Last night, Solange headlined the second installment of this summer’s vitaminwater and The FADER #uncapped series, converting a drab-looking laundromat on Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue into a dramatically neon-lit nightclub. Fans arriving at Atlantis Super Wash Center filed past a predictable assortment of arcade games, candy-dispensers and overstuffed laundry bags toward a temporary stage, cramming between two perpendicular rows of washing machines to await the arrival of the Carroll Gardens resident and FADER cover star. Ice-cold bottles of vitaminwater were on hand to keep us fresh and hydrated, and the room reverberated with deep bass and slinky rhythms courtesy of veteran New York DJ Justin Strauss, whose set pillaged tuneful rarities from ‘70s disco and contemporary house. Strauss was a tasteful and left-field choice from Solange, whom #uncapped emcee Miss Info introduced to the crowd as “the coolest girl in Brooklyn.”
Solange easily fit this description when she joined her band onstage, summery and fresh-faced in a comfy-looking, matching tee and shorts-set. The band sounded as sharp and note-perfect as ever when they kicked off the set with the melancholic yet hopeful, funk-inflected anthem “Don’t Let Me Down," as did Solange’s voice, which dazzlingly nailed “Bad Girls” (see the video above) . Across other songs from True, like the dark and foreboding “Locked in Closets” and the angry but self-empowered “Lovers in the Parking Lot,” Solange kept the energy on high and the dance moves on-point, even venturing on top of a row of laundry machines at one point for theatrical effect. “This laundromat really has me wanting to be a drama queen tonight, so excuse my theatrics,” said a laughing Solange, before launching into a particularly spirited rendition of “Losing You,” which, like the very best pop songs, managed to transcend its own sadness through the exuberance of Solange’s delivery. This hands-in-the-air vibe continued through a cover of Dirty Projectors anthem “Stillness Is the Move” before culminating in a James Brown-style shakedown with the very funky “Sand Castle Disco,” a track from Solange’s second LP, Sol Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams. Needless to say, it was probably a pretty exhilarating surprise for the young couple who showed up mid-way through Solange’s set with a bag full of dirty clothes, thinking it was laundry time.
After the show, Solange sat down with a Miss Info to talk about her love for Brooklyn cultural landmarks like BAM and the Brooklyn museum, her struggle to balance time spent recording new material this summer with time spent hanging out with her son Julez, and her upcoming move to New Orleans. Keep an eye out for their full interview, coming next Monday, and check out some snaps of the party below. For interviews and performances from all this (and past) year’s #uncapped events, visit the vitaminwater YouTube channel.
All summer long, #uncapped is transforming Monday nights into party nights by unlocking the hidden enchantment in everyday places. For chances to win tickets and up-to-the-minute location reveals, follow vitaminwater and FADER on Twitter.
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