Thanks everyone who came to the show Friday! It should go without saying, the bands were all amazing. Everyone sounded the best I've ever heard them, seriously. I want to thank all four bands not only for putting so much energy into their sets, but also for helping me organize and promote the event. And thanks especially to Ric Leichtung of Market Hotel for helping me out with the whole process and for taking care of all the logistics so I didn't have to run around in a state of panic on Friday! Ric is awesome.
Monster Island Basement were wonderful hosts, and I have to mention the sound engineer in particular, because for a DIY basement venue, the sound was unbelievable. For any sort of venue, the sound was unbelievable.
Thanks again everyone! It was a really fun night! And if you didn't make it out, check out these bands another time, cause they are seriously fuckin awesome!
Shellshag - "The White Stripes on steroids and crack" (Jersey Beat 2007) [MySpace] [Official Site]
Big Troubles - "Big Troubles is Ian and Alex, two guys from Ridgewood, New Jersey looking to give you a sonic shoulder rub if you can stand it. Just as their fellow Ridgewoodians Real Estate tend to dunk theirs underwater, Ian and Alex blanket most melodies in loads of fuzz and distortion. Lots of kids are doing it these days, few are doing it as well as these two." (The Tripwire) [MySpace] [Official Site]
Sisters - "The Brooklyn duo Sisters pull nineties alternative rock into the twenty-first century, skillfully tempering Gen X slacker aesthetics with an earnest optimism and youthful vigor." (The New Yorker [!!!]) [MySpace] [RFR Review]
The Sundelles - "The band's sound is as classic garage as you can get and there is something reminiscent of Sid Vicious in the singer's voice. This track is filled with youthful exuberance and defiance. Definitely mixtape worthy!" (Rock Insider) [MySpace]
Showing posts with label Market Hotel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Market Hotel. Show all posts
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Antlers, Elika, Bellmer Dolls + more
TONIGHT - Monday, March 2
Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers @ Santos Party House - Chinatown, Manhattan - $8/$10
I've told you to go see Shilpa Ray many times. Trust me, she's totally nuts. Here's my live review. :: MySpace
TOMORROW - Tuesday, March 3
The Bellmer Dolls @ Lit Lounge - East Village, Manhattan - $6
Garage goth pioneers and nihilistic nightmare of club owners everywhere, Bellmer Dolls are the Real Deal. Here's my very recent live review. Last time I saw them at Lit they did so much damage I'm pretty shocked they were invited back. They are one of today's most innovative bands and one of the best live shows out there. You'd be a fool to miss this. :: MySpace
Wednesday, March 4
Bridges and Powerlines @ Mercury Lounge - LES, Manhattan - $12
Nothing super amazing is going down Wednesday, but if you're in a show-going mood, check out B&P, one of NYC's most solid up-and-coming indie rock acts. They're an opening band so get there early. :: MySpace
Thursday, March 5
The Antlers @ Union Hall - Park Slope, Brooklyn - $10
The CD release party for the album I spent over 1,000 words raving about last week (scroll down), this show is going to be amazing. Don't miss a chance to send the Antlers off on tour - if the world is just, they won't be playing small shows when they get back. Melancholy lo-fi ambient music at its most interesting. :: MySpace
Saturday, March 7
So So Glos @ Market Hotel - Bushwick, Brooklyn
The So So Glos are hot shit in the New York underground right now. I've never heard them, but everything I've heard about their raw punk makes me think they're worth a gamble. And they're pretty much Market Hotel's house band, so it should be an relaxed, fun show. :: MySpace
Sunday, March 8
The Homosexuals @ Mercury Lounge - LES, Manhattan - $8
British DIY-style post-punks are resurrected. They're no Wire, but they're as close as you're gonna get, especially for only eight bucks. :: MySpace
Elika @ Union Hall - Park Slope, Brooklyn - FREE
I gave Elika a rave review for their 2008 album. Their dreamy, shoegazey electro-pop is some of the best out there - they could even give M83 a run for their money. Speaking of money, the show is free. So this is about as good as it gets. :: MySpace
Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers @ Santos Party House - Chinatown, Manhattan - $8/$10
I've told you to go see Shilpa Ray many times. Trust me, she's totally nuts. Here's my live review. :: MySpace
TOMORROW - Tuesday, March 3
The Bellmer Dolls @ Lit Lounge - East Village, Manhattan - $6
Garage goth pioneers and nihilistic nightmare of club owners everywhere, Bellmer Dolls are the Real Deal. Here's my very recent live review. Last time I saw them at Lit they did so much damage I'm pretty shocked they were invited back. They are one of today's most innovative bands and one of the best live shows out there. You'd be a fool to miss this. :: MySpace
Wednesday, March 4
Bridges and Powerlines @ Mercury Lounge - LES, Manhattan - $12
Nothing super amazing is going down Wednesday, but if you're in a show-going mood, check out B&P, one of NYC's most solid up-and-coming indie rock acts. They're an opening band so get there early. :: MySpace
Thursday, March 5
The Antlers @ Union Hall - Park Slope, Brooklyn - $10
The CD release party for the album I spent over 1,000 words raving about last week (scroll down), this show is going to be amazing. Don't miss a chance to send the Antlers off on tour - if the world is just, they won't be playing small shows when they get back. Melancholy lo-fi ambient music at its most interesting. :: MySpace
Saturday, March 7
So So Glos @ Market Hotel - Bushwick, Brooklyn
The So So Glos are hot shit in the New York underground right now. I've never heard them, but everything I've heard about their raw punk makes me think they're worth a gamble. And they're pretty much Market Hotel's house band, so it should be an relaxed, fun show. :: MySpace
Sunday, March 8
The Homosexuals @ Mercury Lounge - LES, Manhattan - $8
British DIY-style post-punks are resurrected. They're no Wire, but they're as close as you're gonna get, especially for only eight bucks. :: MySpace
Elika @ Union Hall - Park Slope, Brooklyn - FREE
I gave Elika a rave review for their 2008 album. Their dreamy, shoegazey electro-pop is some of the best out there - they could even give M83 a run for their money. Speaking of money, the show is free. So this is about as good as it gets. :: MySpace
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Venue Review: Market Hotel
<< NYC Venues: Index
Overview
Location: Bushwick, Brooklyn
Address: 1142 Myrtle Ave. (at Broadway)
Size: Medium
Directions: J/M/Z to Myrtle Ave., walk half a block east
Website: [MySpace]
Acoustics: C+
Booking: D
Helpfulness to bands: B-
Atmosphere: A
Acoustics - Market Hotel is a warehouse space, and a rather oddly shaped one at that. They haven't done much with the sound so it's quite messy and echoey. But as far as industrial loft spaces go, it's not terrible either. Just so-so.
Booking - In this writer's experience, Market Hotel is not only difficult to book, they are difficult to get in touch with, period. Like a lot of DIY venues, they don't even bother to write back to say "no thanks," so it's impossible to know if anyone even checks the e-mail address. In other words, if you're not BFFs with the kids who run the place, you're probably out of luck.
Helpfulness to bands - Since everyone who plays there is buddy-buddy with the people running it, this almost isn't an issue, but I'll still tackle it the best I can. The problem is Market Hotel is laid-back to a fault, and their organization and communication is careless. That said, they do exist for bands and will do what they can to help the bands they book - just not in a very professional or orderly way.
Atmosphere - It's an industrial storage loft. What's not to love? The shows are hip, the audience is hip and everything is relaxed and music-focused, as it should be. Prices are also reasonable.
Miscellany - It's really cold in Market Hotel! I've never been there in the summer, but if the weather is even slightly brisk, it always seems about 10 degrees colder in there. Bundle up! Also, it's a DIY venue, so remember that shows won't start anywhere close to on time.
<< NYC Venues: Index
Overview
Location: Bushwick, Brooklyn
Address: 1142 Myrtle Ave. (at Broadway)
Size: Medium
Directions: J/M/Z to Myrtle Ave., walk half a block east
Website: [MySpace]
Acoustics: C+
Booking: D
Helpfulness to bands: B-
Atmosphere: A
Acoustics - Market Hotel is a warehouse space, and a rather oddly shaped one at that. They haven't done much with the sound so it's quite messy and echoey. But as far as industrial loft spaces go, it's not terrible either. Just so-so.
Booking - In this writer's experience, Market Hotel is not only difficult to book, they are difficult to get in touch with, period. Like a lot of DIY venues, they don't even bother to write back to say "no thanks," so it's impossible to know if anyone even checks the e-mail address. In other words, if you're not BFFs with the kids who run the place, you're probably out of luck.
Helpfulness to bands - Since everyone who plays there is buddy-buddy with the people running it, this almost isn't an issue, but I'll still tackle it the best I can. The problem is Market Hotel is laid-back to a fault, and their organization and communication is careless. That said, they do exist for bands and will do what they can to help the bands they book - just not in a very professional or orderly way.
Atmosphere - It's an industrial storage loft. What's not to love? The shows are hip, the audience is hip and everything is relaxed and music-focused, as it should be. Prices are also reasonable.
Miscellany - It's really cold in Market Hotel! I've never been there in the summer, but if the weather is even slightly brisk, it always seems about 10 degrees colder in there. Bundle up! Also, it's a DIY venue, so remember that shows won't start anywhere close to on time.
<< NYC Venues: Index
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Live: Sore Eros and Super Vacations
When: 2/7 (actually the wee hours of 2/8)
Where: Market Hotel
In yet another chapter of last weekend's epic tale, "Radio Flyer Attempts To See A Show By Wavves And Repeatedly Fails," I caught half of the after-midnight show Market Hotel, featuring two bands I had never heard of before (and not featuring Wavves, at least not before I lost consciousness around 4 AM).
Super Vacations - Super Vacations, the first band of the show, took the stage close to 2 AM and played pretty fast, loud, borderline-punk songs. I'm sorry to say that for a really talented group of musicians, these guys make a pretty poor band. The guitarists especially showed potential - their parts were interesting, and they totally nailed them. However, the drums and rhythms were boring at best, and the vocals added exactly nothing to the music. Sung through a instrument mic (apparently the band's choice since the subsequent bands used a standard dynamic vocal mic), the vocals had no melody or beauty but weren't energenic enough to approach punk either. They seemed irrelevant to the songwriting and only detracted from the mood.
Writing off the vocals and rhythm section as a loss, I wondered if the guitarists, paired with another set of musicians, would make a good band. And even there, I was forced to answer "no." Despite the individuals' talents, the parts simply did not compliment each other in any way, or come together for some larger purpose. The whole was far less than the sum of its parts and while it was not at all a painful listen, it was certainly something of a waste of time.
MySpace
Sore Eros - And now for something completely different. A poorly named band (it's a palendrome, woah), Sore Eros is highly experimental ambient noise-folk, and my reaction was very mixed. The performance itself was interesting, with the band's members lurking in the shadows, mimicking the dark depths of the music. However, one member sat on the floor (at least I think it was a member, I couldn't see if he was playing anything) and that really irked me. Something about bands where members sit on the floor, it just seems too casual and presumptious, almost disrespectful and certainly awkward.
In terms of music, the band had some great moments of noise. One member, if I'm not much mistaken, was playing a theramin, which marks the first time I've seen a performance on the instrument. My instinct is to cry "gimmick" but honestly, the sound was just right for the music. It certainly wasn't played masterfully - that's a near impossibility - but it didn't need to play precise notes and rhythms to fill its purpose in the music - adding ghostly tension to the sounds.
All in all, the band didn't add up to what it should have. The sound was unrefined and unedited, with good ideas tossed in willy-nilly with weaker ones. I think the band could probably benefit from taking a step back and really hearing their music from the outside - they were probably following the feel of it, but what feels right to play doesn't always sound interesting to the audience. Nevertheless, I'll say these guys have potential, and if their sound matures, they could turn out to be a pretty interesting bunch.
MySpace
Where: Market Hotel
In yet another chapter of last weekend's epic tale, "Radio Flyer Attempts To See A Show By Wavves And Repeatedly Fails," I caught half of the after-midnight show Market Hotel, featuring two bands I had never heard of before (and not featuring Wavves, at least not before I lost consciousness around 4 AM).
Super Vacations - Super Vacations, the first band of the show, took the stage close to 2 AM and played pretty fast, loud, borderline-punk songs. I'm sorry to say that for a really talented group of musicians, these guys make a pretty poor band. The guitarists especially showed potential - their parts were interesting, and they totally nailed them. However, the drums and rhythms were boring at best, and the vocals added exactly nothing to the music. Sung through a instrument mic (apparently the band's choice since the subsequent bands used a standard dynamic vocal mic), the vocals had no melody or beauty but weren't energenic enough to approach punk either. They seemed irrelevant to the songwriting and only detracted from the mood.
Writing off the vocals and rhythm section as a loss, I wondered if the guitarists, paired with another set of musicians, would make a good band. And even there, I was forced to answer "no." Despite the individuals' talents, the parts simply did not compliment each other in any way, or come together for some larger purpose. The whole was far less than the sum of its parts and while it was not at all a painful listen, it was certainly something of a waste of time.
MySpace
Sore Eros - And now for something completely different. A poorly named band (it's a palendrome, woah), Sore Eros is highly experimental ambient noise-folk, and my reaction was very mixed. The performance itself was interesting, with the band's members lurking in the shadows, mimicking the dark depths of the music. However, one member sat on the floor (at least I think it was a member, I couldn't see if he was playing anything) and that really irked me. Something about bands where members sit on the floor, it just seems too casual and presumptious, almost disrespectful and certainly awkward.
In terms of music, the band had some great moments of noise. One member, if I'm not much mistaken, was playing a theramin, which marks the first time I've seen a performance on the instrument. My instinct is to cry "gimmick" but honestly, the sound was just right for the music. It certainly wasn't played masterfully - that's a near impossibility - but it didn't need to play precise notes and rhythms to fill its purpose in the music - adding ghostly tension to the sounds.
All in all, the band didn't add up to what it should have. The sound was unrefined and unedited, with good ideas tossed in willy-nilly with weaker ones. I think the band could probably benefit from taking a step back and really hearing their music from the outside - they were probably following the feel of it, but what feels right to play doesn't always sound interesting to the audience. Nevertheless, I'll say these guys have potential, and if their sound matures, they could turn out to be a pretty interesting bunch.
MySpace
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