Written by Patrick McNamara aka Chad Farhouse

The format of this article looks a little different this week, right? Don't be shocked. You can come down from the ceiling now. Stop pretending to even notice I mixed it up a bit this time. Here's what happened. (And so begins... Begin Behind The Blob) I write these things on Friday and they take a really long time. Now, now. Tut-tut. Don't cry out for the pains of my labor. Talking to the 13 of you who actually read this thing every week about good shows is my passion and besides I've shed enough tears for the both of us but this is what I get for graduating with a degree in TV/VCR repair moms always said it was gonna be a dead language someday. However, perhaps you remember that this past Friday was the start of Labor Day weekend and I didn't really want to spend all day writing about almost every good show happening in NYC during the upcoming week (the week the 13 of you who are reading right now this are in) because I was late for the BBQ my best buds were having at the beach probably specifically for me and just kidding I totally didn't go to the beach on Friday with my friends because I don't have any instead I just hung out on my couch and tried my best to make myself comfortable as I wrestled with the guilt that maybe I was letting 13 people down with this new format while also juggling snacks into my mouth and fiddling with the clicker. Yes, this new look takes like 1/8th of my time to do but I trust all 13 of you will see that this article tastes just as great no matter its flavor. And don't worry. I pledge to never let you down again by throwing a shortened format of The Best Shows This Week like this again. Until the next long holiday weekend when I don't feel like doing shit. So help me blob. (End Behind The Blob)

#1 Death Cab For Cutie + Explosions in the Sky - Madison Square Garden - Saturday - September 12 - 2015 A.D.

Did you know this is the #1 most popular upcoming show on the entire blob? It's totally true. I had nothing to do with it. You savvy “My Rockness" users came up with this #1 ranking entirely on your own. I'm guessing a big part of the interest for this is one is due to Explosions in the Sky since they haven't played out in a really long time (6/24/12 at Randall's Island and BOOM go the precise statistics) and haven't released a new album since 2011 (Take Care, Take Care, Take Care - it was good). I don't think it's simply for Death Cab because they just played here in January and they haven't released a good album in ten years but that hasn't stopped them one bit from putting out three more awesomely average albums. Who knows. As I said, I had nothing to do with this one. I just blob here. (remind me to blob sometime about the time I saw Explosions in the Sky at North Six - actually I'll just do it now - I saw Explosions in the Sky at North Six one time.*)

*October 6, 2004

**BOOM

#2 Thee Oh Sees - Bowery Ballroom + Warsaw - Tues + Thurs + Fri - September 8/9/10 - 2015 A.D.

You have three chances to see John Dwyer's Thee Oh Sees* play their San Francisconian (is that a thing? - because Google Docs didn't correct me when I just typed Francisconian and I was expecting to be gently rebuked I don't know I've only been to San Francisco once for like fifteen hours it was nice) psych pop garage noise punk this week. Once at Bowery and twice at Warsaw. Hey, did I ever tell you the story about the time I saw Godspeed You! Black Emperor at Warsaw (2002? - sorry my statistics can't be more precise as Whoa My Blobness started circa two years later) and it was so crowded up front and I had to pee so bad I was intensely contemplating pissing into the empty cup that used to hold my beer? I'll blob about it sometime (you won't BELIEVE what happened) but not now because what does Godspeed You! Black Emperor have to do with anything.

* he doesn't require his band be listed as 'John Dwyer's Thee Oh Sees' or anything - that was titled that way of my own volition - this isn't a Tyler Perry situation or anything like that - by the way, I can't wait to read that dude's upcoming autobiography "Tyler Perry's Tyler Perry by Tyler Perry." I've heard wonderful things.

#3 Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Basilica Hudson - Tuesday - September 8 - 2015 A.D.

Speaking of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the eclectic* experimental* instrumental* Canadian* art* collective* play Basilica Hudson, a music venue partially named after the town it exists in. Nope, not Basilica, NY. That's not even a town. Hudson, NY is the right answer. If you're interested in talking more about Basilica, NY please go here and read all about Basilica Hudson Soundscape Fest that happens this weekend with some good bands such as HEALTH + Perfume Genius and so forth but that fest really has nothing to do with this Godspeed show just so you know. Anyway, what was I saying? Ah, yes. I believe I was saying something about an eclectic* experimental* instrumental* Canadian* art* collective*.

* if these four words aren't used when talking about Godspeed You! Black Emperor they won't take your work seriously in blob land

#4 Cat Power - Webster Hall - Wednesday - September 9 - 2015 A.D.

Cat Power (playing solo) plays Emmanuel Lewis Hall tonight and even though she's played NYC a bunch somewhat recently (10/5/2014 at Central Park - 3/11/2014 at Music Hall of Williamsburg TWICE - 11/14/13 at Brooklyn Masonic Temple - let's just stop it there as my statistics could be precise like this forever) this one is still worth blobbing about because Cat Power is real good even though I happened to know for a FACT that playing a solo show under the name Cat Power is a bit duplicitous because her first name isn't Cat (it's Chan) and her last name isn't Power (it's Marshall). Granted, this isn't quite as egregious as the case of Of Montreal (I know for a FACT that band is from ATHENS which is in GEORGIA) but still it would be nice if the deception in live indie music scene stopped for once. Change comes from within, though. My name isn't even Oh My Rockness. It's Chad Farthouse. So who am I to cast stones.

#5 Screaming Females and pals - Elmer B Boyd Park (free) - Saturday - September 12 - 2015 A.D.

Should you find yourself in New Brunswick, NJ on Saturday why don't you head over to Elmer B Boyd Park (it's a park in New Brunswick which is in New Jersey) for a free show (disclaimer: this means you don't have to pay) featuring the mighty punk talents of Screaming Females and a bunch of other close personal bands of theirs. Notable former residents of New Brunswick, NJ (Middlesex County WHAT) include: Hollywoodland actor Michael Douglas + ex-NFL quarterback Joe Theismann + turn of the century poet Joyce Kilmer (no relation to Val) + ALL members of The Gaslight Anthem.

Other notable shows this week that I was too lazy to write about because I was chilling on the beach that also sorta looks like my couch = John McCauley of Deer Tick at City Winery + Beirut at The Bell House (free - but the RSVP list is already mad closed, man) + Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters at Irving Plaza (for a painful good time click that one and also UPDATE this show has been cancelled) + L7 at Irving Plaza + Lou Barlow at Rough Trade + The Juan Maclean at Bowery Ballroom + Tomorrow's Tulips at Shea Stadium + Paul F. Tompkins at The Bell House + CIV at Webster Hall + Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab at Baby's All Right + Kathryn Calder of The New Pornographers at Mercury Lounge + Blanck Mass at Baby's All Right + The Forms at Riis Park Beach Bazaar + Craig Finn of The Hold Steady at Rough Trade + Hercules and Love Affair at Capitale+ Empress Of at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Thanks for reading, all 13 of you! And don't worry. I'll be back to poppin' the same old takes-me-all-day format you've come to know and cherish from this dynamic digital article again next week because I know how important this is to you. I know how high the stakes sit with this. I won't let you down again. Until the next long weekend. Or, earlier if I don't feel like doing shit. So help me blob.

(the following song has been stuck in my head since I was like 9 years old and to this day I sometimes sing it in the shower passionately anyway thanks for listening)