Dynasty Electric, one of the headliners at the upcoming Monster Halloween Bash, has been instrumental in moving Brooklyn's underground rock scene since 2003. They were the band behind the legendary Brooklyn Newsonic Studio loft that hosted a ton of then and now famous bands. Dynasty Electric also caught the attention of hip-hop mogul Damon Dash (Rockafella Records) who paired the group with producer Ski Beatz (Jay-Z, Camp Lo, Curren$y), who infused his signature beats into their electro-pop tracks. They have played a slew of festivals (SXSW, The Burning Man, Summerfest) and most recently released a project on Damon Dash’s BluRoc Label.
If I learned anything from the following interview, it’s that Dynasty Electric is extremely diverse, knows how to throw a great party, and has endless passion for what they do:
So how did you two meet?
Seth: Jenna was actually a bartender at a bar in NY called the Library, and I was stopping in to meet a friend of mine and my friend was late so I just started up a conversation with Jenny. I was a saxophone player and musician just starting up a band, and Jenny said she played the bass so we exchanged information and hit it off right away. We started playing in Dynasty together just from a chance encounter at a bar in NY.
Seth: Jenna was actually a bartender at a bar in NY called the Library, and I was stopping in to meet a friend of mine and my friend was late so I just started up a conversation with Jenny. I was a saxophone player and musician just starting up a band, and Jenny said she played the bass so we exchanged information and hit it off right away. We started playing in Dynasty together just from a chance encounter at a bar in NY.
What’s your favorite city to play in?
Jenny: Ahh, it’s hard to pick a favorite. We were throwing parties in Brooklyn for a very long time and those where incredible. It was called the Newsonic Loft.
Jenny: Ahh, it’s hard to pick a favorite. We were throwing parties in Brooklyn for a very long time and those where incredible. It was called the Newsonic Loft.
Seth: Brooklyn is our home base. That’s where we’ve had a lot of really great warehouse parties and did some really great shows. But we’ve been playing all over the place…
Jenny: Yeah… Philly!
Haha of course. So the Loft closed this year?
Seth: Yep it ended a 10 year lease.. But we’re continuing throwing parties in Brooklyn. We have a new spot in Williamsburg called Sherland where we’re doing a party next Thursday before we come to Philly. So we’re doin’ a little northeast tour with New York on Thursday and Philly on Saturday.
Seth: Yep it ended a 10 year lease.. But we’re continuing throwing parties in Brooklyn. We have a new spot in Williamsburg called Sherland where we’re doing a party next Thursday before we come to Philly. So we’re doin’ a little northeast tour with New York on Thursday and Philly on Saturday.
Do you have a favorite Philly venue?
Seth: We used to play at the M Room, which I always had a really fun time at. I really like that spot. We’ve also played Johnny Brenda’s which we also really like.
Seth: We used to play at the M Room, which I always had a really fun time at. I really like that spot. We’ve also played Johnny Brenda’s which we also really like.
Jenny: And the Legendary Dobbs, I heard it’s Legendary!
I see you performed at Burning Man 2011- How was it?
Jenny: It’s basically unlike any other music festival in the way that its run. There is a schedule of events, but everything there is very loose. It’s sort of like you put an event on and perform and depending on where the energy is on the Playa (what the city is called) is how many people will show up. So it’s a really interesting place. It’s really run in the sense that everyone is a performer- everyone’s dressed up, or riding around in an art car or making art or playing music at all times. The first time we went there it was at night when they were turning on all the fire optics and all the lighted aspects and it’s like seeing the most amazing fiber optic butterflies in your face, like huge, with all these crazy people dancing around it. Then multiply that by 10,000 and there’s 10,000 things like that going on at once in your periphery. It’s totally worth going! We’re going again this year with a group called Acazallo. They make metal carousel horses, and in the past have made the carousal at Burning Man for the sound stage and also a moving pirate ship. We’re gonna be part of what they’re doing in 2012 at Burning Man. But I would like to play Bonnaroo and Coachella and Lollapalooza and a million other ones going on too.
Jenny: It’s basically unlike any other music festival in the way that its run. There is a schedule of events, but everything there is very loose. It’s sort of like you put an event on and perform and depending on where the energy is on the Playa (what the city is called) is how many people will show up. So it’s a really interesting place. It’s really run in the sense that everyone is a performer- everyone’s dressed up, or riding around in an art car or making art or playing music at all times. The first time we went there it was at night when they were turning on all the fire optics and all the lighted aspects and it’s like seeing the most amazing fiber optic butterflies in your face, like huge, with all these crazy people dancing around it. Then multiply that by 10,000 and there’s 10,000 things like that going on at once in your periphery. It’s totally worth going! We’re going again this year with a group called Acazallo. They make metal carousel horses, and in the past have made the carousal at Burning Man for the sound stage and also a moving pirate ship. We’re gonna be part of what they’re doing in 2012 at Burning Man. But I would like to play Bonnaroo and Coachella and Lollapalooza and a million other ones going on too.
What has been your favorite festival?Seth: Actually Summerfest in Milwaukee is my favorite which we’re playing this year. There are great stages and big crowds whereas Burning Man is more like a survivalist festival, which is also fun but it’s a little crazy haha.
Jenny: Summerfest was great. We opened for Girl Talk in July and it was really fun show. It’s amazing just one person with a laptop and everyone going crazy!
What was the recording process like for Golden Arrows with Damon Dash?Seth: Damon rented out a house near Woodstock NY, it’s a beautiful house underneath a mountain, and he just sent a bunch of artists up there- Dynasty, McKenzie, Curren$y and all of his hip-hop artists. It was a single house in the country with hip hop and rock intermingling, and fashion models and all kinds of crazy parties and recording sessions. So we got sent there for a week, then we did another week and we wrote all the songs and did some production for the record. Then took it back to New York City and finished the record in Brooklyn.
Jenny: Yeah (Damon Dash) was great. He was just a beautiful, amazing guy full of creativity and joyful all the time. We were mostly just doing electro dance songs at that time, then there’s this hip hop producer and we end up writing this whole array of music. Some of the songs sound like adult contemporary pop songs. It’s not what we expected but it was such a cool process collaborating with him and I think we both learned a lot from it.
That sounds like a very interesting environment. How has it been working with No Shame?
Seth: It’s been great; it’s an independent label all about pulling resources together and working together with other indie bands to build a platform for everyone. It’s a great label with great people; we’re working on our new record now with them. We’re super excited about finishing it up and getting it out next year and going on tour again.
Seth: It’s been great; it’s an independent label all about pulling resources together and working together with other indie bands to build a platform for everyone. It’s a great label with great people; we’re working on our new record now with them. We’re super excited about finishing it up and getting it out next year and going on tour again.
Where do you see yourselves in a few years?Seth: Well we just love playing music and touring.
Jenny: We’re starting to make more contacts that could help us make what we’re doing more global. So we’re definitely interested in getting into more countries. Now we’re starting to work with a British producer so it might make sense to be over in England for a little bit. Definitely becoming more international on the music level, on a personal level I just like creating and travelling.
If there was one band you could open for who would it be?
Seth: So many…
Seth: So many…
Jenny: I mean there’s a lot…
Seth: Well the Beatles!
Jenny: I’d open for Bjork.
Seth: And the rolling stones!
Jenny: Haha they have to be living! I think it’d be great to open for the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s at one point. Seth has a jazz duo with the drummer (Brian Chase) and they toured Australia last year. I always thought it’d be cool for us to open for them. Or we actually know a friend who’s a back up singer for the Scissor Sisters so that would be cool! There’s just so much great music coming out right now honestly.
Seth: You gotta understand we do a lot of different styles on the different tours we’ve been on. Last year we supported the Meat Puppets, then we got back on the road and were opening for Curren$y.
Jenny: Haha it’s totally ridiculous.
Seth: Yeah so just the nature of our act lets us open for a lot of different artists because we have a lot of hip-hop, and dance and folk sometimes so we can just get the party started.
Well we're all excited for the Halloween Bash coming up this Saturday (10/22).
Seth: Yeah we’re pretty excited to come down to Philadelphia and meet all the bands and check it all out.. And we’ll have our costumes haha.
Seth: Yeah we’re pretty excited to come down to Philadelphia and meet all the bands and check it all out.. And we’ll have our costumes haha.
Jenny: Yeah we do have an idea but we can’t tell you!
Come see Dynasty Electric headline the Monster Halloween Bash, this Saturday at the Legendary Dobbs! Tickets here.
AlexisCanary@WeAreMonsterEnt.com
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