Caspian, And So I Watch You From Afar, Astrometer at Warsaw

Photos and Writing by Kyle Ostrander

Earlier this week, instrumental bands And So I Watch You From Afar (abbreviated as ASIWYFA) and Caspian stopped by Warsaw in Brooklyn, NY. Fans lucky enough to attend the show were treated to an incredible night of music.

ASTROMETER

On first opening the show were local Brooklyn band Astrometer. Heavy guitar riffs mixed with keyboard and a driving rhythm section created a refreshingly unique sound. A sound that was the perfect start to the night. Every member was intensely focused on their precise, intentional playing, while rocking out in their own way. “Thank you for coming out tonight! This next song is called “Do We Know How to Party”. We do…but do you Brooklyn? Let’s see it!” said the band as they launched into their last song of the set. Astrometer were also celebrating the release of their new album, Outermost, which dropped this week.

AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR

Up next were ASIWYFA, who immediately cranked the energy up to 10 by kicking off with “Dying Giants”, and then didn’t let up from there. The group made use of every inch of the stage, often coming right up to the edge to interact with the crowd. The members also interacted with each other quite a bit, and it was very clear they were having tons of fun as they executed each song with the tightness of veteran musicians. Hard-hitting distorted chords juxtaposed by twangy and galloping leads filled the room. The set was jam packed with songs from across their catalog, including two new ones off their upcoming album Megafauna, which drops on August 9th. “We’re from Belfast. We traveled a long way to be here. We haven’t played NYC in almost 8 years, but we’re so glad to be back. Thank you for making us feel so welcome tonight” said the band’s lead guitarist Rory Friers. The crowd soon made Rory feel even more welcome by singing him Happy Birthday, after the rest of the band announced it was his Birthday.

CASPIAN

Closing out the show were post-rock titans Caspian. The lights went almost completely black as the band took the stage. They picked up their instruments and immediately began one of their famously fierce live shows. The lights alternated between saturated backlight, darkness, and mesmerizing strobes. Each member energetically jumped around in front of their pedalboards, thrashing their instruments, while still hitting every note perfectly. The audience’s energy matched the band throughout their set, with fans excitedly throwing their arms up and dancing along to the music. “This tour is a celebration of 20 years as a band. So we’re gonna take you on a cosmic journey over the past 20 years of our music tonight” announced the group towards the beginning of their set. And indeed the set took us across their expansive catalog of music, including “Further Up/Further In”, “Rioseco”, and “Sycamore”. Caspian didn’t take many breaks during their set, making the whole experience feel like one cohesive piece of music, as the melodic intensity of their sound reverberated through the venue. Towards the end of their set the group did take a moment to thank their fans, the venue, and the other acts on the bill, before playing “Flowers of Light”, and soon after closing with an encore of “Castles High, Marble Bright”.

All of the bands on the show have one thing in common, they’re all bands I recommend you go see live even if you don’t know any of their music. Caspian and ASIWYFA’s North American co-headline tour just has two shows remaining – August 2nd in Charlotte, NC, and August 3rd in Atlanta, GA. Both bands will also appear at the ArcTangent festival in the UK later this month.