By Arya Desai
Poster by @jessexfeinman
For NYC-based electro/ indie pop artist, Laetitia Tamko (known by the artist name Vagabon), the underground music scene has always been a creative safe haven, and the very spot where she began her journey of artistry and inspiration.
On October 8th, Tamko brought a piece of “underground” to Los Angeles with her show, “Vagabon and Friends,” in collaboration with UK-based singer-songwriter Arlo Parks, and LA DJ/musician Zuri Marley.
The show, which was held at the historic independent LA theatre, Brain Dead Studios, would be her first official show back in Los Angeles, and a stop on her “Vagabon and Friends” series, inspired by the time she spent in an artistic residency in Italy.
“I started these shows as a way of bringing community and experimentation back into the conversation... Even at our heights, the ethos is Forever Underground,” Tamko says in a post about the show on her public Instagram page.
“I love a venue like Braindead! It’s unconventional for music, but it makes complete sense to me,” said Marley, one of the night’s music guest performers.
ARLO PARK SETS THE MOOD
To kick off the night, Arlo Parks set the tone with a smooth DJ set in the theater’s intimate outdoor courtyard. There, the community was able to mingle, break the ice, grab a drink, and settle in for the night ahead of artistic sharing and collaboration.
This opening set was a rare opportunity to see the upcoming UK singer-songwriter flex their DJ skills in a smaller setting, with Parks most recently playing in large venues like Apple Music Hall, The Bellweather, and The O2 Brixton.
Listeners in the audience took time between conversations to listen in, connect to the set, and appreciate the electronic kickoff of the night with attentive ears.
A NIGHT AT THE CINEMA
Brain Dead Studios Exterior; Courtesy of Arya Desai.
In the spirit of the Venue itself, Tamko’s night of artistic celebration continued inside one of Brain Dead’s classic theatres, where two films were screened.
The first was director Andrew Thomas Huang’s Kiss of the Rabbit God, a visually captivating and rich exploration into a Chinese restaurant worker’s spiritual and sexual queer awakening.
Megan Houang’s Astonishing Little Feet followed, with a story about the first documented Chinese woman to come to the States, and the maltreatment she received as a woman with bound feet (an old Chinese custom).
ZURI MARLEY FUSES ‘60s SOUL WITH JAMAICAN INSPIRATION
Zuri Marley sings with her backup singers: x; Courtesy of Arya Desai.
Zuri began the second set of the night, ushering in the feeling of an intimate jazz or music club, set with two backup singers and an ode to the aesthetics of the 1960s: beehive updos, tulle skirts, with a touch of modern grunge.
Marley, who has been featured on titles with musicians like Blood Orange, has yet to release new works as a solo artist, but regardless, had several upcoming songs to pull from.
“None of the songs I played are out yet, so it was really special to share them with everyone in that room,” said Marley. “I want to play these songs live again before they’re released, so there’s more to come!”
Combined with soulful vocals, a unique fusion between ‘60s Motown, alternative/ electro pop, and Caribbean influences (an homage to her roots), Marley gave a memorable performance that displayed her unique sound and warm onstage presence.
VAGABON TAKES US ON A MUSICAL MAP OF HER JOURNEY
Vagabon sings onstage; Courtesy of Arya Desai.
Tamko closed out the night by playing a range of songs from her discography: from classics like the electro-pop hit, “Water Me Down,” to new releases that she is set to drop soon.
Stripped down, with a single MIDI keyboard onstage, Tamko’s electronic soundscapes had the chance to be heard in an entirely new way. Songs like “Lexicon” (off the album Sorry I Haven’t Called) took on a more intimate feeling.
“That was my goal for the night,” Tamko told me as guests slowly slipped out of the theater, “I wanted to bring back that feeling of the underground music scene.”
Indeed, Tamko was able to capture the feeling of an “underground” collaborative process, as current releases and new pieces truly shone in their simpler form.
Friends, collaborators, and the like slowly filed out once the final set had finished, congratulating each other and catching up about the night of celebration and artistic sharing.
