Gustaf at Music Hall of Williamsburg (photo by Kevin McGann
Brooklyn’s own art post punksters Gustaf brought it all back home last week for their tour closer at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The group, who has been touring in support of their sophomore album Package Pt. 2 (read our review), played to packed house full of fans and just as many friends.
Kicking off the night were fellow Brooklyn band Dead Tooth who put on one of the most electric shows out there. Whether it’s frontman Zach Ellis ripping it on the mic, John Stanesco wailing on sax, or Taylor Mitchell crushing his guitar, all three are front and center as Gui Fuentes lays down the beat and on this night, Jason Smith filling in to rip on his bass. And as they’re known to do, Dead Tooth cleared a path on the floor for dancer extraordinaire, Nola Sporn Smith, to put her interpretive spin on their sound before joining them onstage for an explosive climax.
Following Dead Tooth, Gustaf came out to thunderous applause. Since hitting the scene in 2018 the band has built a loyal following, whether through playing their own shows or through landing major support slots like their 2021 shows opening for IDLES, along with additionally supporting bands like Wet Leg, Yard Act and more all while picking up praise from Beck along the way. The band kicked things off with Package opener “Statue” which perfectly describes lead singer Lydia Gammill being at “the center of the stage.” From there it was banger after banger, including tracks from their amazing 2021 debut album, Audio Drag for Ego Slobs.
One of the things that makes Gustaf’s sound so dynamic is the syncopated, rhythmic backbone thanks to Vram Kherlopian on guitar, Tine Hill on bass, Melissa Lucciola on drums, and of course Tarra Thiessen on all things percussion. Tracks like “Starting and Staring,” “What Does it Mean,” and “Here Hair/Hard Hair” really showcase their playful approach and free up Gammill to work the stage, pound her chest and pull at her hair. Before it was all over, there was one more thing to celebrate besides the new album and tour closer—Thiessen and Kherlopian were celebrating their first wedding anniversary. And what better way to celebrate than with a few hundred of your closest friends.
If you happen to be in Europe or the UK in August, try and catch Gustaf on one of their dates supporting Sleater-Kinney. And make sure to check out Package Pt. 2, which is already one of the best albums of 2024.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kevin McGann)
DEAD TOOTH
GUSTAF
