 2009, and since then, he’s been relentlessly touring and evolving his own brand of clever and unconventional folk music. He regularly uses his homemade instrument, the Banjotron 5000, which adds drum rhythms, effects and a whole lot of character to his live shows. If you think a one-man-band means a boring set of slow acoustic tunes, you’ve never seen Tall Tall Trees. Make sure you get there early to experience it all for yourself.
Kishi Bashi and Tall Tall Trees will perform tonight, April 7 at The Basement East. The show is 18+, begins at 9 p.m. (doors at 8 p.m.), and tickets are available to purchase for $16.