photos by Meghan McInnis, words by BBG

Small Brown Bike

On friday I saw Small Brown Bike in NY at the Cake Shop in the Lower East Side... I walk to the Cake Shop. The entry level is a vegan bakery and bar, the downstairs is the music. Tthe 2nd of 4 bands [Your Skull My Closet] was on and they were SO GOOD. Like, blown away... I knew about 5 minutes in that this would be a special show. Then Bridge and Tunnel came on and were also insanely amazing. THEN Small Brown Bike come on and was perfect. One of the best shows ever. They haven't playing in NY in 7 years and the show was sold out and it was a... TRILLION degrees in there and we all just bonded over it... Really wonderful show, one of the best I've ever been to. -[stompthroughpuddles]

The first band of the night was Let Me Run. It was the second show of the day for SBB & B&T, and it was a sweaty one indeed. Our trusty photographer Meghan was warding off lens fog for the duration of the SBB set, and heat and condensation in the basement of Cake Shop can mean only one thing: a tightly packed group of fans having a good time. Proof is in the pictures and video below...

Continue reading "Small Brown Bike played a record store & Cake Shop (pics)"

by BBG

Small Brown Bike

...To make a long story short, the original lineup (Mike, Ben, Travis, Dan) is back together and working on new music. Over the last few months we've been writing a ton of new stuff and currently have about ten new songs finished plus a bunch more in various stages. We're all really excited about how it's going. So far, so good!

The bottom line for us is to have fun, write music, and play a few shows here and there. Just like we did when we started the band. Keep it simple.

...See you at the shows!

Mike, Ben, Travis, and Dan
Small Brown Bike

Up until Oct 2009, Small Brown Bike's last release was in 2003. That all changed with the release of the Composite, Volume One 7" on No Idea Records (pick up a copy and stream the whole thing here). Since then, they've played a handful of shows including an appearance at The Fest in Gainesville, Fl.

Going forward, the band currently has two dates on their calendar, and one is in NYC on May 14th at Cake Shop with Bridge & Tunnel and Your Skull My Closet. Tickets are on sale.

The other show is at Harvest of Hope Fest in Florida along with Torche and Leatherface. Coincidentally, Leatherface will team up with Bridge and Tunnel as well, with a string of east coast dates lined up including Knitting Factory on 3/5. Tickets are on sale.

The 2009 Small Brown Bike lineup matches the band's 1996 lineup which means no Jeff Gensterblum currently the drummer of Your Skull My Closet. YSMC recently recorded a new EP and played Europa with Coliseum, A Storm of Light & Coalesce on 12/30.

Scott Flaster is also an ex-member of SBB, and you can find him either playing with his new (and great) band Millions or running the great Seventh Rule Recordings.

Tons of Small Brown Bike videos are below....

Continue reading "Small Brown Bike are back (now with a NYC show) "

words by BBG, photos by Samantha Marble

Coalesce at Europa

If my favorite records of 2008 collided into my favorite records of 2009, dollars to donuts it would probably look like this wildly eclectic tour. Harvey Milk, Coalesce, and The Atlas Moth will team up for a string of East Coast dates including NYC on 3/8 at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets are not on sale as of this posting.

Coalesce last played NYC on Dec 30th as part of a BV sponsored show with Coliseum and A Storm of Light. We originally posted a set a of pictures from the show by Chloe Rice. Here is a second set from Samantha.

The last time The Atlas Moth played NYC was part of another BV sponsored show with Dark Castle, Wetnurse and Tiger Flowers.

Harvey Milk last played NYC with Torche at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The band is prepping the CD release of their lost debut, which hits store shelves on 1/26.

Full tour dates for the trek, and more pics from the 12/30 Coalesce show, below...

Continue reading "Harvey Milk & Atlas Moth touring w/ Coalesce - 2010 dates & more pics from Europa show w/ Coliseum "

words by BBG, photos by Chloe Rice

Coalesce, amongst the mayhem

Holy crap, thanks new York. You gave us an amazing show to end the year on. Loved being in our own element again. See you in the spring. -[Coalesce]

Coalesce returned to NYC on 12/30/09 as part of a BV-sponsored bill that included the great Coliseum and A Storm of Light. Tournament's tight and competent riffy punk opened the show, with an oddly sourced Your Skull My Closet following closely behind.

A Storm of Light followed, though this was definitely not the incarnation that I was familiar with; Geoff Summers of Batillus filled in on drums (much like he did on their European tour) while Zohra Atash (Religious To Damn) added a second set of pipes, filling in on the female vocals previously occupied by Nerissa Campbell. Zohra's vocals sat below the more omnipresent guitars, a shame as Campbell's vocals were one of the more interesting parts from their Studio set. The big guitars made me wish that I had caught them with Will Lindsay (Wolves In The Throne Room) on second guitar.

Coliseum followed Storm with new drummer Carter Wilson in tow. Former drummer Chris Maggio was missed for his out-there theatrics, but Wilson pulled it off effortlessly. The Louisville band barreled through the classics like a freight train, playing quite a few new jams and pausing to humbly thank the audience for their support. Ryan Patterson (vox/guit) also offered his thoughts on health care, especially in light of Vic Chesnutt's alleged suicide, possibly due to overblown medical bills. Ryan said that if there was any justice, they would have treated Vic like a national treasure. I agree.

After the show, I discussed the new songs with Patterson, who said that they will record their new LP with J. Robbins in early spring, hitting the road shortly thereafter. We'll be waiting.

The main event was nothing short of extraordinary; Coalesce is absolutely insane on stage. The band sounds exactly the same (mix and guitar/bass tones) live as on record, and their performance was tight and powerful. Jes (guitar) riffs in all the right places, with the dead space occupied by Sonic Youth style noise, possessed looks to the crowd, and smacks to his instrument, all while his body pulses and convulses like he's being electrocuted. Vocalist Sean Ingram spent a good portion of his time bouncing between the front row and belting out vocals, when the audience weren't filling in for him. I can safely say that I have never seen the crowd as insane at Europa as they were during the Coalesce classic "You Can't Kill Us All"... Converge earlier in 2009 included.

Video from Coalesce's performance, their setlist and tons of pics, below...

Continue reading "Coalesce, Coliseum, A Storm of Light, Your Skull My Closet & Tournament @ Europa in NYC - pics & video"

by BBG

Coliseum at Bowery Ballroom (more by Tim Griffin)

We are proud to announce the latest EXCITING additions to the BrooklynVegan sponsored Coalesce show at Club Europa: Louisville d-beat freight train Coliseum, post-metallers A Storm of Light, the awesomely monikered Your Skull My Closet and Tournament! Tickets are still available.

Coliseum recently added drummer Carter Wilson, and are working on material for a new J Robbins (Jawbox) produced LP. The band is currently on tour and is scheduled to play Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin along with Coalesce.

A Storm of Light is currently on tour with Minsk in Europe, but will return to NYC in Mid-November to play an album release show with Goes Cube (who we recently interviewed) and Biclops at Ace of Clubs on 11/18.

Full Coalesce, Coliseum, and A Storm of Light dates, as well as a few live videos are below....

Continue reading "Coliseum, Your Skull My Closet, Tournament & A Storm of Light added to Coalesce show, playing other shows (dates)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Though not many people showed up, Friendly Foes played their first of two NYC shows, at the Bell House in Brooklyn, last night (12/9). The second show is tonight/Wednesday at The Studio at Webster Hall. More pictures below...

Continue reading "Friendly Foes & Frankpollis @ the Bell House, NYC - pics"