two Pussy Riot benefits this week (one at 285 Kent tonight), pics from Hilly Eye & Shellshag's recent show @ Cake Shop

June 21, 2012

Hilly Eye at Cake Shop 6/9/2012

Three members of Russian women’s punk band Pussy Riot, who derided President Vladimir Putin in a protest in Moscow’s main cathedral, were denied bail on Wednesday despite calls for their release by hundreds of supporters at the hearing.

Police hauled away more than 15 people when a crowd of about 300 whistled, chanted “Freedom” and unfurled banners demanding the released of the band members who have been held in pre-trial detention since early March.

Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich face up to seven years in jail for hooliganism after storming the altar of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral on February 21 in short dresses and colorful masks to sing a “punk prayer” that offended some Russian Orthodox believers.

Their rendition of “Holy Mother, throw Putin out!” was a protest against the close relationship between the Church and Putin, whom it backed in the presidential election he won in March. -[Reuters]

Like the one that went down last week at Death by Audio with Heliotropes and DJ Adrock, there will be two more Pussy RIot benefits in NYC this week, including one tonight (6/21) at 285 Kent Ave with performances from The Shondes, Making Friendz (Tami Hart of MEN), Ritz Riot, Bachslider, and DJ Maura Johnston. “Admission will be offered on a sliding scale with a $7 minimum donation” and the show is all ages. The show flyer is below. Another option is the Pussy Riot benefit at Knitting Factory on Saturday (6/23) with Frank London & Di Shikere Kapelye, Mchael Alpert, Alina Simone, and more. Tickets for that one are on sale now.

Both tonight’s “Free Pussy Riot” benefit and the one that happened at DbA are part of a series of shows curated by Permanent Wave, founded by Amy Klein of Hilly Eye. The group also produced the recent C.L.I.T. fest benefit at Acheron that featured Hilly Eye. Hilly Eye is scheduled to play Hillstock in Clinton Hill this weekend (6/23) and recently supported Shellshag with Necking, and Queening on June 9th at Cake Shop. Pictures from the Cake Shop show are in this post.

Shellshag are currently recording their new LP The Mighty Shellshag, release date TBA.

Speaking of MEN (but not The Men), the group play Gramercy Theater as part of CBGB Fest. The Men are also part of said festival, though they’ll stop by Music Hall of Williamsburg on July 6 as part of a bill with Red Kross.

More pics from the Cake Shop show are below…

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