Knockdown Center, a former Queens glass factory turned events space and concert venue, felt made for Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The cavernous main hall was perfect for the Montreal ensemble’s signature brand of orchestral post-rock epics, played against vivid projections by Karl Lemieux — manning dozens of 16mm film loops with four projectors — that are as integral to who they are as any one instrument. Saturday’s show was the GY!BE’s tour kickoff — and the winter edition of Knockdown’s Outline series — and most of the set was dedicated to three lengthy new compositions, alongside “First of the Last Glaciers” from 2021’s G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END!, and their standard opener “Hope Drone.” The new stuff, and the whole set, sounded amazing.
You can listen to recordings of the three new songs, which have been nicknamed “Flowers,” “Flames” and “Feathers” by fans based on the projections, and check out photos by Ben Stas and the setlist, below.
GY!BE have a few more US and Canada dates before heading to Pitchfork Mexico City, and have many UK and European dates lined up for the spring and fall. Their full schedule is below.
SETLIST: Godspeed You! Black Emperor @ Knockdown Center 2/24/2024
Hope Drone
New Song
First of the Last Glaciers
New Song
New Song
Godspeed You! Black Emperor – 2024 Tour Dates
26 Feb 2024 – Homer, NY @Homer Center for the Arts (with Mat Ball)
27 Feb 2024 – Oshawa, ON @Biltmore Theatre (with Mat Ball)
28 Feb 2024 – Kingston, ON @Grand Theatre (with Mat Ball)
07 Mar 2024 – Mexico City, MX @Pitchfork Music Festival CDMX
10 Apr 2024 – Tampere, FI @Pakkahuone
11 Apr 2024 – Tallinn, EE @Kultuurivabrik
12 Apr 2024 – Riga, LV @Hanzas Perons
13 Apr 2024 – Vilnius, LT @Loftas
14 Apr 2024 – Warsaw, PL @Progresja
16 Apr 2024 – Gdansk, PL @B90
17 Apr 2024 – Kraków, PL @Kamienna 12
18 Apr 2024 – Bratislava, SK @Majestic Music Club
19 Apr 2024 – Prague, CZ @Meet Factory
20 Apr 2024 – Vienna, AT @Arena
21 Apr 2024 – Budapest, HU @Dürer Kert
23 Apr 2024 – Zagreb, HR @Tvornica Culture
24 Apr 2024 – Graz, AT @Dom Im Berg
25 Apr 2024 – Ljubljana, SI @Kino Siska
27 Sep 2024 – Dublin, IE @National Stadium
29 Sep 2024 – London, UK @Troxy
30 Sep 2024 – Glasgow, UK @Barrowlands
01 Oct 2024 – Manchester, UK @Ritz
02 Oct 2024 – Bristol, UK @Marble Factory
03 Oct 2024 – Coventry, UK @The Empire
04 Oct 2024 – Tourcoing, FR @Le Grand Mix
05 Oct 2024 – Esch-Alzette, LU @Kufa
06 Oct 2024 – Paris, FR @Le Trianon
08 Oct 2024 – Nantes, FR @Stereolux
09 Oct 2024 – Nancy, FR @L’Autre Canal (Jazz Pulsation Festival)
10 Oct 2024 – Zürich, CH @Volkshaus
11 Oct 2024 – Lausanne, CH @Les Docks
12 Oct 2024 – Frankfurt, DE @Zoom
14 Oct 2024 – Berlin, DE @Huxleys
15 Oct 2024 – Amsterdam, NE @Paradiso
16 Oct 2024 – Brussels, BE @AB
18 Oct 2024 – Athens, GR @Floyd