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Fiery Furnaces, Dave Longstreth & more playing BV-presented ‘Us v. Them’ book events in Brooklyn
Brooklyn Vegan is presenting a series of Brooklyn book events for Ronen Givony’s Us v. Them, featuring live appearances by musicians including the Fiery Furnaces and Dave Longstreth. The events connect the book’s history of Brooklyn’s mid-2000s indie scene with artists associated with that era, offering performances and discussions alongside its release.
– Us v. Them: The Age of Indie Music and a Decade in New York (2004–2014) examines Brooklyn’s indie-music culture during that period. – Givony, founder of Wordless Music, draws on reporting, research and interviews with musicians and industry figures. – The book considers the scene’s rise and decline amid political change, digital disruption and a struggling music industry. – One launch event at Greenlight Bookstore included a discussion with Beggars Group president Nabil Ayers, a signing, reception and a solo set by Dan Friel.
In short
- Brooklyn events will celebrate Ronen Givony’s indie-music history.
- Fiery Furnaces and Dave Longstreth are among participating artists.
- The book covers Brooklyn’s influential 2004–2014 indie scene.
Explained simply
Brooklyn has a history with independent music in the 2000s. A new book called Us v. Them: The Age of Indie Music and a Decade in New York documents this period from 2004 to 2014, examining both the music and the broader forces that shaped it, based on research and interviews with musicians and industry figures.
The book's author, Ronen Givony, founder of Wordless Music, has partnered with Brooklyn Vegan, a music publication, to host launch events featuring live performances. Musicians from that era, including the Fiery Furnaces and Dave Longstreth, are performing at these events alongside discussions about the book.
The book explores how the independent music scene developed and changed during a decade marked by technological disruption, economic challenges for the music industry, and cultural shifts. The events bring together the historical documentation with performances by people who were part of that scene, offering both perspective and firsthand accounts from the period.