Every moment is a gift—rich, complex, and singular—and once it’s gone, it can’t be recaptured. Can you be present? Can you open yourself up and appreciate it in its fullness—the ugliness, confusion, beauty, and joy? The Brooklyn, NY, psychedelic rock quintet GIFT members believe you can. Momentary Presence, their debut set, chronicles that chase and celebrate the eternal now.
Those teachings, drawn from Be Here Now, the 1971 spiritual guide and counterculture landmark by guru Ram Dass, felt particularly relevant in 2022. GIFT bandleader TJ Freda applied those lessons to his search for peace. He’s discovered transcendence through music: he and his bandmates Jessica Gurewitz, Kallan Campbell, Justin Hrabovsky, and Cooper Naess have a knack for conjuring soundscapes that are simultaneously turbulent and gorgeous. Right in the middle of those mixes, you’ll find Freda himself, commanding the storm, lighting lamps amid turmoil, singing about psychic destabilization and the quest for balance in a voice that feels like a caress.
CARINAE-Three part vocal harmonies orbit around patchwork guitar and keyboard textures with driving rhythms. Lyrics that bring you home and stretch you out. Star gazing in an open field.
Brattleboro is set to host two captivating events featuring the renowned hip-hop artist Killah Priest and acclaimed visual artist John Newsom.
