Written by Patrick McNamara

These are The Best Shows This Weekend. And so far, all I have done is reiterate the title of this article. But don’t worry. I expect a strong finish. For you. For me. For cats. For Kings.

(btw, sorry this isn’t in Top Ten list form with big images of stuff that “really take you back” or anything like that. look at me....apologizing already....)

Thursday - August 8th, 2013 A.D.

And now it starts to get better. Thanks for believing. Not in me. In yourself.

The #1 Most Popular upcoming show on Rockness is tonight. And it’s Titus Andronicus at Pier 84 in Hudson River Park. And it’s free. Which is amazing. Usually it costs an arm and a leg to watch a bloody revenge tragedy*.

Ducktails and Juan Wauters (of The Beets) with Carmelle are also playing. And I don’t apologize for the previous joke. I REGRET NOTHING.

(*little known fact: did you know that some of the leading academically intellectualized believe Shakespeare may not have written all those massive 40** plays himself?!)

(**if we also count the two lost plays generally attributed to him - I’m talking about “Cardenio” and “Love’s Labour’s Won,” of course***)

(***thx Wikipedia!)



A most profane triumph of fun pop noise. Hunx & his Punx play 285 Kent tonight. Still patiently waiting to be asked to join this band. Hoping that phone will vibrate with good news for once. But until that day comes, I shall maintain a sunny disposition, curl up with a good massive play, and wait, wait and humbly wait some more.



Ulrich Schnauss and Mahogany play Bowery Ballroom. You know who Ulrich Schnauss sounds like? Not Hunx & his Punx. This is my favorite Ulrich Schnauss song from back in the day (remember, that one day, when EVERYTHING happened - this pilot pitch will practically write itself, man). Isn’t it pretty? Can you hear a little “With or Without You” in there too?



Listen. Here’s all I’m saying about The Killers (other than that they play Prudential Center tonight) - all I’m saying is that if you didn’t think Mr. Brightside was an extremely excellent pop song, you must not prefer the genre of pop - and that’s fine - it’s your journey, man - you don’t have to like Mr. Brightside or pop - all I’m saying is that in my opinion you are 1000% wrong - that’s all - everything else is all good - nothing is objective - except I’m right - and you’re wrong. (I won’t post the song because it will do little to solve much ado about nothing.)

Oh, screw it.



SEE ALL OF OUR THURSDAY SHOW PICKS.

Friday - August 9th, 2013 A.D.

Speaking of good moods, Wild Cub play Bowery tonight. I recently wrote about their happy collective “let’s work together and counterbalance our strengths and weaknesses for greater good, guys” POP (and I also compared them to I’m From Barcelona - which is funny for several reasons). Now I don’t want to go getting all pigeonholing over here, but this song below seems to be their jam. But I’m open to others taking it’s place. Don’t think I’ve heard any yet though.



It’s been awhile since we heard from MINKS. Or your whole life, if you’ve never heard of MINKS. But they’re good and play Glasslands tonight. Part of the Captured Tracks family (of no relation), they play easy, swirl-y, synth pop with just a dash of the darkness. For fans of all those adjectives.



Osekre and the Lucky Bastards play Joe’s Pub. Ghana born Brooklyn livin’ - Osekre and his solid crew make happy raspy ramshackle tropical punk with math-rock’s noodle-y meandering rhythms. Yeah, sure, OK, there’s a little ska in here too. But don’t over think that. This is good stuff. Dancing material even. And I’m in a better mood from just having listened to this song.



And LI-forever-core band, Glassjaw, play a show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Just thought I’d mention it. Because it’s free. But you do with this information whatever you want. It’s totally all good 100% either way and I meant that this time.

SEE ALL OF OUR FRIDAY SHOW PICKS.

Saturday - August 10th, 2013 A.D.

The Mad Decent Block Party starts at 1pm today at Williamsburg Park which really isn’t a block at all. Lots of bands are playing. Click that link to see and then you’ll say, “Matt & Kim? Playing an outdoor show in the summer???? Well, now I’ve just about seen all there is to see in this here rock ‘n roll business!” And then I’d be like “Haha.” Because I get you.



The electronic buttons, wires, levers, dance-to-the-jam person, Amtrac, plays (le) poisson rouge tonight. Remember how good his remix of Chromatics’ “Bird of Paradise” was? If you’ve forgotten, or never knew - stream it below, and then you’ll remember you now know, and currently knowing that means you’ll never again forget the present which is the now of what you totally know. You know?



Unstoppable Death Machines + Blackie + Weird Womb + LIMB play Shea Stadium. LET’S JUST SAY YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO HEAR A PIN DROP AT THIS ONE LET’S JUST SAY THAT.



They Might Be Giants play a free show at the bandshell in Prospect Park tonight. Relatedly, what on EARTH has gotten into the dad from Malcolm in the Middle these days! What, with all that Heisenberg nonsense he’s been into....



Other goodness tonight includes An Elliott Smith Tribute (hosted by Rhett Miller) at Bowery Ballroom + a free Field Mouse show at Mecury Lounge + Devin & DJ Les Savy Fav + friends at Union Pool + some more Mad Decent stuff. But no words, videos, and songs required or embedded because PAGE LOAD TIME!!!!

SEE ALL OF OUR SATURDAY SHOW PICKS.

Sunday - August 11th, 2013 A.D.

Good jingle to the jangle indie poppers, Literature, play a free show at Fulton Stall Market at 2pm today. I should go and ask them if there were any other lost Shakespeare plays I was forgetting to include earlier. If any band would know, they would.



And that’s about it for the last day of this week. We rise. We fall. We get up to soar once more. Before hitting our head on something hard.

SEE ALL OF OUR SUNDAY SHOW PICKS.

Those were The Best Shows This Week. But remember. I’m not advising, man. Just guiding. Something not included here that feels like it could be the best show of your own musical heart? Follow that feeling. Because it’s more than a feeling. It’s an arena rock sized truth.