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]

Upcoming Shows: Oneida, Calvin Johnson + more

TODAY, Tuesday, April 21

Gracefully, I Feel Tractor @ Zebulon || Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Gracefully (fka So L'il) plays some very tripped out dream pop that, last I saw, was more agressive and uptempo live than recorded. It's crazy music with good melodies and lotsa NOISE. As for I Feel Tractor, I actually haven't heard the guy, but I've been curious for a while just because of the cool band name. [Gracefully MySpace] | [Tractor MySpace]


TOMORROW, Wednesday, April 22

Shilpa Ray and Depreciation Guild @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $10
If ever there was a show worth the crazy trek to Bell House in middle-of-nowhere Brooklyn, this is it. I've written two live reviews of Shilpa, one in December and one in March. Depreciation Guild haven't got much in common with her musically, but they are just about as awesome. Heavy electro-shoegazers, these guys get mile-think walls of sound out of their guitars. Two great bands for ten bucks? C'mon. [Shilpa MySpace] | [DG MySpace]

Psychedelic Horseshit, Drink Up Buttercup @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan | $10
These two bands aren't headlining, but they are still hot shit. Psychedelic Horseshit sounds kind of like the name would imply. It's messy and loud, but with a definite pop sensibility lurking somewhere underneath the racket. Drink Up Buttercup is a more straight-forward psychedelic pop that's far less cutting edge and rather more annoying. But some folks like em. [PH MySpace] | [DUB MySpace]


Thursaday, April 23

IfWhen @ Fontana's | Chinatown, Manhattan | $7
IfWhen represents the avant-garde of the shoegaze world, something I like to call "no-gaze." It basically sounds like all of them are playing the different songs. Normally, I'm not so into the highly experimental, but there's something amazing, original and beautiful about IfWhen's music. I think they play early. Also, bring earplugs. [MySpace]


Friday, April 24

Beluga @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $7
Lady punks return to Cameo. It will undoubtedly be a lot like last time, only better. [MySpace]


Saturday, April 25

How to choose...???

Oneida @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Oneida play a loud-ass fusion of punk and krautrock. They could be compared to Suicide from their tight rhythms and repetition, but they're more guitar driven like that. More like Iggy Pop covering Kraftwerk. Anyway, they've been a New York City classic for years. [MySpace]

Ponytail, Real Estate @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn |
Ponytail are loud and manic, highly experimental and an outstanding live show. They made my Best of 2008 list. Real Estate are rumoured to be the shit. [Ponytail MySpace] | [RE MySpace]

Ceremony, Screen Vinyl Image and Soren Well @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $13 adv / $15 door
Three of the best electro-shoegaze bands around, with dense guitar and synth sounds, tight beats and haunting vocals. Soren Well is the most pop-accessible/happy of the bunch, while the other two - both in from out of town - have a darker side. [Ceremony MySpace] | [SVI MySpace] | [Soren Well MySpace]


Sunday, April 26

Calvin Johnson @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn
The original ringleader of American indie pop, founder of Beat Happing and K Records, Calvin Johnson is a character and he's got a legacy that makes it worth checking him out.

Spectrum @ Mercury | LES, Manhattan | S10 adv / $12
The main thrill of seeing Spectrum perform live is to see whether Pete Kember (aka "Sonic Boom") will finally kick off midshow. Formerly of Spacemen 3, Kember parted ways with bandmate Jason Pierce when Pierce decided to go clean-and-sober and found Spiritualized. Kember didn't kick his bad habits and despite making some valuable musical contributions with Experimental Audio Research, he's too strung out to make much sense at all anymore. Still, he's got a certain amount of cred and history to him - just don't expect coherence. [MySpace]