We know what you are thinking. It’s SXSW week and Brooklyn is going to be dead because all the good bands will be gone. FALSE. Some bands are coming here! And others are staying here because Brooklyn is also awesome! Don’t get down and out about it, there are plenty of DIY venues to jump up and down in and a free show or two if you’ll imagine that! You’ll probably spend way less money then if you went to SXSW and you can still have a great time. Chin up and check out these sweet shows!
#10 Golden Ratio Presents: California X, Sleepies, LVL Up, Washer @ Shea Stadium (FRI 8PM, $8)
If you are in the mood for a variety of 90’s punk/alt.rock this is the place to be Friday Night. Brooklyn band, Sleepies, will be playing their not so serious garage rock and sharing the stage with California X, hailing from Amherst, sporting long hair and rocking out on Don Giovanni Records. Also playing are LVL UP, who’s style rocks the lo-fi basement punk sound. Last up, completing this amazingly punk rock bill is Washer, hailing from long island and sporting some more grunge in their tunes. Just…do it.
#9 Dan Friel, Chris Brokaw/Insect Factory, Wavepool, 10,000 Idiots @ Death By Audio (FRI 8PM, $7)
Do you like crazy noise music? Electronics and bleeps and blurs? A slightly darker Dan Deacon/Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt Style? Check it. Dan Friel, formerly of Parts & Labor will be headlining this major noise show at Death By Audio on Friday night. In addition, Chris Brokaw, best known for his roles in Come and Codeine will be playing with MD band, Insect Factory. It’s bound to be a night of button pushing and craziness, so if you dig it, pretend it’s SXSW and pencil it in your notebook.
#8 Friends & Farmers, BAD LOOK, Mayor Creep, Casual Friday, Retail @ Cameo Gallery (THURS 8PM, $8)
Friends and Farmers play self-proclaimed farm rock, and do in fact have a bit of a twang to their rockin’ sound. Their tunes are this strange combination of catchy ditties, sung atop super distortion-filled guitar and clanging, fast drums. Gotta give ’em props for doing something a little bit different. They are joined by an assortment of fast-paced punk-y bands who complete the bill and make sure all is right with the world. So forget about SXSW, get your fix right here in Brooklyn.
#7 Artificial Brain, The Communion, Die Choking @ St.Vitus (SAT 8PM, $10)
Do you love metal? Do you want to get your brain screamed out and your eardrums mildly injured while having, really having the time of your life in a circle pit? You can’t get that shit at South By, well maybe, but whatever. Brought to you by Invisible Oranges and Signature Riff, headbang slowly to the sludge-y guitar of Communion, and then shake it really fast when their drums do mad paradiddles and the guitar spazzes out. Artificial Brain brings a slightly more death metal approach with low slow growls and blasting drums. Also it’s their album release show! Do it if you love it. Prepare to feel awesome and perhaps have a neck injury in the morning.
#6 PopGun Presents: Ohnomoon, For Every Story Untold, Winkie @ Glasslands (SAT 8PM, $10)
PopGun Presents this glorious lineup of haunting 90’s inspired, female fronted bands. Ohnomoon is ohsolovely with a brilliant mix of whispy vocals and jangly, fuzzy guitar riffs. This show would probably be the one at SXSW that had a clever theme name and encouraged people to come wearing black lipstick and platforms. But, luckily, here you can wear whatever you want, and dance as moodily as possible.
#5 Porches, Little Big League, Downies, Steve Hartlett (of Ovlov) @ Shea Stadium (THURS 8PM, $8)
Brooklyn-based Porches is headed on tour, and this is their very fun send-off show at Shea Stadium (killing it with shows this weekend!). A part of Exploding in Sound records, Porches is a little bit indie rock, sometimes dance-y and sometimes sad, guided by Aaron Maine’s thin, slightly southern-rock vocals. Also playing is Little Big League, hailing from Philly, bringing their playful high-pitched vocals and detailed guitar rock. This show is definitely a rival for what might be happening in Austin on Thursday night and definitely worth checking out.
#4 Borts Minorts , Little Band of Sailors, Jason Trachtenburg and the Pendulum Swings @ Silent Barn (SAT 8PM, $8)
Just look at this picture! What more could you need? Borts Minorts is clearly insane, and also awesome, in rainbow socks and an old ladies bathingsuit. That aside, his extremely experimental and super fun stage show is only a thousand reasons to come to this show. The others are Jason Trachtenburg’s big band The Pendulum Swing. With swinging drums and blasting horns, Trachtenburg sings about modern times like the Lorimer L stop. Little Band of Sailors is equally as awesome and strange. Go have crazy fun!
#3 Young Galaxy, American Royalty, Bowmont, Late Guest at the Party @ Brooklyn Night Bazaar (SAT 7PM, FREE)
If you like free shows, and you like to dance and look at handmade/homemade crafts, this is the place for you! Brooklyn Night Bazaar has been doing a great job of providing many awesome shows this year, and this is no exception. This show has an upbeat theme with music that is fun to move to and slightly mellow at the same time, despite the dance beats. Young Galaxy feels like everything we love from the most intense and beautiful moments of an 80’s movie, combined, in an indie song. Go get some delicious pretzels and enjoy!
#2 Guards,The Dig, Modern Rivals,Grassfight, Pegasus Warning (DJ Set) @ Brooklyn Night Bazaar (Friday 7PM, FREE)
So you already know the deal with Brooklyn Night Bazaar, all the cool vendors from vintage clothes to cool speakers, and somehow they manage to get great bands every night. This weekend it was too hard to pick just one to write about, so you should probably go to both. The headliner of this evening is New York band Guards whose songs are a sassy mix of California hippie with a a modern day rock flair. You could go to the Night Bazaar twice in a row, no one is going to stop you. You are an adult. And there will be children there.
#1 Theo Grizol, Spoonboy, Jazz Casual, Hot Tears, Foozle @ 603 Bushwick Ave (SUN 9PM, $TBA)
This is a show combining all of the best parts of indie-folk rock, including the pop/folk-punk of Spoonboy (David Combs). Hailing from D.C., Spoonboy has been playing his anthemic, catchy melodies all around the country for years. On Sunday, he will share the stage with Theo Grizol, of the band Nana Grizol who plays a similarly home grown style of music. Jazz Casual is the new moniker of Mount Moon, whom you have probably seen in the subways playing something along the lines of mellow-electro folk-pop. Every band playing this show is gonna make it well worth it that you only spent a small amount of money to help the four touring bands, instead of hundreds of dollars to fly to Texas! YOU WIN!