Dark, Alternative music has always had a home in New York City. Now, thanks to a crew of New York & Los Angeles artists, the ghosts of industrial and new wave music come home to roost.
New York City has always been a hotbed for novel ideas in music. Serving as the breeding ground for countless movements on the mainstream’s fringes. As the birthplace of punk rock, New York City has maintained its position as a musical capital of the world. Known for hosting post-punk, new wave, industrial, noise, and many strains of techno, and dance over the past 50 years. The ever-trendsetting borough of Brooklyn will now serve as the location for a new breed of darkness. Out of the shadows, making its inaugural outing, comes FLESH & STEEL: a 3-day, multi-venue festival experience honoring the ghosts of alternative music’s past with a modern crop of machine music’s boldest and darkest voices. Welcome to your nightmares made reality!
Conceptualized and curated by a cabal formed by LA-based promoters Restless Presents, who enlisted NYC fixtures David Castillo of Saint Vitus and DJ/promoter/journalist Andi Harriman of SYNTHICIDE, FLESH & STEEL celebrates humanity, machinery, and new ways of thinking about all things electronic and invigorating. With consecutive nights at Saint Vitus, Knockdown Center, the Meadows, and Good Room, FLESH & STEEL is poised to be the electronic/post-punk destination for the Eastern Seaboard—and beyond.
This epic seance kicks off on Thursday, December 1st at Greenpoint staple Saint Vitus. Powerhouse headlining performances come courtesy of bonafide Canadian goth-pop legends PSYCHE and LA’s SACRED SKIN, the multi-directional electro-rock unit helmed by Brian Tarney. The evening is backed by the robotic and romantic RARE DM, strident post-punks LATHE OF HEAVEN, and mesmerizing DJ sets from prominent underground imprint G I N A and MAYLAND.
On Friday, December 2nd, the widely acclaimed BOY HARSHER will conjure their dark trippiness all over Knockdown Center alongside Belgian EBM legends A SPLIT-SECOND, compelling dance engine SOFT CRASH, with DJ sets from KONTRAVOID and SYNTHECIDE’s own ANDI HARRIMAN. Today, FLESH & STEEL also reveals the addition of Dutch electronic music pioneer DAS DING and MS. BOAN. Due to popular demand, alongside the main room performances at Knockdown Center, a second stage has been added, shining a spotlight on an undercard of futurist artists including NIGHT SINS, GHOST COP, CATHERINE MOAN, and a live performance from Saint Vitus founder David Castillo with his industrial solo project CONFINES.
FLESH & STEEL’s final night culminates with two presentations manifesting as the best living electronic mixtape you’ve heard in a while. The early program begins at The Meadows featuring synth pop/romantic icon, RIKI, synth-punk duo ORTROTASCE, with support from the propulsive UN HOMBRE SOLO.
The party then moves to the Good Room, fueled by the gritty beats of Berlin-based genre-defier PABLO BOZZI and PHASE FATALE. In the Bad Room, EBM all star act NORMAL BIAS will perform a coveted live set, followed by buzzing NYC industrial artists R GAMBLE and BECKA DIAMOND while GUS MULLER of Boy Harsher will top off the night with a fury of cold wave, mutant disco and techno beats.
For those of us longing for the bygone days of alternative edge, FLESH & STEEL is here to remind us that goth is here to stay. In every strain imaginable… it has simply been waiting for the full moon to rise on New York once again.
You can find more info on the daily lineups and ticket purchasing here. Feel free to check out the official playlists of the talent roster below!
