What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1418015
JOCELYN MURPHY NWA Democrat-Gazette I n January, synth player/vocalist Majel Connery performed during Trillium Salon Series' virtual New Year's Day Salon. On Oct. 12, her New York-based duo Sky Creature — with partner Matt Walsh (guitar) — makes an actual stop in Fayetteville for a Trillium Salon inside the garage of Likewise Community. "I've always wanted to visit Fayetteville!" Connery enthuses. "For many years, my dad went there a lot on business, and I've always been super curious about Crystal Bridges. Katy Henriksen and I got in touch at some point during the pandemic, and I just love her impulse to connect and communicate and build places where artists and audiences can get together. I've wanted to play at Trillium for a couple years now, and we're so grateful to her for creating this opportunity to play for a bunch of people we would never otherwise hope to reach!" Sky Creature's sound is a "magical alchemy of opposites: weightless vocals set against a raging sea of manic guitars and driving beats." Set inside the equally magical acoustics of the parking garage, this Trillium Salon sets the stage for a unique sound euphoria of experiential resonance and a perfect welcome to the Autumn season. Trillium co-founder and music journalist Katy Henriksen asked Connery a few questions ahead of the duo's Fayetteville debut: Q. Sky Creature first bonded over My Bloody Valentine records. Tell us more about that first interaction, what specifically you two discussed about the recordings and why you bonded? A. I'm not sure I could tell you why My Bloody Valentine came up so early, but we both love their 1991 "Loveless" album. Matt and I come from different planets musically, so when we find something we both like, it gives us ideas for what we can do together. MBV blew my mind because it was so damn different from anything I'd ever heard. Some of the hugeness of their music — it's orchestral, it's shifting, it's unstable — is in Sky. Lately we've been talking about whether you can hear awe in music. MBV are Irish, so that probably makes them Catholics, which probably means they would've had the experience of musical awe going to church as kids, and we like to think we can hear in their band that quality of being thunderstruck by something you can't understand. Which is also Sky Creature. I don't think Matt and I really know why we've always gotten along so well. He's from Queens; I'm from Nebraska. I'm an uptight conservatory kid, and OCTOBER 10-16, 2021 WHAT'S UP! 3 COVER STORY See Sky Creature Page 4 Sky Creature is Majel Connery on synth/vocals and Matt Walsh on guitar. The pair stop in Fayetteville on their national tour supporting their forthcoming "Bear Mountain EP." Later this year, they will record their debut LP with legendary producer Steve Albini, for release in the spring. (Courtesy Photo/Noah Kahlina) 'Extremely Groovy' Sky Creature concocts music uniquely its own FAQ Sky Creature WHEN — 7 p.m. Oct. 12 WHERE — Likewise Community in Fayetteville COST — $10-$15 suggested donation; only 25 socially distanced seats available; remaining tickets are stand- ing room INFO — trilliumsalonseries.com; email trilliumsalonseries@ gmail.com; skycreature.nyc