Upcoming Shows: Weekends, Total Slacker + more

Tonight!! Thursday, May 12

PC Worship @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
PC Worship play a strange sort of lo-fi folk meets free jazz.  I've found their shows hit and miss, but they are definitely one of the most interesting bands to crop up in the last few years. [myspace]

CSS, Sleigh Bells @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * SOLD OUT
CSS are Brazilian ladies who make ultra hip crazy dance pop with punk attitude. Sleigh Bells are a duo who make ultra hip music using this recipe: danceable, heavy hip-hop beats + girly vocals + metal/hardcore/industrial sheets of guitar noise + some screaming.  The bands are playing better venues later in the week (also sold out) so if you are able to get in, I'd recommend one of the others, because Webster Hall is a shithole. [css myspace] [sb myspace]

Other shows
Shark? (Pixies sound-alike), Radical Dads @ Cake Shop ($8)


Tomorrow!! Friday, May 13

Weekends, Total Slacker @ Monster Island Basement * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $8
I hear Weekends are really good.  They've got an arty chaotic sound like Ponytail, but with more pop-tailors songs.  Like Pterodactyl, if you've heard that band (and you should have cause they're the shit).  The last time I saw Total Slacker, they nearly killed everyone in the venue by lighting a guitar on fire.  In a second floor DIY venue without proper fire exits and a low quality wood floor.  Despite the attempted murder, I love this band; they are one of the only bands that I still get excited about seeing.  Their guitarist is sick and can play crazy solos, but most of the time he doesn't do that.  Their bass player is sick.  Their drummer is pretty sick.  The band plays like they just picked up instruments for the first time, except that they are secretly amazing musicians and if you listen closely, you can hear how tight they are.  They like to jump into the audience and destroy their instruments.  Which is awesome. [weekend myspace] [total myspace]

Other shows
...and You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (wall o' sound noise pop with some prog and punk) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Darlings, My Teenage Stride (charmingly messy indie pop) @ Silent Barn
Dustin Wong (Ponytail guitarist) @ Open Road Rooftop (Rooftop Films thingy)
Echo & the Bunnymen @ Irving Plaza
The Feelies @ Bell House (sold out!)
Psychedelic Horseshit (emphasis on the "shit"), Pterodactyl (see above!) @ Glasslands ($10)


Saturday, May 14

Echo & the Bunnymen * East Village, Manhattan * $39.50
I don't usually feature exceedingly overpriced shows, but there's just not all that much else going on Saturday since it looks like Pop. 1280 canceled their gig.  Echo & the Bunnymen are one of my favorite bands ever.  They're one of the original UK post punk bands, with the dark drama of the Cure and the mystical ramblings of the Fall.  They probably aren't worth $40, but if you're feeling flush... [myspace]

Other shows
Aesop Rock (electro whitefolk rap, but good) @ Bowery Ballroom (sold out!)
Coconuts, GDFX (poppy punky noise pop kinda typical stuff) @ Union Pool
Nine 11 Thesaurus (reasonably hard East Coast indie rap crew) @ Silent Barn
Here We Go Magic (lots of "world" rhythms, like recent Flaming Lips kinda) @ Mercury Lounge


Sunday, May 15

Soft Circle, Yvette, Hunters @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
Although this is a solid line-up of nasty experimental bands, the highlight is opening act Hunters, one of the most violent post-punk bands in Brooklyn and one of my favorite live acts.  [myspace]

Other shows
Sleigh Bells, CSS (see above) @ Bowery Ballroom (sold out!)


Monday, May 16

Passive Aggressor @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
Passive Aggressor are a good punk band that have some pop appeal but also yell all hardcore like and jump around and stuff.  You should go see them. [myspace]


Tuesday, May 17

Gold-Bears @ Brooklyn Fireproof East * Bushwick, Brooklyn
Slumberland Records indie pop band. [myspace]

Other shows
Vivian Girls @ 285 Kent ($10)


Wednesday, May 18

Dustin Wong @ Silent Barn * Ridgewood, Queens
Ponytail guitarist.  Arty, fast stuff with a loop pedal. [myspace]


The long view...

May
19
The Antlers (sad noisy music) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

20
The Antlers (see above) @ Bowery Ballroom
Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), I Feel Tractor @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Cymbals Eat Guitars @ Glasslands ($10)

25
Hunters (see above) @ Bruar Falls ($7)
Converge @ Santos Party House ($15)

26
Big Freedia (dirty south rap in drag), Javelin @ Mercury Lounge

27
Dum Dum Girls, Crocodiles, Woven Bones (lo-fi post punk pop) @ Glasslands ($10)
Pterodactyl, Screens, Zulus (noize rock with experimental bent) @ Death By Audio ($7)
Times New Viking, Babies (lo-fi) @ Knitting Factory
Fang Island (lots of guitars) @ Brooklyn Bowl

28
Big Freedia (see above) @ Brooklyn Bowl ($5)


June
1
Zs (experimental/noise) @ Silent Barn

2
Liturgy (black metal crossover), Sightings (experimental/noise) @ Knitting Factory
Stiff Little Fingers (late 70's UK punk) @ Europa ($20)

5
Against Me!, Screaming Females, Lemuria (first and last = BEST pop punk; Females = just plain BEST) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

12
TSOL (one of the best original SoCal hardcore punk bands) @ Santos Party House

14
Japanther (arty poppy punk) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

16
Northside Festival: Atlas Sound (Deerhunter side project) @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)

17
Dean Wareham plays Galaxie 500 (slowcore shoegaze) @ Bell House ($15/$20)
Northside Festival: Surfer Blood, Eternal Summers, Grooms, Xray Eyeballs @ Knitting Factory ($12/$14)
Northside Festival: Woods @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)

18
Northside Festival: Guided By Voices (original line-up), Wavves, Surfer Blood, The Babies @ McCarren Park
Northside Festival: Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces, see above) @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)

19
Northside Festival: Mount Eerie (aka Microphones, the best lo-fi noise folk since Neutral Milk Hotel) @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)
Swervedriver (classic shoegaze) @ Irving Plaza

23
Dinosaur Jr (late 80's/early 90's loud proto-alt rock, performing their classic album Bug), Fucked Up (wall of sound meets hardcore/thrash meets best thing ever) @ Terminal 5

25
Archers of Loaf (one of the best 90's indie bands) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (SOLD OUT)
Coathangers (badass lady punks who come up here from Georgia to tell you to fuck off), Religious to Damn @ Monster Island Basement

26
Archers of Loaf (see above) @ Webster Hall (SOLD OUT)


July
12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory

14
Gary War, K-Holes, Pop. 1280 (noisy post punk and post punky noise) @ Union Hall


August
8
The Kills @ Terminal 5

12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront
Streets, El-P @ Terminal 5
##

Live: Pregnant, Men, Passive Aggressor

So ages ago, I went to Bruar Falls to see a band called Pregnant play and then I got really behind on my live reviews, so....

Passive Aggressor was playing when I showed up. I didn't see enough of their set to give a proper review, but they were a good poppy hardcore band with a female vocalist who went out into the audience and yelled like a serious mu'fucker. The band was tight and packed a punk and the show was spirited. [myspace]

They were actually the second band of the night. I missed the first act, called Zulus, but Shag of Shellshag was there and said they were really good. And if a recommendation from Shellshag isn't worth pursuing, I don't know what is. [myspace]

Next up, The Men had some good things going for them, but they don't seem to have worked out their sound yet. They're about 75% hardcore punk and 25% shoegaze, with massively loud guitar drones straight off Loveless. It's a great combination, but the effort seemed confused, particularly by the sequence of the set list, which started with pure shoegaze and then abruptly shifted to more straight-forward punk. The band also traded around instruments, which I always like - keeps things from getting too settled. But it's a delicate balance - variety and consistency, that is - the band has yet to really to strike the middle. Still, they combine some many of favorite things that I can't help but be excited - I'm going to keep an eye on these guys!

Pregnant were the highlight of the night for me. Cory from Stupid Party sent me an e-mail when he was drunk and told me they were his favorite band, and that's the best recommendation I can think of. At first, the awkward trio didn't strike me as special - good hardcore, but nothing to write home about.

But then, as their set went on, I began to notice the combination of complexity and tightness in their songs, the sweet riffs, the air-raid rumble of the bass, the chunky vocals and the wild way the band grappled and wrangled their instruments on stage. The best punk bands seem always to be fighting against their instruments rather than working with this. And here's an example in its finest form. Look out for Pregnant, there's something special about these kids. [myspace]

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]