May was a month dominated by The Red Bull Music Academy. And while you can choose to love or hate the beverage, you can’t deny that the festival, which comes to a close on May 31st, has been a remarkable event unlike any other festivals NYC has seen. Across the days, fans saw 36 talks and shows from over 230 different musicians and artists considered to be pioneers of their genres. From featuring a slew of local artists on label and genre-specific events to performances by big names (like a talk and DJ set by infamous James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, music from Daft Punk collaborator Giorgio Moroder, and a painting show from Brian Eno), there was something for every music lover. We saw one of the more unique events of the festival – a Drone Festival called “Drone Activity in Progress,” featuring Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, among others, at The Knockdown Center, a stone’s throw from Bushwick in Queens. There were lights, there was Roberta’s pizza, and there was a LOT of noise!
