Written by Patrick McNamara

Use this header area to write dynamic web blob copy. The briefer the better. Kids today like it quick. Blame The Music TV and The Stars War.

Use this area to incorporate bold online intrasite linkage. This will boost your site’s traffic. And then no one will ever be sad again.

Use this area to post some dynamic videos and/or stream some dynamic songs. Try to spread it out amongst all the various streaming providers. Because remember. We’re all in this together.

Use this area to say LIVE FROM OH MY BLOBNESS IT’S THE BEST SHOWS THIS WEEK!!!! Cricket sound. Cricket sound. Tumbleweed blows.

Use this area to weep.



Monday - November 18th, 2013 A.D.

But no more tears now. No more tears! Because this week’s going to be a great week for both of us or my name ain’t Nathan Arizona! So let’s get this partyzzz started!!!!!!

Easy. Easy now. Let’s start nice and easy. And work our way up to 11. For 11 shall come in time. So we begin by talking about a band that always takes my cares and casts them far away and leaves my worries to the whims of the wind. I’m talking about Washed Out - who play Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight. And I’ll tell you what. Frontman Ernest Greene could have just as easily called his band Toasty Gauze. That’s how snuggly and comforting this band can be. And guess what? This show is FREEEEE. But you had to RSVPPPPP. If you did, YIPPEEEE. If you didn’t, me neither, want to instead go and get a COFFFEEE? Sorry. No more rhymes. I mean it. (anybody want a peanut?)



Tokyo’s Mono - a veteran and much respected instrumental band - play (le) poisson rouge tonight. This band’s guitars get quiet before building towards something transcendent. I remember when this used to be called post-rock. But then “they” kept making rock. So this isn’t after rock after all. It’s during it. Therefore, it’s generally considered by the leading genre inventors that Mono now play “present-rock.” And Mono’s present-rock can make your heart soar. Therefore, this show is recommended if you are into indescribable joy sometimes. If not, I get it. I totally do. Because some people just prefer them blues.



Oh, yes. Important note. Please remember that the Sepultura show at Gramercy Theater that was originally scheduled to happen tonight is now cancelled. Now please forget it. For I already have. And if you ever ask me if I ever mentioned a Sepultura show on this thing, I will say, “Remove this person from my drawing quarters at once!”



SEE ALL OF OUR MONDAY SHOW PICKS.

Tuesday - November 19th, 2013 A.D.

Australia’s Cut Copy play (le) poisson rouge tonight. And considering they came over from THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD to play just for YOU, you might want to do the right thing and go. Guess what? This one’s FREEEE. But you had to RSVPPPP. And if you didn’t, you’ll instead just be busy living your life so don’t be SORRYYYY.

This show is presented by KCRW - that fine radio station I listen to when I’m in Los Angeles cruising in my rental car (do i go economy? nawww, son! i roll COMPACT style.) on the way to that Walgreens parking lot where there’s this taco truck that makes the most perfect round pile of deliciousness for $1.25. Sometimes I order 5 of them. Now that’s what I call entertainment!



Metric is melodic and full of uplift. Did you know they formed 15 years ago? I didn’t. I would’ve thought maybe like 9. Anywho, Metric just played a show last week at Madison Square Garden (with Paramore and btw I love Kidz Bop!). Tonight, Metric play Bowery Ballroom. And while these two venues are only 4.50616 kilometers* from each other - they’re really worlds apart.

(*boom - you saw it - you saw it)

iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8vHcs9U8ztE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

Oh yeah. Kanye West plays Barclays Center tonight (and tomorrow - and at MSG on Saturday and Sunday). And that’s a coincidence, because I’m currently hard at work on a dynamic long form muzik blob think piece about how Kanye West is……… a good entertainer. Could this unique position change muzik journalizm foreva? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But I do promise you this. No T’s will be left uncrossed and no I’s will be left to die undotted when I’m through.



SEE ALL OF OUR TUESDAY SHOW PICKS.

Wednesday - November 20th, 2013 A.D.

Ahhhhh. Come gently swirl with me. Santa Monica’s finest residents*, Mazzy Star, play Terminal 5 tonight. You probably like them, right? They’re a good band. Granted, there were times in 1994 when I wished I didn’t have to hear “Fade Into You” on the radio again - for the 4000th time that year - fade - don’t fade - JUST MAKE A CHOICE. Sure, it’s a good song. But it also kind of gives me the howling fantods. It depends on the day. Depends on the mood. This modern rock hit single is a fragile one, that’s for sure. (Mazzy Star could’ve been called Toasty Gauze too.)

(PS: i don’t know what’s up with the recurring Toasty Gauze thing but let’s see if it works itself out and shhh say no more that’s a deal.)

(*finest Santa Monica residents besides Charlie Chaplin… and Bob Dylan… and Aaron Paul...obviously.)



Look out. Good one. Coming straight for your soul. Cold Cave + Bad Girlfriend + Young Boys + Nothing (make sure you click Nothing’s name and read my words about them because they’re really something) play Tammany Hall tonight. This one is only three dollars ($3). That’s right. THREEEE dollars ($3) with RSVPPPP ($10 at the door without). Because it’s a Red Bull Sound Select show. Or something.

So see if you can still RSVP and pay THREE. That list may still be open. But I doubt it. I’m into doubt these days. Because I should’ve doubted that Red Bull gave me wings. And I didn’t. I’m the poor sap who took their claim at face value and all I have to show for it is this crummy cast on my arm that my doctor says I have to wear at least 6 more weeks because the bones need “time to heal.” (yeah, she’s kind of a quack). Oh well. At least maybe I can get Wes Eisold to sign it for me or something. IN BAT BLOOD. MOOHAHAHA. (again, that’s supposed to be like a vampire laughing not like a cow laughing)



Highline Ballroom is doing this benefit show called “The Other Ball” tonight. Which is an inherently funny name for a ball. The Black Keys + Miguel + A$AP ROCKY + Mikky Ekko + Lykki Li are playing it. But everyone relax. Just calm down. Because this show costs $2000 to get in. That’s what I meant when I said this was a “benefit.” Want me to grab a dictionary? Don’t worry, though. It’s all chill because your admission price of $2000 also includes “a flowing bar.” I’ll tell you what. That bar better be flowing liquid gold that we can scoop up and take home in the provided party bags, bub. (note: the dress code says this is “more black leather than black tie” and you’ve been sufficiently warned about this one.)

I don’t really need to post a video or stream in this space for the above benefit show, right? Right!

There’s a super solid sorta jazz punk collusion happening over at the Guggenheim tonight. Free associating swooping sliding jazz sax vet Joe McPhee + ex-DNA no-wave-art-alt master Arto Lindsay + the very clean tramp (in his dreams) Richard Hell + Scandinavian math jazz band The Thing. Zoom. Crash. Boom. Blip. Bash. Zip. Pow.This one’s sure to go all over the place. So watch these guys for the changes. And try to keep up, ok?



SEE ALL OF OUR WEDNESDAY SHOW PICKS.

Thursday - November 21st, 2013 A.D.

Great one. Body/Head (Kim Gordon + Bill Nace) and DJ Kathleen Hanna play MoMA tonight. I’ll be at this one for sure. And not just because the ticket price includes free beer and wine. I will go because Kim Gordon is Kim Gordon. Do you want to come too? Come on! It’ll be fun! I’ll tell you a bunch of really good stories about when I worked the MoMA customer service desk - my first job after I moved to NYC. The things I saw at that job…. ohhhhh, the things I saw, dear Rockness reader!

(*pro tip: if you’re buying a ticket that has a reduced rate for students - don’t ask, “i’m a student of life. does that count?” - or “i’m a student from the school of hard knocks. does that count?” - and also don’t try and show me your BlockBuster Video card as your valid student I.D. either.) Ah, the memories… that was one of the best jobs I ever had.



Infinity Shred and Chrome Sparks play 285 Kent tonight. And in completely serendipitously coincidentally RELATED news, this Infinity Shred song I’ve posted below is still in pretty steady rotation at Rockness HQ (though still far from the current all time leader in plays - Phil Collins “Against All Odds” - SO TAKE A LOOK AT ME NOWWWW!). Please note: I like this Infinity Shred song because of the pops. But they come in later. So stick around. What’s your hurry, Superman? Just grow with it.







Before there was James Murphy telling it to us straight in that “look, don’t bullshit a bullshitter, ok?” way of speaking/singing, there was Jonathan Richman doing the same thing. He plays Bowery Ballroom tonight (and tomorrow too). Jonathan does. I don’t know what James is doing. Probably just livin’ life. Doin’ what he do. Casually tossing raindrops on a restlessly splendid sea. Bangin’ a cowbell. Couching it.



SEE ALL OF OUR THURSDAY SHOW PICKS.

Friday - November 22nd, 2013 A.D.

Beach Fossils + Perfect Pussy + Habibi make it a good 1-2-3 punch at 285 Kent late tonight. Do you think me writing about Perfect Pussy (who also play 285 again tomorrow) is going to flag this dynamic feature as spam? Probably. But you know what? I don’t EVEN care. Screw spam! I’m going to talk about Perfect Pussy. And I’m even going to post a shaky poor quality DIY video of Perfect Pussy playing live. That was apparently shot from the nervous hands of a wobbly giant. So there. How punk rock is that? Real punk rock. That’s what. Real talk. True spit. See ya in the funny folders, spammy.



Sleigh Bells + Danny Brown + Doldrums play at Terminal 5 tonight (and tomorrow too) in exciting downtown Midtown Manhattan. Maybe once I go from good fella to commissary slips and eat brunch instead of Captain Crunch I’ll have enough money to buy a domestic beverage at this show. Not there yet. But I might be taking my Tootsie Roll bank in to get all these coins converted to paper later. So we’ll see how the counting goes! Whoever thought I’d be the greatest grown up?



Shannon and the Clams is a good band. They play Mercury Lounge tonight with Las Rosas (they also play 285 Kent on Saturday). Shannon and the Clams do something I once called “surf-doo-wop-garage-punk.” I clicked on their linked band name and saw what I said, see? And when I said that on 4/17/13 I think I really nailed it. But you can let this well shot and informative 14 minute video about the band tell you the same thing, if you want… albeit in different words and meanings and textures and tones. No big deal.



Finally for tonight. The lovely easy cool cat breezy Frenchman, Anoraak, leads a good lineup of dance-y DJs at Glasslands late late late tonight. And it’ll be a party. With streamers and goodie bags and punch and cake and things. And it’ll sound a little something like this DJ mix Anoraak did below.

(please note: streamers and goodie bags and punch and cake and things not a guarantee nor even slightly based in reality.)



SEE ALL OF OUR FRIDAY SHOW PICKS.

Saturday - November 23rd, 2013 A.D.

You can’t go wrong with any of the bands at Shea Stadium tonight. Unless you’re the type of person who doesn’t prefer to see good bands. The lineup is Porches + Sirs + Shark? + Radical Dads. Again. All good bands. But let’s talk about Sirs for a second. Because they make loud and pretty punk straight outta Purchase and they’re really good and therefore I like them.

(I recently wrote dynamic words about Sirs all by myself! No press release required! Made it, Ma! Top of the World!)



Sirs should try and tour with Cymbals Eat Guitars (time has rendered that old profile terrible - don’t click over and read it) sometime. Because that would be a good really 1-2 punch (so much punching this week! so much violence!). And it’s funny I mention Cymbals Eat Guitars because in totally serendipitous and circumstantially coincidentally RELATED news, Cymbals Eat Guitars happen to be playing tonight too! At Knitting Factory. And when this band blasts their melodic noise I feel it straight in my heart. Especially when they (with help from Cursive) cover songs like “Hey Jealousy” by the Gin Blossoms - an UNDERRATED MODERN ALT POP GEM - from an album that was a staple in every Used Record Store’s bargain bin - deal with it.



Crocodiles and Wymond Miles present “THE RHYMING NAMES TOUR” at at MHOW tonight - co-hosted by Julia Stiles and J Geils and the guy from “Frasier” who played Niles. And fine. OK. You got me. Cool. Those co-hosts I mentioned technically fall in the “not true” category. But this dynamic web copy isn’t supposed to be rooted in your so-called “reality,” mannnn. You want real? You really wanna stop being polite? OK. Real talk time. True spit sesh. Crocodiles and Wymond Miles are both good. And you should go see them. The end. And my wasn’t that boring and I hope you’re happy now.





SEE ALL OF OUR SATURDAY SHOW PICKS.

Sunday - November 24th, 2013 A.D.

The Bowery Electric is doing “A Concert in Memory of Lou Reed” tonight. A bunch of people are playing, including members of TV on the Radio + The Vaccines + The Voidoids + The Virgins + Drowners + Light Asylum + some more special secret situations. It’s all about Lou Reed. So consider going. And when it’s over immediately fly-fly-fly-fly far away from a once dirty boulevard. Unless you have to first pick up something from the Whole Foods that’s right over there. Do that. And then fly away. Fly-fly-fly-fly far away from a once dirty boulevard.



Caspian + 65daysofstatic + The World is a Beautiful Place and I’m no Longer Afraid to Die (so happy for you! - but why did you let Fiona Apple and Explosions in the Sky team up to name your band?) play Bowery Ballroom tonight. Lots of crunchy emotive guitars lurking here. On that same once dirty boulevard.





SEE ALL OF OUR SUNDAY SHOW PICKS.

That’s it! That was The Best Shows This Week! So tell me! What did you think?

Cricket sound. Cricket sound. Tumbleweed blows.

Use this area to weep.