This year Giant Step and Afrokinetic present the official Giant Step SummerStage after party at Carmina Soul on July 18, featuring NZ-Japanese musician/producer Mark De Clive-Lowe, alongside Brooklyn’s own DJ OP!, plus residents DJ Chris Annibell and percussionist Amon. Part 4 of this 7 part series, Carmina Soul returns outdoors in the courtyard at The Old American Can Factory.

Celebrate the return of sun-filled days and honey moon nights at the official Giant Step SummerStage after party.

The Old American Can Factory
232 3rd Street
btwn 3rd + 4th Ave
Brooklyn, New York

21+ w/ID
9 PM - 4 AM

Door Price: $10

Giant Step’s Official SummerStage After Party
Giant Step’s SummerStage

Director Ken Loach’s comedy Looking For Eric, which just made its debut at Cannes in May, follows the downward spiral of a football fanatic postman named Eric (played by Steve Evets) through a mid-life crisis as his filial ties bind him tighter and tighter to trouble.  Finding inspiration in the famously philosophical 90’s Manchester United coach Eric Cantona (played by himself), Eric applies his hero’s values to his own life.

More info at IMDb

Interview and photos by Seher Sikandar

Little Dragon is a Gothenburg, Sweden based band that has been one of music lovers’ best kept secrets of the last couple years.  With swinging electro-synth tracks and soulful yet at times haunting vocals of lead Yukimi Nagano, Little Dragon’s sounds have put many in a blissful trance, including myself. The band consists of Håkan Wirenstrand on keys, Fredrik Källgren Wallin on bass, and Erik Bodin on drums.  Yukimi is known to get down on a little percussion as well.

Between the concept of their debut music video for “Twice” extended into a short film that showed at Cannes, a soundtrack feature on Grey’s Anatomy, and a recent tour with TV on the Radio this spring, Little Dragon is coming to spray its dragon breath in an ear near you.

I was lucky enough to sit down with the fun and quirky bunch where we got to talk about tourettes, the recording process, and fruit.  High school crushes and drugs, too.  You know how we do.

I read that you all went to high school together - that’s awesome.  What was life like in those days?  What would you guys talk about and dream about?

YN: I think we admired each other already as musicians.  Kinda like, I thought you [gestures to Eric] were a really good drummer -

EB:  [to Yukimi] And I thought you were really cute. [Yukimi laughs] But really, she was the only one of the girls - and boys - who was singing that sort of got a spell on you right away.  She had the magic already, back then. [sings "I got a spell on you"] But I remember the first time we all started playing, we were fourteen or something and Yukimi came with a red gothic outfit with this amazing deep voice.

So in high school you all were already kinda jamming out and stuff.

EB: Yeah, we formed a little band in high school.

Continue reading the interview

Female android of the future, Janelle Monáe is now supporting Erykah Badu at her beach show at Governors Island on August 4th.  Check out the video below from her performance at Hudson’s Private Park for a quick refresher on just how awe-inspiring her performance is.

Tickets are on sale now

Watch ”Many Moons”