Tonight, Thursday, April 21
Nothing worth seeing.
Tomorrow!! Friday, April 22
So So Glos, Xray Eyeballs, Web Dating, Bass Drum of Death @ Glasslands * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
I can't say as I'm too thrilled about any of the shows going on around town tomorrow. The So So Glos are always classic though - provincial, proletarian Brooklyn punk. [myspace]
Saturday, April 23
Grass Widow, K-Holes @ Glasslands * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
I'm so psyched to hear Grass Widow. They're a punk outfit from San Francisco that everyone has been really excited by for the last year or so and they opened for Sonic Youth and stuff so apparently that "everyone" includes some pretty cool folks. I have yet to hear the band, but I have high hopes (that might well be dashed if they turn out to be some sort of lame surf-pop). I have heard K-Holes, and they are pretty fucking good, weird experimental stuff that's noisy and aggressive and post punky. They have or had a member from Black Lips but the rest of them are ladies (!!) (as are Grass Widow) and they're a pretty mean bunch. [widow myspace] [k-hole myspace]
Other shows
Kim Gordon (of Sonic Youth) @ The Stone ($10, early show)
Talk Normal (lady noise!) @ The Stone ($10, late show)
PC Worship (free jazz informed lo-fi folk/rock) @ Death By Audio ($7)
Crocodiles, Fresh & Onlys, Young Prisms, Bass Drum of Death (agressive-ish post punk) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ($12-14)
Mahogany (Swiss watch means shoegaze) @ Rock Shop ($10, not headlining)
Sunday, April 24
Grass Widow, Talk Normal, Broken Water @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
Grass Widow, wheeee! (see above.) Talk Normal are two ladies who make music that isn't normal. It's weird noise and rhythm but there are songs and both band members can sure sing (and have been increasingly making use of this skill, based on the last few shows of theirs I've seen). Jasper claims he and I saw Broken Water before and they were good, but I don't remember it. Still, it's a good name and a good bill in general, so get there early and check them out. [widow myspace] [talk myspace] [broken myspace]
Monday, April 25
White Suns @ Death By Audio ($7)
Noize. [myspace]
Other shows
Miniboone (chaotic, writ-large pop) @ Pianos (Free!)
Tuesday, April 26
Nada.
Wednesday, April 27
Lightning Bolt @ 285 Kent * Williamsburg, Brookly * $12
There are two people in this band and they are both named Brian. One Brian plays a heavily distorted bass guitar very very very very fast and very very very very loud. The other Brian plays the drums very very very very very very very fast and yells into a mic that he has in his mouth. [myspace]
Low @ Bowery Ballroom * LES, Manhattan * $18 / $20
This is the opposite of Lightning Bolt in that they play very very very very slow and very very very very quiet. But they do so in a very bad-ass way: Low started in reaction to the dopey hardcore/grunge wave of bands in their hometown of Duluth, MN. An exercise in restraint, Low keep from being boring (even to me, and I have the attention span of a 5-year-old) by the magnificent tension they generate via the art of omission. They also let loose sometimes and scream about Santa Claus. They are one of the best live acts in American indie music. I promise. [myspace]
Other shows
Battles (experimental/math/post rock) @ Le Poisson Rouge
Lemuria (pop punk, emo, but good) @ Webster Studio
The long view...
April
28
Lightning Bolt (post-thrash noise), Pterodactyl (crazy noise) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($12/$14)
30
Titus Andronicus (epic hardcore punk songs about history - but so much better than that sounds) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
May
4
Gang Gang Dance (experimental dub) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Foals (mathy dancy post punky indie rock) @ Terminal 5
6
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (saccharine indie pop with subtly dark lyrics) @ Webster Hall
10
Yo La Tengo (inventors of noise pop) @ Bell House (Sold Out)
11
Yo La Tengo (see above) @ Bell House (Sold Out)
CSS (ultra hip crazy dance pop with punk attitude from Brazilian ladies), Sleigh Bells (ultra hip duo with danceable heavy hip-hop beats + girly vocals + metal/hardcore/industrial sheets of guitar noise + some screaming) @ Webster Hall (Sold Out)
12
CSS, Sleigh Bells (see above) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Sold Out)
15
CSS, Sleigh Bells (see above) @ Bowery Ballroom (Sold Out)
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
June
2
Stiff Little Fingers (late 70's UK punk)
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
Showing posts with label So So Glos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label So So Glos. Show all posts
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Friday, June 4, 2010
Upcoming Shows: Black Wine, Pop 1280 + more
TONIGHT! Friday, June 4
Black Wine, The Measure SA, Slingshot Dakota @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $6
Black Wine are a punk band with good songs that are occasionally slightly emo but not in a bad way at all, actually in a really awesome way. The Measure are a poppy punk band that aren't quite as great as they should be but have fun and want you to have fun too. Slingshot Dakota are an emotive punk duo on keys and drums. This line-up is FUCKING AWESOME. [bw band] [measure myspace] [sd myspace]
Saturday, June 5
Pop 1280 @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Someone told me this band was good. My impression is that they are heavy and dark and unsettling. Go see them. [myspace]
Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Wililamsburg, Brooklyn * $25
BJM are a psychedelic indie band with one fuckin' crazy dude named Anton Newcombe who has done a very lot of drugs. As with any band on a lot of drugs, they have the potential to suck live, but as with only a few bands, they also have the potential to be awesome. [myspace]
Sunday, June 6
So So Glos @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Loveable Brooklyn bros with anthemic hardcore. [myspace]
Tuesday, June 8
Fiasco @ Death by Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
As always, all the best shows are at Death By Audio. Fiasco are a young math trio whose musical skill matured before their taste, but they are exciting and loud and get better with every show. [myspace]
The long view...
June
11
Jeff the Brotherhood, PC Worship @ Death By Audio
Hunters @ Monster Island Basement
Friendo @ Cake Shop
13
Friendo @ Glasslands
14
Coyote Eyes @ Cake Shop
15
Dan Deacon @ Red Hook Park
18
Marnie Stern, Anni Rossi, True Womahood @ Glasslands
Pissed Jeans @ Cake Shop
19
Pissed Jeans, Pop. 1280 @ Death by Audio
Melvins + Isis @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
24
Wavves @ Knitting Factory
25
Fiery Furnaces @ Brooklyn Bowl
Silversun Pickups, Against Me! @ Williamsburg Waterfront
26
Fiery Furnaces @ Mercury Lounge
Titus Andronicus @ Newtown Barge Park
Liars, Fucked Up, High Places @ Newtown Barge Park
27
Les Savy Fav, Polvo @ Newtown Barge Park
July
6
B-52s @ Highline Ballroom
11
The Roots, Talib Kweli @ Prospect Park
13
Cheap Trick @ Radio City Music Hall
16
Weezer @ Williamsburg Waterfront
17
Siren Fest: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Matt & Kim, Ted Leo, Surfer Blood @ Coney Island
22
Antlers, Dinosaur Feathers @ Pier 54
23
Modest Mouse @ Williamsburg Waterfront
24
M.I.A., Sleigh Bells @ Governors Island
26
Flaming Lips @ Central Park
27
Black Keys @ Central Park
The National, Beach House @ Prospect Park
28
Black Keys @ Central Park
30
Big Takeover: Springhouse @ Bell House
31
Sonic Youth, Grass Widow, Talk Normal @ Prospect Park
Big Takeover: Springhouse, For Against @ Bell House
August
12
Gang Gang Dance, Grizzly Bear, Walkmen @ Governors Island
15
Public Enemy @ Central Park
17
MGMT @ Radio City Music Hall
18
MGMT @ Radio City Music Hall
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Upcoming Shows: Dan Deacon, Coltrane Motion + more
TONIGHT! Thursday, May 27
Dan Deacon, Dustin Wong, Big Troubles @ Cake Shop * LES, Manhattan * $10
Dan Deacon is some sort of DIY/punk hero and I never really paid attention to him but a lot of people do. Dustin Wong is the insanely awesome, brilliant, superhuman guitarist of experimental, gleeful noise-rock quartet Ponytail. Big Troubles are from New Jersey and they play rock music that is LOUD LOUD LOUD and they have good songs and are extra awesome and will be famous soon, I think. [dd myspace] [dw myspace] [bt myspace]
TOMORROW! Friday, May 28
So So Glos, Grooms, Fiasco, Ava Luna @ Monster Island Basement * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
In a typical Todd P line-up that is bound to leave everyone pissed off, four bands that have absoltutely nothing to do with each other - but three of the four are good. So So Glos are a melodic hardcore punk band and most similar to them, Fiasco play heavy, mathy, fast post-hardcore with screaming distortion. Grooms are plunked incongruously between these two. They play a dark, noisy, experimental post punk that's most easily compared to Sonic Youth. They are way slower and way quieter (or at least more restrained) than the other two. And then kicking it off is the shameful new face of anti-feminist backlash, Ava Luna - a band that features guys who play instruments and sing lead vocals (thank god for men) and girls who sing back-up vocals. There are seven of them and they get compared to Dirty Projectors which means they are probably the worst new band in Brooklyn (except Freelance Whales, maybe). They aren't very popular despite playing the game pretty well, so with any luck, they'll fizzle out and disappear of the music radar shortly. BUT the other three bands, despite being vastly different, are all awesome and since Ava Luna is playing before them, just go a little later. [ssg myspace] [grooms myspace] [fiasco myspace]
Darlings @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Darlings are crazy. They sound like any other really good poppy indie rock band except like they are on crack. Their live show is the kind that keeps you on edge because the whole thing seems about to fall apart, but instead it all comes together and is awesome and makes you smile. They interrupt their sugary hooks and melodies with abrupt noise and teeter on the brink of chaos and remain one of Brooklyn's best. [myspace]
Saturday, May 29
PC Worship, Needle Gun (mems Teeth Mountain, Matmos) @ Death by Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
PC Worship play sad, lo-fi tunes and sound experiments (alternately or at the same time). In a city full of throwbacks and copycats, PC Worship are original. Needle Gun, well, I have no idea what they sound like. But they have people from very talented, first-rate experimental bands Teeth Mountain and Matmos, so check it out. [pc myspace] [needle myspace]
Tuesday, June 1
Coltrane Motion @ Bruar Falls * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * FREE!
Coltrane Motion are one of my favorite favorite favorite unknown pop bands. They play a sort of electro indie pop that has got noise and out of tune notes and the best fucking melodies I've heard in ages. This show is free and you have to go, or we aren't friends any more.[myspace]
Wednesday, June 2
Sisters @ Death by Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Sisters are a duo who play in that new genre that's been christened "noise punk." They are highly recommended for fans of No Age, Male Bonding, Japanther, Japandroids and the like. Their songs are short and sweet with huggable riffs and melodies, but with crazy distortion and yelling and crashing and their live show is a sort of flailing, awkward affair and everyone, absolutely everyone, can love them. [myspace]
Led Er Est @ Bruar Falls * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $8
Led Er Est play cold-hearted, post-punk electro that's experimental and fresh and new and people seem to be noticing them a bit more now. Another of Brooklyn's best rising bands, get 'em while they're hot. [myspace]
The long view...
May
June
3
Lil Kim @ the Fillmore
4
Slingshot Dakota, The Measure SA, Black Wine @ Death By Audio
Grouper @ Issue Project Room
Psychedelic Furs @ the Fillmore
5
Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
6
Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Webster Hall
8
Here We Go Magic @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11
Jeff the Brotherhood, PC Worship @ Death By Audio
Friendo @ Cake Shop
13
Friendo @ Glasslands
14
Coyote Eyes @ Cake Shop
15
Dan Deacon @ Red Hook Park
18
Marnie Stern, Anni Rossi, True Womahood @ Glasslands
Pissed Jeans @ Cake Shop
19
Pissed Jeans, Pop. 1280 @ Death by Audio
Melvins + Isis @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
24
Wavves @ Knitting Factory
25
Fiery Furnaces @ Brooklyn Bowl
Silversun Pickups, Against Me! @ Williamsburg Waterfront
26
Fiery Furnaces @ Mercury Lounge
Titus Andronicus @ Newtown Barge Park
Liars, Fucked Up, High Places @ Newtown Barge Park
27
Les Savy Fav, Polvo @ Newtown Barge Park
July
6
B-52s @ Highline Ballroom
11
The Roots, Talib Kweli @ Prospect Park
13
Cheap Trick @ Radio City Music Hall
16
Weezer @ Williamsburg Waterfront
17
Siren Fest: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Matt & Kim, Ted Leo, Surfer Blood @ Coney Island
22
Antlers, Dinosaur Feathers @ Pier 54
23
Modest Mouse @ Williamsburg Waterfront
24
M.I.A., Sleigh Bells @ Governors Island
26
Flaming Lips @ Central Park
27
Black Keys @ Central Park
The National, Beach House @ Prospect Park
28
Black Keys @ Central Park
30
Big Takeover: Springhouse @ Bell House
31
Sonic Youth, Grass Widow, Talk Normal @ Prospect Park
Big Takeover: Springhouse, For Against @ Bell House
August
12
Gang Gang Dance, Grizzly Bear, Walkmen @ Governors Island
15
Public Enemy @ Central Park
17
MGMT @ Radio City Music Hall
18
MGMT @ Radio City Music Hall
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Upcoming Shows: TONIGHT!
What better way to celebrate the New Year (and more importantly, a day off work tomorrow) than going to see some music? There are a few good shows but one stands out:
Screaming Females + Talk Normal, Frankie and the Outs @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $15
Screaming Fucking Females, y'all, the best guitar rock band on the planet right now. Talk Normal is experimental in a very cool way and Frankie is Frankie Rose of Crystal Stilts, Mayfair Sect and once upon a time, the Vivian Girls. And Screaming Fucking Females. [SF MySpace] [TN MySpace] [Frankie MySpace]
If Cake Shop isn't doing it for you for some reason, here are some other goings on:
Titus Andronicus, So So Glos @ Mercury Lounge | LES, Manhattan | $15
Titus Andronicus is one of the best hardcore punk bands to emerge in the last couple years. They put on an amazing live show. The So So Glos are another great hardcore band. This show is late, so you could probably go after the Cake Shop show if you aren't wiped out by 2 AM. [TA MySpace] [MySpace]
Patti Smith and Her Band @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | Sold Out!
This show sold out months ago, but if you can find a way to go you should go. Patti Smith is the universally admired poet laureate of original NYC punk. Bowery is a great venue and probably the most intimate place you'll have a chance to see Smith play.
Screaming Females + Talk Normal, Frankie and the Outs @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $15
Screaming Fucking Females, y'all, the best guitar rock band on the planet right now. Talk Normal is experimental in a very cool way and Frankie is Frankie Rose of Crystal Stilts, Mayfair Sect and once upon a time, the Vivian Girls. And Screaming Fucking Females. [SF MySpace] [TN MySpace] [Frankie MySpace]
If Cake Shop isn't doing it for you for some reason, here are some other goings on:
Titus Andronicus, So So Glos @ Mercury Lounge | LES, Manhattan | $15
Titus Andronicus is one of the best hardcore punk bands to emerge in the last couple years. They put on an amazing live show. The So So Glos are another great hardcore band. This show is late, so you could probably go after the Cake Shop show if you aren't wiped out by 2 AM. [TA MySpace] [MySpace]
Patti Smith and Her Band @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | Sold Out!
This show sold out months ago, but if you can find a way to go you should go. Patti Smith is the universally admired poet laureate of original NYC punk. Bowery is a great venue and probably the most intimate place you'll have a chance to see Smith play.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Live: Screaming Females, So So Glos
When: 11/25
Where: Bell House
I know about 50% of my recent posts have been about Screaming Females. But that's only because they're probably responsible for at least 50% of what's good about the current music scene. So deal with it.
First, though, the So So Glos opened. I reviewed them once before, and my reaction this time was basically the same. They are a really solid hardcore punk band. They aren't doing anything that hasn't been done before, but their songs are well-written and their performance basically involves all of them jumping up and down the entire set, which is excellent.
This time, though, part way through the set, the band dipped into something much more subtle and restrained than anything I expected to hear. Yes, it was a little disjointed, and yes, I like loud-fast music, but the temporary change in pace was smart. It illustrated not only that the SSGs have a knack for arrangement and composition, but also that they may have far more tricks up their sleeve than they usually let on. I'm intrigued.
And then they went back to their fun, catchy hardcore, pogoing and yelling to the end of their set. Hooray! [MySpace]
OK, so here it comes. Screaming Females! Anyone who's ever been in a band knows that all your equipment will work fine until it all suddenly malfunctions on the same day. And this night at Bell House was that day for Screaming Females. Marissa Paternoster's guitar kept cutting out (due at least in part to the flailing audience hitting the power switch connected to her pedals). Meanwhile, a de-facto drum tech kept popping out on stage to fix something, I'm not even sure what. The many problems put a dent in the set's momentum, but the band did their best to carry on with minimal interruption.
However, despite overcoming the barrage of technical difficulties, it was a bit of a lackluster set, as compared to the others I've seen recently. The reason was simple - the set list just wasn't great. Aside from "Bell," the band skipped over most of their best tunes (and they have so many best tunes). It was disappointing, knowing how much better it could have been.
Screaming Females (photo by Eddie Austin)
However, for anyone who doesn't know how good this band can get, the set was plenty good enough to make an impression. My two friends who heard the band for the first time that night can confirm this. No matter what songs they're playing, all three Screaming Females are exceptionally talented. So much as been said about Paternoster's guitar-playing that it's hard to contribute anything new to the discussion. Meanwhile, just out the spotlight, Mike Abbate is playing some of the best bass guitar I've ever heard. The trio displays a seamless musical chemistry that's rare in young bands, locking in so effortlessly you'd think they share a brain. (Hmmm...)
The band also skipped the whole encore thing, which I appreciated. Every show, no matter if it's great or only mediocre, has an encore these days. The audience hardly even claps or yells because it's just expected. Why go through that fanfare? Paternoster just said "so this is where we leave and you all clap and we come out and do one last song, so we're just going to play that now, and then we're really done, ok?" I like dumb traditions as much as anyone, but sometimes it's time to cut the crap. Yeah: "Screaming Females: Crap-Free Music Since 2005." [MySpace]
Where: Bell House
I know about 50% of my recent posts have been about Screaming Females. But that's only because they're probably responsible for at least 50% of what's good about the current music scene. So deal with it.
First, though, the So So Glos opened. I reviewed them once before, and my reaction this time was basically the same. They are a really solid hardcore punk band. They aren't doing anything that hasn't been done before, but their songs are well-written and their performance basically involves all of them jumping up and down the entire set, which is excellent.
This time, though, part way through the set, the band dipped into something much more subtle and restrained than anything I expected to hear. Yes, it was a little disjointed, and yes, I like loud-fast music, but the temporary change in pace was smart. It illustrated not only that the SSGs have a knack for arrangement and composition, but also that they may have far more tricks up their sleeve than they usually let on. I'm intrigued.
And then they went back to their fun, catchy hardcore, pogoing and yelling to the end of their set. Hooray! [MySpace]
OK, so here it comes. Screaming Females! Anyone who's ever been in a band knows that all your equipment will work fine until it all suddenly malfunctions on the same day. And this night at Bell House was that day for Screaming Females. Marissa Paternoster's guitar kept cutting out (due at least in part to the flailing audience hitting the power switch connected to her pedals). Meanwhile, a de-facto drum tech kept popping out on stage to fix something, I'm not even sure what. The many problems put a dent in the set's momentum, but the band did their best to carry on with minimal interruption.
However, despite overcoming the barrage of technical difficulties, it was a bit of a lackluster set, as compared to the others I've seen recently. The reason was simple - the set list just wasn't great. Aside from "Bell," the band skipped over most of their best tunes (and they have so many best tunes). It was disappointing, knowing how much better it could have been.
Screaming Females (photo by Eddie Austin)
However, for anyone who doesn't know how good this band can get, the set was plenty good enough to make an impression. My two friends who heard the band for the first time that night can confirm this. No matter what songs they're playing, all three Screaming Females are exceptionally talented. So much as been said about Paternoster's guitar-playing that it's hard to contribute anything new to the discussion. Meanwhile, just out the spotlight, Mike Abbate is playing some of the best bass guitar I've ever heard. The trio displays a seamless musical chemistry that's rare in young bands, locking in so effortlessly you'd think they share a brain. (Hmmm...)
The band also skipped the whole encore thing, which I appreciated. Every show, no matter if it's great or only mediocre, has an encore these days. The audience hardly even claps or yells because it's just expected. Why go through that fanfare? Paternoster just said "so this is where we leave and you all clap and we come out and do one last song, so we're just going to play that now, and then we're really done, ok?" I like dumb traditions as much as anyone, but sometimes it's time to cut the crap. Yeah: "Screaming Females: Crap-Free Music Since 2005." [MySpace]
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Screaming Females, Meat Puppets + more
TOMORROW!!! Wednesday, November 25
Meat Puppets @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $16 adv. / $18 dos.
The Meat Puppets formed in the earliest years of hardcore punk and were immeasurably influential on the West Coast scene. Their countryfied punk is the best of its kind. And don't be scared of the word "countryfied" (unless you're scared of made up words), because it's so punk in spirit, with a steady stream of bright, major-key guitar riffs, that it won't bother even the worst country-music hater. Seriously, the Meat Puppets!!! [MySpace]
Screaming Females, So So Glos @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $8 adv. / $10 dos.
Screaming Females are single-handedly saving rock music from the hipsters. This NJ trio is fronted by guitar hero (and literal screaming female) Marissa Paternoster, with two non-screaming non-females making up a masterful rhythm section. The band is simply writing the best rock music of anyone around - solid riffs, great tunes and, well, screaming. They will remind you of everything good about punk rock, everything good about the early 90's and everything good about electric guitar. The So So Glos are a great hardcore punk band, so you get even more bang for your buck. [SF MySpace] [SF RFR Review] [SSG MySpace] [SSG RFR Review]
Sonic Youth @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | SOLD OUT!
If you aren't going to see Sonic Youth tonight to free up tomorrow for either of the shows above, I think you're making a mistake. Anyway, this show is sold out but I'm sure it's worth a try to see Sonic Youth in such a good venue.
The Pixies @ Hammerstein Ballroom | Midtown, Manhattan | SOLD OUT (I think)
If you didn't go to see the Pixies at their other Doolittle shows this week, and you have to miss Meat Puppets or Screaming Females to see them, that's your own fault. They also have a 1 AM show that's not sold out and costs over $60. I have no idea what's up with that.
Friday, November 27
Fuck Buttons, Growing @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn
This is some great experimental music involving lots of loud electronics (both bands). I mean, really great. Go see it! [FB MySpace] [Growing MySpace]
Saturday, November 28
Stupid Party, Shellshag @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Are there two punk NYC punk bands I love more than these two? Stupid Party are as cool as their name implies. They play their songs like they are mad at them. Shellshag, who are also playing my December 4 show at Monster Island Basement, are a duo who write really good pop songs and then annihilate them with distortion and yelling. [SP MySpace] [SP RFR Review] [Shell MySpace]
The long view...
December
2
The Mountain Goats @ Bell House
4
Radio Flyer Review presents Shellshag, Sisters, Big Troubles & the Sundelles @ Monster Island Basement!!!!!!
7
Jeff the Brotherhood, Dinowalrus, Sisters, Coin Under Tongue + DJ set by Stupid Party @ Mercury Lounge <<certainly the best line-up since Woodstock. Actually, better, because Sha-Na-Na isn't playing.
10
Reagan Youth @ Trash Bar
11
Fiery Furnaces @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Forgetters (mems Jawbreaker, Against Me) @ Market Hotel
12
Fiery Furnaces @ Bowery Ballroom
13
Blank Dogs + Silk Flowers @ Monster Island Basement
14
The Slits + Sisters, Sundelles @ Highline Ballroom
15
The Antlers @ Bowery Ballroom
16
Raekwon @ The Fillmore
17
The For Carnation @ Knitting Factory
Black Dogs, Led Er Est @ Death By Audio
Pterodactyl @ Cameo
29-31
Patti Smith @ Bowery Ballroom
January
15
Gang Gang Dance, DJ/Rupture @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
16
Dinosaur Jr @ Bowery Ballroom
17
Dinosaur Jr @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
25
Cheap Trick @ The Fillmore
29-30
Mission of Burma @ Bowery Ballroom
February
9
Residents @ Webster Hall
13
Magnetic Fields @ Brooklyn Academy of Music
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, September 1, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Raekwon (!!!!!!) + more
TOMORROW! Wednesday, September 2
Titus Andronicus, So So Glos @ Secret Project Robot | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $9
Hardcore punk updated for 2009. Two of the best and not at all mean folks. [SSG MySpace] [TA MySpace]
Thursday, September 3
Darlings @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $7
Darlings are some crazy mothafuckas who play messy, unpredictable, loud indie rock/punk. I reviewed them in July. [MySpace]
Saturday, September 5
Phosphorescent @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Wmsburg, Brooklyn | $13
Ages ago, I accidentally went to a Phosphorescent show. I'd never heard the name, but I liked the music. It's got a rootsy feel that points to southern roots, but it's also got a lot of drunken-ish yelling and noise, with some great melodies that could fit in with the best of late 90's indie rock (which was a good era for melodies in indie rock, if you were wondering). [MySpace]
Grooms @ 502 West 25th Street | Chelsea, Manhattan
Less Artists More Condos was one of NYC's best DIY operations and one of many DIY venue casualties in recent months. But the mastermind of LAMC is carrying on with his booking operations and has set up this lovely night with up-and-comers Grooms (fka Muggabears), who blend dark, experimental guitar sound with memorable melodies. The band's debut album, due out later this fall, is sure to make a splash. [MySpace]
Tuesday, September 8
Raekwon w/ special guests @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan |$30 SOLD OUT
In a night hosted by P Diddy, Wu-Tang member Raekwon will celebrate the release of his LP Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2, perhaps the most anticipated rap album of the decade. It's predecessor, released fourteen years ago, was hailed as one of the best and most influential gangsta rap albums ever. Raekwon will be joined by fellow Wu-Tang alums Ghostface Killah and Method Man and legendary rap artists Talib Kweli and Busta Rhymes, among others. Shockingly, this doesn't seem to be a private event. Unsurprisingly, tickets sold out earlier this afternoon (while I was putting this post together, sorry). If you can score tickets, just remember these rappers aren't joking - they and the members of their inner circle not only lived the gangsta lives they describe, they still live it. In a venue this intimate, you should be prepared for an experience that stands in contrast to, say, your typical indie rock show.
Titus Andronicus, So So Glos @ Secret Project Robot | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $9
Hardcore punk updated for 2009. Two of the best and not at all mean folks. [SSG MySpace] [TA MySpace]
Thursday, September 3
Darlings @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $7
Darlings are some crazy mothafuckas who play messy, unpredictable, loud indie rock/punk. I reviewed them in July. [MySpace]
Saturday, September 5
Phosphorescent @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Wmsburg, Brooklyn | $13
Ages ago, I accidentally went to a Phosphorescent show. I'd never heard the name, but I liked the music. It's got a rootsy feel that points to southern roots, but it's also got a lot of drunken-ish yelling and noise, with some great melodies that could fit in with the best of late 90's indie rock (which was a good era for melodies in indie rock, if you were wondering). [MySpace]
Grooms @ 502 West 25th Street | Chelsea, Manhattan
Less Artists More Condos was one of NYC's best DIY operations and one of many DIY venue casualties in recent months. But the mastermind of LAMC is carrying on with his booking operations and has set up this lovely night with up-and-comers Grooms (fka Muggabears), who blend dark, experimental guitar sound with memorable melodies. The band's debut album, due out later this fall, is sure to make a splash. [MySpace]
Tuesday, September 8
Raekwon w/ special guests @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan |
In a night hosted by P Diddy, Wu-Tang member Raekwon will celebrate the release of his LP Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2, perhaps the most anticipated rap album of the decade. It's predecessor, released fourteen years ago, was hailed as one of the best and most influential gangsta rap albums ever. Raekwon will be joined by fellow Wu-Tang alums Ghostface Killah and Method Man and legendary rap artists Talib Kweli and Busta Rhymes, among others. Shockingly, this doesn't seem to be a private event. Unsurprisingly, tickets sold out earlier this afternoon (while I was putting this post together, sorry). If you can score tickets, just remember these rappers aren't joking - they and the members of their inner circle not only lived the gangsta lives they describe, they still live it. In a venue this intimate, you should be prepared for an experience that stands in contrast to, say, your typical indie rock show.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Live: So So Glos, Lovvers
When: 8/1
Where: Death By Audio
So I'm still way behind in my live reviews. This was already almost two weeks ago, sorry!!
Though I missed seeing the Sundelles yet again, I did get to Death By Audio in time for Lovvers, whom I recently saw at Cake Shop. In that review, I noted the British punks to sound more tame and 50's-esque than on recordings. Apparently, that's not always the case - the show at Death By Audio was much more aggressive, sonically.
In terms of the performance, the band was about the same - which is fine since they were pretty good before. Singer Shaun Hencher again inserted himself in the midst of the crowd and again planted a mid-song kiss on a girl in the crowd. (Either Hencher enjoys getting beat up by angry boyfriends or he actually knows these girls.) The band kept its smart melodicism while amping up their noise, which is the best thing they could have done. Thumbs up. [MySpace]
I haven't heard So So Glos before. Part of me thought, perhaps from their image, and from certain rumors, and from the look of the band's myspace, that they were likely douchebags. Wherever my prejudice came from, I apologize to the band. The four guys who took the stage at Death By Audio were friendly, polite and engaging.
The So So Glos (photo by Eddie Brannan, from myspace.com)
There's no question that the So So Glos are a real punk band. And a really good one at that. Their songs pack a punch, confronting the audience without losing accessibility or a certain pop appeal. That said, it's definitely not my favorite. I need to connect with music on a emotional level, and with this music, I just couldn't. I'm not sure whether that's because the band is more about having fun than making themselves vulnerable, or if it's because it just doesn't resonate with me personally. Either way, the band has certainly succeeded on their own terms - they're a good listen and put on a good show.
During the show, some more aggressive moshing types started to create a problem. The band stopped to address the problem and when it continued in the next song, guitarist Matt Elkin leapt off the stage and charged the offender. The band stopped mid-song. I'm not sure what happened so I'm not sure if it merited Elkin's aggression, but it was refreshing to see a band take some responsibility for the behavior of their audience and try to make sure that a few people don't ruin it for the whole. Thanks, guys! [MySpace]
Where: Death By Audio
So I'm still way behind in my live reviews. This was already almost two weeks ago, sorry!!
Though I missed seeing the Sundelles yet again, I did get to Death By Audio in time for Lovvers, whom I recently saw at Cake Shop. In that review, I noted the British punks to sound more tame and 50's-esque than on recordings. Apparently, that's not always the case - the show at Death By Audio was much more aggressive, sonically.
In terms of the performance, the band was about the same - which is fine since they were pretty good before. Singer Shaun Hencher again inserted himself in the midst of the crowd and again planted a mid-song kiss on a girl in the crowd. (Either Hencher enjoys getting beat up by angry boyfriends or he actually knows these girls.) The band kept its smart melodicism while amping up their noise, which is the best thing they could have done. Thumbs up. [MySpace]
I haven't heard So So Glos before. Part of me thought, perhaps from their image, and from certain rumors, and from the look of the band's myspace, that they were likely douchebags. Wherever my prejudice came from, I apologize to the band. The four guys who took the stage at Death By Audio were friendly, polite and engaging.
The So So Glos (photo by Eddie Brannan, from myspace.com)
There's no question that the So So Glos are a real punk band. And a really good one at that. Their songs pack a punch, confronting the audience without losing accessibility or a certain pop appeal. That said, it's definitely not my favorite. I need to connect with music on a emotional level, and with this music, I just couldn't. I'm not sure whether that's because the band is more about having fun than making themselves vulnerable, or if it's because it just doesn't resonate with me personally. Either way, the band has certainly succeeded on their own terms - they're a good listen and put on a good show.
During the show, some more aggressive moshing types started to create a problem. The band stopped to address the problem and when it continued in the next song, guitarist Matt Elkin leapt off the stage and charged the offender. The band stopped mid-song. I'm not sure what happened so I'm not sure if it merited Elkin's aggression, but it was refreshing to see a band take some responsibility for the behavior of their audience and try to make sure that a few people don't ruin it for the whole. Thanks, guys! [MySpace]
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]
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Upcoming Shows: PJ Harvey, Titus Andronicus + more
Oddly, there aren't a whole lot of great shows in the next week or so, though stay tuned - things are going to pick back up around June 11. In the meantime...
Thursday, June 4
Real Estate and Pow Wow @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan | $10
Up-and-comers Real Estate and Pow Wow have scored opening slots this Thursday at Santos. Real Estate are part of that lo-fi crowd that's so popular these days. I've found their recorded material kind of boring, but they're better and more focused live. Pow Wow are lo-fi but in a very different way - a bright, poppy, catchy way. Both bands are overhyped at the moment - they're not as super-special as some would have you believe, but they are enjoyable. Ten bucks is a lot, but if you've got money and nothing better to do, definitely give it a try. [MySpace] [MySpace]
Friday, June 5
TV on the Radio + Dirty Projectors @ Central Park | Central Park, Manhattan | SOLD OUT!
This show is SO sold out, so good luck. TVOTR have generally been hailed as the greatest thing since sliced bread since 2007. Ultimately, I find the band a bit disappointing, but they definitely deserve the praise - just because they fall short of their own potential (sonically) doesn't mean they don't surpass pretty much everyone else. If you can get tickets, do it. [MySpace]
Saturday, June 6
Titus Andronicus and the So So Glos @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $15
If I say this is a hardcore punk show, please don't think I mean a bunch of thrashy pseudo-metalhead teenage boys. Titus and the So So Glos are what punk rock should be - fast, loud and fun. Titus always puts on an amazing show. [MySpace] [MySpace]
Tuesday, June 9
PJ Harvey @ Beacon Theater | UWS, Manhattan | $37.50 - $75
I'm not sure anyone should pay this much to see a show, but then again, PJ Harvey is one of the best and she hardly ever plays in the US. If you don't know who she is, go get your hands on Rid Of Me right now. She's an angry and very badass songwriter who you never ever ever want to cross: "I'll make you lick my injuries / I'm gonna twist your head off, see / till you say don't you wish you never, never met her." Etc. [MySpace]
Thursday, June 4
Real Estate and Pow Wow @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan | $10
Up-and-comers Real Estate and Pow Wow have scored opening slots this Thursday at Santos. Real Estate are part of that lo-fi crowd that's so popular these days. I've found their recorded material kind of boring, but they're better and more focused live. Pow Wow are lo-fi but in a very different way - a bright, poppy, catchy way. Both bands are overhyped at the moment - they're not as super-special as some would have you believe, but they are enjoyable. Ten bucks is a lot, but if you've got money and nothing better to do, definitely give it a try. [MySpace] [MySpace]
Friday, June 5
TV on the Radio + Dirty Projectors @ Central Park | Central Park, Manhattan | SOLD OUT!
This show is SO sold out, so good luck. TVOTR have generally been hailed as the greatest thing since sliced bread since 2007. Ultimately, I find the band a bit disappointing, but they definitely deserve the praise - just because they fall short of their own potential (sonically) doesn't mean they don't surpass pretty much everyone else. If you can get tickets, do it. [MySpace]
Saturday, June 6
Titus Andronicus and the So So Glos @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $15
If I say this is a hardcore punk show, please don't think I mean a bunch of thrashy pseudo-metalhead teenage boys. Titus and the So So Glos are what punk rock should be - fast, loud and fun. Titus always puts on an amazing show. [MySpace] [MySpace]
Tuesday, June 9
PJ Harvey @ Beacon Theater | UWS, Manhattan | $37.50 - $75
I'm not sure anyone should pay this much to see a show, but then again, PJ Harvey is one of the best and she hardly ever plays in the US. If you don't know who she is, go get your hands on Rid Of Me right now. She's an angry and very badass songwriter who you never ever ever want to cross: "I'll make you lick my injuries / I'm gonna twist your head off, see / till you say don't you wish you never, never met her." Etc. [MySpace]
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Glenn Branca, Mike Watt and more
TONIGHT!!! Thursday, May 7
Whatever you do tonight, you'll be kickin' it old-school.
Glenn Branca @ Issue Project Room | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $15
Glenn Branca. If you don't know who that is or why he's awesome, you need to go out and do some reading. Starting (but not ending) with this little paragraph. Glenn Branca is an avant-garde composer, a punk rocker, a minimalist innovator and one of the biggest of the big names in the legendary "no wave" movement. Branca reinvented the electric guitar, using alternate tunings and extreme volume to generate completely new tonalities. Some of the most innovative guitar players of the 80's and 90's first cut their teeth with Branca, a list that includes Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo and Helmet's Page Hamilton. He'll be playing one of his classic compositions, "Lesson No. 3," at IPR. Really, you should go.
Eddie & the Hot Rods @ Southpaw | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $14
Eddie and the Hot Rods were once upon a time the Sex Pistols' biggest competitors. As it turned out, Eddie was just a pub rock band while the Sex Pistols invented British punk, but then there couldn't have been a British punk scene if it hadn't been for aggressive pub rockers like these, who pushed the boundaries of British rock in rawer, wilder directions. And for that, we all owe them at least $14 and two ears for a night.
Fear @ Europa | Greenpoint, Brooklyn | $25
Twenty-five bucks is a lot, too much for me to strongly recommend this show. But if money is no object, then you better check it out. Fear are a classic West Coast punk outfit, one of the first and one of the most aggressive. They make most hardcore punks look like fluffy kittens.
TOMORROW!!! Friday, May 8
Seriously, how to choose?!?
Mike Watt & the Missingmen @ Mercury Lounge | LES, Manhattan | $15
Mike Watt was one of the first and most important players in the West Coast hardcore scene. Unlike Fear (see above), however, Watt didn't amp up the machismo of hardcore, he amped up its brains. As a member of the revolutionary trio the Minutemen, Watt broadened the musical and intellectual horizons of punk by making music that was lyrically thought-provoking and political and sonically challenging and diverse. Since then, he's continued to push the boundaries in fIREHOSE and
this, his new project, the Missingmen. [MySpace]
**CANCELLED**The Antlers @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
The Antlers' lo-fi, ambient electronica is the saddest music around. They are one of the few truly innovative bands in the New York scene and their recent album Hospice is one of the most profound contributions to indie rock in the last decade. [MySpace] **CANCELLED**
Coyote Eyes, Pow Wow, My Teenage Stride @ Lit Lounge | $6*
Good cheap fun! It's worth the six bucks despite being in one of the worst venues in town.Coyote Eyes sound like Sonic Youth but with prettier singing. They are minimalist, they are loud and they are very worth checking out, since they could take off any day now. Pow Wow just got named one of L Magazine's "Eight Bands You Need To Hear," which is frankly kind of silly because they are entirely typical. But that doesn't mean their lo-fi pop isn't great. It's actually lovely! (Just not "top eight" lovely.) And My Teenage Stride, officially the first band I reviewed on this site, are an indie pop mainstay in New York, with some of the best songwriting and best melodies around. If you catch all three bands, that's only $2 a pop. Not too shabby. [CE MySpace] [PW MySpace] [MTS MySpace]
**UPDATE: Apparently, Coyote Eyes and MTS aren't playing. In a typically irresponsible gesture, Lit Lounge has just forgotten to update their calendar. Bummer.**
R. Stevie Moore @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $8
Good ol' R. Stevie is the punk rock Santa Claus. He's been making lo-fi pop music since he was a kid, putting out his first recordings in the 1960's. Phenomenally gifted and perpetually overlooked, Moore is justifiably pissed off, and his bitterness is especially justified when it comes out in his kick-ass punk-rock power-pop performances. His last show at Cake Shop was one of the best shows I've ever seen ever. A true forgotten pioneer, Moore is well worth checking out. [MySpace]
Saturday, May 9
Real Estate, So So Glos @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan | $10 *
Real Estate are the latest buzz-band out of the no-fi/neo-punk crowd that brought us the likes of Wavves, Woods and Blank Dogs. Real Estate fall at the slow, hushed end of that spectrum and while their recorded material can be rather boring at times, the very little I've seen of this band live makes me think they're good on stage. The So So Glos, on the other hand, take a more direct route to punk rock - fast, loud and rude. [RE MySpace] [SSG MySpace]
Monday, May 10
Woods, Times New Viking @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn*
I'm not a huge fan of TNV, to be quite honest. The constant comparisons to Guided By Voices are just not accurate; see, GBV were great because they wrote great pop songs, and TNV, for all their cool sound, just don't write great songs. So the real reason to go by this show is psychedelic folk-pop quartet Woods. In my last live review of them, I called them "one of the most outstanding and original bands of our time" and I'll stand by that statement. [TNV MySpace] [Woods MySpace]
Wednesday, May 12
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | SOLD OUT
You should track down some tickets to this show. Tweegaze heartthrobs the Pains will be celebrating their (brief) homecoming after an extensive national tour - and right before an extensive international tour. Their songs are way too cute, but so well written that they're hard to hate. And a seamless wall of distorted guitar noise covers everything - bring earplugs. [MySpace]
*This is seems to be a week of bands and venues not working in tandem, and there is some conflicting information about these shows, so you may want to try to confirm they are happening as scheduled before you make a trek to the venue.
Whatever you do tonight, you'll be kickin' it old-school.
Glenn Branca @ Issue Project Room | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $15
Glenn Branca. If you don't know who that is or why he's awesome, you need to go out and do some reading. Starting (but not ending) with this little paragraph. Glenn Branca is an avant-garde composer, a punk rocker, a minimalist innovator and one of the biggest of the big names in the legendary "no wave" movement. Branca reinvented the electric guitar, using alternate tunings and extreme volume to generate completely new tonalities. Some of the most innovative guitar players of the 80's and 90's first cut their teeth with Branca, a list that includes Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo and Helmet's Page Hamilton. He'll be playing one of his classic compositions, "Lesson No. 3," at IPR. Really, you should go.
Eddie & the Hot Rods @ Southpaw | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $14
Eddie and the Hot Rods were once upon a time the Sex Pistols' biggest competitors. As it turned out, Eddie was just a pub rock band while the Sex Pistols invented British punk, but then there couldn't have been a British punk scene if it hadn't been for aggressive pub rockers like these, who pushed the boundaries of British rock in rawer, wilder directions. And for that, we all owe them at least $14 and two ears for a night.
Fear @ Europa | Greenpoint, Brooklyn | $25
Twenty-five bucks is a lot, too much for me to strongly recommend this show. But if money is no object, then you better check it out. Fear are a classic West Coast punk outfit, one of the first and one of the most aggressive. They make most hardcore punks look like fluffy kittens.
TOMORROW!!! Friday, May 8
Seriously, how to choose?!?
Mike Watt & the Missingmen @ Mercury Lounge | LES, Manhattan | $15
Mike Watt was one of the first and most important players in the West Coast hardcore scene. Unlike Fear (see above), however, Watt didn't amp up the machismo of hardcore, he amped up its brains. As a member of the revolutionary trio the Minutemen, Watt broadened the musical and intellectual horizons of punk by making music that was lyrically thought-provoking and political and sonically challenging and diverse. Since then, he's continued to push the boundaries in fIREHOSE and
this, his new project, the Missingmen. [MySpace]
**CANCELLED**
The Antlers' lo-fi, ambient electronica is the saddest music around. They are one of the few truly innovative bands in the New York scene and their recent album Hospice is one of the most profound contributions to indie rock in the last decade. [MySpace]
Good cheap fun! It's worth the six bucks despite being in one of the worst venues in town.
**UPDATE: Apparently, Coyote Eyes and MTS aren't playing. In a typically irresponsible gesture, Lit Lounge has just forgotten to update their calendar. Bummer.**
R. Stevie Moore @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $8
Good ol' R. Stevie is the punk rock Santa Claus. He's been making lo-fi pop music since he was a kid, putting out his first recordings in the 1960's. Phenomenally gifted and perpetually overlooked, Moore is justifiably pissed off, and his bitterness is especially justified when it comes out in his kick-ass punk-rock power-pop performances. His last show at Cake Shop was one of the best shows I've ever seen ever. A true forgotten pioneer, Moore is well worth checking out. [MySpace]
Saturday, May 9
Real Estate, So So Glos @ Santos Party House | Chinatown, Manhattan | $10 *
Real Estate are the latest buzz-band out of the no-fi/neo-punk crowd that brought us the likes of Wavves, Woods and Blank Dogs. Real Estate fall at the slow, hushed end of that spectrum and while their recorded material can be rather boring at times, the very little I've seen of this band live makes me think they're good on stage. The So So Glos, on the other hand, take a more direct route to punk rock - fast, loud and rude. [RE MySpace] [SSG MySpace]
Monday, May 10
Woods, Times New Viking @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn*
I'm not a huge fan of TNV, to be quite honest. The constant comparisons to Guided By Voices are just not accurate; see, GBV were great because they wrote great pop songs, and TNV, for all their cool sound, just don't write great songs. So the real reason to go by this show is psychedelic folk-pop quartet Woods. In my last live review of them, I called them "one of the most outstanding and original bands of our time" and I'll stand by that statement. [TNV MySpace] [Woods MySpace]
Wednesday, May 12
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | SOLD OUT
You should track down some tickets to this show. Tweegaze heartthrobs the Pains will be celebrating their (brief) homecoming after an extensive national tour - and right before an extensive international tour. Their songs are way too cute, but so well written that they're hard to hate. And a seamless wall of distorted guitar noise covers everything - bring earplugs. [MySpace]
*This is seems to be a week of bands and venues not working in tandem, and there is some conflicting information about these shows, so you may want to try to confirm they are happening as scheduled before you make a trek to the venue.
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
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