The Downey Patriot

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Downey band New American playing final performance Saturday

PHOTOS BY WILLIAM ODIS MARTIN

DOWNEY - Downey’s own three-piece garage rock revivalists, New American, will return to perform its last performance ever this Saturday at Stay Gallery.

Although the band says it will be the last time they jam together live as New American, there is a lot to look forward to as far as new music from the trio as they embark on a fresh start under a new name.

The founding members of New American united in the halls of Downey High and have been playing together since 2016 with Jonny Strang on vocals and guitar, alongside bassist Karim Badran and drummer Alex Mendez.

“We haven’t played in Downey in about a year and a half. I used to be the music curator at Stay Gallery when I was in college so I’ve been putting on shows and going to the gallery for years,” says lead singer and guitarist Jonny Strang. “So I talked to Gabe at Stay and we just booked the date.”

This Saturday’s event, “Into the Chaos Gate”, is projected to be “an immersive art experience” that will intermingle the sonic ambiance of New American and Th0t_Chamber with the psychedelic visions and ethereal free dance of multimedia artist The Contaminator.

“The artist, The Contaminator, has had the idea for her event ‘Into the Chaos Gate’ and she decided that we would be the musical accompaniment,” says Strang. “She handpicked our songs and put them in a set for us. While we perform, the Contaminator will be doing live painting and interpretive dancing as well as interacting with the crowd.”

The event promises to be a cerebral glimpse behind the veil, into the mind of a true artist and visionary who welcomes all to come heal in a baptism by pigment, dance, sound and light.

The Contaminator oozes creativity and ceases to amaze and shock the world with her expressive collection of work. She is a living and breathing piece of art. It is liberating to witness a fully actualized creator relentlessly push the envelope and make, paint, dance their way into our hearts and psyches.

Presale tickets are on sale now for $5 and $10 at the door. The doors will open at 8 pm and UV cosmic clothing highly encouraged by The Contaminator.

For more information, please visit staygallery.org/chaosgate.