Chin Chin proved why they're one of the funkiest bands in the city Thursday night at Joe's Pub. They came out on fire with their 9-piece band with a unique attitude and sound that said, "We're here to party and you better be too." Lead singer Wilder Zoby brought so much energy to the performance, he was literally bouncing off the walls.
Chin Chin is a rotating group of highly talented musicians from the Brooklyn scene. Thursday night's show featured among others, Torbitt Schwartz on drums, Jesse Boykins III on backup vocals, Jeremy Williams on guitar, and Eric Biondo and Aaron Johnson of Antibalas on trumpet and trombone respectively.
Their infectious energy and groove make Chin Chin the perfect party music. You simply can't help but move with them on stage. They have a show coming up on the 24th of August at McCarren Pool. If you like to dance, check them out.
DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist Mix it Up! Photo Credit: DaVe Lipp
DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist The Hard Sell McCarren Park Pool July 17, 2008
The fact that a decomposed body was found in a shed in the McCarren Park pool this morning, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist played their turntables till they were smoking. Touring in support of their album The Hard Sell, the theme of the night was 45’s. Playing strictly vinyl, the smaller kind popular from the 20’s to the 60s, they broke out the obscure funk, soul, and much much more. Playing off each other live, one of the highlights of the night was hearing Shadow and Chemist mix the Gilligan’s Island theme song with Led Zeppelin.
With videos on the screen behind them featuring vinyl and a myriad of other images that complimented the music they were mixing, there was also video cameras capturing the dynamic duo spinning and looping live. Playing a lot of new material, they ended the night by hooking themselves up to some sort of portable mixing equipment they wore and walked around the stage scratching to Metallica! All in all, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist proved to be as innovative as ever, and as always, the crowd loved it.
Yoav's gig at Piano's this past Tuesday, July 8th, helped me realize how truly beautiful and multifaceted the acoustic guitar really is when it's in the right hands. He cradled it, tapped against it, drummed it, sang into it, and slid his fingers carefully up and down its neck as of it was his lover. It was absolutely romantic to watch this.
He played nearly all of the songs off Charmed and Strange, his debut album, plus a cover of Radiohead’s "Idioteque," which was a good choice since I'd likened the wails on a couple of his songs to Thom Yorke. The small, intimate space at Pianos allowed his strumming and hollow beat sounds to cut the silent room of listeners, who could catch his every word. It was certain that all of the people in that room could feel what he felt. It was the most responsive audience I'd seen in a long time.
After sitting through two terrible, hipster, indie-rock bands at Crash Mansion, I thought to myself, "The Blue Method better be as good as I remember them." Luckily for us, they were better. Their bass and guitar lines were funkier, lead singer Brian Williams was fatter, his voice was more soulful, and their drums rocked even harder.
The Blue Method is a five-piece funk band out of Philadelphia that has a sound like a 10-piece ensemble. They opened with a couple tracks from their latest album, followed them up with a James Brown cover, and then played the funkiest version of Van Morrison's "Caravan" I've ever heard by far. Vocalist Brian Williams is a big man with an even bigger voice whose energy and passion accentuates the band's infectious on stage attitude.
Their live show featured a soulful mix of covers and original tracks off their two studio albums Kill the Music Vol. 1 and 2. With an incredibly tight sound, they will make you dance all night.
Blackalicious, GZA, KRS-One, and Rakim were officially crossed off my list of hip-hop artists I want to see live before I die at the Third Annual Paid Dues Independent Hip-Hop Festival. With the legendary lineup of Rakim, GZA, Blackalicious, Murs & 9th Wonder, Buckshot (Boot Camp Clik), Supernatural and Scratch, Kidz in the Hall and Yak Ballz, it's no surprise the event sold out.
The Kidz in the Hall started the night off and got the crowd warmed up. Then Scratch came out with a loop machine and showcased his human beatbox skills. Supernatural joined him onstage and the concert officially began. Buckshot followed and the packed house started going wild. Smith and Wesson came out with him and kicked things up a notch, but then, the dj dropped "The Bridge is Over" and the teacher himself, KRS-One, walked out on stage and started rapping. The place went totally nuts.
Murs, the festival organizer, came after and did a set with 9th Wonder which was followed by an awesome set by Blackalicious. Gift of Gab showcased his skills as a killer mc, freestyling a mile-a-minute and energizing the crowd.
GZA followed Blackalicious and absolutely killed it. The highlight of his set was a four-minute long freestyle about Ol' Dirty Bastard before the dj dropped "I Like It Raw."
Kid Capri came out to start Rakim's set, which closed out the show. Rakim played all the classics from Paid in Full and Follow the Leader. The crowd sang all his lyrics word-for-word. There was a special moment when Rakim told the crowd he had a death in his family only a couple days prior and had the theater turn all the lights off and the crowd hold up their lighters and cell phones for a moment of silence, dedicated to everyone's lost loved ones. Kid Kapri broke the silence perfectly when he dropped "Check Out My Melody." Without question, it was the best hip-hop show I've ever been to.
It may be aggravating to see the Tribeca Film Festival’s huge black SUV’s cruising around Manhattan constantly, but they definitely know how to throw a party. Last Friday’s Breaking the Band Showcase made a local rock show into a full red-carpet event. Webster Hall’s labyrinthine faded opulence and an upstairs VIP lounge definitely added to the experience.
The Republic Tigers were Tribeca’s Next Big Thing in unsigned bands, and they definitely look the part. Unfortunately, they sound like a mumbly, over-amplified Interpol, but may grow out of that. In person they are easy-going and quite comfortable talking about what they need to do to grow as a band.
I wanted to blame the RT’s murky sound on Webster Hall, but The Virgins who played immediately after, totally shot that theory out of the water. The Virgins are my new favorite band, taking the best parts of early Cars and early Stones without sounding like a hackneyed tribute.
The Hold Steady closed out the night, and from the crowd’s response, they were clearly the big draw. They are decent and a lot of fun live, but seem to think being headliners gives them license to be dicks off stage. Still, they’re paid to put on a good show, not be our friends, and it’s hard not to have a good time while they’re on stage.
The Duke Spirit, an aggressive indie rock band out of London, England put on a hard-rockin electric show at the Bowery Ballroom that kept the audience jumping from start to finish.
The focal point of the band for me was definitely lead singer Leila Moss, whose powerful voice matched her captivatingly sexy stage presence. Her voice had elements of Bjork while the band as a whole was reminiscent of the Pixies. Their sound was harsh and unashamed. They had great dynamics and established an edgy backdrop through repetition of simple melodic lines over complex rhythms. While Leila Moss definitely stole the show, her bandmates Luke Ford, Dan Higgins, Toby Butler, and Olly Betts brought a raw energy and stage presence of their own. Guitarists Luke Ford and Dan Higgins especially staggered around the stage mesmerized by their instruments, almost alluding to the power of their total sound.
Explosions in Farmingdale, NY. Photo Credit: Valerie Fremin
Explosions in the Sky Crazy Donkey Bar and Grill Farmingdale, NY 4/6/08
I'm so glad I didn't listen to those kids outside. They told me not to bother going in. I stood there listening to guitars explode behind closed doors, which told me I had to plead to be let in. What ensued was the kind of luck some single people have: "All right, just you can come in." Beyond those doors of the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale, I joined the standing meditation.
Up close to the stage I joined a quiet crowd, all of us watching carefully as the musicians all swayed in synchronicity with the slow, building songs, before they crashed down around us. The absence of lyrics allowed them to easily melt one song into another. I heard a quiet whisper, "These guys soothe souls," and I felt an air of peace around me that I hadn't experienced for a long time.
American cutie-pie Johnathan Rice and his twangy Americana slurry opened for Matt Costa last Monday night. Something in Costa's awkward swagger managed to sell out Bowery Ballroom, where "Mr. Pitiful" (Costa's single from his latest full-length) himself kept tune with guitar in hand. Monday night being the first day one could walk outside without frostbite, the albums songs went over best with a crowd ready to sing familiar words about "Yellow Taxi Cabs." Fans like to pretend that Costa's this country’s next Dylan just because his compact statue uses a harmonica. But as entertaining as his flowery live show is, he is not a Dylan—he is a Costa. Watching him perform is like seeing history in the iridescent and upbeat making. And there is not a more pleasing way to spend a night than with him and Rice.
Akoya, one of New York's premier Afrobeat ensembles, proved they are as good as anybody on the scene last Thursday night at S.O.B.'s with the release party for their new album, President Dey Pass. The night featured Akoya's own diverse mix of talented musicians from all over the world, along with superstar guest musicians including Cedric "Im" Brooks of the Skatalites, Amayo, Marcos Garcia, and Eric Biondo of Antibalas, Jared Tankel of Budos Band, Paula Henderson of Moisturizer, and Dj Rich Medina on the 1's and 2's. Akoya is a 13-piece Afrobeat band based in New York with members from Benin, Panama, Ghana, South Africa, the U.S. and Japan. The lead singer, Kaleta, toured and recorded with Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Egypt 80 for ten years. What sets Akoya apart is their versatility. A force to be reckoned with, they give Antibalas competition as the hottest Afrobeat band on the East Coast. --Marc Amigone
Canadian singer/songwriter Basia Bulat scored the opening slot at St. Vincent's Bowery Ballroom gig and she made the most of it! Specializing in the kind of joyful tunes that make you want to romp through enchanted forests at twilight, the spunky young singer took turns switching back and forth between an auto harp and a guitar. Bulat's songs definitely fall into the folk category but there's nothing fey or shy and retreating about her performance. She has a husky full-bodied voice and a rousingly energetic stage presence that is nothing short of radiant. Though she only played a short set, Bulat did a great job of picking the best songs from her solid debut disc Oh, My Darling (Rough Trade). "In the Night" with it's joie de vivre and the more thoughtful "The Pilgriming Vine" were note perfect while "I Was A Daughter" had the audience clapping along. Here's a video of Basia Bulat singing "In the Night."
With the third annual VH1 Rock Honors coming up, and airing on VH1 on July 17, it looks like The Who will be honored. The show will feature tribute performances by Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, The Flaming Lips and Incubus. In honor of The Who, we are giving away, to one lucky fan a WHO VIP PRIZE PACK which includes: The Who commemorative flask, Who shot glasses, a VH1 Rock Honors custom t-shirt, and a set-of 4 Who guitar picks. The contest will end on July 17.
To enter, e-mail us Here
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Short and Sweet NYC
New York City, New York City, United States
Compiled by people who have been there, we are dedicated to bringing you daily listings of music and events paired with food and drink in NYC, all within walking distance of each other and all in 150 words or less. Not just THE place to find out about interesting events, we are also addicted to turning you on to great music, food, bars, booze, and all the fun stuff that you're looking to do in NYC. Most of all, at Short and Sweet NYC, all of our reviews are just that, short and sweet. Who wants to read a thesis when you just want to know the facts?
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