Bushwick Open Studios speedily approacheth, which means we’re gonna get a massive shot in the vein of a whole lot of art and party and free beer, but mostly party — let’s be real. We’re guessing that means you won’t have time over the weekend to catch any shows, but that doesn’t mean they’re letting up. So, you should probably make time. And what better way to poo poo this meddlesome rain aside than getting to your local venue and enjoying this twisted thing called life?
Friend Roulette, Cantina, Tiny Hazard, Akiva Zamcheck, Sam Yield
Well if the rain hasn’t let up by Thursday — uh, we’re sincerely hoping it does though — Cantina provides the perfect soundtrack to days like these. Really though, our bones feel heavier today and soothing indie pop like this tends to lighten the load at least a bit. But that’s only beginning for this show (which counts itself a part of Secret Project Robot‘s season-long anniversary bash. They’re joined by the denser soundscape brought by no-less dreamy act Friend Roulette, who just so happen to be celebrating the release of their new album, I See You. Your Eyes Are Red.
If Roulette’s story about guitar player Matt’s collision with a car rendering him homebound and isolated for months is true (excuse us for being jaded but since when is anything on Bandcamp true?), well then a) it made us cry and b) it explains why their sound is so imbued with loneliness and longing. Aw. Thursday, June 4, 7 pm at Secret Project Robot: $ priced at the door.
Hysterese, Pleasure Industry, The Brass
This doom-filled metal, punk-infused monstrosity, Hysterese, is straight out of Deutschland and from what we can tell this is their first time touring in the US. But the real draws are the Brooklyn bands. Pleasure Industry chose a great name, because whoever manages to squeeze any pleasure (at least in the traditional sense of the word) out of this brutality is truly twisted indeed. A little muddier than the NYC Hardcore we know and love.
The rest of the details about this show remain shrouded in mystery. A new venue in Greenpoint only known as “The Place”? Hm. We’re praying for a new DIY venue, but even if this ends up being another house show, we’re game. Also joining the lineup is a new group, the Brass, that apparently counts Creeping Dose members amongst its ranks. Friday June 5th, 8 pm at the Place: $8 at the door.
Bambara, Pawns, Deli Girls, Ritual Humor
The good people of Bambara are at it again. We told you to hit them up a couple weeks back when they played with A Place to Bury Strangers, but if somehow you missed them as the openers at that particular show, thankfully you’ve got another chance to catch their raucous noise punk. And yes, we may have had at least one whole long winter of goth vibes, but darkness never ends and neither does goth punk’s appeal. PAWNS help to remind us of that.
Looks like Deli Girls are just getting their start, but what a lovely start it is. Minimal noise and screams emitted from equal parts synthesizers and pisssssed off girls. Right on girls, don’t change even a little bit. And if that wasn’t enough for variety, count Ritual Humor amongst the bunch with their dry-as-desert sacred sounds. Friday, June 5, 8 pm at Alphaville: $8 at the door
Merchandise, Nothing, Cloakroom
Nothing makes me want to cry more than this band Nothing – weepy shoegaze for all you sad kids out there. There’s something equally as counterintuitively pleasing about Merchandise‘s dry, straightforward rock. They’ve come pretty far since their beginnings, at least in terms of their recordings, so we’re looking forward to seeing what their live performance looks like these days.
Yes, Nirvana comparisons are usually out of line and often the product of butt-rock renderings of Kurt Cobain’s hologram. But we promise you, Cloakroom is eerily reminiscent of the ’90s grunge rock of legend and recent profile, Montage of Heck, which all of us here were big, big fans of. And we’re sure Northwest Indiana is about as dreary as Seattle is, so there’s no huge surprise there. Saturday, June 6, 8 pm at Palisades: $14
