Upcoming Shows: Trail of Dead, Glenn Branca + more

[Upcoming Shows Playlist]


Tonight!!! Wednesday, February 24

…and You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (original line-up) @ Union Pool | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
I'm not sure if "original line-up" means just the duo who started the band or if it refers to some other incarnation. But whoever it is, it's Trail of Fuckin Dead and they are as amazing as their name is long. [myspace]


Friday, February 26

Sisters, Knight School @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $5
Sisters are a lo-fi pop/punk duo who are going to take over the world. Their fan base includes many of the best musicians in the city and it's only a matter of time before everyone else finds out and they start playing much bigger venues for a lot more than five bucks. And Knight School are one of the better indie pop bands, with a sort of scuzzy, lo-fi aesthetic and Beatles-esque songwriting. [sisters myspace] [knight myspace]


Saturday, February 27

Glenn Branca (record release) @ Le Poisson Rouge | Greenwich Village, Manhattan | $15 adv./$18 dos.
Glenn Branca, who has long bridged the gap between avant-garde classical and punk rock, is releasing an album and celebrating it at Le Poisson Rogue. He was a key figure in the late 70's No Wave scene and helped set such innovators as Sonic Youth on their paths.

Grooms + Surfer Blood, Beach Fossils @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn
Grooms are a really rad band. They play experimental post-punk with a lot of sonic experimentation and some real heartfelt angst. I don't care for Surfer Blood and Beach Fossils, but they're trendy. [grooms myspace]


Sunday, February 28

Shilpa Ray, Asa Ransom @ Cameo Gallery | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Shilpa Ray is one badass lady, who plays bluesy rock with a punk rock attitude. She's small and plays a hand-powered harmonium and says the f-word a lot. I haven't heard Asa Ransom in ages, but last I did hear them, they were playing insane-asylum style punk rock, reminiscent of Pere Ubu, with keyboards and a amp-climbing live show. [shilpa myspace] [asa myspace]

Shooting Spires, Pterodactyl, Unstoppable Death Machines @ Union Pool | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Shooting Spires is a Parts & Labor side project that sounds a lot like Parts & Labor - great, soaring pop melodies and hooks shouted out from a whirlwind of distorted noise. Pterodactyl does something similar, but their instrumentals are not as think and heavy, their melodies a little odder and their tempos faster. Their sound is jumpy and nervy, asymmetrical and wholly original. Meanwhile, Unstoppable Death Machines are the very definition of heavy. The bass and drumkit duo lays down thick riffs while the scream into microphones they strap to their mouths. [spires myspace] [ptero myspace] [udm myspace]


Monday, March 1

Pregnant @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | FREE!!
I don't know anything about this band except that Stupid Party sent me an e-mail when they were drunk telling me this was their favorite band. Which is more than enough recommendation for me. They've got a good name and they are punk rock and they don't give a shit what you think of them. [myspace]


[Upcoming Shows Playlist]
The long view...

March
4
Japanther @ Mercury Lounge

5
Muse, the Silversun Pickups @ Madison Square Garden

6
Titus Andronicus, Parts & Labor, Babies @ Bowery Ballroom

7
Awesome Color, Tyvek, Talk Normal @ Market Hotel
Washed Out, Small Black @ Mercury Lounge (sold out)

8
Dinowalrus @ Cameo
Washed Out, Small Black @ Mercury Lounge (sold out)

9
Aa, Screens @ Death By Audio

101
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall

11
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall
Iran @ Knitting Factory

12-13
Henry Rollins @ The Fillmore

18
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore

19
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore
Oneida + Sightings @ Knitting Factory

23
Black Lips @ Brooklyn Bowl

24
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom

25
Nada Surf play Let Go + surprise guest @ Bowery Ballroom
Jello Biafra and Guantanamo Schools of Medicine @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple

26
Nada Surf play The Weight Is a Gift + surprise guest @ Bell House
Spoon, Deerhunter @ Radio City Music Hall

27
Nada Surf play Lucky + surprise guest @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

30
Big Pink, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Webster Hall

April
2
The Bronx, Japanther @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Captured Tracks Showcase: Blank Dogs, Wet Dog + more @ Glasslands

3
Soft Pack, Nodzzz, Male Bonding @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

6
The Bronx, Japanther @ Bowery Ballroom

8
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Webster Hall

10
Washed Out, Small Black @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

15
Liars @ Bowery Ballroom

18
Liars @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

21
Apples in Stereo @ Bowery Ballroom

May
3
Chapterhouse @ Bell House


[Upcoming Shows Playlist]

Live: Jemina Pearl

When: 2/13
Where: Union Pool

Nashville's Jemina Pearl got her break as the singer for acclaimed teenage punk outfit Be Your Own Pet, who won Thurston Moore's love before they were old enough to drive. They caused some controversy with their song "Becky," in which Pearl described how she was going to stab her ex-friend/new enemy Becky to death. Apparently, Becky was a real girl and that was her real name and their high school administration was not pleased about a student issuing another a violent threat, no matter how catchy the tune.

So it's been no secret for a while that Jemina Pearl, as a punk singer, is not a nice girl. The question has always been, is it just a stage persona? And now I know the answer.

The set started awkwardly. The band, none of them looking a day over seventeen, filed out on stage and took their places. No Pearl appeared. They began looking restless and unfortunately, handled the situation poorly. Rather than exiting again or introducing the band or playing something, the guitarist gave the (new) drummer a quick lesson on how one of the songs was supposed to go, then took out his cell phone and presumably called the tardy singer. It was unprofessional, but I guess it's what one could expect from such young kids.

Anyway, Pearl showed up and apologized, explaining she'd been stuck in the bathroom line. It struck me as odd that she hadn't just cut in front - I would if my band were waiting on stage. But in any case, the set started and it started well. I was immediately stuck by how tightly the band played. Pearl is an admirable frontwoman - it's hard to just dance to punk music and keep it interesting, but she did. I'm not familiar with her solo album, so I didn't know the songs, but quite a few people there did, singing along with every note. Pearl's foil on stage, the guitarist, would dance with her and otherwise share the front, while the rhythm section stayed focused on their music in the back.

Pearl was wearing a Kiss shit and a Raincoats jacket, which combination makes her pretty cool. She spit and shrieked and did everything a young, female Johnny Rotten should. Her delivery at times seemed a little melodramatic, and I didn't quite buy it, but as it went on, I became increasingly convinced it was all genuine. I kept thinking of Courtney Love - bad blond dye job, dramatics and an abrasive, domineering personality. And I like Courtney Love. A lot. So that's a good thing.

But at some point, the Courtney Love-ishness of it all got a little too real. Pearl turned around between songs and began berating the rhythm section for screwing up. Now, they sounded fine to me - better than fine, even. Like I said, I don't know how most of the songs are supposed to go, but the band seemed to be nailing it. But still, in addition to chewing out the bassist and drummer in front of the audience, she also began directing her more nasty lyrics very unsubtly in the bassist's direction. And then, in what should certainly not have been the end of the set, she turned around, flipped off the drummer and bassist with both hands and walked off stage. After a moment of awkward confusion, the rest of the band followed, leaving the audience uncomfortably milling to see if they would reappear. After a few minutes, the crowd started drifting out the door. The band members reemerged to pack up their gear and, with few people still paying any attention to the stage, Pearl ran out with a lit cigarette, which she attempted to put out on her bass player's face. He knocked it out of her hand, picked it up and chased her offstage with it.

This guy next to us asked, "did she just put out a cigarette on his face?" and I said, yes, it appears so. He told me he was friends with the band and that they were 100% for real. It was no act. And if you've never been burnt by a lit cigarette, let me tell you, that shit is no joke.

So the murderous narrator of "Becky" wasn't a persona at all. Pearl is a violent and horrible person. And I like her for that - it's time the wusses cleared out of indie rock and us psychos took back over. I hope Pearl's life doesn't spiral out of control like the lives of the nasty punks of history - Sid Vicious, Courtney Love and whoever else I'm too tired to think of right this second. But I hope she keeps her attitude and never backs down. It's about time someone with balls stepped into the indie rock spotlight. [myspace]

Live: Stupid Party + Frankie & the Outs, Harlem

When: 2/12
Where: Monster Island Basement

Stupid Party is the shit and I've already made that perfectly clear. But this show at Monster Island was the first one where I really got a sense of the fourth member. Recklessness and a bare-bones sound are what makes Stupid Party so exciting, and the more players a band has, the less reckless they can be and needless to say, the more flesh they put on those musical bones.

I walked in to a extended instrumental section, and I was all like "who is this???" But then Cory Feiernan would start drunkenly* yelling into the microphone and I was all like "oh yeah, Stupid Party!" The instrumental bits were just kind of unspecial. They sounded fine, but when they lasted more than a few bars, the music lost its kick and its focus. When the songs stayed on target, though, they were as good as ever. And they added some slick, old school guitar solos too. Those don't yet sit fully comfortably in the music, but they are mad cool and I think they'll work their way in. Whatever happens, Stupid Party are still the shit and if you don't think so, they don't give a fuck and neither do I. [myspace]

Now Harlem I had mixed up with another band so I was extra disappointed to discover they're a happy-go-lucky cookie-cutter garage rock band. As this blog probably shows, I don't really like music that doesn't take risks. And Harlem is the opposite of risky. They smile and swing their guitars while playing backwards-looking, conservative music. B+ for effort but F for content. [myspace]

I stuck around to see Frankie & the Outs, the new vehicle for Crystal Stilts drummer and one-time Vivian Girl Frankie Rose. This show was the first time I'd seen Rose in guitarist/frontwoman role. She fit it well, as I figured she would. With her uncombed hair and oddball dresses, she's always cut a figure on stage and her personality is unchanged in front of the microphone.

However, unfortunately, her band is not so well suited for the job. She's found all-female group, which is super cool, but not all of the ladies selected are up to the task and frankly, personality-wise, some came off as pretty obnoxious. For one thing, they had a tambourine player. Tambourine was key in giving the music its faint Eastern European flavor, but gosh, get a drummer who can play it. It just looks gimmicky to have a girl up there waving a tambourine around. It looked to me that there were at least five or six members of the band, playing music that would only require four, and to my eyes, that makes the band a bit of a joke.

Sonically, however, they have potential. There were hints of the Crystal Stilt's dark post punk and of the Vivian Girls' lo-fi. However, the meandering melodies coupled with a certain flowing atmosphere set this apart from Rose's other projects. I'm not pissing my pants over this, or anything, but it's got some potential. We'll see. [myspace]

*I have no idea if Feiernan was or is ever drunk, but he sings like someone who's had a few dozen too many.

Live: Don Giovanni showcase

I'm happy to say I was right about the Don Giovanni showcase. It was a great punk show, the kind you remember when you’re telling your kids about your wild days in the New York music scene when you’re trying to convince them you were once young and hip too. Much to everyone’s surprise, I think, the show sold out very early on. I can’t tell you how nice it was to see Bowery packed with true underground punk types, most young and all truly there for the music and the community. Well, almost all – there was a mysterious contingent of bimbos around who took off pretty early. Which is fine, I’m glad they’re checking out such good music, I just don’t really understand how they ended up there. But, the more, the merrier!

The Groucho Marxists kicked it off with their hard-edged pop punk. They aren't original and I wouldn't call them bold, but they are true to their punk heritage and could easily be alt/pop-punk radio material, though a damn sight better than most of what makes it on the air. Their live show matched - nothing revolutionary, but certainly energetic. They're a bit more outward looking than most punk bands, just a little more audience-focused rockstar mindset. They're definitely still down-to-earth and having fun, though, and that’s what matters. [myspace]

Black Wine were a surprise favorite and while it’s hard to pick highlights from such a thoroughly amazing line-up, this would have to be one. It’s rare to see a band have so many things so right. Though the parts were fairly simple, they were just right for the songs and all three members played their instruments with comfort and intuition. Drummer Miranda Taylor particularly stood out, but everyone was right on. They also clearly have a knack for songwriting. Again, the arrangements and compositions weren’t too elaborate, but they were exactly right. The only real problem was when the band slid towards emo - I’m not one of those people who hates all things emo, but none of the band members had the singing ability to pull of the slower, more exposed melodies. Off-key singing is a fine aesthetic but it doesn’t work in all contexts and the band’s slower songs weren’t really doing it for me. Aside from that, though, this band shows a rare talent and I will certainly be keeping an eye on them from now on. [myspace]

The Measure played next and I have to say, they were the least memorable band of the night. Of course, that’s not too grave an insult with a line-up like that. They were energetic, with lovable pop punk tunes and creative arrangements. Drummer Mikey Yannich drove their music full-speed ahead, while Lauren Measure and Fid shared guitar and vocal duties with great male-female balance (she leading). You’d have to mosh pretty hard to keep up. [myspace]

Though this was certainly a punk show, it had two rock bands right in the middle. The first of them, Jeff the Brotherhood, positively killed. Guitarist Jake Orrall started the show with the lights out, standing atop his guitar cabinet. While gave the set a grand five-minute guitar solo intro, his brother and drummer Jamin illuminated the scene with a bare-bulb camping light. Jake leapt down and continued to solo while the audience’s anticipation built. When Jamin finally took his seat at the drums, everyone in the room was wrapped around the band’s little finger. They plowed through much of their recent debut, more or less in order, one great tune after another. Jake seems to enjoy playing the mighty rock god, but it’s got a hint of tongue-and-cheek. Only a hint though, because like it or not, he is a rock god. He’s king of the stage and master of the riff and everyone who was in that audience knows it. [myspace]

Luckily for everyone, one of the few acts that can follow Jeff the Brotherhood did - Screaming Females. Screaming Females are the greatest rock band on earth, and at Bowery, they were on fire. Marissa Paternoster is a bonafide guitar hero and an unforgettable singer/screamer to boot. She and her bandmates are a great songwriting team. Although the guitar riffs make take the spotlight, Mike Abbate’s rolling bass lines are just as good and he played them well, despite being already a bit worn out from being in the center of the moshpit during Jeff the Brotherhood’s set. But this band has got as much stamina as they have talent. Which is just one more thing that makes them the greatest. [myspace]

I never got to see Jawbreaker live, but they one of my all-time favorite bands and seeing Forgetters was as amazing an experience as you’d expect seeing one of your heroes for the first time would be. Blake Schwarzenbach is the same as ever, with the same sort of songwriting, the same jumpy guitar, the same lamentable lyrics and low, mumbly, major-key melodies. Bassist Caroline Paquita is different from Jawbreaker’s Chris Bauermeister - Bauermeister played with poppy jumps, while Paquita lays down a more solid foundation. And drummer Kevin Mahon also has his own distinct style, playing with more levity and energy but less rhythmic complexity than Jawbreaker drummer Adam Pfahler. The result is a post-grunge pop punk band with strong, steady songs but without the magical chemistry you usually find in a young musician’s breakout band.

Bringing the night to a close, everyone’s darlings Shellshag celebrated the release of their album. With seven bands, the night ran pretty late and most of the audience had cleared out by time they played. The crowd peaked for Jeff the Brotherhood and Screaming Females, but Shellshag are a cult act. I wouldn’t say there’s a limit on how large that cult could grow, but they don’t have the same mass appeal of some of the bands with whom they shared the Bowery stage.

Large or small, Shellshag’s fan base are intensely loyal and really the best of the bunch. Those left moshing to the duo at the front of Bowery at 1 AM were the true punks, and a great group of kids they were. And Shell and Shag are themselves a wild pair. Facing one another with their Y-shaped mic stand between them, they hollered and twisted to their f-u songs. At the band’s best, Shell’s bare-bones guitar and slurred baritone vocals dominate the band’s sound while Ms. Shag’s dry bells and primal pounding drop the bottom out of the whole thing. It’s boisterous, untamed and charmingly sardonic. No one has more fun on stage that these two. [myspace]

Upcoming Shows: Fucked Up, Screaming Females, Trail of Dead + more

[Upcoming Shows Playlist]

Tomorrow!!! Friday, February 19

Fucked Up + Kurt Vile, Frankie & the Outs @ Europa | Greenpoint, Brooklyn | $13
Fucked Up have redefined what hardcore punk can be. And they are one of the most powerful live acts you can see. [(unofficial) myspace]

Andrew WK @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan
Andrew WK y’all. Rock’n’roll pianist.

Secret Machines + Bear in Heaven @ Glasslands | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $12 / $15
Secret Machines once had a bit of a hit. Alt rock with just a touch of shoegaze, nothing to write home about. But if you like them, you should see them at Glasslands because it’s the coziest venue you’ll see them at.


Saturday, February 20

Pygmy Shrews @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | FREE!
These guys are fucking awesome. They are hardcore mo’fos with song titles like "your party sucks." Their cutting distortion and feedback this like a bulldozer. And this show is free. [myspace]

Coyote Eyes, El Jezel @ Union Hall | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $8
Coyote Eyes is one of the most promising bands in Brooklyn, and they’re coming into their own more and more. Their dark web of sound is laced with captivating, catchy melodies. I haven’t heard El Jezel in a long time but they’re pretty okay themselves. [coyote myspace] [el jezel myspace]

Crystal Stilts + Beets, Beach Fossils, German Measles @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $13 adv. / $15 dos
Another big line-up of bands that think they are super cool. Unfortunately for all of us, the Crystal Stilts make some of the best music around. They have a pretty uninspiring live show, though. I’d skip this, but thought I’d let you know just in case. [myspace]


Sunday, February 21

Dum Dum Girls + Frankie Rose & the Outs @ Mercury Lounge | LES, Manhattan | $10
Dum Dum Girls are mostly one girl who is not dum at all. Her name is Dee Dee and she writes great songs and sings them well. She’s a little lo-fi, a little indie pop and maybe a little smidge punk. [myspace]

PRSMS, Unstoppable Death Machines @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Both these bands play aggressive experimental punk. PRSMS are great. UDM are not quite there yet, but they are certainly enjoyable. [prsms myspace] [uds myspace]


Tuesday, February 23

Screaming Females, Jeff the Brotherhood, Stupid Party @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Umm. This is only going to be like the greatest show ever. No big deal. Seriously, Screaming Females are the best rock band on earth right now. Jeff the Brotherhood are not very far behind and Stupid Party, more than any other band right now, represent what is good and right in punk. See, you probably think I am exaggerating, but I’m not. Three of the best bands ON THE FRIGGIN’ PLANET at the best venue I know. [screaming myspace] [jeff myspace] [stupid myspace]

Her Vanished Grace @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | FREE!
The only reason you should miss the above show is if you’re dead. But if you’re dead, you might try this one, because it’s free. Her Vanished Grace is a great noise pop band who know how to take control of a stage. Great melodies, great songs, great noise, they’ve got it. [myspace]


Wednesday, February 24

…and You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (original line-up) @ Union Pool | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
I am trying to figure out if I am hallucinating this listing. You had better double check. [myspace]


[Upcoming Shows Playlist]
The long view...

February
26
Wild Beasts @ Bowery Ballroom (Sold Out!)

27
Glenn Branca (record release) @ Le Poisson Rouge

28
Wild Beasts @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Shilpa Ray, Asa Ransom @ Cameo
Shoot Spires (mems. Parts & Labor), Pterodactyl, Unstoppable Death Machines @ Union Pool

March
4
Japanther @ Mercury Lounge

5
Muse, the Silversun Pickups @ Madison Square Garden

6
Titus Andronicus, Parts & Labor, Babies @ Bowery Ballroom

7
Awesome Color, Tyvek, Talk Normal @ Market Hotel
Washed Out, Small Black @ Mercury Lounge (sold out)

8
Dinowalrus @ Cameo
Washed Out, Small Black @ Mercury Lounge (sold out)

9
Aa, Screens @ Death By Audio

101
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall

11
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall
Iran @ Knitting Factory

12-13
Henry Rollins @ The Fillmore

18
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore

19
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore
Oneida + Sightings @ Knitting Factory

23
Black Lips @ Brooklyn Bowl

24
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom

25
Nada Surf play Let Go + surprise guest @ Bowery Ballroom
Jello Biafra and Guantanamo Schools of Medicine @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple

26
Nada Surf play The Weight Is a Gift + surprise guest @ Bell House
Spoon, Deerhunter @ Radio City Music Hall

27
Nada Surf play Lucky + surprise guest @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

30
Big Pink, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Webster Hall

April
2
The Bronx, Japanther @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Captured Tracks Showcase: Blank Dogs, Wet Dog + more @ Glasslands

3
Soft Pack, Nodzzz, Male Bonding @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

6
The Bronx, Japanther @ Bowery Ballroom

8
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Webster Hall

10
Washed Out, Small Black @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

15
Liars @ Bowery Ballroom

18
Liars @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

21
Apples in Stereo @ Bowery Ballroom

May
3
Chapterhouse @ Bell House


[Upcoming Shows Playlist]

Live: Dinosaur Jr. + Jeffrey Lewis

Woah, tumbleweeds rollin' through this place. Sorry for the long absence. I've had some personal stuff going on.

When: 1/18/10
Where: Brooklyn Bowl

First things first. This was my first time at Brooklyn Bowl and let me tell you, I do not like this place. It's got a creepy corporate vibe. The stage is set up behind and perpendicular to the bowling alleys, so off to your right, you got people who don't care about music bowling. It might be a hip place for hipsters but it's not a place gives a crap about music.

Jeffrey Lewis opened. His set was far too long, so long that my fantasy about beating him up after the show grew ridiculously complex. The guy is one of those K Records wannabe indie folksters who thinks singing about things like moving out of his apartment and mosquitoes makes him super special. Lets get it straight. Being a wuss was bold and edgy when Calvin Johnson did it back in 1988, because at that time, punk had lost its way and been taking over by macho jerks who had no idea the real meaning of hardcore. Punk music and indie music, which were once one and the same, were about making people challenge their assumptions, open rock music to new ideas, open every door that was shut by the 60's and 70's. The door isn't shut to wussy manchild types and hasn't been for a long time. So son, you're making a fool of yourself, making music that hundreds of people have already made. It's unoriginal and easy.

Even if there were some merit in the genre, Jeffrey Lewis ain't the guy to find it. Even though it's a exceedingly simple kind of music to make, he messed it up a lot, particularly with regards to rhythm. His little rap song, set to handclaps, fell of the rails more than once. I don't really like it when people make a mockery of music. I suppose I should say something nice. Well, he had some strong melodies. Stayed on them for far too long, but at least they were good. Not everyone can write a good melody. So he's got that. [MySpace]

OK, time for the main act. Dinosaur Jr positively killed. J Mascis, the man who put lead guitar back in indie rock, was in fine form, while Lou Barlow slammed out his most excellent bass lines. They played some songs off their new record, which is good since all those songs are good. They also ran through all the best songs from their first three records. It was a very, very long set and every minute was well spent.

What can I write about this band? They've been playing the same style with the same greatness consistently for a very long time. J Mascis is gray and a bit pot-bellied now. He plays with the same cool he always did. His rips out massive, high-speed solos with no fanfare. His bass player and famous frienemy Lou Barlow stays on the other side of the stage, rocking out as usual, with his dark mop of hair covering his face.

The long set was followed by a long encore. I thought by this point, the band had played everything I really wanted to hear, but then, at the very end, they started playing something very familiar, but that I hadn't heard in a very long time. It took me a while to realize what it was - the cover of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven" that closes Live Through This. It was the first Dinosaur song I ever heard, but I hadn't listened to it in years. And I doubt I was the only person in the audience whose relationship with the band came full-circle that night. It was just one of those sets that brings back everything you love about the band. And with Dinosaur Jr, that's a lot. [MySpace]

Upcoming Shows: Screaming Females, Shellshag, Jeff the Brotherhood, Forgetters (that's all one show!)

Sorry for my long absence. If I told you what happened, you'd never believe me. Suffice it to say it involves the Wild West, Mexican wedding dances, swine flu, two Buddhists, four evangelical Christians and a fraudulent hedge fund. No, seriously.


[Upcoming Shows Playlist]


TONIGHT!!! Thursday, February 4

Cold Cave @ Mercury Lounge | LES, Manhattan | SOLD OUT!!
Cold Cave is a bleak and nihilistic New Wave synth group with hints of krautrock, but a dark pop edge. They are really, really loud. [myspace]


Friday, February 5

Sounds Like Brooklyn: The Antlers + Ra Ra Riot @ BAM | Fort Greene, Brooklyn | $20-25
The Antlers are sad and make incredibly sad music about abuse and mental illness and cancer. Peter Silberman has a unique and poignant voice that wavers over the shaky ambiance of his band. Ra Ra Riot are a poppy indie band with a whole bunch of young kids. They are really sad too sometimes because their drummer died. Musically, they are just so-so. Enjoyable, not exciting. [antlers myspace] [ra ra myspace]


Saturday, Feburary 6

Don Giovanni Showcase: Screaming Females, Shellshag, Jeff the Brotherhood + more @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $13 adv / $15 dos
IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK, I know I'm totally nerding out but I am so excited about this show, I have been basically counting down the weeks (not days, I'm not that insane!). OK, so Don Giovanni is a great label. A first-rate punk label. The headliners of this show are 1. Screaming Females, who I have written about so many times now, I don't know what more to say. Best rock band of our g-g-g-generation. I mean that, 100%. If you know one better, show me. [myspace] 2. Forgetters, which is the band of Blake Schwarzenbach (formerly of Jawbreaker, Jets to Brazil). Jawbreaker has been one of my favorite bands (top 20, easily, maybe top 10) for many years, and since they are no more and have not been in existence for a long time, forgetters is what we got, and it's also got Kevin Mahon from Against Me! so that's not bad at all! and 3. Shellshag, that lovely punk duo who played my show in December. They are one of the most fun bands you can see live in NYC right now. They destroy things. They jump around and shout into their trademark Y-shaped microphone and "Shag" beats the crap out of her drums while "Shell" sarcastically croons and stabs at his guitar with his pick. They are PUNK RAWK and I love them in my little heart! [myspace] Opening, we have Jeff the Fucking Brotherhood, who are two brothers, neither named Jeff but both rock prodigies born of the Nashville music scene. They play the meanest guitar riffs out there, and all on three strings. [myspace] Veteran New Brunswick and East Coast punks the Groucho Marxists as well as the illustrious Black Wine and The Measure will also perform. [tgm myspace] [bw myspace] [meas myspace] This is the punk rock event of 2010. DO NOT MISS IT. I mean seriously, DO NOT MISS IT. You will tell your grandkids about this show.


Sunday, February 7

28 Degrees Taurus @ Bushwick Music Studios | Bushwick, Brooklyn | $5
Another band that's played a Radio Flyer Review show, 28 Degrees Taurus are from Boston. They are one of the most original bands around these days. Their bizarre psychedelic shoegaze is spacey and warped, nihilistic, fun and mysterious. [myspace]


Tuesday, Feburary 9

The Residents @ Webster Hall | East Village, Manhattan | $30
The Residents are some weird, weird folks. They formed in the 60's and nobody knows who they are because they wear big eyeball masks on their heads. They make strange, avant-garde music and really hit their stride in the early no-wave/post-punk years. Like Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa, their West Coast contemporaries, they mixed elements of noise, free jazz and avant-garde classical but the Residents don't have the hard rock of Zappa or the blues of Beefheart. There is little to hold on to, just strange spoken word, percussive electronic drones and distortion, mixed with too much acid and not enough ritalin. They may not be for everyone, but we are all indebted to their fearless exploration of new sonic terrain and redefinition of what rock could be.


[Upcoming Shows Playlist]
The long view...

February
10
Harlem @ Mercury Lounge

12
Jonathan Richman @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

13
Jonathan Richman @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
The Magnetic Fields @ Brooklyn Academy of Music

14
Jonathan Richman @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

19
Fucked Up, Kurt Vile, Frankie Rose & the Outs @ Europa
Andrew W-K @ Santos Party House

20
Crystal Stilts, Beets, Beach Fossils, German Measles @ Music Hall of Williamsubrg

21
Dum Dum Girls, Frankie Rose & the Outs @ Mercury Lounge

26
Wild Beasts @ Bowery Ballroom

27
Glenn Branca (record release) @ Le Poisson Rouge

28
Wild Beasts @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

March
5
Muse, the Silversun Pickups @ Madison Square Garden

6
Titus Andronicus, Parts & Labor, Babies @ Bowery Ballroom

10-11
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall

12-13
Henry Rollins @ The Fillmore

18-19
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore

23
Black Lips @ Brooklyn Bowl

25
Nada Surf play Let Go + surprise guest @ Bowery Ballroom

26
Nada Surf play The Weight Is a Gift + surprise guest @ Bell House
Spoon, Deerhunter @ Radio City Music Hall

27
Nada Surf play Lucky + surprise guest @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

30
Big Pink, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Webster Hall

April
15
Liars @ Bowery Ballroom

18
Liars @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

[Upcoming Shows Playlist]