The House that Ela built: Ela Minus at Elsewhere
Since its inception on Halloween in 2017, Elsewhere has become an integral part of the New York City music scene. I’ve seen bands from all over the world on each of its stages, from CHVRCHES, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs and Haru Nemuri on the main stage, to Stella Donnelly, Lomelda, and Bellows in Zone One. Nights spent hanging in the Loft, or catching Caroline Rose on the rooftop. And that’s not including its previous inception, Glasslands, where so many big names first started making noise in New York. And If you just look at a list of artists who have played, it’s impressive, it’s a who’s who of both the global indie rock and electronic scene. And that’s why it almost surprises me that the first artist I think of when I think of Elsewhere is Ela Minus.
Ela Minus’s first performance at Elsewhere was in their smaller club space Zone One in January of 2018, just a couple of months after the venue opened. She’d been performing as Ela Minus for only a couple of years at the time, and she had only released 3 EPs at the time. First Words, Grow, and Adapt. It’s easy to see the theme of those early releases, and they’d come to be the theme of Ela Minus’ shows at Elsewhere over the next 8 years. She also branded her music as “tinydance”, a nod to both the simplicity of her sound at the time, as well as how it so openly invited listeners to dance to it.
She then performed in the big room, The Hall, in March, opening for Kelly Lee Owens. An incredible and intense combination of two loud, electronic musicians. The Hall’s sound system is just superb for electronic music. The rafters shake. You feel the bass in your bones. It’s overwhelming, in the best way possible. Owens owned the stage, but Ela’s jump to the bigger space provided even more power to her sound.
Then it was back to Zone One in March of 2019. And this is where we see Ela Minus begin to really grow into the artist that gave us Acts of Rebellion and DÍA. More adventurous with her sound, but she always kept it grounded. Then came the pandemic, and it was a while before Ela would return to Elsewhere, October of 2021, headlining The Hall.
Since 2021, much has changed for her. She released DÍA in January, and it’s truly among the best of the year. It even scored her a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Electronic Performance. Her sound has become more intense, and so has her lyricism. She’s open with struggles, both internally, and politically. She’s a voice that demands to be heard, and she’s finally reached a point where she absolutely is.
And then that leads us up to Thursday, October 23rd, 2025. Ela Minus once again returned to Elsewhere to headline The Hall. And it was a homecoming celebration for sure. Even for opener Danz CM, who used to call Brooklyn home before moving out west. She even reflected on the fact it was her first time back in Brooklyn since the pandemic. Her set was great, featuring new tracks from her upcoming record LÄRM! which is out November 7 (grab it here). Danz CM described LÄRM! as more experimental, and that could be heard in her breathtaking performance of “Larm II (Valhalla)“. We even got to hear some classic Computer Magic including “Fuzz”. She closed with the fantastic “I Don’t Need A Hero” off of her 2021 record The Absurdity of Human Existence. A perfect complement to Ela Minus, as Danz CM used synths, had some heavy bass, and even shredded on an Omnichord. Danz CM even featured Ela Minus on the first episode of her new docuseries Synth History.
Connect with Danz CM: insta / website
Then it was time for Ela Minus’s set. Thinking back to her first time in Zone One, with her magic suitcase of sorts, and now on the big stage with huge projections, lighting, and a larger synth rig. It felt a bit emotional seeing her accomplish this vision for her music, especially in this space. A timer started on the screen and the show began. Ela’s back turned to the audience as she dialed in everything. She turned around and the energy and tension that built up was explosive.
The power of DÍA is undeniable live. Whether it’s the ambient opener “ABRIR MONTE” or the powerful “I WANT TO BE BETTER” there’s an intensity in everything the record brings live. And the audience at Elsewhere returned the energy with a ton of love, screaming along to “BROKEN“, a track that’s deeply personal but resonates with so many. “IDOLS” is another incredible experience live, at time its size completely fills Elsewhere, then it releases to just Ela’s voice. And the three-headed monster of “ONWARDS” “AND” “UPWARDS” is just incredible.
The tracks from acts of rebellion that were mixed in the set were perfect companions to DÍA. Speaking of intensity, there’s few experiences more intense than “megapunk” live, especially with the visuals accompanying the track. And with such deeply personal tracks being played all night, it was so important to hear a track like “they told it was hard, but they were wrong.” Especially when it comes with some of my favorite moments of any Ela Minus show, when she gets everything dialed in perfectly, and takes a few steps back, smiles at what she’s created, and then dances it all out. Moments like that are what make her shows so special.
And the love from the audience was repaid in kind by Ela. Posing for photos mid-song, chatting in between, and just a huge smile on her face most of the night. She was also open with everyone about the emotion of performing, sometimes just taking a moment to soak it all in. Ela’s gear used to have “BRIGHT MUSIC FOR DARK TIMES” written on it, over some pink gaff tape. Times are indeed dark right now, and Ela’s music is a perfect companion to navigate those times, whether the darkness is personal or the state of the world. But Ela left us with some parting words, in that room full of joy and love she said “remember how you’re feeling right now”.
It was yet another show that made me realize exactly why I think of Ela Minus and Elsewhere as always connected. Like the Dead at the Fillmore, The Doors at the Whisky, or the Beatles at the Cavern, it’s a legendary combination of venue and artist that brings out what makes both so special. And one day she may outgrow or move on from Elsewhere, but it’ll always be an important part of her story.
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