The So So Glos at The Knitting Factory

The So So Glos are so closely affiliated with the DIY scene and with Shea Stadium (the warehouse venue which some of them helped create) that it was weird seeing them at a "fancy" venue like The Knitting Factory. The band didn't seem entirely comfortable either, asking to have the bright lights turned down and commenting on the less active parts of the audience. Even they mentioned that they were used to playing Shea Statium. So unfortunately things were a bit awkward for a while there. Fortunately the band was energetic and sounded great, so the audience got more into it towards the end.

I suppose one of the advantages of building your own DIY space is that you can set it up however you want. You can have as much or as little lighting as you want. You can choose the height of the stage. You can have any kind of beer you want (think about that!) Playing at a big venue is pretty much the opposite. You may get to tweak a few things but in the end you get what they give you. So certainly I can see why a band would want the venue they were playing to be more like the one which they created. They want the venue to be a nice "fit". Unfortunately the venue is not always so flexible. I think this might have been one of those cases.

Posted: 5/27/2013 at 3:32pm     Tags: The Knitting Factory  The So So Glos  WHCS Benefit 

Liquor Store at Brooklyn Bowl

The last time I shot Liquor Store at the Brooklyn Bowl the photos weren't all that great. I don't know exactly what went wrong, though the fact that they only got to play three songs didn't help. I'm much happier with these photos, and with the fact that they got to play a full set this time.

Posted: 5/24/2013 at 7:21pm     Tags: Brooklyn Bowl  Liquor Store 

Coliseum at The Knitting Factory

I'm not going to say too much about Coliseum. Is there any need? What do you see in those photos? Beards, skulls, and lots of dark. Yeah, they're something like a metal band. Let's just leave it at that.

Posted: 5/22/2013 at 7:34pm     Tags: Coliseum  The Knitting Factory 

Pampers at The Knitting Factory

Pampers are new they don't even have a Facebook page. No that's not a baby joke. Actually, now that I think about it the last band I shot (Las Rosas) also doesn't have a Facebook page. Facebook is dying folks, you heard it here first eventually.

So who are these guys? They're a particularly kick-ass local punk band. They are yet more evidence that the punks who have been around the block a few times are the best at it (even if they haven't figured out social media). One of them appears to be Emilio Estevez. But the main thing is that their music is awesome. As far as I'm concerned any band which stands on their instruments (or tries to play the keyboard with their feet?) is doing punk right.

Posted: 5/22/2013 at 5:01pm     Tags: Pampers  the band not the brand  The Knitting Factory 

Las Rosas at Mercury Lounge

Here we have something which is kind of rare in NYC: a garage band who sound like an early rock-n-roll band instead of a punk band. Las Rosas are more doo-wop than punk rock, more Troggs than TSOL. Considering that the lead singer is Jose Boyer of Harlem and The Gondoliers that makes perfect sense.

Las Rosas can and do rock, but they also take the time to express some actual emotion. Some songs are effused with sweetness and longing, others are more funny or at least just fun. This is rock with depth instead of just volume. It's especially nice when a band which has only been playing out for a few months has that kind of depth. It means they actually put some thought into the band instead of just saying "Hey let's be in a band!" They sound much better than the average newbie band too. I for one am going to keep an eye on these guys.

Posted: 5/20/2013 at 8:05pm     Tags: Las Rosas  Mercury Lounge