Manson Family Picnic

New York City band Manson Family Picnic was formed in a woodshop in Bushwick, Brooklyn in late 2007. Its five members play hand-me-down acoustic instruments and come out of a variety of music scenes, ranging from noise and hardcore punk to jazz and avant-garde classical. Manson Family Picnic has played alongside artists such as the Vivian Girls, The Trachtenberg Family Slideshow players, and Phonograph in established DIY and rock venues of New York City. In the summer of 2008, this diverse mixture of sounds and people came together in a cabin in upstate New York to record the catchy psychedelic folk pop tunes of their eponymous EP. Manson Family Picnic completed their first tour of the Northeast this February.

JezebelMusic.com described them like so: “This band is quirky, kooky, arty, folky goodness. Armed with five members playing mandolin, guitar, drums, violin, bells, and full vocals, the band pounded its way through energetic, catchy songs pumping to the rhythm of upright bass notes. Maybe it was the red light bathing the stage, or the lead singer’s animated expressions, but something about the band was delightfully sinister, at times sounding like a Pixies folk band, at times folk-pop echoing the Decemberists, at times hailing the evilishness of Tom Waits. Throughout, the band emanated tangible energy and overall presence. Keep an eye out for The Manson Family Picnic!"