Outline: Makaya McCraven, Standing on the Corner, Laraaji, Liv.e (May 13th) This spring, Outline pivoted from its previous seasonal model and offered up a pair of concerts in quick succession. Using the versatility of the venue, we showcased contrasting talent across to weeks, with Matmos, Jlin, Pan Daijing and more performing inside, Mark Mulroney debuting a new large scale painting in our gallery, and Makaya McCraven headlining the Ruins with Standing on the Corner, featuring special guests Laraaji and Live.e. It was the first show of the season and a standout set of performances from some of the most exciting Black composers of today. McCraven’s deeply rooted, forward thinking ensemble meshed perfectly with SotC’s more freewheeling invocations. Laraaji’s timeless, healing music stands as some of the most profound and transportive work to ever be classified as “new age,” while Liv.e’s soulful r&b added a cool, raspy sweetness to the mix.
Soul Summit (May 29th) Soul Summit is, to not mince words, one of NY’s best parties. The Fort Greene institution is a beloved mecca for true house heads and makes a strong case for the genre as one of the great musical unifiers. It’s always an honor to host this crew, and their early summer throwdown was a true highlight. Soul Summit has an undisputed lock on soaring diva vocals, joyful breakdowns, and some of the most truly euphoric dancefloor moments of any year, every year.
Octo Octa & Eris Drew (June 25th) Octo Octa and Eris Drew returned once more for a T4T LUV NRG pride weekend throwdown. Their chemistry is on another level. As partners, label co-owners, co-creators and frequent b2b’ers, their rapport and shared sense of purpose is so baked in that they’re practically reading each other's minds. As the temperature rises and pride festivities peak, few things are as refreshing and spiritually revitalizing as a late June session with these two. The explosive, live-giving energy of house music finds exquisite form in their hands, drawing on classic templates without succumbing to the predictable, familiar or pat. With Octa and Eris, it’s always from the heart.
New York Night Train Presents Swamp Dogg (July 28th) Swamp Dogg may not be a household name, but to those who know, he’s a legend. The gonzo funk maverick’s career spans more than 50 years, with albums like “Total Destruction to Your Mind” and “Gag a Maggot” earning him a cult following in the early 1970s. A recent collaboration with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon on “Love, Loss & Auto-Tune” revitalized the singer, pushing his long standing experimental side into fresh terrain. His concert at the Ruins showed an artist deep into a storied career whose tenacity and creative verve refuse to settle down.
Outline: Model/Actriz (August 5th) The third Outline of 2023 took place across the venue, but one of the absolute standout sets was Model/Actriz’s headlining turn at the Ruins. The band’s unhinged punk energy had the crowd locked in, with some wild, participatory moments.
Tiki Disco (all season long): Tiki Disco is one of our most regular parties, and it’s no mystery why. Over seven free Sunday events (with one more to go), they’ve continued to prove why they’re some of NY’s most energizing, reliable party starters. Eli Escobar, DJ Lloyd and Andy Pry have decades of combined experience, with encyclopedic musical knowledge and an unshakable shared vision. Most of all, though, they’re just so fun. Few people can touch down in any room and set it off quite like this crew. We look forward to many more Sundays with them.