Back in May of last year, Dave Watts, the bandleader and drummer for funk staple The Motet, announced a brand-new, all-star side project called Katharsis. For Katharsis, Watts is joined by fan-favorite keyboardist Todd Stoops (Electric Beethoven), bassist Chuck Jones (Dopapod), and guitarist Marcus Rezak (Digital Tape Machine). While The Motet’s fun-loving funk and soul stylings are well documented, Katharsis is a departure from that, instead focusing on funk-rooted collaborative improvisation with a psychedelic twist—and at the fourth-annual Brooklyn Comes Alive, the band will make their New York City debut.
As Dave Watts noted to Live For Live Music in 2017, “I’ve been wanting to start a project with Todd and Marcus for a long time. When I found out that Chuck was moving to Denver, it seemed inevitable that we would put something together. These are three of my favorite guys to hang with, and they all happen to also be absolute monsters on their instruments.” He continued, “Katharsis is the ancient spelling of a word that means the act of releasing a strong emotion through artistic expression. That emotion is the pure joy we feel when get to play together!”
Katharsis’ presence on the fourth-annual Brooklyn Comes Alive lineup is surely an exciting surprise, but one fits well into the ethos of the one-day music festival. Inspired by the vibrant musical communities of Brooklyn and New Orleans, Brooklyn Comes Alive brings together more than 50 artists, allowing them to carry out passion projects, play with their musical heroes, and collaborate in never-before-seen formations. For more information, ticketing, and to see the full list of performers scheduled for Brooklyn Comes Alive 2018, head to the festival’s website here.
Katharsis made its debut in Denver back in May, and things have kept on building for the group from there. The mesmerizing, psychedelia-drenched band has already released a handful of songs, recorded a twelve-song album on the way, and performed a handful of shows in Colorado. However, Brooklyn Comes Alive will be the first time this side project finds its way to New York City. You can listen to Katharsis’ tune, “Rise Up Lights”, below.
The fourth-annual Brooklyn Comes Alive will return to Brooklyn’s beloved Williamsburg neighborhood on September 29th for an all-day music marathon at Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg and Rough Trade. Inspired by the vibrant musical communities of Brooklyn and New Orleans, Brooklyn Comes Alive brings together more than 50 artists, allowing them to carry out passion projects, play with their musical heroes, and collaborate in never-before-seen formations. For more information, ticketing, and to see the full list of performers scheduled for Brooklyn Comes Alive 2018, head to the festival’s website here.
