Show Recs: Everything I’d See This Week If I Had Unlimited Time and Money and Hermione’s Time Turner

Tuesday 04/03

The Magnetic Fields at Beacon Theater in NYC - Living legends, y’all.

Poor Moon at Schubas Tavern in Chicago - Fleet Foxes more upbeat spawn

Sepalcure at Webster Hall in NYC - jangly goodness.

Wednesday 04/04

Magnetic Island at Big Snow in Brooklyn - one of my bestest, most favorite new bands. They should be big. Check them out now.

Thursday 04/05

****Brain Cave Festival at the Bell House - If you missed SXSW, this is your salve. Shilpa Ray, Family Band, Firehorse, Natureboy, She Keeps Bees, Blast Off!!!, EULA, El Jezel, Jon Mizrachi, Magnetic Island.

Black Taxi at Rockwood2 in NYC - Indie rock with intricate guitar work and a pinch of Coldplay and punk. Supporting their new album, We Don’t Know Any Better, which sounds like the subtitle of my life.

Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys at BAM in Brooklyn - I don’t know why, but probs worth checking out. It’s half The Black Keys, yo.

Screaming Females at Maxwell’s in New Jersey. Because no one swallows a mic or plays a guitar as well as Marissa Paternoster.

Friday 04/06

DIVE at le Poisson Rouge in NYC - pop rock that will make you ache for summer at the beach.

The Rapture at Bowery Ballroom in NYC - mind-blowing dance-punk mania.

Young Magic at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn - Their new album is impossible good.

Spirit Family Reunion at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn - If you wanna rock out with your banjo, this folk band will oblige.

Saturday 04/07 

*********The Brain Cave Festival at The Bell House - Day 2 of this extraordinary event. Monogold, Caged Animals, Afuche, Snowmine, Quiet Loudly, Shy Hunters, Aye Aye Rabbit, Gunfight, Lost Boy?, Conveyor, Backwords, Public Speaking, Fables, Passenger Peru, Spanish Prisoners, Clouder

XYLOS at Bowery Ballroom in NYC - cool rock and awesome shoes

Night Beats at Mercury Lounge in NYC - Saw these guys at South By and it was a tremendous motorcycle rock performance.

The Rapture at The Music Hall of Williamsburg - because one night is just not enough.

Show Recs: Everything I’d See This Week If I Had Unlimited Time and Money and Hermione’s Time Turner

Sun 2/26

Benjamin Francis Leftwich at The Belfast Limelight - Really really really good indie folk. A wallowing music go-to.

The Static Jacks at The Roadhouse in Manchester - Post-punk poppy fun.

Tue 2/28

Girl in a Coma at Bowery Ballroom - These Texas girls are Joan Jett’s babies and their motorcycle post-punk has a little hot sauce twang. Gracias.  

EULA at Cameo Gallery - Post-punk in the brilliant bite-sized punch of lead vocalist Alyse Lamb.

Fort Lean at Santos Party House - Driving guitar, big rock sounds, flying hair. All good.

Thurs 3/1

Young the Giant in Toronto at Sound Academy - Gum-smackin’ good!

Fri 3/2

Pat Benatar at Irving Plaza - Because love is a battlefield.

XYLOS at Mercury Lounge - Electro-pop with strong vocals. These chicks have great shoes, too!

Beach Fossils at Music Hall of Williamsburg - Beachy lo-fi pop. The funnest show you didn’t anticipate would be. These guys are great live. 

You Can Be A Wesley at Pianos - Happy indie pop. A major audio memory trigger. An old friend sent me “Elephants in Rabbit Holes” and it spawned my musical enlightenment.

Sat 3/3

Tennis at Bowery Ballroom - Husband and wife duo sing catchy, dancey indie pop songs about life, and it doesn’t suck. New crush.

Black Taxi and Wicked Tomorrow at The Bowery Electric - Indie rock bands that bring it. And Black Taxi’s tshirts are really cool.

Amy Klein and the Blue Star Band at The Hive - What else needs to be said? It’s Amy Klein. More downtempo and spare than her other efforts.

Little Tybee at The Goatfarm in Atlanta - Tour kickoff.

Sunday 3/4

Coldplay and Mumford and Sons at Radio City Music Hall - Just kidding.

Jane’s Addiction at The Paramount, Huntington, NY - The father of the modern music festival deserves your respect.