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Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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Friday, March 29

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Event Fri Feb 13 2009

Obey Your Brain presents new Beirut recording, Golden Birthday & more

A couple of years ago, Zach Condon -- multi-instrumentalist and maestro for the indie band Beirut -- took a detour from his usual Balkan-ized musical fare and ventured into different terrain. Approached to do the soundtrack for a film to be set in Mexico, Condon traveled to a remote village in the province of Oaxaca in order to conduct some musical field research. There he worked with a local ensemble -- a 13-piece Jiminez funeral marching band, to be more precise -- and began crafting a new series of songs influenced by the Oaxacan style of banda music.

In the end, the film's backers reputedly opted for a soundtrack of the more generically cinematic variety. But the result of the journey was the new Beirut recording March Of The Zapotec, which is now seeing release in its U.S. vinyl edition via the Chicago-based Obey Your Brain label. The album features six tracks of the new Beirut material born from the Mexican sojourn, as well as five additional tracks (grouped under the title Holland) of Condon's bedroom electronics work under his pre-Beirut alias Realpeople.

Next Tuesday night, the crew from Obey Your Brain presents a chance to hear the new Condon project as they host the latest installment of the OYB night at Sonotheque. The evening kicks off with a listening party for March Of The Zapotec/Holland, followed by performances by moody, miasmic dream-popsters Golden Birthday and from Magical, Beautiful (the latter of which features -- speaking of marching bands -- members of Mucca Pazza). Chris from Icy Demons and Chandeliers will be spinning sets from the DJ booth throughout the evening. The event kicks off at 9 PM, and admission is free. 1444 W. Chicago Ave.

[video]: Beirut - "La Llarona"

 
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Hassan Chop! / February 13, 2009 8:01 PM

A friend tells me that Condon means condom in Spanish. I don't know if that's entirely correct. But if it is, I'm sure he had a good time traveling in Mexico.

He should change his last name to Condor and then go record in Peru. Like maybe with some Incan kazoo band. That would totally be some "next big thing" on the indie scene.

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Feature Thu Dec 31 2015

Our Final Transmission Days

By The Gapers Block Transmission Staff

Transmission staffers share their most cherished memories and moments while writing for Gapers Block.

Read this feature »

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