Happy Birthday To Us!

Not to crow too much but, we're a year old! GPNYC launched October 1st, 2008 with the goal of reducing productivity at as many offices, studios and workplaces as possible. Our evil plan seems to be succeeding, since we've had over 26,000 visits in the past year. Not bad for a site dedicated to "dead/outdated/retro/boring/misogynist/neanderthal" music, wouldntcha say? Feel free to thank Marcus, Charles, Blair and myself next week when you get fired for "surfing profane internet sites" while at work.

While we're hoping that we get 26,000 visits at our birthday party on Saturday in Brooklyn, we'll settle for just a couple hundred of you... we've prepared quite a menu of current garage/punk talent from down home new yak and far beyond. From the New York side, we've got veteran garager Andy Maltz's new band the Piggies as well as Brooklyn's Back CCs. From California, Shannon & the Clams and their poppy house party punk (check 7" Hunk Hunt for clues), from Connecticut hazy garagers Medication (forthcoming LP on HoZac) and from Boston, Tunnel of Love and their unforgettable live show.
Not only that but guest DJ Pat-O, late of Chicago's Rocket Reducer distro, one of the best garage/punk distros to come out of the US in quite a while, plus our own Gaskins spinning punk sides. AND special guests-- one of our favorite modern garage bands, absent from NYC for over 6 months, will be making an appearance as well. All this for $6 at Don Pedro, first band at 10 and whip-tight schedule- for real!

But, we digress. Here's what else is going down this fine, warmer than average November weekend in the big city:

TONIGHT (FRIDAY):

Get started early with a very special happy hour at Lakeside Lounge: Chandler (Raunch Hands, Lost Crusaders) and longtime accomplice Vignault doing the gospel-blues thing for free while you get your buzz on. Great way to tell the work week that was where to go.

More Manhattan or die:

• Linda Rizzo's DJing up up up town at Ding Dong Lounge. Expect garage punk, free entry and booze clues.
• Josh Styles & friends take over Jonathan Toubin's perch at Home Sweet Home on Chrystie. Everybody stomp! FREE
  

Back to Brooklyn:

• Numero's Eccentric Soul Revue -- this feels a little like a Dig Deeper ripoff, but could be fun anyway-- Syl Johnson (Different Strokes! the song, not the series), the Notations, Renaldo Domino, and uh... Missy Dee (old school hip hop? ok). It's $25 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. But who are the DJs? Will they bring the dance party?
• Northhamption, Mass garagerockers Evil Bill are at Don Pedro on a bill we wouldn't otherwise investigate. $?
• Devils' Night! Finally the name of this night pays off on Friday the 13th-- Cowboy Mark and Miss Mary spin devilish 50's / 60's goodies all night at Diamond Bar in western Greenpoint (near the water)
• 60's night 'Barf-o-Rama' rides again at K&M with "Otto" Bahn and Miss January. Projections on the wall, slightly overpriced but usually strong mixed drinks, and free entry. Step on anyone with a blackberry.
• "Pop Love Suicide" - Captain Heartlock leads a rag tag team of DJs including Kittybeat and Lady Byrd at Brooklyn's Beauty Bar through sets of glam, garage, soul & psych. FREE.

SATURDAY:

Tri-State Conspiracy, Arkhams & DJ Phast Phreddie at Bowery Poetry Club for an all ages show of Ska, great DJing and psychobilly. $8 at the door.

Brooklyn's busy Girls at Dawn hit Maxwell's in Hoboken. $?

The Vondells are at Williamsburg's Spike Hill for a free show, hitting the stage around midnight.

Flip City! Jumpy and "Otto" Bahn's 60's night, marks a return at a new venue: Greenpoint's latest hotspot Blackout, on Manhattan Ave near the Greenpoint Ave G stop. It's dark inside indeed but expect these two to brighten it up a bit. Free entry.

Lynne K & DJ Honky return to Union Pool for post-midnight, no cover, DJin' and dancin' in the back room to funk & soul tunes.

Over in Manhattan, Jukebox Jodi leads her "Girls in the Garage" night to new heights at Motor City Bar. Free.

(but of course this is all moot, because you'll be at Don Pedro for our birthday, right?)

SUNDAY:

Daddy Long Legs play the remnants, possibly a burnt out shell of a building, that Don Pedro will be the day after our party. Hopefully there's still electricity and booze. $?

Gentlemen Jesse & His Men from Atlanta are supported by Girls at Dawn at Bruar Falls on Grand St in Williamsburg. $?

Michigan psych/punkers Awesome Color return to favorite haunt Glasslands for a rare appearance. $?

Dave the Spazz and/or Andy Maltz DJ Union Pool (front room).

Quite a weekend-- see you on Saturday, in lieu of gifts, bring money!

SHIMMY

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Short Days and Quiet Nights?

Welcome to the Winding down of 2009. Daylight savings, colder temperatures (maybe even a freeze in the next 10 days or so), bands unwilling to tour Eastward due to weather, gas prices and lack of a job. Yep, it's all happiness 24 hours a day here in Shiniest Place on Earth.

That said, we do know how to drown our sorrows.... wait, are you expecting something metaphorical? Fat chance, buddy-- it's TIME TO TIE ONE ON. Here's our guide to places you can get sloshed at whilst drinking in quality tunes.

TONIGHT (FRIDAY):

Those durn Japanese Rockabilly cats are at it again, chicken slacks and all, at Brooklyn's Warsaw tonight for ABC Rebel Night. There's plenty of early R'n'B and even a smidge of doowop so dig it. It's FREE, Zywiec should be the cheapie on tap and if not, challenge the bartender to a "pojedynek" (look it up poindexter!)

Over at Manhattan's Beauty Bar there's Josh Styles and his mod/freakbeat/garage night Smashed! Blocked! -- we're not aware of any guest DJs, but there's dancers and a dancefloor alternatively crowded with available singles and the late 20's/early 30's trenchcoat/blackberry mafia who want to inappropriately touch them. Depending on your level of sousedom, you can choose to engage either the former or the latter: pickup or fisticuffs. Win/Win... ? FREE

You might find Sr. Toubin at Home Sweet Home but as of "press time" no confirmation.

SATURDAY:

Todd P has picked up on the Girls at Dawn thing and has them at Market Hotel in Brooklyn. Not sure about the rest of the acts.

The Mess Around and the Arkhams are at Don Pedro. $?

Over at Harefield Road, a venue we've never covered (possibly 'cuz it's not a venue), the Piggies (Andy Maltz's new band) and the Jayvons (featuring, we believe, Dave Amels of the Reigning Sound? and someone from the Daptone crew) will be playing a rare gig in this cozy, well-lighted space with its large selection of whiskys. Harefield Road is right off the Graham L stop (rejoice! the L runs past Lorimer again!) and it will probably be packed out. Sounds pretty darn good, eh? Especially for FREE

Unsteady Freddie continues his long running ALL SURF ALL THE TIME (even Winter) at Otto's. Free.

And we believe (?!) that Jumpy and pal Girlsoul are at Huckleberry for the Soul-A-Go-Go night but a curious silence from the Jumpsters makes us unsure. Free if at all.

SUNDAY:

Liquor Store is at Silent Barn in Ridgewood. Got your car service # handy? $?
Plastic Crimewave Sound from Chicago is at Knitting Factory for a night of noisy psych-ish stuff. $?

Dave the Spazz and/or Andy Maltz @ Union Pool.

Live it! SHIMMY

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Atonement... and Salvation!

Marva Whitney digs deeper this Saturday
Yes, it's Yom Kippur on Monday, so in deference to our Jewish friends we beg forgiveness (or rather *I* do) for droppin' the ball last Friday and not telling you how to live your life over the weekend... what can I say? Some hangovers are THAT bad.

Speaking of bad hangovers, here's what's happening this weekend...

TONIGHT (Friday):

If you're a Mod or a Skin, or neither, you might like one of these events:
"Night of Oi!" at Don Pedro with the 45 Adapters and some other Oi! bands we don't know (prize for band name goes to "Ten Pints In").

The Mighty Fine open for the Slackers for "Slackfest 2009" at Bowery Ballroom. It's on the pricey side but you'll be able to dance all night and there WON'T be any flaky Northern Soul records. $15-$18 depending on how hard you get ripped on ticket fees...

For the discerning garage-r, we've got these events:

A veritable Marathon of tuneage at Trash bar with Miami's Lil' Daggers supported by the Vondells, the Heartpunchers (did someone really tell me a story that they want you to punch them in "the heart" on stage or did I dream that?), Oh No! and the Tigerpit and the Mess Around. Whew. Drink the cheap stuff all night and lay offa that whiskey or you'll wake up Saturday, Kafka-like, transformed into a tater tot. $7.

Over in Mannahatta, Real Gone welcomes Your 33 Black Angels and the Dirty Shames plus regular DJs Captain Heartlock, Kittybeat, Z et al. Otto's Shrunken Head. Free.

Also happening is Jonathan Toubin's Shakin' All Over Sideways Down at Home Sweet Home with celebrity guest cook, I mean DJ, Jon Spencer, whose presence raises the cover to $5. Whoops! Did I just knock your blackberry out of your hands?

SATURDAY:

Marva Whitney is featured at this month's Dig Deeper at its new digs, Southpaw. Marva was one of James Brown's "discoveries" and had a very fine "Sistah Funk" voice.... could be a good one. Backed up by the Sweet Divines. Wear comfortable shoes, this floor ain't wooden! $10 advance/$15 door.

The Piggies featuring Andy Maltz of Lil' Killers debut at Lakeside Lounge. Apparently they play songs that are "too dumb even for the Underthings". FREE 10pm?

Shellshag and Uzi Rash play Don Pedro. I'm told Shellshag delights the crusties out West, haven't seen 'em but they sound more indie-ish from the Myspace. $?

DJs Kittybeat & Captain Heartlock do a new dance called the "Salvation!" at the Hope Lounge on Hope St in Williamsburg (behind the Roebling Tea Room building). It's free, there's BBQ and some decent drink specials. Expect cosmic soul & glammy pop.

SUNDAY

Andy Maltz (and perhaps Dave the Spazz?) is back at Union Pool front room. Free as always.

SHIMMY
ps) next weekend is BUSY!!!

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