Wet Tshirt Season Arrives in Subtropical New York

Happy Fourth of July! From now on, New York's Summers will be like South Texas' - sudden thundershowers in the middle of the day (every day) and the humidity will never go away!

Unlike South Texas however, we've got a fair amount to do at night (besides throwing molotov cocktails at oil refineries or putting the alligator clips on your neighbor's landline and calling other bored people in places like Moldova... anyone? no? ok...).

Kicking off the heavy weekend action, we've got the following juicy bits:

TONIGHT (Thursday):

Mr Robinson et al continue their monthly dj night at Heathers in Alphabet City. FREE.

Jonathan Toubin's got a rock'n'roll gig at Glasslands with excellent San Diegans Thee Oh Sees plus more, then an afterparty at Brooklyn's Beauty Bar (way out on Broadway). $? (Afterparty free)

Some pal of JT's named Ivan is DJing at Enid's in Greenpoint in case you live in the area and don't want to buy the necessary umbrella / take the car service to keep dry. FREE.

Mr. Jay Reatard is at Music Hall of Williamsburg (although we hear TV Smith of Adverts has cancelled) $15?

Psych Rockers Heavy Hands are at Union Pool... $?

and The Germs are at Mercury Lounge! $?

FRIDAY -- "Independence Day Eve"

Remarkably quiet on the Western Front-- Jonathan Toubin decided to capitalize and is putting on Soul Clap at Glasslands with Billy & Miriam of Norton Records plus a bevy of frankly too-indie-for-us judges. $3 cover includes part time open beer bar, plus you might win the dance contest (hint: practise to James Brown).

We assume Sr. Styles is at his usual Manhattan Beauty Bar perch for another Smashed Blocked as well. FREE

Also there are DJs at Legion including Ambassador Hazy (I'm guessing soul?) FREE.

SATURDAY -- "Fireworks Day" (on the Hudson river this year, so good luck seeing them from Brooklyn)

Sr. Toubin has his third day without sleep in a row, this time organizing the all day and night extravaganza at Union Pool featuring 24 bands supposedly playing 4 songs each (If I recall, Little steven tried this a few years ago and it didn't go so well!) Still, plenty of great Brooklyn garage-punkers including Stalkers, Jadewalkers, Love-Struck, Fresh Kills, K-Holes, and almost anyone who's played Glasslands in the past 6 months. $5 all day, Taco Truck a'cookin' outside. Bands outside (weather permitting) until 8 and then in the back room. Oh and tons of DJs of course.

DJs Jumpy & Mr Vacation try their hands at Bushwick Country Club's afternoon-night DJ gig on Grand St. FREE.

Unsteady Freddie braves douchey Manhattan crowds for his monthly Surf Nite gig with bands & DJs at Otto's. FREE.

Brooklyn's Beauty Bar hosts Professor Z & Captain Heartlock for Freedom Freakout! a night of 60's dance tunes. FREE.

SUNDAY -- "the day your head hurts because you drink wine AND whiskey the night before"

Cool off your hangover at Union Pool (where else?) with Andy Maltz & Dave the Spazz DJing the front room. FREE.

Stay dry (unless you've got two X chromosomes) -- see ya round!

SHIMMY

add to del.icio.us to Digg Share on Facebook

Happy Rube Year New York!

The Other Ball Drops this Wednesday!
Hope you had a very Merry Recessmas, because it's time for some serious partying. All kinds of git-down around town this week so check it:

Tonight, as heard on Blair's recent podcast, the legendary Nashville Ramblers are at the Jalopy in Brooklyn. Also a new-ish night of Garage, Punk, Soul & obscuro DJing called "Oz" with Captain Heartlock and Professor Z at Beauty Bar (FREE).

Tuesday the 30th as always it's 2 for 1 drinks all night at Greenpoint's Matchless bar with Hot Dog! night of Soul, Garage & RnB DJs.

Then on Wednesday we're seeing SEVEN ways to ring in the rube year 2009, at these fine (and not so fine) establishments:

Mercury Lounge- A Place to Bury Strangers & the Vandelles will ensure that the ghosts of the Jesus and Mary Chain and the first Raveonettes' EP is alive and well. It's a bit steep at $25 though.

K&M Bar- Golden Triangle & Montreal's amazing Chocolat will rock in Williamsburg along with some (late 70's?) soul DJs. Not sure if this is free or not.

Matchless- The Hot Dog! Dj crew are hosting New Years Rockin' Eve in Greenpoint featuring the Moto-Gators (members of Underthings) live in the main bar area around 11 doing an all instrumental set including some classic 60's covers, originals as well as Auld Lang Syne. Free Champagne toast at midnight and soul, garage & rnb djing until the end of time. FREE.

Cameo Art Gallery- Capt. Heartlock and crew are throwing the Exploding Baby New Years Masquerade featuring Your 33 Black Angels, Madam Robot & the Lust Brigade and DJs at this unknown-to-us space in Williamsburg. Sounds like $10 w/costume, $12 without?

Motor City Bar- the LES institution features Wednesday night regular Jonathan Toubin plus Josh Styles DJing garage, punk & everything that's real and danceable plus the lovely Melissa-Anne hula-hooping and a late night guest spot from Anna Copa Cabanna. FREE.

Bell House- Subway Soul Club temporarily relocates to this new large-ish venue in Gowanus for a special evening featuring hostess Lady Dawn and DJ extraordinaire Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus spinning northern, southern, eastern and western soul grooves plus the fabulous Pontani Sisters Burlesque. $9.

Legion- Barf-o-Rama finds itself taking place in a different part of Williamsburg for this special night featuring the DJing acumen of Dylan "Otto" Bahn and Miss January 1963. We believe this is FREE?

Whew! Don't let me catch any of you saying it was a "dull" new years. I'll be at Matchless of course, spinning right after midnight.

And in case New Years isn't enough for you this week, there's more... although we believe the Thursday NYNT gigs might not happen, we're sure that there's some getdown on Friday the 2nd and Saturday the 3rd.

In fact, I'm at Public Assembly (formerly Galapagos) on the 2nd with Phast Phreddie and special guest GoGo Dancer Ana from 11PM for a night we're calling "SOUL JERKS" (maybe SOUL HANGOVER would have been better).

Anyway, check back on Friday and I'll post more deets about the weekend while pretending to work at my STINGY job.

BEST WISHES FROM GPNYC!

SHIMMY

add to del.icio.us to Digg Share on Facebook

YOUR BOYFRIEND IS BACK... LET'S GET IN TROUBLE!

I've returned! While bruised, bleeding, coughing and sneezing from Portugal's Barreiro Rocks festival, where I encountered Andre Williams in the flesh for the first time and made tons of Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and American folks dance to 50's doowop (AGAIN), I came back just so that I could write on this stinkin' blog. Aren't you lucky!

Few would argue (except calendar-sticklers) that we've arrived in full-blown Winter (even if you haven't removed the AC from your window yet, that doesn't change anything). It's shaping up to be a long and cold one but there's plenty of ways to warm up this cold-snappin' week.

You can kick off tonight with WFMU's Mr Fine Wine's longest-running-in-NYC (good) DJ party at Botanica where he'll spin his usual amazing assortment of soul goodies-- it's free and starts around 10pm. Also We THINK there's the usual NYNT gig at Motor City Bar but couldn't confirm...

Tomorrow night, there's... wait, there's nothing! Watch some TV or something ferchristsake.

The weekend easily makes up for this hole in the calendar. I'll just tackle Friday night and leave the best of the rest to Charles to cover (and shamelessly self-promote).

First off, there's the first show of Brooklyn rockabilly/punkers Dirty Work in quite a while at Don Pedro-- this band is NOT psychobilly as you know it-- instead a true fusion of rockabilly and punk and must be seen live!

Sticking with rockabilly, there's also NYC's best rockabilly party at Otto's, Rebel Night, with host Jun, FREE!

AND Subway Soul Club at Fontana's, this week with special guests Ty Jesso and Jennie Wasserman (Sweet Divines) plus the regulars Phast Phreddie and Lady Dawn.

Also happening are Midnite Till Death at Cake Shop with a hardcore theme this time (?) featuring bands and DJs plus the Stick-Ups, 50's-style RNB band at Rockwood Music Hall around 1AM.

And that's just FRIDAY... stay tuned!

add to del.icio.us to Digg Share on Facebook

Fancy, Fun Weekend!

So, it's Thursday, which means it's time to start thinking about what you're gonna do this weekend.
I know, I know. It can be a bit overwhelming, sometimes, but I'm here to help ease the pain and direct your attention to several events I find worthy of your money being spent.
Friday, October 10, you might be interested in gathering 'round the ol' Pedro for a glimpse at seeing the D.C. Snipers, Spider Bags, Golden Boys, and Imaginary Icons. I haven't seen the Snipers since they played with the Sneaky Pinks and VCR, which was over two years ago. I'm assuming you haven't seen them for a very long time either, because they just recently reunited their forces! If you enjoy well written punk songs and Patton Oswald you'll become a fan of them instantly. Also on the bill we have The Spider Bags, who come from Chapel Hill and enjoy drinking alcohol. Here's a little story about my first time seeing them live. I was already very familiar with their music because a co-worker of mine constantly played their album in our shop. I was really getting into it, they have this great kind-of-country sound that brings images of homemade abortions and bathtub gin to the mind. When I actually got the chance to see them live I was really confused. I wasn't even sure it was the same band. It was a bunch of dudes who were trashed and could barely hold their instruments. Naturally I became an even bigger fan. The Golden Boys and Imaginary Icons are also very worth seeing, if you haven't seen them already. Show starts at 9:00.
Another option for Friday night is to head over to K&M to catch BARF-O-RAMA! with Dylan Otto Bahn and January 1963. These two people have got some great foot movin' music. If you're not in the mood for live music and would rather have a few drinks and shake a tail feather to all kinds of assorted Modness then you'll definitely have a good night at K&M.

Saturday, the 11th, there is a must do event! Not only because I'm DJing, but because there are FIVE amazing bands playing. It's HULLABALOO at Don Pedro! The headliners are Black Time, a very entertaining group from the United Kingdom. A mix of 60s garage, 50s rockabilly, and punk rock, À la the aught years, that all add up to be a modern band with non modern qualities. Confused? Good. That's more reason for you to go. Also playing are Liquor Store - the brain child of the magnificent Sarim, Jack Of Heart - from France, The Abducteens - Brooklyn trash rockers, and The Shaydes - something that just has to be witnessed. We've got a special treat this month, too! This Hullabaloo is featuring a Fancy clip party, which means tons of amazing rock'n'roll videos being projected over your head! As always, DJ Shimmy and I will be spinning the best soul, garage, r&b, and doo wop. Show starts around 9:00. Don't be late!
Alternatives to Hullabaloo are waiting for you over at Huckleberry and Union Pool. Soul Au Go Go features Jumpy and GirlSoul spinning dance music to an enthusiastic crowd of dancers, and a bar - can be pricey - which is stocked with great booze and incredible bartenders that actually know how to poor a drink. Over at Union Pool Lynne K and DJ Honky will be spinning the best soul and funk for the low, low price of FREE!


Now, I can't tell you where to go or what to do, but I, as sure as shit, can try to get you to support these events.

Don Pedro is located at 90 Manhattan Ave, between Boerum and McKibben, Brooklyn.
Huckleberry is located at 588 Grand St, between Lorimer and Leonard, Brooklyn.
Union Pool is located at 484 Union Ave, on the corner of Meeker, Brooklyn.
K&M is located at 225 N 8th St, on the corner of Roebling, Brooklyn.

add to del.icio.us to Digg Share on Facebook

Welcome to the GaragePunkNYC Blog!

Welcome to GaragePunkNYC.com's blog... bringing you the best garage/punk/soul event news & reviews for the new york metro area.

This blog has 3 regular contributors: myself, Charles Gaskins and Blair Buscareno... who all have various things going on in the garage/punk scene around the area. We're also hoping to get some guest posters (feel free to contact us if you've got something...) but most importantly, this blog isn't just about US, or OUR shows-- we want to bring more attention to all of  the amazing bands and shows happening in Brooklyn, Manhattan, North Jersey (and beyond)... 

For that reason, you'll find events put together or booked by many different promoters/bookers and at all kinds of venues in our show calendar which we're trying to keep as complete and up-to-date as humanly possible.

That said, let me recklessly endanger any trust you've placed in us by talking about myself:

I'm DJ Shimmy, admin of garagepunknyc.com, and host of two regular nights in Brooklyn-- Hot Dog! a free weekly dj night and Hullabaloo, a monthly night of garage rock, punk &  soul bands/djs.  I've only been DJing and booking shows up here in brooklyn lager territory for a little more than 2 years but I cut my teeth as a garage/punk/soul DJ in Europe (where EVERYONE seems more excited about this music than us).

Everyone has their own tastes but I'd like to think I like a broad spectrum of noise: both "country AND western" ! Actually I'm very partial to American BLACK music (gospel, doowop, r'n'b, soul, funk) but I'm a big fan of 60's garage rock, mod/freakbeat, psych/pop, folk/rock as well as classic 70's punk, some power pop and even some post-punk...

Hopefully all this helps you handicap my bias.  I think it will be clear who my favorite NYC bands are from my posts, and I'll try to reign in any tendency towards pushing my own events over others that are also awesome...

DJ SHIMMY

add to del.icio.us to Digg Share on Facebook