After the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that cruelly abolished Roe V. Wade and restricted safe and legal access to millions who need abortion care, grassroots organizations will be an extremely vital lifeline to help provide funds and other support for those seeking abortions. Benefit shows have long been a means to help raise funds and awareness for myriad causes when the government fails us and musicians have already begun to step up to help, donating their time and talents to various abortion access organizations.
For this show, FTP and Adhoc teamed with Margaret Glaspy, Katy Kirby, Lola Kirke, and Charlene Kaye (who was initially announced as a secret surprise guest due to her having another NYC show soon afterwards), along with DJ sets from Sadie Dupuis and Adi Oasis, to present a benefit show for The Brigid Alliance which provides travel, food, lodging, child care and other logistical support for people seeking abortions.
On why they wanted to play the benefit Kirby stated “offering resources, connections, and cold hard cash is the most decent (and also only decent) thing we could do for another person in crisis, and the Brigid Alliance obviously knows how to do this well.” Oasis also added, “it is vital that women have the right to make their own decisions about our bodies. It’s the most fundamental right we can demand, and one we will not relinquish. If the government tries to stand in the way of any woman’s right to determine what’s best for their bodies and their families, all of us — men and women alike — must rise up and take action to protect these women. I’m honored to support the Brigid Alliance who is doing exactly this.”
Ahead of the benefit, Glaspy shared a new song “My Body, My Choice,” saying it is “a song of protest. Taking away resources from people who need abortions only leaves them with unsafe alternatives, and no one should be forced to experience that. It is absolutely necessary for any person who can give birth to consent to their own pregnancy. It feels absurd that we are still fighting this fight, but here we are. It’s your body, so it should be your choice.” A portion of the proceeds from the single will also go towards supporting The Brigid Alliance. She played the song and most of her new record at the show along with the b-side “Heart Shape” which was released earlier this year and got the audience singing along.
The benefit was a resounding success and raised over $6,000 at the time of this writing. If you would like to make a donation to support the work of The Brigid Alliance you can do so here.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Edwina Hay)
black midi just released their brand new album, Hellfire, and made a few stops in the US in support of it before heading right back to Europe for more festival dates. On this very quick trip they played three shows in the States, including a free show at Central Park SummerStage on Sunday 7/24. The sweltering heat wave that had engulfed the city didn’t slow the band down at all or the very excited fans, who reveled in the band’s unique blend of noisy, jazz-twinged indie math rock. Hitting seven of the album’s ten tracks, they also mashed a cover of LCD Soundsystem’s “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House” into an intro of “Eat Men Eat,” changing it of course to “black midi is Playing Central Park.” Free ice cream and ice pops were given out at their merch tent which saw long lines of enthusiastic fans throughout the night.
The lineup for the show was an eclectic mix, with a stand up set from SNL featured player Sarah Squirm kicking off the night. Her set was aided by a number of visuals and leaned hard into the body horror comedy she is known for. She also led a guided meditation (with help from Bonnie Baxter from Kill Alters) that was, shall we say, definitely interesting and just a little bit bizarre. She was followed by Sal “The Voice” Valentinetti of America’s Got Talent fame. He performed a set of classic standards like “New York, New York,” “I’m Just A Gigilo,” and “My Way,” delighting the audience who chanted “SAL! SAL! SAL! SAL!” at the conclusion of his set. A mosh pit also broke out which may just have been a first for the lovable crooner from Bethpage.
black midi setlist: 953, Speedway, Welcome to Hell, Sugar/Tzu, The Race Is About to Begin, Lumps, Still, Eat Men Eat, Chondromalacia Patella, John L, Faster Amaranta, The Defence, 27 Questions, Slow
Like many anniversary tours that were originally scheduled for 2020 but forced to postpone because of the pandemic, Circle Jerks 40th anniversary tour to celebrate their 1980 album Group Sex was a long time coming after it was initially announced. Setbacks from the pandemic and band members testing positive after the tour commenced didn’t stop them from finally reaching New York this past week though, and they tore through a packed 33 song set on back to back nights at Irving Plaza. They played the same set both nights and hit every song from Group Sex (except interestingly enough the title track) and numerous other classics from their catalog.
To round out the bill, they played with bands that were their contemporaries in the early 80s punk landscape, hardcore greats Negative Approach and 7 Seconds, both of whom were recently in NYC at TV Eye after the tour had postponements due to Keith Morris testing positive for Covid.
All the setbacks and delays aside, fans were overjoyed to finally see all three bands together in action and from the looks on their faces at the show and how active the crowd was, it was well worth the wait. See vids, setlist and pics below.
Setlist: Deny Everything, Letterbomb, In Your Eyes, Stars and Stripes, Back Against the Wall, Behind the Door, I Just Want Some Skank, Beverly Hills, When the Shit Hits the Fan, Under the Gun, Trapped, Coup d’etát, Wild In The Streets, Moral Majority, Don’t Care, Live Fast Die Young, Paid Vacation, Junk Mail, Parade of the Horribles, Casualty Vampire, I I & I, Leave Me Alone, I Don’t, The Crowd, Beat Me Senseless, World Up My Ass, Operation, Wasted, High Price on Our Heads, Red Tape.
Encore: I Wanna Destroy You (The Soft Boys cover), What’s Your Problem, Question Authority
Hello and welcome to FTA’s list of what we are excited for this Bandcamp Friday, aka every music nerds favorite day! A few of us weighed in on what we’ve been into lately and we’ve got a nice selection goodies we think you should check out. This Bandcamp Friday is in honor of Juneteenth and will mark the 3rd year that the company will be donating 100% of their share from downloads to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (read Bandcamp’s full statement). BC Friday will skip August before returning September 2nd, and following through on the first Friday of each month until the end of the year.
Tell us what you dug and what you downloaded in the comments.
Kate Hoos- Editor In Chief
BLKVAPOR– Vaporising. There’s a lot to BLKVAPOR’S sound—emo, punk, noise—and it all coalesces into something that is uniquely them. This Baltimore based outfit also puts on an explosive and enthralling live performance and are without a doubt a band you need to be keeping your eyes and ears on.
Keefchamber– DIMO. I saw this two piece sludgey doom metal band last summer at a house show in NJ and they shook the fucking walls from start to finish. There may only be two of them, and no guitars in the band, but their sound is gigantic, a slow and demanding dirge that relies solidly on droning, heavily distorted bass lines. They also make no bones about their love of green, with many of their song titles and artwork referencing the bud. At least a few times a month ever since that show I’ve wondered aloud “when will I get to see this band again?!” and would very much like to change my drought in having seen them again this summer. They have scant few releases online but I’m also hoping that changes soon too.
Sons Of Kemet– Lest We Forget What We Came Here To Do. This formidable UK jazz group recently announced that they be “closing this chapter of the band’s existence for the foreseeable future” after they wrap up their 2022 touring commitments (likely because all four members of the group are busy with many other collaborations and solo work). While this is disappointing for sure, I am glad the members are continuing with a variety of other things and am especially glad I got a chance to see them a few months ago at Webster Hall for a spectacular night of expressive and contemplative jazz fusion. They leave behind a legacy of four exceptional albums, including this, their 2015 opus. They will play their final NYC show on 7/31 at Central Park Summer Stage.
###– Nasilno. I very recently discovered this Croatian instrumental post hardcore/noise/atmospheric rock band via a music group on Facebook. While it’s not good for much these days, Facebook does manage to come through in this department and I do enjoy the few groups I’m in on there to discover old and new things alike, this one being a big standout for me. I’ve long loved instrumental music and getting lost in the different textures and sounds in a way that I can’t find myself doing with music that contains vocals and lyrics. This is on the fast track to becoming one of my favorite releases of 2022. And if you were wondering how to say this bands name, apparently it is “pronounced” by hitting a random object three times.
Kevin McGann- Contributing Photographer
Failure– Wild Type Droid. This alt rock cult favorite from the 90’s is back on tour to support their latest full length album and will be playing Warsaw on Friday 6/24.
Fortezza– Windmill. Some post-punk garage rock courtesy of North Carolina and currently on tour.
GOAT– Requiem. Swedish experimental psych rock at its finest – GOAT’s last full length release.
Kapput– Carnage Hall. Glasgow 6-piece that combines post-punk percussive beats with keys, sax and swagger and have been touring with Squid.
Mike Borchardt- Live Correspondent
Bartees Strange– Wretched. Bartees Strange has received no shortage of accolades from the biggest press publications and successes on the biggest stages these past two years, and that’s simply due to the fact that he remains so damn authentic. “Wretched,” the latest single off his brand new record Farm to Table is just that. Bartees has always surrounded himself with people who keep him honest, and he reflects that right back to his audience with rich sounds and warm textures that are unassuming and just connect on every fiber of the human experience. It’s nerdy. It’s real. And it’s strange.
Ganser– People Watching. My earworm love affair with Ganser started a few years ago. As a fellow Chicagoan, I am partial to Chicago bands, especially when they are awesome. Their new single “People Watching” is dark and driving seemingly effortless and ambivalent in its catchiness. The angular movements poke and prod in all the right places. They’re the kind of band that makes you want to buy a t-shirt and continue to wear it long past laundry day.
War Violet– Get Away. From the imagination of Jummy Aremu, War Violet has evolved over a handful of years, functioning almost as a fly-over of the beauty and truth in musical experience. Compressing both time and reality, what once started as an almost 1960s Nico-esque folk solo project has expanded its sound to include a collective of orchestral textures on their upcoming record.
Supercrush– Melody Maker. Supercrush puts out catchy power pop in the 90’s indie mold similar to bands like The Lemonheads, GBV, Teenage Fanclub and Superchunk. Closer to home, and more recently, they also remind me a lot of Brooklyn’s Dead Stars (anyone know if they’re still around?).
Anyways, Supercrush put out one of my favorite albums of 2020 with SODO Pop, and a couple of weeks ago they dropped Melody Maker, an EP which strictly speaking, simply does not disappoint. The band has a knack for hook infused catchy power pop and they do a fantastic job at sticking to the known formula that clearly works. Check them out.
Hello and welcome to FTA’s list of what we are excited for this Bandcamp Friday, aka every music nerds favorite day! A bunch of us weighed in on what we’ve been into lately and we’ve got lots of goodies old and new (check out our picks from April). But don’t take our word for it, dive into these tracks/albums and judge for yourself. Feel free to let us know what you think and tell us your suggestions.
Kate Hoos- Editor In Chief
Gloin– I saw this Canadian band open for Snapped Ankles and few months back (see pics here) which was my introduction to their dark, noisey, synthy ways. I loved their live set and have been exploring their recorded catalog since while I anxiously await their return to NYC.
Rat Chasm– Baby. This is a live recording that is a little rough but that’s no matter because it showcases the strength this band has and I’ve been loving this raw slice of chaos from these Chicago noise punks.
Regret– S/T. D-beat hardcore from Hong Kong, this EP is tough as nails. Complete with warp speed tempos, chugging breakdowns, and duel vocals. This is the band’s debut release, it packs a strong, political punch and I’m ready for more.
Beeyotch– Right Behind You. This albumi s like the party at Debbie Harry’s Lower East Side apartment you wish you got invited to in 1979. Equal parts New Wave and Art Punk with a touch of Nico whimsy, this record somehow feels both extremely NYC retro and Brooklyn current at the same time. But it also feels like 10 years ago. And it’s probably what I’m listening to right now and 5 years from now. It’s timeless, Beeyotch.
Frida Kill– EP 1. I know this EP and this band are a favorite of this blog, but I wanted a chance to add to their praises. DIY feminist punk in the truest way, it deftly rotates it’s cast’s roles to seamlessly tell a story we all need to hear. Lo-fi but splashed in polish, it harkens back to a sound employed by bands like X over 40 years ago, but feels extremely current. Frida Kill expertly weaves infectious pop hooks into a bed of dark sonic tension, and their clever lyrics also strike a similar balance. The EP feels like hanging out and chatting with your friends, because we all have someone in our life that is Frida Kill. In this dude’s humble opinion, we need more bands like Frida Kill to tell all the different women’s stories today, not just in NYC but everywhere.
Nick AD- Contributing Writer
Adiós Amores– Sus Mejores Canciones. Surf, psych, lounge, and flamenco converge on this infectious record from this duo out of Seville, Spain.
The French Tips– All the Rage. Run—do not walk, do not pass Go—to preorder the latest from this phenomenal Boise quartet. Due out next week, the 4 singles have been incredible: dark, hazy, loud, dynamic, just fuckin’ good.
The Klittens– Citrus.Very catchy indie, pop, punk out of The Netherlands.
The Surfrajettes– Roller Fink. Long-awaited long-player from one of the best surf outfits around right now. Half super cool originals, half rad covers, a perfect instrumental party record if you dig the surf rock.
The Veldt– Electric Revolution (Rhythm & Drone). Hell yeah! New Veldt! These longtime shoegazers sound good and fresh as ever.
