Category: Genres

Caffe Lena Announces First Annual “Sing In The Streets” Festival

Caffe Lena will host the first annual Sing In The Streets music festival on May 22 to celebrate the venue’s 62 anniversary.

Music will take place at six sites in the historic downtown Saratoga Springs neighborhood, with each site having display photos and memorabilia associated with each decade of the venue’s operation.

Carolyn Shapiro, a Caffe Lena staff member and one of the performers for the afternoon, spoke in a statement about the festival. Shapiro also won an Eddie Award for Folk/Traditional Artist of the Year.

Sing in the Streets celebrates our venue’s history but it’s also a celebration of the community that helped our historic venue survive the turmoil of the last couple years. We’re encouraging people to visit every stage and get their Folk Passport stamped for a chance to win an Emcee Membership, which entitles you to two free shows a month for an entire year,

Also, Kira Favro, Caffe Lena’s Board President, spoke of the anniversary celebration.

We have a lot to celebrate this year. We marked our 60th during the peak of the pandemic. Now it’s time to gather in person and enjoy music and survival. Caffe Lena has a long history, but its future is going to be even longer.

The festival features various musical styles, like pop, country, folk, bluegrass, and children’s music. The festival is free, but people can donate to support Caffe Lena’s community services, like free shows for kids, music in nursing homes and homeless shelters, free music lessons, and more.

“Sing in the Streets” performances will happen from 12 P.M.- 2 P.M. on Saratoga street near Caffe Lena. Different performers include Girl Blue, The Bluebillies, Hot Club of Saratoga, Jes Hudak, Carlyn Shapiro, Reese Fulmer, and more.

May 18, 2022
Revisit: American Classical Orchestra Presents “The Chaconne Project” At Harlem Parish

Revisit: American Classical Orchestra (ACO) returns to the Harlem Parish performing The Chaconne Project directed by ACO founder Thomas Crawford on Wednesday, June 22 at 7 pm.

Photo credits: American Classical Orchestra with Guadalupe Peraza performing The Chaconne Project, Nov. 2020 at Harlem Parish, courtesy of ACO.

The production features a Chamber ensemble of Orchestra members and Mexican mezzo-soprano Guadalupe Peraza in a lively program of Baroque repertoire featuring the chaconne, a musical genre that began as bawdy 16^th-century dances in Spanish culture. The chamber concert was initially scheduled for February 3, but was postponed due to the Omicron variant.

American Classical Orchestra was founded in 1984 as the Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy. Later on, renamed the American Classical Orchestra in 1999. After some time, Founder Thomas Crawford established its new and permanent home in New York City in 2005. Because they only preform music from the 17th, 18th, and 19th century, their mission is to present the music as the composers might have heard it in their time. By using certain instruments and techniques, the American Classical Orchestra is “supremely skilled musicians” (Theater Scene) have won critical praise for its recordings, educational programs, and concerts.

Thomas Crawford, is highly skilled in historically accurate performance styles in Baroque, Classical, and Early Romantic music. Throughout his life he has founded two Connecticut orchestras: the Fairfield Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy. A passionate activist determined to bring the beauty of period music to a wider audience, Mr. Crawford’s educational activities with the Orchestra received a Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth award from the National Endowment for the Arts, recognizing the ACO’s dynamic music outreach to New York City schoolchildren. A Pennsylvania native, he holds degrees in organ performance and composition from the Eastman School of Music and Columbia University.

Photo credits: American Classical Orchestra with Guadalupe Peraza performing The Chaconne Project, Nov. 2020 at Harlem Parish, courtesy of ACO.

The show, Revisit: The Chaconne Project, was filmed at Harlem Parish. The use of harmonies create 10 vibrant examples of chaconne, a genre of music categorized by its repeating bass line. The director, Thomas Crawford, leads the audience through an aroma of musical instruments compromised through strings, voice and percussion. Revisit will showcase Guadalupe Peraza, who appeared as featured soloist with the New York Virtuoso Singers and at the majestic Teatro de la Ciudad Esperanza Iris in Mexico City.

Tickets, priced at $35 and $55, are available at aconyc.org or by calling American Classical Orchestra at (212) 362-2727. Ticket holders will need to follow the venue’s guidelines and show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 in order to enter the building. The show will begin on Wednesday, June 22 at 7 pm, Harlem Parish, 258 W 118th St.

May 18, 2022
Boy Jr. delivers unapologetic apology “Hey Sorry” off upcoming debut album

Rochester’s Boy Jr. is gearing up to unleash their debut album Pay Attention to Meee next month. In anticipation of the release, they’re giving us a taste of the synthy-pop ear candy to come.

Inspired by Chairlift and Caroline Polachek, the bedroom pop ditty “Hey Sorry” ensconces girl power in the face of heartbreak.

“‘Hey Sorry’ is a sonic showcase of how fucked up I get when I have a crush.”
– Boy Jr.

Boy Jr. is the songwriting/production project of Erica Allen-Lubman (she/they). To celebrate the release of “Hey Sorry” they will be opening for Aryia at The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn tonight (May 18). Follow on Instagram.

May 18, 2022
Dark Star Orchestra Brilliantly Recreate Lille Fairgrounds in France on 50th Anniversary

The Capitol Theatre was packed on Friday, May 13 with Deadheads young and old as Dark Star Orchestra paid homage to the Grateful Dead at the iconic Deadhead venue at The Capitol Theatre. On this night they recreated one of the Dead’s shows from their great Europe 1972 tour. More specifically the show from May 13, 1972 at Lille Fairgrounds in Lille, France. It was a hell of a set then and it was a hell of a show now.

The first set was played with precision and umph, never getting too noodley. The second set started off with a thunderous “Truckin’” into a jam filled “drums” > “The Other One.” Other highlights of the evening included “Beat It On Down The Line,” “Playing in the Band,” & “GDTRFB.”

Dark Star Orchestra – The Capitol Theatre – May 13, 2022 – recreating May 13, 1972 – Lille Fairgrounds of France

Set 1: Bertha, Black Throated Wind, Chinatown Shuffle, Loser, Beat It On Down The Line, Mister Charlie, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Me And My Uncle, Big Railroad Blues, Next Time You See Me, Playing In The Band, Sugaree, Mexicali Blues, Casey JonesÂ

Set 2: Truckin’ > drums > The Other One > He’s Gone, It Hurts Me Too, Sugar Magnolia, Not Fade Away > Going Down The Road Feeling Bad > Not Fade AwayÂ

Encore: One More Saturday Night

May 17, 2022
There’s No Laundry at Albany’s Newest Laundromat

Albany’s DIY music scene has been thriving in the wake of 2020’s lockdowns. Basement and house venues are popping up left and right, and bands have been eager to get back on stage and perform in front of live audiences. The Laundromat is one of the newest underground music venues in Albany and it just wrapped up a busy spring semester. The hidden basement spent the last five months promoting pop-up shows at Pauly’s Hotel, hosting their own basement shows, and contributing to Albany’s flourishing music and arts community.

The venue started back in September of 2021 and is run by two U Albany students Ari Spielman and Samantha Mehrkens. The duo runs their venue on Instagram (@the.laun.dro.mat) and have grown their page beyond 1,500 followers in the past few months and have put on over a dozen shows. Ari and Samantha have built, from the ground up, a popular space for musicians, painters, photographers, and artists of all kinds to work and enjoy each other’s art. The two can always be spotted up front at their shows, enjoying the music, addressing technical difficulties, and even keeping their fans cool and comfortable.

Glue Head @ The Laundromat – 3.11.22. Ari Spielman and Samantha Mehrkens (right)

The Laundromat was recently one of a handful of DIY venues in the Albany area that was part of Byrdhouse Records‘ Phoenix Fest. The week-long festival consisted of six consecutive shows all over Albany, Troy, and New Paltz. The Laundromat’s show took place on 4/20 and featured five local acts: Floral Arrangements, Ricky Bandana, Prom Sex, Rhakimali, and The E-Block. The packed lineup, along with the holiday festivities, brought out a big crowd for the Wednesday night show that ran late into the early hours of the morning.

The surprise highlight of the night was the third act of the night: Prom Sex. The newly formed band played their first show ever at The Laundromat and they received a warm welcome from Albany’s DIY community. The band played their own version of musical chairs, or rather musical instruments, as everyone rotated from guitar to bass to drums. The young band played on for a full 45-minute set with a crowd-demanded encore.

Prom Sex @ The Laundromat – 4.20.22

The Laundromat also features local bands time and time again, like Ladybyrd. The WCDB Rising Artist of the Year is a regular at The Laundromat, and performed at the last show of the semester on May 6. Ladybyrd had also performed at The Laundromat as recently as April 8th, along with Chaz Kiss, and Sam Legenbauer. This April 8th show was promoted as the Femme Fatale Feature Friday, as it featured acts fronted by women. The Laundromat doesn’t always host shows with an overarching theme, but when they do, they always tend to draw out their biggest and most energetic crowds.

Ladybyrd @ The Laundromat – 5.6.22

The Laundromat has often featured a broad range of music on any given night, one could hear everything from hip-hop to punk or shoegaze to funk. One of these genre bending shows was on February 18th, featured acts included: Free Spiritu, Cloud 18, Dork!, and Alliteration. Alliteration closed out the show and have been seen all over the 518 in the past few months. It feels like the Poughkeepsie-based punk band brings their unique sound to the area every other weekend and they have fans traveling regularly from as far as Long Island to catch every single one of their shows.

Alliteration’s success is well deserved and has been a direct result of the band’s collective work ethic, attitude, and fun music. Xayvier, Ryan, and Mike are loved throughout the music community and can be found in the crowd or the merch table at every show they play. They arrive early, enjoy the sets of other acts, and are eager to mingle with fans. It’s this type of approachability and friendliness from the band members though that has helped make them a true crowd favorite in New York’s DIY music scene. Basement show-goers may even find themselves challenged to a game of Super Smash by Xayvier for the chance to win a t-shirt discount. Good luck beating him though.

Alliteration’s Next show will be at The Bundy Museum on May 28th, for the Bing X Punk Festival . The day’s music starts at 3pm and is slated to run until 9:30. The show will feature three other bands who have been seen in the Albany area as of late: Stay Off The Fence , Senior Living, and DiRTYBANDAiD. All of these bands rock, hard, and will be accompanied by a number of other acts who won’t disappoint: The Droogz, Pons, The War Lovers, Pleasure Dome, and Tom Jolu.

Alliteration @ The Laundromat – 2.18.22

Like the Bing X Punk Festival shows, Albany’s DIY scene is not an island. It is, instead, a part of a much larger community of music lovers all around the state. There are vibrant underground scenes in cities like Oneonta, Binghamton, and Troy and bands are constantly playing together and traveling from city to city as often as they can. The Laundromat’s final show of the semester on May 6, 2022 featured Crash Test Auto from Oneonta. The upbeat rock band put the community’s connectedness on display by featuring Adam Henkel on bass. Adam is a SUNY Oneonta student who currently runs the 607 Music Scene Instagram page.

Adam has found himself playing for a number of bands and is now focused on building his Instagram following through 607 in order to aggregate event and artist news from around New York’s DIY music scene beyond. Adam’s efforts are all in the name of his love for music and for the members of the underground community. 607 Music Scene is the go-to page to follow if you are interested in keep up-to-date with upcoming shows, photography galleries from past shows, and new music from local acts.

Crash Test Auto @ The Laundromat 5.6.22

In addition to hosting shows in their basement, The Laundromat has also promoted a number of shows at Pauly’s Hotel in Albany. The Laundromat kicked off the 2022 spring semester with their Wild N’ Out rap show on February 5. The show featured nine of Albany’s up and coming rappers to allow the crowd to decide who their favorite rapper of the night was. The show’s winner and runner-up were awarded to Lil Baby Suplex, and Rhakimali. The grand prize was awarded to Suplex and earned him free studio time in New York City.

The Laundromat’s Pauly’s Hotel shows have also included lineups with some local regulars like Treasure Cove, The E-Block, and Safety Meeting. Those who frequent DIY shows in the area are more than likely quite familiar with all three of these acts, as they have all been regularly performing around the area and at other Laundromat shows. Safety Meeting also played shows at The Byrdhouse and WCDB this semester. In April they performed at WCDB Fest and were nominated for Best Alt Rock/Indie Artist for their fun style of rock that incorporates sounds from different genres spanning from punk to country. Safety Meeting has a show coming up on May 28 at Blueberry Field in New Paltz.

Safety Meeting @ Pauly’s Hotel – 2.17.22

As you can see, The Laundromat plays their own important role in a much larger community. Samantha and Ari have grown their own musical node in the network in a very short amount of time. The space they have created creates opportunities for so many artists to put their work on display. The nature of the community inspires crowd members, promotes new acts and venues alike, and makes the whole of New York’s DIY scene stronger.

So whether you are young or old, love hip-hop or punk, or just have $5 in your pocket, then you should consider following The Laundromat on Instagram and keeping your eyes out for the next show they have. It could be this summer, or it could be next summer, but either way you ought to be ready to send them a DM and get the address to what will likely be one of the best shows in Albany happening that night. Albany’s basements are dark and dirty, but the artists and fans are kind and welcoming to all. There is no doubt that a night spent at The Laundromat will be one filled with good music and good vibes.

The Field Service

Midnight Driver

Midnight Driver

Ricky Bandana & Cirred

Cirred

Treasure Cove

Treasure Cove

The E-Block

The E-Block

Safety Meeting

Dork!

Alliteration

Michael Rodriguez – Alliteration

Alliteration

Souly Had

Moss Tongue

Moss Tongue

Glue Head

Glue Head, Ari & Samantha

Gluehead

Glue Head

Glue Head

Sam Legenbauer

Ladybyrd

Chaz Kiss

David Stingle – Chaz Kiss

Evan Randall – Ladybyrd

Prom Sex

Ladybyrd

Crash Test Auto

Adam Henkel Crash Test Auto / 607 Music Scene

May 17, 2022
The Dead Tongues Let the Music Do the Talking at Restaurant Good Luck

Honest Folk, purveyors of, er, honest folk concerts in Rochester, brought The Dead Tongues to town from Asheville, North Carolina on Sunday, May 15. The Dead Tongues, the project of singer-songwriter Ryan Gustafson, is sometimes a solo act, as it was on his previous visit to the area last summer at the Point of the Bluff Vineyard on Keuka Lake. But tonight it was a full band show, and electric at that. Not unheard of for an Honest Folk show, but not the norm either.

To prepare for this, the crowd had the opportunity to stretch their listening muscles. The band’s drummer, Joe Westerlund, started the evening with about 30 minutes of drum and electronics improvisation. Subtly shifting rhythmic electronic loops created a bedrock for Westerlund to explore his well-equipped kit, which featured all the bells, but no whistles. Even the shakes, rattles and clanks emerging from the bar, which can distract from the usual folk fare, added an unintentional surround sound effect. Inner ears and minds stretched and loosened, the previous hours of the day washed away, the crowd was ready to settle in for The Dead Tongues.

After a short break, Westerlund was joined on stage by Gustafson on guitars, harmonicas and vocals, Maddie Schuler on guitar and lap steel and Jeff Ratner on bass. They opened with the title track off of their stellar 2022 release, Dust. The album was written and recorded in a short period, a burst of inspiration for Gustafson. Live, there was no urgency though. Songs could ooze into existence and drift out just as languidly.

Older songs worked seamlessly into the set, some retooled to take advantage of the current band. On “Peaceful Ambassador” Gustafson’s harmonica meshed beautifully with Schuler’s lap steel, creating an almost organ-like effect, a unique mix of sound that would show up throughout the set. Ratner picked up the pace with a popping bass line that opened the song up into a jam featuring a searing slow burn solo from Gustafson. He strapped on the 12-string acoustic as his band continued to fizzle the song into a spacey outro that led right into “Sweet Relief,” another mellow groove that got pulled and stretched by the band.

Each song expanded their sound universe in subtle ways. “Nothingness and Everything” added a bit of reggae, some beautiful 3-part harmonies and featured a crowd-wowing guitar solo from Schuler. Westerlund continued exploring his kit throughout the night, from a softer hand drummed beat for “Pale November Dew,” to a sharp electronic beat on “Little Lies” or just flat out wowing with unique fills on the twanging rocker “Pawnshop Dollar Bills.”

It all remained rooted in Gustafson’s heartfelt and evocative songcraft, which he let speak for itself, keeping the banter to a minimum throughout the night. And these are songs begging to be heard again and again. Time to give that record another spin.

Setlist: Dust, Ebb and Flow, Through the Glass, Strangers, Graveyard Fields, Peaceful Ambassador, Sweet Relief, Pale November Dew, Nothingness and Everything, Garden Song, Little Lies, Pawnshop Dollar Bills, Won’t Be Long

May 17, 2022
The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra Announces 2022-2023 Season

Broome County‘s only professional symphony orchestra, The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra has announced its 2022-2023 Concert Season which will run from September 2022 through May 2023. Under the direction of Maestro Daniel Hege, the season includes four Classical and four Pops concerts.

The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra will kick off the 2022-2023 Season with “American Journey,” a concert exploring classical music of the Americas. he show will start on Saturday, September 24 at 7:30pm at the Broome County Forum Theatre. Additionally, the show will include Seven O’Clock Shout, a 2020 tribute to healthcare workers by contemporary composer Valerie Coleman, and more.

The symphony continues Saturday, October 22 at 7:30pm with the performance of “Walking Distance.” This unique performance features songs from beloved Binghamton-based Twilight Zone episode. Thus, the show will take place at the Helen Foley Theatre at Binghamton High School.

The next show “Green Places” takes place on Saturday, November 12 at 7:30pm at the Broome County Forum Theatre. This show features one of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s airy Novelettes, contemporary composer Gary Schocker’s lighthearted Green Places. Additionally, featuring flute soloist Karen Bogardus, and more.

The Philharmonic’s holiday concert, “Winter Wonderland,” will be held on Saturday, December 10 at 3pm at the Broome County Forum Theatre. This show includes music from holiday hits including The Polar Express, Home Alone, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. The program will also feature a visit from Santa, a holiday singalong, and the classic British animated film, The Snowman.

Lastly, the Philharmonic will conclude its 67th Season with “May the Fourth Be With You.” The show will take place on Thursday, May 4 at 7:30pm at the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts. This is an exciting program to celebrate the Star Wars saga with John Williams’ legendary symphonic music.

Ticket Information

Lastly, subscriptions are on sale now. Subscribers can save 10-15% on tickets, while also avoiding ticketing fees, receiving concierge service, and qualifying for special subscriber benefits. For more information, contact the Binghamton Philharmonic box office at 607-723-3931 or visit the link here.

May 17, 2022
Riot Fest 2022 To Feature My Chemical Romance, The Misfits, NIN and more

Riot Fest, one of the longest running independent music festivals, has announced its 2022 lineup with tickets going on sale next week. The three-day festival will return to Douglass Park in Chicago, IL this fall with headliners that include My Chemical Romance, Nine Inch Nails and The Original Misfits performing their debut album Walk Among Us which turned 40 years old this year. Riot Fest will be spread across five stages and features a vast array of music that is rich in punk, indie rock, hip hop, goth, industrial and more.

On July 19, it was announced that Taking Back Sunday, Coolio, Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg, Zola Jesus, Reece Young, Poliça and cumgirl8 will join the diverse lineup of bands playing September 16-18 in Douglass Park.

Attendees will also enjoy reunion sets from Yellowcard (performing their sole 2022 show), The Academy Is… and Midtown—as well as returning punk heroes like Alkaline Trio, Bad Religion, and Descendents, hip-hop acts like Ice Cube and Action Bronson, and fest favorites Sleater-Kinney, Jimmy Eat World, The Front Bottoms, and The Wonder Years. “I think this year’s lineup really speaks to who we are,” says festival founder Mike Petryshyn, “It’s been a minute since we’ve gotten to curate a lineup like this. I’m especially excited for what this is leading into: the stuff that’s happening in the next few weeks, and the years to come.”

Founded in 2005, Riot Fest is an independent music festival featuring the best of punk, rock ‘n’ roll, hip hop, metal, alternative, and just about everything in between. Founder Riot Mike is credited with helping to reunite iconic bands like Naked Raygun, the Replacements, The Original Misfits, and Jawbreaker, among many other reunions—a staple of Riot Fest, alongside full album performances, carnival rides, and the occasional butter sculpture. It was named #1 Music Festival by USA Today, and in 2021 it was voted Best Music Festival in a poll for Chicago Reader. In addition to the festival, Riot Fest promotes shows year-round at a myriad of music venues across Chicago.

Tickets are now on sale for Riot Fest 2022 and can be purchased through the festival’s website here. Options for 1-day, 2-day and 3-day tickets are all available.

May 16, 2022
Smashing Pumpkins Announce North American Arena Tour including stop at Madison Square Garden

Grammy-winning alternative rock group, The Smashing Pumpkins, have announced their “Spirit on Fire” North American Tour that will see them make 32 stops and perform throughout all major Arenas. Featuring alternative rock cult heroes — Jane’s Addiction — and Poppy/Meg Myers (on select dates) The Live Nation produced expedition begins on October 2, in Dallas, Texas and concludes on November, 19 in Los Angeles a the Hollywood Bowl.

Among the stops, The Smashing Pumpkins will be making their way to New York. On October, 14 they will be performing at the UBS arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, while they hit Madison Square Garden on October, 19.

The Smashing Pumpkins first emerged out of Chicago in 1988, spinning together rock, pop, shoe-gaze, metal, goth, psychedelia, and electronic as part of the time’s invigorated alternative rock scene. As a result, they’ve sold over 30 million albums worldwide and collected two Grammy awards, two MTV VMAs, and an American Music Award. Their catalog is highlighted by the diamond-certified Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness(released in 1995), and is one of multiple platinum and gold efforts. Their 11th studio album, 2020’s CYR, saw them continue their run of prolific outputs, with no plans of stopping anytime soon.

General on-sale tickets for the Spirit on Fire Tour can be purchased here, while the group’s touring schedule can be found below.

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

10/02 – American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX**

10/03 – Toyota Center – Houston, TX**

10/05 – Moody Center – Austin, TX**

10/07 – Amalie Arena – Tampa, FL**

10/08 – Hard Rock Casino – Hollywood, FL**

10/10 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN**

10/11 – State Farm Arena – Atlanta, GA**

10/13 – Mohegan Sun – Uncasville, CT**

10/14 – UBS Arena – Belmont Park, NY**

10/16 – TD Garden – Boston, MA**

10/18 – Capital One Arena – Washington, DC**

10/19 – Madison Square Garden – New York City, NY**

10/21 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA**

10/22 – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA*^

10/24 – Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON**

10/26 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC**

10/27 – Centre Videotron – Quebec City, QC**

10/29 – Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse – Cleveland, OH*^

10/30 – Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, WI**

11/01 – Enterprise Center – St. Louis, MO**

11/02 – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI**

11/04 – Xcel Energy Center – St. Paul, MN**

11/05 – United Center – Chicago, IL**

11/07 – Ball Arena – Denver, CO**

11/09 – Spokane Arena – Spokane, WA**

11/11 – Rogers Arena – Vancouver, BC**

11/12 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, WA**

11/13 – Moda Center – Portland, OR**

11/15 – Chase Center – San Francisco, CA**

11/16 – Honda Center – Anaheim, CA**

11/18 – Footprint Center – Phoenix, AZ**

11/19 – Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA**

** with guests Jane’s Addiction + opener Poppy

*^ with guests Jane’s Addiction + opener Meg Myers

May 16, 2022
Creature & The Butterflies Serve Up Melodic Bombast at Berlin

If you like the soft/loud approach of The Pixies and the noise pop perfectionism of Nirvana, there’s a new trio on the NYC scene that’s sure to delight – Creature & The Butterflies.

Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Chris Seifert debuted the band as a solo project in 2019 with the release of two singles, “Sweet Tooth” and “Turnaround.” The latter is a delightfully noisy and demented reinvention of the DEVO classic, one also covered by Nirvana on their Incesticide compilation. In 2021, Seifert released his tenth and perhaps most commercially appealing song, “Murder Machine.” This is a suitably mad, mid-tempo Ramones/Nirvana stomp with a cutting, single-note guitar solo straight out of the Neil Young “Cinnamon Girl” school.

While the multi-instrumentalist Seifert comported himself well on guitars, keys, bass and drums on his slew of singles, the band is even tighter now with the recent addition of a new killer rhythm section. The band’s newbies are pigtailed drummer Timmy Emmerich and bassist Bettina C. Emmerich has a sledgehammer, four-on-floor approach and a never flagging energy that brings a new level of vitality to Seifert’s prior recordings. Like Talking Head Tina and Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, Bettina C is a cool presence on stage. She’s also the sonic glue that holds (or maybe herds?) together Chris and Timmy’s poppy cacophony, one that could easily go off the rails her rock steady riffage.

This new lineup showcased their stuff at their second-ever gig together Wednesday night at Berlin Under 2A in Manhattan.

Like his idol Cobain, the eight Seifert originals played were grungy, noisy, feedback-laced pop perfection. They each boast killer riffs, crunchy chord sequences and smart, hook-leaden middle-eights – a compositional maturity that shows the band could be real contenders in the altrock marketplace.

On stage, Seifert has the dry sardonic presence of another of his idols, Lou Reed. At the performance, he cast off self-depreciating introductions to songs that amused the packed house.

The band ran through several of the singles you can find on their Spotify page like “THEM,” “Boy with Guns” and “Murder Machine.” But perhaps my favorites were two new tunes. “Viper Dog Fish” is a dropped-D tuned smasher driven by a riff Black Sabbath would love to have penned while “Friends” is, again, Seattle grunge more than a pinch of Lower East Side punk nihilism. It’s lyrical hook, one repeated again and again in the chorus – “I Don’t Have No Friends.” That certainly wasn’t the case at this performance.

Creature & The Butterflies have several area gigs upcoming, and will be at The Delancey June 4 at 10 pm. Visit them on Instagram.

May 16, 2022

Built in Breakdance