Upcoming Shows: Oneida, Calvin Johnson + more

TODAY, Tuesday, April 21

Gracefully, I Feel Tractor @ Zebulon || Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Gracefully (fka So L'il) plays some very tripped out dream pop that, last I saw, was more agressive and uptempo live than recorded. It's crazy music with good melodies and lotsa NOISE. As for I Feel Tractor, I actually haven't heard the guy, but I've been curious for a while just because of the cool band name. [Gracefully MySpace] | [Tractor MySpace]


TOMORROW, Wednesday, April 22

Shilpa Ray and Depreciation Guild @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $10
If ever there was a show worth the crazy trek to Bell House in middle-of-nowhere Brooklyn, this is it. I've written two live reviews of Shilpa, one in December and one in March. Depreciation Guild haven't got much in common with her musically, but they are just about as awesome. Heavy electro-shoegazers, these guys get mile-think walls of sound out of their guitars. Two great bands for ten bucks? C'mon. [Shilpa MySpace] | [DG MySpace]

Psychedelic Horseshit, Drink Up Buttercup @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan | $10
These two bands aren't headlining, but they are still hot shit. Psychedelic Horseshit sounds kind of like the name would imply. It's messy and loud, but with a definite pop sensibility lurking somewhere underneath the racket. Drink Up Buttercup is a more straight-forward psychedelic pop that's far less cutting edge and rather more annoying. But some folks like em. [PH MySpace] | [DUB MySpace]


Thursaday, April 23

IfWhen @ Fontana's | Chinatown, Manhattan | $7
IfWhen represents the avant-garde of the shoegaze world, something I like to call "no-gaze." It basically sounds like all of them are playing the different songs. Normally, I'm not so into the highly experimental, but there's something amazing, original and beautiful about IfWhen's music. I think they play early. Also, bring earplugs. [MySpace]


Friday, April 24

Beluga @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $7
Lady punks return to Cameo. It will undoubtedly be a lot like last time, only better. [MySpace]


Saturday, April 25

How to choose...???

Oneida @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Oneida play a loud-ass fusion of punk and krautrock. They could be compared to Suicide from their tight rhythms and repetition, but they're more guitar driven like that. More like Iggy Pop covering Kraftwerk. Anyway, they've been a New York City classic for years. [MySpace]

Ponytail, Real Estate @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn |
Ponytail are loud and manic, highly experimental and an outstanding live show. They made my Best of 2008 list. Real Estate are rumoured to be the shit. [Ponytail MySpace] | [RE MySpace]

Ceremony, Screen Vinyl Image and Soren Well @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $13 adv / $15 door
Three of the best electro-shoegaze bands around, with dense guitar and synth sounds, tight beats and haunting vocals. Soren Well is the most pop-accessible/happy of the bunch, while the other two - both in from out of town - have a darker side. [Ceremony MySpace] | [SVI MySpace] | [Soren Well MySpace]


Sunday, April 26

Calvin Johnson @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn
The original ringleader of American indie pop, founder of Beat Happing and K Records, Calvin Johnson is a character and he's got a legacy that makes it worth checking him out.

Spectrum @ Mercury | LES, Manhattan | S10 adv / $12
The main thrill of seeing Spectrum perform live is to see whether Pete Kember (aka "Sonic Boom") will finally kick off midshow. Formerly of Spacemen 3, Kember parted ways with bandmate Jason Pierce when Pierce decided to go clean-and-sober and found Spiritualized. Kember didn't kick his bad habits and despite making some valuable musical contributions with Experimental Audio Research, he's too strung out to make much sense at all anymore. Still, he's got a certain amount of cred and history to him - just don't expect coherence. [MySpace]