Written by Patrick McNamara

This is the only 7/8/13 to 7/15/13 that any of us are ever going to be given. So let’s make these seven days count. By going to....good...shows? Sure. Why not? "The world of dew is the world of dew. And yet....and yet..."

These Are. The Best. Shows. This Week.* (unexpected use of periods is a new analytical SEO theory I’m testing out - could change everything for web based music blobs?)

Thursday - July 11th, 2013 A.D.

Toro y Moi play a free show (with RSVP) at the House of Vans - the temporary summer space that an empire of shoes built. Shlomo and Jonwayne also play this thang. By the way, did you know John Wayne’s autopsy revealed 40 pounds of impacted fecal matter in his colon? Holy ___ (hmm, need an appropriate four letter word here). Did you also know that longtime urban legend isn’t true? I just looked it up on Snopes. And if Snopes says it’s not true I believe it and that settles it. Nonetheless, John Wayne was still a badass. I guess. Pretty terrible actor though. Have you seen "The Quiet Man" lately?



Savages play Webster Hall. I liked them since last CMJ when everyone else said to like them too. No big deal. You heard it here seventh. NBD. I saw them play a sold-out day show full of important music blobbers with free rum or sambuca or some other extremely specific spirit no one ever even thinks to drink in real life much less pay for. So I’m not sweating it either.



Belle & Sebastian and Yo La Tengo play Prospect Park. If you don’t have a ticket - I’m OK you’re OK everybody is chill. Just sit right outside the bandshell on the nice, lush grass and listen for free. Seriously. You won’t be able to see. But you’ll be able to hear just fine. And sometimes on a blessed summer’s night, hearing is the best viewing there is. Here’s one of BS’s oldies. And many of you might find the refrain reflects your thoughts on the short time you've already spent on this dynamical Best Shows This Week editorial feature......



Other good shows tonight include TEEN at MoMA (for ALL CAPS WACKY FEST i guess) + Reggie Watts (yeah, again!) at Mercury Lounge + Andrew Cedermark at Shea. But I’m saving my embedding energy for a strong weekend finish.

SEE ALL OF OUR THURSDAY SHOW PICKS.

Friday - July 12th, 2013 A.D.

I’m not telling you to sprint over to Coney Island to see Cheap Trick tonight or anything. I’m just telling you that this is the other* greatest pop song of the last 35 years. (*again, besides Gummy Bears)



Blake Schwarzenbach from Jawbreaker and Jets to Brazil (and The Double Windsor) plays The Acheron. Everybody who likes Jawbreaker has strong opinions about what the best Jawbreaker album is. I don’t know about that. But I do know what the best Jawbreaker SONG is. And that's this. That’s not strong opinion. That’s fact. Tell me you don’t feel that burst of distortion pedal goodness straight in your gut. The. Best. Jawbreaker. Song. THERE IS NO GREY!!!! OR GRAY FOR THAT MATTER!!!!!!! This used to be my go-to late night bar song back in the days when 4th beer buybacks were actually a thing. Man, I miss that thing. Forget the recent Free Summer Shows explosion. Bring that 4th beer buybacks thing back instead.



XXYYXX play MHOW tonight (and tomorrow at PS1). Sadly for the purpose of symmetry, MM/DD/YYYY will not be joining XXYYXX on this bill. Because MM/DD/YYYY broke up a few years ago. And are now Absolutely Free. But I think we’re getting even more off track from our already shaky standards here. So to the point, this a good slow sexy alt ‘n b XXYYXX jam that’s perfect when you really need to catch up on your ZZZZZZs.



3rd Bass play SRB Brooklyn tonight. They’re a band that men and women of a certain age will surely remember if they ever turned on their radio. I’m not going to tell you the age. If I do that, that means you ain’t old enough to know, son! I will tell you that 3rd Bass are most famous for finally clearing up an ancient legend: Why Does Pop Go The Weasel? Pop goes the weasel, 3rd Bass taught us, precisely BECAUSE...the weasel....goes...POP. Heed those wise words. Heed them and live by them, friends.



SEE ALL OF OUR FRIDAY SHOW PICKS.

Saturday - July 13th, 2013 A.D.

Ho-hum. Phillip Glass plays a free show in Prospect Park for Celebrate Brooklyn. He’s just a living legend. Ho-hum. No big deal. Just one of the most influential composers of our times and whose music will probably be remembered far longer than any of the other bands we talk about on this thing. No big deal. Go see Alt-Y McALTbuZZ on some roof somewhere most-industrial instead. It’s your journey, man.



Blonde Redhead play a FREE show at The Surf Lodge and before any of you jump for joy and run out the door so fast you leave all your cares behind you should know that The Surf Lodge is in Montauk - a most magical place beyond the limits of our mere subway. So I hear, anyway. I’ve never been. But Montauk is on my bucket list. Currently holding steady in position #12,834 (right before #12,835, “Try a Cronut if it happens to be around”).





Airbird & Napolian play Glasslands. They always come to play. And they’ll be in the zone. You can bet on that. By the way, bet you didn’t know that Napolean really wasn’t THAT short. History wants to portray him as this tiny, angry guy (and a dude who really loves waterslides). But he was actually 5’ 7” - which is average height for men (tell any 5’ 7” dude that - no seriously - you will make a new tiny friend for life).



SEE ALL OF OUR SATURDAY SHOW PICKS.

Sunday - July 14th, 2013 A.D.

Whew. Tonight’s a rough one. Not much going on that hasn’t already been spoken about before. So go forth and do something else. Do your laundry in peace, stay sure in your current task, and remain confident that you are missing out on absolutely nothing else at all.

These were The Best Shows This Week. And remember, there won’t ever be another week exactly like this one ever, ever again. You know what? I’m pretty cool with that.

SEE ALL OF OUR SUNDAY SHOW PICKS.