Upcoming Shows: Raincoats, Shonen Knife, No Age, Marnie Stern + more

This is a confusing and difficult week for show-goers. Way too much that's way too awesome. The extent to which awesomeness overlaps will probably make you cry.

Thursday, October 15

Titus Andronicus, So So Glos, Grooms @ Knitting Factory | Williamsburg, Brooklyn (NEW LOCATION!!!) | $12
Titus Andronicus and So So Glos are two of the awesomest hardcore punk bands around. And by hardcore punk, I don't mean fifteen-year-old skinheads who go around beating people up. I mean nice kids who like to play rock music. Titus puts on a hell of a live show. Grooms are an odd fit, with a much slower, more complex, less energized sound. But they are good too. Also, this is their album release party. I just reviewed their album like 10 minutes ago. [TA MySpace] [SSG MySpace] [Grooms MySpace]

No Age @ MoMA | Midtown East, Manhattan
I don't know why No Age is playing at MoMA. It sounds pretentious and not worth missing the above show to see. But I figured I'd let you know. They play the New Museum the next day and have a proper show Saturday (see below). [MySpace]


Friday, October 16

Raincoats, Marnie Stern, Viv Albertine @ Knitting Factory | Williamsburg, Brooklyn (NEW LOCATION!!!) | $22 adv./$25 dos.
HOLY FUCKIN SHIT THE FUCKIN RAINCOATS!!!!!!!!! Or, more calmly put, one of the first and greatest UK punk bands and one of the bands that pioneered the way for women in indie rock music. The other band to fit this description, of course, is the Slits. And the Slits' guitarist was...anybody? Anybody? That's right, Viv Albertine! And as for Marnie Stern, she's the new generation, and just as awesome. You cannot miss this show, unless... [Raincoats MySpace] [MS MySpace] [VA MySpace]

...you miss it to see this one:
Shonen Knife @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan | $12
More of indie rock's leading ladies, Shonen Knife have one of the coolest backstories in rock history. Formed in the 1980's in uber-conservative Japan, Shonen Knife consisted of three women who worked as secretaries by day and led secret lives as indie pop musicians at night, unbeknownst to their families and employers - it was considered unseemly for a woman to play rock or pop music, but Shonen Knife gave chauvinism the finger and kicked out some jams, motherfuckers. [MySpace]


Saturday, October 17

No Age @ Above the AutoParts Store | Bushwick, Brooklyn
No Age are a "noise punk" duo from California. "Noise punk" is the in-term right now for bands like this, and it does make a lot of sense. Borrowing from shoegaze, lo-fi and noise pop, No Age and their ilk make dense walls of distortiony sound, but slam out fast 2/4 punk tunes instead of meandering ambiance or wimpy indie pop. No Age are the best of their peers at this style, with bright, irresistible melodies and an unbelievable amount of noise, made on only one guitar. Go see them. [MySpace]

Echo & the Bunnymen @ Mercury Lounge | LES, Manhattan | SOLD OUT!
Obviously, Echo & the Bunnymen is one of the greatest bands of all time. Their mopey post punk, with its stark landscapes and dramatic, tuneful tenor, adds a psychedelic sensibility to the mix. Formed in 1978, this band is the real deal. Mercury Lounge is probably the best small venue in the city. You will NEVER have another chance to see this band this close. Obviously, it's sold out, so if you don't have a ticket, good luck.

Glenn Branca @ Issue Project Room | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $12 adv. / $15 dos.
One of the leaders of New York City's late 70's arty No Wave scene, Branca is an avant garde composer who makes crazy-ass sounds on guitars and mentored Thurtston Moore and Lee Renaldo when they were both wee young things. Or something like that (the nature of the relationship depends on who you ask). I wouldn't go see this over the above shows. He's from town and will perform again. Probably at IPR.