The Pita's New Year's Eve Music Picks

What? No New Year's plans? Leaving it a bit late, no? Forget the overcrowded bars, the swarms of amateurs, the lame-o house parties. There are a ridiculous number of shows happening around town, some of which are worth your time and some of which not so much. Many of them are sold out, but it's highly possible you could score with the scalpers. Let's have a little look-see, shall we?

2005 was a big year for hype beneficiaries Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and now everyone and their roommate knows it because Time Out New York splashed them on their cover in very creative upside-down fashion. The show, also with the National and Dr. Dog (at right) at Irving Plaza, is sold out, but you could pay $200 for a pair on Craigslist, if you are a complete a-hole. It'll be the most expensive (yet effective) sedative you'll buy all year.

Will Patti Smith die already? The punk icon is hogging the Bowery Ballroom for about the 82nd year in a row. Gothamist is all for legendariness, but frankly we're a little tired of this gig.

Speaking of legends, sweaty James Brown (at left) funks up BB King's. Make sure to leave about five hours early so you can wrestle your way through the hordes of Times Square losers. If you can't make it all the way over there, try to shove your fat ass into Connolly's on 45th with every other sixth-generation Irish-wannabe bridge-and-tunneler. They couldn't get the Pogues to play this year, so Black 47 is back (as every Saturday night).

At Cake Shop, there is purported awesomeness. Some band called Bill Cosby and the Pudding Pops is definitely playing, and some band that cannot be named (but can be linked) is also playing, but shhh. Don't tell the good folks at Knitting Factory. There you can party like it's 2002 with Radio 4, Tussle (officially), Vic Thrill, and Tim Fite.

The patchouli, armpit hair, and hyperextended jamming will all be free-flowing at Madison Square Garden, courtesy of North Mississippi All Stars, Trey Anastasio, and headliners the Black Crowes (My Morning Jacket dropped out). Tickets are about $75 after Ticketmaster gets done raping you. Drugs are sadly not included in the ticket price. If you prefer your jam-band scene slightly smaller, check out Gov't Mule at the Beacon or the Disco Biscuits at Hammerstein.

We are not even going to mention Yo La Tengo, who have been at Maxwell's all week. But you knew that, if you are cool. Fred Armisen and The Scene Is Now round out the lineup.

A bevy of indie-rock bands are at Mercury Lounge: Ambulance Ltd., Levy, The Big Sleep, and Surefire. At least one of those bands has to be somewhat decent, right? Right?

They Might Be Giants will build a little birdhouse in your soul at Northsix.

If money is no object, there's some good punk and garage rock going on at the Hard Rock Cafe, courtesy of Little Steven, with the New York Dolls, the Troggs, the Mooney Suzuki, the Chesterfield Kings, the Woggles, and the Charms. Tickets are $300 each and, rumor has it, include a signed guitar from Eddie Van Halen.

Gothamist likes the metal-riffic Giraffes (at right) because they rock like only true mustachioed rock and roll beasts can. They're at Ace of Clubs. The dudes at Stereogum were making very loud love noises about their live show. We're thinking twenty bucks well spent.

Comments, anyone?

With additional reporting and mortsing by my assistant, Brian Jones.

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

By Catherine Hopkinson in Arts and Events on December 30, 2005 9:08 PM

Comments [rss]

time to send the also old woma

Two questions:

1: Will the also old woman (nee patti smith) die already?

2: Fuck the old woman

Enduring Art

I wish that I had 1/132nd of Patti Smith's genius.

tinkle elf

i have to say, i think the pita is pretty goddamn great.

(note: i personally do not think patti smith is all that great, but i'm sure if she ever saw this random outpouring of support it would keep her alive for another 50-60 years.)

whatever

"Will Patti Smith die already? The punk icon is hogging the Bowery Ballroom for about the 82nd year in a row. Gothamist is all for legendariness, but frankly we're a little tired of this gig."

I'm sure Patti will stop playing there when she stops selling out the place. Her audience is very devoted to her and her band so I would imagine that wouldn't be anytime soon. Though next time you see her on the street why don't you tell her your opinion of her and her band. I'm sure she would be interested.

y'all suck

what is the big fucking deal? why so much hate? the pita obviously does not actually want patti smith to die. (though she may, at this point, wish that some of you might.) the music picks are great. go do something more productive with your time.

calmer voice

No, what do you mean by credibility and accountability? Pita made a flip statement. Nobody with a brain reading the sentence that is getting you so worked up really thinks she wants Smith to die (we can all agree on that, right?). We aren't talking about a fucking fatwa here. Now, you might not respect the sentiments in Pita's post(s) but why does that require accountability? If you already have a source for music 'picks' why are you reading hers? I certainly don't.

the old woman

No, it's time that Gothamist had some credibility and accountability. They hired a music "writer" who has no depth or background, and now her failings and lack of breadth has come to the forefront in a really embarassing way. I have ohmyrockness to tell me what shows are playing each week, so I don't need to read her weekly music 'picks' (for which she clearly uses a dartboard). She's in over her head and this time she went after one of New York's own.

This link has been circulating on writing forums and boy is she getting skewered.

Missing Brooklyn Vegan

I miss Brooklyn Vegan, too! She knew the difference between smart snark and unconstructive negativity.

lamecore

you and your pita are lame. and lest you think this a mere ad hominem attack, it's that your writing is lazy. and your recommendations lack discernment. bring back the vegan!!!

calmer voice

OK, girls, all ya'll need to chill the fuck out. We're talking about a g'mist music post for heavens sake. That doesn't even come close to a reason to get your panties in a twist.

also old woman

Should I die too? You know, so there's more room for hipster fucks in my neighborhood cafes.

Patti Smith did more before she was 20 than you will accomplish in YOUR ENTIRE FUCKING LIFE. No one will care about your stupid ipod covers or your web site in 2 years, let alone 30. You have not, nor will you, ever create any actual art that endures.

You blog. That is the sum total of your contribution to this planet. And yet, because you want some dumb ass indie band to play Bowery Ballroom, you have the nerve to wish someone would die, because, y'know, she's OLD and, um, stuff. And, like, um, I have to think a little bit about her music. I don't get it. It isn't ironic or precious or trendy.

The funny thing is that most of the bands you write about, dumb fuck, would never talk to you again once they saw this, and would never be playing music without her. Whether or not they were inspired by her, they certainly listened to someone who was.

I like gothamist but I will never ever read your writing again. You have lost any dignity or credibility you might have had (which is scraping by at a bare minimum, you were clearly over your head in this gig and now you've proven it).

Go home and knit and wish that you had 1/132nd of Patti Smith's genius. It is probably too much for your tiny brain to envision. You are not an artist or even a writer. YOU BLOG.

Get over yourself already and go create some of your own art.

anon

Wishing death on Patti Smith? Are you for real? Please get your head out of your ass and stop sucking on Pitchfork's teat.

Lacey

Terrible, just terrible. Gothamist, what is this b.s.? Seriously.

Jack

PS: If there is a band in NYC that deserves criticism for being long-in-the-tooth and way past their prime it has got to be "They Might Be Giants". Sorry. I know they are somehow self-appointed "quirk" kings of NYC music, but they've really be irrelevant/tedious for decades. Steel cage match the two Johns with the one Patti and she wins in a second.

Jack

"Will Patti Smith die already?"

I think Catherine has really decent taste, but comments like that reinforce why I've stopped giving a rats ass about the indie music scene anymore.

It's one thing to "mix things up". It's another to just be nasty and agist.

BTW, "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah" is decent but just not that good to deserve this much press and praise. There's always got to be some NYC indie darling band, but they are just barely flashing in that pan.

an old friend who knows who to

hey bitch ass cunt whore fake loser baby doll whitey next time you wish death on Patti Smith you better dig your own grave and let your wussy girl suck you off for the last time Jacob AKA cuntface Dobkin

rev pays

John Strasbaugh should stop thinking he's under thirty.

they're legends for a reason, see them and see them often.

Look at Clarence "gatemouth" Brown, played till he died early this year.

Kevin Walsh

>>>Will Patti Smith die already? The punk icon is hogging the Bowery Ballroom for about the 82nd year in a row. Gothamist is all for legendariness, but frankly we're a little tired of this gig.

You seem to agree with John Strasbaugh that people should get off the stage after a certain time.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are gonna hit 30 one day, too.

www.forgotten-ny.com