This past weekend I went to a performance of Decasia at St. Ann’s Warehouse to see (well, hear) a friend play in the orchestra. I was surprised to find myself clutching my boyfriend’s hand in fear. Who would’ve thought that “new music” mixed with cryptic decaying silent film segments could be so scary?

My favorite moment was when the horns blared like an oncoming train, several shirtless men (the male musicians went topless) banged away at their giant drums, their pecs jiggling, and the flute/piccolo section somehow managed to sound like a chorus of dentist’s drills. Juxtaposed with this unsettling score was the image of a man (perhaps an acrobat) slowly climbing a ladder in silhouette. It was almost as scary as The Shining. I swear.

Unfortunately, Sunday night was the last performance. But if you’re curious to find out more about the artists or the show, you can check out the St. Ann’s Warehouse website.
You can also read the review in the New York Times.