Twilight of the Idle
New York City, New York, United States
Music
Press
Make Music New York hit town on the first official day of summer (June 21), enticing the city's musical desires for a third year in a row. Nearly 900 concerts created the day of nonstop music from 11 a.m. till 10 p.m. and beyond. Genres like reggae, classical, jazz, rock music and more each spiced up the dreary day -- and of course, plenty of women rocked the streets and the stages.
The Brooklyn Historical Society, for example, showcased its very own rockin' chicks, hosting the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls show in downtown Brooklyn. This Brooklyn-based organzation has been a part of this MMC for the past two years.
“It's such a fun festival to be a part of,” said Sady Sullivan, a volunteer and staff member at the Brooklyn Historical Society, for whom the festival was a great way for her to combine her volunteer job and her regular job. The concert included young girls and WMRC volunteers playing in their own bands. Twilight at the Idle kicked off the day with its jazzy yet rocker feel -- with a drummer and a singer on keyboard. Rickie Gal, pianist of the group and piano instructor of the camp, said sie loves contributing to the camp. “I think Willie Mae does a great job,” sie said. Another band, The Crinolines possessed both skill and swagger that got the crowd going. Singer Leu Chekowsky, who said she didn't know she would like playing music when she first got started, thought Make Music New York was awesome in that it allows many people to play music together at the same time.
Women for sure spoke up and played hard at Punk Island. Governor's Island was scattered with stages where bands spewed out various types punk rock all day long and the women definitely rocked among the loudest of them. Bands like S.M.U.T., Vagiant, and the Percocettes were a few standouts showcasing their kick-ass groves.
Fan Pat Mitchell said he really liked ShiraGirl, a Brooklyn-based group. “They were poppy, but punk enough,” Mitchell said. And Athenia Henderson, singer of a six-piece Caribbean/ R&B/pop-infused band, said women in rock provide a nice change in the male-dominated genre. Her set at the Brouwerij Lane bar in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, was filled with a variety of covers from rockers like Gwen Stefani to R&B divas like Alicia Keys. The singer writes her own songs, too, including a pop-rock oriented song called “Always.”
The influence of women rockers was spread out in the city that day, proving New York knows how to make its music fly and New York girls definitely know how to rock!
- www.girlsrockgirlsrule.blogspot.com
Discography
"The Only Queers In The Room" 2010
"Modesty" 2009
Photos
Bio
Twilight of the Idle billed as “queer cabaret wordrock,” draws influences from classic rock, blues, jazz, folk, reggae, and spoken word. They consist of pianist, songwriter, and singer Ricky Riot, guitarist, songwriter, and singer Juliana Brown, drummer Lindsay Haughton, trombonist Lily Paulina, and Emily Wright recently joining them on bass. With lyrics that are both fun and thought-provoking and skillful playing from all band members, Twilight of the Idle is at the forefront of the transgender performance community.
Ricky Riot started Twilight of the Idle in 2005 at SUNY Purchase, where he studied studio composition. After several different versions of the band, he released the first Twilight of the Idle album, Modesty, in January of 2009. Modesty is available on CD Baby and iTunes, and features Ricky’s many different sides: Heartfelt spoken-word pieces and timing experimentation, lightened by bluesy cabaret.
Shortly after recording Modesty, he started performing with Lindsay Haughton, whom he knows through Willie Mae Rock Camp For Girls where they both volunteer. He joined forces with Juliana Brown after they both heard each other play at an event at the New York LGBT Center. With common ambitions and a shared appreciation for the Doors, they instantly hit it off. They have been full-speed ahead ever since, gigging several times a month while recording and writing new material.
Twilight of the Idle has just finished their new album, The Only Queers In The Room, produced by Ricky and Julie and engineered by Juno Black, with a release date set at June 15, 2010. Unlike the minimalism of Modesty, which only has vocals, piano, and drums, the band’s new album falls just short of setting up a mic by the kitchen sink and having Lindsay bang it with a mallet. One song even has a choir. Ricky plays several keyboard instruments, Julie plays several guitars, bass, and balalaika, and Lindsay plays percussion instruments in addition to drum kit. The songs on The Only Queers In The Room are both upbeat and socially conscious, with anthemic hooks to sing along to, danceable beats, and lots of solos. Julie also sings and writes on a few songs, and poet Jan Clausen wrote the lyrics on one track titled "If Peace Breaks Out" And yes, the second voice you hear is Ricky’s, two octaves lower.
Twilight of the Idle have been included in the Tranny Roadshow’s Brooklyn show, opened for a large-scale production of The Vagina Monologues, and performed at Camp Trans in Michigan and Make Music New York. Their song Colder will be included in Trans-Fusions 2, the second compilation CD by Trans-Genre, which will be released in March. In addition to the usual bars and clubs, the band’s list of past venues include house parties, street fairs, art openings, a book release, benefits, and other community events. They have their audiences laughing, dancing, thinking, nodding their heads vehemently in agreement, singing along to I'm Not Buying Your Shit Anymore, and occasionally giving dirty looks and dropping the mailing list like a hot potato so that it won't make them gay.
When not writing or playing piano, Ricky works at an after-school program and teaches piano lessons privately. He likes to ride his bicycle, work out, and learn guitar. Julie likes to listen to records and hang out with her cat, Oreo. Lily plays in the Rude Mechanical Orchestra, and Lindsay’s numerous other groups include Gamelan Dharma Swara, Suzy Sellout, and the 42nd Army Band.
Twilight of the Idle is dedicated to smashing patriarchy and ending oppression, creating a bigger space for transgender musicians, and making the world a more welcoming place for gender non-normative people. Their mission is to inspire people to take action on the issues about which they are passionate, and to have fun in the process.
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