I am sad. I have nothing but fond memories of the shows Parts and Labor played at both Soundlabs starting back in the old warehouse in our first year (2002). In fact, they played the very first show at the current space, as a kind of pre-opening where they set up on the floor a week before the stage was installed. They stayed at my house a bunch of times and really were one of the pillars of what we were trying to do, as the "brooklyn" sound evolved, over the course of the last decade, from experimental art-rock made by lower east siders and outsider artists who couldn't afford Manhattan anymore to a kind of hipster brand that still produces great things but well you know. Anyway, P&L played their last show last Friday, with Neptune and Oneida, 2 other Soundlab veterans. In fact, the first time Neptune and P&L ever played together was at the old Soundlab in 2002. Both groups were looking for dates around the same time, so we put them together on a bill that also included sound/video duo Lo/Vid, who were responsible for instituting tons of art/music/noise events in NYC at the time. Afterward, P&L, Lo/Vid and Neptune exchanged numbers. They had crisscrossed each other's tours and knew each other by reputation but had never intersected. After this fateful night in Buffalo, they all played together regularly.
Here is the story from the Village Voice blog Sound of the City "Waste of Paint" by Jamie Peck:
"Friday we solemnly visited 285 Kent for Parts and Labor's sold-out farewell show, which featured strong opening sets from pals Neptune and Oneida. P+L has been one of the great workhorses of New York's scene for the past ten years, putting out consistently good albums and touring extensively without ever reaping the financial rewards of colleagues like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV On the Radio. This type of dedication inspires a special type of love in scene diehards (see also: the Melvins), and as such the place was packed front to back with everyone who'd ever appreciated them over the years, including BJ Warshaw's parents. The two-hour-plus show included songs and members from every era of the band, plus some horns and an actual bagpipe player, and at one point they passed around a video camera so the proceedings could be shot from every angle by members of the audience. "Pretty much everyone I love or have loved for the past ten years is in this room tonight, so, with too many people to thank, thanks everyone in this room for being here for us," Warshaw said before launching into an epic encore in which all four drummers played at once. In the end they demolished the drum kit, the cardboard backdrop, and the paper stalactites hanging from the ceiling as BJ made feedback with his bass. "Thank you so fucking much," he said before making his exit. Dan Friel lingered a bit over his processors, drawing out the noise and the moment for as long as possible."
