Beirut (band)
Encyclopedia
Beirut is an American
band
which was originally the solo musical project of Santa Fe
native Zachary Francis Condon, and later expanded into a band. The band's first performances were in Wollaston, United Kingdom, in May 2006, to support the release of their debut album, Gulag Orkestar
. Beirut's music combines elements of indie-rock and world music
.
before moving back to New Mexico. Zach played trumpet in a jazz band as a teenager and cites jazz as a major influence.
Condon attended Santa Fe High School
, where he was a student until he dropped out at the age of 16. According to a 2011 interview with David Dye on NPR
, growing up in Santa Fe meant that Condon was exposed to Spanish music such as mariachi
. He also worked at a cinema showing international films and this piqued his interest in Fellini arias and Sicialian funeral brass as well as providing his first experience of Balkan music, including perhaps that of Goran Bregović
and Boban Marković
.
He later enrolled in community college, but only attended for a short period before traveling to Europe
at the age of 17 with his older brother, Ryan. This discovery and Condon's subsequent exploration of world music
proved to be instrumental in the development of Beirut's melodic sound. Zach's musical legacy has also stemmed to his younger brother Ross Condon, who plays in the Brooklyn
based band Total Slacker
.
and photography
. Condon recorded the bulk of the material used for Gulag Orkestar
by himself in his bedroom, going into the studio to finish the album with the assistance of Jeremy Barnes
(Neutral Milk Hotel
, A Hawk and a Hacksaw
) and Heather Trost
(A Hawk and a Hacksaw
), who became early members of the band Beirut.
On the strength of the recordings, Condon was signed under the name of Beirut to Ba Da Bing! records, and Gulag Orkestar
was given a May 2006 release. Condon recruited some friends to play the music live for the first shows in New York, and Beirut was born.
Beirut's first official music video
was for the song "Elephant Gun
". The second video, which was for the song "Postcards from Italy", was directed by Alma Har'el, and was released later.
, was recorded largely at a makeshift studio
in Albuquerque and completed at Arcade Fire's studio in Quebec
. The music on the album has a French influence due to Condon's interest in French chanson
during its recording. Condon has cited Francophone
singers Jacques Brel
, Serge Gainsbourg
and Yves Montand
as influences. He also expressed interest in French film
and culture, claiming this was his original reason for travelling to Europe. The Flying Club Cup was officially released in October 2007. In September 2007 they did a Take-Away Show acoustic video session shot by Vincent Moon
. A DVD, Cheap Magic Inside, was shot but quickly sold out; in December 2010, Beirut, BaDaBing, and Blogotheque authorized its dissemination via digital download.
March of the Zapotec/Holland EP
was released, containing an official Beirut release based on Condon's recent trip to Oaxaca
(March of the Zapotec), and electronic music
under the "Realpeople" name (Holland).
On February 6, 2009 Beirut made their debut television performance in the United States on the Late Show with David Letterman
, performing "A Sunday Smile".
, was constantly played throughout the episodes), Beirut has acquired a massive following within the country. This large fan base inspired musicians in cities across the country to form tribute bands in an event called "Beirutando na Praça" which translates to "Beiruting in the Square" which occurred on August 30, 2009; though the groups had formed earlier in the winter of 2009. The event involved seven bands in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Recife,
Salvador, Curitiba, and Lima performing adapted covers of Beirut songs in the streets.
Beirutando groups have adapted the songs in order to connect them to Brazilian culture by changing rhythms. As well as altering the songs, different instruments have been used, such as the "cavacolele", a cavaquinho
modified with nylon strings tuned to G-C-E-A (standard ukulele tuning); this instrument was thought up because of the absence of ukuleles in Brazil. Other instruments used by Beirutando bands are the cajón
and the melodica
.
An FAQ created by the organization stated how the idea for Beirutando was born: "Beirutando appeared in a conversation between two girls from the countryside of São Paulo, Iris and Tainá, concerning about good musicians and composers around the world, when Beirut was quoted. Wondering about how many people would know about Beirut here in Brazil and how good would it be if there were bands with the same potential, they had this insight: 'We could bring together people who like Beirut and start one band with different personality but that would reach the same musical level'. After spreading this idea through a social online network, the Beirutando project was born in late 2008."
, which had been recorded the previous winter in upstate New York, was to be released on August 30. The band simultaneously released a single
from the album, "East Harlem" (which was first recorded on Live at the Music Hall of Williamsburg ), with the B-side "Goshen". The new album is recorded, managed, and released under Condon's own Pompeii Records.
Reviewers and fellow musicians have noted that, unlike the prior albums which drew heavily on foreign music from Mexico, France, the Balkans, etc., this one has shown Beirut with its own, more pop-oriented sound; saying, "what emerges [on The Rip Tide] is a style that belongs uniquely and distinctly to Beirut, one that has actually been there all along." One reviewer noted that "the Euro influences [of Beirut's previous albums] are still there, but the presiding spirit is old-fashioned American pop." This album also differs from Beirut's previous albums in that the music was recorded as a band playing together rather than laying down individual tracks one at a time, though the lyrics were only added by Condon after all the music had been recorded.
side-project. It was under this name that Condon made his first (unreleased) album, The Joys of Losing Weight, and the name to which the Holland EP is credited. The Joys of Losing Weight, which was made when Condon was fifteen, has never been released officially, but has been leaked on the internet.
founded in 2011 by Zach Condon in order to give the band and himself full control over their music. The first recordings released on the label were the band's third album, The Rip Tide
, and the preceding single, "East Harlem."
, trumpet
and ukulele
on A Hawk and a Hacksaw
's album A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble and trumpet and ukulele on Alaska in Winter
's album Dance Party in the Balkans
. He appears on Get Him Eat Him
's album Arms Down, on the song "2x2".
Condon is featured on the song Found Too Low RMX by fellow Santa Fean Pictureplane
and also appears on the first and last tracks of the Grizzly Bear
EP Friend
.
Condon also appeared on The New Pornographers
' fifth album, Together.
Rock group Blondie
's 2011 album, Panic of Girls
, features a ska
cover of "Sunday Smile" on which Condon plays trumpet. He also plays on "Le Bleu".
Again in 2011, they contributed a cover of Caetano Veloso's
song, "O Leãozinho," to the Red Hot Organization's
most recent charitable album "Red Hot+Rio 2." The album is a follow-up to the 1996 "Red Hot+Rio." Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.
and the ukulele
as his main instruments. He bought the ukulele as a joke stage prop, but found he liked the sound and was able to play it despite a wrist injury that inhibited him from playing guitar. Condon also plays the trumpet, euphonium, mandolin, accordion, various keyboard instruments, and a modified conch
shell that appears on The Flying Club Cup
.
Live, Beirut's roster generally consists of:
Past members include:
The majority of the members of Beirut have performed live as well as appeared on recorded material.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
which was originally the solo musical project of Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
native Zachary Francis Condon, and later expanded into a band. The band's first performances were in Wollaston, United Kingdom, in May 2006, to support the release of their debut album, Gulag Orkestar
Gulag Orkestar
Gulag Orkestar is the debut album of Beirut. It was recorded in 2005 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.It is written in the booklet that the front and back photos were found in a library in Leipzig, torn out of a book...
. Beirut's music combines elements of indie-rock and world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
.
Early years
Zach Condon was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico on February 13, 1986. He was brought up in Newport News, VirginiaNewport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
before moving back to New Mexico. Zach played trumpet in a jazz band as a teenager and cites jazz as a major influence.
Condon attended Santa Fe High School
Santa Fe High School (New Mexico)
Santa Fe High School, founded in 1889, is a public high school in the Santa Fe Public Schools. It is located about two miles southwest of downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico and is the largest school in Santa Fe, public or private, with an enrollment of 1,542...
, where he was a student until he dropped out at the age of 16. According to a 2011 interview with David Dye on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
, growing up in Santa Fe meant that Condon was exposed to Spanish music such as mariachi
Mariachi
Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind,...
. He also worked at a cinema showing international films and this piqued his interest in Fellini arias and Sicialian funeral brass as well as providing his first experience of Balkan music, including perhaps that of Goran Bregović
Goran Bregovic
Goran Bregović is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Balkans. He currently splits his time between Paris and Belgrade, where he settled down during the Yugoslav Wars.Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesária Évora...
and Boban Marković
Boban Markovic
Boban Marković is a Serbian Romani trumpet player and brass ensemble leader from Vladičin Han, frequently recognized as the greatest trumpet player to emerge from the Balkans...
.
He later enrolled in community college, but only attended for a short period before traveling to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
at the age of 17 with his older brother, Ryan. This discovery and Condon's subsequent exploration of world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
proved to be instrumental in the development of Beirut's melodic sound. Zach's musical legacy has also stemmed to his younger brother Ross Condon, who plays in the Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
based band Total Slacker
Total Slacker
Total Slacker is an American band from Brooklyn, New York.In one year as a group, they have released two singles on independent record labels both in the U.S. and Europe, and have played over 100 shows in New York,...
.
Gulag Orkestar
On his return from Europe, Condon enrolled at the University of New Mexico, where he studied PortuguesePortuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
and photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
. Condon recorded the bulk of the material used for Gulag Orkestar
Gulag Orkestar
Gulag Orkestar is the debut album of Beirut. It was recorded in 2005 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.It is written in the booklet that the front and back photos were found in a library in Leipzig, torn out of a book...
by himself in his bedroom, going into the studio to finish the album with the assistance of Jeremy Barnes
Jeremy Barnes
Jeremy Barnes is an American musician. He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the son of a local businessman. In 1995 he moved to Chicago to attend DePaul University but later dropped out. He joined the band Neutral Milk Hotel in January 1996. The band disbanded in 1998 and Barnes spent time...
(Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie rock band formed by singer, guitarist and songwriter Jeff Mangum in the early 1990s. The band was noted for its experimental sound, obscure lyrics and eclectic instrumentation....
, A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw is a band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, currently signed to L.M. Dupli-cation. The band consists of accordionist Jeremy Barnes, who was previously the drummer for Neutral Milk Hotel and Bablicon, and violinist Heather Trost...
) and Heather Trost
Heather Trost
-Biography:Trost was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is one of the two members of the American Balkan Folk band A Hawk and a Hacksaw, with Jeremy Barnes ....
(A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw is a band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, currently signed to L.M. Dupli-cation. The band consists of accordionist Jeremy Barnes, who was previously the drummer for Neutral Milk Hotel and Bablicon, and violinist Heather Trost...
), who became early members of the band Beirut.
On the strength of the recordings, Condon was signed under the name of Beirut to Ba Da Bing! records, and Gulag Orkestar
Gulag Orkestar
Gulag Orkestar is the debut album of Beirut. It was recorded in 2005 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.It is written in the booklet that the front and back photos were found in a library in Leipzig, torn out of a book...
was given a May 2006 release. Condon recruited some friends to play the music live for the first shows in New York, and Beirut was born.
Beirut's first official music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was for the song "Elephant Gun
Elephant Gun EP
Track 3 was recorded during a KEXP Radio Session live at the Austin City Limits on March 16, 2007.Released by 4AD Records, on June 25, 2007, Catalog Number AD 2729. Also available on promo CD, with a full-art cardboard slip-case. Artwork for both by John Wozencroft.-Music Video:A music video was...
". The second video, which was for the song "Postcards from Italy", was directed by Alma Har'el, and was released later.
The Flying Club Cup
Beirut's second album, The Flying Club CupThe Flying Club Cup
The Flying Club Cup is the second studio album by Balkan folk band Beirut, released on October 9, 2007 on 4AD Records. The album was pre-released on iTunes on September 4, 2007....
, was recorded largely at a makeshift studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
in Albuquerque and completed at Arcade Fire's studio in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The music on the album has a French influence due to Condon's interest in French chanson
Chanson
A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specialising in chansons is known as a "chanteur" or "chanteuse" ; a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.-Chanson de geste:The...
during its recording. Condon has cited Francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
singers Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
, Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
and Yves Montand
Yves Montand
-Early life:Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, the son of poor peasants Giuseppina and Giovanni Livi, a broommaker. Montand's mother was a devout Catholic, while his father held strong Communist beliefs. Because of the Fascist regime in Italy, Montand's family left for France in...
as influences. He also expressed interest in French film
French Film
French Film is a 2008 British comedy film directed by Jackie Oudney and starring Anne-Marie Duff, Hugh Bonneville, Victoria Hamilton, Douglas Henshall and Eric Cantona. The film was shot in Spring 2007 at various locations around London including Waterloo station and the BFI Southbank.-Plot:Two...
and culture, claiming this was his original reason for travelling to Europe. The Flying Club Cup was officially released in October 2007. In September 2007 they did a Take-Away Show acoustic video session shot by Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon is an independent filmmaker from Paris mainly known for his field work music videos of indie rock related musicians as well as some notable mainstream artists like Tom Jones, R.E.M. or Arcade Fire. Besides making music videos he also makes experimental films and documentaries...
. A DVD, Cheap Magic Inside, was shot but quickly sold out; in December 2010, Beirut, BaDaBing, and Blogotheque authorized its dissemination via digital download.
March of the Zapotec
On April 3, 2008, Beirut canceled a previously announced summer European tour. The band had already been touring and had completed the U.S. leg of the tour, but before the European leg, Condon stated that after two months of touring, he was suffering from exhaustion. Zach Condon explained the cancellations in a post on the official Beirut website, stating that he wanted to put the effort into ensuring that any shows would be "as good as humanly possible". In January 2009 the double EPDouble EP
A double extended play is the name typically given to vinyl records or CDs released as a set of two discs, each of which would normally qualify as an EP. The name is thus analogous to double album...
March of the Zapotec/Holland EP
March of the Zapotec/Holland EP
March of the Zapotec/Holland is a double EP by Beirut. March of the Zapotec contains music influenced by Zach Condon's then recent trip to Oaxaca, Mexico. The Jimenez Band, a 19-piece band from Teotitlán del Valle, backs Condon on this EP. March of the Zapotec also features one of Condon's favorite...
was released, containing an official Beirut release based on Condon's recent trip to Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
(March of the Zapotec), and electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
under the "Realpeople" name (Holland).
On February 6, 2009 Beirut made their debut television performance in the United States on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
, performing "A Sunday Smile".
Beirutando
Due to their appearance on "Capitu", a mini-series that aired in Brazil (the song "Elephant Gun", from the eponymous EPElephant Gun EP
Track 3 was recorded during a KEXP Radio Session live at the Austin City Limits on March 16, 2007.Released by 4AD Records, on June 25, 2007, Catalog Number AD 2729. Also available on promo CD, with a full-art cardboard slip-case. Artwork for both by John Wozencroft.-Music Video:A music video was...
, was constantly played throughout the episodes), Beirut has acquired a massive following within the country. This large fan base inspired musicians in cities across the country to form tribute bands in an event called "Beirutando na Praça" which translates to "Beiruting in the Square" which occurred on August 30, 2009; though the groups had formed earlier in the winter of 2009. The event involved seven bands in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Recife,
Salvador, Curitiba, and Lima performing adapted covers of Beirut songs in the streets.
Beirutando groups have adapted the songs in order to connect them to Brazilian culture by changing rhythms. As well as altering the songs, different instruments have been used, such as the "cavacolele", a cavaquinho
Cavaquinho
The cavaquinho is a small string instrument of the European guitar family with four wire or gut strings. It is also called machimbo, machim, machete , manchete or marchete, braguinha or braguinho, or cavaco.The most common tuning is D-G-B-D ; other tunings include D-A-B-E...
modified with nylon strings tuned to G-C-E-A (standard ukulele tuning); this instrument was thought up because of the absence of ukuleles in Brazil. Other instruments used by Beirutando bands are the cajón
Cajón
A cajón is a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played by slapping the front face with the hands.-Origins and evolution:...
and the melodica
Melodica
The melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
.
An FAQ created by the organization stated how the idea for Beirutando was born: "Beirutando appeared in a conversation between two girls from the countryside of São Paulo, Iris and Tainá, concerning about good musicians and composers around the world, when Beirut was quoted. Wondering about how many people would know about Beirut here in Brazil and how good would it be if there were bands with the same potential, they had this insight: 'We could bring together people who like Beirut and start one band with different personality but that would reach the same musical level'. After spreading this idea through a social online network, the Beirutando project was born in late 2008."
The Rip Tide
In early June 2011, amidst touring the US, Beirut announced that their newest album, The Rip TideThe Rip Tide
The Rip Tide is the third studio album by indie folk band Beirut, released in August 2011.-History:The first news that Beirut was recording a new album came in the winter of 2010-11 with an announcement from Ba Da Bing records:...
, which had been recorded the previous winter in upstate New York, was to be released on August 30. The band simultaneously released a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the album, "East Harlem" (which was first recorded on Live at the Music Hall of Williamsburg ), with the B-side "Goshen". The new album is recorded, managed, and released under Condon's own Pompeii Records.
Reviewers and fellow musicians have noted that, unlike the prior albums which drew heavily on foreign music from Mexico, France, the Balkans, etc., this one has shown Beirut with its own, more pop-oriented sound; saying, "what emerges [on The Rip Tide] is a style that belongs uniquely and distinctly to Beirut, one that has actually been there all along." One reviewer noted that "the Euro influences [of Beirut's previous albums] are still there, but the presiding spirit is old-fashioned American pop." This album also differs from Beirut's previous albums in that the music was recorded as a band playing together rather than laying down individual tracks one at a time, though the lyrics were only added by Condon after all the music had been recorded.
Realpeople
Realpeople is Zach Condon's electronicElectronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
side-project. It was under this name that Condon made his first (unreleased) album, The Joys of Losing Weight, and the name to which the Holland EP is credited. The Joys of Losing Weight, which was made when Condon was fifteen, has never been released officially, but has been leaked on the internet.
1971
Condon has also released an EP, Small-Time American Bats, under the name 1971. This was recorded with his friend, Alex Gaziano on guitar and vocals, when they were both around 16 years old (2002). Gaziano is a founding member of Kidcrash, another band originating from Santa Fe, New Mexico.Soft Landing
Soft Landing was a project started by Beirut members Paul Collins (bass) and Perrin Cloutier (accordion) and Mike Lawless. Their eponymous debut album was released on October 12, 2010 on Ba Da Bing records, and has been described as "a pop version of Beirut" and freak-folk, with a heavy emphasis on dance beats and sheer energy.Pompeii Records
Pompeii Records is the record labelRecord label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
founded in 2011 by Zach Condon in order to give the band and himself full control over their music. The first recordings released on the label were the band's third album, The Rip Tide
The Rip Tide
The Rip Tide is the third studio album by indie folk band Beirut, released in August 2011.-History:The first news that Beirut was recording a new album came in the winter of 2010-11 with an announcement from Ba Da Bing records:...
, and the preceding single, "East Harlem."
Guest appearances
Condon plays mandolinMandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
and ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
on A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw
A Hawk and a Hacksaw is a band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, currently signed to L.M. Dupli-cation. The band consists of accordionist Jeremy Barnes, who was previously the drummer for Neutral Milk Hotel and Bablicon, and violinist Heather Trost...
's album A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble and trumpet and ukulele on Alaska in Winter
Alaska in Winter
Alaska in Winter is an American electronic band, created by DavMasters, consisting of front man Brandon Bethancourt, who dropped out of art school in Albuquerque, New Mexico and reportedly,...
's album Dance Party in the Balkans
Dance Party in the Balkans
Dance Party in the Balkans is the debut album of American electronic band Alaska in Winter, released in 2007.- Track listing :# "The Homeless and the Hummingbirds" – 2:57# "Your Red Dress " – 2:50...
. He appears on Get Him Eat Him
Get Him Eat Him
Get Him Eat Him was a five-piece indie rock band from Providence, Rhode Island that existed from February 2004 to February 2009.The band signed to Absolutely Kosher Records in the summer of 2004 and recorded their debut album Geography Cones with Jay Pellicci at San Francisco's Tiny Telephone Studio...
's album Arms Down, on the song "2x2".
Condon is featured on the song Found Too Low RMX by fellow Santa Fean Pictureplane
Pictureplane
Pictureplane is the stage name of electronic musician Travis Egedy. He first appeared in the music scene of Denver, Colorado, making a name for himself at the warehouse where he also lives, Rhinoceropolis...
and also appears on the first and last tracks of the Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear (band)
Grizzly Bear is a Brooklyn-based indie rock band, composed of Edward Droste , Daniel Rossen , Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear . The band employs traditional and electronic instruments...
EP Friend
Friend (EP)
Friend is an EP by the Brooklyn-based band Grizzly Bear, their first release following the critically acclaimed Yellow House. It was released on November 5, 2007 on Warp Records. The EP has tracks recorded during sessions for the Yellow House album, as well as covers of their songs by Band of...
.
Condon also appeared on The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a...
' fifth album, Together.
Rock group Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
's 2011 album, Panic of Girls
Panic of Girls
Panic of Girls is the ninth studio album by the American New Wave band Blondie. The album was first released digitally on May 30, 2011, followed by physical releases later .-Background and release:...
, features a ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
cover of "Sunday Smile" on which Condon plays trumpet. He also plays on "Le Bleu".
Albums
- Gulag OrkestarGulag OrkestarGulag Orkestar is the debut album of Beirut. It was recorded in 2005 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.It is written in the booklet that the front and back photos were found in a library in Leipzig, torn out of a book...
(May 9, 2006) - The Flying Club CupThe Flying Club CupThe Flying Club Cup is the second studio album by Balkan folk band Beirut, released on October 9, 2007 on 4AD Records. The album was pre-released on iTunes on September 4, 2007....
(October 9, 2007) UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#69 - The Rip TideThe Rip TideThe Rip Tide is the third studio album by indie folk band Beirut, released in August 2011.-History:The first news that Beirut was recording a new album came in the winter of 2010-11 with an announcement from Ba Da Bing records:...
(August 2, 2011) UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#49, CANCanadian Albums ChartThe Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
#48 US #80
EPs
- The Guns of Brixton / Interior of a Dutch House (November 13, 2006) – Calexico/Beirut 7″ split single
- Lon GislandLon GislandLon Gisland EP is an EP by Beirut. It is a follow-up to the critically acclaimed Gulag Orkestar and the first album performed by the full band, which came together after the release of Gulag Orkestar...
(January 30, 2007) - Pompeii EPPompeii EPPompeii is an EP by Beirut, released in 2007. It features only the work of Zach Condon and pre-dates the Gulag Orkestar debut album. While initially only available exclusively through eMusic and Rough Trade Digital, it later could be found on iTunes and Amazon. At the moment it only can be found on...
(February 28, 2007) - Elephant Gun EPElephant Gun EPTrack 3 was recorded during a KEXP Radio Session live at the Austin City Limits on March 16, 2007.Released by 4AD Records, on June 25, 2007, Catalog Number AD 2729. Also available on promo CD, with a full-art cardboard slip-case. Artwork for both by John Wozencroft.-Music Video:A music video was...
(June 25, 2007) - March of the Zapotec/Holland EPMarch of the Zapotec/Holland EPMarch of the Zapotec/Holland is a double EP by Beirut. March of the Zapotec contains music influenced by Zach Condon's then recent trip to Oaxaca, Mexico. The Jimenez Band, a 19-piece band from Teotitlán del Valle, backs Condon on this EP. March of the Zapotec also features one of Condon's favorite...
(February 16, 2009 – Unofficially released onto iTunes on January 27) US #87 UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#101
Compilations
- Dark Was the NightDark Was the NightDark Was the Night is the twentieth compilation release benefiting the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS...
Beirut contributed the song Mimizan to the charity compilation benefiting the Red Hot OrganizationRed Hot OrganizationRed Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
Again in 2011, they contributed a cover of Caetano Veloso's
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso , better known as Caetano Veloso, is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicalismo which encompassed theatre, poetry and music in the 1960s,...
song, "O Leãozinho," to the Red Hot Organization's
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
most recent charitable album "Red Hot+Rio 2." The album is a follow-up to the 1996 "Red Hot+Rio." Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.
DVDs
- Cheap Magic Inside (2007)
- Beirut: Live at the Music Hall of Williamsburg (2009)
Personnel
Condon plays a rotary valve flugelhornFlugelhorn
The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
and the ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
as his main instruments. He bought the ukulele as a joke stage prop, but found he liked the sound and was able to play it despite a wrist injury that inhibited him from playing guitar. Condon also plays the trumpet, euphonium, mandolin, accordion, various keyboard instruments, and a modified conch
Conch
A conch is a common name which is applied to a number of different species of medium-sized to large sea snails or their shells, generally those which are large and have a high spire and a siphonal canal....
shell that appears on The Flying Club Cup
The Flying Club Cup
The Flying Club Cup is the second studio album by Balkan folk band Beirut, released on October 9, 2007 on 4AD Records. The album was pre-released on iTunes on September 4, 2007....
.
Live, Beirut's roster generally consists of:
- Zach Сondon - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
/flugelhornFlugelhornThe flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
/ukuleleUkuleleThe ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings.... - Perrin Cloutier - accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
/celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is... - Nick Petree - drums/percussion/melodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
- Paul Collins - electric bassElectric BassElectric bass can mean:*Electric upright bass, the electric version of a double bass*Electric bass guitar*Bass synthesizer*Big Mouth Billy Bass, a battery-powered singing fish...
/upright bass - Kelly PrattKelly Pratt (musician)Kelly Pratt is a multi-instrumentalist best known for his brass work in the bands Beirut and Arcade Fire.-Biography:Born in Lexington, KY, Pratt has been a member of Beirut since the band's relocation to Brooklyn, playing in the live band and on the recordings...
- trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
/french horn/glockenspielGlockenspielA glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone... - Ben Lanz - tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
/tubaTubaThe tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
Past members include:
- Kristin Ferebee - violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Jason Poranski - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
/mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
/ukuleleUkuleleThe ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings.... - Heather TrostHeather Trost-Biography:Trost was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is one of the two members of the American Balkan Folk band A Hawk and a Hacksaw, with Jeremy Barnes ....
- violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
/violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average... - Jon Natchez - baritone sax/mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
/glockenspielGlockenspielA glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone... - Tracy Pratt - trumpet/euphonium/flugelhorn
- Greg Paulus - trumpet
- Jared van Fleet - pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
The majority of the members of Beirut have performed live as well as appeared on recorded material.
External links
- Ba Da Bing Records
- Website for new album The Flying Club Cup
- Q&A with Beirut at Anthem Magazine
- Authorized digital download of discontinued "Cheap Magic Inside" Take Away Show DVD.
- Beirut on The Lyric Sheet from InDigestInDigestInDigest is a literary journal founded in 2007 by editors and David Doody. It is an online quarterly literary magazine, as well as a reading series, podcast, and publishing house located in New York City and Minneapolis, MN.-The Magazine:...