Brick + Mortar at the Raccoon Motel -- May 16.
Tuesday, May 16, 7 p.m.
Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA
Composed of New Jersey-based musicians Brandon Asraf (bass guitar and vocals) and John Tacon (drums, electronic samples, and vocals), the indie-rock duo Brick + Mortar headlines a May 16 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel in support of their latest release Melting Up, the 2022 recording that led The Other Side Reviews to state that "the layers of the melody and vocals touch on the light and dark of the world that the band is so wonderfully able to bring to life."
Natives of Toms River, New Jersey, Asraf and Tacon began playing music together when they were in middle school, initially as a drum and bass improvisational duo, and their first band together was called Black Rhythm. Both members took private lessons for their respective instruments at a young age, but were largely self-taught in their knowledge of theory and performance. In 2008, Asraf and Tacon renamed their project Brick + Mortar, and began focusing more heavily on the use of electronic samples in their music as well as relying less on improvisation and more on structured pop songs. With the promising rise of the Asbury Park musical scene, the duo began performing regularly up and down the New Jersey coast, eventually earning opening spots for larger national acts such as River City Extension and Jimmy Eat World. In 2010, the band released their first studio LP 7 Years in the Mystic Room, and that December, Brick + Mortar were invited to perform at a Sony/Jive Records showcase at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City.
Since then, Brick + Mortar has released a trio of EPs in 2013's Bangs, 2015's Dropped, and 2017's Dropped Again, as well as a pair of albums: 2018's Meta Meta Etc. and last year's Melting Up. They have also continued to amass rave reviews from music critics, with Nylon Magazine stating, “There’s an undeniable energy that charges through New Jersey-based duo Brick + Mortar ... . Lead singer Brandon Asraf’s voice has a ferocious punch to it and effortlessly moves from solemn croon to savage cry without losing an ounce of passion along the way. Tensions build and tribal beats boom under biting lyrics. These guys will hit you like a delightful ton of bricks (pun intended).” Regarding their live performances, the musicians told The Vogue, "We are not for the faint of heart. Our brash, gritty, whip-smart sound foregoes guitar in favor of bass, drums, and electronic samples. At our shows, the audience is part of the band. That’s what makes playing each show uniquely exciting and inspiring. We will give you 100 percent every time because we truly love what we do. Hopefully, you give us 100 percent back.”
Brick + Mortar headlines their May 16 Davenport engagement on May 16 with sets by Jhariah and Pollyanna, admission to the 7 p.m. concert is $15, and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.
