by Kate Hoos | Mar 8, 2022
TVOD at The Sultan Room (photo by Kate Hoos)
There’s no salve in the world like the rock n roll show and I was more than ready for this night having come from a long and irritating day at work before arriving at the Sultan Room. That was quickly forgotten as soon as I walked through those doors to see friends and performers I love, immersing myself in an oasis of guitars and good times.
Tilden opened the night with a set of groovy, funky indie rock that quickly set the tone for the rest of the night— high energy and fun. I had been previously unfamiliar with them but very much enjoyed their infectious stage presence. The band will next head to SXSW to bring their bold sound to the clubs of Austin.
Smock hit the middle spot and they had been on my list for a while to see but had kept missing. They sit right at the center axis of stoner psych, garage and surf punk, with just a dash of sludge thrown into the mix for good measure too. They have two EPs that I love and listen to all the time, but being that they are a bit on the older side, the band didn’t play much from them, just one song from 2018’s Interstellar Nobody, “High Life” (forgoing the rest of the EP and all of 2017’s Chug). The rest of the set was made up of songs that are presumably new and will hopefully be recorded soon for release. I was bummed to not have seen them previously but the wait was worth it and I loved getting to hear a bunch of material that was new to me. Here’s hoping I won’t go so long without seeing them again.
Smock at Sultan Room
TVOD is hands down one of the most exciting bands in Brooklyn these days and readers should definitely know by now that I love them. Their shows are nothing short of a high octane blowout every single time and it’s impossible not to get caught up in the revelry. This was the tour kickoff for a weekender they were doing to New England and the first show with their new rhythm section, featuring Mem Pahl on drums and Lyzi Wakefield on bass (the two had previously been fill-in/touring members on various instruments). The addition of these players pushed the sound to a bit of a harder edge and faster tempos, which made things sound even more exciting. The band was also joined on stage by Chauncie Shamoni when they performed their latest single “Steady Crushin.” Shamoni stayed on for backing vocals on a few more songs as well, adding to the community nature of this group who I have said before is less a band and more a collective of friends and artists converging to make something special.
A few technical snags hit throughout the set with fallen cymbal stands mid song (synth player Kate Black continued playing with one hand while trying to hold up the stand before yours truly jumped in for the assist) and guitar inputs shorting out, but nothing ever slows this group down and things were quickly sorted out so the show could go on. TVOD shows also never stay calm for long and lead singer Tyler Wright was in and out of the crowd throughout the set, his explosive showmanship on another level from start to finish. The show finished with beer cans flying and guitarist Nikki Sisti riding along the top of the crowd, a fitting end to a raucous night of friends and killer sounds. As the crowd put her down and yelled for more songs the band yelled back “we don’t have any more!” and that was, as they say, that. They will next perform as part of the New Colossus Fest (on Sat. 3/12 at Bowery Electric) and have tour dates coming up in April.
I don’t know much in this life but I do know this: there’s no night like a rock n roll night and that’s a fact.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
TILDEN
SMOCK
TVOD
by Kate Hoos | Mar 4, 2022
Venus Twins at The Broadway (photo by Kate Hoos)
If there’s one thing I love, it’s a noise punk show. Heavy on the noise AND the punk please. I was due to work Patti Smith’s show the same night at a large venue across town and was going to run over after my shift to catch the very end of things, but then luck intervened and my boss was looking to cut some staff for the evening so I jumped at the chance to be there for the majority of the show and get my noise fix in. (No offense to Ms. Smith of course, I’ve seen her twice already and worked one of her shows; she was fantastic every time.)
YHWH Nailgun opened the evening and this was not only their EP release but their very first show as well. A Bandcamp page exists that has two older releases on it from 2020, so it appears that maybe this was a recording only project at first that now has evolved into a full band. This is deeply experimental music— synth, jazz, and rock all thrown in a blender and played in a dark and craggy cavern. I was impressed with their musicianship and am going to keep an eye on where they go next.
I saw Pons for the first time just six days before this show and in my write up on that one, I described them as a frantic noise punk band that sounds like Brainiac and Hella had a baby that was raised by no wave wolves on acid and that’s an assessment I stand by. The lighting at this show made that even more of a reality and a very delightful fever dream watching them. This band doesn’t hold back and their duel drummers make things even more exciting; they are hands down absolutely one of my new favorites to watch. I’ve been digging into their recorded catalog to get myself caught up and they have a new single coming on 3/16 (check their social media for pre-save info). You can catch them live next on 3/10 at Trans Pecos.
Bass and drums punk bands are my favorite type of lineup/sound so it really should be no surprise that Venus Twins, being masters of the style, are one of my favorite bands (and yes the name is literal, they are in fact identical twins, Jake and Matt Derting, drummer and bassist/vocalist respectively). I discovered them while working sound for one of their shows in 2019 and every time I grumble that working nights can be a drag, I think back to nights like that and I remember that it’s actually incredible because I get paid to listen to music every night and get to make awesome discoveries like this along the way. They’ve been back and forth between Brooklyn and Denton, TX ever since the pandemic hit and have been hard at work on new stuff throughout that time, playing tons of shows in Texas and touring when they have been able to. This band has one level which is MAXIMUM, going hard for every single second they’re on stage.
I know I’ve already made a comparison to Hella in this review, but it’s hard not to again with these guys, particularly when it come to Jake Derting’s drumming and its clear influence by Zach Hill. But if I’m being brutally honest here, while I do love Hella, I really think Hill was unnecessarily busy most of the time and often failed to strike the right balance with the rest of the song in many of this other projects, stomping on parts that otherwise could have been easier and more enjoyable to listen to had he just pulled back a little (I’m thinking of his work specifically in Team Sleep and The Ladies here). But this isn’t a review about him and it is about Venus Twins so let’s get back to it….Derting has a frantic style for sure, but wins this “contest” by a mile because he knows how to pair it more succinctly with what his counterpart is doing (call it twin instinct?). He also manages to make a single kick pedal sound like double bass and never stops hammering the beats (breaking his pedal halfway through the set in fact). The band has been working on new music and have a split coming as well as a new album which you know I am 100% ready for! They will be back at TV Eye on 4/8 and are looking to make the permanent move back to Brooklyn so we may be seeing much more of them soon which is a-okay in my book.
A 4th band, Castle Rat, closed out the night but sadly I had to make my departure right as they were beginning their set. They’ve got some gothy Sabbath vibes going on (and at least one member sporting a plague doctor stage outfit) so I’ll keep them on my radar to catch a show some other time.
If you’re a noise rock fan (or even otherwise) these are all bands to keep on your radar for sure.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
YHWH NAILGUN
PONS
VENUS TWINS
by Kate Hoos | Feb 24, 2022
Dog Date at Knitting Factory (photo by Kate Hoos)
We all need a midweek pick me up and I for one can’t think of anything better than a killer show to give me the boost I need in life. Forget sports or meeting up for brunch, this rock n roll shit is where it’s at. And so it’s no shocker that I found myself at a show like so many other times when I needed a boost to get through the week and this was a doozy of a lineup. Post punk, noise, psych, garage—this show had plenty of sounds that I love to perk me right up.
Frida Kill kicked off the night and as readers surely know, they are one of my favorites and dear friends of FTA who have been featured several times. Their effortless combination of garage and post punk makes for some killer tunes and my mood is instantly better after every show. Recently they’ve been working on some new stuff and streamlining their set and word also has it that they will have a music video and tape coming out soon, so keep your eyes open for that.
Pons is a band that had been on my list to check out but being that I work nights, I had thus far missed getting to one of their shows. They were worth the wait though and a band that hits lots of styles that I love. The most fitting way I can describe them is a frantic noise punk band that sounds like Brainiac and Hella had a baby that was raised by no wave wolves on acid…which of course I say with the highest compliments. There’s a lot to their sound and I can hear the influence of plenty of experimental elements and a healthy amount of grunge, punk, metal and even surf; it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what is going on, it’s many things all at once, and that is hardly a bad thing. I’ve seen them mentioned as a post punk band a few times as I was looking through their social media but I find that’s the least significant element of their sound (they also don’t have a bassist which I think is a crucial element of post punk) and that the other elements come through most strongly so I’d firmly classify them as noise punk. It’s how they blend those separate aspects together to make their own thing and their intense stage presence that makes them a really exciting band to watch.
Also, one the fastest ways to my heart is always through having two drummers in your band, I can always fuck with two drummers. One played a full kit while the other opted for a standing set up forgoing a bass drum; both ripping plenty of busy fills and heavy beats to compliment the spacey effects laden vocals and manic guitar playing. Pons is by far one of the best new to me bands I’ve seen in 2022 and I look forward to getting out to more shows.
Pons at Knitting Factory
Joudy (pronounced “howdy”) was a band I had never even heard of before the show I am sorry to say. And I say sorry because I wish I’d known about them way sooner because they ripped apart my mind in all the best ways with their heavy psych riffs. Originally from Venezuela and now based in NYC, this is a band that hits hard and shreds harder. I was already getting really into them when around 3/4 of the way through the set I did a double take and almost didn’t even believe I was hearing the opening throb of the bass line from “Angel” by Massive Attack (from the iconic 1998 album Mezzanine), but hearing it I was and I got VERY excited because I absolutely LOVE Massive Attack. I have to say I never envisioned it as a heavy psych song before this show, but it made absolute total sense in that moment and I just found myself entering into an otherworldly zone, lost in the acid guitar and mesmerizing bass.
I have always loved covers that change it up and flip the script, and while this one stayed close to the original song structure, hearing it played by a loud as fuck rock band and ripped away from its original trip hop frame work was incredible and really ticked a lot of boxes for me. The band mentions they are influenced by the British trip hop scene as well in their bio, and while it’s not a comparison I’d immediately think of when I think of a psych band, it lines up so perfectly with their other influences of Afro-Caribbean rhythms and 90s American grunge, these disparate sounds converging together into something greater than the sum of these parts. They are another fantastic new to me discovery and are a band I am FOR SURE going to be keeping my eyes on.
Joudy at Knitting Factory
Dog Date hit the stage in the headlining position to close out the night with a healthy dose of fervid garage punk. Did I already say I had a thing for bands with two drummers? And not only that but two left handed drummers? (One of whom plays full lefty, the other who plays open handed.) This show was quite the treat for the nerdy left handed drummers of this world (though as far as I’m aware, I was the only one in attendance on this night) and I loved watching the dual attack of the Dog Date drummers which was very reminiscent of the Osees stickmen. For song after song the band pummeled through a slew of high octane snappy ear worms and no member of the band spared a single ounce of energy, jumping around and all piling on top of each other at one point.
The band will soon be hitting the road for a few dates with Surfbort, including a stop at Market Hotel on March 3rd (you can count on yours truly to be there) which will make for a wild show every night. I am already envisioning dodging bodies between shots and have been pregaming with repeated listens to their excellent 2021 album, Child’s Play.
Rock n roll will never die. I got the conclusive proof at this show and you heard it here first.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
FRIDA KILL
PONS
JOUDY
DOG DATE
by Kate Hoos | Feb 16, 2022
MG Stillwaggon of Spite Fuxxx performing at Valentines Village of Love (photo by Kate Hoos)
What’s better than having a valentine? Having 24 singing valentines of course! And even better, raising money for Planned Parenthood. Presented by NY Night Train, Panache Booking and Bust, the 9th annual Valentines Village of Love brought together 24 women from the NYC underground music scene to sing their favorite love songs backed by Dylan Fernandez and the Heartbeats in a benefit variety show that spanned a huge range of genres going from classics to deeper cuts and back again. The band effortlessly switched feels from song to song no matter the genre and saw a rotating cast of musicians on stage all night including a special appearance by Fernandez’s mom, who played drums during “Just Like Heaven” by the Cure (sang by Zayn Shaikh of lal). Though I unfortunately had to leave right after the last performance, and had to miss Jonathan Toubin DJ set, I have no doubt he kept the party going well into the night. Over $5000 was raised for Planned Parenthood which made a really fun night even better.
In a night filled with plenty of highlights and heavy hitters, a few I really enjoyed above all were Maria Lina’s kickoff performance of the Tina Turner classic “The Best,” (which I may or may not sing on a regular basis to my cat) Hollye Bynum’s rendition of the Divinyls ode to masturbation, “I Touch Myself,” (as a little kid in 1990, that shit went right over my head for the next several years and I didn’t understand why so many people were scandalized) the above mentioned special guest drumming by Fernandez’s mom (my mom is not that cool), Nicole Sisti’s raging version of “Rebel Girl” (a song I’ve covered many times myself), and the crowd singing Happy Birthday to Shilpa Ray who is a Valentines baby and was very surprised to receive a cake on stage. Also any time I get to watch Mary Jane Dunphe perform is a blast and I am always amazed, she is one of the most absolutely relentless and fearless performers I’ve ever seen. The triple header ending of three Ronette’s songs, “Be My Baby” sang by Fiona Silver, and “Walking In The Rain” sang by Shilpa Ray followed by the entire lineup of singers coming together to sing “Baby, I love You” was the ultimate grand finale to wrap up an incredible night.
Happy Birthday Shilpa Ray!
An accompanying comp has also been released on After The Fall Records featuring 29 tracks by each of the artists who performed. The album was curated by Shilpa Ray and Alana Amram and all proceeds will also go to Planned Parenthood for even more ways to support this vital, life saving organization. The songs featured are originals by the artists — either solo tracks or tracks by the bands they are in — and serves as a really nice bonus from the show to get a taste of them singing sick covers and their original music.
Valentines Village of Love compilation (art by Hissy Fit)
List of songs performed at the show in order:
Tina Turner– “The Best” (Maria Lina of Frida Kill)
Irma Thomas– “It’s Raining” (Kailey Rocker of Old Lady)
Divinyls– “I Touch Myself” (Hollye Bynum of Razor Braids)
Heart– “Alone” (Adira and Alana Amram)
Bonnie Tyler– “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (Emily Ashenden of 95 Bulls)
The Cure– “Just Like Heaven” (Zayn Shaikh of lal)
Bad Company– “Feel Like Makin’ Love” (Jackie Greene of Reverend Mother)
Led Zeppelin– “Since I’ve Been Loving You” (Alexandra Blair of The Silk War)
The Gories– “Nitroglycerine” (MG Stillwaggon of Spite Fuxxx)
The Stooges– “Gimmie Some Skin” (Syd Walsh of Flasyd)
Judas Priest– “(Take These) Chains” (Acacia Fusco of The Advertisers)
Motorhead– “Love Me Like A Reptile” (Riley Pinkerton of Castle Rat)
Bikini Kill– “Rebel Girl” (Nicole Sisti of Thick and TVOD)
The Kinks– “All Day and All of the Night” (Leah Hennessey)
Selena– “Como La Flor” (Lola Pistola)
Tammy Wynette– “Stand By Your Man” (Chase Noelle of cumgirl8)
Kate Bush– “Hounds of Love” (Miranda Zipse of Miranda and the Beat)
Stevie Nicks– “The Edge of Seventeen” (Zohra Atash of Azar Swan)
Dusty Springfield– “Spooky” (Nikki Belfiglio of Bodega)
Shirley Bassey– “Light My Fire” (Kendra Morris)
Elvis Presley– “Suspicious Minds” (Mary Jane Dunphe of Pinocchio and Vexx)
The Ronettes– “Be My Baby” (Fiona Silver)
The Ronettes– Walking in the Rain (Shilpa Ray)
The Ronettes– “Baby, I Love You” all singers together
Scroll down for pics of the show (Pictures in order of performances. Photos by Kate Hoos)
VALENTINES VILLAGE OF LOVE
by Kate Hoos | Feb 4, 2022
Los Bitchos Let The Festivities Begin!
Los Bitchos is a band that knows how to party. This is obvious in every aspect of their presentation—their album art, their videos, their performances, and most certainly in their music. In addition to bringing the party, they bring some serious musical chops along with them to said celebration, and have just released their long awaited debut album, Let The Festivities Begin!, showcasing plenty of Cumbia infused sun (and tequila) soaked vibes.
I first discovered Los Bitchos during the dark and boring days of the 2020 lockdowns and they certainly brought a vibrant ray of light into my life at that time on the strength of their stellar KEXP performance. Ever since then I’ve watched that video many times and have been anxiously awaiting more music from them as well as finally having a full album to dig into. I’ve also been really wanting to see them live which was very much up in the air for a long time due to **gestures around to the latest Covid setbacks** but much to my delight, they just announced US tour dates, which will be making a stop in Brooklyn at Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 20th. Still a few months away yes, but something that will be worth the wait.
Anchored by the air tight rhythm section of drummer Nic Crawshaw (who also plays in one of my favorite UK punk bands, Dead Arms) and bassist Josefine Jonnson, with synth flavor from Agustina Ruiz and plenty of auxiliary percussion accents sprinkled throughout, the spitfire shredding of guitarist Serra Petale takes on a lot of the central focus of the music of the instrumental quartet. And while Cumbia is the most obvious glue that binds the songs together, their overall sound is much more nuanced and has many influences running throughout. Everything from surf riffs that would give Dick Dale pause, to psych to rock and bouncy pop basslines can be found among the 11 songs on the album. The foursome may be based in London, but with the members coming from many corners of the globe (Uruguay, England, Sweden, and Australia) and having their own family, cultural and life experiences informing them as well, they have coalesced to create a blend of sound that is all of these elements at once yet something very uniquely Los Bitchos.
The album was produced by Alex Kapranos (of Franz Ferdinand) and starts off with a favorite track from the KEXP session “The Link Is About to Die,” a sun in your face, wind in your hair groove, which has a killer bongo break courtesy of Petale (who is also a skilled drummer; she has played in several bands behind the kit including Kid Wave). This is quickly followed by the Anatolian psych inspired bop “I Enjoy It” for a strong one-two punch setting the tone of the album right away. A few reworked/retitled songs from the KEXP session also find their way to the album including the ominous “Try The Circle!” originally titled “5 Years, 2 Years, 1 Year” that also features some of Crawshaw’s most exciting drumming during the crescendo, and “Change of Heart” which is a revamping of “Bugs Bunny.” The standouts for me are “Pista (Fresh Start)” which was the last of the singles released prior to the full album and has one of the catchiest lead riffs I’ve heard in quite some time and “FFS,” another wonderful psychy surprise showing off the Turkish/Anatolian elements of their sound.
To make sure there was no mistaking their penchant for cheek and good times, the band starred in three narratively intertwined videos ahead of the album for the lead off singles “Las Panteras,” “Good To Go!” and “Pista (Fresh Start)” which sees the band go from synchronized dance moves to standing trial in prison jumpsuits to witness protection and more in their hunt for the mysterious Las Panteras. But no more spoilers, watch the hilarious videos below:
I’ve always been a really big fan of instrumental music, regardless of genre, and that is initially what attracted me to them. What I love most about it is that you get to create your own narrative based not on lyrics and an idea a vocalist is presenting to you, but based solely on the sonic vibe and emotion of the music. A lot of the instrumental stuff I usually listen to does tend to be more serious or morose, and certainly much heavier sonically (think Russian Circles or Pelican). Los Bitchos with their fun in the sun “I want to drink margaritas at the beach” air may seem a little out of left field compared to those other artists (since I also don’t drink or even like the beach) but really, that’s no bother to me at all. I find so much fun and joy in all of their songs and think of the things I love in life when I hear them, of all the ways I bring my own party. And isn’t that the point of a band who is centered around having fun? I definitely think so, and see in them the magic of instrumental music—you get to feel however you want to feel and bring a piece of yourself to it too. And just to put it officially on record, I’d drink a (virgin) margarita with Los Bitchos any day.
Let The Festivities Begin! is one of the most exciting debut albums I’ve heard in recent memory and while the wait was long, it was well worth it. This foursome has created a fresh and distinct body of work that stands apart, with a shot of tequila raised high in triumph. The festivities have indeed begun.
Let The Festivities Begin! is out now via City Slang and available on all major streaming platforms.
