by theseseans (NYC)
Last night me and Gerf took the train across the East River to grace Manhattan with our stank presences, but mostly to take in the Black Metal Magic Tour at the Knitting Factory. It was awesome, really awesome. The show started off with Krallice, and props to them; not only did they play very well, but they had the show packed tight at 8PM sharp. Withered stole the show for me last night, bringing an urgency and vitality to their songs in a live setting that was unexpectedly engaging. Watain played an excellent set, at a rapid pace; the only complaint (I mean they had fucking candles and upside crosses on stage and everything!) was that they really could have been louder.
This week's big shows are Sunn O))) Wednesday night at the Knitting Factory, and The Black Dahlia Murder, Testament, Between the Buried and Me, and Children Of Bodom tonight at the Hammerstein Ballroom. If you are in the mood for something a little more 'local' you can catch me and Gerf over at the Hull, Wizardry, Howl, and Batillus show in Greenpoint at Europa (a New Wave Of Brooklyn Heavy Metal production).
This week's big disappointment is that Earth's show Wednesday night at Union Pool has been canceled. I haven't looked into/heard why yet, so I hope nothing tragic has happened; I was really looking forward to that show.
Read more for a complete list of our recommended shows this week, and the date for the Blackest of the Black tour (I kid! I kid! I would totally go to that show, watch Skeletonwitch and then leave! jeeeez).
See you out there.Thursday 10/09 - Hull, Wizardry, Howl, Batillus @ Europa [$6]
Thursday 10/09 - The Black Dahlia Murder, Testament, BTBAM, Children Of Bodom @ Hammerstein Ballroom
Wednesday 10/15 - Sunn O))), Tony Conrad, Thou @ Knitting Factory[$15]
Wednesday 10/15 - Blackest of The Black Tour featuring Danzig, Dimmu Borgir, Moonspell, Winds of Plague, Skeletonwitch @ Roaseland Ballroom
Wednesday 10/15 - Fucked Up, Vivian Girls, Fiasco @ Bowery Ballroom [$10]
October 9, 2008
Crustcake Pics: NYC Shows 10/9 - 10/15
August 15, 2008
Crustcake Picks - NYC Shows
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
Download: Goes Cube - "Gravestones Like Chess Pieces" [MP3]
Hey people, quick update on some upcoming NYC-area shows for you. But first, who saw Big Business and the Melvins last night at Bowery or Wednesday at Music Hall? I must say, that was not the Big Business that I know and love last night. Maybe it was the full-time guitarist, or the new songs, or the fact that I couldn't see shit, but whatever it was, they were a bit lackluster. Lackluster, for Big Business, though, still means 'awesome.' Because they're just, ya know, awesome.
And the Melvins sounded great-- loud as hell courtesy of Buzz's big ass riffs and the band's super tight rhythm section featuring Big Biz bassist Jared Warren and drummer Coady Willis joined, of course, by long-time Melvins drummer Dale Crover.
Anyway, on to the matter at hand. So check it out. Tonight, go see Goes Cube at Union Pool. I caught them with Dub Trio recently, and, while Dub Trio is the superior band technically, I enjoy Goes Cube's music much much more. And they'll only continue to get tighter, of course. They're definitely on the right track (no pun intended) with "Gravestones Like Chess Pieces," which you can snag above for your iPod. Oh, and if you still watch TV on a, uh, TV, Goes Cube will be on Fearless Music Saturday night.
Tomorrow, Battles (avant-math-rock feat. mems Helmet, Don Caballero) is playing for free in Central Park and then later that night head over to the Charleston for Hull, who I've still not seen but who I'm told are a serious force to reckon with live.
Then, on Sunday North Carolina's dirty, drugged out sludge bastards Weedeater will be shredding eardrums at the Knitting Factory tap bar with Black Cobra. Gimme back my bullets!
See you out there.
Friday 8/15 (tonight) - Goes Cube, Villa Vina, Zero Spanish @ Union Pool [$7]
Saturday 8/16 (3pm) - Battles, Black Dice, Gang Gang Dance @ Central Park Summer Stage [FREE]
Saturday 8/16 (8pm) - Hull, Caltrop, Worship, Gods and Queens @ The Charleston [$5]
Sunday 8/17 - Weedeater, Black Cobra @ The Knitting Factory (tap bar) [$8]
Monday 8/18 - Battletorn, Half Gorilla, Trouble Maker, Twin Stumps @ Lit Lounge (Precious Metal) [$6]
June 12, 2008
Crustcake Picks - NYC Shows 6/12 - 6/18
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
Hey crustcakers. So we have a new plan with these 'Crustcake Picks Shows' posts. Let me explain-- moving forward, we'll be focusing these posts more on their respective city's local music scenes, rather than just giving you a heads-up on tours coming through town. We think these posts will be more valuable that way, and we want to support local scenes.
Thus far, these show updates have only been for NYC and LA, but there is certainly the possibility of adding more cities in the future. If you live somewhere with a healthy local underground music scene and you want to write a weekly update on shows in your area, please get in touch with us. Let us know where you live and tell us a little bit about the local scene there.
Anyway, here are this week's NYC shows. Tonight, Bloody Panda is getting their death-ritual on at fittingly-named Death By Audio while The End Records is presenting another installment of their N.W.O.B.H.M. (New Wave of Brooklyn Heavy metal) series, this time featuring Goes Cube, Pax Cecilia, Naam.
Oh and check this out: Chef, er, Issac Hayes is totally playing a free show at Prospect Park Bandshell tonight! Can you dig it?
Friday, go see Hull at Fontana's with Ayurveda, Denim Venom, and Clean Teeth, and then on Monday take your pick between 'Precious Metal' at Lit Lounge (feat. Harpoon, Muzzler, Romans, and Bazooka Christ) or Transistor Transistor, Reclaim the Crown, Killing the Dream, Trap Them, and The Carrier at Knitting Factory.
Busy week.
NYC show picks 6/12 - 6/18:Thursday 6/12 - Bloody Panda, Extra Life, Little Women, Liturgy @ Death By Audio
See you out there!
Thursday 6/12 - Goes Cube, Pax Cecilia, Naam @ Europa
Thursday 6/12 - Isaac Hayes @ Prospect Park Bandshell
Friday 6/13 - Hull, Ayurveda, Denim Venom, and Clean Teeth @ Fontana's
Monday 6/16 - Harpoon, Muzzler, Romans, and Bazooka Christ @ Lit Lounge
Monday 6/16 - Transistor Transistor, Reclaim the Crown, Killing the Dream, Trap Them, and The Carrier at Knitting Factory [tix]
June 5, 2008
Crustcake Picks - NYC Shows 6/5 - 6/11
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
Alright, here's what's going on in the Big Apple this week...
Peter Beste, the photographer who spent some time in Norway documenting the Black Metal scene there, has his photos in a Chelsea art gallery. Because Chelsea and Black Metal go together like... two things that go together...
We kinda missed the boat on this-- the exhibit opened back in early May-- but there's still time to check it out. The gallery is open tomorrow and Saturday at 11am, more information here (thanks Jeso).
Sunday, Blacklisted will be at Knitting Factory and then on Monday, head to Lit Lounge for what's sure to be a killer show with Torrential Downpour, Rising Up / Rising Down, and Bohemian Grove.
Then on Tuesday, check out Inswarm, Hull, and Christian Death at Knitting Factory. Now I like Hull-- they're a very promising band-- but the show's a bit too pricey for my tastes. Actually, at $20 at the door this show is ridiculously overpriced. Hull is a bit out of place on the bill anyhow, I recommend skipping this one.
Take the jump for details.
NYC show picks 6/5 - 6/11:Friday 6/6 & Saturday 6/7 - Peter Beste - True Norwegian Black Metal photo gallery [info]
See you out there!
Sunday 6/8 - Blacklisted, Ceremony, Life Long Tragedy, Sabertooth Zombie, Condominium @ Knitting Factory [tix]
Monday 6/9 - Torrential Downpour, Rising Up / Rising Down, Bohemian Grove @ Lit Lounge
Tuesday 6/10 - Christian Death, Hull, Inswarm @ Knitting Factory [tix]
May 29, 2008
Crustcake Picks - NYC Shows 5/29 - 6/4
by crustcake gerf (NYC)
Damn, June already? It seems like just yesterday we were picking our favorite albums of 2007...
Saturday, take your pick: Brooklyn or Manhattan; sludgey stonery rock/metal or thrashy blah blah; Hull or Children; what'll it be folks? Check out the track "Storm the Beaches" on Hull's MySpace and then look at the flashy pink shit on Children's to help you decide. Children also contains members of Early Man and S.T.R.E.E.T.S., if that makes any difference to you. It doesn't to me.
Then, another Brooklyn/Manhattan decision. Or rather a Brooklyn/Manhattan/neither decision. Head to Music Hall (Tuesday) or Bowery Ballroom (Wednesday) where you can listen to M83 and stare at your shoes. Or stay home if M83 aint your bag.
Has anyone else noticed how Music Hall of Williamsburg is more or less a carbon copy of Bowery Ballroom, only newer? It looks/feels like a middle school in there...
What else is going on this week? Did I miss anything?
NYC show picks 5/29 - 6/4:Saturday 5/31 - Hull, Crackula, Robots and Empire, Mister Satisfier @ Union Pool
See you out there!
Saturday 5/31 - Children, Sorceress, Federale, Drunk Driver @ Cake Shop
Tuesday 6/3 - M83, The Berg Sans Nipple @ Music Hall of Williamsburg [tix]
Wednesday 6/4 - M83, The Berg Sans Nipple @ Bowery Ballroom [tix]
February 5, 2008
Exodus, Goatwhore, Arsis, Warbringer Played B.B. King's [2/4/08]
by crustcake gerf (photos by Jesse Angelo)
[Warbringer]
We've had a hard-on for Warbringer for awhile around here. Last night, I raced over to B.B. King's after work to catch them in their early (7pm, sharp!) opening slot on an Exodus-headlined bill. They didn't blow me away, but these kids are young-- like really young-- and it was obvious that they were still kind of in awe of the whole thing-- being on tour, being signed to Century Media, sharing the stage with fucking Exodus, man! They were a little stiff, a bit uncomfortable, but they showed potential. No, more than that-- they showed promise. Give 'em a couple years and they'll be the poster children of the thrash revival.
[Goatwhore]
Goatwhore brought their blackened death metal to the stage last night as well and were the unexpected highlight of the show. They were much more compelling live than on tape, and I find myself wondering if bassist Nathan Bergeron's gothic getup had at least something to do with it. I mean, c'mon, that shit's fucking metal. Like, literally.
[Exodus]
As for Exodus... well, musically they were phenomenal-- in the technique department they blew the rest of the field out of the water. In fact, they were so good that I almost-- almost-- turned the other cheek when vocalist Rob Dukes went off on a Bill-O-inspired rant, but when he said outright "fuck the Middle East" I found myself leaving the venue in disgust.
I mean, Dukes seems like an alright dude, and was well within his rights to say something like that-- racist though it may be-- but it just doesn't sit well with me. I wonder how the other guys in Exodus, two of which have been in the band 25 years longer than Dukes, feel about his outwardly bigoted comments.
[Exodus]
Political junk aside, Exodus lived up to their reputation. Despite their age, they weren't the least bit jaded and collectively they had more energy than a college freshman with a six pack of Red Bull and a bottle of Ritalin during exam week. Go see this band, just ignore Rob Dukes if he starts preaching.
Mike Conte and Pete Macy of Brooklyn's Early Man were also at last night's show:
So Rob Dukes was prairie doggin' up there on stage? Maybe that had something to do with his attitude...
Early Man are playing at the Knitting Factory in New York this Saturday with Hull, who are also from Brooklyn. Watch the rest of Early Mike's video blogs right here.[MP3] Goatwhore - "Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult"
Warbringer's debut full-length, War Without End, is out today.
Warbringer [MySpace] [MP3]
War Without End [Amazon]
