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PITTSBURGH — The rotunda was roaring. As Station to Station’s latest event got underway last night at Pittsburgh’s Union Station, the crowd members outside were greeted by the deafening approach of the Kansas City Marching Cobras, whose thunderous, sky-high drums (and equally aerial pom-poms) signaled the start of the show. After leading a swell of audience members into the station, they were paired with the swarming guitars and drums of No Age, whose buzzsaw set felt a bit more menacing than it did on Friday in Brooklyn.
The trio of drummer-vocalist YOSHIMIO, drummer Ryan Sawyer, and bassist Hisham Akira Bharoocha were next, with a flooring performance. The two percussionists faced one another from across the stage, with YOSHIMIO sometimes directing the group with just a swipe of her hand. One minute, they were gothic and imposing, with ominous synths; the next, they were spastic and playful, anchored by Bharoocha’s playing. Hopefully, someone got it all on tape (or at least a series of Vines).
The trio was followed by Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and percussionist John Moloney, who played tracks like Chelsea Light Moving’s “Groovy & Linda” and Moore’s own “Ono Soul” as actress Chloë Sevigny looked on from the crowd. A zillion writers have tried, terribly, to describe Moore’s sound over the years, and in order to join their ranks, I’ll simply quote from my notebook: “Creeping tendrils of distortion.” Feel free to use that as the title of your next ‘50s sci-fi drama.
The last act was Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, who once again provided reliably roller-coaster trip-pop. But that wasn’t the finale: YOSHIMIO, Sawyer, and Bharoocha gathered in the lobby for a gorgeous impromptu drum show, which then segued into another energetic outdoor turn by the Cobras. Dancers flipped, shook, and pulled onlookers from the crowd along with them — drums rocketing into the night sky. And once again, the rotunda was roaring.
Video: Courtesy of Station to Station
