Review
While The Byrds’ studio sound was forged at World Pacific, it was at Ciro's Le Disc that they became a true cultural force. It was here in early 1965 that The Byrds first connected with an audience, which included a group sometimes referred to as Vito and the Freaks.
Led by sculptor/dancer/ringleader Vito Paulekas, the long-haired, colorfully-attired Freaks caused a stir with their frenzied dancing at a time when the Twist was the wildest thing going. Vito’s troupe had been dancing at local shows since 1962, but it wasn’t until they danced to the music of the Byrds that a genuine scene coalesced, with music and dance feeding off each other in a first burst of freedom. As much as The Byrds' music, the ecstatic gyrations of the Freaks made Ciro's the place to be.
The Byrds cannily brought a small crew of these dancers, led by Carl Franzoni (who did double duty as a roadie, along with soon-to-be Love guitarist Bryan MacLean), on their inaugural U.S. tour, thus spreading the Freak gospel to the hinterlands.
Paulekas' Dance Troupe also used to attend the early Mothers Of Invention shows and occupied The Log Cabin with his commune, prior to its occupation by Frank Zappa's family. Additionally, Franzoni provided vocals for the Freak Out! album. The song "Hungry Freaks Daddy" is dedicated to him, and in the liner notes to the song Frank describes him as "freaky unto his toes". On his '73/'74 tour, Zappa wore a pair of psychedelic platform shoes painted by Franzoni.
To paraphrase another Mothers' song:
Who could imagine
That they would freak out
in London, Ontario
It can't happen here
Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba
It can't happen here
Everybody's safe and it
can't happen here
No freaks for us
It can't happen here
Oh - but it did! And it should come as no a surprise that it was Mr. Conceptual Continuity himself, HowieZowie, who managed to pull off a full-tilt happening/be-in on a January weekend in Old East Village. The eclectic crowd, activities and ambience alone were worth the price of admission. Make no mistake though - the musical acts on the bill came prepared to deliver on the hype. Openers Sinkdrain and The Universe Featuring Ray were quirky, inventive and endlessly entertaining - replete with costumes, props and a cast of characters aiding them in weaving a theatrical intro for Prism Tape Philosophy.
The headliners didn't come out and leap over the bar that had been set for them, but rather walked it like a high-wire, teetering high above in the face of certain disaster. In this way, I was reminded of The Who in their prime - whose ballsy balancing act created a palpable energy that had you hooked upon first exposure.
Musically, I felt like I was hearing Traffic jamming with The Flock. Kudos to the band for bringing up 14 year-old Adam H. T. Swallowell on congas - he utterly killed it! Very cool to see a group take a kid under their wing and give him an experience like that. It's going to have a lasting effect on him!
Given the fact that this band is essentially a "supergroup" of seasoned players, it's no surprise that they manage to land on their feet (or at least bounce back off a carefully placed safety net), but serious props must be given to the astounding rhythm section for laying it down rock-solid for this multidisciplinary assemblage of sonic sorcerers.
On a personal level, I was thrilled to see the place packed for Howie's show, given his various efforts on behalf of others...nice payback for all his hard work to make others look good!
Don't worry if you missed it - hot on the heels of their first set, the venue booked An Immersive Experience with Prism Tape Philosophy II & III for April 25th and May 15th respectively. See you there!
Slim Sugar
Led by sculptor/dancer/ringleader Vito Paulekas, the long-haired, colorfully-attired Freaks caused a stir with their frenzied dancing at a time when the Twist was the wildest thing going. Vito’s troupe had been dancing at local shows since 1962, but it wasn’t until they danced to the music of the Byrds that a genuine scene coalesced, with music and dance feeding off each other in a first burst of freedom. As much as The Byrds' music, the ecstatic gyrations of the Freaks made Ciro's the place to be.
The Byrds cannily brought a small crew of these dancers, led by Carl Franzoni (who did double duty as a roadie, along with soon-to-be Love guitarist Bryan MacLean), on their inaugural U.S. tour, thus spreading the Freak gospel to the hinterlands.
Paulekas' Dance Troupe also used to attend the early Mothers Of Invention shows and occupied The Log Cabin with his commune, prior to its occupation by Frank Zappa's family. Additionally, Franzoni provided vocals for the Freak Out! album. The song "Hungry Freaks Daddy" is dedicated to him, and in the liner notes to the song Frank describes him as "freaky unto his toes". On his '73/'74 tour, Zappa wore a pair of psychedelic platform shoes painted by Franzoni.
To paraphrase another Mothers' song:
Who could imagine
That they would freak out
in London, Ontario
It can't happen here
Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba
It can't happen here
Everybody's safe and it
can't happen here
No freaks for us
It can't happen here
Oh - but it did! And it should come as no a surprise that it was Mr. Conceptual Continuity himself, HowieZowie, who managed to pull off a full-tilt happening/be-in on a January weekend in Old East Village. The eclectic crowd, activities and ambience alone were worth the price of admission. Make no mistake though - the musical acts on the bill came prepared to deliver on the hype. Openers Sinkdrain and The Universe Featuring Ray were quirky, inventive and endlessly entertaining - replete with costumes, props and a cast of characters aiding them in weaving a theatrical intro for Prism Tape Philosophy.
The headliners didn't come out and leap over the bar that had been set for them, but rather walked it like a high-wire, teetering high above in the face of certain disaster. In this way, I was reminded of The Who in their prime - whose ballsy balancing act created a palpable energy that had you hooked upon first exposure.
Musically, I felt like I was hearing Traffic jamming with The Flock. Kudos to the band for bringing up 14 year-old Adam H. T. Swallowell on congas - he utterly killed it! Very cool to see a group take a kid under their wing and give him an experience like that. It's going to have a lasting effect on him!
Given the fact that this band is essentially a "supergroup" of seasoned players, it's no surprise that they manage to land on their feet (or at least bounce back off a carefully placed safety net), but serious props must be given to the astounding rhythm section for laying it down rock-solid for this multidisciplinary assemblage of sonic sorcerers.
On a personal level, I was thrilled to see the place packed for Howie's show, given his various efforts on behalf of others...nice payback for all his hard work to make others look good!
Don't worry if you missed it - hot on the heels of their first set, the venue booked An Immersive Experience with Prism Tape Philosophy II & III for April 25th and May 15th respectively. See you there!
Slim Sugar