photos by Konstantin Sergeyev

Hard Skin at Bruar Falls on 10/25/10

There are few punk/hardcore shows on the way in the next few weeks, but we'd be remiss without mentioning the surprise Hard Skin show that took place at Bruar Falls on 10/25/10. The show was one of two NYC shows for the comedic UK Oi band, as they also played Europa with Forgetters on Friday, 10/22 with The Rival Mob.

"Fat Bob had mentioned at the forgetters show on Friday that Hard Skin were playing on Monday night before they skipped back across the pond. Given the the rarity of their shows and the proximity to Drew's place, it seemed prudent to make it across the water to Colonial Williamsburg....

...The Hard Skin boys took the stage around the 11 o'clock hour and stirred the room up with a whole lot of Oi! Bruar may be a little small to contain such friskiness, but it was a pretty polite crowd despite the large drunk punk contingent and truth be told, the JS-NYC/ab rock Voltron was no paragon of sobriety by this point either. I had a good time, even given the curious tire deflations I returned to find on my iron steed when we got outside. Luckily, they were deflated and not punctured and Drew had a pump, so the good guys lived to ride another day. Good times all around. Not sure where/if HS are maintaining the web presence in this day and age, but you would do well to spend your weak American dollar on some of their swag and bring them back. Set to Googling, fresh-cut, and remember Hard Skin are good clean-cut fun." [Jaded Scenester]

Pictures from the Bruar Falls show adorn this post. Forgetters will play Bruar Falls TONIGHT (11/2) with Younger Lovers and Little Victory.

The Rival Mob is next scheduled to play with Sheer Terror at Webster Hall on November 28th. Breakdown, The Templars, Stigma, and Seizure Crypt are also on board and tickets are on sale.

Madball will play The Studio at Webster Hall on 12/13 with Lionheart, Bitter End as part of a string of dates for the trio. Incendiary will join them as local support. Ticket info is forthcoming, but full tour dates are below. Madball recently dropped their new LP Empire and parted ways with drummer Jay Weinberg (son of Max Weinberg).

Easy Action, featuring John Brannon of Negative Approach, will team up with The Men to play The Acheron on 11/15. The all ages show kicks off at 8PM. Easy Action tour dates are below.

The Queers will play Mercury Lounge on Jan 22nd. Tickets are on sale. The show is part of a short string of East Coast dates in 2011 that also includes Maxwell's one day before NYC; additional dates are below.

In a show dubbed "Brooklyn's Finest" (though BBG would beg to differ), Life of Agony will team up with Biohazard and Vision of Disorder to play Best Buy Theater on 12/16. Tickets are on sale.

And finally, LA's Youth Brigade (not the DC one with releases on Dischord) will play Mercury Lounge on 11/14. The show will be proceeded by a documentary on BYO Records and the band. Tickets are on sale.

All tour dates and more pictures of Hard Skin at Bruar Falls are below...

Continue reading "Hard Skin played CMJ (pics) w/ Forgetters ++ more upcoming punk/hardcore shows (Madball, Easy Action, LOA, Queers, etc) "

by BBG

Greg of The Bouncing Souls at The Stone Pony (more by Bryan Bruchman)

Billed as the "Vroom Vroom Vespa tour", Greg Attonito of The Bouncing Souls will hit the road with Kevin Seconds, Kepi Ghoulie, and Shanti Wintergate for a string of dates that include two stops in NYC, 6/5 at Pianos (tix) and 6/6 at Brooklyn Made Tattoo Shop. Full tour dates for that trek are below.

Kepi Ghoulie will then be back in NYC less than three weeks after the Brooklyn Made Tattoo Shop appearance when he opens for The Queers as part of a Rocks Off Boat Cruise on June 26th. Tickets are on sale. No word still on tickets for the Bouncing Souls boat (if it's even happening).

Kevin Seconds and Greg Attonito interviewed each other for a feature here on BV last year. Check that out. All dates below...

Continue reading "Bouncing Souls Greg touring w/ Kevin Seconds, Kepi Ghoulie, Shanti Wintergate - 2010 dates "

Black Lips @ Brooklyn Bowl in March (more by Gabi Porter)

Rock Off have updated their summer schedule of NYC Boat Cruise shows, which, like always, has focus on punk & garage (though there are other genres too). It includes Jello Biafra on May 29th, Electric Six on July 15th, Murphy's Law's annual Jimmy birthday show on August 12th, The Bouncing Souls on September 13th, and an August 2nd show with the Black Lips (who are in town much sooner a free but full RSVP-only show at Knitting Factory on April 29th with Pierced Arrows).

Other gigs includes Dam-Funk on April 24th (TONIGHT), Budos Band on June 11th, three NY Night Train parties, and The A-Bones on June 23rd. Tickets for most of the shows are on sale. No ticket info for Bouncing Souls yet. Black Lips go on sale Friday, April 30th.

Punk and punk-like boat shows are listed below...

Continue reading "Bouncing Souls, Black Lips, Jello Biafra & other boat shows "

words & photo by Andrew Frisicano

At Dam-Funk's set I saw during SXSW 2010, the foggy synths and sun-baked cassette jams of his Toeachizown LP, which came out last year on Stones Throw, blasted on an ear-crushing level. He also played a keytar. Videos of that gig and another Austin show are below.

Coming up, he has scattered tour dates all over the world, including Sasquatch and Pitchfork music fests this summer, and an NYC show on a boat. Dam-Funk plays a Rocks Off Concert Cruise on Saturday, April 24th. Tickets are on sale.

Other upcoming Rocks Off Concert Cruises: Rana, Flosstradamus, The Queers, and NASHVILLE PUSSY/GREEN JELLY/PSYCHOSTICK which happens TONIGHT (4/8).

All Dam-Funk tour dates and his cover of the Human League's "Things That Dreams Are Made Of" (and its accompanying trippy video) are below...

Continue reading "Dam-Funk tour dates include a NYC Rocks Off Concert Cruise (whose 2010 season is now underway)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Big Pink - Velvet (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Big Pink - Dominoes (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pants Yell! - Cold Hands (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: JEFF the Brotherhood - Bone Jam (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: JEFF the Brotherhood - Heavy Damage (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sisters - Accolades (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sisters - Street Cars (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Coin Under Tongue - Junksmith (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dinowalrus - Electric Car, Gas Guitar (MP3)

Field Music

Slow week my ass! The next four or five days are positively packed with shows, at least from a TWII standpoint. No time for small talk, let's get into it.

Tonight/Thursday's the big birthday celebration for Skippy who books The Bell House and Union Hall. I wish I could throw a party for myself and get bands like Field Music (one of two American Performances in 2009) and Wye Oak to play it, not to mention a rare appearance by the mostly defunct '90s electropop band The Pulsars. Also, a band (or someone) called "Rumours" is on after Field Music play. Skippy has been tight-lipped about what this is, but my money is on some sort of all-star Fleetwood Mac cover band. (And if that's the case I'd bet you $20 it involves Carl Newman.) You're invited, too, to this "Improbable Birthday Concert" as tickets ($12, cheap!) are still available.

I've had the new Field Music album, Field Music (Measure), on repeat for the last couple days and it's another knockout from the Brewis brothers, 20 tracks that further refine their distinctive mix of baroque pop, nervy new wave, prog, krautrock and whatever else they're into at the time. It's a Field Music album, no doubt about it, but it's less buttoned up, more rhythm heavy ("Let's Write a Book" shows that one of them's been listening to Can) and willing to give anything a try. If you've never seen Field Music live before, you should definitely come out, the Brewises are shit-hot musicians as well (David is an especially impressive drummer). There used to be a lot of switching instruments when they were a trio, but now as a four-piece I wonder if that'll still happen. We'll see tonight

UPDATE:. Field Music canceled, tickets good for tonight AND rescheduled performance, and Rumours details announced.

The Figgs

Long-running Upstate New York power pop band The Figgs are are in town for two shows (or three if you count Saturday night in Staten Island): tonight/Thursday (12/3) at Bruar Falls with the Nouvellas and Friday (12/4) at Cake Shop. Both shows are with Detroit's The Sights who open for The Queers at Maxwell's on Saturday (The Queers play Southpaw tonight).

The Figgs are a band who I've always liked but never closely followed. Luckily, my friend Steve, who writes a genuine photocopied fanzine The Reynolds Report (now also available in convenient blog form) is arguably the foremost Figgs authority (and you'd be a fool to argue with him on this subject), so I asked him to write a little guest paragraph for this week's TWII:

The Figgs have been creating great power pop for two decades now, with no signs of stopping any time soon. Steeped in the tradition of The Replacements, Cheap Trick and Elvis Costello, their annual Christmas shows are always a great time to catch them as the coming of winter seems to kick the trio's playing up just a notch. Look for them to break out songs from their upcoming album (due out in April), a choice Christmas cover or two, a wide selection from their nine albums and their brand new 45 "Casino Hayes." I'm pretty sure it's the best song about a gambling-addicted drummer (um, their own) ever.

The Figgs rock, so go see them! All dates below.

There's a competition for the power pop dollar this weekend. If you're not going to the Figgs on Friday (12/4), it's probably because you're going to see Sloan at the Bell House. That's where I'll be. My love of these Canadians is no secret, and even when they've made a less-than-totally-awesome album they're always worth seeing in concert, one of my favorite live bands of the '00s. (I'm pretty sure I've seen them at least once a year since 2001.) They've got a new five-song digital-only EP, Hit & Run, which is pretty darn good. Chris Murphy contributes two tracks, including the excellent "Take it Upon Yourself," and the rest of the band each gets one. Tickets ($17.50) are still available. They play with fellow Torontonians, the lovely and talented trio Magneta Lane, and locals Deleted Scenes.

And wait there's more on Friday! Speaking of Canadian, maybe you happened across one of the 37 reports I recently filed from this year's M for Montreal festival. One of that city's more exciting underground bands, Red Mass, make their American debut at Live With Animals Gallery in Williamsburg (same address as Monster Island). Their brand-new EP on Montreal label Semprini is a nice chunk of psych-garage and they definitely put on a good show. The big question is how big a Mass will they be? I've seen them twice -- once there was 10 of them, the second time only four. Safe bet would be somewhere in between. (Canadians love a good excuse to come party in NYC.) If I wasn't already spoken for, I'd definitely being going to see them. Golden Triangle are also on the bill. Singer Choyce told me their might be a house party gig on Saturday too, so look out for that.

The Big Pink

Oh crap, there's still more. The Big Pink, who are making a stink in the UK, are on their first major tour of the U.S., stopping at Bowery Ballroom tonight (12/3) and Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow (12/4). Haven't seen them live, but their album A Brief History Of Love is a nice slice of electro-shoegaze that reminds a lot of 30-somethings of early-'90s band Chapterhouse. The anthemic, fist-pumper "Dominos" might not stand the test of time but as an of-the-moment signifier, it's one of 2009's more memorable indie singles. You can download it at the top of this post. I hope they use lots and lots of dry ice and strobes. Crystal Antlers and Von Haze open both shows.

Pants Yell! @ The Bell House on 11/14 (more by Tim Griffin)

If you missed them when they played the Slumberland 20 party at the Bell House a few weeks back, you can download the audio from that show, and you can catch Boston's Pants Yell! at Bruar Falls on Saturday night which might be the last time they ever play the NYC area as they've vowed to break up next year. They'd be going out on a good note if that holds true, as their new album on Slumberland, Received Pronunciation, is another charming slice of deceptively gentle guitar pop. Pants Yell! rock more live than you might expect, they're drummer in particular is kind of a beast on the kit. They also know their indie rock history, from the Pastels and Felt to the Aislers Set, Unrest and beyond. The cover art, complete with a faux Japanese Obi strip, was done by Unrest/Teenbeat/Air Miami/Flin Flon/Cotton Candy maestro Mark Robinson.

Also playing at Bruar Falls on Saturday: Fluffy Lumbers, The Surprisers and comedian Mike Albo. Should be a good night.

JEFF the Brotherhood @ Glenn Danzig's House in Nashville (more by Paul Birman)

BV faves JEFF the Brotherhood, who've had a pretty good 2009, are back in town for the zillionth time this year (seems like they're here as much as Nashville) but that's okay, you don't really tire of their awesome power. Have you heard their album, Heavy Days? It's great. I know I tend to like the cardigan pop, but riffs and grooves this intense can not be denied. And they are just the best live. The vinyl of Heavy Days just got a second pressing with a new back cover, and there's also a new single, "Heavy Damage," which you can pick up at the merch table. The play Saturday (12/5) at Bowery Ballroom opening for Ted Leo (sold out), and then again on Monday (12/7) at Mercury Lounge for what they say is their last show of '09.

The Monday show is solid as a rawk. (Did I just write that? I'm doing this super late at night.) Also on the bill are Death by Audio's Sisters (noise pop backed by a foreboding amp monolith) and Coin Under Tongue (old school riff-heavy hard rock), plus Dinowalrus (kitchen sink psych not unlike early Flaming Lips). Sure it's a Monday, you're tired, but this bill is like aura caffeine. Show's eight bucks and tickets are still available. It's a bit weird to have JEFF in town and not playing Death By Audio, but if they can tear up Pianos on a Thursday afternoon (as they did at the BV day party during CMJ), they can destroy Mercury on a Monday night.

Dinowalrus, fronted by Titus Andronicus guitarist Pete Feigenbaum, are also at Union Pool tonight (12/3) with Dan Friel and others.. The MP3 on top of this post is from their debut album "%" which comes out on Kanine in January.

The Besties

And finally, Brooklyn indiepop mainstays The Besties are calling it quits. I know, it's sad. Here it is in their words, straight from MySpace:

The Besties are officially done. As happens with many awesome relationships, stuff happens and things get hard, and so you end it and remain friends and all that junk. It's like that. We guess? Well, Kelly moved to Asheville, and Frank renewed his vows with the city of Boston. And other stuff. So there's that.

Here's the good news! We are playing two last shows around NYC in December, and we plan on going out with a serious bang. So sell some CDs (keep the Lemonheads ones), bodily fluids or organs for plane ticket money, start hitchhiking, do whatever you need to do - let's party!

Those two shows are Friday (12/4) at Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, NJ and then their last-ever performance will be Sunday (12/6) at Bruar Falls, which is made extra special because Bunnygrunt are coming in from St. Louis just to play this farewell show.

Like the Besties, I must now say goodbye. But just for this week. Flyers and applicable tour dates follow...

Continue reading "Field Music, the Figgs, Sloan, Big Pink, Red Mass, JEFF the Brotherhood, the Besties & more in This Week in Indie"

Phenomenal Handclap Band @ MHOW (more by Ryan Muir)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Chairlift @ Bruar Falls
* Ponytail @ CSV Cultural Center
* Frank Sidebottom @ Ace of Clubs
* The Queers, Pregnant @ Maxwell's
* Zizek, Tanlines @ Santos Party House
* Skeletons, Starring, Ellee @ Zebulon
* Doug Gillard & Mascott @ Pete's Candy Store
* Preservation Hall Jazz Band @ The Blue Note
* Josh Ritter, Sondre Lerche @ The Wellmont Theatre
* MATA Festival (w/ So Percussion) @ (le) Poisson Rouge
* Ra Ra Riot, Cut Off Your Hands, Jon Moses @ Webster Hall
* Crocodiles, New Thrill Parade, Tweak Bird, Monokino @ Pianos
* Afrika Bambaataa, The Phenomenal Handclap Band @ Santos Party House
* Thee Oh Sees, Excepter, Catatonic Youth, Pink Skull @ The Bell House
* The Subjects, Frances, Glass Ghost @ 92YTribeca
* Bishop Allen, Team B, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band @ MHOW
* Themselves, Stabbing Eastward (w/ Tunde Adebimpe) @ The Studiol
* Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eddie Vedder, Jim James & others @ Radio City Music Hall

The Queers are also playing Maxwell's Southpaw tomorrow.

Can you make her bub-bubs bounce? video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

The Budos Band, The Queers, Agent Orange, Electric Six and other Summer 2008 Rocks Off NYC boat cruise shows are now on sale.

If you've never been on one, you definitely go at least once if you have the cash. Some people complain about the poor sitelines and high prices (drinks especially), but I think the overall experience makes it worth it, especially if it's one of your favorite bands. The views of the skyline and Statue of Liberty are great. It looks like THIS and THIS and THIS.