Friday, September 17
AIDS Wolf, An Albatross, Sightings, Vaz @ Death by Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
This should only be, like, the best, nastiest noise show of the year. Just go. [AIDS MySpace] [Albatross MySpace] [Sightings MySpace] [Vaz MySpace]
Saturday, September 18
Superchunk, Let's Wrestle @ Bowery Ballroom * LES, Manhattan * SOLD OUT
The quintessential 90's American indie band, leaders of the illustrious Chapel Hill scene and founders and flagship band of the indie great Merge, Superchunk are, if nothing else, a piece of history. Let's Wrestle are their okay-but-not-amazing signees from the U.K. [Superchunk MySpace] [Wrestle MySpace]
No Age, Small Black @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $15
Noise-punk duo No Age combine contemporary punk and indie, catchy melodies and shoegaze noise. Go. And jump in the pit. Do it. Small Black is opening, they're a pretty good synth-based poppy, noisy band. Worth checking out. [NA MySpace] [SB MySpace]
Sunday, September 19
Superchunk @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * SOLD OUT
See above, minus Let's Wrestle.
Dinowalrus @ Union Pool * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
If you want to go to a show that's not sold out, go see drug experimental trio Dinowalrus. They are weird but you can dance to their music, especially if you do a lot of drugs. Even if you don't, it's got a brilliant, unpredictable pop edge. Plus, Pitchfork called the frontman a "heartthrob" and I can see it. [MySpace]
Monday, September 20
Sleigh Bells @ Webster Sudio * East Village, Manhattan * SOLD OUT
Sleigh Bells are the band of 2010. Their hip-hop beats, razor-edged hardcore-style guitar and saccharine, girlish vocals combine to make a sound fully the band's own, without ripping anyone off and without drenching themselves in nostalgia for one or another bygone decade. Why they're playing a leeeettle venue like this one instead of upstairs, I don't know. The show's sold out but maybe if you're clever you can find a way to get in. You should try, it will be worth it. [MySpace]
Tuesday, September 21
Wavves, Babies @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $15
Oh Nathan Williams, our mullethawked, baby-faced, drug addict crash-and-burn SoCal lo-fi surf punk star, your detractors say you're passe, but that's simply wishful thinking. Guys, this kid isn't done yet. He's got real skill and he may not have handled his rise to fame with maturity, but cut him some slack, he's barely old enough to drink legally. His tunes are simple, raw, youthful punk gems drenched in noise. Babies is an NYC scene supergroup feature members of Vivian Girls, Woods, Stupid Party and Bossy (one apiece). Not a shabby roster. [Wavves MySpace] [Babies MySpace]
The long view...
September
25
Titus Andronicus, Screaming Females @ Webster Hall
PC Worship, MV+EE @ Death by Audio
26
Xiu Xiu, Merzbow, Ecstatic Sunshine @ Le Poisson Rouge
27
M.I.A. @ Terminal 5
28
Schonen Knife, Grooms @ Knitting Factory
Forgetters (album release) @ Death by Audio
30
Film School, Depreciation Guild, Home Video @ Glasslands
October
1
Foals @ Bowery Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
2
Foals @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (SOLD OUT)
3
Chapterhouse, Ulrich Schnauss, Mahogany @ Bell House
Efterklang, Xylos @ Glasslands
4
Chapterhouse, Ulrich Schnauss, Soundpool @ Le Poisson Rouge
5
Marnie Stern @ Rock Shop
8
Swans @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
9
Swans @ Bowery Ballroom
13
Deerhoof @ Le Poisson Rouge
23
AIDS Wolf, Heavy Cream, Screens @ Knitting Factory
26
Japandroids, A Place to Bury Stranger @ Death by Audio
27
Jeff the Brotherhood, Ninja Sonik, Elks @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
November
7
Guided by Voices (original line-up) @ Terminal 5 (SOLD OUT)
Showing posts with label No Age. Show all posts
Showing posts with label No Age. Show all posts
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Guest List: Best Live Acts of 2009
The ever alluring "Jasper" put together a list of best live acts he saw in 2009. I threw in links to any reviews I wrote of those shows we saw together.
#15 Sonic Youth put on a just plain great rock show. The fact that they are an essential piece of rock n' holl history in the flesh and the props they get for still doing it this well 30 years later is what elevates them above the hundreds of other great rock shows this year and earns them a place here.
(RFR Review)
#14 Animal Collective makes truly unique and often astounding music, but their shows are about more than just reproducing it live. Considering how many of their tracks are either heavily produced or exude a very personal, almost private, feeling, it is impressive how they transform them to fill the vast concert halls they now frequent. Combined with their quirky, honest, no holds barred stage presence and you have a show unlike any other. Were it not for the occasionally excessive jam sessions, they would have been higher in this list.
(Jasper Full Review)
#13 JEFF the Brotherhood are gritty, loud and rambunctious, yet still technically polished. Simply put, their shows have been some of the most fun I've been to all year. In a underground music culture rife of overly self-conscious, pretentious and just plain wimpy hipster cliches, two guys unafraid to play good old rock n' roll (that is nonetheless innovative) and mean it are as ballsy as they are refreshing.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#12 That the Vandelles' shows make you simultaneously want to dance and sing along AND cower in a corner with your hands pressed tightly against your ears is impressive enough. Throw in a charismatic front man and a drummer whose unmatched aggression only adds to her sex appeal and you've got one hell of a show. Who am I kidding? The whole band is exceptionally good looking and know how to work it and as much as we hardcore music fans want to tell ourselves that it's all about the music, we're only human.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#11 Titus Andronicus - Though I could never much get into listening to their albums, I have to admit that the TA shows I've been to have been some of the best all year. Committed and adept performers, they inspire a contagious enthusiasm in their fans. Beyond that, they embody the true spirit of punk: agressive and confrontational, yet communal and inclusive.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#10 Stupid Party - Forget committed, these guys are just plain nuts. With equal parts agression and abandon, they appear to pour every fiber of their beings into their shows yet exude the spontaneous joy of kids at a playground.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#9 Lightning Bolt - Never had I been to a show where the entire room erupted into a mosh pit at the musician's first touch of his instrument - and that was just the sound check! We all know that they are supremely skilled musicians, but there is something in their music that transcends technical virtuosity and sends a jolt through their fans unlike anything else I have yet witnessed.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#8 Beluga - Plenty of bands have loud guitars, infectious hooks and effective arrangements. Few have a striking front woman who refuses to remain still, dances with the audience and writhes on the floor. This is the real thing kids, don't miss it!
(RFR Review)
#7 Screaming Females shows are all about the uninhibited yet astoundingly skilled antics of front woman Marissa Paternoster. She sings and screams and shreds with an aggression and technical prowess not typically associated with diminutive women - but boy does she show 'em how it's done.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#6 ...And You Will know Us by the Trail of the Dead put on shows as sweeping and dramatic as their name, without the off-putting excess that's often part of the package. How? They deliver every note and word with unwavering and uninhibited passion. They are truly one of the most powerful bands I have ever witnessed.
(RFR Review)
#5 Fucked Up also perform with grandeur and power uncommon in today's hyper self-aware landscape, although their shows are as much about sonic assault as they are moving their audience emotionally. Not in years (dare I say, since Black Flag?) has anyone so raw been compelling on so many levels - visceral, emotional and intellectual.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#4 A Place to Bury Strangers - Speaking of sonic assault, these guys do it better than anyone I know of on the scene today, while simultaneously undermining any image of themselves as traditional rock stars by obscuring their own figures with smoke and strobe lights. To witness their shows is not so much to encounter a rock band but a force of nature.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#3 No Age - This one might not be be fair since they are a perennial favorite of mine, but I am hard pressed to think of any band that, no matter where or how many times I see them, it is literally one of the most fun nights of my entire year. Sophisticated, shoegaze influenced soundscapes are backed by a good ol' fasion punk rock spirit. Also, their shows always seem to inspire an unusually spirited yet mostly non-violent mosh pit. Don't miss these guys the next time they come around!
(RFR Review, sort of)
#2 Pterodactyl have pretty much everything I have pointed out so far that makes a great live band: charisma, visceral force, technical prowess, a hint of insanity, a whole lot of fun and the sense that they really mean it. But what puts them ahead of the pack is their undeniable musical originality and, more importantly, the fact that their live shows evolve continually. Rather than finding a formula for success and sticking with it, every Pterodactyl show I've seen has been distinct: sometimes loud and abrasive, sometimes poppy and sing-songy, sometimes noisy and experimental (not to mention, all of these at once). While every band on this list puts on a great show and has something unique to offer, this extra level of risk-taking is exceedingly rare.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3 / 4)
#1 Ponytail - I've detailed the characteristics I value in a live band so many times by this point that to list everything good about Ponytail's shows would be redundant. Suffice it to say they have it all and take much of it just one step further than the rest (in particular, the antics of their lead vocalist, who is physically small but larger than life in sound and personality). What is really extraordinary and different about their shows however, has as much to do with the atmosphere as what the band is actually doing on stage: to be at a Ponytail show is to be surrounded by hundreds of kids literally jumping up and down for experimental free-form noise rock.
This uncommon combination of spontaneous joy and high-art appreciation among fans points to what makes Ponytail's music and their shows so striking and important: their ability to synthesize disparate or even seemingly contradictory qualities. Their music is at once visceral and intellectual, arty yet fun, experimental yet widely appealing. In this way, Ponytail represents all that rock music can be, in the tradition of some of my greatest heroes like the Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth. Such a comparison is a high compliment indeed; however, what makes Ponytail even greater is that they do not achieve what these bands did by aping them. Rather, their music is some of the most original and truly unique out there today. So there you have it: a band that both returns to what was so awesome about the greatest of the past and moves the the art form forward into the future.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#15 Sonic Youth put on a just plain great rock show. The fact that they are an essential piece of rock n' holl history in the flesh and the props they get for still doing it this well 30 years later is what elevates them above the hundreds of other great rock shows this year and earns them a place here.
(RFR Review)
#14 Animal Collective makes truly unique and often astounding music, but their shows are about more than just reproducing it live. Considering how many of their tracks are either heavily produced or exude a very personal, almost private, feeling, it is impressive how they transform them to fill the vast concert halls they now frequent. Combined with their quirky, honest, no holds barred stage presence and you have a show unlike any other. Were it not for the occasionally excessive jam sessions, they would have been higher in this list.
(Jasper Full Review)
#13 JEFF the Brotherhood are gritty, loud and rambunctious, yet still technically polished. Simply put, their shows have been some of the most fun I've been to all year. In a underground music culture rife of overly self-conscious, pretentious and just plain wimpy hipster cliches, two guys unafraid to play good old rock n' roll (that is nonetheless innovative) and mean it are as ballsy as they are refreshing.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#12 That the Vandelles' shows make you simultaneously want to dance and sing along AND cower in a corner with your hands pressed tightly against your ears is impressive enough. Throw in a charismatic front man and a drummer whose unmatched aggression only adds to her sex appeal and you've got one hell of a show. Who am I kidding? The whole band is exceptionally good looking and know how to work it and as much as we hardcore music fans want to tell ourselves that it's all about the music, we're only human.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#11 Titus Andronicus - Though I could never much get into listening to their albums, I have to admit that the TA shows I've been to have been some of the best all year. Committed and adept performers, they inspire a contagious enthusiasm in their fans. Beyond that, they embody the true spirit of punk: agressive and confrontational, yet communal and inclusive.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#10 Stupid Party - Forget committed, these guys are just plain nuts. With equal parts agression and abandon, they appear to pour every fiber of their beings into their shows yet exude the spontaneous joy of kids at a playground.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#9 Lightning Bolt - Never had I been to a show where the entire room erupted into a mosh pit at the musician's first touch of his instrument - and that was just the sound check! We all know that they are supremely skilled musicians, but there is something in their music that transcends technical virtuosity and sends a jolt through their fans unlike anything else I have yet witnessed.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#8 Beluga - Plenty of bands have loud guitars, infectious hooks and effective arrangements. Few have a striking front woman who refuses to remain still, dances with the audience and writhes on the floor. This is the real thing kids, don't miss it!
(RFR Review)
#7 Screaming Females shows are all about the uninhibited yet astoundingly skilled antics of front woman Marissa Paternoster. She sings and screams and shreds with an aggression and technical prowess not typically associated with diminutive women - but boy does she show 'em how it's done.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3)
#6 ...And You Will know Us by the Trail of the Dead put on shows as sweeping and dramatic as their name, without the off-putting excess that's often part of the package. How? They deliver every note and word with unwavering and uninhibited passion. They are truly one of the most powerful bands I have ever witnessed.
(RFR Review)
#5 Fucked Up also perform with grandeur and power uncommon in today's hyper self-aware landscape, although their shows are as much about sonic assault as they are moving their audience emotionally. Not in years (dare I say, since Black Flag?) has anyone so raw been compelling on so many levels - visceral, emotional and intellectual.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#4 A Place to Bury Strangers - Speaking of sonic assault, these guys do it better than anyone I know of on the scene today, while simultaneously undermining any image of themselves as traditional rock stars by obscuring their own figures with smoke and strobe lights. To witness their shows is not so much to encounter a rock band but a force of nature.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
#3 No Age - This one might not be be fair since they are a perennial favorite of mine, but I am hard pressed to think of any band that, no matter where or how many times I see them, it is literally one of the most fun nights of my entire year. Sophisticated, shoegaze influenced soundscapes are backed by a good ol' fasion punk rock spirit. Also, their shows always seem to inspire an unusually spirited yet mostly non-violent mosh pit. Don't miss these guys the next time they come around!
(RFR Review, sort of)
#2 Pterodactyl have pretty much everything I have pointed out so far that makes a great live band: charisma, visceral force, technical prowess, a hint of insanity, a whole lot of fun and the sense that they really mean it. But what puts them ahead of the pack is their undeniable musical originality and, more importantly, the fact that their live shows evolve continually. Rather than finding a formula for success and sticking with it, every Pterodactyl show I've seen has been distinct: sometimes loud and abrasive, sometimes poppy and sing-songy, sometimes noisy and experimental (not to mention, all of these at once). While every band on this list puts on a great show and has something unique to offer, this extra level of risk-taking is exceedingly rare.
(RFR Review 1 / 2 / 3 / 4)
#1 Ponytail - I've detailed the characteristics I value in a live band so many times by this point that to list everything good about Ponytail's shows would be redundant. Suffice it to say they have it all and take much of it just one step further than the rest (in particular, the antics of their lead vocalist, who is physically small but larger than life in sound and personality). What is really extraordinary and different about their shows however, has as much to do with the atmosphere as what the band is actually doing on stage: to be at a Ponytail show is to be surrounded by hundreds of kids literally jumping up and down for experimental free-form noise rock.
This uncommon combination of spontaneous joy and high-art appreciation among fans points to what makes Ponytail's music and their shows so striking and important: their ability to synthesize disparate or even seemingly contradictory qualities. Their music is at once visceral and intellectual, arty yet fun, experimental yet widely appealing. In this way, Ponytail represents all that rock music can be, in the tradition of some of my greatest heroes like the Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth. Such a comparison is a high compliment indeed; however, what makes Ponytail even greater is that they do not achieve what these bands did by aping them. Rather, their music is some of the most original and truly unique out there today. So there you have it: a band that both returns to what was so awesome about the greatest of the past and moves the the art form forward into the future.
(RFR Review 1 / 2)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
What I Missed in 2008
Gearing up for the year-end lists and decade-end lists, here's a list of the albums that should have been in my "Best of 2008" list but weren't.
First off, these should have at least been considered:
4. No Age - Nouns (SubPop)
I had some misconceptions about No Age that caused my brain to subconsciously dislike whatever I heard by them. Then one day last spring, I was listening to Nouns and suddenly I got it. Noise pop/punk at its absolute best.
3. The Mae Shi - HLLLYH (Moshi Moshi)
This one I just totally missed. It's a ballsy noise rock album about bible stories and religion. I like to holler along.
2. TV on the Radio - Dear Science (Interscope)
I think I made up a rule for myself specifically to disqualify this album because I could not properly wrap my brain around it. Turns out the only problem was I was trying to hear it as a rock album. If you need to contextualize music you listen to, this is a tricky one because you have to think of it simultaneously as an indie rock album and as an R&B/soul album. When you do, it makes perfect sense why this album was #1 for so many people. It's stunning.
1. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)
This one also came in totally under my radar. It takes hardcore punk to an entirely new level. It should have been my #1. (Sorry, Marnie!)
The great thing about blogging is that it's never too late to fix your mistakes! Lots more lists coming up soon!
First off, these should have at least been considered:
- Eat Skull - Sick to Death (Siltbreeze)
- Jay Reatard - Matador Singles (Matador)
- Parts & Labor - Receivers (Jagjaguar)
4. No Age - Nouns (SubPop)
I had some misconceptions about No Age that caused my brain to subconsciously dislike whatever I heard by them. Then one day last spring, I was listening to Nouns and suddenly I got it. Noise pop/punk at its absolute best.
3. The Mae Shi - HLLLYH (Moshi Moshi)
This one I just totally missed. It's a ballsy noise rock album about bible stories and religion. I like to holler along.
2. TV on the Radio - Dear Science (Interscope)
I think I made up a rule for myself specifically to disqualify this album because I could not properly wrap my brain around it. Turns out the only problem was I was trying to hear it as a rock album. If you need to contextualize music you listen to, this is a tricky one because you have to think of it simultaneously as an indie rock album and as an R&B/soul album. When you do, it makes perfect sense why this album was #1 for so many people. It's stunning.
1. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)
This one also came in totally under my radar. It takes hardcore punk to an entirely new level. It should have been my #1. (Sorry, Marnie!)
The great thing about blogging is that it's never too late to fix your mistakes! Lots more lists coming up soon!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Live: Woods, Silk Flowers + No Age
When: October 14
Where: Le Poisson Rouge
So ages ago, I went to see No Age play at Le Poisson Rouge because I couldn't go to their weekend shows. It may have been a really late show on a weeknight, I may have had the swine flu, but nothing was going to stop me from seeing this band.
I got to LPR in time for Silk Flowers, who at first seemed to be some gangly young men playing around with droning, monotonous synthesizers, which looked fun for them, but I couldn't figure out why anyone would think it was a good idea to put them on a stage in front of an audience. However, eventually, one of the gangly youths slouched over a microphone and performed what sounded like a drunk gorilla doing an imitation of Ian Curtis. It was awful, but I think it was intentionally awful, and at least awful in an interesting way. With only a very loose sense of pitch and no annunciation, the baritone drawl slobbered spastically over the songs.
The synth parts were boring and the songwriting sloppy, but the vocals were just weird enough to really excite a small part of me. Over all, I don't think I can recommend this. I think it's just a disaffected imitation of a bunch of trendy bands. But I'm not entirely sure. [MySpace]
Woods, one of my favorites, were up next. Their set was really mixed. It started and ended with obscenely long, self-indulgent jam sessions. This kind of stunt is rude, even when once-good legends like the Grateful Dead do it. It's certainly not a right earned by Woods, whose success is moderate and recent. Anyway, Woods aren't particularly great at their instruments and they aren't particularly amazing noise-makers - their appeal is based on their extraordinary songwriting coupled with a bit of weird sound and delivery. The songwriting is more than half the equation, so what's the point of fucking around for fifteen minutes?
In the middle, though, Woods played like the band I love. Their melodies, new and old, are still captivating, and their sound still weirdly distant and otherworldly. They fixed up their old songs with some well-conceived adjustments, cranking the volume in some parts and adding new vocal harmonies to songs like "Rain On" (which pleased me, since whenever I end up working late, I end up sitting in my office trying to harmonize with that chorus). The band has tightened up, no longer struggling with tempos and locking in seamlessly - months of shows will do that for you!
Unfortunately, they ended on another ridiculous jam. Guys, keep that to five minutes, tops, especially as an opening band. The sound guy appeared to be trying to signal to the band to stop, but they just droned on and on and on. It didn't ruin the set, but still, a bad move. [MySpace]
By the time No Age took the stage, my H1N1 got the best of me (did you think I was kidding?), and I couldn't really enjoy much of the set. It was noisy and good and the band's two members seemed like really nice guys, but I was keeling over in a corner so I don't think I'm qualified to write a proper review. Let's just hope they come back to NY soon.
Where: Le Poisson Rouge
So ages ago, I went to see No Age play at Le Poisson Rouge because I couldn't go to their weekend shows. It may have been a really late show on a weeknight, I may have had the swine flu, but nothing was going to stop me from seeing this band.
I got to LPR in time for Silk Flowers, who at first seemed to be some gangly young men playing around with droning, monotonous synthesizers, which looked fun for them, but I couldn't figure out why anyone would think it was a good idea to put them on a stage in front of an audience. However, eventually, one of the gangly youths slouched over a microphone and performed what sounded like a drunk gorilla doing an imitation of Ian Curtis. It was awful, but I think it was intentionally awful, and at least awful in an interesting way. With only a very loose sense of pitch and no annunciation, the baritone drawl slobbered spastically over the songs.
The synth parts were boring and the songwriting sloppy, but the vocals were just weird enough to really excite a small part of me. Over all, I don't think I can recommend this. I think it's just a disaffected imitation of a bunch of trendy bands. But I'm not entirely sure. [MySpace]
Woods, one of my favorites, were up next. Their set was really mixed. It started and ended with obscenely long, self-indulgent jam sessions. This kind of stunt is rude, even when once-good legends like the Grateful Dead do it. It's certainly not a right earned by Woods, whose success is moderate and recent. Anyway, Woods aren't particularly great at their instruments and they aren't particularly amazing noise-makers - their appeal is based on their extraordinary songwriting coupled with a bit of weird sound and delivery. The songwriting is more than half the equation, so what's the point of fucking around for fifteen minutes?
In the middle, though, Woods played like the band I love. Their melodies, new and old, are still captivating, and their sound still weirdly distant and otherworldly. They fixed up their old songs with some well-conceived adjustments, cranking the volume in some parts and adding new vocal harmonies to songs like "Rain On" (which pleased me, since whenever I end up working late, I end up sitting in my office trying to harmonize with that chorus). The band has tightened up, no longer struggling with tempos and locking in seamlessly - months of shows will do that for you!
Unfortunately, they ended on another ridiculous jam. Guys, keep that to five minutes, tops, especially as an opening band. The sound guy appeared to be trying to signal to the band to stop, but they just droned on and on and on. It didn't ruin the set, but still, a bad move. [MySpace]
By the time No Age took the stage, my H1N1 got the best of me (did you think I was kidding?), and I couldn't really enjoy much of the set. It was noisy and good and the band's two members seemed like really nice guys, but I was keeling over in a corner so I don't think I'm qualified to write a proper review. Let's just hope they come back to NY soon.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Upcoming Shows: No Age, Ringo Deathstarr + more
Wednesday, July 29
Two shoegaze-y shows worth checking out - and the ambitious gazer might be able to swing both, since they are not more than a fifteen minute walk apart...
Screen Vinyl Image + Violet Hour @ Annex | LES, Manhattan
The Annex can be a little creepy and pricey, but Screen Vinyl Image are worth the trouble. An extremely loud, extremely dark electro-shoegaze outfit, SVI hail from Virginia. I haven't been quite as fond of them with their new drummer, but that may just be a matter of time and adjustment. Either way, the sheer volume and density of the music is exceptional. Violet Hour are a similarly-minded duo, less dark and less heavy, with a definite arty bent. They band frequently invites guests to join for sets, making each show a new experience. Bring earplugs!!! [SVI MySpace] [VH MySpace]
Soundpool, Me You Us Them @ Webster Studio | E Village, Manhattan | $10 adv. / $12 dos.
Soundpool's rich dreampop has been an NYC favorite for years, with swirling guitars, sweet melodies and warm distortion-fuzz. Me You Us Them makes a more post-punk form of noise pop, with more focus on vocals and the occasional open space than shoegaze proper. [SP MySpace] [MYUT MySpace]
Thursday, July 30
Method Man, Ghostface Killah @ Nokia Theater | Midtown, Manhattan | $35-$40
Every time I think of specific members of the Wu-Tang Clan, I start to say, "oh, that's one of my favorites," but then I realize they are all favorites. Bring da ruckus.
Iran @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $15
Destroyer is actually headlining this show, but I don't really give two shitzus about that dude. I only recently got around to seriously listening to Iran's 2009 release, and I like it a lot. The band has the guitarist from TV on the Radio and while I recognize TVOTR has made greater strides in terms of originality, on a personal level, I prefer Iran, whose indie rock is more down-to-earth and satisfyingly cynical. [MySpace]
Friday, July 31
July goes out with a bang...
River to River: Polvo, Obits @ the Seaport | Downtown, Manhattan | FREE
Polvo were one of the original Chapel Hill math rock bands of the early 90's. Labelmates of Slint, Don Caballero and the rest of the best (on Touch & Go), Polvo rock loud and hard, arty, noisy and way better than the mathy post rockers of recent years (DD/MM/YYYY, I'm looking at you!). The Obits are far more recent, and play punk that's a bit easier to digest, but similarly hardhitting and similarly intelligent. [Polvo MySpace] [Obits MySpace]
Blacklist, Ringo Deathstarr, Vandelles @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
WOW. WOW. WOW. Three amazing bands, goth-tinted new wavers Blacklist, shoegaze masters Ringo Deathstarr and noise-surf rockers the Vandelles. Whoever selected this lineup is positively brilliant - it has plenty of variety, but enough common ground (post-punk/Jesus & Mary Chain influences) to appeal to the same audience. Ringo Deathstarr, I firmly believe, are the best shoegaze band of the present generation, and since they live in Austin, TX, you shouldn't miss the chance to hear them whenever they pass through town. [BL MySpace] [RDS MySpace] [Vandelles MySpace]
Mekons (acoustic) @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $15
I would be remiss not to mention the Mekons playing in town. Seminal punk/post-punks from the late 70's UK, the Mekons are known for the artistic daring and their ability to occasionally have a sense of humor. I don't think I'm trekking to Gowanus for an acoustic set, especially when so much else amazing is happening on Friday, but they are living legends and certainly merit a mention.
Saturday, August 1
Dean & Britta, Crystal Stilts @ Prospect Park | FREE
Dean & Britta are ex-Luna, and Dean ex-Galaxie 500. The two have been known to occasionally perform songs from their old bands, but their newer material together is equally excellent. British-inflected noise-pop so charming I dare you not to love it. And the Crystal Stilts...what to even say anymore? I don't like their attitude but I sure love their music. They sound like a C-86 version of Joy Division, or for those of you who have lives and don't spend your time reading about the indie rock scene in the 1980's UK, they have awkwardly jaunty but dark baritone vocal lines, melodies frequently coming from the bass, minimalist drumming and a certain noisy, unpolished guitar sound that's subtle but beautiful. [D&B MySpace] [CS MySpace]
So So Glos, Lovvers, Sundelles, Babies @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
So So Glos are punks with bad attitudes. Who doesn't love that? Lovvers are a really excellent UK punk band I just recently reviewed. Sundelles do a good job combining old-school rock'n'roll songwriting smarts with a noise-punk sensibility. I haven't heard Babies, but it features members of Woods and Vivian Girls. Which means it could go either way - painfully boring or amazing. I don't have high hopes, but we'll see. [SSG MySpace] [Lovvers MySpace] [Sundelles MySpace]
Sunday, August 2
Deerhunter, No Age, Dan Deacon @ Williamsburg Waterfront | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | FREE
In what will probably be the best "pool party" of the summer, experimental noise rockers Deerhunter and enthusiastic noise punks No Age will share the stage. They are joined by Dan Deacon, whom I've never listened to because I find his name uninspiring (no, I don't think that's a good reason, just being honest here). What am I carrying on about? You'll be there. [DH MySpace] [NA MySpace]
Two shoegaze-y shows worth checking out - and the ambitious gazer might be able to swing both, since they are not more than a fifteen minute walk apart...
Screen Vinyl Image + Violet Hour @ Annex | LES, Manhattan
The Annex can be a little creepy and pricey, but Screen Vinyl Image are worth the trouble. An extremely loud, extremely dark electro-shoegaze outfit, SVI hail from Virginia. I haven't been quite as fond of them with their new drummer, but that may just be a matter of time and adjustment. Either way, the sheer volume and density of the music is exceptional. Violet Hour are a similarly-minded duo, less dark and less heavy, with a definite arty bent. They band frequently invites guests to join for sets, making each show a new experience. Bring earplugs!!! [SVI MySpace] [VH MySpace]
Soundpool, Me You Us Them @ Webster Studio | E Village, Manhattan | $10 adv. / $12 dos.
Soundpool's rich dreampop has been an NYC favorite for years, with swirling guitars, sweet melodies and warm distortion-fuzz. Me You Us Them makes a more post-punk form of noise pop, with more focus on vocals and the occasional open space than shoegaze proper. [SP MySpace] [MYUT MySpace]
Thursday, July 30
Method Man, Ghostface Killah @ Nokia Theater | Midtown, Manhattan | $35-$40
Every time I think of specific members of the Wu-Tang Clan, I start to say, "oh, that's one of my favorites," but then I realize they are all favorites. Bring da ruckus.
Iran @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $15
Destroyer is actually headlining this show, but I don't really give two shitzus about that dude. I only recently got around to seriously listening to Iran's 2009 release, and I like it a lot. The band has the guitarist from TV on the Radio and while I recognize TVOTR has made greater strides in terms of originality, on a personal level, I prefer Iran, whose indie rock is more down-to-earth and satisfyingly cynical. [MySpace]
Friday, July 31
July goes out with a bang...
River to River: Polvo, Obits @ the Seaport | Downtown, Manhattan | FREE
Polvo were one of the original Chapel Hill math rock bands of the early 90's. Labelmates of Slint, Don Caballero and the rest of the best (on Touch & Go), Polvo rock loud and hard, arty, noisy and way better than the mathy post rockers of recent years (DD/MM/YYYY, I'm looking at you!). The Obits are far more recent, and play punk that's a bit easier to digest, but similarly hardhitting and similarly intelligent. [Polvo MySpace] [Obits MySpace]
Blacklist, Ringo Deathstarr, Vandelles @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
WOW. WOW. WOW. Three amazing bands, goth-tinted new wavers Blacklist, shoegaze masters Ringo Deathstarr and noise-surf rockers the Vandelles. Whoever selected this lineup is positively brilliant - it has plenty of variety, but enough common ground (post-punk/Jesus & Mary Chain influences) to appeal to the same audience. Ringo Deathstarr, I firmly believe, are the best shoegaze band of the present generation, and since they live in Austin, TX, you shouldn't miss the chance to hear them whenever they pass through town. [BL MySpace] [RDS MySpace] [Vandelles MySpace]
Mekons (acoustic) @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $15
I would be remiss not to mention the Mekons playing in town. Seminal punk/post-punks from the late 70's UK, the Mekons are known for the artistic daring and their ability to occasionally have a sense of humor. I don't think I'm trekking to Gowanus for an acoustic set, especially when so much else amazing is happening on Friday, but they are living legends and certainly merit a mention.
Saturday, August 1
Dean & Britta, Crystal Stilts @ Prospect Park | FREE
Dean & Britta are ex-Luna, and Dean ex-Galaxie 500. The two have been known to occasionally perform songs from their old bands, but their newer material together is equally excellent. British-inflected noise-pop so charming I dare you not to love it. And the Crystal Stilts...what to even say anymore? I don't like their attitude but I sure love their music. They sound like a C-86 version of Joy Division, or for those of you who have lives and don't spend your time reading about the indie rock scene in the 1980's UK, they have awkwardly jaunty but dark baritone vocal lines, melodies frequently coming from the bass, minimalist drumming and a certain noisy, unpolished guitar sound that's subtle but beautiful. [D&B MySpace] [CS MySpace]
So So Glos, Lovvers, Sundelles, Babies @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
So So Glos are punks with bad attitudes. Who doesn't love that? Lovvers are a really excellent UK punk band I just recently reviewed. Sundelles do a good job combining old-school rock'n'roll songwriting smarts with a noise-punk sensibility. I haven't heard Babies, but it features members of Woods and Vivian Girls. Which means it could go either way - painfully boring or amazing. I don't have high hopes, but we'll see. [SSG MySpace] [Lovvers MySpace] [Sundelles MySpace]
Sunday, August 2
Deerhunter, No Age, Dan Deacon @ Williamsburg Waterfront | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | FREE
In what will probably be the best "pool party" of the summer, experimental noise rockers Deerhunter and enthusiastic noise punks No Age will share the stage. They are joined by Dan Deacon, whom I've never listened to because I find his name uninspiring (no, I don't think that's a good reason, just being honest here). What am I carrying on about? You'll be there. [DH MySpace] [NA MySpace]
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