The earth is officially healing because DIY shows are alive and well! As traditional venues large and small remain closed or on limited capacity/schedules for the time being, backyards and rooftops dotting Brooklyn are beginning to fill the void left behind and are allowing bands to get back to playing shows. DIY is resilient and always, always, finds ways to survive and it did so during the deepest parts of the pandemic with bands moving over to livestreams and empty venue performances as well as the very occasional socially distanced outdoor show. But nothing could quite replace the feeling of being there and not just being there, but being in it and able to interact with the band and the audience in a more up close and personal way. So as that possibility becomes more and more real again and as shows begin to inch back, it is a welcome salve to tired weary spirits like mine who have needed to feel this in our very souls to survive.
One of the backyard venues to pop up recently is Putnam Palace who have been doing limited occupancy, vaccinated only shows. I unfortunately missed the first two shows, but was able to make it over for the third show which featured Rest Ashore, math emo punk from NJ, and Brooklyn based power pop trio Nihiloceros.
Rest Ashore kicked things off and played a set punctuated with frenetic drumming coupled with intricate and at times atmospheric guitar work. Playing sans bassist, they were also experimenting with backing tracks for the first time. Nihiloceros hit the ground running immediately after and there really is never a time when this band isn’t firing on all cylinders. They blasted through their set packing in enough energy for a stadium sized crowd and singer Mike Borchardt didn’t hold back at all, jumping and running around with unbridled joy. They performed several of their staple songs and debuted newer work that is slotted to be on their upcoming album due out later in the summer.
Both bands were like a light in a storm, a bandage to bruised but still beating heart and I for one am excited to see how the DIY scene in NYC continues to thrive and survive as the rest of 2021 progresses.
Scroll down for pics from the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
REST ASHORE
NIHILOCEROS
