Voice Choices

Acute Records reissued noise-rock progenitor Glenn Branca's landmark 1981 album, The Ascension, a few years ago, introducing his hardboiled harmonics to a new generation of listeners convinced that oddly tuned guitars began with Sonic Youth (whose Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore actually cut their teeth playing under Branca). Now he's at work on the album's sequel, trying out material with his six-piece Glenn Branca Ensemble (which includes four guitarists) in a series of live shows around New York; this gig follows similar ones last month at P.S.1 and (le) poisson rouge. According to Branca's website, tonight's program will include a tribute to American composer Steve Reich and one ditty titled "The Tone Row That Ruled the World." Consider that one a threat, not a promise.
Sat., Oct. 17, 8 p.m., 2009