Upcoming Shows: Buzzcocks, Public Image Ltd + more

[Upcoming Shows Playlist]
TONIGHT!!! Thursday, May 13

The Buzzcocks @ The Fillmore * Union Square, Manhattan * $35
Um, hello? It's the Buzzcocks. One of the top four original UK punk bands. Then again, it's $35.

Big Troubles, My Teenage Stride, Knight School @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
These three bands have two things in common - they write great, catchy pop songs and they are noisy. MTS are the most conventional "twee" influenced group of the three. They play tightly but their songs are charmingly dorky. Knight School write amazing little pop tunes and soak them in some distortion and fuzz. Big Trouble are a little more rock'n'roll, with a heftier sound - actually, a sheer roar. Three bands for the price of one. And a great venue to top it off! [bt myspace] [mts myspace] [kf myspace]

Panda Riot @ Lit Lounge * East Village, Manhattan * $6
I don't normally advertise shows at Lit Lounge because the acoustics are horrible and the space is small and poorly managed. But Panda Riot are a really great shoegaze band that come all the way from Chicago and this is our big chance to see what they can do live. [myspace]


Tomorrow! Friday, May 14

Silver Apples, Oneida @ Abrons Art Center * LES, Manhattan * $15/$20
Silver Apples were a super obscure wacked out band in the 60's who really pioneered the use of synthesizers and were a precursor to every synth duo ever. They don't normally exist anymore, so this is a rare thing. Oneida play trance-inducing rhythmic music that doesn't really excite me that much but a lot of people think it's good. [sa myspace] [oneida myspace]

Talk Normal, Asa Ransom, Miniboone @ Glasslands * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $8
Seriously, you would be hard put to find three more different bands in New York. But they do have one thing in common - they are all great. And since Deli Magazine is highlighting the best bands in NYC, they picked well. Miniboone play large-scale, old-school pop with punk rock energy. Asa Ransom make dark, rhythmic dance punk. Talk Normal are pretty avant garde, with drones and pounding and rants. They are both ladies. (The other bands are all fellows.) [tn myspace] [ar myspace] [mini myspace]


Saturday, May 15

Parts & Labor, Talk Normal @ Knitting Factory * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
Parts & Labor are super loud. They make slamming, skull shattering noise with guitars and electronics and distortion. But winding through this soundscape are stunningly beautiful melodies any pop fan would love. Talk Normal, I already explained about (see above). [pl myspace]

The Vandelles, El Jezel @ Cameo * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
The Vandelles play feedback but every second of feedback is tied into high-energy classic pop-rock gems. I haven't heard El Jezel in forever, but if I recall their influences are shoegaze and a little post-rock and lots of regular old cool, melodic indie rock. I could be wrong, though, it's been a while. [vandelles myspace] [ej myspace]

Aa, True Womanhood, These Are Powers @ Secret Project Robot * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
Aa are an NYC mainstay of highly percussive, throbbing-beat music you have to dance (or head-bob) to. True Womanhood, well, they sound like Radiohead. Rhythmically off-kilter songs with spooky guitar. These Are Powers have the same throbbing-beat thing but are not nearly as good. I think they were aiming to fill a certain niche, but someone much better beat them to it. Still, should be a fun night, especially if you like to move. [aa myspace] [tw myspace] [tap myspace]

Mahogany @ Open Road Rooftop (Rooftop Films) * LES, Manhattan * $10
Mahogany, masters of noise pop and decade-long veterans of indie music, will be playing on a roof on the Lower East Side before a movie is screened on that same roof. Nice! [myspace]


Sunday, May 16
Silver Apples @ Coco 66 * Greenpoint, Brooklyn
A show that I'm guessing will be cheaper than Friday's and a little less weird (the other features a light show), I suppose I'd recommend catching Silver Apples (see above) here instead.


Tuesday, May 17

Public Image Ltd @ Terminal 5 * Midtown, Manhattan * $40
Don't go to this show to hear seminal post punk band Public Image Ltd - it's Terminal 5 and I promise you won't be able to hear anything. Go to this show to be in the same room as John Lydon a.k.a. Johnny Rotten. I need to touch him. [myspace]

[Upcoming Shows Playlist]
The long view...

May
19
Public Image Ltd @ Terminal 5 Music Hall of Williamsburg
Diana Ross @ Radio City Music Hall

21
Fuck Buttons @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

22
Fuck Buttons @ Le Poisson Rouge
New York Dolls @ Warsaw
NYC PopFest: Wake, Boat, My Teenage Stride + more @ Bell House

27
Forgetters @ Bell House

28
Holy Fuck @ Le Poisson Rouge

29
Psych Fest: Weird Owl (yay), Hopewell (blech), Golden Triangle (blech), Psychic Ills (yay), Sunburned Hand of the Man (yay) + more @ Glasslands

June
4
Psychedelic Furs @ the Fillmore

6
Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Webster Hall

18
Melvins + Isis @ Webster Hall
Woven Bones @ Mercury Lounge

24
Wavves @ Knitting Factory

July
24
M.I.A. @ Governors Island

30
Big Takeover: Springhouse @ Bell House

31
Big Takeover: Springhouse, For Against @ Bell House

[Upcoming Shows Playlist]

News: L Magainze Likes Mediocre Pop Bands

That L Magazine picked their "8 Bands You Need to Hear" for the year is kind of old news. But I just bothered to sit down and read it and then felt inspired to make some observations.

First of all, there are a handful of good picks. Miniboone, Asa Ransom and among runners up Led Er Est and Pet Ghost Project are all bands I told you to check out a long time ago, and L Magazine has finally realized that I am right.

But here's really what I want to get at. Combined, the eight bands selected by L Magazine have forty members. Of those forty, five are women, leaving a whooping 87% of slots for menfolk. And of those five women, one plays piano and sings, while the other four only sing. Proportions by race are similar to those by gender as well. I don't think this is entirely L Mag's fault, I think it's a sad reflection of what is actually happening in Brooklyn. In conjunction with indie music moving towards an ultraconservative folk/pop/baroque movement of non-confrontation and complacency, it seems to me that fewer women are playing indie/rock/pop than were a decade ago. Even if it's not worse than it was, it's certainly not better nor acceptable. Affluent white men are running the show like they always have. But indie used to be punk and that used to be about dissidence, progress and empowerment.

Am I the only person who's seeing this??

[l mag article]

Upcoming Shows: Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Werewolves + more

[Upcoming Shows Playlist]

TOMORROW, Thursday, April 1

Werewolves + Soft Black @ Union Pool | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Either this is an extremely cruel April Fools prank, or Werewolves un-broke up and are playing a show at Union Pool. Werewolves, if you didn't know it, are one of my favorite NYC bands. They play some mixture of late 60's psychedelic rock'n'roll and 90's shoegaze, with warm layers of guitar and keyboard sounds and gnarled vocal melodies. [myspace]

Bonnie "Prince" Billy + Lichens @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $12
Bonnie "Prince" Billy plays intensely sad folk music that's more desolate and spooky than mopey. He was one of the seminal indie artists of the 90's. I don't know if he's still as good, though. Still, this is the most intimate venue at which you'll ever have the chance to see him.


Friday, April 2

Bonnie "Prince" Billy @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $12
Two shows, early and late. See above.

The Bronx @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $15
The Bronx sits on the heavy, thrashy side of hardcore, but they aren't without their big rock'n'roll pop appeal. They are really rad. [myspace]

Blank Dogs, Wetdog (Captured Tracks Showcase?) @ Glasslands | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $10
This was once listed as a showcase for the Captured Tracks record label, but it's not now. Doesn't matter, the bands are the same. Blank Dogs, a.k.a. Mike Sniper (who runs Captured Tracks) plays goth music buried under intense layers of lo-fi noise. It will give you the willies. Wetdog are a kind of post punk band of ladies from the UK and I'm not so into them, but they are quite well regarded and popular of late. [blank myspace] [wet myspace]


Saturday, April 3

Soft Pack (f.k.a. Muslims), Nodzzz, Male Bonding @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $12
Soft Pack were cooler when they went by Muslims but they are still pretty good, sort of alt-rock-ish pop punk. Nodzzz are really, really scuzzy, fuzzy lo-fi pop. And Male Bonding play exceptional punk rock, some of the best out there. As one of SubPop's newest signees, they won't be an opening act for much longer. [soft myspace] [nodzzz myspace] [mb myspace]


Monday, April 5

White Suns, PRSMS, Genders, Passive Aggressor @ Bruar Falls | Bruar Falls | FREE
Hardcore shows are always great, but when they're free...well you just can't beat that. Some of the best. Go to this show, no excuses. [white suns myspace] [prsms myspace] [genders myspace] [pa myspace]


Tuesday, April 6

The Bronx @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Williamsburg | $15
See above.

Asa Ransom @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Madhouse dance-punk quintet Asa Ransom are having a residency at Cameo. Their stark percussive sound and untamed vocal yelps make them one of the more interesting up-and-coming bands in Brooklyn. Check them out at this or one of their other Cameo shows (later in April). [myspace]


[Upcoming Shows Playlist]
The long view...

April
8
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Webster Hall (SOLD OUT)
High Places @ Market Hotel

9
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Webster Hall
Pissed Jeans, Himalaya @ Knitting Factory
Pygmy Shrews @ Death by Audio
Xiu-Xiu, Tune-Yards @ Bowery Ballroom

14
A.R.E. Weapons @ Death by Audio

15
Liars @ Bowery Ballroom

18
Liars @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

19
Snoop Dogg @ Brooklyn Bowl

20
Snoop Dogg @ Fillmore at Irving Plaza
Sweet Apple (feat. J. Mascis) @ Mercury Lounge
Thermals @ Brooklyn Bowl

21
Apples in Stereo @ Bowery Ballroom
Killing Joke @ Fillmore at Irving Plaza
Thermals @ Brooklyn Bowl

22
Gang Gang Dance @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Los Campesinos! @ Fillmore at Irving Plaza
Quasi, Let’s Wrestle @ Bowery Ballroom

24
Don Giovanni presents: Measure (SA), “Special Guest” (smart money is on Screaming Females, I think – but it’s no sure thing) @ Mercury Lounge

25
Don Giovanni presents: Shellshag, Noun (Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females), Black Wine, Pregnant @ Mercury Lounge

30
Styrenes (mems Mirrors, Electric Eels) @ Death by Audio

May
2
Echo & the Bunnymen @ Fillmore at Irving Plaza

3
Chapterhouse @ Bell House

7
Broken Social Scene @ Webster Hall
Caribou @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

8
Broken Social Scene @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Caribou @ Bowery Ballroom
Primitives, Frankie & the Outs @ Bell House

11
Sleigh Bells @ Market Hotel

15
Parts & Labor, Talk Normal @ Knitting Factory
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

16
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra @ Bowery Ballroom

19
Spectrum, Vacant Lots @ Knitting Factory

July
24
M.I.A. @ Governor’s Island


[Upcoming Shows Playlist]

Live: Asa Ransom, Shilpa Ray

When: 2/28/10
Where: Cameo Gallery

It's insane to think I haven't checked in with Asa Ransom in almost a year and half, especially given how much I was impressed by them the first time around. But unfortunately, our schedules just didn't align until a few weeks ago, when we crossed paths at this Shilpa Ray-headlined show at Cameo Gallery.

Asa Ransom have certainly changed over the last year and a half. Many of their punker impulses have become slicker and cleaner while their dancy grooves have expanded exponentially. The band has also come of age in the way in which they present themselves. While before, they were just some guys playing pretty good music, now they have an image - five images, in fact, that assert five individual personalities but that also form a cohesive front of dark and somewhat anachronistic stylishness. This not only makes them interesting to see but also indicates that the band has a sense of their identity and purpose - that is, what it is they have and want to offer the music scene.

Asa Ransom (picture from MySpace)
But what exactly that is is a little hard to describe. In my original review of the band, I compared them to Pere Ubu in their mental-ward approach to dance music. Since then, Asa Ransom have smoothed it out a bit, coming closer to the target than Pere Ubu ever did. Still, their music is something of an impressionistic take on dance music - it's identifiable, but it's out there. For those who are up on their contemporary dance punk, a comparison to Liars would certainly not be out of line.

The band is percussion-focused, with the jerky grooves of the drummer and auxiliary percussionist an oft exposed skeleton to which bits of guitar, synth and vocals adhere. As they play, the entire band bobs in time with the songs, though again, each in his own way. The music is a pulse against which frontman Jacob Bills throws truncated bursts of lunatic energy.

There may be something lacking here in sincerity - I can't tell - and I wouldn't consider this a shoe in for being an important or successful band. But they could be and I'd like that. We'll see. [myspace]

Shilpa Ray headlined. Talk about your nutcases. As always, she attacked her hand-powered harmonium with admirably boundless energy, growling her bluesy vocals with the punk rock spirit they deserve - the melodies may take a page from an older book, but the lyrics are pure punk in their self-deprecation and their fuck-you attitude.

Sadly, Shilpa Ray's backing band, her "Happy Hookers" were not as good as I've come to expect. She had a different crew on stage this time around, except for her outstanding bass player Nick Hundley. These Hookers are were adequate, I suppose, but compared to the top-of-the-line musicianship to which Shilpa Ray fans have grown accustomed...well, they aren't quite there. [myspace]

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]

Upcoming Shows: Kurt Vile, Pterodactyl + more!!

TOMORROW! Wednesday, June 24

Asa Ransom, Spanish Prisoners @ Southpaw | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $8
Asa Ransom are such a cool band. They play art-punk with lots of keyboard and lots of energy. It's been ages since I've seen them, but when I last did, they were outstanding. [MySpace]


Thursday, June 25

Dinosaur Jr @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | SOLD OUT
Dinosaur Jr made their reputation in the 80's by simply playing way louder than anyone else. Their music was probably the most important factor in the advent of shoegaze. They also cleared the way for technically skilled lead guitar playing in American punk. In sum, their impact on indie music has been profound. Plus, they hate each other so there's the thrill of seeing if the show will end in homocide. [MySpace]


Friday, June 26

Kurt Vile, Real Estate, Girls @ Secret Project Robot | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $8
These are some of the hottest bands out of the lo-fi movement. Headliner Kurt Vile (now Matador label-mate of Sonic Youth) is at the folk end of the spectrum. The other two are pretty trendy at the moment too, so check them all out while you can still see them in a small venue. [KV MySpace] [RE MySpace] [Girls MySpace]

Antlers @ Rooftop Films, Open Road Rooftop | LES, Manhattan | $9-$25
Well, it's nice to hear bands play on roofs. And there's no doubt the Antlers will be considered one of the best bands of 2009 after their rerelease of Hospice this August. Their music is sad but breathtaking, like a lo-fi version of Radiohead. Then again $9 minimum for a half hour of music and having to show up at 8:30 PM for the band kinda makes me not inclined to go to this one. [MySpace]

Balmorhea @ Le Poisson Rouge | Greenwich Village, Manhattan | $15
If you are looking for something more conservative, something your grandparents would approve of and that won't give you a horrible headache, check out Balmorhea. Despite the terrible name (or am I the only one who pictures a really horrifying STD?), the band is very lovely, playing ambient classical folk music, mostly instrumental. It's post-rock minus most of the rock, but it is extremely beautiful music. [MySpace]


Saturday, June 27

Pterodactyl, A Sunny Day in Glasgow @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Two Three of my favorite bands, one of my favorite venues, what could be better? Pterodactyl are one of the best NY bands I've discovered recently, and definitely one of the most original. Their post-punk barage is nothing short of thrilling. If you want more info, read my recent live review. It's been much longer since I've heard electrogaze kingpins ASDIG; in fact, I haven't seen them since my very first post on this blog. At that point, they were getting more agressive and even louder, so let's hope they've kept on in that direction. [Ptero MySpace] [ASDIG MySpace]
**UPDATE** Somehow, I overlooked the fact that Grooms are also playing this show. That or they were just added to the line-up. Either way, now it's even more important that you go to this show. Grooms (fka Muggabears) are some fucking cool post-punk. At once angular, gloomy and melodic. Mmmmm... [MySpace]

Upcoming Shows: MDC, Mecca Normal + more

This is the most old school week ever, especially for punk rockers. (And if that's your thing, also check out Dead Milkmen and Meatmen tour schedules this week.)


TOMORROW, Tuesday, April 14

Wye Oak @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $12
Wye Oak are a really amazing noise-folk band from Baltimore who alternately make nice sweet songs and a really lot of noise. And sometimes they do both at the same time. Consisting of two amazingly gifted musicians, Wye Oak was rightfully the buzz of last year's CMJ Music Marathon. Check out my last live review of them for more information. [Website] [MySpace]


Wednesday, April 15

Nada Surf @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $15
Bell House has it going on this week! Nada Surf have been around forever. I know this, because many years ago, my very first band did a cover of their classic song "Popular." (However, we hesitated to perform it live since our vocalist would kind of go nuts and start screaming names of specific people we went to school with. But I digress.) With their slightly punky indie rock, Nada Surf have only improved since their initial hit (yup, "Popular"), with their quality steadily on the rise for at least 15 years now. [Website] [MySpace]


Thursday, April 16

Throbbing Gristle @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple | Fort Greene, Brooklyn | $35 (Sold Out??)
I would be remiss not to tell you that classic industrial band Throbbing Gristle is doing their first East Coast show in ages this Thursday at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple. An offshoot of Krautrock and its unhuman electronic beats, industrial music was largely defined by Throbbing Gristle in the mid-70's. Without them, you'd have no Big Black, no Nine Inch Nails, probably even no Depeche Mode. And they have a reputation as an amazing live act, far exceeding their recorded material. Still, thirty-five bucks ain't cheap. [Website] [MySpace]

?? Rumanian Buck @ Southpaw | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $8 ??
I can't figure out whether or not this show has been cancelled. I think it has, but it's worth looking into further, because Rumanian Buck features members of Big Sleep and the late Beat the Devil, two of NYC's best edgy, hard-rockin' bands.


Friday, April 17

Of Montreal, Janelle Monae, The Ladybug Transistor @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | SOLD OUT
Wow, this is a monster of a line-up. Honestly, I stopped liking Of Montreal when they stopped being a creepy little twee band, but they do know how to incorporate a trumpet into a pop song, so they're clearly doing something right. The worst thing about them nowadays is that their stage performance is super gimmicky and lame - but they've kind of made up for that this time around by inviting two killer openers. Janelle Monae is a richly-talented singer who I've been rooting for way back before any of y'all knew her name. Her southern roots mixed with funk mixed with indie rock sensibility make her sound pretty hard to describe but pretty awesome to listen to. And the Ladybug Transistor, well, they're NYC's quintessential indie pop band and nothing short of irresistible. Together, the three acts have a lot of variety but a lot of great pop moments that make surfing craigslist for a ticket worth your while. [OM Website] [OM MySpace] || [Monae Website] [Monae MySpace] || [Ladybug Website] [Ladybug MySpace]


Saturday, April 18

MDC (unplugged) @ ABC No Rio | LES, Manhattan | $7 | 3 PM
MDC @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $10 | 8 PM
MDC are one of the great classics of American punk, a West Coast hardcore outfit who were contemporaries and equals of fellow San Franciscans the Dead Kennedys. You have two chances to see them Saturday, both in intimate environments. True to hardcore tradition, both shows are ALL AGES. [MySpace]

Asa Ransom @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $?
It's been a long time since I last checked in with my pals Asa Ransom, whose keyboard-driven, aggressive, experimental punk is comparable to Pere Ubu in no small way. Their live show is outstanding and their music is cutting edge. [Website] [MySpace]


Monday, April 20

Mecca Normal (K Records) @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $8
Mecca Normal is a classic K Records band, and while K Records is most famous for its wussy twee pop, Mecca Normal are far more badass than their label would imply. Though formed in 1981, the band didn't hit their stride until the late 80's and early 90's, when they combined the sounds of their scene - indie pop and early riot grrrl - with the more experimental sounds of noise rock, post punk and no wave. Check it. [MySpace]

The Bronx @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $15
The Bronx are the leading hardcore band of the moment, so if the K Records crowd is too pansy for you, stop by here instead. [Website] [MySpace]

Live: Werewolves, Beluga and Asa Ransom

When: 10/31
Where: Metropolitan Social Club

The hippest Halloween party in New York this year has got to have been the loft party at the Metropolitan Social Club featuring three of New York's best bands tearing it the hell up.

First up: the all-around solid Asa Ransom, featuring brilliant interlocking bass and keyboard riffs that somehow blend naturally into punk-derived drum and guitar arrangements. The band sounds basically like Pere Ubu with more sweeping keyboard lines - singer Jacob Bills yelps and croons like an only slightly saner version of David Thomas. The only real problem with the band's set was that the first actual vocal melody didn't show up until about two-thirds of the way through, and the monotone made many should-be-great songs fall flat. But even with that, these guys were fun to hear - and even more fun to watch, rocking out, climbing on amps, the whole deal. Confronted with that level of enthusiasm, it's pretty hard not to enjoy every second.

Asa Ransom was followed by the mostly-female modern punks Beluga. Raw and powerful, the band shows a definite Nirvana influence, but thankfully, they draws on the Nirvana's updated punk aesthetic and not Cobain's whininess. There is absolutely no room for whining in Beluga's tightly wound, in-your-face rock'n'roll! Simply put, these ladies (and one dude) are badass as fuck.


Beluga

One plea to the band, though - please MOVE. While Isabel has enough energy to make up for a hundred zombies, her enthusiasm just accentuated the others' tepid performance - while she rushed the crowd, jumped up and down and even rolled on the floor, her bandmates barely moved. Ally, on back-up vox and guitar, eventually started rocking it out, but the bass player didn't lift a foot and guitarist Stefania hardly swayed. C'mon people, this is a show - so show us!

But in the end, I want to say that despite the problems, the band deserves a cheer! They are exactly what punk should be in 2008 - smart yet raw, subversive, edgy and hella fun.


Werewolves

The final act of the night was the Werewolves. I've already given them a rave review but their live performance deserves a slightly altered (but still glowing) commentary. On recordings, the Werewolves show some definite shoegaze roots, from Jesus & Mary Chain noise to Kevin Shield's pitch bends, but live, the band sounds much more like the child of 1970's underground rock. Biting guitars, vocals with the attitude of early Stooges Iggy Pop, and just a tinge of goth tossed in to throw us all of the trail. As always, it's impossible to classify this group. All I can tell you is that I like them and I'm beyond curious to hear whatever they do next.