Glass Beams: The Mysterious Masked Trio From Australia
The up and coming India-inspired indie rock group plays to a packed house in Queens
Event Details:
Date: June 7, 2024
Venue: Knockdown Center (Queens)
Ticket Price: $42.49
Artist: Glass Beams w/ Miho Hatori
After a flurry of shows in May, followed by a two week break, I felt a little rusty before the show last night. For some reason, there tends to be fewer shows of interest during the summer months so it feels slow compared to the spring or autumn months. I don’t remember how I discovered Glass Beams but they kind of have a Indian or Middle Eastern Khruangbin vibe and are more or less just a fun band to listen to, so when I saw they were playing at Knockdown Center I figured why not.
This was my third time at Knockdown Center and I can officially say I am not a fan. Aside from it being in the middle of a transit desert, the configuration of the venue the last two times I have been is not great for live bands. There are essentially two sides that have been combined into a massive floor space, with a wall and three sectional warehouse doors that have been opened up to allow flow between the two sides, so there are a lot of areas that have obstructed views and/or sound. Overall, it is a beautiful space but I feel like it is more conducive to electronic shows where people aren’t really there to see the artist perform.
I thought the opener would be interesting so we arrived early enough to catch the set but it was rather lackluster. Eventually Glass Beams came on stage wearing their beaded masks and muted brown wardrobe they have come to be known for. Some think the masks are gimmicky but as someone that loved all the masked and painted face bands of the early 2000s I get it. Let the music speak for itself.
There is not much variation between their songs but they all have a good groove, nice thick bass tone and tasty guitar licks mixed in. They are a bit heavier on the effects but it works for them and their general song structure, which follows a more repetitive electronic makeup. They do not have any lyrics but they do sing vocalise during some of their songs that adds a soothing additional layer to their mellow tunes. It was kind of funny because my friend I went with told me he didn’t think they were actually singing because it sounded “too perfect”.
They have only released two EPs so far and I’m pretty sure they played all of those songs, so the set clocked in at just short of an hour. Amazingly, they didn’t say a single word during the set and just played straight through, taking a few bows before returning for a two song encore and then they were gone. Solid show to kick off the month of June and a great night with some old and new friends.
Cheers and keep rocking!