Andy Frasco & The U.N.
Dogs In A Pile
Thu Feb 15
Doors: 7:00 PM /
Show: 8:00 PM
All Ages*
Main Room
$27 ADV / $32 DOS
Presales begin 11/15 at 11am. General onsale begins 11/17 at 10am.
Doors at 7:00pm
Main Room
$27 Advance/$32 Day of Show
All ages show. Check entry requirements at http://theslowdown.com/All-Ages and https://www.theslowdown.com/covid-19/
About Andy Frasco & The U.N.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | SoundCloud | YouTube | Spotify
Andy Frasco & The U.N. have long been the high-flying DIY renegades of the touring scene known and loved for their kaleidoscopic musical fusion and one-of-a-kind onstage audacity. Now celebrating their longevity, the band is shaking things up with L’Optimist (Fun Machine Records/Soundly), as its title suggests, Frasco’s most hopeful and enthusiastic collection thus far. A testament to Frasco’s wide-ranging influences and boundless energy, his band’s sixth released studio album sees the magnetic frontman continuing to chart his path of self-exploration and personal discovery through increasingly introspective lyricism and musical adventure. Songs like “Everything Bagel (Feat. Artikal Sound System)” and the deeply moving “Iowa Moon” touch on matters of the heart and mental health, emotional struggle and the sheer vulnerability of the human experience, all relayed through a wildly eclectic approach navigating funk,jazz, surf rock, blues, swing, gospel, reggae, exotica, and more with horn-blasted positivity and soulful power. “I fight depression every single day,” Frasco says, “and the only way to fight depression is through optimism. I try to write optimistic songs because optimism keeps me going. As humans, I don’t think we’re all that much different. Everyone needs a little optimism to keep going.”
“I wanted to write songs that I actually feel,” he says, “not just songs that would be fun to play live. I wanted to learn about myself, I wanted to break myself a little bit to approach a different way of songwriting.”
Frasco once again challenged himself to explore difficult lyrical terrain, spanning relationships and chronic depression, empathy and alienation, inspired in part by his first real girlfriend. For a brief, shining moment, Frasco was settled romantically, a new development that informed songs like the aforementioned“Iowa Moon,” in which the hard-traveling songwriter ponders the possibility of getting off the road to remain at home with his beloved.
L’Optimist sees Frasco continuing to develop as a songwriter, band leader, and human being, his restless spirit giving way to something more firmly grounded yet no less adventurous. Having built a still-expanding career on forward motion, Andy Frasco remains positive in his determination to keep on keeping on, pushing himself and his music to grow and improve with every passing day.
About Dogs In A Pile
Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
The sandy shores of Asbury Park, New Jersey are hallowed ground in the northeast; the rolling waves have ushered generations of venerated musicians to worldwide acclaim. Dogs in a Pile, an eclectic quintet, has emerged as the heir apparent to the town’s rich musical legacy. Merging funk, jazz, and rock and roll with psychedelia, the quintet presents a completely original vibe built on kaleidoscopic soundscapes eerily reminiscent of the days of yesteryear.
The Dogs employ a unified approach to performance and songwriting, crafting aural mosaics through adept instrumentation and humble precocity. As avid storytellers, they draw inspiration from personal experiences, balancing life’s foibles with ever-present youthful sanguinity.