Brooklyn’s inaugural United Sounds provides a fresh, inclusive, new perspective on what music festivals could look like
Words by Matt Keenan
Photos by Olivia Stabile
New York City has always stood as a vibrant hub of musical creativity, fostering innovation and shaping the global music scene by allowing artists to experiment, rework, and eventually perfect their craft in the smallest of bars to the largest of arenas, and all in the same city. New York City is the place so many notable artists call home, have completed their formative years, and it’s become a stop of such magnitude you hardly ever hear of a tour without a New York date, no matter the size of the artist. Once upon a time however, the city once held a number of renowned multi-day, multi-venue festivals that played a vital role in influencing the music and broader cultural landscape, and we don’t see that as much anymore.
These days it seems to be quite a lot of scattered performances across the city in smaller bars or Madison Square Garden, with very little room in-between. It may not seem like New York can do much to surprise anymore, but the absence of these once-iconic events was something many people (including Liv and I) never quite felt the effects of, but we quickly learned that events like this highlight a glaring need for a fresh, inclusive, annual gathering — an event where musicians can step into the spotlight, presenting their artistry to industry tastemakers, eager consumers, and fellow artists alike.
The United Sounds NYC Festival is the first official event produced by United Sounds, the company co-founded by music industry veterans with extensive experience in the live music space Diane Perini, Shay Vishawadia and Dipesh Sinha. United Sounds plans to expand beyond the annual festival, producing a full calendar of events in NYC and additional markets, but for the meantime Liv and I were subjected to the one thing New York City never fails to do every time we find ourselves there (and trust us it’s a lot) — surprise us.
The festival took place on Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26 at Pioneer Works in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Pioneer Works (PW) is an artist and scientist-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural center in Red Hook, Brooklyn that fosters innovative thinking through the visual and performing arts, technology, music, and science. The lineup included artists like Blonde Redhead, The Dismemberment Plan, Sunflower Bean, Les Savy Fav, Model/Actriz and more, the two day event was created to fill the significant gap for independent music in New York City’s fall cultural calendar, and launched to reignite the spirit of community within the indie music scene.
Besides the fact that we were busy falling in love with the massive warehouse type of space as well as the outdoor area, as well as the fact that the weather was beautiful, and we were also taking in our surroundings, needless to say we were having a very good time. Let us introduce you to the lineup.
DAY 1
Slow Fiction — RIYL Cardinals, THUS LOVE, Lightheaded
Through Craigslist ads and mutual friends, the band first joined forces at Julia Vassallo’s East Village apartment. In what is now considered their first official band meeting. Influenced by the likes of poets like Anne Waldman, Ted Berrigan and the New York School era as well as the spirit of early 2000s garage rock bands such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol, and The Walkmen, the group delivers a blend of their influences and personal experiences in a raw and memorable way.
Rocket — RIYL Bleary Eyed, Hello Mary, SUN ORGAN
Rocket is a band who channel the spirit and sound of ‘90s guitar icons, this underground band are making big, open-hearted anthems for a new generation to rally around. Utilizing electric and emphatically refreshing qualities, Rocket is more than ready to set themselves apart from their peers making guitar music that could be likened to Dinosaur Jr.
Model/Actriz — RIYL Maruja, Squid, Protomartyr
Known for their pulsing blend of danceable noise, visceral post-punk, and a live performance that mirrors the way the record unravels, Model/Actriz is an experiment in the primal aspects of human experience. Yet there is a certain darkness that influences and permeates their music, reminiscent of the likes of Death Grips, Savages, and Lightening Bolt.
Sunflower Bean — RIYL Wolf Alice, Wet Leg, The Regrettes
What started as a project of three high schoolers soon turned into a band with chart-topping releases, sold-out tour dates, international festival slots, wide-spread critical acclaim, and three remarkable full-length albums under their belt. New York trio Sunflower Bean—vocalist and bassist Julia Cumming (she/her), guitarist and vocalist Nick Kivlen (he/him), and drummer Olive Faber (she/her)— have confidently made a name for themselves as one of the city's quintessential indie rock bands over the past decade since their formation in 2013.
The Dismemberment Plan — RIYL Built to Spill, Deerhoof, Jeff Rosenstock
Washington, D.C.-based emo quartet the Dismemberment Plan -- frontman Travis Morrison, guitarist Jason Caddell, bassist Eric Axelson, and drummer Joe Easley -- debuted in 1994 and through a storied history and several hiatus’ and reformations, confidently returned to the stage for their performance at United Sounds 2024.
DAY 2
Bec Lauder and The Noise — RIYL Hello Mary, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Venus and the Flytraps
Bec Lauder and The Noise reminded me a lot of Venus and the Flytraps with the confidence and angsty freedom of Hello Mary, diving into chaos in the most fun way possible. Both Liv and I really enjoyed getting to see them, and they are definitely worth giving a listen to. I would highly suggest it, they were one of my personal favorites at the festival and a huge standout for me.
Peel Dream Magazine — RIYL pinegrove, Sufjan Stevens, Lighting Bug, @
Peel Dream Magazine is a band, whose name nods to the BBC Radio 1 legend John Peel -- arbiter of all things underground, and quality — and since its inception been a genre-hopping experiment, jumping from motorik krautrock to shoegaze and space ago pop, they band presents a perfect addition to anyone who might find themselves listening to music driving down a long backroad in New Jersey on a crisp autumn afternoon in November.
Monobloc — RIYL The Voidz, GIFT, Cardinals
Monobloc is a newly-formed post-punk band led by Michael 'Mop' Silverglade and Timothy Waldron. The band emerged from an existing band called Courier Club, with the duo deciding to evolve as musicians and create a more refined sound without limits.
Man Man — RIYL Jarvis Cocker, of Montreal, The New Pornographers
Honus Honus (aka Ryan Kattner) has devoted his career to exploring the uncertainty between life’s extremes, beauty, and ugliness, order and chaos. The songs on Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between, Man Man’s first album in over six years and their Sub Pop debut, are as intimate, soulful, and timeless as they are audaciously inventive and daring, resulting in his best Man Man album to date.
Les Savy Fav — RIYL Cloud Nothings, Titus Andronicus, Superchunk
Playing sharp but engaging post-hardcore with complex melodic lines, edgy guitar leads, and plenty of eccentric wit (their name, for instance, sounds French, but doesn't mean anything), Les Savy Fav confirm it's possible to be arty and sublimely entertaining at the same time. Under the leadership of frontman Tim Harrington, the group developed a reputation for smart, angular songcraft and abundant energy on 1999's The Cat and the Cobra and presented a more mature but still wiry style on 2007's Let's Stay Friends and 2010's Root for Ruin.
Blonde Redhead — RIYL Radiohead, Cocteau twins, Stereolab
Blonde Redhead is a rock trio of consisting of Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace — the trio present an immaculately structured, yet carefully sensitive sound which achieves clarity, and then resolve.
After getting to witness a fantastic lineup of artists, almost all of whom neither Liv or I had heard before, it’s safe to say that the United Sounds Festival emphatically stakes in ensuring the return of larger scale showcases for smaller artists who aren’t quite nationally touring yet, to step into the spotlight in New York City amongst a collective of open minded, receptive music enjoyers who are eager to hear what they have to offer. Both Liv and I are lucky enough to count ourselves a member of that demographic, experiencing new music is one of our favorite things to do together, and after all is one of the biggest reasons we started this publication. Getting to attend the first annual United Sounds Festival was refreshing, one of a kind experience, one that both Liv and I are extremely grateful to have gotten to take part in, reminding us of what we love about the musical world and the way it never fails to surprise you.
You can check out Best Left’s United Sounds NYC Festival playlist recapping our favorites below, to experience some of the most creative and electric up and coming acts New York City has to offer.
