Go, Go, Go see the band the Flaming Lips stole their act from (ya know, before the Flaming Lips became Steven Drozd, a dude in a zebra costume, and a guy in a white suit pretending to play guitar). This is the first time since 1998 that the Surfers will be playing with their classic lineup of Gibby, Paul Leary, King Coffey, Jeff Pinkus and Teresa Nervosa! Breakout that copy of “Locust Abortion Technician” and reacquaint yourself with all their chart topping hits in the meantime. Strangely enough, the band will be accompanied onstage by the Paul Green School of Rock All-Stars… ummm, it’s 10pm, parents do you know where your children are?
The Butthole Surfers play Webster Hall on July 29th.
Terminal 5, Terminal 5… where to begin… well, I know this is asking alot, but please either burn yourself down or find another calling, you might make a nice Manhattan Mini Storage facility! I don’t know when I gave up on you exactly, maybe it was when you ruined the Beastie Boys concert? Or maybe it was watching you turn Ween into a sludgy mess, regardless, you had your shot, it’s time to move on. When I encourage your self immolation, I’m not talking as crass and disgusting an act as what happened at the Great White concert in Rhode Island, no pick a nice quiet night where it will be no more harmful then a few hours of entertainment for the neighborhood residents (and if that’s not possible, maybe the Type-O Negative show coming up).
Devotchka have gained in popularity over the past year or so due to the fact that they provided music for the film “Little Miss Sunshine”, and fittingly enough, both the film and the band share many of the same adjectives when you are searching for an apt way to describe them - quirky, heartfelt, imperfect… throw in idiosyncratic and you wouldn’t be too far off the mark.
I first listened to Dr. Dog back in 2004 when I read a post on the Matador Records website recommending them… whenever I am short on new things to listen to, there are a couple places I’ll stop by and aside from being a decent label, the Matador Records message board harbors one of the more informed internet communities I have come across, one which is never short of new listening suggestions.
For any fan of Silkworm, it’s impossible to listen to Bottomless Pit without remembering Michael Dahlquist - if not for the senseless tragedy that took his life, the band simply wouldn’t exist. Their new album “Hammer Of The Gods” will make for some bittersweet listening, as you can’t help but reflect on the “what if’s?” and “why’s” that surround such an event. For everyone else, this is just a fantastic record. While not a huge departure from the Silkworm sound, Tim Midgett and Andy Cohen have brought a slightly somber, more refined tone than the shambolic cacophony of guitars occasionally found in their previous efforts.
Bottomless Pit is playing at the Knitting Factory on July 11th, with the Kadane Brothers.
John Reis, much like Michael Bolton, I celebrate the man’s entire catalog. However, it was through Gar Wood that I was initially introduced to the endless number of bands Reis has created through the years… back in 1995 or so, I was working at Caroline Records in their accounting department hopelessly reconciling sales distribution records, a thoroughly thankless job which paid a whopping $7 an hour, not much, but it did come with a perk, free promotional CD’s. Now this might not seem like much, but when you’re trying to make a go of it in NYC on $7 an hour, music just about saves your life, anything to take your mind off the fact that you’re subsisting on a diet of oranges and peanut butter.
