Saintseneca gives standout performance at PhilaMOCA

Saintseneca | photo by Rachel Del Sordo

On Friday night, Columbus indie-folk band Saintseneca graced the stage of PhilaMOCA in support of their new album Pillar of Na, which was released on August 31st on Anti-. The band is the brain child of Columbus based musician Zac Little, who uses a verity of unconventional instrumentation to build a sound unlike anything else.

Saintseneca preformed a seductive set blending many new songs with old favorites from previous releases. The band’s unique live performance has each member changing instruments throughout the set. Highlights of the night included the bands performance of “Only the Young Die Good” from Dark Arc, which featured breathtaking harmonies. The song segued into the song “Book of the Dead on Sale,” and Little explained that the song, which explores the idea of space and time in a digital world, was written after a friend’s kitten video went viral, adding “if you add up all the time, the video was viewed more time then the cat was alive.” The set ended with the album’s title track, “Pillar of Na,” and the almost nine-minute song built into a beautiful odyssey as the perfect way to end the set.

Accompanying Saintseneca on the bill was the newest member of the Saddle Creek Records family, Black Belt Eagle Scout. This Portland based project is fronted by Katherine Paul, who is set to release their first full length album Mother of My Children on September 14th. Throughout the performance, Paul’s masterful guitar work stole the show. Each song built upon itself creating a full and vibrant sound; I think it is safe to say we will be hearing a lot more about Black Belt Eagle Scout in the coming months.

Both artists delivered stand out performances at PhilaMOCA, and if you happen to be looking for new music, I’d highly recommend checking out either of them; they will not disappoint. Check out photos from the show in the gallery below.