If you are guilty of escaping to the beach on this bright, hot day, you still have plenty of time to catch some great shows at the Northside Festival tonight. You can even keep the party going past 3 AM, because that’s when DJ and track producer Traxman takes the stage at Palisades. More recommendations below…
Click on the /X/ for each DJ or band to hear sample tracks. The /WW/ provides the When and Where. The list is in chronological order, and venue addresses can be found here or through the Northsider app.
Alvvays
/X/ Lyric: “We spend our days locked in a room content inside a bubble / And in the nighttime we go out and scour for trouble…Forget the invitations, floral arrangements, and bread makers…Marry me, Archie.” To hear more about this ideal Greenpoint romance, check out their show.
/WW/ 6:45 50 Kent
Big Muff Radio
/X/ Guitar riffs you’d expect to hear out of an open Jeep in SoCal plus a bounce-happy tempo will keep you rocking, but the band’s modern chord structures help them avoid the boring simplicity of lesser garage rock bands.
/WW/ 7:30 Alphaville
Krussia
/X/ Catchy Russian hip-hop. You just envision yourself in a beautiful classic Lada car bouncing up and down on hydraulics.
/WW/ 8 Bar Matchless
American Wrestlers
/X/ This is one of the better bands grafting a sunny pop attitude and tempo to alternative-rock distortion-heavy chords. It is a hybrid that works well live.
/WW/ 9 Music Hall of Williamsburg
Little May
/X/ A bad crush, or the piquant start of romance: Little May’s folk-like directness will remind you of these things, especially when she adds rhythmic elements that evoke the quickened pace of an infatuated heart.
/WW/ 9 Rough Trade
Teen Commandments
/X/This band’s songs have the innocence and appeal of those bad early synth pop songs that play in John Hughes’ 1980’s Brat Pack movies. Fortunately, that comparison applies only to the band’s attitude, because their skill matches that found in the best New Wave bands.
/WW/ 9:30 The Living Room
Laura & Greg
/X/ Recommended for modern folk fans. This is not just another guy/girl duo trying to cover up an unremarkable repertoire with close harmonies, and that is a welcome relief.
/WW/ 10 Black Bear Bar
DJ Premier
/X/Hip-hop fans are eagerly anticipating this performance from arguably the most influential producer on the East Coast. Should be interesting to hear the improvisational result of him operating outside his usual studio comfort zone, as he mixes live alongside a band.
/WW/ 10:15 Brooklyn Bowl
Room8
/X/A fine duo follows DJ Premier’s set, although their tracks are based more in the world of disco and synth. Don’t you dare stand there and not dance!
/WW/ 12:15 Brooklyn Bowl
Traxman
/X/It is 3 AM, and Traxman is busting out breakdance beats. This is not the place to be if you are looking for a nice cool-down before bed. It is going to get frantic on the floor.
/WW/ 3 Palisades