Written by Patrick McNamara

This weekend goes out with a BANG. So please come and join me on a cosmic journey through space and time as we ease into the show goodness.

These are The Best Shows This Weekend. But the headline already told you that.

Whoa. We haven’t even started and this original digital content is dynamic already.

Boom.

For real.

Thursday - July 24th, 2014 A.D.

But I want an Oompa Loompa NOWWWWWW!

Veruca Salt play Bowery Ballroom tonight (and tomorrow at MHOW but - get ready all you 13 regular readers - THIS IS NOT THE TIME OR THE PLACE TO DISCUSS IT - canned studio hoots, howls, and squeals). We share a hometown, Veruca Salt and I. And I was there the first time they came around - when seemingly all of Chicagoland (not an amusement park) was captivated by crunchy grunge-y rock, including this “Seether” song that still remains a summer scorcher.

Strapping Scottish alterna-gazers Teenage Fanclub play Pier 84 tonight. This show is free. And considering “Bandwagonesque” is one of the greatest albums of ALL TIME (yeah, girl - he went there) I would say paying no money to see it is probably worth it. But if you decide to go right now, as an added bonus, we’ll throw in sets by Honeyblood (click that) and Saint Rich (it’s a Delicate Steve thing - you wouldn’t understand).

Or, if you REALLY want to live it up, paint the house red* and go see Sun Kil Moon play Town Hall tonight. Perhaps Mark Kozelek’s fans are the only ones who can challenge Neutral Milk Hotel’s fans this week in sheer fervent adoration. I don’t know. It’s going to be close. At least Moz God isn’t in town.

(*paint the house red - too dynamic for digital content)

Other notable shows = Band of Horses at The Capitol Theatre + Crocodiles at Death by Audio + The Wytches at Mercury Lounge + Rush Midnight at Baby’s All Right

SEE ALL OF OUR THURSDAY PICKS

Friday - July 25th, 2014 A.D.

There’s a good one happening at Brooklyn Night Bazaar tonight. It’s a free without having to RSVP thing. You wouldn’t understand. The lineup includes Dave Hause + Chris Farren (of Fake Problems) + Brian McGee (of Plow United). But I’m here to talk to you today about Philly’s Cayetana. Because they are also playing. And here’s what I’m going to say about them. "They’re really good." But don’t take my dynamically descriptive words for it. Stream ‘em and hear for yourselves.

If you prefer the dance beats that go double bass boom, London’s Rustie (#HITMACHINE) at Webster Hall might be your best bet. Careful, though. There’s gonna be some club thumpers all up in this one. Don’t go gettin’ DROPPED. Here’s a ripper rager shredder killer deep c-c-c-c-ut-ut-ut-ut-ut.

Maybe hook heavy sway-gaze is more inline with your passions. If so, I’ve got a hot tipping buzzy recommend for you. Go see Montreal’s Heat at Glasslands. I could tell you more about what makes this band tick, but I already did (click this). So I’ll just tell you who THEY say they are influenced by. Gun Club + Jesus and Mary Chain + Velvet Underground + Guided by Voices + The Strokes + Sonic Youth + Echo and the Bunnymen + Siouxsie and the Banshees. Intrigued much? 2 B Sure!

(headliners The Wytches also scheduled to appear)

Maybe you just wanna watch tears fill up your beers. If that’s the plan for tonight, well, partner you’re in luck, because Lucero play The Capitol Theatre. And that’s been one helluva good band for one helluva long time. I have been listening since Tiger Style #neverforget. Here’s a Lucero song from the film “Shotgun Stories.” First. That movie rules. B. Lucero singer Ben Nichols’ brother directed it. 3. His name is Jeff Nichols and he also directed two of my other recent favorites “Take Shelter” + “Mud.” In summation, Michael Shannon was in both “Take Shelter” and “Shotgun Stories” and Michael Shannon also rules. Fin.

Other notable shows = Veruca Salt at Music Hall of Williamsburg + Midnight Magic at Cameo Gallery + Celebration at Baby’s All Right + Free Time at Cake Shop + The Wytches and Heat at Glasslands.

SEE ALL OF OUR FRIDAY PICKS

Saturday - July 26th, 2014 A.D.

OK. After 18 years, I’m finally ready to talk about Braid. They play Music Hall of Williamsburg. In 1996, in the town of Urbana-Champaign (it’s a joint city thing - you wouldn’t understand) it seemed as if Braid played every weekend in and around that massive concrete campus called U of I. Maybe that’s because they sort of did. I was there. It’s certainly good to see them back. And emo isn’t a dirty word, you guys.

(P.S. the following Braid song was not made by Shudder to Think it, was made by Braid)

Local pop heroes (sure, why not) The Antlers play Webster Hall. They do emo too. But it’s an entirely different kind. Please note. The Antlers sound nothing like Braid. Emo is just short for emotion, after all. And who doesn’t have that? Besides those Daft Punk dudes. And every song that’s boring. Just kidding. There are no boring songs just boring makers who made the boring songs because they were bored and boring. “Give me emotion or give me death.” I believe either The Antlers or goth Patrick Henry said that.

A Sunny Day in Glasgow (click that if you like reading 7 year old band profiles) + Ice Choir (that profile is a little more current - it's only 2 years old) + Jason Bartell of Fang Island (4.5 years old - that profile is about to start kindergarten this fall - they grow up so fast) at Baby’s All Right. And did someone say kindergarten? We thought we heard someone in parentheses say kindergarten. Because that would really be an amazing super segue transition into this superb streaming song.

Nick Cave plays Prospect Park tonight. And yes, he remembered to bring the Bad Seeds (and Devendra and Nicole Atkins too). Remember when I was saying earlier how this week perhaps only Mark Kozelek’s fans can rival Neutral Milk Hotel’s fans in their fervent adoration? Well, I wrote that without considering Nick Cave. And I know you Cave-ians are crazy. Birthday Party, I get. Grinderman, I never got that sound. Nevertheless. This guy has got the post-goth-alt-art-punk HITS.

Swearin’ play Death by Audio and that’s one good goddamn band. They rock the crunchy fuzzy goodness that really POPS. We used to call it college rock. Oh, those were the days. Which now pass like wild horses over the hills. Sic Transit Gloria. Glory fades. But Swearin’. That’s a good goddamn band.

UPDATE: WE HAVE JUST BEEN INFORMED SWEARIN' ARE NO LONGER PLAYING THIS SHOW. WELL SHEEEEEIIIIIIITT, STRING!

Onderdonk House is not only one of my favorite venues to spell, it’s also my favorite club that also happens to be a historic building in Queens. It is the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in New York City and it’s not made of adobe. Can you say that word with me? (“Adobe!”) Good bands playing here today for the two-day “Out in the Streets Festival” (music. art. food.) = A Place to Bury Strangers + Hunters + Ski Lodge + Monogold + much, much more. Can you say Onderdonk with me? (“Onderdonk!”)

Other notable shows = Chumped and Save Ends at Suburbia + Wild Yaks at Shea Stadium + Cashmere Cat at MoMA PS 1’s Warm Up + Nashville Pussy at Knitting Factory + Midlake (acoustic) at Joe’s Pub + Psychic Twin at Cameo Gallery + Official Braid After Party at Cameo Gallery + DJ Dog Dick at Body Actualized Center….that’s DJ Dog Dick, ladies and gentleman...DJ...DOG...DICK

SEE ALL OF OUR SATURDAY PICKS

Sunday - July 27th, 2014 A.D.

Nick Cave also plays Hammerstein tonight. Hey, Nick. I know you're totally reading this. Sorry for calling you goth (among other things) when I was talking about you before. Wikipedia says you detest that term. So I thought I should apologize. Because that site has never lied to me yet. It’s a research thing. You wouldn’t understand. But how do you feel about the term Cave-ian?

Oh good. I get to spell Onderdonk House again. Day #2 of the “Out in the Streets Festival” (music. art. food. echo. echo.) = Body Language + Psychic Twin + Weyes Blood + more. Ridgewood. You just made my list of things to possibly maybe perhaps do today.

Finally. Hannibal Buress does another one of his damn free Sunday shows at the front bar of Knitting Factory. He’s real funny. But I’m getting real tired of listing all of them the past couple of years. My data entry, like my dynamic digital content, is good. But it’s not THAT good. When is it going to end, Hannibal? When?

SEE ALL OF OUR SUNDAY PICKS

You know what you and I just did? We just eased into the goodness. The lamb went in and turned into the BANG. And now all is right and courageous and true and fine.

Thanks for reading this week. Especially the 13 of you. See you next time. When the fighting stops.

Imagine.

Hope.

One world.

Boom.

For real.