A little over a week ago I went to a show at The Broadway to see Tits Dick Ass. They were on a ticket with Violet Grove, a melodic rock band I’d never heard before. The band was pretty good and I knew I wanted to see them again at some point, so I went to Gold Sounds this past Wednesday to check them out.
The band Tiger Toy went on first with their own brand of pop punk. They have the classic bratty punk sound I love with a hint of Le Tigre charm. At times it felt like the singing was on the verge of rapping, which was unique and refreshing to hear. I also liked their cheeky storytelling, highlighted by call-and-return singing between the bassist and drummer. Overall the band was pretty creative, catchy, and fun to watch (something I’m finding more and more common in two-piece bands).
Next was Mx Lonely, a local shoegaze band that drew me in with their new single “TV Suicide”. Their music is loud, dissonant, and fuzzy—just like I like it. Their singer Jake Harms sang on his tippy toes from behind an elaborate pedalboard while the rest of the band co-created a beautiful clash of noise and sound. I’m glad they have a number of shows coming up because their songs are well-layered and I’m excited to see where they take their music next.
Violet Grove played last with songs that sounded familiar from the last time I saw them, except this time I walked into it more intentionally and really got to enjoy each song. The band brings a Mazzy Star-like sound with sweet high notes on guitar and bass lines that seem to compliment while following their own path. They also have a dynamic range that makes it easy to distinguish each song as its own storyline—some slow and melancholic while others are dreamy and danceable. While I’ve seen Violet Grove twice, I get a feeling that there’s much more to their songs than I can digest in a live setting alone so I’m really looking forward to hearing their music recorded. That said,I’m happy to keep showing up in person until then.
Violet Grove
Overall I’m glad I went to this show and I’m curious to see what else pops up at Gold Sounds. While it’s a small bar-style venue like many others around the city, there’s something about this one that’s particularly welcoming and I’d want to come back to.
Last month I somehow ended up on the set of a music video shoot for Tits Dick Ass’s song “Girlfriend from Hell.” While the band doesn’t have any recorded songs out, and the video is still forthcoming, I loved their energy and their music from that day got stuck in my head big time. So I thought I’d check out their 8/16 show at Arlene’s Grocery.
They opened up with a boppy lineup of punk songs, including “Girlfriend from Hell” and many others—all aggressively danceable and gender-inclusive. Their bassist filled the space with his chaotic cowboy presence and Julia Pierce yelled her heart out. The crowd was dancing/moshing and having a good time. The venue was small but the vibes were “bussin” as the kids say these days.
The second opener was Plastic, a local emo band with a twist. Their singer uses a lot of vibrato and almost reminds me of a glam rock singer with a Courtney Love aesthetic. I appreciate that this makes them unique while midwestern emo-like chord progressions and lyrics ground them in an emo sound. The crowd loved them and danced to songs like “Situational Psychosis” which you can find here on Soundcloud.
Last was Posterboy 2000, a one-man handcore band with a heavy hyperpop influence. He set the stage with his impressively simple rig—an iPhone and a microphone. Questions, the sole band member of PB2K, started the first track and yelled into the crowd with hardcore vigor and eventually got on the floor to encite chaos. He actually almost got kicked out, but nevertheless persisted to the end.
You can find more by PB2K on all streaming platforms and at shows around the city.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Juliette Boulay)
Market Hotel hosted bands Horse Jumper of Love, Babehoven, and Sadurn this past week for a night of slow rock, indie folk, and feelings. I had high hopes for this show and they were met with deeply genuine lyrics and sounds to soak in earplug-free. Brooklyn was the lineup’s second to last stop on tour and I’m so glad I could be there for it.
Sadurn opened up the night with tracks off their debut album Radiator. The first thing I noticed was their singer G DeGroot’s voice, honest and cozy; then drummer Amelia Swain smiling at her bandmates through the first song. Something about their presence as people and autumnal folk sound kind of blew me away.
I knew they were good before the show, but not this good. I guess I hadn’t given them my full attention before since indie folk usually isn’t my thing; I’m a slowcore and noise rock kind of girl. But something about standing in front of a live band gets you to really hear what a band has to say through the airwaves.
Sadurn’s performance felt like diner coffee off a small town road; like warm cinnamon coursing through your veins. The audience sang along, something rare for an opening band at an intimate venue. The crowd even shushed people chatting in the back to make sure they could hear every second. I was impressed and excited for the band to get so much love.
Needless to say I’m a big fan now and I’m sure they made many more during their set. If you haven’t yet, I’d highly recommend listening to their debut album Radiator. My favorite track is “Special Power.”
Sadurn
Next up was another indie folk group, Babehoven, hailing from Hudson, NY. Led by couple Maya Bon and Ryan Albert, this group brought DIY farmcore vibes. Their music was soft, kind, and evoked more inter-crowd shushing so we could all get the full effect. Their performance was natural and laid back, like something you might hear played in a community garden amongst friends in crocs.
Babehoven captured the audience just like Sadurn did before. Their songs were soft, healing, and performed with ease. The band set such a steady tone that the whole set felt a bit like a meditation. I enjoyed hearing them bring the calm of the calm of the Hudson Valley to New York City’s hectic space. Market Hotel literally has a subway running right outside of the stage window, but the venue was chilled and sweet throughout Babehoven’s set—something we could all use here in the city.
Once Babehoven laid down their last melody, I knew I had to stay up front for Horse Jumper of Love. I only discovered this band a few months ago when the venue posted about them and the name sounded compelling. Since then Horse Jumper has become my top listened-to artist of 2022—I’ve listened to them for 17 hours according to Apple Music (don’t judge me). I even reserved a roll and a half of film just for them. What I’m trying to say is that i’m quite partial to this band and all their powerful work.
Babehoven
Horse Jumper of Love began with several songs off their newest album Natural Part. Their set was straight-forward with every song sounding just as good live as it does recorded. Vocalist Dimitri Giannopoulos sang his intensely poetic lyrics while the crowd sang them back. Jamie Vadala-Doran drummed like a man made of water and fellow band members played in tandem. I often wear earplugs since I see so much live music, but I had to take them out this time. Some music is worth the hearing loss.
Horse Jumper ended their set with two fan-favorites— “Ugly Brunette” and “Orange Peeler.” The crowd went from singing to yelling in excitement and my brain went from grey matter to goo. In short, the band was as great as I’d hoped and I’d gladly see them again.
Horse Jumper of Love
While this tour is over, you can find all three of these incredible bands on all streaming platforms and follow them on Instagram (links above).
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Juliette Boulay)
An assemblage of queer post-punk bands played at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn on August 7th— Bat House, Thus Love, and Flossing. All loud and proud in their own rite, they put on a show to be remembered. There was a sense of community in the air, dancing (yes dancing, not moshing), and a general sense of openness that intimate venues like The Sultan Room bring to the table.
The first opener was Flossing, a two-piece led by Heather Elle (who’s also in noise-punk band Weeping Icon). Elle is a force with poetic lyrics that often use social media and ecommerce functionalities to comment on today’s clout-chasing culture and capitalism as a whole. Her vocals and bass mixed with James Maclay’s poppy percussion led the crowd in sex-positive songs like “Switch” and cheeky bops like “Men on the Menu”. Flossing had a really tight set overall that felt both intimate and just like their recordings. Dancable, bold, and a unique blend of feminist fury and fun.
While this was Flossing’s first live show, it was powerful and felt so natural. The pair commanded the crowd’s attention, delivered a tight performance, and conveyed an infectious passion for what they do.
The show continued on with Thus Love, a band from Brattleboro, VT. The band has two super catchy singles out off their upcoming album, Memorial, so I was excited to see them from the get-go. Their set was really fun, energetic, and matched the excitement of everyone there to support them. Singer & guitarist Echo Mars killed it, flouncing and strutting around the stage without skipping a beat while bassist Nathaniel van Osdol and drummer Lu Racine kept it rolling steady.
After listening to Thus Love more recently and seeing them live, I can see why outlets like Rolling Stone and Rough Trade have been writing about them. They have a unique sound and their songs are really well-written.
Thus Love
You can check out their singles here and pre-save Memorial. If you like Tears for Fears or just want something new to get stuck in your head, I’d highly recommend giving them a listen.
Thus Love cleared the stage to open it up for headlining band, Bat House. This group came down from Boston to play a set of post-punk tunes with diverse intonations. Some songs felt jammy while others seemed influenced by Beach House. I loved their sonic range, watching the crowd dance to the music, and seeing their friend chill on the back of the stage while enthusiastically playing maracas for every song.
Bat House
The show was generally dope and I’m glad I went. A lot of local bands showed up to support and it was nice to be around the warm sense of community.
For more events like this, you can check out The Sultan Room’s event page here and follow the bands linked above.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Juliette Boulay)
I found the Natural Born Kissers show at Elsewhere Zone 1 the way I find a lot of shows—by looking through venue calendars and listening to upcoming bands until I find something I like. And lately I’ve been big on indie and shoegaze so this lineup was super appealing to me.
The show was openned up by Lola Star, an NYC-based shoegaze band with a couple members from another dreamy rock band, waveform*. I was interested in seeing this band in particular after hearing their self-titled EP that came out last year. Their sound has the classic dissonance of bedroom pop and ringing high notes reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine. While I’m sad I got there a little too late to see their entire set, I did enjoy their performance and would see them again.
As for the second act, Big Girl, I wasn’t sure of what to expect at first. They only have one song on streaming platforms at the moment so it was hard to grasp how their performance might sound. In retrospect, I’m really glad I got to see the group with fresh eyes; they’re a theatrical force and you can really only feel their full effect in a live setting. Made complete with cherry red vinyl and platform crocs, they put on an amazing show.
Big Girl
Big Girl’s act is campy, electric, and gives Rocky Horror Picture Show energy. With choreographed dancing and saturated stage outfits, I almost felt like this show could be taken to Broadway. I loved how unique their set was and the dynamic energy singer Kaitlin Pelkey brought to each and every track.
If you’d like to see Big Girl perform, you can find them at The Broadway in Brooklyn on Sat 8/20 for their “Summer Sickness” single release. You can pre-save the track here, as well.
Headlining band Natural Born Kissers went on last. Their performance was angsty and infectiously sweet, something to be expected from their self-described “picnic punk” genre. Singer Mika Itkin-Weinstein hopped around in a yellow cottage-core dress and pigtails while her bandmates grounded the stage. The crowd echoed their energy right back and it felt a bit like a homecoming. This made sense as it was their first show since 2019—and they made an inspiring comeback. Everyone knew the words, Itkin-Weinstein killed the performance with her shoes off, and the crowd got the band to do an encore. The real kind where they had to ask the sound crew to turn the stage back on.
Natural Born Kissers
They played a number of songs and included their new single, “thing I do when I’m alone.” The band also covered “Sweet Jane” by The Velvet Underground with the help of lyrics written in a small, picnic-friendly notebook.
While I’m not sure of who to compare them to in terms of active bands, they do remind me a bit of early No Doubt. Whether you’re a No Doubt fan or just want to hear a band with their own distinct sound, I’d suggest giving Natural Born Kissers a listen if you haven’t already.
Natural Born Kissers “things i do when i’m alone”
Listen to their new single above and find it on all streaming platforms. Follow them on Instagram to find out when they play next.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Juliette Boulay)
