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As we've previously mentioned, local institution Death By Audio closed its doors for good this past Saturday. (Well, actually Sunday morning, if you want to get technical about it.) DBA's shuttering follows that of neighbor venue 285 Kent and precedes Glasslands' closing later this year—all three shutdowns reportedly a result of Vice Media taking over the building. DBA's closing is a major loss to the Brooklyn music community, but operators Edan Wilber and Matt Conboy made the most of the space's last days, hosting a schedule packed with bands who came up there—many of whom have long since outgrown a room of this DBA's modest size. Here are a few highlights from the final few weeks at DBA, during which awesome surprise guests turned up pretty much nightly:
Lightning Bolt:
Guerilla-style noise-punks Lightning Bolt closed out DBA's final night with a blistering set. The crowd, a veritable torrent of moshers and crowd-surfers, perpetuated the frenzy. Watch around the 8:40 mark, as drummer-vocalist Brian Chippendale offers a heartfelt tribute to DBA and speaks the immortal phrase "Fuck Vice," a 20-minute loop of which closes out this clip.
JEFF the Brotherhood:
Also appearing the final night was Nashville's JEFF the Brotherhood. The garagey duo were frequent guests at DBA and reliably played some of the venue's wildest, most fun sets. JEFF's last DBA hurrah was no exception. Check out this clip, in which the pair alternates between groovy psych-rock and explosive freak-outs.
Future Islands:
Future Islands rank among a select group of DBA vets who not only outgrew the DIY scene, but exploded into the pop mainstream. Not that anyone was surprised, given the band's undeniable hooks and the magnetic stage presence of singer Sam Herring. Watch the band captivate the crowd and demonstrate why it's selling out megaclubs like T5 these days.
Ty Segall:
Prolific garage-rock maestro Ty Segall played his first ever NYC show at DBA, and turned up two weeks ago to pay his final respects. In the video above, hear him describe his history with the space, before ripping into a searing version of the all-too-appropriate "Wave Goodbye."
Deerhoof:
Avant-pop mainstays Deerhoof were one of the first surprise headliners to turn up during DBA's final month. The always-energetic group had the crowd bouncing along to old favorites and cuts from its latest album La Isla Bonita. Here, watch the band play a driving version of new tune "Paradise Girls."