Armand Hammer Draws Spectacle at the Knockdown Center

Armand Hammer along with collaborators showed what raw talent feels like.

Flushing N.Y- The Knockdown Center is not just a music venue. It’s a collaborative art exhibit. A space that’s about fostering collaboration and inspiration from all involved. That’s where Armand came in. Bringing out collaborators from their recent project “Haram”, as well as affiliated acts, the line up offered a look at the already brewing avant-garde movement in music.

Fielded opened the show performing tracks that are slated for release next year, as well as tracks off her last project “Demisexual Lovelace”. Lacing the crowd with an immersive look into her love affairs with tracks like “Jutsus” ( missing the collaborator Billy Woods unfortunately). Listeners were locked in to her exciting performance. It was great seeing her get into songs she arranged, wrote and produced herself.

Saint Mela strutted on to the stage next, receiving much love from fans in the crowd. The appreciation from the floor to the stage bought a sense of togetherness and community that the Knockdown Center felt perfect to host. Saint Mela, backed by and amazing band, blew us away with her amazing vocal performance, at one point she hit notes reminiscent of Beyonce! A highlight of her set was when she brought up Fielded to perform ‘leigon”, joining forces for this superb song.

Then from out of left field, the stage dimmed, fog plumed from the stage and industry musiq noise blasted from the stereo. Dreamcrusher had arrived to assault our perceptions of what music could be. Other than a charming slip up which knocked over his laptop, his set either shattered ear drums or inspired a mosh but you cannot say you left his set feeling the same as you did earlier that day.

Now enter Navy Blue. The renowned underground emcee professed much humility as he performed a catalogue that has been boasted by his fans as one of the most introspective rappers out right now.

Wiki stepped on next performing songs off his recent LP “ Half God” produced by Navy Blue. Songs like “The Business” and “Roof” point to the obvious, Wiki may have been gone on tour but he’s a city rooted dweller for life. Rocking the stage in an oversized tee and a yankee fitted it was only fitting.

With this star-studded cast before them the duo Armand Hammer arrived and set their own scene. Billy Woods and Elucid turn off all lights on the stage, instead opting for the negative space of their bodies and the projections of Joseph Mault, warping the area.

All in all a dope experience for this viewer I’d definitely see everyone who performed again.