On Thursday, 5/24, our friends A Deer A Horse will be playing Brooklyn Bazaar along with Parlor Walls, ESSi, and DJ Weeping Python (Lani Combier-Kapel of Weeping Icon) as part of a show to benefit #HappyPeriod.
The mission of #HappyPeriod is to destigmatize menstruation while providing menstrual hygeine kits through an initiative that "supports anyone that is homeless, low-income, and/or living in poverty. Including LGBT, non-binary, teens, veterans, and disabled."
In addition to the music, the event will feature a raffle with prizes provided by:
Awoke Vintage
Beacon's Closet
BUST Magazine
Calexico NYC
El Born NYC
Fun Factory USA
Greenpoint Tattoo Company
KennaLand
No. 7 Restaurant
THINX
Three Kings Tattoo
Tom Tom Magazine
Toni the Tampon
This is a great and important cause that we probably don't think about often enough. The prizes will be cool. The music will rock. Support if you can. You can RSVP to the show here.
I won't be able to ride this excuse for much longer, but I've spent the better part of March getting ready for, attending, or recovering from South By Southwest. The world keeps turning, though, even when I'm on my little musical Spring Break; and there are a few things I wanted to share with you even though I may be a little late to the party.
Ella Ross, "Hurt."
Asbury Park-based singer / songwriter, Ella Ross, is working on the follow-up to last year's Uncharted Waters EP. Her sophomore effort, WastedYouth, is due this summer; and, earlier this month, Ross shared single "Hurt."
Ross co-wrote "Hurt." with Tor Miller; and, like she did with Uncharted Waters, Ross went into Asbury's Lakehouse Recording Studios to record the track. The song is expansive, danceable pop rock about moving forward with someone against your better judgment. "Hurt." has a sound that I could see taking Ella Ross pretty far.
"Hurt." is available from your favorite digital music outlet.
The Cold Seas, "Retrograde"
Another Asbury Park band, The Cold Seas, released the video for their single "Retrograde" last Friday.
The Cold Seas are Eric Rudic (guitar / keys), Nash Breen (drums), and Chad Sabo (vox / guitar / keys). The band are coming off a string of successes that include a tour with NJ compatriots, Armor For Sleep, a set at Brooklyn's Barclay's Center alongside Deadmau5 and D.R.A.M., and Sabo's production and songwriting work on Rihanna's platinum-selling Anti.
"Retrograde" is the first of several singles the band plan to release throughout 2018 as a follow-up to last year's Bad Dreams EP. "Retrograde" is brooding, synth-heavy pop; and the black and white clip directed by Dom P plays right into the song's overall mood. The song deals with longing for the past, and there's a dreamy quality to the video that has moments that play like memories.
A Deer A Horse, "Cold Shoulder"
From slick, Asbury Park pop, we turn to jagged, Brooklyn rock.
A Deer A Horse are back with a new single "Cold Shoulder." The song finds the trio of Rebecca Satellite (guitar / vox), Angela Phillips (bass / backing vox), and Dylan Teggart (drums) hammering out another artfully aggressive slice of post-punk noise. Confrontational both sonically and lyrically, "Cold Shoulder" builds tension and demands your attention through tempo changes and some off-kilter beats.
It's available now over at A Deer A Horse's Bandcamp page as a download or as a limited edition cassingle from GP Stripes.
Car Seat Headrest and Little Dickman Records w/ Mrs. Magician, Sharkmuffin, BOYTOY, Dentist, and More
Saturday was my last full day in Austin, and I'd checked off many of the bands I wanted to see during the week. Car Seat Headrest were playing their last set of the festival for BrooklynVegan at noon over at Cheer Up Charlie's.
After Friday night, noon felt extremely early for me on Saturday; but I managed to make it downtown just as Car Seat Headrest were starting their set. The outdoor stage area at Cheer Up Charlie's had already packed out, so pictures weren't really going to happen. I'm glad, though, I got to check out the band. Their sound is based heavily in a lot of the acts that I love (Stephen Malkmus, Yo La Tengo), and it was a great way to start the day.
From there, I decided I'd spend the day with our friends at Little Dickman for their showcase at Dozen Street. Lots of friends would be there as well as some bands I hadn't seen before. One of the latter was Brooklyn's Rosebug, who started things off. Formed by members of Sideasideb, Rosebug are a dream poppy band fronted by vocalist Becca Chodorkoff. I really enjoyed their set, but I didn't quite figure out the lighting in the room for pictures until after they were done.
Then it was time for a run of familiar faces as Psychiatric Metaphors, The Off White, Dead Stars, Darkwing, and Dentist all took their turns on stage. Psychiatric Metaphors and The Off White had just arrived in town, and both showed how much touring has honed their performance. This was the second time I'd seen the very busy Dead Stars this week, and I still love them. Darkwing brought members of Sharkmuffin, Fruit & Flowers, and Sidebitch up for a song. Dentist played a great set to a room that was really starting to fill.
Psychiatric Metaphors
Sean Jones of The Off White and Amy "Dickman"
Dentist
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Darkwing with help from Sidebitch, Fruit & Flowers, Sharkmuffin
Dentist have been recommending San Diego's Mrs. Magician for some time. Little Dickman booked them for the show, and the room filled up nicely by the time they took the small stage. The Swami Records band shook the room with a sound that mixed garage, surf, and pop. They had fans singing along and turned out to be some of the sweetest guys around. Check 'em.
From there, things went at a breakneck pace as the time (even though it had been extended by the venue) was running short. In quick succession we got BOYTOY (for whom I'd been waiting all week and sounding a little beefier with Lena Simon from La Luz on bass), Sharkmuffin (who won the "Who Did CoolDad See the Most at SXSW" contest. Congrats to them!), T.V. Tramps (featuring Tony Bones), Fruit & Flowers (doing a great Zombies cover), and Sidebitch (Chris Pierce on drums. First show ever.).
BOYTOY
T.V. Tramps
On Friday, I'd run into A Deer A Horse's Rebecca Satellite. She came by the show; and, when the venue told Little Dickman they had more time, A Deer A Horse became a late addition to the line-up. They waited patiently and then delivered an intense four-song, fifteen-minute set that was a great capper to the day.
A Deer A Horse
Dinner at Waffle House with Dentist and the crew from Little Dickman. I headed back to my hotel and stressed about my early flight the next morning.
On Sunday, the line for security at 6am was disastrously long. I was randomly chosen to have my shoes swabbed in case I was the second person in the history of commercial aviation to try boarding a plane with exploding shoes. In the confusion, the TSA gave my MacBook to the wrong person; and I flew to Nashville with tears in my eyes thinking of all the things I could've done and didn't do to back up my pictures for the week.
As I waited for my connecting flight, the very conscientious Samuel DiRaddo of the TSA called to tell me that my laptop had been located in Miami. The individual would be FedExing it to me immediately. Disaster averted, and I just had to wait until Tuesday to get my baby back. I will cover it with stickers and other identifying markings when it arrives.
In all, I absolutely loved my time at SXSW. Sure, I didn't even attempt to see some of the very biggest acts, but you can check out SPIN or Pitchfork or Rolling Stone or NPR to see how those went. I punished myself a little bit physically in the name of taking in as much as I could, but I got to see some new bands and bands that I love and lots of friends. I'd no doubt do it again.
Once I get my computer back, I'll finish going through the pics and post them to the galleries.
I'm gonna be straight with you. Doing Northside on Saturday and Sunday this year is pretty iffy for me. CD1 has a two-day swim meet. CD2 has softball and other activities. CoolMom leaves for an international business trip on Sunday afternoon.
Here's a preview, though, of the stuff I would love to see if everything goes perfectly and I'm able to head up to Brooklyn. Several of these bands play New Jersey -- even Asbury Park -- often; so, if you can't get to Brooklyn yourself, keep an eye on the listings here for your chance to catch them when they come around.
Saturday, June 13th Bully, Alvvays at 50 Kent
I've been absolutely loving what I've been hearing from Nashville's Bully as they get closer to the June 23rd release of their debut LP. I tried to make it to Baby's Alright when they last came through NYC, but that show sold out quickly. Alicia Bognanno writes raw and emotional songs delivered in a package of 90s-infused rock.
The self-titled debut from Toronto's Alvvays has been my obsession for the last few months. It's one of those records that I just automatically turn to when I can't think of anything else. "Archie Marry Me," "Adult Diversion," and "Party Police" never get old for me.
Throw in the fact that Built to Spill and Best Coast headline this bill, and this is a can't-miss.
A Deer A Horse at Bar Matchless
I met A Deer A Horse singer / guitarist Rebecca Satellite back in February, and she gave me a download card. I've enjoyed the band's "urgent rock n roll" ever since. There's a strain of that late 70s New York poetry punk running through A Deer A Horse's DNA. This is an early show, so a tough one for me.
Lazyeyes at Black Bear
I went to The Saint for a last-minute show by Jersey City's Overlake and noticed that Lazyeyes were on the bill. You may remember that they were part of the Hearts Bleed Radio Brooklyn mixtape that I shared here a while back. The band do that jangly, reverby thing that I like and I'd love another chance to see them live.
Against ME! / Mitski / Cayetana in McCarren Park
What can I say about this one? This is the free show in McCarren Park on Saturday afternoon. Seeing Mitski has been a goal of mine for a while now. Cayetana made one of my favorite records of 2014. Against ME! are Against ME!
Hey Anna / Coastgaard at Knitting Factory Brooklyn
Despite having many, many opportunities, I've only ever seen Hey Anna one time. It was a late, end-of-night set at Asbury Lanes. They blew me away. Their brand of pop has a tropical feel to it, and they do it so well.
Now, if I do manage to head up to Brooklyn on Saturday, Hey Anna and I will probably pass each other on the road. They play a 1pm set at Knitting Factory (no chance I'll be there early enough), and then they head to Asbury Park for an evening set at APYC.
Also on this bill are Coastgaard. I reviewed the band's beach-tinged self-titled EP for Speak Into My Good Eye, and their live show at Shea Stadium lived up to the sounds of that set.
Viet Cong at Music Hall of Williamsburg
This Canadian quartet plays complex and intricate psychedelic post-punk. Viet Cong sound like they'd be a pretty wild act to see live. They're playing two nights at MHOW.
Toy Cities at Pete's Candy Store
Toy Cities played that same show at Shea where I saw Coastgaard. They do their own take on the post-punk / indie aesthetic. There are a few shoegazy elements here and there, and I remember being pretty impressed by their set. I'd like to check them out again.
Nude Beach at Union Pool
Nude Beach put out a ballsy record in 2014. 77 is an 18-song, 68-minute collection that mines some of the late-70s and early-80s sounds of classic rock and power-pop. Nude Beach bring a punk, DIY attitude to the whole thing; and audiences have responded extremely positively every time I've seen the band play. Some sounds never get old.
Sunday, June 14th The Brooklyn What at Union Pool
I saw the Brooklyn What with CoolMom at Maxwell's as part of The Everymen's last show there. They put on a fantastic show, and some of the tracks from 2013's Hot Wine ("The Basement," "Punk Rock Loneliness") are actually quite brilliant. It's rock, pure and simple, rooted in The Replacements and Hüsker Dü; and it's a ton of fun.
Whiskey Bitches / Haybaby at The Gutter
More gritty garage rock with Whiskey Bitches. 2014's Never Enough is 4-tracks of bouncing, buzz saw punk.
Haybaby are another of those bands I saw at the Hearts Bleed Radio Showcase last year. They've since signed to Tiny Engines. Their debut LP Sleepy Kids is due this summer. Based on what I saw last year and what you can hear on Superpresent, Haybaby touch on quite a few classic indie rock sounds that I love.
Big Quiet at Black Bear
On Big Quiet's self-titled LP, Marisa Cerio's guitar and Mitch Easter's production yield a sound that blends shoegaze and southern gothic pop into something that was a wonderful discovery for me earlier this year. Big Quiet put their own stamp on some classic sounds by incorporating some noise and Cerio's unique vocals.
So that's it. Like I said, Saturday and Sunday are going to be gametime decisions for me, but head over to the Northside Festival website and make up your own schedule. Feel free to let me know on the Interwebs if you see anything really great.
A Deer A Horse at Mecrury Lounge last Thursday. Photo: Mike Petzinger
"Fighter"
Brooklyn's A Deer A Horse describe their sound as "urgent rock and roll." That description fits the sound of their latest single "Fighter" pretty well. There's a tension -- okay, maybe an urgency -- in Rebecca Satellite's vocals and guitar that gives the track that feeling of being on the edge of bursting right up until the band let you down easy in the last few seconds. The rhythm section of Angela Phillips on bass and Justin Heaverin on drums helps to push everything along just short of the breaking point.
I met Rebecca Satellite back in February, and we spoke about her excitement at recording this track at Converse Rubber Tracks. The band definitely made the most of the opportunity. You can grab the track over at A Deer A Horse's Bandcamp page.
A Deer A Horse invited me to cover their show last week at Mecury Lounge, but a prior commitment meant I was unavailable. Never fear, though. Our friend, the talented Mike Petzinger, made the trip from Hoboken and captured -- as usual -- some excellent shots of the band.
