That whole April showers bring May flowers thing sucks if it means rain on Friday nights, but this week looks good - and we've got a bunch of new bands popping up like sprouts in spring...
Our rock and roll lineup for this week:
9 pm - Sousalves
9:45 - the Grey Tide
10:30 - the Motel Creeps
11:15 - Kickstart
DJ Mako plays the best rock all night...
The basic details are:
Free admission before 11 on the Underbelly list (RSVP at rsvp@newyorkunderbelly.com ) - $5 without; After 11, it's $10 bucks. Come early for the open bar (9-10 pm) and stay late for the buckets of beer! Crash Mansion is located at 199 Bowery - that's Bowery and Spring... click on the left for more deets.
Remember, RSVP to RSVP@newyorkunderbelly.com and we'll put you on the list....
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The Rock: Sousalves (9 pm)
we finally got him in the lineup....
Influenced by a vast array of past greats, but sounding much like none of them, Sousalves is the product of not talking shit, and not taking any, either ...one man's experiences in the musical realm.
Paul Alves, who has previously played in hard rockers Drill (who appeared on the Empire Records soundtrack back in 1995) and Electric Turn to Me (which features original members of Mars Volta and Laddio Bolocko), began work on ...To Self over two years ago. The songs included on the EP particularly reflect the social construct of NYC's Lower East Side. Alves, who grew up in and around the city, has called the area home for many years, and music is how he's learned to deal with the demons of a big city neighborhood. Together with the demonizing beats of Mother Brain, and legendary punk Dylan Nirvana on bass, the constant need to escape oneself and others around is all fodder for their messin' with records.
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The Rock: the Grey Tide (9:45 pm)
new in town...
Like your first deep breath on a cool autumn morning, Grey Tide awakens your senses and rekindles your appreciation for the small things in life. Hailing from the upstate region of Central New York, Grey Tide are a new breed of artist that paint a musical landscape with both broad strokes and fine detail. Melding the sounds of the post hardcore underground, Euro-pop and the genre once known as art rock, Grey Tide forge upon a musical wilderness many have been afraid to tread into. A powerful and hypnotic rhythm section (Daniel Bebber, Bass and Corey Koniz, Drums) is sculpted together with a dual guitar attack (Devin Chavis and David Sax), brought full circle by a unique and stylized vocalist (DJ Hopkins). Grey Tide are more than a band, they are an artistic departure into a world of music no one else was brave enough to venture towards. Grey Tide understands that music is art. So should you.
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The Rock: the Motel Creeps (10:30 pm)
post-Brit rock by way of New Jersey and New York
On a junior high basketball court in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, bassist John Vitelli decided to introduce himself and strike up a post-game conversation with guitarist Eric Butler, who sported an Ian McCulloch-esque hairstyle. The topic of their discussion was, of course, Echo & The Bunnymen, and other dark, moody atmospheric bands. Flash forward to April 2004 when Motel Creeps assembled as a quartet, in New York City, in a passionate attempt to enlighten audiences by artistically sharing their prophecies and the human experience.
Wasting no time, Motel Creeps recorded an EP entitled "Pleasantries in the Parlor" which they self released in September of 2004. The sound has 80's British vibes, laced with divine influences such as Echo & the Bunnymen, Joy Division, Ride, Stone Roses, The Cure, and Luna.
Eric Butler's sophisticated guitar work emanates thick, spacey, and psychedelic tones that are courageously seduced from a radiohead-like plethora of effects. Vocalist Greg Welch gracefully croons his way through the calm calculus of melody, and bursts into higher vocal ranges to support emotional articulation. Bassist John Vitelli never lets go of the consistent rhythm with drummer Jim Connolly, both considered the effective rhythmic spinal cord. Many find their songs to be soothingly haunting, graceful, and even pretty enough for a Sunday picnic affair. Experiencing Motel Creeps live, one may sense ritualistic and moody rock vibes coupled with delicate energy emitting from these four shoe-gazers acting coy from their upbringing. "MOTEL CREEPS’ dreamy pop sounds come from influences such as The Doors, Echo & The Bunnymen, U2, and Coldplay. "
"Big sounds crest and crash against soaring guitars and swooning vocals" - Big Takeover Magazine.
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The Rock: Kickstart (11:30 pm)
these guys are a little nuts...
"Our friend Travis from Serious Business swears by this band, calling it "the most dangerous rock band in NYC", so we thought we might give it a shot. The guys are obviously into punk... Think Sex Pistols with an abrasive voiced tenor singer and harmonies a la Pixies. Gosh, I spotted a British accent there for a second, mate! When they all stop during the break at the end and scream something related to "fuck"... that's classic punk, mate! ... innit? - PDG P.S. Yes, there IS a naked woman on stage with the guitarist in that tiny picture... go to the band's website for a larger version of it - or to the band's next show for the real thing! Ladies, the guitarist is pretty hot too, in that Italian wifebeater! Dangerous indeed, Travis! "
- The Deli Magazine, thedelimagazine.com
Kickstart formed in Brooklyn in April 2003 with a bottle of whiskey and a need for some badass rock and roll.
They've earned the reputation as one of the best live bands around, having played nearly every venue in New York City. A 2004 residency at Trash in Williamsburg and a handful of explosive shows at Death Disco New York lead to a London Tour with a string of dates - most notably the legendary 12 Bar Club and Death Disco London.
Hailed as the saviours of all things rock by visionary DJ Bp Fallon, Kickstart are set to return to the UK in Fall 2006 to support their upcoming debut album on Serious Business Records.
Kickstart's songs deliver the pain, the love, and the party that cuts to the soul. Their music is brutally honest and godamn fun. New material keeps coming, fueling the fire - showing a growing range of influences and dynamics while always remaining true to the Kickstart sound - catchy, powerful, badass rock and roll.
This week's lineup is a 5 band extravaganza!the Nu Art Skool Showcase:
9 pm - We Are Americana
9:45 - the Burnside Project
10:30 - Mutronium
11:15 - Mixel Pixel
12:00 - Mesmer
RSVP@NewYorkUnderbelly.com to get on the list....
NO SHOW THIS WEEK!
The Underrated magazine showcase with the New Sense, the Gaskets, the Undisputed Heavyweights, and Palomar is unfortunately postponed... The short story is, the venue was double booked, and we were unable to find a suitable replacement.
Special thanks go out to Rachael Darmanin of Underrated and all of the bands, who worked closedly with us here at Underbelly to try and keep the show going until the very last minute....
The Underrated magazine showcase with the New Sense, the Gaskets, the Undisputed Heavyweights, and Palomar is unfortunately postponed... The short story is, the venue was double booked, and we were unable to find a suitable replacement.
Special thanks go out to Rachael Darmanin of Underrated and all of the bands, who worked closedly with us here at Underbelly to try and keep the show going until the very last minute....
We'll be back next week with:
Friday April 14th:
9 pm the Boroughs
9:45 Kervin
10:30 Favors for Favors (formerly Aircraft)
11:15 AeroVox
See you then!
