Written by Patrick McNamara

Dedicated to Lou.

Welcome to another dynamic edition of The Best Shows This Weekend - or THBSTSHWSTHSWK if this were a kewl new band too ALT for vowels.

We hope you have a dynamic time reading words and listening to streams. But look out now. Because things are going to go by at a pretty quick clip. So please watch me for the changes. And try and keep up, ok?

Remember. Play them loud.

Thursday - October 31st, 2013 A.D.

Happy Halloween! What’s your costume? I’m trying to decide between going out as Disco Win Reflektor or a slutty pumpkin. I’ll let you know!

By the way, check out our dynamic list of good Halloween shows happening tonight…..if you dare MOOHWAHAHAHA! Here are some dynamic words about a few of the most notables, though.

Holy Ghost! plays their dance jams for the masses at Terminal 5 tonight! And after this show everyone will exit and go forth and spread the word of the Spirit to all nations! Sometimes in curiously cryptic tongue! And great Apocalyptic vengeance will befall anyone who fails to hear and heed its message! Those lost sheep shall be left to fend for themselves in a dystopian society where chaos and mayhem reigns supreme! (Man, I better see if there are tickets still available to this show.)



The Juan Maclean do a late night DJ set at Cameo Gallery tonight. That dude will get you dancing too. It’s the DFA way.



And also tonight at Music Hall of Williamsburg: Avan Lava (who I always confuse with Ava Luna and I just don’t know why) and Light Asylum get things electronically poppy and pumpkin disco dance jumpin’ tonight TOO. Apparently, you MUST dance on Halloween. Makes sense. I was always told as a child that some type of extended physical activity each and every day is the only thing that will ward off evil monsters and ghosts and goblins lurking under my bed and hiding in my dresser. Which is why I’m the fearlessly slow recreational runner that I am today. I may huff and puff but no monsters are going to catch up with me, man.



There are more shows tonight - but again, just check out that dynamic Halloween list we made for you…….if you dare MOOHWAHAHAHA!!!!

SEE ALL OF OUR THURSDAY SHOW PICKS.

Friday - November 1st, 2013 A.D.

Remember the Brooklyn Night Bazaar in Williamsburg from last December? It’s where all the alts wearing their wacky caps shopped for their assorted holiday trinkets. Well, I guess it’s now an all year thing starting circa today. The first Bazaar of 2013 (which is practically over) is tonight. And Baltimore rapper/big time beat maker, Spank Rock, will play for you - while you shop for your precious assorted trinkets. It’s FREE too. The show, that is. Not the assorted trinkets. The assorted trinkets come in a wide variety of pay-me-for-them prices.



Sebadoh play Bowery Ballroom tonight. Below is one of my favorite songs of all time. And I mean that, man. Because it’s slow and sweet and then loud and happy. This is a great solo acoustic version that also* swirls my mood up towards a higher state of optimism.

(*see Fang Island referenced above)



Sublime Japanese noise makers Melt-Banana play Saint Vitus tonight. And you know this band’s live shows are crazy, right? You should go. You should totally go. But you’ve been warned. If you come back with a melted FACE you can’t say you didn’t know that might happen because I just told you so. Wearing earplugs would be a good idea for this one, man. I know. You’re conflicted about the whole earplugs thing. Don’t. Be.

(how great is this opening riff? hint: it’s really great)



There are a lot of good night for shows, actually. Because it’s a regular old Friday during a random week in NYC.

Other notables = Deerhoof at Music Hall of Williamsburg + M.I.A. at Terminal 5 + Colin Meloy of The Decemberists at Town Hall + The Fratellis at Webster Hall. But you probably already know what the deal is with those established peeps. And it’s not always that fun to tell you something you already know, you know? Yeah. You know.

SEE ALL OF OUR FRIDAY SHOW PICKS.

Saturday - November 2nd, 2013 A.D.

Hey, remember that Bazaar I was telling you about earlier? It happens again tonight. Same deal applies. But this time, it’s free to watch Frankie Rose + Mahogany + Monogold + Heavenly Beat. And all those assorted trinkets are still not at all free.



And also remember when I was telling about Melt-Banana’s noise earlier? Well, Black Dice play 285 Kent tonight and guess what? They’re really noisy too! I will be at this show signing copies of my new book titled, “On Dynamic Editorial Segues: A Muzik Blob Copy Strategist Shows You How It’s Done.”)



They Might Be Giants play Terminal 5 tonight and go or don’t go I just wanted to tell you that Terminal 5 lists this show as being only for those “14 and older.” So that’s pretty specific. Oh, and the 14 year olds must also be accompanied by a left-handed unicorn named Princess Star Flyer and I.D.s will be checked for verification.



Justice (pronounced “Joooooooooo Steeeeeeeeeeece” by American windbags and American blowhards) do a “DJ set” (because they are, you know, DJs) at Hammerstein tonight. But didn’t anyone tell them that people only dance on Halloween? I’m afraid you’re two days late and a few knob twiddles short, Jooooooo Steeeeeeece.



There’s also a free show at Brooklyn Museum that starts with the delightfully relaxed electronic pop sounds of Au Revoir Simone. Come for the band - stay for Jean Paul Gaultier...and the mummies!



But, of course, this is the original Au Revoir Simone. Never forget. And always remember the Alamo.



SEE ALL OF OUR SATURDAY SHOW PICKS.

Sunday - November 3rd, 2013 A.D.

Euphorically* nuanced* Canadian popper rockers, Braids, (please don’t click on that band profile I wrote - it’s outdated and not my finest hour) haven’t played here in awhile, I don’t think. I know Braid has played here more recently than Braids. So that’s strange, eh? Anyway, Braids play Bowery Ballroom tonight. And their music shall do nothing more than set you free. No big deal.

(*no idea "euphorically nuanced" means - tell me not my faults - for i already know them)



How about a nice chill game of breezy easy Tennis at Brooklyn Bowl tonight? Come on. It’s freeeeee. What’s that? You’d prefer to play a nice game of Global Thermonuclear War instead? No way, man. That would totally mess with the Defcon levels and maybe start World War III and we’ve got work in the morning.

(please note: this dynamic copy would work better if the band was named Chess but i don’t care because i just play it as it lays)



It’s perfect to close out this dynamic thing with the underrated ‘60s era folkster, Tom Paxton, who plays City Winery tonight. I love this song. I really do. It’s so simple and poignant and sweet.



SEE ALL OF OUR SUNDAY SHOW PICKS.

That’s it! This has been The Best Shows This Week. Thanks for keeping up and playing it loud. I love chit-chatting with you each week. And if you want to keep the discussion going, hit me up on Twitter. You know, if you wanna. If not, totally cool. Totally, totally cool. No worries either way. You will just simply be dead to me. Yoinks! JK! LOL! ROFL! LMFAOAHALOLROFLHAAHAHA!