by Andrew Sacher

Brooklyn punks Nuclear Santa Claust released their very solid album, Order of the New Age, this past February via Don Giovanni. You can pick up the album at the Don Giovanni webstore, but if you've still yet to hear the whole thing, the band recently let loose another album cut, "Government Issued Acid Trip." Like most of the album, it's a super heavy Ramonesy track and a real ripper. Stream it below.

As mentioned, NSC is playing a local show this Saturday (3/23) at Cake Shop with fellow Don Giovanni associates Black Wine, Hilly Eye, and Lauren of The Measure. Admission for what should be an all-around great bill is $8 at the door. NSC recently announced another NYC show too, which happens on April 4 at Death by Audio with Bananazzz, 3Jane, Lilith Velkor, and the short film "I Hate Being Single." Admission for that one is $7 at the door.

Nuclear Santa Claust also have some other upcoming Northeast dates with New Brunswick's Kicking Spit. All of their tour dates are listed, along with that song stream, below...

Continue reading "Nuclear Santa Claust schedules more shows (dates & stream)"

Screaming Females in LA in 2012 (more by Wei Shi)

The Don Giovanni Records Brooklyn showcases begin TONIGHT (2/7) with the previously mentioned Death by Audio show, which features California X, Nuclear Santa Claust, Brick Mower, House Boat, and Plastic Cross. Admission for tonight's show is $8 at the door. Then, the Don Giovanni fun continues with two consecutive nights at Music Hall of Williamsburg which feature Laura Stevenson and the Cans, Jeffrey Lewis, Lemuria, Waxahatachee, and Hilly Eye on Friday (2/8) and Screaming Females, Black Wine, Stormshadow, Home Blitz, and Shellshag on Saturday (2/9). Tickets for Friday, Saturday, and a 2-day pass are still available.

In related news, Screaming Females are releasing a cassette of home recordings this weekend (2/10) and you can stream the whole thing ahead of its release at Pitchfork. It features the track "Green Vapors," which was done with DG labelmates Shellshag.

Laura Stevenson is also releasing a new album, Wheel, on April 23 via Don Giovanni. You can stream the lead track, "Runner," at the bottom of this post.

Meanwhile, if you miss the showcases this week (or just want more), three of the bands playing -- Black Wine, Hilly Eye, and Nuclear Santa Claust -- are teaming up again for a NYC show at Cake Shop on March 23 with Lauren of The Measure. Admission for that one is $8 at the door.

If you're going to the DbA showcase tonight, be sure to catch California X, who have a new guitarist, Zack Brower and tonight is his first show with the band.

And in even more related news, Miranda Taylor of Black Wine just interviewed Caroline Rue, Hole's first drummer, who played on their 1991 debut, Pretty on the Inside. Here's an excerpt...

The evolution of Hole's sound is, in my opinion, extreme. What do you think contributed to the sound/style changes over the years?

Well, first off, Courtney and I were the least skilled musicians and needed time to catch up with Jill and Eric. We hung out, listened to records, and they turned me on to the Pixies, which I had only seen the MTV video for "Here Comes Your Man." We became better players, so we were starting to refine our tool to do what we were intending.

And you can read the rest at Miranda's blog.

Laura Stevenson song stream below...

Continue reading "Don Giovanni fest begins, Screaming Females streaming new tape, and other related news"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Nuclear Santa Claust - "Since I Woke Up (Berlin Wall)" (MP3)

Nuclear Santa Claust (via)

As mentioned, the annual Don Giovanni Records Brooklyn showcase is going down at Music Hall of Williamsburg on February 8 and 9 with Laura Stevenson and the Cans, Jeffrey Lewis, Lemuria, Waxahatachee, and Hilly Eye on 2/8 and Screaming Females, Black Wine, Stormshadow, Home Blitz, and Shellshag on 2/9. Tickets are still available for night 1, night 2, or both nights.

Don Giovanni have also added a third night that Thursday (2/7) at Death by Audio with Nuclear Santa Claust, California X (who have a new record out soon), Brick Mower, House Boat, and Plastic Cross. Admission is $8 at the door and the show flyer is below.

The DBA showcase is also doubling as a record release show for Brooklyn trio Nuclear Santa Claust, who will have their new record, Order of the New Age, out via Don Giovanni for that show. The album follows their 2011 self titled EP, and like on that EP, you can tell that NSC's two vocalists have picked up a few vocal tips from Joey Ramone, but they've amped it up to edgier levels more akin to the hardcore bands that formed in the Ramones' wake.

Nuclear Santa Claust aren't a backwards thinking tribute to the punk of yesteryear though. On Order of the New Age, they've been able to harness their older influences and use them to create bashing punk that pushes forward, rarely looking back. We've got a download of the album's first single, "Since I Woke Up (Berlin Wall)," which you can grab above, or you can stream it below, where you'll also find the album's cover art and tracklist.

Continue reading "Don Giovanni adds 3rd night to showcase; Nuclear Santa Claust releasing an LP (download a track)"

Night Birds at House of Vans, August 2012 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

Night Birds join Lemuria & Parquet Courts in supporting Fucked Up at Warsaw on Friday (12/21, tickets), and as such we cornered Brian Gorsegner to ask about his 2012. The Night Birds frontman's journey through music in 2012 in handy list format is below.

Continue reading "Brian of Night Birds recalls favorite shows & releases of 2012; their NYC show at Warsaw w/ Fucked Up is this week"

Hilly Eye at Acheron earlier this month (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Annual all ages, DIY music festival Hillstock is returning to Brooklyn this year from June 22-24 across four spaces in Clinton Hill. Day 1 (6/22) begins with a kickoff party at Free Candy on 905 Atlantic Ave with Math the Band, Ava Luna, Hop Along, Heaven's Gate, and more. On day 2 (6/23) we'll get the free block party at 106 Emerson Place with Hilly Eye, The Suzan, Life Size Maps, Swear and Shake, surprise guests and more, followed by a $5 afterparty with Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, Twitchers, Nuclear Santa Claust, and Sega Genocide. The fest wraps up on 6/24 with a backyard picnic at 402½ Park Avenue headlined by surprise guests and also featuring Archipelago, Emilyn Brodsky, Modern Hut, and more.

The full schedule, flier and a trailer video are below...

Continue reading "Hillstock returning to Brooklyn in June (Hilly Eye, The Suzan, Math the Band, Ava Luna & more)"

photos by Keith Marlowe, Livids photos by Harriet Roberts

Headlined by Foster Care, Night Birds played their final show with Mikey Hunchback on guitar on January 12th at Lulu's, joined by Livids (ex-New Bomb Turks), Pampers, and Nuclear Santa Claust. Pictures from the FREE show adorn this post.

Reminder, Night Birds have a few other NYC shows in the near future (all with their new guitarist), including at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 2/18 with World Inferno Friendship Society (tickets). The band also announced another NYC show at Acheron on Feb 4th with Kim Phuc and Nuclear Spring (ex-Nomos), an after-party of sorts for the Ceremony/Rival Mob/Kim Phuc/Hoax/Gods & Queens show at LPR earlier that day. Tickets for LPR are still available.

In other news, cartoonist Mitch Clem recently revealed his favorite LPS of 2011 which included Night Birds' new LP The Other Side of Darkness. Check out his accompanying comic along with pictures from Lulu's below (unfortunately none of Nuclear Santa Claust).

Continue reading "Night Birds wave goodbye to Mikey Hunchback @ Lulu's (pics), add show at Acheron with Kim Phuc"

by BBG

Mike of Night Birds gets a bug's eye view at ABC No Rio (more by Keith Marlowe)

Let's get down to it... Mike's last live show with Night Birds will be January 12th in Brooklyn, NY. The band has become a fairly time-consuming commitment, and with the other three of us really pushing and wanting to do even more, Mike just wasn't able to divert enough time from his new record store and his more recent writing projects. With the best intentions of both the band and himself in mind, he has made the decision to part ways with Night Birds. After three years, we are obviously bummed to see him go, but we are all still on perfectly good terms and there is no bad blood. In fact, Mike will remain in the band, along side our new guitar player, to write our second full length LP this Winter, with hopes of recording in early Spring.

Mike was a huge part of Night Birds. If we didn't have the perfect replacement and it just didn't feel right, we would call it a day. We're very critical of ourselves, always have been, and would not do this band half-assed. We are very excited to welcome PJ Russo to the Night Birds lineup on guitar. He plays in a great band called PHIBES, and the second we started playing together, it really just clicked. He's a brilliant guitar player, and honestly fits the band perfectly. He will begin playing with us in February and you can come see for yourself.

That January 12th show at Lulu's is FREE and open to the public (21+, that is) and also features appearances from Livids (ex New Bomb Turks), Foster Care, Pampers, and Nuclear Santa Claust.

If you can't make it to Lulu's to see off Mike, then make sure and head to see Night Birds with PJ on guitar supporting World Inferno Friendship Society on February 18th at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets are still available.

All tour dates (including a 2/29 Chris Gethard show?), as well as some streams and video are below.

Continue reading "Night Birds will wave goodbye to guitarist with a FREE show this week (tour dates)"

Screaming Females at MHoW (more by Devan Council)

NJ record label Don Giovanni have scheduled their annual pair of Brooklyn showcases (and a NJ movie screening) for middle February, returning to Music Hall of Williamsburg and Death By Audio too.

Kicking off with a screening of Dirty Work at the Forum Theatre in Metuchen, NJ on 2/9 (yes, the Norm MacDonald/Artie Lange film), the party will move to Death By Audio on 2/10 for a show with Mikey Erg, House Boat, Nuclear Santa Claust, Secret Police and Plastic Cross. The next night Don Giovanni moves eight blocks up to Music Hall of Williamsburg where Screaming Females, Laura Stevenson and The Cans, For Science, Shellshag, and Black Wine will team up to play the venue. Tickets for the bigger show go on sale Friday, 12/9. The flyer for both is below.

Latterman

In somewhat related news, Latterman, who called it quits in 2007, and who share a member with Laura Stevenson & the Cans, is back from the grave, at least for a few shows.

Latterman was a four-piece punk rock band from Huntington, New York. They played a style of melodic punk rock with shouted dual-vocals by Phil Douglas and Matt Canino, and their songs often contain political and/or socially conscious lyrics. The band has been compared to the likes of Against Me!, The Lawrence Arms, Hot Water Music and Fifth Hour Hero. Members have since gone on to play in bands including Shorebirds, Mutoid Men, Iron Chic, Bridge and Tunnel, RVIVR, Laura Stevenson and The Cans, Daytrader and The Brass.

Quite the welcome is waiting for the band, who plays a sold-out show TONIGHT at Maxwell's (12/1), another sell-out tomorrow in Philadelphia, and a third sell-out at The Bell House on Sunday (12/4) with Nude Beach & PS Eliot. HOWEVER, tickets are still available (not many though) for a FOURTH show scheduled for Saturday (12/3) at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Thousandaires and Explosivo!.

Although recent Don Giovanni signing Waxahatchee is NOT playing the Don Giovanni showcases, Katie Crutchfield (aka Waxahatchee) can be found opening one of the Latterman shows. She is playing one of her last shows ever as part of the sunsetting PS Eliot at the Bell House.

Members of Night Birds served in The Ergs with Mikey Erg (who plays the DG show at DBA), and they have a few shows scheduled before year-end too, including a show with Citizens Arrest and another at Tommy's Tavern on 12/9 with Manipulation and Crazy Spirit (who play with Double Negative soon).

During CMJ, Laura Stevenson and Shellshag, like Polica, stopped in to perform songs exclusively for us backstage and on the Williamsburg Waterfront. Check out those videos, part of our slowly-debuting Sony Bloggie CMJ video series ("Green Room Sessions"), along with tour dates, the DG flyer, and some Latterman videos below...

Continue reading "Don Giovanni schedule 2012 showcases, Latterman reunited, Laura Stevenson & Shellshag played us songs (videos & dates)"