What’s the good word, sisters and misters? We’ve made it to the weekend and not a moment too soon: it’s finally starting to feel like the season we’re supposed to be in, and accordingly it’s another weekend stacked with choice happenings bursting forth like pollen into your scene! Sakura! CHECK IT:

Friday April 26th

Grand Victory is the site of a one two punch of loud raucous fun tonight:

• Starting at 8pm is an all out power brawl featuing M.O.T.O. , The Recordettes (celebrating the release of their first 7 inch on Front Teeth Records), The Bamboo Kids  (celebrating a double LP on Drug Front Records) and the daddy of power pop himself, The Paul Colins Beat! Tony Lofi, Ana Anabolic and Bradley Dean (playing drums with M.O.T.O.) are you DJs…Doors are at 7pm and it’ s$10 to get in
• If you stick around you’re in for TRASH from Finger Lickin’ Friday! Charles Gaskins is out of town this weekend so Drew has to play nice with someone else, that someone being Phil No, owner of Otha’s Cafe and a regular DJ on East Village Radio…Prizes, stupid drinks, Brooklyn Baby Doll’s gyrations and assorted hijinks await…no cover after 11!

Out at casa de loco Don Pedro, Dead Flowers and Knighthawk Productions present a loud affair in the form of live rock and roll from Sorceress, 45 Adapters and The Brought Low … Mr. Lee is on deck spinning boss sounds between bands and into the night…$8 cover, 9pm doors…

Back to Manhattan:

You can find little old me at my monthly rumble Real Gone! at Otto’s Shrunken Head, where I’ll be spinning heavy psych, sunshine pop, garage punk, soul and other weirdness from the best decade ever with my compatriots KittyBeat, Xerox and very special guest, the girl who founded the night herself, Miss January 1963…with live wild rockness in the accursed Tiki Room by Shiksa (1opm) , Wizard Sex (11pm) and shoegaze soul brothers The Veldt at midnight! Everything is happening at 10pm and it’s ZERO dollars for all that fun…you’re on your own as far as the giggling juice goes…

Unbelievably, the Friday Night Staple, the oasis of cool in the questionable sea that is lower Manhattan on a Friday night, Shakin’ All Over Under Sideways Down, is celebrating it’s 5th anniversary tonight! Go toast it up to the man Jonathan Toubin and dance to his wild selections of rock and soul from 11pm till they turn up the bright lights…it’s his last one for a month before he flies off for a whirlwind tour across the pond, an amazing secret guest DJ is promised as well…$5 before 11pm and after 3am…

La La Linda is back on her perch at the upper west sides prime dive-haunt The Ding Dong Lounge, making boring people cry and dance to wild psych, funk and soul music from 1opm till the end, with VJ Linear Progression providing the video to your soundtrack…no cover!

Saturday April 27th

Huge Cavestomp show tonight at Grand Victory featuring some of the true heavyweights of the modern scene: starting off at 9pm with the girl-pop duo Satin Kittens, followed by The Jay Vons, The Lyres, The Woggles and Thee Mighty Fevers from Japan doing a late night set… Hip! Once again Tony LoFi and Anna Anabolic DJ between and after bands…$12 cover…

It’s time for your monthly taste sensation, for your ears, Le Crunch! Josh Styles and Sophie Thunder spin the finest glitter rock and 50′s bop from 9pm till the end of the night, joined by guest Dave Ready of Sorceress! With live performances by New York City’s own Mr. Showbiz himself Breedlove and the twang and roll of Alana Amram! Only a $5 buck cover for all that sparkles…

All the ghouls and gals assemble at Otto’s Shrunken Head for Thee Midnight Monster Hop! Mike Decay and Mike Mortician spin the prime trash:  rockabilly, r&b, frat rock and brat garage records for filthy minds and souls all night from 9pm… no bands tonight so the Tiki Room belongs to the prancers! No cover…

It’s the April edition of Another Scorcher! Miss Gemini and Ursa Major always kill it with their unimpeachable selection of classic Jamaican soul and reggae wax…and it gets even more killer tonight when they are joined by none other than Phast Phreddie, The Boogaloo Omnibus! Only at Downtown Brooklyn’s Last Exit, from 10pm till the end…No cover!

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That’s a warp…I mean wrap! Enjoy the lovely weather and cut a rug…                                                                                                         -Captain Heartlock

This past weekend was a perfect example. Friday’s line up brought up The Electric Mess, Paul Caporino (of M.O.T.O.), Light Bulb Alley, The Bambook Kids and The Mess Around. Saturdays showcased Shaw Nuff (a band of garage music veterans originally formed as a tribute band to the late Greg Shaw of Bomb records) and Chris Such and the Savages (members of the 80s NYC garage band The Headless Horsemen playing under their beat/R&B combo alter ego).

As always, more shots can be found here.

-Jeff

Show Me The Way

Oh weekend, how we’ve missed you, and clearly you miss us because you give so much without taking. It’s another one of those “which way do I go, George, which way do I go???” weekends where there’s just so much quality trouble to choose from – and the weather is drop dead gorgeous to boot! And for once Saturday has even more going on than Friday! Well, you are all tough boys and girls, so tighten up your wigs, button your garters, and steel your livers!

Friday May 11th

Show of the night goes to the folks behind the resurgent series of parties under the banner of Cavestomp, tonight over at Parkside Lounge on East Houston Street: kicking off at 8pm it’s the long awaited return of  psycho-soul garagepunk witches The Electric Mess (of which I am a proud member, end of disclaimer), a solo performance by Paul Caporino of legendary New Orleans garagepunk group M.O.T.O. (more on that on Saturday!) lo-fi dirty garagers Light Bulb Alley,the Drugfront Records signed Bamboo Kids and The Mess Around! Top to bottom, it’s a kick to your soul’s gall bladder and a punch in your sad! All the bands, in that order, with strict start times and a measly $6 dollar cover…

Oh happy day: fresh off his huge joyous smash of a welcome home party last weekend at Brooklyn Bowl, the mythical beast Jonathan Toubin returns to his party Shakin’ All Over Under Sideways Down at Home Sweet Home…the man ain’t missed a beat. You know the score, he’s on from 11pm till close rocking all those wicked soul, R&B and garage 45′s for a $3 cover…tonight as a special treat for happy hour it’s none other than dance fanatic and now best selling pulp mystery novelist Jumpy spinning garage and soul from 8pm till 11!

Not much farther away at Motor City you’ve got Gories / Dirtbombs man Mick Collins spinning rock and roll for all the sharks from 10pm till close…no cover for that one…

As always on a Friday night, La La Linda is making it alright at The Ding Dong Lounge, spinning garage punk classics, summertime psych, sensuous soul and funk from 10pm till close…

Saturday May 12th

I’m just going to use the words from the promoter’s mouth as they summed this up the best: “Psychedelic sounds, garage reverberations, druggy Americana, spaghetti-western cinematic spacescapes” – yes, YES to ALL of that. For once, a good reason to be at Lit on the weekend comes to us in the form of an outstanding bill featuring the haunted talents of  Spindrift, Weird Owl, Twin Guns and The Strangers Family Band…first act hits at 9pm and you’re going on one hell of a trip for a mere $6 dollars…

Wow, these guys don’t stop ever! I applaud. A SECOND Cavestomp show this weekend back at Parkside Lounge: check out 60′s garage and mod obscurities cover band Shaw’Nuff, a supergroup that comprises various members of The Headless Horsemen, The Left Banke, The Brimstones and The Grip Weeds, amongst others! They are first at 8:30 and followed by Chris Such and The Savages, which is pretty much most of The Headless Horsemen in of itself…I’m thinking this will also be a $6 cover, or maybe free? Find out!

Another Saturday night, another rager at the natural home for all things fuzzy and savage Don Pedro: it’s a new party called Rockerville Strikes Back, with a bill kicking off at 9pm with Foster Care opening, followed by 1-800 Band, Midnight Creeps and a ultra rare appearance by the aforementioned M.O.T.O. ! With Mr. Tony Lo-Fi spinning in between and after sets and an $8 cover for one for the ages…

Over at Cakeshop: tonight it’s the psych-roots-band of gypsy hobos Your 33 Black Angels performing: they are headliners and are preceded by two heady, touring acts:  a band that encapsulates the “Haight Ashbury” era of sound, psych band Sky Picnic and Boston’s acid harmony trio Sand Reckoner! Doors at 8pm, $7 cover…

Come say bon voyage to the soul punk kings Mighty Fine before they embark for a tour of the land of “pip pip cheerio fish and chips football oi! sweetey darling” (If I’ve offended any Brits reading this, it’s only out of love)! They are joined on guitar by Mick Collins and headline a bill featuring the baroque disco sexbots Discovery and girl gang a go-go Crazy Pills, with Leah from The Nouvellas spinning all kinds of sick records between bands! 8pm doors, $8 cover…

Onto DJ gigs, chief of which tonight is the long awaited return of The Soul Clap Dance Off! Jonathan Toubin is back in the saddle slinging high octane soul and R&B 45′s while all the kids do their best to shake it to make it, competing for a $100 cash grand prize and a $75 Metropolis Vintage gift certificate! And even better, Phast Phreddie appears as guest DJ to boot! The party starts at 11, the contest is on at 1am (filled with select judges from the scene) and you’d best make sure to stake your place on the dance floor as I expect Glasslands to fill to capacity with sweaty lovers…not sure of the cover, but count on at least $8…

DJ C’Mon is your surest bet to not hear horrible top 4o music in the East Village on a Saturday night – nay, she is your your salvation, your bastion of garage rock, power pop and punk at whisky palace Idle Hands! No cover from 1opm till close…

Lovers of exotica, soul jazz (and we aren’t talking pretentious and inaccessible college jazz here) wah wah guitars, Hammond organ jams, tribal beats, international go go and grind, Latin grooves, bossa nova, all that good stuff that rich hipsters from the 50′s would shag and frug to – get thee to Zebulon for Let’s Boogaloo! Your captain’s of the high coolness for the evening are Ol’ Stark, Kamui (Hot Peas and Butta from Japan) and Popwell (Take My Tuesdays/Living For Kicks)…I suspect the Boogaloo Omnibus may stop by later on…10pm till 4am, and come to dance!

If you’re at that bad ass Mighty Fine show there’s no reason to go running out the door at the drop of the last note, as Jumpy and Big Sir immediately follow the live jams with another edition of Soul A Go-Go! They are going for high frantic right off the bat, non stop soul and 45′s for rump shaking all night from 11ish till close…

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Great Googly Moogly, that is some fucking weekend. I am exhausted just writing all that.

Enjoy each and every moment that is your night and your life, child…                                                                                                                                   Captain Heartlock

Instead of starting this post with my usual idiocy I really want to push the show on Tuesday at Bar Matchless. It’s a fundraiser for Juliet Dostalek, the Bar Matchless bartender who was hit by a car last month. Please come! You can also donate via PayPal by sending a contribution to tulipsforjuleps@gmail.com

Monday

Captain Heartlock and Professor Z spin Garage Rock and Soul music at the Monday Night Burlesque at Public Assembly. Apparently you can mention “oz” to get $8 admission. That’s $2 less than the usual cover, and lord knows that less cover is a big part of why you’re there, so be sure to mention “oz“!

Tuesday

Check out a very special Hot Dog! at Bar Matchless. This week it’ll be a fundraiser for Bar Matchless bartender Juliet, who was in a terrible accident last month and needs help paying her continuing medical expenses. God Fires Man and other bands will be performing in the back room. As this is a fundraiser, there is a required minimum donation of $10. There will also be the mandatory raffle with prizes including the mandatory gift certificates, Yankees/Mets tickets, and at least one bigger prize. As always DJs will spin Garage Rock, Soul, R&B and the bartenders will serve 2-for-1 well drinks.

Also of note, Jonathan Richman (of Modern Lovers fame) starts a two-night stand at Bowery Ballroom. His music is all over the map, but includes plenty rock-n-roll. If you’re in a dancin’ mood instead, check out Lost & Found at Savalas for a free evening of dancing to Soul, Funk and Latin music.

Wednesday

If ya’ missed him last night, Jonathan Richman plays at Bowery Ballroom again tonight. Also tonight, Copycat bring us Devo covers night at Otto’s Shrunken Head. The Arkhams and Dead Phones perform as Devo, and DJ Xerox spins Devo covers, remixes, and other crazy stuff. The lucky people of New Jersey can also catch the wicked punk rock of M.O.T.O. and Midnight Creeps at Asbury Lanes.

In the mood for a free party? Then head to Manhattan and check out New York Night Train as its guest DJs spin Punk and Garage rock at the Motor City Bar. Or maybe you’d prefer to chill with Mr. Fine Wine as he spins Soul music at his weekly gig at Botanica.

Thursday

The mystery of the old Knitting Factory continues to grow as raunchy rockers Hunx & His Punx perform there Thursday night with Celtic-goth rockers Salem and Bounce rapper Sissy Nobby. It’s the “Butt Magazine Party” (like Bust Magazine for men?) Everything nice and clear now? So anyway, for the slightly less adventurous, Sweden’s Stupidity perform at Don Pedro “bar and lounge” (classy, huh?) with The Jadewalkers and The Siberians. All three bands exist somewhere in the garage-punk universe. Presented by How Swede It Is (punsters after my own heart!)

Brooklyn is also the epicenter of the garagepunk-dance-party universe Thursday night. Rock out to garage-punk, psych and glam at Thursday Night Thump at Enids! Sway to the sounds of Soul music at the Thursday Boogaloo Shampoo at Beauty Bar Brooklyn! Boogie down with Garage, Surf and Rockabilly music with Swimsuit Edition at Savalas! If you don’t you are boring!

The nights are gettin’ shorter. Better take advantage of every minute.

Marcus