by crustcake gerf (NYC)
Is there an upcoming NYC metal show you think we should mention? Hit us at crustcake@gmail.com and we'll see what we can do for you. We accept bribes. And by bribes we mean free booze.
It's summer in New York, and you know what that means-- a crapload of free shows. Granted, most of these free shows (e.g. Central Park Summerstage, South Street Seaport, McCarren Park Pool, etc.) are of the indie rock variety-- metal is sadly behind on this trend. Probably because it's more difficult to get sponsors and advertising partners for metal events, and somebody has to pay for these free shows. Even tickets for the metal shows/tours with big corporate underwriters (e.g. Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival) are still fucking expensive. Not that I would ever go see a show sponsored by the son of Michael Weiner aka Michael Savage anyway.
So, let's get down to business. The Summer Slaughter tour is in town today (Summer's Laughter?), details for that below. Also tonight, Grails and Nadja at Knitting Factory (win tickets from BV). Saturday, go check out Cable, Wetnurse, Century, and Vultures at Ace of Clubs and then on Sunday Russian Circles, Daughters, and The Austerity Program will be at Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Make the jump for a full listing, and please let us know if we missed anything.
NYC show picks 6/26 - 7/2:Thursday 6/26 - The Black Dahlia Murder, Kataklysm, Vader, Cryptopsy, The Faceless, Despised Icon, Aborted, Born of Osiris, Psycroptic, Whitechapel @ The Fillmore at Irving Plaza [$25]
Thursday 6/26 - Grails, Nadja, Spectre Folk @ Knitting Factory (main space) [$10]
Friday 6/27 - The Warlocks, Blacklist (not to be confused with Blacklisted) @ Mercury Lounge [$15]
Saturday 6/28 - Cable, Wetnurse, Century, Vultures @ Ace of Clubs [$10]
Saturday 6/28 - The Black Angels, The Warlocks @ Southpaw [sold out]
Sunday 6/29 - Russian Circles, Daughters, The Austerity Program @ Music Hall of Williamsburg [$12a/$14d]
June 26, 2008
Crustcake Picks - NYC Shows 6/26 - 7/2
June 13, 2008
Tour: Grails, Nadja
[Grails / Nadja]
You already know what we think of Grails (or at least what that asshole crustcake gerf thinks), and you know we like Nadja. The two bands will be heading out this month for a few east coast and Midwest dates. Check 'em after the jump.
Grails' drummer Emil Amos recently replaced Chris Hakius in our beloved Om, and Nadja may be the most prolific band ever, with 19 releases on 11 different record labels in 2008 already.
Grails, Nadja - 2008 US Dates:6/20 Columbus, OH @ Wexner Center For The Arts w/ Motorpsycho
6/21 Louisville, KY Terrastock 7 @ Mellwood Arts Center w/ Motorpsycho, more
6/22 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle w/ Motorpsycho
6/23 Detroit, MI @ National Bohemian Home
6/24 Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks
6/25 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's
6/26 New York, NY @ Knitting Factory
6/27 Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
6/28 Wallingford, CT @ Cherry Street Station
November 27, 2007
Om - Live at Knitting Factory with Grails [11/16/07]
Al Cisneros and Chris Hakius transformed Knitting Factory into a temple on Friday, hypnotizing their audience with the transcendental chant-metal of Om. For a band whose songs often meditate on a single theme for upwards of 15 or 20 minutes, Om are anything but boring.
[Grails]
The same can't be said about opener Grails, however. Despite guitarist/bandleader Alex Hall's best efforts to bring to life the carefully designed ambience and phrygian flavors that make up Grails' aural identity, everything they attempted-- every mood they tried to muster up-- was either destroyed, undermined, overtaken, or otherwise compromised by the spastic, tactless "pay-attention-to-me" noodling of drummer Emil Amos.
I'd be willing to give Grails a second chance if they ever hook up with a drummer with more taste, but on Friday they failed to deliver.
[Om]
If Grails (or at least their drummer) were a bit lacking in taste, Om more than made up for it. Grails should either be thanking them for picking up the slack or embarrassed. Om are the epitome of tact and subtlety when it comes to metal (or at least music with metal roots). Where other bands ram riffs, growls, breakdowns, and blast beats down your throat (which is, incidentally, not necessarily a bad thing), Om simply place their weaving bass lines, minimalist drumming, and chant-like vocal phrases out there in the aether for you to absorb at your own pace.
Seeing Om live allows another level of understanding and familiarity with their music. Cisneros' sincerity is evident in the way he closes his eyes and weaves his head back and forth between vocal lines-- not unlike Stevie Wonder-- and this endears the audience. The dynamic range of Om's live show is breathtaking-- during encore song "Bhimas' Theme" Om begins in loud, distorted mode, shattering ears with their doom onslaught.
[Om]
After a few minutes of this constant barrage, drummer Chris Hakius drops out and Cisneros' bass tone goes clean. In an instant Om go from earth shattering to meditative and, as the audience holds their breath, Cisneros delivers his sparse, monophonic lyrics over a simple bass line:Descent onto the gold dawn psalm. Falls Brahmicspine away. Inbreathe. A truant mind reclaimed. Liberates... Bir Akeim. Salutes the Godhead. Vigilance.
He continues like this for what seems like at once several long hours and a mere instant as the audience stands by, silent and attentive, and then utters but a single word-- as if from a time and place far removed from this humble room in New York City:Lazarus.
Shortly, bass and drums resume their doom assault, returning to the original motif of "Bhimas' Theme" as Om brings us full circle.
Like many bands, it's difficult to fully appreciate the breadth of what Om are able to deliver without seeing them in the flesh. Their recorded output is certainly remarkable, for fans of metal and fans of art music alike, but their live show is where the magic truly lies.[MP3] Grails - "Burning Off Impurities"
[MP3] Om - "Unitive Knowledge of the Godhead"
Om [MySpace] [MP3]
Pilgrimage [Amazon]
Grails [MySpace] [MP3]
Burning Off Impurities [Amazon] [iTunes]
[Photo Credit: Jesse Angelo]
