BASH BACK at the The Pinhook! On this day, we bring together 4 Southern legends producing and performing new music of the South.
Community groups will be tabling throughout the night to provide community resources and shed light on the Durham underground arts and culture scene.
ARTISTS:
TAYLOR ALXNDR:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKnqpvSfNko
Meet TAYLOR ALXNDR (they/she), the underground drag icon and queer artist making a big splash in Atlanta, making waves and turning heads in the big city & beyond since 2011.
The “DIY pop priestess” made a splash in 2017 with her debut single "Nightwork", which explores the darker layers of drag. “With shots of the singer getting into the gig,” wrote Justin Moran in OUT Magazine, “the visual showcases the behind-the-scenes process of a drag performance—all the gritty hard work that goes into a single night of glamour.”
In 2018, TAYLOR released her debut EP HOLOGRAM, which received critical acclaim and was listed as one of the top 10 albums from Atlanta in 2018. Bandcamp called the project “multifaceted, personal pop, designed for community healing but free of grating platitudes,” and “a lovely record, streetlamp-shimmery and radiator-warm, a reminder of the power of interpersonal thoughtfulness and kindness in marginalized communities, and a necessity for these bleak times.”
They released the EP ‘1993‘ in 2022, which candidly explores mental health, loss, and life in a gentrifying city, all with a pandemic as the musical backdrop. The EP juxtaposes the fun, electric synths that make listeners want to dance with the heaviness of the subject matter.
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DIASPOURA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cq8X_p7d7s
Anjali (they/them) is the multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and singer behind the hypnotic synthpop project Diaspoura.
Having begun in the DIY scene of Charleston, the performance of Diaspoura has now been seen in music halls, festivals, universities, art institutions, and underground warehouses throughout 10 years and 5 regional tours across Turtle Island. These days, their performances are more rare and in support of beloved underground acts in various cities.
Their last music release Traumaporn (2019) was a sonic study of power and vulnerability, using rigid beats, rhythmic bells, and dense harmonies. Lyricism discussed exploitation as they were a part of seeding a cultural movement for fair artist pay from music streaming giants, currently aligning with the demands for streaming justice at the Union of Musicians as Allied Workers (UMAW).
Over the last year Anjali has been supported to complete a collection of new Diaspoura songs through the Acorn Center For Freedom’s TransFire artist residency. The work holds more polished and adventurous compositions, while holding the lushness and ear-worminess they're known for.
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KHX05:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIHKt8yQPNM
KHX05(They/She) is an alternative/punk artists based out of NC. The Gullah/Geechee trans multidisciplinary shapeshifter started their career as a professional dancer/choreographer straight out of high school being trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz and hip-hop.
They performed for years as a dancer/choreographer and drag artist until they stumbled into a music career in 2018 releasing their debut ep Transformation which included hit single “Izwe Lethu” a song that would be re-released in 2020 as a standalone. KHX05 released her first mixtape THE VIOLENT FEMME MIXTAPE the following year in 2019 which displayed the artist’s musical versatility as well as their roots in liberation and revolution.
The following year the artists would catch the eye of Never Normal Records founder and Grammy nominated music producer/dj and singer Suzi Analogue which resulted in the release of KHX05’s 2021 smash ep BLXCK KXT & BLXCK KXT: THE REMIXES through Never Normal which truly solidified her as a force to be reckoned with.
Current day the musical anomaly has added producing under her belt and has a self-produced debut album MENACE TO SOCIETY scheduled for release later this year. KHX05 truly is one of a kind and force to watch out for in the music industry.
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GRETA BONEY: