As an alternative to listening to Christmas carols all week...

The Specific Heats bring their garage-psych sound and
their Thanksgiving dinner to Bruar Falls on Tuesday
because even poultry deserves its 15 minutes of fame.

Monday

Glad All Over! hosts a show at Bowery Electric featuring the (cheese-inspired?) heavy rock of Humboldt Fog and the crunchy-like-a-cracker psych-rock of Whooping Crane, with DJ Lupe Loop spinning the platters. Sounds delicious. Not sure how much it will cost, and no the show does not start at 6pm like it says on someone's MySpace calendar (more like 9pm, which is to say, 10pm).

Also on the agenda, DJ Knifefight spins all "pre-Beatles" rock-n-roll at Art Land Bar. Great music, convenient location, free pool all night, and no cover. It all starts at 10pm (which is to say, 9pm, at least the last time I was there).

I saw a webpage for a show this weekend which said that the show "starts at 9pm, doors at 12pm"*. Have we forgotten how time works, folks?

Tuesday

The Bowery Electric has another good show tonight featuring Organs, Love Pirates and Kelle Calco. Sorceress is probably not on the bill, unless perhaps the show was double-booked? That has been known to happen. Their show this weekend featured a comedian in between two of the bands Maybe this time there will be a contortionist or magician or human floor or something?

Did we mention that the Specific Heats are headlining at Bruar Falls? Not so sure about the other bands, but it's a free show, so check 'em out.

As always, Hot Dog! is at at Bar Matchless on Tuesdays. Featuring DJs spinning 50's and 60's R'n'B, Doowop, Gospel, Soul, Funk, Garage Rock, Punk, and more. No cover, 2-for-1 drinks all night, from 8 'till late. Oh, and it's our friend Tara's 30th birthday party, so you might be able to mooch some free cake.

Wednesday

Time once again for CopyCat at Otto's Shrunken Head. Not sure what they're covering this week, but for the low low price of $0 you get to catch The Bowery Boys and Sousalves. DJ Xerox spins cover songs all night. Oh, and there's free pumpkin pie "while supplies last" (you know it's the holidays when people start offering you dessert everywhere).

If you're looking for a DJ, have you ever come to the right night. DJ Reverend Vince spins Soul, Gospel and R&B at Savalas. Motor City Bar hosts its traditional Thanksgiving celebration called New York Night Train Wednesdays, a night of punk, rock, and other loud musical offerings. And of course there's Mr. Fine Wine at Botanica spinning his finest Soul grooves (you know, the ones on his records).

Thursday

It's Thanksgiving, so go hang with your family!

If your family happens to like going out and partying while listening to Punk Rock, Rockabilly and more (and that don't mean Christmas carols, folks) then may we suggest the No Thanks-Giving party at Bruar Falls with DJs Just Derek and Seanzi Dirtbag. That's where Mommy and I will be. As an alternative, Jonathan Toubin is DJing Thursday Night Thump this week at Enid's, where they have a wonderful apple pie (and some tasty beats no doubt).

Marcus

* By the way, 12pm is actually noon. Yeah, come on in nine hours early to have a "few" drinks before the show. Not sure if that was a little bit of stupidity or a huge heapin' pile of audacity...

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It's time to find out what you're made of.

The Choke begin a cross-country tour on Thursday.
Photo by "ndinneen".

So, you gonna let a little rain stop you from having fun? Everything's indoors now, no more pool parties or any of that Summery crap. So get out there! But not on Monday...

Monday

Spend the evening shining your shoes, matching up your socks, polishing your cell phone, or whatever. Just don't go out, 'cause that will be really boring. We got nuthin' for Monday.

Tuesday

Bring your cold-weather duds and matching socks to a great Underclass Revue at Bowery Electric. This week The Othermen, GeTSeT, and the The Dirty Shames will rock the place to its foundations (which is roughly where the stage is). DJ Joe Western spins the tunes between sets from the fortress above the stage. No requests or he may pour boiling oil on you.

Hot Dog! lights up Bar Matchless once again. Lots of new records being played now that everyone is back from vacation. 2-for-1 drinks, good bar food, from 8 'till late, no cover.

Wednesday

Weird Atlanta punks The Coathangers share the stage at Cake Shop with somewhat normal ex-Atlanta punks Ex-Humans and somewhat pronounceable local punks PRSMS. Over in Brooklyn, garage-rockers Two Tears open for Jemina Pearl at Bruar Falls.

As always you can chill out with Mr. Fine Wine as he spins classic soul music at Botanica or fire it up at Motor City Bar as the guest DJs of New York Night Train Wednesdays spin punk, garage, and all things earsplitting. No cover for either.

Thursday

Nouvellas headline a show at Bowery Electric which also features psych-rockers Revival Times. Richard Lloyd (of the band Television) headlines at Maxwell's. The Choke and Images are in for a surprise at the Slipper Room. Based on the one previous occasion on which I saw a band there, the sound is actually pretty good but the pole in the middle of the stage is annoying. Anyway, this is the first of The Choke's three shows in New York before they head off to San Diego for six months.

Oh, and there's the Jay Reatard/NoBunny show at Le Poisson Rouge. Almost forgot about that...

Lots of shows tonight, and lots of DJ night options too. There's Boogaloo Shampoo, a night of Soul music at Beauty Bar Brooklyn. DJs Mr. Robinson and DosPlatos spin 50s, 60s, and Soul music at Heathers. For something a little more different there is Thursday Thump, an evening of Punk, Glam, Psych rock at Enids. All three are free, so go to as many as you can!

Marcus

Still your #1 source for "thank you reliable hot dog".

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Heavy responsibilities

You ever have one of those weekends when you're just having so much fun and getting so little sleep and you get exhausted and can't manage to "fulfill" your "responsibilities" like updating that blog "you"* help out with and you really don't want to do it but you feel like you'd be letting your friends down?

Welcome to the late Monday edition of the GaragePunkNYC blog. I assure you, next week I'll start writing this thing sooner.

Monday

There is nothing on the calendar for Monday. Through 2010. Nowadays Monday is like the afterparty for a funeral. Personally I suggest that you stay home and post to our web forum to stave off the boredom. Think of it as traveling to a distant and magical land which few other living souls have ever seen...

Tuesday

Hot Dog! Yes, it's at Bar Matchless once again this week. DJs spinning Garage Rock, Soul and R&B, 2-for-1 drinks, good bar food, 8pm. But the best part: it's actually fucking happening.

Wednesday

All right folks, remember that free Nouvellas show which got rained out a few weeks back? It's this Wednesday, at the McCarren Park blacktop, at 7pm, followed by a showing of the movie Fame. Weather permitting, because of course if it rains there's a chance that someone** will be hit by lightning, so the show will be delayed again.

Now, that's the only show at 7pm on Wednesday, but if you can be patient then you will have many options. There's the second anniversary of Copycat at Otto's Shrunken Head starting at 10pm. It's a night of cover songs performed by Guitar Bomb, The Sweet Ones, and DJ Allan Dias. Then we've got Georgiana Starlington and their psych-western sound at Bruar Falls. Also on the bill are This Frontier Needs Heroes, Feather & Folly, and DJ Aaron (of LiveFastDie). Strangely, "psych-western" is not a bad description of Spindrift either, though they're less country and less mellow than GS. They'll be at Union Pool tonight with Hopewell and The Runaway Suns.

Your afterparty options are as follows: Motor City Bar hosts the punk/rock/hard stuff night called New York Night Train Wednesdays, and Botanica is the backdrop for Mr. Fine Wine and his classic Soul grooves. That is all.

Thursday

If you just can't get enough western psych rock, Spindrift is back at Cake Shop, this time with The Vandelles Electric Tickle Machine and Werewolves.

Not your*** thing? Then have some fun at Boogaloo Shampoo, a night of Soul music at Beauty Bar Brooklyn, or at Thursday Thump, an evening of Punk, Glam and Psych rock at Enids. Or you can stay home posting to our web forum maybe?

* By which I mean me, obviously.

** By which I mean Dennis, obviously.

*** By which I mean you, obviously.

Marcus

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Let's be honest, sleep is fuckin' awesome.

The picture above is amazingly similar to what I actually look like most Sunday mornings.

Sometimes I wonder why I try so hard to pitch these shows. It's music, right? Who doesn't like that? And if you didn't like this particular type of music (or want to see your band's name mentioned outside of your own MySpace page) then you probably wouldn't be reading this blog in the first place.

The only thing I can figure is that I'm trying to convince you to stay up late instead of going to sleep. Now that's important, because sleep is really tempting, I know. You lie down and slip into dreamland and then hours later you wake up feeling really good. It's like getting wasted except you wake up feeling really good. Cheaper too.

You know what? I can't win. Just stay home and sleep. What's that you say? The A/C is broken and it's 120 degrees in your apartment? Well then, all of the venues below feature cold drinks and (in most cases) working A/C! Even if you do sweat it will be in the presence of cute sweaty people of the opposite sex and/or same sex (whatever floats 'yer boat). So c'mon out!

Monday

Head on over to Bowery Electric Monday night to catch psych-rockers Whooping Crane and the last performance (for a "long time") by The Jadewalkers. The Jadewalkers ripped it up at Otto's last week, so if you missed 'em, or if you will miss 'em, this is your last chance to see them anytime soon. Oh, and the show is FREE, so unless you really desperately need to spend the evening de-humidifying your underwear or whatever, go go go!

Tuesday

There's a bill at the Trash Bar which gets awfully indie near the end, but Buzzcocks/Stiff Little Fingers pop-punk sound of GeTSeT ("at 8pm") and/or the acoustic blues sound of Jack Buf ("at 9pm") might just be up your alley. And nobody's complaining about the open PBR and well drink bar from 8-9 with admission!

Just like every other Tuesday, you could also check out Hot Dog! at Bar Matchless (8pm to late). No cover, 2-for-1 drinks, good food, and different DJs every week spinning Garage Rock, Soul and R&B. Oh, and you can play chess in back too. Just don't make any bets (I hear that some of those guys are real chess sharks).

Wednesday

The week gets a little busier on Wednesday. We've got Copycat at Otto's Shrunken Head once again this week. Little Black Egg (feat. members of The Rats) are doing a tribute to The Damned, Action Camp will perform (but they don't sound like The Damned) and DJ Xerox will spin cover songs (including covers of Damned songs?) I'm not sure if there's a theme this time or not. It's FREE though, so you can't lose!

Back in Brooklyn, Your 33 Black Angels headline at Bruar Falls. The bill is a little folk-y overall, but when these guys pull out the heavy guitar riffs and organ sounds (performed on a synth, admittedly) they sure do rock.

Also tonight, Mr. Fine Wine spins classic Soul downstairs at Botanica in the City and Motor City Bar hosts New York Night Train Wednesdays with special guest DJs spinning garage rock, punk, and who knows what else.

Thursday

Come visit lovely Brooklyn, New York! Tour our historic apartments and ancient ruins (which are also apartments)! Enjoy the local nightlife! Mingle with the locals at Boogaloo Shampoo, a night of Soul music at Beauty Bar Brooklyn! Experience Thursday Thump, a night of Punk, Glam and Psych rock at Enids! It's the perfect vacation: a free one! (No cover for either DJ night).

So many ways to get censored on this theme. Notice that we are not going that way. All right?

Marcus

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Summer Jumps the Gun in NYC...

Spring sprang. Hope you enjoyed it, because Summer's already here. 70 degrees today, 80 tomorrow and 85 Sunday! And not only did the warm temperatures come, but a host of bands & djs are out there to help celebrate the end of coldness...

Tonight (FRIDAY) -- tons o' stuff:
LIVE SHOWS:
Alana Amram & the Rough Gems plus Daddy Long Legs (some members of Electric Shadows) at Southpaw in Brooklyn. $10.

Greg Ashley (of Gris Gris fame) makes a very rare appearance in NYC with his new "Greg Ashley Band" plus the Box Elders at Williamsburg's newest venue, the Cake Shop-owned Bruar Falls (across from Trash Bar). $8.

And a Blockbuster garage/punk bill, albeit booked by Todd P, at Market Hotel in Brooklyn: New Orleans' Quintron & Miss Pussycat, Jay Reatard's Wizzard Sleeve, and Psychedelic Horseshit. $10.

DJ/Dance parties:
The Ladies of CHICKABOOM! Jenni and Melissa-Anne return to Legion in Williamsburg with guest djs including some Slipper Room luminaries. 10PM. FREE.

Devils Night - Cowboy Mark & Miss Mary are back at Diamond Bar in upper Greenpoint with their mix of 50's/60's RnB/Garage... 10PM. FREE.

Real Gone - Kitty beat & friends are back at Otto's spinning freakbeat, soul & other great stuff. Bands, too! FREE.

Shakin' All Over Sideways Down - J. Toubin is at his weekly perch on Chrystie St spinning mostly music of the black persuasion. FREE.

SATURDAY - ALL LIVE SHOWS BROOKLYN

Greenpoint
SuperModelDeathDive's 1 year anniversary is happening at Bar Matchless, featuring Jadewalkers (also celebrating release of their new EP), Organs, Back CCs and "SWAK" (?!). Plus all kinds of DJs including Brenda Brand (though not Charles, who is on the flyer but down South this weekend with the Siberians). $5 or Free with/RSVP (find it on myspace!).

Williamsburg/Bushwick/Ridgewood(Queens)
Lake Johnson: France's excellent 2 piece MAGNETIX return to play with WLWL and an unnamed Cleveland band. $?
Don Pedro: Rockabilly punks Love-Struck make their Pedro debut supporting Astoria's Missing Teens. $?
Silent Barn: Wizzard Sleeve plays with Blank Dogs... but NOT Box Elders for another ToddP show. $?

Fort Greene
Dig Deeper returns at the Five Spot Soul Supper Club with Lee Fields backed by the Sweet Divines + DJs. $10adv/$15door

MANHATTAN
Garage greats Mondo Ray from Germany, the Anabolics, Kitty & the Kowalskis and Palmyra Delran are at Bar Nine in Hell's Kitchen. $5

Greg Ashley Band, this time with Box Elders and Liquor Store at Cake Shop on Ludlow. $8.

NEW JERSEY
80's Garage/Psych legends the Secret Syde reunite for a one-off show at Long Branch's Brighton Bar. $10adv/$15door.

If THAT isn't enough for you (you gluttons for punishment!) here's...

SUNDAY

Barely-garage/punk-at-all Crystal Stilts are at Maxwell's in Hoboken for $10.
Ex-Humans, Golden Error and the excellent Valient Thorr are at Trash Bar in Brooklyn. $?
Market Hotel: Ian Svenonius's new band CHAIN AND THE GANG make their presence known with DJ Jonathan Toubin (ToddP, $10)

PLUS -- word to the wise... I'll be on Bedford Ave this Sunday morning/afternoon with a table full of ultra cheap soul, r'n'b, garage and bizarro 45s (and a few LPs)... somewhere near Mccarren. Stop on by!

SHIMMY

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