Photo by Lindsay Beyerstein

On Saturday, April 10th, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society will return to Brooklyn’s Galapagos Art Space for the first time since the May 2009 CD release concert for its acclaimed debut recording, Infernal Machines (New Amsterdam). In the year that followed, this 18-piece steampunk big band has seen its star steadily rise thanks to performances around New York and beyond, profiles by National Public Radio (NPR) and a variety of prominent print publications, and honors ranging from nominations for major awards to strong finishes in high-profile critics’ polls.

“Our CD release event last year at Galapagos was a real thrill,” Argue recalls, “and that show inaugurated a new stage in the band’s existence. Since then, we’ve played record release shows in Philadelphia and Boston, embarked on our first European tour and even made our televised debut on WHYY’s On Canvas. This was my first record, and I really had no idea what to expect, or how the album would be received. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would appear on all those Best of 2009 lists, or that I’d be nominated for a JUNO Award! It’s exciting to return to the venue where all this insanity kicked off.”

Known for both his composing skills and his role as one of the jazz world’s most prominent bloggers, Argue has led Secret Society for the past five years. During that time, the band has built a loyal following among critics and audiences alike through both musical means and a groundbreaking realization of the vast potential of the Internet. The Boston Globe‘s Joan Anderman concludes, “Argue is that rare bird in any genre—an original thinker—but his real gift is in transposing big ideas into music that is as inviting as it is innovative.” Learn more at http://www.secretsocietymusic.org