Tonight!! Thursday, May 5
C. Spencer Yeh, White Suns, Drainolith (mem. AIDS Wolf) @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
Great noise music, with more emphasis on "noise" than "music" - all of these musicians play with sonic assault, drones and minimalism. They are the best of the nastiest side of avant garde music. And for only $7. Go to this show! [yeh myspace] [suns myspace] ['lith myspace]
Thermals, Tyvek @ Le Poisson Rouge * Greenwich Village, Manhattan * $10
If you can't handle the avant garde waging war on your delicate ear drums, this show....well, it probably won't be much quieter, but it will have some melodies! Thermals are a poppy punky band from the northwest coast. Tyvek are opening! Tyvek are awesome! They come from Detroit. They play punk music. They have that Michigan/Ohio attitude of artiness combined with post industrial decay combined with fucking shit up. They are fun to watch. [thermals myspace] [tyvek myspace]
Other shows
Fiery Furnaces (blues meets indie pop meets psychosis) @ Rockwood Music Hall ($20)
Tomorrow!! Friday, May 6
Total Slacker, Beaches, X-Ray Eyeballs @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
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. [myspace]
Other shows
K-Holes, Electroputas (lady noise!) @ Cake Shop ($8)
Lightning Bolt, Pterodactyl, Ducktails, So So Glos @ NYU Strawberry Festival (free afternoon show!)
Saturday, May 7
The Measure (SA) @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
This is, apparently, the Measure's LAST BROOKLYN SHOW EVER OF ALL TIME. They are a lovable pop punk band (more punk than pop), they are on Don Giovanni Records and you should go hear them play because it's your absolute last ever chance. [myspace]
Sunday, May 8
Nothin'
Monday, May 9
Nothin'
Tuesday, May 10
Yo La Tengo @ Bell House * Gowanus, Brooklyn * SOLD OUT
Yo La Tengo are one of the bands who invented noise pop back in the 1980's. Their music is A) noisy and B) poppy. Very much both. They are getting up there, but have played continuously and released consistently solid records for well over two decades now. Their music can be relaxing but it also has teeth. And they are amazing live because there are only three of them but it always sounds like there are about eight people on stage. [myspace]
Wednesday, May 11
Yo La Tengo @ Bell House * Gowanus, Brooklyn * SOLD OUT
See above.
CSS, Sleigh Bells @ Webster Hall * East Village, Manhattan * 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]
Vaz @ Cake Shop * LES, Manhattan * $7
Here's a show that's not sold out. Vaz are mean and loud and experimental. They will sound very good over Cake Shop's powerful P.A. system. That 'bout sums it up. [myspace]
The long view...
May
12
CSS, Sleigh Bells (see above) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Sold Out)
13
Echo & the Bunnymen (classic post punk) @ Irving Plaza
...and You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (heavy wall of sound with major pop appeal from a refreshingly uncool band), Surfer Blood @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Total Slacker (see above) @ Monster Island Basement ($8)
14
Echo & the Bunnymen (see above) @ Irving Plaza
15
CSS, Sleigh Bells (see above) @ Bowery Ballroom (Sold Out)
Soft Circle, Yvette, Hunters (mean experimental post punk noize) @ Death By Audio ($7)
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
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)
28
Big Freedia (see above) @ Brooklyn Bowl ($5)
June
2
Stiff Little Fingers (late 70's UK punk)
Liturgy, Sightings @ Knitting Factory
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
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 @ 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)
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)
26
Archers of Loaf (see above) @ Webster Hall (SOLD OUT)
July
12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory
August
8
The Kills @ Terminal 5
12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront
Streets, El-P @ Terminal 5
Showing posts with label Tyvek. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyvek. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Upcoming Shows: The Styrenes!!!!!!! + more
Thursday, April 29
Cold Cave @ Le Poisson Rouge * Greenwich Village, Manhattan * $12
Cold Cave effortlessly combine the sweeping dramatics of early 80's New Wave with icy nihilism. Its a distillation of all that's good about synth-based music. [myspace]
Fiasco, Total Slacker @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
These are two punky DIY bands who have been slightly outstripped by the hype but are still worth checking out. They're pretty loud. [fiasco myspace] [slacker myspace]
Friday, April 30
The Styrenes @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Some strange things happened deep in the Midwest, deep in the mid 70's and at least in the world of rock music, Cleveland was at the center of the strangeness. There were only about a half dozen bands in the movement, and inbred bands at that, but they changed the course of music, opening the door to post-punk before the rest of the world had caught on to the Ramones and the Sex Pistols.
The Cleveland bands can be divided roughly into to cliques - on one side, you've got Rocket From the Tombs whose core members split to form Pere Ubu and Dead Boys. On the other hand, there was a wildly experimental noisefuck called Electric Eels and the slightly more pop-angled Mirrors, who would later morph into the Styrenes. Paul Marotta played with all three of these and when he and his bandmates decided to reunite, they rounded out the band's most well-known four-piece line-up of yore with the Electric Eels' notorious John Morton and original Mirrors/Styrenes founder Jamie Klimek.
So, six of the most insane, daring and violent minds in punk history will take the stage at New York's best DIY venue, the intimate Death by Audio. According to Cleveland.com, they will play a few Mirrors and Electric Eels songs as well as the Styrenes' material. I think I might die. [myspace]
Saturday, May 1
Styrenes + Tyvek @ Cake Shop * LES, Manhattan * $10
See above. And this time, no DIY, but a great venue nevertheless and with the lovable mad Detroit punks Tyvek warming up the stage. [tyvek myspace]
Sunday, May 2
Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers @ Mercury Lounge * LES, Manhattan * $10
Acclaimed and adored by critics everywhere and with one of the loyalest fan bases around, Shilpa Ray could school all of Brooklyn when it comes to rock. Her soulful, bluesy rock builds around a hand-powered harmonium and her punk rock energy and the fact that she's legitimately totally insane makes for one of the most fun live shows you can find in the New York scene. I mean, seriously, the woman is bonkers. [myspace]
Monday, May 3
Just to keep you posted, this show has been postponed, apparently due to visa issues rather than the volcano. When it happens, you should be there cause this is shoegaze at its finest.
Tuesday, May 4
See above.
The long view...
May
6
Yo La Tengo, Jeff Mangum, Kyp Malone, Portastic, the Clean, Claudia Gonson (Magnetic Fields), Sharon van Etten @ LPR ($75 and way SOLD OUT - I'm only listing it to make you cry cause I'm a mean person.)
7
The Clean @ Bell House (Advanced Tix SOLD OUT)
11
Sleigh Bells + secret guests @ Ridgewood Temple
13
The Buzzcocks @ The Fillmore
15
Parts & Labor, Talk Normal @ Knitting Factory
18
Public Image Ltd @ Terminal 5
Woven Bones @ Mercury Lounge
19
Public Image Ltd @ Terminal 5
Diana Ross @ Radio City Music Hall
21
Fuck Buttons @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
22
Fuck Buttons @ Le Poisson Rouge
New York Dolls @ Warsaw
NYC PopFest: Wake, Boat, My Teenage Stride + more @ Bell House
27
Forgetters @ Bell House
28
Holy Fuck @ Le Poisson Rouge
29
Psych Fest: Weird Owl (yay), Hopewell (blech), Golden Triangle (blech), Psychic Ills (yay), Sunburned Hand of the Man (yay) + more @ Glasslands
June
4
Psychedelic Furs @ the Fillmore
6
Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Webster Hall
18
Melvins + Isis @ Webster Hall
24
Wavves @ Knitting Factory
July
24
M.I.A. @ Governors Island
30
Big Takeover: Springhouse @ Bell House
31
Big Takeover: Springhouse, For Against @ Bell House
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Upcoming Shows: Japanther, Titus Andronicus + more
Tomorrow, March 4
Japanther @ Mercury Lounge * LES, Manhattan * $12
They may be kind of full of themselves and annoying at times, but Japanther make some damn good and ofter underrated punk. It's heartfelt and youthful and they are releasing a record and the party is tomorrow so you should go hear them. Plus, their excellently-named friends Cerebral Ballzy are opening. [myspace]
Sunburned Hand of the Man @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
If Japanther are too conventional for your tastes, check out the highly experimental, psychedelic, folk inflected noise of Sunburned Hand of the Man. [myspace]
Friday, March 5
Shellshag, Stupid Party, the Measure, Groucho Marxists @ Cedar Mansion * Bushwick, Brooklyn
Everyone knows the best shows are house parties and everyone knows the best house party shows are hardcore punk and everyone knows the best punk rockers around the tri-state area these days hang around the Don Giovanni Records crowd. So it follows that now that you know this show exists, you also know it's the greatest show ever. Duh. [shellshag myspace] [stupid myspace] [measure myspace] [grouchy marxists myspace]
Saturday, March 6
Titus Andronicus, Parts & Labor, Babies @ Bowery Ballroom * LES, Manhattan * $13 adv. / $15 dos.
Titus Andronicus are another of the best hardcore bands around, though lately they've backed slightly off of the straight-up punk model and turned a bit slicker, rockier and more polished. They write good drinking songs and act like wild men on stage. Parts & Labor make great, dramatic, sweeping pop songs and then drown them out with massive amounts of noises. I haven't heard Babies yet, but it's members of Woods and Vivian Girls, so it's at least of interest. [titus myspace] [p&l myspace]
Sunday, March 7
Tyvek, Talk Normal, Awesome Color @ Market Hotel * Bushwick, Brooklyn
Tyvek come down from Michigan every now and then to play us some awesome punk songs. They are kind frail looking kids, like the kind who live in the basements of college libraries because they melt in sunlight. But they are kind of angry and have fun yelling about things in punk songs they write. Talk Normal are two weird ladies who make strange, droning songs with muttering and shouting and some erratic banging of a tom-tom. Awesome Color play punky psychedelic rock and look cool. [tyvek myspace] [talk myspace] [awesome myspace]
Monday, March 8
Dinowalrus doesn't list this show, but Cameo does, so check before you go. Dinowalrus make psychedelic experimental music that wanders around without losing track of its strong beats and melodies. It's a rare band that can so well balance being fun and accessible with being musically edgy and innovative. [myspace]
Update: No show. Just a private performance for a music school seminar. So never mind - but do check out Dinowalrus soon.
Tuesday, March 9
Aa, Screens, PC Worship @ Death by Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
This should be an extremely rad show - three of Brooklyn's most original bands at its best venue. Aa are a Brooklyn mainstay with a highly percussive core. Their music is their rhythms and their rhythms are awesome. Screens are one of my new favorites, an experimental band with driving beats and rich, scared-sounding melodies. PC Worship are another new favorite. They often keep it toned down a bit, mixing quiet lo-fi songs with inspired sonic experiments. If you don't go to this show, you'll end up really regretting it. [aa myspace] [screens myspace] [pc myspace]
The long view...
March
10
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall
11
The Magnetic Fields @ Town Hall
Iran @ Knitting Factory
12-13
Henry Rollins @ The Fillmore
18
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore
19
Killswitch Engage @ The Fillmore
Oneida + Sightings @ Knitting Factory
23
Black Lips @ Brooklyn Bowl
24
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom
25
Nada Surf play Let Go + surprise guest @ Bowery Ballroom
Jello Biafra and Guantanamo Schools of Medicine @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
26
Nada Surf play The Weight Is a Gift + surprise guest @ Bell House
Spoon, Deerhunter @ Radio City Music Hall
27
Nada Surf play Lucky + surprise guest @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
30
Big Pink, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Webster Hall
April
2
The Bronx, Japanther @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Captured Tracks Showcase: Blank Dogs, Wet Dog + more @ Glasslands
3
Soft Pack, Nodzzz, Male Bonding @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
6
The Bronx, Japanther @ Bowery Ballroom
8
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Webster Hall
10
Washed Out, Small Black @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
15
Liars @ Bowery Ballroom
18
Liars @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
21
Apples in Stereo @ Bowery Ballroom
May
3
Chapterhouse @ Bell House
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Slits, Reagan Youth, Fiery Furnaces + more
TONIGHT! Tuesday, December 8
Parts and Labor @ Brooklyn Bowl | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | FREE!
My new friends at The End of Irony caught this, which was somehow missing from my calendar. Parts and Labor are easily one of NYC's best bands. They make intensely, intensely loud music using bass, drums and electronic noise. It's like a jet engine in your face. This din, however, supports wide-open, heartfelt pop melodies. Bring earplugs. [MySpace]
TOMORROW! Wednesday, December 9
Darlings, She Keeps Bees @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $6
Get there early, the good bands are first! Darlings mix pop hooks with completely bizarre, unexpected arrangements for music that's smart and interesting but still easy to enjoy. She Keeps Bees are a minimalist blues band disguised as an indie rock band, and their singer, Jessica Larrabee, is really good. [Darlings MySpace] [Darlings RFR Review] [SKB MySpace]
Thursday, December 10
Reagan Youth @ Trash Bar | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $8
Reagan Youth were one of the original NYHC bands of the early 80's. Playing political hardcore punk in the greatest American tradition, Reagan Youth were stars at CBGBs and the A7 club back in the day. Go see them. [MySpace]
Friday, December 11
Fiery Furnaces + Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $15 adv./$17 dos.
The Fiery Furnaces are one of the most insane bands ever. They are a brother and sister, but if a classic evil villian living alone in a castle at the top of a mountain in Romania were going to make an indie pop album, it would sound pretty much like Fiery Furnaces' Blueberry Boat. Assuming that evil villain knew quite a bit about writing hooks and melodies. And Shilpa Ray is opening. Her raw blues-punk is centered around her hand-powered harmonium and ability to scream the f-word very loudly. (That's a good thing.) [FF MySpace] [SR&HH MySpace]
Forgetters @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn
Forgetters are a punk band formed by Blake Schwarzenbach of Jawbreaker and Jets to Brazil, along with Against Me! drummer Kevin Mahon and visual artist Caroline Paquita. There is no one on earth who can conceive of how deeply I love Jawbreaker. Um, fuck yes.
Saturday, December 12
Fiery Furnaces + Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $15 adv./$17 dos.
See above.
Tyvek @ Silent Barn | Ridgewood, Queens
I want to mention Tyvek because they are from Michigan so you can't see them any old time. They are a punk band. However, they come to NYC pretty often and Silent Barn is an awful venue, so I'd skip it. [MySpace]
A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Jaguar Club @ Union Hall | Park Slope, Brooklyn | $10
I've kind of cooled off on electrogazers ASDIG after their disappointing album earlier this year. Jaguar Club, on the other hand, is an unquestionably awesome rock band. Maybe not anything to write home about, but definitely a great way to spend a Saturday night. [ASDIG MySpace] [JC MySpace]
Sunday, December 13
Blank Dogs, Led Er Est, Silk Flowers @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $7
Blank Dogs play extremely lo-fi gothy post punk. Led Er Est are also goth-influenced, playing minimal electronic-based post punk with a psychedelic edge. I haven't decided how I feel about Silk Flowers, but they involve synthesizers and slurry, neanderthal-styled dark post punk music. So basically, this line-up actually makes sense, with each band sounding different from the others, but all fitting into the gloomy, measured style of the early 80's, and all putting their own experimental spin on that sound. [BD MySpace] [LEE MySpace] [SF MySpace]
Monday, December 14
The Slits + Sisters, the Sundelles @ Highline Ballroom | Chelsea, Manhattan | $15
The Slits were one of the greatest punk bands of the initial punk explosion in London in 1977. These ladies hung with the Sex Pistols and were as just as badass. Their influence on punk, indie pop, grunge and riot grrrl is immeasurable. Also, apparently, whoever is picking out their opening acts has the same tastes as me, since Sisters and Sundelles just played at my showcase Friday and were totally awesome. The Sundelles play energetic, balls-to-the-wall garage rock. Sisters play lo-fi noise pop with insane drumming and hummable songs. This is worth way more than fifteen bucks, don't miss it. [Slits Website] [Sisters MySpace] [Sundelles MySpace]
Tuesday, December 15
The Antlers + Sharon van Etten @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $13 adv. / $15 dos.
The Antlers are a very sad trio who make very noisy ambient songs about abuse and loss. Their 2009 album is easily one of the best of the decade. Comparisons to Radiohead, Arcade Fire and Neutral Milk Hotel are in order. [MySpace]
The long view...
December
16
Raekwon @ The Fillmore
17
The For Carnation @ Knitting Factory
Pterodactyl @ Cameo
29-31
Patti Smith @ Bowery Ballroom
January 2010
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
6
Don Giovanni showcase: Shellshag, Screaming Females, Jeff the Brotherhood + more @ Bowery Ballroom
9
Residents @ Webster Hall
13
Magnetic Fields @ Brooklyn Academy of Music
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Live: Tyvek + Coconut Coolouts, Personal & the Pizzas
So, because life must always be made extra difficult, I ended up catching Tyvek not at Cake Shop, as I had planned, but at Silent Barn the night before. Sadly, I arrived at too late for Stupid Party, which is one of my most favorite new favorites.
I did catch Personal & the Pizzas, who I found to be classic punk, complete with 50's revival undertones. That's the kind of music that depends on songwriting and the Pizza's just didn’t make the cut.
Next up was Coconut Coolouts, which I was certain I was going to hate, based on the name alone. I was mistaken. I'm not going to quit my job and follow them around the country or anything (they're no Tyvek!) but I was pretty glad to have spent forty minutes of my life at their show.
Their garage rock had exceptional hooks and melodies and exceptional noise. There seemed to be about fifteen people in the band, but I think it's actually six, which is still quite a few more than you need for a garage rock band. I'm not crazy about that, but it definitely worked alright at this show - because there is no stage at Silent Barn, the line between audience and band was blurred, and it seemed like we were all joining in.
It's not the most profound music, just fun music to jump around to. And not all of the songs were smashhits. But enough of them were that I just may have walked away from that set with a smile. Thanks, Coolouts! [MySpace]
Ah, Tyvek. I was glad to see them again, as they are one of the DIY/punk scene's most exciting bands. Sadly, this show was a let-down. Maybe it was the heat and humidity, maybe it was just a bad night, but the band's sound seemed to wilt.
Don't get me wrong, they were still riveting - if spontaneous human combustion is real, there's no one more likely to burst into flame than Tyvek at one of their shows. But in this sweltering heat, things went in a different direction. The crowd's behavior was lamentable, heckling, pushing one another (it's not moshing if you come at someone from behind) and eventually knocking over the PA. Couple that with a frustrating performance by the band, and that smile the Coconut Coolouts gave me was all but gone.
Still, a bad show is different from a bad band. And if I hadn't expected to have my socks knocked off, this wouldn't have even seemed like a bad show. My socks were still on at the end, but there aren't many bands I'd rather have seen. [MySpace]
I did catch Personal & the Pizzas, who I found to be classic punk, complete with 50's revival undertones. That's the kind of music that depends on songwriting and the Pizza's just didn’t make the cut.
Next up was Coconut Coolouts, which I was certain I was going to hate, based on the name alone. I was mistaken. I'm not going to quit my job and follow them around the country or anything (they're no Tyvek!) but I was pretty glad to have spent forty minutes of my life at their show.
Their garage rock had exceptional hooks and melodies and exceptional noise. There seemed to be about fifteen people in the band, but I think it's actually six, which is still quite a few more than you need for a garage rock band. I'm not crazy about that, but it definitely worked alright at this show - because there is no stage at Silent Barn, the line between audience and band was blurred, and it seemed like we were all joining in.
It's not the most profound music, just fun music to jump around to. And not all of the songs were smashhits. But enough of them were that I just may have walked away from that set with a smile. Thanks, Coolouts! [MySpace]
Ah, Tyvek. I was glad to see them again, as they are one of the DIY/punk scene's most exciting bands. Sadly, this show was a let-down. Maybe it was the heat and humidity, maybe it was just a bad night, but the band's sound seemed to wilt.
Don't get me wrong, they were still riveting - if spontaneous human combustion is real, there's no one more likely to burst into flame than Tyvek at one of their shows. But in this sweltering heat, things went in a different direction. The crowd's behavior was lamentable, heckling, pushing one another (it's not moshing if you come at someone from behind) and eventually knocking over the PA. Couple that with a frustrating performance by the band, and that smile the Coconut Coolouts gave me was all but gone.
Still, a bad show is different from a bad band. And if I hadn't expected to have my socks knocked off, this wouldn't have even seemed like a bad show. My socks were still on at the end, but there aren't many bands I'd rather have seen. [MySpace]
Monday, July 20, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Tyvek, Shilpa Ray + more
Wednesday, July 22
The indie pop scene in NY is not really big enough to try to split between two venues, so we'll see what happens on Wednesday.
My Teenage Stride @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $10
My Teenage Stride is the very first band I reviewed on this blog. I didn't want to like them, but I did, and I do. Fun, sweet indie pop played roughly but tightly, like good indie pop should be. [MySpace]
Knight School @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $8
I haven't seen Knight School yet, despite several attempts to catch them. They come with a strong recommendation from a certain person in a certain preeminent twee band, and I like their recorded stuff pretty well. It's lo-fi pop, with outstanding songwriting buried under a solid layer of fuzz. Nothing new, but definitely something good. [MySpace]
Thursday, July 23
Shilpa Ray and Werewolves @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Two of my favorite bands. Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers consistently put on one of NYC's best live shows. Their seamless combination of influences from blues and soul to punk creates a solid rock music that's familiar but never cliche. Werewolves are less consistent live, but when they're good, they're awesome, taking psychedelic music in entirely new directions. Another blender of styles, Werewolves draw from 70's rock'n'roll, early shoegaze, campy psychobilly and whacked out art rock, but still they pack it all down into a tight, heavy pop music that's entirely unforgettable. [Shilpa Ray MySpace] [Werewolves MySpace]
Friday, July 24
Oneida + Sunburned Hand of the Man @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn | $8
Oneida is an experimental band that draws from krautrock and industrial, using heavy guitars, heavy electronics and sweet grooves. It's a bit repetitive and may be best heard in an altered state of mind. But no matter what state you're in, there's no denying this is one of NYC's best. Sunburned Hand of the Man is a noise band that Thurston Moore likes and put on his Ecstatic Peace label. They are a little too formless for my liking, but you could definitely do worse for an opening act! [Onieda MySpace] [SHOTM MySpace]
Saturday, July 25
Tyvek @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $10
Everyone who was at the Woodsist Festival missed one of the crowd's best bands, who had to cancel due to a medical emergency. The good news is that everyone is OK and that they are in NY this weekend. Detroit punks with more heart than an iditerod of sled dogs, Tyvek are nothing short of thrilling live. Really and truly, do not miss them. [MySpace]
Sunday, July 26
Blank Dogs @ Secret Project Robot | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $8
Lo-fi goth pioneer Mike Sniper and his band will perform at one of the few remaining DIY spots this weekend. So far, I haven't been that into the live act, but the music is so good, it's still worth checking out. [MySpace]
Coyote Eyes, Spanish Prisoners @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Coyote Eyes are NYC's finest emerging post-punk band. They are a great live act and getting better all the time. Great melodies, noise-rock guitars, excellent beats, all of this adds up to one delicious set. Plus, they are joined by the very decent Spanish Prisoners, known for staying sonically interesting while playing some pretty straightforwardly charming songs. [MySpace] [MySpace]
The indie pop scene in NY is not really big enough to try to split between two venues, so we'll see what happens on Wednesday.
My Teenage Stride @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $10
My Teenage Stride is the very first band I reviewed on this blog. I didn't want to like them, but I did, and I do. Fun, sweet indie pop played roughly but tightly, like good indie pop should be. [MySpace]
Knight School @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $8
I haven't seen Knight School yet, despite several attempts to catch them. They come with a strong recommendation from a certain person in a certain preeminent twee band, and I like their recorded stuff pretty well. It's lo-fi pop, with outstanding songwriting buried under a solid layer of fuzz. Nothing new, but definitely something good. [MySpace]
Thursday, July 23
Shilpa Ray and Werewolves @ Death By Audio | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Two of my favorite bands. Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers consistently put on one of NYC's best live shows. Their seamless combination of influences from blues and soul to punk creates a solid rock music that's familiar but never cliche. Werewolves are less consistent live, but when they're good, they're awesome, taking psychedelic music in entirely new directions. Another blender of styles, Werewolves draw from 70's rock'n'roll, early shoegaze, campy psychobilly and whacked out art rock, but still they pack it all down into a tight, heavy pop music that's entirely unforgettable. [Shilpa Ray MySpace] [Werewolves MySpace]
Friday, July 24
Oneida + Sunburned Hand of the Man @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn | $8
Oneida is an experimental band that draws from krautrock and industrial, using heavy guitars, heavy electronics and sweet grooves. It's a bit repetitive and may be best heard in an altered state of mind. But no matter what state you're in, there's no denying this is one of NYC's best. Sunburned Hand of the Man is a noise band that Thurston Moore likes and put on his Ecstatic Peace label. They are a little too formless for my liking, but you could definitely do worse for an opening act! [Onieda MySpace] [SHOTM MySpace]
Saturday, July 25
Tyvek @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $10
Everyone who was at the Woodsist Festival missed one of the crowd's best bands, who had to cancel due to a medical emergency. The good news is that everyone is OK and that they are in NY this weekend. Detroit punks with more heart than an iditerod of sled dogs, Tyvek are nothing short of thrilling live. Really and truly, do not miss them. [MySpace]
Sunday, July 26
Blank Dogs @ Secret Project Robot | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $8
Lo-fi goth pioneer Mike Sniper and his band will perform at one of the few remaining DIY spots this weekend. So far, I haven't been that into the live act, but the music is so good, it's still worth checking out. [MySpace]
Coyote Eyes, Spanish Prisoners @ Cameo | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Coyote Eyes are NYC's finest emerging post-punk band. They are a great live act and getting better all the time. Great melodies, noise-rock guitars, excellent beats, all of this adds up to one delicious set. Plus, they are joined by the very decent Spanish Prisoners, known for staying sonically interesting while playing some pretty straightforwardly charming songs. [MySpace] [MySpace]
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Live: Woodsist Festival Recap (Day 2)
The second day of the Woodsist/Captured Tracks festival was moved outside to its originally-intended venue, a vacant lot down the block from Market Hotel, just under the train tracks. And despite the trains rumbling by overhead and the echos off the buildings, the space was great acoustically and aesthetically.
I arrived later than I'd planned to and missed Brilliant Colors, who I heard were outstanding. I'm really bummed about that, since they live way over the West Coast and there's no telling when they'll be back.
I did arrive in time for the Fresh & Onlys, a band whose name I've heard around a lot lately. I was disappointed - their music was generic and unmemorable, just your typical semi-sedated lo-fi punk with listenable but not catchy melodies and unchanging, standard guitar-drum-bass arrangements. There was a synth/sampler but it was often hard to pick out of the sound, since it often played exactly the same part as the guitar and bass. Yaaawn. [MySpace]
One thought that crossed my mind while watching the Fresh & Onlys: at least in the 90's, we let the girls play bass. Now, I understand that sometimes you want a female vocalist or find one who is good and the rest of the people in the band happen to be guys, and that's fine. But in this scene (beyond the scope of this festival) women are disproportionately relegated to backup or co-lead vocals and tambourine, and they're often not even good at that. It may not be anyone's fault, but it's still a bad sign that girls aren't encouraged to pick up instruments or aren't encouraged to join bands. Something is wrong.
Next up were Dum Dum Girls, who at first glance may appear to fall in that same troubling pattern. But there's a huge difference: in both Dum Dum Girls and the Mayfair Sect, Kristin "Dee Dee" Gundred is a phenomenal singer and a solid songwriter. And it seems she has creative control over the music in both bands, unlike many of the tambourine-shaking ladies around. Crystal Stilts' Frankie Rose also joined in on drums, but even if Gundred had been the only woman on stage, I couldn't fault the band. Strong melodies, well-delivered, with a masterful instrumental back-up from Rose, Crocodiles' Brandon Welchez (Gundred's husband, in fact) and Blank Dog/Mayfair Sect's Mike Sniper - definitely one of the highlights of the festival. [MySpace]
Sadly for all attendees, Michigan's excellent punks Tyvek were forced to cancel because (rumor has it) their bassist, Shelley Salant, landed in the hospital this weekend. The good news is that she's OK and that the band will be in New York on July 24 (@ Silent Barn) and July 25 (@ Cake Shop). [MySpace]
Both Woods and Kurt Vile played louder, more aggressive sets than I expected. Perhaps it was the acoustics, perhaps it was the spirit of the day, but both seemed to crank it up. This is really neither good nor bad - I like things loud and distorted but both these bands have such great songs that volume and distortion are irrelevant - their songwriting outshines everything else.
Woods played a thrilling set of many of their best songs, sounding, as always, like an oddly distant, distorted version of Neil Young or the Byrds. Their melodies are sweet folk pop, but their sounds are subtly unsettling. One of the best. [MySpace]
I can't get as into Kurt Vile - he has some good songs, but ultimately, I found the whole thing a little dull for my tastes. That said, if you're into folk and not looking for constant hooks and uptempos, you'll probably love him - he's doing a lot right, for sure. [MySpace]
My dislike of the Vivian Girls is no secret, despite how much I want to like them. Given my lowest of low expectations, I was pleasantly surprised. Their delivery was punkier than I'd anticipated and they have actually started moving when playing. The fast, loud, crashing drums helped immensely. However, after a couple songs, I did reach my usual state of boredom. The band's "melodies" are rarely more than three or four notes and their "solos" or "jams" or whatever they are meant to be usually consist of a single chord and go on way too long. If the Vivian Girls made songs clocking it at a minute or two instead of five, I might actually enjoy them. [MySpace]
I had high hopes for Thee Oh Sees, but my reaction was mixed. On the one hand, they followed the whole mediocre-female-singer-with-tambourine concept and there wasn't anything special about them to set them apart from the rest of the bands - they sounded kind of like a recap of the festival, but not in an interesting way.
On the other hand, their delivery was lively and engaging and their arrangements well-conceived. They put their heart into playing and it showed. They also had better vocal lines than many of the day's bands. Still, though, there wasn't enough substance to hold my attention for long. They were fun, but as far as I saw, nothing to write home about and certainly a big creative step down from Woods, Blank Dogs and even Crystal Stilts. [MySpace]
I arrived later than I'd planned to and missed Brilliant Colors, who I heard were outstanding. I'm really bummed about that, since they live way over the West Coast and there's no telling when they'll be back.
I did arrive in time for the Fresh & Onlys, a band whose name I've heard around a lot lately. I was disappointed - their music was generic and unmemorable, just your typical semi-sedated lo-fi punk with listenable but not catchy melodies and unchanging, standard guitar-drum-bass arrangements. There was a synth/sampler but it was often hard to pick out of the sound, since it often played exactly the same part as the guitar and bass. Yaaawn. [MySpace]
One thought that crossed my mind while watching the Fresh & Onlys: at least in the 90's, we let the girls play bass. Now, I understand that sometimes you want a female vocalist or find one who is good and the rest of the people in the band happen to be guys, and that's fine. But in this scene (beyond the scope of this festival) women are disproportionately relegated to backup or co-lead vocals and tambourine, and they're often not even good at that. It may not be anyone's fault, but it's still a bad sign that girls aren't encouraged to pick up instruments or aren't encouraged to join bands. Something is wrong.
Next up were Dum Dum Girls, who at first glance may appear to fall in that same troubling pattern. But there's a huge difference: in both Dum Dum Girls and the Mayfair Sect, Kristin "Dee Dee" Gundred is a phenomenal singer and a solid songwriter. And it seems she has creative control over the music in both bands, unlike many of the tambourine-shaking ladies around. Crystal Stilts' Frankie Rose also joined in on drums, but even if Gundred had been the only woman on stage, I couldn't fault the band. Strong melodies, well-delivered, with a masterful instrumental back-up from Rose, Crocodiles' Brandon Welchez (Gundred's husband, in fact) and Blank Dog/Mayfair Sect's Mike Sniper - definitely one of the highlights of the festival. [MySpace]
Sadly for all attendees, Michigan's excellent punks Tyvek were forced to cancel because (rumor has it) their bassist, Shelley Salant, landed in the hospital this weekend. The good news is that she's OK and that the band will be in New York on July 24 (@ Silent Barn) and July 25 (@ Cake Shop). [MySpace]
Both Woods and Kurt Vile played louder, more aggressive sets than I expected. Perhaps it was the acoustics, perhaps it was the spirit of the day, but both seemed to crank it up. This is really neither good nor bad - I like things loud and distorted but both these bands have such great songs that volume and distortion are irrelevant - their songwriting outshines everything else.
Woods played a thrilling set of many of their best songs, sounding, as always, like an oddly distant, distorted version of Neil Young or the Byrds. Their melodies are sweet folk pop, but their sounds are subtly unsettling. One of the best. [MySpace]
I can't get as into Kurt Vile - he has some good songs, but ultimately, I found the whole thing a little dull for my tastes. That said, if you're into folk and not looking for constant hooks and uptempos, you'll probably love him - he's doing a lot right, for sure. [MySpace]
My dislike of the Vivian Girls is no secret, despite how much I want to like them. Given my lowest of low expectations, I was pleasantly surprised. Their delivery was punkier than I'd anticipated and they have actually started moving when playing. The fast, loud, crashing drums helped immensely. However, after a couple songs, I did reach my usual state of boredom. The band's "melodies" are rarely more than three or four notes and their "solos" or "jams" or whatever they are meant to be usually consist of a single chord and go on way too long. If the Vivian Girls made songs clocking it at a minute or two instead of five, I might actually enjoy them. [MySpace]
I had high hopes for Thee Oh Sees, but my reaction was mixed. On the one hand, they followed the whole mediocre-female-singer-with-tambourine concept and there wasn't anything special about them to set them apart from the rest of the bands - they sounded kind of like a recap of the festival, but not in an interesting way.
On the other hand, their delivery was lively and engaging and their arrangements well-conceived. They put their heart into playing and it showed. They also had better vocal lines than many of the day's bands. Still, though, there wasn't enough substance to hold my attention for long. They were fun, but as far as I saw, nothing to write home about and certainly a big creative step down from Woods, Blank Dogs and even Crystal Stilts. [MySpace]
Monday, June 29, 2009
Upcoming Shows: Woodsist Festival, Germs + more
Wednesday, July 1
Jay Reatard @ Stuyvesant Oval | StuyTown, East Village, Manhattan | FREE
Punk/lo-fi master Jay Reatard has written so many mess little pop songs in the last few years it's hard to keep up. You should go to this show. But be advised it starts on the early side (officially 6 PM, though my guess is Jay goes on at 8 PM). TV Smith (see below) might be opening, that is not clear. [MySpace]
Hunters @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $6
I really liked Hunters last time I saw them. Aggressive, arty punk music that's surprisingly free of cliche. [MySpace]
Thursday, July 2
Jay Reatard, TV Smith (ex-Adverts) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $15
Well, I just told you about Jay Reatard (see above). TV Smith was one of the key founders of British punk. His band, the Adverts, were contemporaries of the Sex Pistols and certainly have a place alongside the Clash, X-Ray Spex, the Buzzcocks and a handful of others in the pantheon of pioneering English punks. [JR MySpace] [TVS MySpace]
Germs @ Mercury Lounge | LES, Manhattan | $14 adv/$16 doors
This week is Independence Day, so perhaps it's better not to support old British punks like TV Smith. A more patriotic option is to check out the Germs, one of LA's original punk bands, contemporaries of bands like X and Black Flag. The reunited Germs, however, are missing founder and singer Darby Crash, who committed suicide in 1980, at age 22. [MySpace]
Friday, July 3
Sonic Youth @ United Palace | Washington Heights, Manhattan | $38-$45
I don't think you should pay this much to see Sonic Youth. But if you really wanna...
Grooms @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $7
Grooms, fka Muggabears, are pretty awesome gloomy-but-melodic post punk. They follow the American tradition, sounding far more like Sonic Youth than Joy Division. They are one of NYC's best. [MySpace]
Woodsist/Captured Tracks Festival @ 979 Broadway Backyard | Bushwick, Brooklyn| $15
+ Crystal Stilts - Despite being lazy and self-entitled, this band sounds like Joy Division and I love their music. Like Joy Division, there are a lot of understated riffs in the bass line with repeating guitar over the top and morose, baritone vocals. [MySpace]
+ Blank Dogs - This lo-fi goth didn't impress me last time I saw it live, but I've become increasingly impressed by the recorded material. I'm hoping the show I saw live was just a fluke and that they will actually be awesome. [MySpace]
+ Psychedelic Horseshit - Not a personal favorite, due to their pretentiousness, but they have some merit, for sure. Their name describes their sound better than I could. [MySpace]
+ CAUSE co-MOTION! - C-86 revival with brilliant lo-fi pop numbers under two minutes. [MySpace]
+ Little Girls - Highly recommended. [MySpace]
+ more
Saturday, July 4
Woodsist/Captured Tracks Festival @ 979 Broadway Backyard | Bushwick, Brooklyn| $15
+ Thee Oh Sees - Shamefully, I'm not that familiar with this band's music, but they are considered to be one of the best of the recent noise punk movement. I have high hopes. [MySpace]
+ Vivian Girls - Yawwwwwn. This set will be a good time to go grab a bite. [MySpace]
+ Kurt Vile - Lo-fi folkster and recent signee to Matador. [MySpace]
+ Woods - One of the best bands around. Haunting psychedelic folk that I've written loads about already. [MySpace]
+ Tyvek - Awesome punks from Detroit. I liked them last I saw them. [MySpace]
+ Dum Dum Girls - These guys are a somewhat less boring version of the Vivian Girls. [MySpace]
+ Fresh & Onlys - Another band I have heard great things about but haven't had a chance to listen to properly yet. All I know is that they are psychedelic and people like them. [MySpace]
+ more
Frankie Rose, Fresh & Onlys, Pink Reason, Babies (members of Woods, Vivian Girls) @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn | $5 with Woodsist stamp / $8
Frankie Rose is the drummer of Crystal Stilts. I don't know what she does solo. Hopefully not just pound on a floor tom. Fresh & Onlys I described above. This show starts at midnight, well after the end of the Woodsist festival.
Monday, July 6
Peter Murphy @ Highline Ballroom | Chelsea, Manhattan | $35
Pete Murphy is the original goth, the frontman of Bauhaus.
Tuesday, July 7
Peter Murphy @ Highline Ballroom | Chelsea, Manhattan | $35
See above.
Jay Reatard @ Stuyvesant Oval | StuyTown, East Village, Manhattan | FREE
Punk/lo-fi master Jay Reatard has written so many mess little pop songs in the last few years it's hard to keep up. You should go to this show. But be advised it starts on the early side (officially 6 PM, though my guess is Jay goes on at 8 PM). TV Smith (see below) might be opening, that is not clear. [MySpace]
Hunters @ Cake Shop | LES, Manhattan | $6
I really liked Hunters last time I saw them. Aggressive, arty punk music that's surprisingly free of cliche. [MySpace]
Thursday, July 2
Jay Reatard, TV Smith (ex-Adverts) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $15
Well, I just told you about Jay Reatard (see above). TV Smith was one of the key founders of British punk. His band, the Adverts, were contemporaries of the Sex Pistols and certainly have a place alongside the Clash, X-Ray Spex, the Buzzcocks and a handful of others in the pantheon of pioneering English punks. [JR MySpace] [TVS MySpace]
Germs @ Mercury Lounge | LES, Manhattan | $14 adv/$16 doors
This week is Independence Day, so perhaps it's better not to support old British punks like TV Smith. A more patriotic option is to check out the Germs, one of LA's original punk bands, contemporaries of bands like X and Black Flag. The reunited Germs, however, are missing founder and singer Darby Crash, who committed suicide in 1980, at age 22. [MySpace]
Friday, July 3
Sonic Youth @ United Palace | Washington Heights, Manhattan | $38-$45
I don't think you should pay this much to see Sonic Youth. But if you really wanna...
Grooms @ Bruar Falls | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $7
Grooms, fka Muggabears, are pretty awesome gloomy-but-melodic post punk. They follow the American tradition, sounding far more like Sonic Youth than Joy Division. They are one of NYC's best. [MySpace]
Woodsist/Captured Tracks Festival @ 979 Broadway Backyard | Bushwick, Brooklyn| $15
+ Crystal Stilts - Despite being lazy and self-entitled, this band sounds like Joy Division and I love their music. Like Joy Division, there are a lot of understated riffs in the bass line with repeating guitar over the top and morose, baritone vocals. [MySpace]
+ Blank Dogs - This lo-fi goth didn't impress me last time I saw it live, but I've become increasingly impressed by the recorded material. I'm hoping the show I saw live was just a fluke and that they will actually be awesome. [MySpace]
+ Psychedelic Horseshit - Not a personal favorite, due to their pretentiousness, but they have some merit, for sure. Their name describes their sound better than I could. [MySpace]
+ CAUSE co-MOTION! - C-86 revival with brilliant lo-fi pop numbers under two minutes. [MySpace]
+ Little Girls - Highly recommended. [MySpace]
+ more
Saturday, July 4
Woodsist/Captured Tracks Festival @ 979 Broadway Backyard | Bushwick, Brooklyn| $15
+ Thee Oh Sees - Shamefully, I'm not that familiar with this band's music, but they are considered to be one of the best of the recent noise punk movement. I have high hopes. [MySpace]
+ Vivian Girls - Yawwwwwn. This set will be a good time to go grab a bite. [MySpace]
+ Kurt Vile - Lo-fi folkster and recent signee to Matador. [MySpace]
+ Woods - One of the best bands around. Haunting psychedelic folk that I've written loads about already. [MySpace]
+ Tyvek - Awesome punks from Detroit. I liked them last I saw them. [MySpace]
+ Dum Dum Girls - These guys are a somewhat less boring version of the Vivian Girls. [MySpace]
+ Fresh & Onlys - Another band I have heard great things about but haven't had a chance to listen to properly yet. All I know is that they are psychedelic and people like them. [MySpace]
+ more
Frankie Rose, Fresh & Onlys, Pink Reason, Babies (members of Woods, Vivian Girls) @ Market Hotel | Bushwick, Brooklyn | $5 with Woodsist stamp / $8
Frankie Rose is the drummer of Crystal Stilts. I don't know what she does solo. Hopefully not just pound on a floor tom. Fresh & Onlys I described above. This show starts at midnight, well after the end of the Woodsist festival.
Monday, July 6
Peter Murphy @ Highline Ballroom | Chelsea, Manhattan | $35
Pete Murphy is the original goth, the frontman of Bauhaus.
Tuesday, July 7
Peter Murphy @ Highline Ballroom | Chelsea, Manhattan | $35
See above.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Upcoming Shows: X, A Place To Bury Strangers + more
TONIGHT! Wednesday, May 27
A Place to Bury Strangers, Shilpa Ray, Sisters, Coin Under Tongue @ Pianos | LES, Manhattan | $10
If this isn't the best NYC line-up imaginable, I don't know what is. Four bands associated with the always-excellent Death By Audio family = delicious. Sisters sound like Sonic Youth at their most minimalist-punk. Coin Under Tongue I haven't heard, but it's ex-Dirty On Purpose, so you know it's good. Shilpa, well, I've already explained that. And APTBS, well, one of the loudest bands you ever hear. Not to mention one of the best. [Sisters MySpace] [Shilpa MySpace] [APTBS MySpace]
TOMORROW! Thursday, May 28
Tyvek, Cause Co-Motion! @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $7
Tyvek are rad punks from the Midwest. When I saw them at Death By Audio, they kicked serious ass. Cause Co-Motion! are lo-fi C-86-style pop, friends and labelmates of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Crystal Stilts. Don't miss. [Tyvek MySpace] [CCM MySpace]
Friday, May 29
Beluga, Wild Yaks @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $8
I'm sick of describing Beluga and how much I love them. Super awesome lady punks who scream and rock out and put on a hell of a show. Check out my last review of them. Wild Yaks are one of those names I've heard, and I have a friend who really loves yaks, the species, so that seems like a good reason to catch this band too. [Beluga MySpace] [Wild Yaks MySpace]
A.R.E. Weapons @ Webster Hall Studio | East Village, Manhattan | $10
A.R.E. Weapons may have a disappointing recorded legacy, but their live show is unbeatable. Their massive electronics and noise sound like Suicide - dissonant, heavy and noisy, yet focused. They play with a rare chemistry, their improvised parts weaving together in nigh-perfection. This is the shit. [MySpace]
Saturday, May 30
X @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | SOLD OUT
One of the finest of L.A.'s original punk movement, X helped define second-wave American punk (aka hardcore) in the late 70's and early 80's. They gradually moved towards accessibility, but never sold out their edge. Though never as aggressive as southern California's hardest core (Henry Rollins's Black Flag, Fear, etc.), X were and remain badass and bold. [Website]
Sunday, May 31
X @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $27
Same as the above. Only difference: this show hasn't sold out yet. [Website]
Monday, June 1
Grant Hart @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $10
Ex-Husker Du, Grant Hart was the "hippie" of the group. His songs for Husker had a folksy leaning, and his solo work only takes him further down this path. Frankly, anyone who played in Husker Du (which is only three people ever) deserves everyone's undying respect. It's as simple as that. [MySpace]
A Place to Bury Strangers, Shilpa Ray, Sisters, Coin Under Tongue @ Pianos | LES, Manhattan | $10
If this isn't the best NYC line-up imaginable, I don't know what is. Four bands associated with the always-excellent Death By Audio family = delicious. Sisters sound like Sonic Youth at their most minimalist-punk. Coin Under Tongue I haven't heard, but it's ex-Dirty On Purpose, so you know it's good. Shilpa, well, I've already explained that. And APTBS, well, one of the loudest bands you ever hear. Not to mention one of the best. [Sisters MySpace] [Shilpa MySpace] [APTBS MySpace]
TOMORROW! Thursday, May 28
Tyvek, Cause Co-Motion! @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $7
Tyvek are rad punks from the Midwest. When I saw them at Death By Audio, they kicked serious ass. Cause Co-Motion! are lo-fi C-86-style pop, friends and labelmates of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Crystal Stilts. Don't miss. [Tyvek MySpace] [CCM MySpace]
Friday, May 29
Beluga, Wild Yaks @ Monster Island Basement | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | $8
I'm sick of describing Beluga and how much I love them. Super awesome lady punks who scream and rock out and put on a hell of a show. Check out my last review of them. Wild Yaks are one of those names I've heard, and I have a friend who really loves yaks, the species, so that seems like a good reason to catch this band too. [Beluga MySpace] [Wild Yaks MySpace]
A.R.E. Weapons @ Webster Hall Studio | East Village, Manhattan | $10
A.R.E. Weapons may have a disappointing recorded legacy, but their live show is unbeatable. Their massive electronics and noise sound like Suicide - dissonant, heavy and noisy, yet focused. They play with a rare chemistry, their improvised parts weaving together in nigh-perfection. This is the shit. [MySpace]
Saturday, May 30
X @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | SOLD OUT
One of the finest of L.A.'s original punk movement, X helped define second-wave American punk (aka hardcore) in the late 70's and early 80's. They gradually moved towards accessibility, but never sold out their edge. Though never as aggressive as southern California's hardest core (Henry Rollins's Black Flag, Fear, etc.), X were and remain badass and bold. [Website]
Sunday, May 31
X @ Bowery Ballroom | LES, Manhattan | $27
Same as the above. Only difference: this show hasn't sold out yet. [Website]
Monday, June 1
Grant Hart @ Bell House | Gowanus, Brooklyn | $10
Ex-Husker Du, Grant Hart was the "hippie" of the group. His songs for Husker had a folksy leaning, and his solo work only takes him further down this path. Frankly, anyone who played in Husker Du (which is only three people ever) deserves everyone's undying respect. It's as simple as that. [MySpace]
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Live: Tyvek, Woods, Nymphets
When: 4/1
Where: Death By Audio
When I walked into Death By Audio last Wednesday, the Nymphets were already on stage - just a girl on drums and a guy on guitar, both yelling their heads off. Their songs were short and their lyrics simple and to the point (for example, the repeated line "I don't wanna live on Earth anymore"). They aren't the first band of their kind, but they seem to have a genuine grasp on punk minimalism, and how that means everyone can have a lot of fun and make noise. Thumbs up. [MySpace]
Apparently, there was another band after them called Changing Holes, and I must have been there when they played, but I have no memory of it whatsoever. Which doesn't speak well to them.
Third in line was Woods, my latest obsession. They play simple, lo-fi pop, but not in the distortion-and-feedback sense of lo-fi. Their clean guitars and vocals aren't buried under anything heavy, but rather (as I said before) it's as if they are under water - the songs are distorted not in a fuzzbox way, but in the way water distorts the appearance of things beneath it. There is an element of mysterious, otherworldly beauty in the sound.
Though often described as “folk,” Woods are best classified as pop, with uptempo songs and sticky-sweet melodies. They sound a lot like the Byrds, or even the Hollies, but turned inside out and cooked into some Jell-O.
As performers, the band was pretty average, kicking out some hot guitar solos and some satisfying noise but not really doing anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, the most interesting part of the performance took place out of sight of most of the audience, myself included. The band's fourth member was crouching on the floor with what appeared to be a vocoder (or talk box or something of that nature) and a bunch of electronics.
Whatever he was doing, it helps explain the eerie, unidentifiable quality of the recorded music. (In case you don't know, vocoders and talk boxes use the voice and the movement of the mouth respectively to shape sounds, emitting ‘half human, half machine’ sort of tones.) Whatever this device was, he had it strapped over his mouth, a disturbing gesture. In the audience, all you know is there's somebody kneeling on the stage with something reminiscent of a gas mask or an old medical device obscuring half his face. Gimmicky? Maybe, but it's also effectively intriguing, not to mention creepy as hell.
While having melodies that will be stuck in your head for weeks, prettied up even further with subtle vocal harmonies, Woods sound weird in a way I can't quite identify. It's not just the quirky falsetto of the vocals (a trick used by plenty more conventional bands like Dirty On Purpose), there's just something different about this band. Something too subtle to be revolutionary, but distinctive enough to make this one of the most outstanding and original bands of our time. [MySpace]
Closing out the night came the much-hyped Tyvek, a Michigan-based punk outfit that kicks quite a lot of ass. The band stays true to the fundamental American punk tenant of playing loud and playing fast. There's some quirk in their music, but it's not that the music has been overthought, it's just that these kids have as much rage as the Sex Pistols, but they aren't leather-sporting punks from the London slums, they're awkward Midwesterners.
When I say rage, though, I don't mean it's sheer hardcore-thrashy-screaming anger - Tyvek is FUN. The new(ish) bassist Shelley Salant is a particularly interesting presence on stage - she looks detached, which just makes it all the more striking when she shreds her lungs yelling back-up vocals. Drummer Matt Ziolkowski plays standing up like Mo Tucker, only when he does it, he pogos like a maniac. And frontman Kevin Boyer, despite his bookish looks, rips the show to shreds and lights it on fire with his aggressive performance.
The music is solid. Like the first act of the night, it's nothing completely new, but Tyvek definitely knows the wild recipe of anger and fun that makes good punk good (similar to the combination of anger and fun of yelling "fuck you" at your high school principal the day after graduation). Their music is certainly not minimalist - it even includes keyboards, but it's still raw and has a very sharp edge. [MySpace]
Where: Death By Audio
When I walked into Death By Audio last Wednesday, the Nymphets were already on stage - just a girl on drums and a guy on guitar, both yelling their heads off. Their songs were short and their lyrics simple and to the point (for example, the repeated line "I don't wanna live on Earth anymore"). They aren't the first band of their kind, but they seem to have a genuine grasp on punk minimalism, and how that means everyone can have a lot of fun and make noise. Thumbs up. [MySpace]
Apparently, there was another band after them called Changing Holes, and I must have been there when they played, but I have no memory of it whatsoever. Which doesn't speak well to them.
Third in line was Woods, my latest obsession. They play simple, lo-fi pop, but not in the distortion-and-feedback sense of lo-fi. Their clean guitars and vocals aren't buried under anything heavy, but rather (as I said before) it's as if they are under water - the songs are distorted not in a fuzzbox way, but in the way water distorts the appearance of things beneath it. There is an element of mysterious, otherworldly beauty in the sound.
Though often described as “folk,” Woods are best classified as pop, with uptempo songs and sticky-sweet melodies. They sound a lot like the Byrds, or even the Hollies, but turned inside out and cooked into some Jell-O.
As performers, the band was pretty average, kicking out some hot guitar solos and some satisfying noise but not really doing anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, the most interesting part of the performance took place out of sight of most of the audience, myself included. The band's fourth member was crouching on the floor with what appeared to be a vocoder (or talk box or something of that nature) and a bunch of electronics.
Whatever he was doing, it helps explain the eerie, unidentifiable quality of the recorded music. (In case you don't know, vocoders and talk boxes use the voice and the movement of the mouth respectively to shape sounds, emitting ‘half human, half machine’ sort of tones.) Whatever this device was, he had it strapped over his mouth, a disturbing gesture. In the audience, all you know is there's somebody kneeling on the stage with something reminiscent of a gas mask or an old medical device obscuring half his face. Gimmicky? Maybe, but it's also effectively intriguing, not to mention creepy as hell.
While having melodies that will be stuck in your head for weeks, prettied up even further with subtle vocal harmonies, Woods sound weird in a way I can't quite identify. It's not just the quirky falsetto of the vocals (a trick used by plenty more conventional bands like Dirty On Purpose), there's just something different about this band. Something too subtle to be revolutionary, but distinctive enough to make this one of the most outstanding and original bands of our time. [MySpace]
Closing out the night came the much-hyped Tyvek, a Michigan-based punk outfit that kicks quite a lot of ass. The band stays true to the fundamental American punk tenant of playing loud and playing fast. There's some quirk in their music, but it's not that the music has been overthought, it's just that these kids have as much rage as the Sex Pistols, but they aren't leather-sporting punks from the London slums, they're awkward Midwesterners.
When I say rage, though, I don't mean it's sheer hardcore-thrashy-screaming anger - Tyvek is FUN. The new(ish) bassist Shelley Salant is a particularly interesting presence on stage - she looks detached, which just makes it all the more striking when she shreds her lungs yelling back-up vocals. Drummer Matt Ziolkowski plays standing up like Mo Tucker, only when he does it, he pogos like a maniac. And frontman Kevin Boyer, despite his bookish looks, rips the show to shreds and lights it on fire with his aggressive performance.
The music is solid. Like the first act of the night, it's nothing completely new, but Tyvek definitely knows the wild recipe of anger and fun that makes good punk good (similar to the combination of anger and fun of yelling "fuck you" at your high school principal the day after graduation). Their music is certainly not minimalist - it even includes keyboards, but it's still raw and has a very sharp edge. [MySpace]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
