You're On Deadline, Bud

August 15 - August 21

pic by @shindelverse

I’ve been thinking a lot about the ~indie sleaze British Invasion~ we’ve seen in the past few weeks. With rumors of major label attention and heavy hitter industry heads taking notice, things are feeling exciting and weird.

“New sleaze” isn’t my favorite phrase. I’m worried about proactively placing a scene on the 20-year nostalgia loop. Following trend forecasters and explicitly chasing the past both sound like dangerous ideas, and I don’t think there’s actually that much overlap between this moment and that one.

But punks didn’t name themselves either, so if my friends go down as sleazers, it’s all part of the game. I’m just thrilled to know so many talented people making music. It’s a feeling.

8/15 ~ Wicca Phase Springs Eternal @ Baby’s

On Monday the 15th, I went to the Wicca show alone. I felt obligated as a journalist. I got there, ate a burrito, had a glass of red wine, and then decided my obligation to journalism was just about complete. I watched three or four songs and felt like I understood what the rest of the set would probably be like. I like the one where he sings, “In Provideeence, tread lightly,” but I’m not sure that hearing it live adds much.

8/16 ~ Bloody Knuckles x Jolt

Tuesday was Beth’s rooftop gig. She joined forces with Dawood Nadurath of Saddle Creek Records under the name Bloody Knuckles, and they hosted in collaboration with Jolt.

I missed most of the music, but the vibes were immaculate. Well attended, but 0% claustrophobia. I’ve gotten accustomed to a degree of sensory overload going to shows, and this was a refreshing break from that trend. Lots of love for this rooftop and all the hosts. Hope we’ll see more shows there soon.

8/17 ~ La Cosa Nostra x Joe’s Restaurant

On Wednesday, I met a group of eleven Baby’s All Right associates in Ridgewood. It was an hours long affair that started with clams.

Jesse Paller, professional auditory consultant and soundboard whisperer in residence for Black Midi and Snail Mail, has a confusing devotion to Joe’s Restaurant in Ridgewood. Greg Rutkin seems pretty well networked-in over there too. When he sat down at the table, the manager approached him directly and asked if he wanted clams. Greg said yes, and the two shook hands.

They tacked on two orders of mussels, and two carafes (each) of red and white. Alex Tom Greg and Jesse were all at one end of the table—Justin and I were a bit separated from that bottleneck of masculine energy. Watching them talk through orders for the table reminded me of pictures from inside Winston Churchill’s war room.

We went on to get chicken parmesan, spaghetti, veal piccata, some kind of fish, two orders of spicy calamari, two types of gnocchi, and at least 6 bread baskets. There were several cig breaks, and we finished with espressos in some of the tiniest little cups you’ve seen in your life.

We ran through the rain to Sundown before rerouting to Gottscheer Hall. I made friends with a middle aged man at the bar named Billy. He told me about the band Cheap Trick and the movie Dead End Boys. Billy had the thickest NY accent I’ve encountered, and as I walked away he said, “And I’m not gonna say anything about your purse.” We played darts and I felt grateful for the friends I’ve made in New York.

8/18 ~ Frost Children x May Rio x Winnie Wonders x Blaketheman1000 x The Dare x Retail Pharmacy

On Thursday, Alex bought me a sandwich because I helped him lift an air conditioner. A beautiful transaction—the man knows how to pick a sandwich.

Thursday night was a tough call. Frost Children, May Rio, and Winnie Wonders were on at Chaos Computer. I’m obsessed w that spot. Blake also had a show at the Cactus Store, and Harrison had his weekly DJ night at Home Sweet Home. I was one of at least 40 hosts listed on the flyer for the Retail Pharmacy 1-year anniversary party, but I am not sure exactly what Retail Pharmacy is/does.

In the end, the Cactus Store and Home Sweet Home were just too damn close to each other. I did the half-marathon version of the night, and skipped Chaos Computer. I listened to Blake’s set from the sidewalk because the Cactus Store was crowded and dark. No idea who most of the people in the crowd were, but that’s what we like to see.

I had just sent out the August Part 1 newsletter and suddenly got wicked stressed that I might mention people here who don’t want to be mentioned. So if you see yourself in one of these posts and you don’t think it’s fun, just let me know.

I bounced from Blake’s performance to Harrison’s set, and then hopped in an Uber with Natalie to the Retail Pharmacy party at Skinos in FiDi. Skinos is bizarre. There is a pool of water under the stairs. They had projectors pointed at a huge white sphere suspended in the air—it looked a bit like a plasma globe. Jake from Powered By Wind had a camera and microphone with him. He asked if I wanted to interview people, but quickly took the idea back, presumably because I don’t have the star power.

8/19 ~ Lucy x Lazlo, at Estrella Gallery

I showed up a bit late and listened to Lazlo’s set from the sidewalk outside. People were watching from the fire escape, so it was easy to hear, and I was told upstairs was intensely hot. When Lazlo finished, he emerged shirtless and just about as wet with sweat as I’ve ever seen a man. Our friend Lazlo really leaves it all out on the field.

I went inside when I ran out of cigarettes and water. Got myself situated right up front for Lucy. I have seen a lot of Lucy sets recently, and this one felt like the good old days. Too hot. No stage. Shoddy sound system. Electric energy. The huddle of Lucy devotees clustered up front singing along to every word was as deep as I’ve ever seen it.

Was it something I said?
Smoke is something I do.

From the Lucy show, I went to The Dancer with Isaac from Strange Ranger, Chris from TBA, and Emma from I Am a Genius. After a bit I reconnected with Lucy/Cooper, and Lucie R. drove us over to Chaos Computer. Ate their free rice, smoked cigs inside with Sal, met a woman from Portland whose friend had just died, and went home.

8/20 ~ Bound and Hagged

I recently learned that 25-year-old Megan Jasper became one of the unsung heroes of a much-sung genre when she convinced the New York Times to publish a glossary of made up slang as “Grunge Speak.” Bound-and-hagged is the phrase she invented for staying home on a Friday or Saturday night. Some other terms below.

Tom-tom club - uncool outsiders

Cob nobbler - loser

Harsh realm - bummer

Swingin’ on the flippity-flop - hanging out

Thank you @depthsofwikipedia for this intel ^

8/21 ~ Dorothy Carlos x Lord Friday the 13th x Die Spitz

I hate that Die Spitz is not from NYC.

I started the evening of the 21st walking over to Hart Bar to see Dorothy Carlos’s solo cello set. I’m a pop music guy & I tend to approach experimental art with skepticism, but I love when my friends do it. I trust people I like, so it’s easier for me to keep an open mind without worrying that some artsier-than-thou mothafucka is tryna pull a quick one on me. Dorothy is a bad ass and easily the coolest person I’ve ever met by chance at a bookstore coffee shop, especially in the year 2018. This was my first time seeing her perform, and it pushed me to reconsider some of the hierarchies that guide my thinking on music. Why do I focus so much on melody, as if a song needs singable lines to be emotive? What am I missing when I only seek out music with regular rhythmic patterns? Dorothy’s howling slides reminded me how powerful sonic textures can be, and the whole thing got me on Reverb.com looking at delay pedals.

From Hart Bar I went to see Mo play at the Broadway. He was filling-in for an out of town band called Lord Friday the 13th. The official band members seem to be sibling micro-influencers. Mo shreds, and you never know how his head will swing from one moment to the next.

Die Spitz was playing when I first walked up the Broadway stairs. I quickly decided they were my new favorite band in NYC. Was crushed to learned they’re from Texas. Even with all the same equipment as them, I don’t think I could make a band sound that full and menacing. Real ass performers. If you know anyone in Die Spitz, tell them to move here.

~ ~ ~

Before I sign off—one more thing that stuck with me from the Dev Hynes show at Baby’s. I noticed one of the sound engineers had a slideshow of his family as his laptop screensaver. I forgot that you can use slideshows like that, and it was sweet to see how he keeps his family around when he’s on the road.

I want to get these newsletters coming out earlier and the week. The goal is every Monday, but obviously I am not tracking that way. Exciting shows coming up, and I’m looking forward to writing about them : ) Thanks for reading. Sending love.