Our only utterance of advice for this week: pack em in, kids. If you’re as unsettled about the end of summer as we are, consider taking some of that aggression out at any number of these shows (there’s enough punk to go around for all of yous) or, better yet, gaze at some of these truly gnarly noise-makers in awe of frustrations much deeper than your own. Best, best, best of all, though: see what happens after a legendary rapper denounces her medium but returns to the stage anyway for something altogether new. Cheers to spiteful finales.
End of Summer Fest
Saturday, August 22 at 1 p.m. (Palisades) & Sunday August, 23 at 7 p.m. (Trans-Pecos): $10/ day
We don’t really want to acknowledge that the most glorious and free-frolicking of all seasons is winding down, so from here on out we’ll refer to the aforementioned fest as EOS Fest, k? Bring ear plugs for this one hosted by Uninvited Records (local experimental/noise label), because brutality doesn’t even begin to describe the cumulative effect of all this raucous noise, power electronics, and putrid poetry are gonna have on not just your hearing but your psyche. Don’t even think about messing with psychedelics before an event like this, you’ll end up that tall glass of orange juice everyone warned you about before the second set even starts.
On Day 1, don’t miss Eating Scabs for Protein, which guarantees to invoke a beelzebubian swarm of pure evil, and Korean Piss Journals, an entity that mashes up noise and, well, mash-ups. And no, I didn’t just make both of those names up. I honestly wish I could claim credit for such genius. Also, Deli Girls a duo who should consider renaming their demo “demon” because it’s too scary to listen to all alone.
As for Day 2, be sure to check out the normcore of experimental noise, JCREW, who are quite literally escaping copyright infringement by way of a single dot. Bravo. The mother of the sledgehammer-wielding, sludge-noise act known as Piss Junkie would most likely describe her offspring as “supremely talented” and “adorable,” we beg to differ. In the best way possible, of course.
Tozcos & Pox
Wednesday, August 19, 10 pm – 4 am at Home Sweet Home: $7
See how the punx do it in LA (well, Santa Ana, to be precise), which is to say see Tozcos pluck frantically at guitar strings and bang maniacally on drums very much like the punks do right here in NYC. Except their leading lady does it all en español. And actually, this is a nice lil switcheroo for the ol’ Nothing Changes party, which is usually chock full of post-punk, cold wave, power electronics, and generally icy sounds. The weekly shindig rarely hosts straight-up punk acts. Also, this is the start of Tozcos’ East Coast tour so you can bet they’ll be sprinting out of those gates at top speed having had little time for the non-stop no sleep, no food, nothing but brain cell slaughtering relentlessness of touring.
Repping the home team is an act known as Pox . Back when they were brand spanking new, some showsman described Pox as an “NYC PUNK ULTRA GROUP.” They’re partial to British punk and NYC hardcore, but all their rippers are mosh-ready, no bullshit melodies that are as familiar as they are pleasing.
Key of Shame, Phantom Fauna, Bob Bellerue, Dreamcrusher, Black Mass
Thursday, August 19, 8 pm at Trans-Pecos: $8
A full night of ambient drone sounds to bring you to that special weird headspace. First off, ignore Phantom Fauna‘s cheese-puke inducing graphics. Like, actually just don’t even look into the magic ram’s eyes or you’ll be liable to think their music has something to do with that imagery (which it doesn’t, thankfully). Rather, Phantom Fauna (Joe Morgan and Bryn Nieboer) have made something really special: ambient music imbued with an impressive level of patience and subtleness, two things that seem to be completely lost on this #modernage.
Get excited for the endlessly wicked, pupil-dilating, ear-crushing noise of Dreamcrusher (aka Luwayne Glass, a fellow living in Brooklyn by way of Wichita, Kansas) who it appears has been working on some brand new music. Massive thumbs up. The artist (whose mantra of sorts is “Nihilist Queer Revolt Music”) will be making several appearances around the city over the next several weeks. Besides this one you can catch Dreamcrusher at either Secret Project Robot or late night at the Silent Barn on the 21st and this weekend at End of Summer Fest (see below). If truly grating cacophony is your jam, you’re gonna love the headliners, Key of Shame who will spare no one’s ears in their lecherous grip on all things harsh noise.
Mykki Blanco, Princess Nokia, LSD XOXO
Saturday, August 22, noon at Jacob Riis Park: FREE
What’s a “summer is winding down let’s all cry together” post without a beachfront show? Nothing, that’s what! So here you go, guys. And this isn’t just a token soak-n-sun show, no sir. Princess Nokia will be on board to contribute her soothing, ethereal rhymes.
But the big news is that Mykki Blanco, who’s apparently back from a brief hiatus from music to pursue investigative journalism (yas queen!), will be headlining, which is reason enough to get there and get there early. But really, we have no idea what’s going to happen at this show considering that Blanco denounced rap altogether in May. Will this be spoken word? A theatrical performance? Just be there.