Coolfer's Music Picks For The Week

[Ed.: Yay, it's Wednesday, which means Coolfer lets us know what's of interest musically speaking this weekend. Gothamist also enjoys Coolfer's music charts recap each week - we don't know why Usher is selling so many albums, so we're going to write a mystery about that.]

Highlights of the coming week. As always, please drop a comment if you'd like to suggest a show Coolfer didn't mention.

Tomorrow night Volume hosts So Cute So Nice, a night of Japanese music art and film. On the bill are Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra and Alex from Tokyo, art installations, a dance performance and performance artists. Could be fun.

Rothko has been on a roll lately. Friday night it hosts another great electronic show: Funkstorung, D'atachi and a DJ set by Team Shadetek (on Warp Records). Show starts at 9pm, tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. The Social!sm party starts at midnight and has no cover.

Coolfer has posted many times on the band The High Strung, a great local band that fuses classic songwriting, British Invasion roots and garage rock sass. They've got great songs and their constant touring has really tightened up their live show. Saturday night poses a slight problem. The High Strung are playing the Mercury Lounge with The Apes and Weird War (members of Make-Up and Royal Trux), That's smack dab up against another great rawk show at the Bowery Ballroom: Calla, Dead Meadow. The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Vietnam, who are playing the Shout! Magazine 7th anniversary party. But having too many options is always a good problem, isn't it?

Other recommended shows:
- Grant Lee Phillips and John Doe (of X) at Northsix tonight.
- Jonathan Richman at the Bowery Ballroom tonight.
- Volcano, I'm Still Excited!! (w/ Champion of Sound, Bishop Allen) at Sin-e Thursday
- The Decemberists (w/The Long Winters) at the Bowery Ballroom on Thursday and Friday
- Lyres (w/ Demolition Doll Rods) at The Hook on Saturday
- Richie Hawtin at Volume on Saturday
- Dido at the Beacon Theater on Sunday and Monday

I'll end on a free show note, because free is good: Franz Ferdinand, who play Thursday and Friday of next week (both shows are sold out), are performing a free in-store at the Virgin Megastore at Union Square on Tuesday at 7:30pm. According to the ad in today's Village Voice, you must buy or bring in your copy of the band's CD to get a pass to the show. Get there early, this should be huge.

Downloads:
Calla: "Strangler"
Dead Meadow: "I Love You Too"
The Brian Jonestown Massacre: "Heroin Vs. Prozac"
Bishop Allen: "Busted Heart"
Volcano, I'm Still Excited!!: "2nd Gun"
The Apes: "Black Tears"
The Decemberists: "The Soldiering Life"
Team Shadetek: "Burndown" (clip)

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

June 9, 2004 3:50 PM

Comments [rss]

Coolfer

Volume needs to spend some big piles of cash to get that place up to code, I'm told. Could there be a siesta coming soon? Or will it shut down for good? I hope not.

Mindy

The information about the event is on the Volume website - they have a funky calendar thing going on, you click on the view by day arrow in the upper right. I know the event on Friday at Volume moved locations. Perhaps this event will only use part of the space and therefore can go on as scheduled?