Artists Space

Abasement #85

Concert
March 2, 2026, 7pm

Performances by Spires That In The Sunset Rise; Zach Layton, Ryan Sawyer, and Alex Waterman; Human Hair; and New Orthodox. DJ Harry Druzd. Visuals by Wavefield. Projections by Bradley Eros.

Magazine cut-outs and ink drawings are collaged together on a background of yellow, orange, purple, blue, and red paper. Small pieces of paper with typewritten text listing the performers and event details are scattered around the flyer.
Flyer by Joe Frivaldi. [Magazine cut-outs and ink drawings are collaged together on a background of yellow, orange, purple, blue, and red paper. Small pieces of paper with typewritten text listing the performers and event details are scattered around the flyer.]

A performer plays a stringed instrument on stage. The performer and the onlooking audience are illuminated in bright lights.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [A performer plays a stringed instrument on stage. The performer and the onlooking audience are illuminated in bright lights.]
*Abasement #85*. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [*Abasement #85*. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman.]
Two performers play an electric bass and an electric guitar. They are bathed in pink light while colorful projections light the wall behind them.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Two performers play an electric bass and an electric guitar. They are bathed in pink light while colorful projections light the wall behind them.]
A seated performer plays the electric guitar on stage while bathed in pink light. Colorful patterns are projected onto the wall behind the stage.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [A seated performer plays the electric guitar on stage while bathed in pink light. Colorful patterns are projected onto the wall behind the stage.]
Two performers play stringed instruments on stage while bathed in pink light. The performer closest plays an electric bass.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Two performers play stringed instruments on stage while bathed in pink light. The performer closest plays an electric bass.]
Two performers play side-by-side on stage. The performer on the left plays a cello, and the performer on the right plays a 17-stringed instrument.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Two performers play side-by-side on stage. The performer on the left plays a cello, and the performer on the right plays a 17-stringed instrument.]
A performer plays the drums on stage, bathed in red light, while colorful geometric patterns are projected on the wall behind.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [A performer plays the drums on stage, bathed in red light, while colorful geometric patterns are projected on the wall behind.]
Three performers play various instruments on stage in front of an audience. The stage and wall behind it are bathed in a blue and red striped pattern.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Three performers play various instruments on stage in front of an audience. The stage and wall behind it are bathed in a blue and red striped pattern.]
To the left, surrounded by a sound system, a performer sings into a microphone while resting a wind instrument in their lap. To the right, a performer plays a saxophone. The stage is bathed in red, green, and blue lights while a projection is shown on the wall.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [To the left, surrounded by a sound system, a performer sings into a microphone while resting a wind instrument in their lap. To the right, a performer plays a saxophone. The stage is bathed in red, green, and blue lights while a projection is shown on the wall.]
One performer operates a sound system, while the other plays the saxophone on stage in front of an audience.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [One performer operates a sound system, while the other plays the saxophone on stage in front of an audience.]
A performer sings into a microphone. The performer and stage are bathed in psychedelic, colorful patterns.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [A performer sings into a microphone. The performer and stage are bathed in psychedelic, colorful patterns.]
Two performers stand and move on stage. On the right, a performer is playing the saxophone. The stage is illuminated in blue and white lights, as well as a colorful, patterned projection.
Abasement #85. Performance documentation, March 2nd, 2026, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Two performers stand and move on stage. On the right, a performer is playing the saxophone. The stage is illuminated in blue and white lights, as well as a colorful, patterned projection.]

Spires That In The Sunset Rise is a band right now consisting of Ka Baird and Taralie Peterson (Louise Bock) they like to play music. They started this band in 2001. They hope to continue playing and putting out music until they are wrinkled old grannies.

Alex Waterman (cello), Ryan Sawyer (drums), and Zach Layton (17-string electric bass). Waterman’s virtuosic extended techniques include the use of a curved bow to activate all four strings simultaneously. Layton’s unusual 17-string bass produces dense layers of natural harmonics in a variety of tunings and processed with electronics. Sawyer’s rolling, uniquely expressive fluidity on drums, cymbals & shakers, propels the trio’s evolving dynamic texture.

Human Hair is the duo of Pat Murano and Richard Hoffman, both long running fixtures of the NYC scene, Richard with Sightings, Insayngel, and his recent solo project Organs Obsolete; and Pat with NNCK, Malkuth and his solo alter ego Decimus.

Nicholas Merz, pedal steel player/vocalist and sole member of New Orthodox. Based in Coxsackie, New York, the project’s work blends minimalist repetition, sonic experimentation and lyrical realism.

Harry Druzd is a New York–born visual artist and musician based in Italy. He is a member of Endless Boogie and Envelope, and has also worked with Psychic Ills and Cat Power among others. He named and co-founded Abasement in 2015.

Wavefield is a collaborative DIY art organization focused on polymedia and video art.

Bradley Eros, as always, (since the very beginning of Abasement (.001) will project their "hand-made" analog slides, and/or film ~ all night long! *** "eau de cinema", 'musique plastique', "philosophical jaywalker", "Eros C'est L'amour!"

Abasement has been curated by Joseph Frivaldi and Robert Mayson since 2015.