Upcoming Shows: Arms, Depreciation Guild, Pet Ghost Project + more!

Tonight, 1/6

Arms @ Pianos - LES, Manhattan - $8
I've been telling you about fuzzy indie rockers Arms and how you should check them out. Here's your chance. ::MySpace


Thursday, 1/8

The Depreciation Guild @ Bell House - Park Slope, Brooklyn
Another one of my bands to watch in 2009, Depreciation Guild really stands out from the bazillion other "shoegaze" bands. Their detailed guitar work creates lush, dynamic walls of sound, and once you crawl inside, you won't want to leave. ::MySpace


Friday, 1/9

Bear Hands @ Webster Studio - E. Village, Manhattan - $10
Bear Hands are hyper-conventional (though very solid) indie rock, with a slight pop-punk flavor. They are completely digestible for mainstream radio audiences but skillful and just innovative enough to appease a more indie-minded crowd. ::MySpace

Bridges and Powerlines, My Teenage Stride @ Union Hall - Park Slope, Brooklyn - $8
Yet another one of my bands to watch in 2009, Bridges and Powerlines play jumpy indie rock with a strong pop sensibility. My Teenage Stride plays sweet, tightly-locked indie pop that's fun and mostly pretty damn good. ::B&P MySpace ::MTS MySpace


Saturday, 1/10

Team Genius @ Lit Lounge - E. Village, Manhattan
[Please double check this show exists before going. It shows up on some listings and not on others.] I've told you about Team Genius before, in fact more than once, so I'll just let you look at that to see what they are all about. The main appeal of going to this particular show is to see how they are going to fit eight members on a stage that's not much bigger than your average broom closet. Anyway, they play fun, comforting pop music that it's hard not to love. ::MySpace


Sunday, 1/11

Pet Ghost Project, Quiet Loudly @ Arlene's Grocery - LES, Manhattan
For the first time in recent history, Arlene's has decent bands playing. Yet another of my picks for 2009, Pet Ghost Project is some great American lo-fi pop, with strong melodies, fuzzy guitar and innovative compositions. Quiet Loudly is a very experimental pop band, with jagged guitar riffs and driving rhythms, and I highly recommend checking them out - they are better live than recorded and it's worth giving them a chance. Plus, the whole thing is a benefit show for an animal shelter, so not going would be like kicking puppies in the face: wrong. ::PGP MySpace ::QL MySpace

Fifteen Bands to Watch in 2009 - Part 1

So you want to get ahead of the curve in 2009? Keep an eye on these fifteen bands (alphabetical over three entries) and you'll be the coolest kid in your class. Or not. But these are folks I hope are the future of rock music.


Antlers - Deer-themed names have been blessed the last few years. But more to the point, this atmospheric pop band is innovative and fun and has already captured the attention of some of the big NYC blogs. :: MySpace

Arms - Well-written songs and an excellent guitar-heavy sound should be enough for success, but it doesn't hurt that this band also has earned the interest and respect of a number of established groups. They're not a shoe-in yet, but they've got a decent chance to make it big. :: MySpace

Asa Ransom - This band is still new, but they have big plans. As I said in my live review of them, they have some things they need to work on (like melodies) - but their keyboard-heavy experimental post punk shows promise and they clearly have the drive to follow through. :: MySpace

Autodrone - Grunge-tinged dark wave-spirited shoegaze, these guys have all the talent and mainstream appeal to break through. If the fates are kind, we'll be seeing a lot more of this band. :: MySpace

Bellmer Dolls - Scoring opening slots for Nick Cave bodes well for these garage-goths. As does their superb talent and creep-chic good looks. :: MySpace


NEXT>> Part 2
Part 3

Upcoming Shows: Thanksgiving Weekend

If you're sticking it out in New York for the holiday, you're probably wondering what to do with yourself while all your friends are out of town. Well, you're in luck because I have the answer: go to shows! (And specifically, if you are my friend "H" who asked me what you would do without me, here you go!)

Friday

Phosphorescent / Virgin Forest
@ The Bell House, Brooklyn ($10)
For a fun evening with guitars and pianos, check out this show. It's been over a year since I've heard these guys, but as I recall, Phosphorescent plays really fun indie-psychedelic-folk with an electric guitar and a Southern bent. His friends Virgin Forest will support. They play something similar to him, though less psychedelic and more pretty and folky, with male-female vocals and piano. I think they're from Georgia, and they sound it.

Grandmaster Flash
@ Studio B, Brooklyn ($10/$20)
Does this need explanation? Grandmaster Flash, the first and best of hip-hop.

Saturday

Gang Gang Dance / Marnie Stern
@ Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn ($15)
I don't have anything on my Calendar Of Awesome Music for Saturday, but Pop Tarts Suck Toasted recommends this show and he's usually right. So check it out.

Sunday

Arms
@ Cake Shop ($6)
Just as arms are a great body-part, Arms is a great band! They are fuzzy poppy indie rock with hints of psychedelia and shoegaze, and they are one of the best in their field these days. You really need to check them out before they get huge.