On Friday (the 13th) I went to see David Cronenberg's The Brood at Texas Theatre. Arriving thirty minutes early seems like an unnecessary precaution. The place was sparsely populated save for a few regulars, some employees, and two DJs -- Gabe and Gavin G -- set up in a corner. Still, it was a welcome scene. To kill time I explored the upstairs. The popcorn-textured walls snake around corners and curl up stairs, lending the space an organic quality that is in its own unusual way inviting. The minimal lighting speckled throughout the interior spits shadows in strange ways, sweeping the light into the corners and blanketing the majority of Texas Theatre in a warm, caramel glow. Even the acoustics in here are uncommon and, therefore, more interesting. In subtle ways, these surface features grant the theatre a sense of importance, giving off the impression that great things will happen here. And they do.
By Jonathan Patrick
Midway through my unhurried lurch to the screening room, I was stopped by the sounds billowing up from downstairs -- throbbing industrial percussion and icy synthesizers.
I started asking the DJs genius questions like, "What is this, this sounds really cool n' stuff?" Luckily the DJs were nice guys, answering all my tired questions and even letting me paw through their crates to satisfy my curiosity. I soaked in what I could of their horror-themed tunes before finding a seat for the main attraction.
As expected, the movie was great, the 35mm aesthetic was a nice touch, but my thoughts never left the lobby and its ominous soundtrack music. I made my way back to my thoughts and rejoined the DJ set just as it was warming back up. With a projector throwing black and white images on the wall above their heads, the two DJs continued their danceable ode to horror films, to artists like Ennio Morricone, Goblin, and Broadcast, to directors like John Carpenter, Alfred Hitchcock, and George Romero. From campy and fun to viscerally arresting and back again, these DJs owned the ambiance at Texas Theatre on Friday night.
For reasons utterly beyond my control, I had to leave before the end of the night, but what I caught of the DJs set was essentially perfect -- mood-setting, consuming and seamless. Fault me for stretching a subjective impression this far, but somewhere tucked between the film's end and my exit from the building, was an instantly distinguishable moment when I realized this was a very vivid memory in the making. It wasn't the movie, it wasn't the drinks, and it wasn't the food had afterward that made my night; rather, it was the sound of music bouncing off walls fashioned like the inside of uterus that I won't soon forget.
Big thanks go out to Texas Theatre for setting the stage, and to DJs Gabe and Gavin G for doing the rest. With Halloween parties just around the bend, I can't think of two guys better suited to score your evening of unsavory costumes and unhealthy decisions. The things a little unexpected music here and there can do for your night. Damn.
For those interested in experiencing the sounds of Gabe and Gavin's set for themselves, a large chunk of the songs can be heard here:
