Unless you’re some kind of masochist, I know no better place to spend St. Patrick’s Day than far from the crowds of heathens at a local music show. There’s at least one red-headed shredder to check out so you can still feel like you’re doing something vaguely Irish, right? Just say yes. I already did my part today– I saw two rotund white dudes with equally white, flowing mustaches bedecked in green, shamelessly ogling teenaged lasses on the train. They suggested I smile, offered me a hug (which I respectfully declined) and then asked for directions to “the parade”– you better believe I sent them straight to Canarsie. But unless you did a similar service for society, I suggest you check out some local music makers tonight. You can see your drink maker pals any other night and let’s be real, now of all days will be their worst. And lo and behold there are plenty of other rad shows happening later this week if you’d rather stay inside and hide completely from all the dimwitted debauchery. Find our weekly picks below, please and thank you.
A Great Way To Spend St. Puke Tricks’ Day
Cannonball Statman, Larry and the Babes, Diego Clare, Tele/visions
Tuesday March 17th, 8 pm @ Palisades: $5 at the door
One way to fulfill your St. Patty’s duty is to support this fiery-haired, anti-folk freak, Cannonball Statman at Palisades tonight. He’s a Brooklyn-born, guitar strumming, speed rapping fellow (a la Neal Cassady, just without the misogyny– booya). If you’re into “performance,” you’ll enjoy his set.
Larry and the Babes will also be repping. When these guys dropped their latest Dolphin Tapes in December, my love for their sweethearts ‘n ’60s diners ‘n first-time-for-everything garage serenades grew only deeper. Diego Clare, a singer/songwriter and resident smooth dude joins team Palisades tonight as well. And don’t be a dummy, get there for the opening band, Tele/visions— music for the young and restless. Nick Rattigan’s tunes are sometimes haunting, always endearing and angst-fueled realness. His album 2013 brings me back to 23, probably the worst year ever considering the emotional ups and downs, the uncertainty of being so young, so dumb. Apparently that’s exactly what Nick Rattigan was going through when he wrote it: “This album is the result of going through a myriad of beautiful and horrifying experiences throughout the past year. I hope you enjoy,” he writes. Aw. But on the real, these diddies are not to be toyed with. This guy’s on to something real nice. But wait, is Tele/visions turning into Current Joys? Unclear. Maybe you’ll witness some incredible rebirthing tonight apart from the Jersey Bro in a green man suit who gobbled some DMT and decided to have a cathartic near-death experience at your neighborhood bar. Go. away.
Darkness Reigns
Dispirit, Vorde, Theologian, Anicon
Friday March 20th, 8 pm @ Saint Vitus: $20
Noise is like, so hot right now and dark electronics have even found their way into the metal scene. Take a listen to Theologian, and don’t let the Tool-esque aesthetic fool you, these dudes are far from prog slog. With a wall of sound that has more in common with Swans than any metal band I’ve listened to lately, their shows are all about getting lost in the depths of sound. Vocals are barely discernible, though the suffering behind them is as clear as day. Listen hard, but abandon all other senses in hopes of sorting it all out.
The Noise Nose Knows
Friday March 20th, 8 pm @ Aviv: $8
Borts Minorts, Bambara, Veda Rays, Video Daughters, Retail
Bort Minorts‘ name is as annoying to contort your mouth into making as it is to try and glean what their live performance is like from listening to a track uploaded on the net. Something tells us the two are not in any way similar. So hey, there’s your wildcard for the week. Bambara, on the other hand, does compute as music– dreamy, noisy, with a droney wash that belies relatively upbeat melodies. Veda Rays at times sound like Ariel Pink if the dude went on some epic voyage to rescue a lady-mistress from polar bear captors. Other moments reveal the band to be heavily invested in ’80s leftover glam and hate me, don’t hate me for pointing out they have that “soaring” quality that bands like Muse seem to abuse with abandon. There I said it, over and done with. Soaring. Ugh. Despite that characterization, Veda Rays are a charming bunch.
I’ve already blabbered about liking Video Daughters, which I will reiterate now: noisy, deceptively simple weirdo rock made right here in our humble borough. Get to Aviv on Friday for a smorgasbord of strange sounds.
Splurge For A Queen
Bjork
Wednesday 18th and Sunday March 22nd, 8 pm @ Kings Theater: $50
No matter than Bjork’s retrospective at MoMA was deemed a disaster by like every critic ever. Sounds like it was mostly MoMA’s fault anyway and don’t think for a moment that Boss Lady Bjork would ever let the haters get her down (see: when she fought back against the paparazzi in Bangkok). And just think, if Bjork can channel all that humiliation and rage into her performances this week at the newly restored Kings Theater in Flatbush (built in 1928, be sure to check out our tour of the place) these are going to be epic affairs. Not to mention Bjork’s legendary stage sets, costumes, and bravado that all combine for an unmatched audio/visual experience. Make sure to burn one down prior, shit’s gonna be cray!
Smell of Male
Perfume Genius
Thursday March 19th, 7 pm @ Stage 48: $20
We here at the L interviewed Perfume Genius aka Mike Hadreas this week and I myself here am personally comforted to find someone else who vapes and finds the whole thing “personally humiliating.” But at least we smell better than we did when we were blazing cigarettes all day. Right old friend? Hadreas writes glammy, personal, powerful songs about the persistence of homophobia and his personal experiences of discrimination. Yet his songs have widespread appeal. They’re queer anthems that are at once empowering for the gay community, yet aren’t confined to gay clubs. Sure they’re danceable, but their substance runs deep.
Put Your Gross Boy Pants On, It’s Time To Get Grubby
Foster Care, Hatrabbits, Sick Thoughts
Friday March 20th, 9 pm @ the Acheron: $8
Advlts from Baltimore are headlining a show this weekend at the Acheron. Don’t fault them for doing that vaguely gothy thing with the ‘v.’ Come on you know what I mean. Like, there was definitely a band called Adult, so good job avoiding that one. But, whatever, it’s fine. I forgive these guys because they dish out some rip rolling rock, galloping through songs with unbridled energy (though I wish the singer would just let his drawers hang a LITTLE bit looser) like they’re Tyvek or something. Keep it up y’all.
Then we’ve got Foster Care, NYC punks of our very own, to have and to hold. We don’t have too many of these bands and I will not rest until there are too many of em. And these guys surely are worthy of our love– they spit out some seriously sloppy, filthy punk with nods to hardcore. These guys can definitely play their instruments though, no doubt about that. But thick layers of fuzz and booze certainly make that difficult to hear. But we wouldn’t have it any other way. Sick Thoughts (also B-more bbs) join the fray and are not to be missed. The singer sounds like he stuffed a mic down a frog’s throat then proceeded to swallow said frog whole. Yum, is all we can say. Love their neon bright 10 inch released last fall, highly recommended filth. Get it, get it before it’s gone.