SHOW REVIEW

running back into the trench. There were 19 different things like that. We were only able to do this because we were too dumb to know what we were getting into.”

They wised up quickly and, mere months after opening the doors, the venue became a hub for dance music of all stripes, indie artists on the come-up, and the still vital local scene. Gina Altamura, who joined the team in 2008 and remains the head booker for the space, has been key to keeping Holocene far ahead of the creative curve.

Altamura brought Billie Eilish to Holocene’s humble performance space well before she ballooned to arena-sized fame. Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon had what he called “a dark night of the soul” at the club and wound up naming a song after it. SZA, Damian Lillard, M83, Grimes, Portugal. The Man, the Raincoats, Vampire Weekend, Gayle—the list goes on.

“Curiosity has always been a driving force,” says Altamura, who saw her own listening habits move from noise music into future pop and R&B in the years since coming to work at Holocene. “We’re curious about what’s happening in town, what’s happening in music nationally. What’s bubbling up? That continues to guide us and push us into new avenues.”

Important as those concerts have been, what has consistently kept Holocene afloat is its weekend dance parties. Friday and Saturday nights are devoted to a rotation of club nights helmed by DJs both local and international. And without seeking some