Results tagged “bandoftheweek”

This is traditionally a pretty slow time for music. Everyone is getting their feet back under them from the holidays, there aren't many bands putting out albums, and even less are ready to get back out and start touring. The news cycle in general is still pretty weak, and music has it no different. Nonetheless, we're starting a new feature this week recapping the biggest stories in rock around this town every Friday. So...

Benzos is: Christian Celaya, Brian Joyce, Eiko Peck, Steve Bryant

THEATER: Dance-theatre maverick Pina Bausch returns to the Brooklyn Academy of Music with Nefés, which is described as an ode to Istanbul, 'the city of water'. Originally conceived in 2002, Nefés (Turkish for "breath") “quickly became a life-affirming response to Istanbul's bouts with political upheaval. But rather than echoing the violence, Bausch invests her signature humor and emotional pathos with an acute sense of calm. Set to an eclectic score featuring Turkish songs, tangos from Astor Piazzolla, and classical guitar, Nefés also features massive video screens with which the performers interact.” - John Del Signore

We were caught a bit off guard the last time we caught Rahim live. It was a different band than we remembered. We knew the keyboard player was different, and there were suddenly 4 people on stage. All said, we liked them just fine before, but they sounded absolutely fantastic this time. For once, an added member really completed the sound, rather than acting as a tacked on distraction (See: The Thermals, CMJ). Not exactly sure if was a permanent member or simply a guest sitting in, since as far as we can tell the band is officially a three-piece and a quick scan down their livejournal tour diary would lead one to believe that they just had many friends join them on their many tour stops. Whatever the explanation, the band is performing at the highest level we've ever seen them at right now, and we expect them to carry the momentum into this Sunday's show at Northsix. They’re playing with one of our favorites of 2006, Bound Stems.

THEATER: It’s Friday night, and what better way to cut loose than an evening of interactive theater – set in plague-ravaged New York City! In All Fall Down, a savage battle rages for the dwindling supplies of the vaccine, but soon a question arises: "Is the cure worse than the disease?" Theatre Recrudescence vows to explore our “post 9/11 hysteria with elements of carnival, clowning and rock and roll.” (All Fall Down is in previews, so there are no reviews; we'll have to take them on their word that the show “includes the audience, but doesn't embarrass them.”) - John Del Signore

Au Revoir Simone is: Heather D'Angelo, Erika Forster and Annie Hart.

Hayes Peebles is a solo artist.

Peelander Z is: Kengoswee, K.O. and Antonio Kazuki

A Place to Bury Strangers are: Oliver Ackermann, Jono MOFO, JSpace

Earlier today we had our Band of the Week feature posted. Meanwhile Spin.com posted their artist of the day feature. And who was it? Driveshaft, of course. With Lost coming back on the air tonight, it was only fitting. From their post:

Oxford Collapse make music that sounds made to play over a montage at the end of a weekly Primetime Drama. A cool one, though. Like How I Met Your Mother or The first season of the OC. It's not sappy or overintellectualized, but pleasantly upbeat and refreshing. The vocals are a bit rough and hysteric, not unlike the Walkmen or Modest Mouse and everyone, but the contrast with the sunny, hopeful music backing them up is what makes it work.

The Rogers Sisters are: Miyuki Furtado, Jennifer Rogers, Laura Rogers

We first saw this band completely by accident. Having never been to a show at Union Hall before, we got to the venue way before headliners Silversun Pickups took the stage and lucked into catching an opening set by the lovely Daylight's for the Birds. Normally we would have taken in a song and got back to Bocce, but these guys totally sucked us in. Lush, layered guitars and a gentle female voice keeping everything in place, the comparisons to previous BOTW'ers Asobi Seksuare all noted, but that can't really be taken as a bad thing. Surely there's room for more than one shoegaze revivalist band in Brooklyn.

O'death is: Greg Jamie, Gabe Darling, David Rogers-Berry, Bob Pycior, Captain Newman M.D., Dan Sager and Euphonium.

Matt and Kim are: Um, Matt and Kim

The Diggs are: Timothy Lannen, Robert Haussmann, Charlie Schmid

We first heard of Apes and Androids when we saw the video for their song "Radio". The tune was catchy and we felt the same sort of dance in our pants feeling we felt when we first saw Ghostland Observatory. We then made them our Band of the Week, so clearly their mechanical rockbot had climbed into our subconscious. Tonight they play at Sin-e, and we hear it's going to be insane. Good insane. Robotic rock opera-tastic.

Josh Barocas, Oliver Ignatius, Charlie Klarsfeld and Geoff Turbeville

Steven Terry ~ Drums/Back up Vocals

Jordan Blaugrund (vocals, guitar), Brett Sherman (bass), Michael Blaugrund (drums), Eliot Wadsworth (guitar)

FASHION: This is an early one, fashionistas. The Brooklyn Public Library is hosting a round table discussion today on Fashion and Beauty trends. Come. Learn. Be pretty.

Alexander Gedeon, Leif Young Huckman, Texas Peter Hale

Project Jenny/Project Jan are: Sammy Rubin (Programmer/keyboardist) and Jeremy Haines (Vocalist)

The self-proclaimed "sissy pop band" first gained some attention when they were added to the lineup of the recent Brooklyn Vegan/Todd P collaboration at the Syrup Room With Tokyo Police Club, Land of Talk and Ramesh from Voxtrot. They have a pleasant, narrative Magnetic Fields/Belle and Sebastian type sound that is almost inoffensive to a fault. Lighthearted music with occasionally dark and dire lyrics layered within. An interesting band, to say the least. One we recommend keeping an eye on as they continue to gain popularity around the city.

Professor Murder is: MIKE, TONY, JESSE and ANDY

The Primms are: Andy, Adam, Rob and Gav

Apes and Androids are a new band. In fact, they only have a few shows under their belts so far as we can tell. However, we have rarely seen someone come out of nowhere and gather so much attention in such a quick time. They've already earned a coveted Oh My Rockness recommendation star for both of their upcoming shows. As the name suggests, they blend a precise electronic sound with pure animal emotion. Rather than rattle off a decade and genre spanning list of bands they seem to be influenced by, we'd recommend simply heading over to their myspace and listening for yourself. It is like nothing else coming out of this scene right now.

One of the most well respected and truly underground bands in New York, Japanther rarely play traditional venues. You find them in warehouses, lofts, restaurants, basements, bedrooms, bathrooms...anywhere you can squeeze two guys, a bit of equipment, and a mass of sweaty fans. The Bass and Drum Art/Noise/Punk duo are one of the most revered live acts in New York, and this weekend we have two chances to see them. On Saturday, they are playing the Billyburg Short Film Festival at McCarren Pool with MC Michael Showalter. Then Sunday they're playing The Solar-Powered CitySol Festival at Stuyvesant Cove Park. Make it your beeswax to get to one of these shows.

We know what you're thinking...wasn't this guy SO three weeks ago? Perhaps, but what was lost in the amazing flurry of buzz and hype is that this kid has played like two shows ever. Not to mention he didn't even have his full band together. Now, after some deep breaths, he's back for real. With a horn section and everything. And we expect his already stunning live show to gain that much more depth and richness. They will be at Northsix next Tuesday, June 20th, and last time we checked, the show wasn't sold out yet. Now is the time to see if all the attention is deserved. It took us a couple listens, but we've come around in a big way.

No, not ex-Unicorns Islands or former BOTW'ers Foreign Islands, but simply, The Isles. The local quartet has been busy this year, playing shows all over town and impressing all along the way. NME has apparently stated that "New Yorkers have never sounded as English as they do on this," which is exactly the type of brazen hyperbole we've come to expect from our favorite music news source across the pond. These guys seem to have the chops to back up the big words however. We hope to catch them when them open for We Are Wolves at the Canal Room this Friday.