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Communion Music Showcase Featuring Danny Malone

Where: Rockwood Music Hall Other details: In the red-walled, faux candle-lit basement of iconic L.E.S. rock club, Rockwood, a silent crowd seemed to be transported back to the folk scene of the city in the 1960s, transfixed on the magic, magnetic musician on stage—in this case, Texas native Danny Malone. His haunted set, alternating between piano and guitar, was filled with a kinetic energy that, like Malone, was a paradox of intense density and overarching emptiness. But between breath-stopping songs of life, death, and love, the confidently quirky Texan cracked jokes and broke into impromptu renditions of classic Queen songs, which brought the audience out of its shell as well. The alcohol in the atmosphere probably didn't hurt, either. After the indie up-and-comer, who nevertheless has two albums under his belt, finished his poetic performance (which could be likened to the early days of Conor Oberst-ian emotion and rawness), we were able to catch up with Danny Malone, ask about his music, and find out what he's been ducking during his stay in NYC: How many times have you performed in New York? DM: In the last five years, I've played here like 15 times or something. I've come before and stayed for a couple of weeks and did a residency. I've played Rockwood like 4 times but I hadn't been here for a couple of years. And things have been more serious in the last couple of years. It just seems like things are getting traction. It seems like your songs are really about capturing a feeling over telling a story. How would you describe your music? Well, it's not about the stories. Stories are whatever but emotions are ineffable, there's no way to say certain things that people feel and the big mystery of art is just to do that - put emotion into a tangible element. I saw the video for Spiderlegs. It's super dark, kinda creepy, but I loved it! What was the inspiration behind it? That's me! That's me in a nutshell. Dark, creepy, but you love me! What was the inspiration? I don't really know. What I think about art is not "planning." You set up a circumstance or a landscape, so to speak, for people to rest in and you capture what happens in that landscape. The song, too, there's no linear story to it, but you kind of know what it means by the end. Or maybe you just feel a little emptiness. What do you like about playing in New York, IF you like playing in New York? New York was just tough to me always, like just getting around. You just feel so little sometimes. But there's something about this trip to New York that feels really big. It's not like I'm playing Barclays Center or whatever but something is big about what's going on right now and New York just feels like my oyster. It feels so easy here to me right now, to the point where I've been thinking maybe I should be here a little while. I know how to get around! Oh, that's awesome! Have you figured out the subway system? Yeah! I just rely on my internal direction system. I try to do that. I still get lost a lot. That's OK. That's where you discover things! Yeah, discover robbery...danger. I almost got shot at a diner during this trip. At Kellogg's Diner! Oh, Kellogg's. That brings back some memories. So when can we expect your third album out? In April, May, probably May. Maybe June.