It Ain't Hemingway

CocoRosie played to a packed crowd at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn New York last Wednesday night (9.15.10). The evening started with an unusual DJ Set from the “Gay Mormon Kissing Club”.

Bianca (coco) and Sierra (rosie) Casady are the sister duo that make up CocoRosie. Their music is part ethereal, carny, hip hop with a lot of free spirited dance and theatrics. Some may label this as strange or gimmicky with their unusual music style and stage costumes but I would classify it as original and authentic to who they are as people. If you read their back history you will understand that this uniqueness of theirs stems from a nomad childhood brought up by free spirited parents. There was nothing mainstream about their lives so why would their music be mainstream?

The girls danced around the stage and performed to an enthusiastic crowd then give up the limelight to their own beat-boxer Tez, who ran into technical problems. Although Tez’s set was cut short the show continued with the return of the ladies in new outfits. The duo were joined on stage by a 4-piece horn section which added to the already impressive performance.

The crowd was ecstatic and familiar with all that CocoRosie brought to the evening. The rafters were shaking with amazing music, voices and foot stomping. I would say by the ear-to-ear grins on both the audience and the band, the night was a success.

Bianca

I had the opportunity to ask the ladies a few questions about their music and some of their influences:

How hard is it to separate the business side and the creative side to remain honest to your music as an artist yet successful as a performer?
ITS IMPOSSIBLE, WE ARE BAD BUSINESS PEOPLE, ITS ALL ROLLED UP INTO ONE POTATO.

Both you and your sister have very different vocal stylings, is this something you developed over time or was it a happy accident to discover they work so well together?
WE HAVE SOME OVER LAPPING VOICES. I DONT HAVE Sierra’s OPERA VOICE, BUT PERHAPS WITH A LOT OF SPANKS AND WHIPS AND SLAPS I COULD DO THE SAME. WE KIND OF GOT OUR VOICES FROM OUR MOTHER, AND THEN I HAVE SOMETHING PRETTY STRANGE WHICH I DONT FEEL SUITS MY FACE, MY HIGH WARBLY CHEST VOICE WHICH REMINDS ME OF CHINA AND INDIA WHICH SIERRA HAS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.

How about sharing a few “Favorites” with your fans.

Who is your favorite:

Visual Artist
HENRY DARGER
(Henry Darger was a custodial worker from Chicago who’s impressive work was not discovered until after his death. This is truly an amazing story. To find out more about Darger’s work visit this site)

Author
JEAN GENET
(jean Genet spent a large part of his life in prison until he wrote “our lady of flowers” which was smuggled out of prison into the hands of Cocteau and Sartre who then started a campaign for his pardon from prison. Genet continued on to write other novels and was also a successful playwright. To learn more about Jean Genet visit this site)

Lyricist
DIANE CLUCK
(Diane Cluck is a solo performer who is classified as “anti-folk” check out her myspace page)

Fashion clearly plays a big role in your life what era would you say is your favorite in fashion history and why?
VICTORIAN, ITS GORGEOUS.

What modern day fashion designers influence you?
I LIKE TO SHOP AT THRIFT STORES AND DOLLAR STORES AND THATS ABOUT IT.

Do you remember the first CD you ever bought, if so what was it and how old were you?
ENYA AND I WAS 6.

Do you have any rituals before you go on stage?
TANGLING OUR WIGS, IRONING OUR NIGHTIES.

Thanks to Bianca for answering these questions for us.

CocoRosie are back on the road hitting a slew of cities they missed on the last go round. See below for a full list of tour dates.   MP3 of  “Lemonade” (Click track name to listen to song)

Sep 17-Town Ballroom, Buffalo (NY)

Sep 28-Oberlin College, Oberlin (OH)

Sep 20-Cat’s Cradle, Chapel Hill (NC)

Sep 21-Variety Theater, Atlanta (GA)

Sep 23-State Theater, St. Peterburg (FL)

Sep 24-Revolution, Miami (FL)

Sep 25-Social, Orlando (FL)

Sep 26-Downunder, Tallahassee (FL)

Sep 27- Republik, New Orleans (LA)

Sep 28-Fitzgeralds, Hosuton(TX)

Sep 29- Granada, Dallas (TX)

Sep 30-Emo’s, Austin (TX)

Oct 2-Sunshine Theater, Albuquerque (NM)

Oct 3 -Rialto Theater, Tucson (AZ)

Oct 5 -Regency Ballroom, San Francisco (CA)

Oct 6-Henry Fonda, Los Angeles (CA)

Oct 8-Teatro Degollado, Guadalajara (MEX)

Oct 9-Teatro De La Ciudad, Mexico City (MEX)

Oct 10-Teatro De La Ciudad, Mexico City (MEX)

Sierra