Ok team. It's been a couple months since the last time I showed up in your inbox. And if you think that means I haven't been getting to the gig, you've got it twisted. I've seen a lot. And I've been playing more. Which I'm pumped about.
Our SXSW show with the Mauri Sisters was special. Check these clips Jack posted. Doug from TAGABOW said it was one of his favorite shows he's played, and Will from Hotline TNT called it a life-affirming gig. It was bootleg as hell but it worked. And I'll go into more detail at a later date.
I've got quite the backlog to work through, but right now, I wanna tell you about some recent shows.
New England Patriots & Sediment Club
June 14 at Chaos Computer made me wanna get back blogging. The infamous seCret loCation closed this weekend, and it's a major loss for the live music landscape in NYC.
The only reason the venue was ever possible is that the building is going to be demolished. The owner doesn't care what happens in the meantime. So CC has been a fairly lawless zone.
When I walked in, the singer of Blu Anxxiety was pantomiming masturbation, stroking a crucifix between his legs. Someone handed him whippits from the crowd, and he didn't even wait til the end of the song. He has black teeth and forehead tattoos.
I recognized them from a show at The Glove in 2018.
(New England) Patriots have been on my list for a while. I remember hearing about an unhinged gig they played at the Harvard Science Center. But I didn't realize Colby Nathan was the frontperson. The band had a pedal steel, a recorder, and a study cubicle. Colby kept saying he was 22 years-old: "I'm 22, and what are you even doing here?"
This was the first Sediment Club show in four years. Jack, Avi, & I were deep in a couch at the back of the smoking room when they got started. Charlie came in and addressed the room: "Where do you think you are? You're at a fucking Sediment Club show."
We went in and listened--they were groovy & asymmetrical.
June 16: Dorian Electra x SKSKSKS x Frost Children x The Hellp
Getting a DM from Dorian Electra asking You Missed It to host their release show was a boost to the ol' personal morale.
The party was in a church. They sold t-shirts that said, "I ❤️ Sodomy."
Dorian's dancers held poppers up to audience members' noses, and threw creamer-shaped containers into the crowd. I picked one up off the ground--it was a communion wafer and a mini vial of wine.
Dorian told me their LA release show was frat themed. They did their first keg stand.
Post-Dorian, the team trecked to Webster Hall for the Fool's Gold Records 15-year anniversary party. I Ubered with Tyler then joined Eva and Andrea in the crowd to watch the Frosties. We stood near the Frost fam. I recognized Mr. Prost from the posters around Bushwick.
A high energy rock show if I’ve ever seen one. The Frost Children have been a professional-ass-band since the beginning, and somehow they keep getting more and more pro. Sad I missed their tour with Yves Tumor and Pretty Sick. Obsessed with Lulu on the roto toms.
Watched The Hellp in the bizarre clubby room in the basement of Webster Hall. They have neon glow-in-the-dark illustrations on every surface. It felt like partying in a laser tag arena.
June 17: Bar Italia x Sweet93 at Public Records // Sadie x Julia Cumming x GIFT x Moonbby in the Rockaways
When I showed up to soundcheck at Public Records, Bar Italia was still onstage and the members of Sweet93 were sprawled across the floor in a variety of yoga poses. Matti was hitting us with one of these:
Eva was serving some of this:
Nardo was off in the corner:
After soundcheck, we hung by the back door with Porches and Like a Doll as people trickled in. An intriguing crowd. Everyone was beautiful & stylish. But also expensive-looking--nothing grungey about it. Is this a Public Records thing? Or a Bar Italia thing?
Either would make sense. It's hard to imagine a band more hyped than Bar Italia. The people were talking. The excitement set in quickly, and they followed it up with a week-long string of shows, hitting most of the major small-ish venues in the city.
I caught their Monday show at TV Eye. Legend Katie Garcia took me along. Their manager, Tom, told me this one (the Public Records show) would be better. It was.
The room was packed and hazy. Public Records is a weird space when the lights are on. But they kept it real dark while we were playing. Just a couple of red LED strips lighting up the fog near the ceiling.
Bar Italia sounded British and tall.
Really grateful I got to play this show. Thanks for havin me Chloe : ) Wish I coulda stayed. Lots of legends in attendance, and the vibes were right. But I had business in the Rockaways.
The Locker Room asked us to host the afterparty for Rockaway Art Week, so Jack and I enlisted a bunch of homies to DJ & drafted Sadie for a live performance.
When I turned the corner into the backyard, Moonbby had the place bumping. But Angel and Lulu had already disappeared into the night.
The house was some sort of surf hostel. TJ thought they probably rent it out for bachelor parties. They had a brick & mortar tiki bar in the backyard.
Valley Latini kept the dancefloor alive. Grateful for that. It always takes one person to step up & turn a hang into a party. Julia Cumming, Shallowhalo, and GIFT did what they came to do. Masters of their craft.
The cops came a few times. I let Jack interface with them. He's kind of our point-person for situations like that. They shut it down & we were home by 4 AM.
June 18: The Lot Radio x Joe Kerwin Sr.
Father's Day brunch turned into an hours-long affair when we stumbled on The Lot Radio’s Juneteenth Block Party. My dad was obsessed. Jack was accommodating.
CyberFairy was up there on the register slinging seltzers.
From afternoon to evening, they kept the party moving. It filled the surrounding streets. A pretty wholesome and vibrant display of music & community.
June 20: Greg Freeman x Hank x Precioous Human
The early bird catches the worm. The early bird is Greg Horbal. This show started at 7 PM.
I was pumped to have Christian opening for Greg Freeman. He’s got the rootsy energy, the storyteller persona/lyrical voice, and the driving instrumental sections. Warms my heart to see a band of lovable-ass-mothafuckas sounding this good.
Hank was professional as fuck. Also lovable. Also rootsy. But also hyperpop. The solos were super melodic & I walked away feeling like I gotta practice more.
Industry-hype alert. This was Greg Freeman’s first NYC headline, and the biz showed up. For good reason. Greg writes rippers. And his voice is special. He keeps it on the edge of breakup, with moments of impressive control and moments of abandonment.
Shouts out Lily Seabird, holdin down the low end. She’ll be back with her band at Baby’s in August, so keep an eye out.
Burlington VT is in good hands.
After the show, we celebrated hometown hero & birthday boy Richard Orofino. Logan & Lane hopped on the decks. Then Cristina, who is currently investigating how many months she can go without owning a laptop charger.
June 21: Sweet93 at Hudson Yards
We love a corporate gig. This was sponsored by WB Mason.
I played with Sweet93. The green room was inside the Hudson Yards mall. It seemed to be a gutted-out Sephora.
I was pretty excited for this show—I heard they’d have food. The spread included sandwiches, cheese & crackers, fruit, chips, diet coke, ginger ale, coffee, and pastries. An embarrassment of riches.
I’ve never played on a stage like this before. We were right next to “the vessel,” which I am told is no longer open to visitors.
We were introduced by Pam, Senior Vice President of sponsorships and brand engagement. She called us “one of the country’s hottest up-and-coming acts.”
When we finished, Pam advised us on alcohol strategy: “The cocktails are expensive. But the tequila samples are free. So get yourself a seltzer, and just keep popping shots in."
She was excited for us to get over to the VIP area: "They’ve got these huge Adirondack chairs. It's perfect if you just want to eat a vegan ice cream sandwich and hang out with your friends."
My first time seeing Geese. Sounded like we were at a festival. Are these kids really 19? Lotta industry heads there. Congratulations, Geese.
June 22: The Life x Voyeur at Mercury Lounge
One of my sources spoke with an audience member who described Curtis as "sex on a stick."
I thought Isaac and Jeremy were also sex on a stick.
This was The Life’s big send off—their final show in NYC before their European tour with The 1975.
My new band Voyeur opened. Jakob jumped from the stage into a trash can.
Thanks, Benny G, for getting us in there. And happy bday—hope it was killer. Also shouts out Lauren the GOAT. Thank yall for putting this one together <3
And have a blast across the pond. Do it for the boys back home who can’t.