Abbie From Mars at The Broadway, Bushwick: 12-10-2023

 

    How to set the scene? I find this part crucial.

    I had been attempting to catch one of Abbie from Mars' performances for some time when I finally made it out to the Broadway in Bushwick one rainy evening last December. The first time I attempted to do this, Abbie's set was plagued with technical issues and mishaps involving the venue. Making matters even less ideal was the fact it had taken place in another dimension of time and space certain locals refer to as Ridgewood. That's not what's important though. While I was somewhat familiar with the recorded versions of Abbie's music, the full detail wasn't apparent until witnessing and hearing live. 

    Abbie - who is actually named Abbie and actually hails from Mars (just not the Mars you're imagining) - performed a nearly hour-long set along with Brice Edward on keys that was consistently brilliant and mind-blowing from start to finish. Abbie is a tap dancer that is able to work with live processing via a platform fitted with multiple contact mics. Those mics are then fed through various software programs which triggered dozens of different mangled responses to her footwork in the context of about ten original songs. When I say songs, Abbie is also a candid, provocative songwriter that is able to deftly express personal stories with direct lyricism and sultry stage presence. Abbie juggled all of these roles with precision and energy throughout, leaving it all on the floor for those of us lucky enough to attend. Some of you reading may also recognize Abbie from "Radioactivity", her tenured show on WFMU that especially showcases the work of newer, independent fellow musicians.   

    Picture this. The evening of December 10th was exceedingly wet. I was attacked by sideways rain and chilling winds the entire way to the bar. I arrived thoroughly soaked but at least I was on time (for her set at least). What seemed like a relatively unremarkable dive bar environment gave way to a hidden space on the second floor which could have been a discarded set piece from one of David Fincher's films: A long, railroad-type layout which was virtually pitch black save for neon fuchsia beams emanating from a cluttered but well maintained stage. There were multiple ceiling leaks and between this and the sudden abysmal vibe upon entering, I found my senses disrupted in the most pleasant sense. I arrived somewhere into the set of Holy Wisdom, LLC and was totally rapt throughout their blistering performance which provided a delightfully unruly counterpoint to Abbie's sound palette. We, the audience, filled all the blank space the room could provide with spasmodic, writhing dance moves. I was thankful that my own contributions in that regard were safely concealed within the gloomy atmosphere.  

    Speaking of her sound world, imagine if Merrill Garbus and Annie Clark fronted later- Nine Inch Nails and you would have some idea of the aural zone Abbie inhabits. Kinky, quirky and clever delivery from beneath a slightly oblique veneer of seedy, mostly downtempo grooves. Her execution and transitions between pieces felt seamless throughout. The entire production was a well-oiled and carefully crafted machine and seemed to go off flawlessly. If any moment had gone walleyed, this writer had no clue. Some of the show was even performed with Abbie on the ground surrounded by the audience. Fearless and confident. At no point could you take your eyes and ears away from the stage. On top of that, Abbie's lyrics are another high point of the production featuring hummable hooks like "I keep trying to exhale but you're still touching me" from "Kittens Will Bite" and a rhyme scheme in "Nuclear Decay" that joins a bevy of far-flung and novel things like "Ortolan gourmet", "burning lingerie" and "coconut croquet" in such an enthusiastic way that their wedding seemed obvious and catchy to boot. Occasionally, songs like "Following Your Lead" aimed straight for the gut, with bitter excerpts like "you'll get to be the asshole someday, I think I'm following your lead." and "I'm a writer so I'm a liar" from "Misquote" which reminded me slightly of Annie Lennox. Additionally, Abbie performed tap dance interludes to connect the pieces together and the set featured three as-of-yet unreleased songs as well. Check the video below for evidence of all this stuff I mentioned.