Genrebeast 5: ACTN CD Release + Halloween Party + 7 Sins Finale
As we celebrate the end of the 6-month-long anti-genre residency program and CD release party series, Genrebeast, we want to reflect on the amazing collaborative experience this series has brought to Gamut. Working alongside multi-talented musician, Gus Watkins, Genrebeast has represented the epitome of Gamut Gallery’s mission statement – bringing people together to experience art & stimulate dialogue. The visceral art/sound experience put Gamut at the epicenter of a half-year music residency featuring five album releases from five contradistinctive bands – Ghost Army, DEATHDANCE, Patch, Qaanaaq, and ACTN – which coincided with five of Gamut’s exhibit finales. Aside from hosting this sensory extravaganza, the project has allowed Gamut to join forces with an eclectic array of local bands including Jaedyn James & The Hunger, Mary Bue and the Holy Bones, RP Hooks, Half Tramp and more, creating an event series that merged an audience of art and music lovers alike. Each Genrebeast installment was a great reminder of the mantra: “music is about art movement, not genre; community, not scene; playing, not partying.”
For the closing reception of the painting series exhibition, #7Sins, we welcome back Genrebeast for one final performance on the Gamut stage featuring the band ACTN. Pronounced by saying the letters, ACTN makes enigmatic music that blends trip-hop, enigmatic alt-pop, and avant garde rock. Music writers from around the world have called the band’s work textured, intoxicating, nifty, fuzzy, cinematic, innovative, soulful, incredibly catchy, complex, sinister, offbeat, moody, stunning, gloomy and dark.
Genrebeast 5 marks the CD release party of their latest album, “You Will Never Be Known” featuring members Gus Watkins, Peter Kenyon, Ray Minge and KPT. With opening acts K. Raydio, Minnie / Bluntz and The Stress of Her Regard.
Doubling as a Halloween Party, the night will be filled with live music, a costume contest, seasonal parlor games and fun prizes. This will also be the last chance to view the 7 Sins exhibit from painter Kate Renee. Returning for her second solo show exhibition with Gamut Gallery, Renee debuts her new three dimensional painting technique in her exhibition, 7 Sins. A natural progression to her Beauties Behaving Badly exhibit. Renee’s latest series examines the seven deadly sins – gluttony, wrath, greed, envy, vanity, sloth and lust – each paired with a familiar pop culture icon or classic cartoon character. Through political and pop culture parody, Renee’s characters provide light-hearted, playful narratives for the underlying sinister themes of her work.
Gus Watkins:
Gus Watkins is a creatively restless and ambitious multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, and lyricist. Watkins has been recording and performing nationally for over a decade, and has been based in Minneapolis since 2007.
K.Raydio:
A self-proclaimed “Daughter of the Midwest,” singer/songwriter K.Raydio (born Krysta Rayford) has released two EP’s, performed in many of the Twin Cities’ landmark concert venues (7th Street Entry, Cabooze, Varsity Theater), established a fanbase in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, and conquered stage fright – in less than a year. Who is K.Raydio? You’re about to find out. https://kraydio.bandcamp.com/
Minnie / Bluntz:
Minnie Blanco and Mo Bluntz, after years of friendship, finally join forces to release a poppy, yet gritty album for your earholes. https://soundcloud.com/
The Stress of Her Regard:
Half of the former indie-rock band, Idle Hands, the trio have emerged with Sport Marriage, an EP that draws influence from the Jesus & Mary Chain, Johnny Cash, and Jim Jarmusch, and comes out sounding more like smart British rock that cashes in on bright beats and clever construction. https://thestressofherregard.