Brooklyn Comes Alive Thanks To Disco Biscuits And More At The Brooklyn Mirage

The Brooklyn Mirage played host to the 2021 Brooklyn Comes Alive on Sunday, September 26th. The massive outdoor complex was the perfect venue for such an occasion.  

brooklyn comes alive mirage
Break Science: Live Band

The day started off with a quick introduction from none other than Sirius XM’s Ari Fink, getting right into a set from Karina Rykman. The trio started the day off strong, with Karina’s heavy bass lines pumping up the growing crowd. Marlo Shankweiler of Melt came out for a couple songs, not surprisingly as she was a part of Karina’s band during quarantine. After her set, Karina dove into her role as DJ in between sets for the remainder of the evening.

brooklyn comes alive mirage
Karina Rykman Band

Brooklyn Comes Alive at Brooklyn Mirage would not be the same without a set of full improvisation from a super group of incredible musicians. Joe Russo, John Medeski, and Dave Harrington combined for an incredibly eclectic and outlandish set. Russo was pulling out every conceivable instrument to rattle, bang, and drum along to Medeski’s organ while Harrington switched back and forth between bass and guitar.

brooklyn comes alive mirage
Medeski/Russo/Harrington Trio

Denver, CO was presented well this night with two heavy-hitters taking the stage. First was Break Science: Live Band. Most of Lettuce usually rounds out the “Live” portion of this group, but this time around they changed it up. Eric “Benny” Bloom was in attendance, with Chris Karns and Hunter Roberts making up the rest of the band. Karns and Roberts brought a wonderfully jazzy change of pace, letting Borham Lee and Adam Deitch just groove along and keep things flowing.

brooklyn comes alive mirage
Break Science: Live Band

Second up from the Mile High city was funk-masters, The Motet. Special guests Shira Elias (Turkuaz), Jeremy Schon (Pigeons Playing Ping Pong), and Benny Bloom were more than welcome on stage as the band put on a mostly instrumental set, as Lyle is no longer with them. Shira more than made up for the vocals, coming out for “Highly Compatible” and “The Beat Goes On,” with everyone coming back out for “Death and Devotion and last, but not least, “Get it Right.”

brooklyn comes alive mirage
The Motet

After having both shows in New Haven canceled, fans of the Disco Biscuits knew they were in for a treat. Ari Fink once again introduced the Philly jamtronica pioneers who kicked off their set with “Helicopters” -> “Running Into the Night.” The bass line of Blondie’s “Rapture” rose from “Running,” and the band invited Shira Elias back to the stage to add vocals to “Rapture,” marking the first time the group has gone beyond an instrumental version of the 1980 new wave song, with “42” closing the set.

Set 2 started strong with the rare-these-days “Pilin’ it Higher” that took a jam spin before slowly morphing into “I-Man,” which led into the fresh Biscuits tune “M1,” highlighted by Aron Magner’s synth work that played off Jon “The Barber” Gutwillig’s masterful guitar playing. “M1” found its way back to “I-Man” then headed into more new territory with “Evolve,” which continues to evoke some of the most enthusiastic interaction between crowd and fans, giving off a ’90s club vibe in the process. To close the set, the Disco Biscuits moved back into the end of “Helicopters,” closing out an incredible day of music at Brooklyn Comes Alive at Brooklyn Mirage.

brooklyn comes alive mirage
The Disco Biscuits

Check out the photos from Zach Culver and Zatchmo Lives Media.

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