New York City's Hardest-Working Bands of 2022 - Oh My Rockness

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New York City's Hardest-Working Bands of 2022

December 13, 2022

Friends! After a three year hiatus (something happened) we're very happy to bring back our hardest-working bands list and it feels real good.

As you probably know if you've been following your friendly local hard-working music blob across the eras, the two of us hand-list a *lot* of shows each year (9,577 in NYC in A.D. 2022, to be exact) and we love giving a special shout to the local rising bands who kept gracing the pages of our fine showlist over and over again. Thus, this list.

Our year-end numbers are in and for the first time since 2019 we can boldly state that the following bands below had the most shows listed on Oh My Rockness this year. Not the most shows played. We're sure we probably missed listing a few of their gigs. We're only two people, remember. Just the most shows listed. So get into these bands today and go see them play and maybe someday you can brag to someone you want to impress that you saw them way back when before they were big.

Props to all these bands (and all bands) who are out there working hard and big thanks to all you show-goers for supporting independent artists, venues and music blobs.

See you out there.

#1. Pons - 29 shows listed in 2022

"And the award for hardest-working band in NYC goes to…." ***

PONS!

Oh My Rockness calls them “a sick post-punk band from Brooklyn."

Get into them whenever you're ready to have a messy good time.

Come for the rowdy shouts and unhinged riffs. Stay for the sax.

Read more about Pons here

Bands they played with: S.C.A.B., Castle Rat, Consumables

Most played venues: The Broadway, Trans-Pecos, TV Eye

*** please note: this isn't a competition and there are no prizes, this is just for fun!

#2. Dreamcrusher - 24 shows listed in 2022

A hardest-working band alumni several times over!

Dreamcrusher's dark industrial noise rules. Then. Now. Forever.

Seeing their intense punk goodness live is an excellently loud experience.

Read more about Dreamcrusher here

Bands they played with: Kim Gordon, cumgirl8, Machine Girl

Most played venues: Trans-Pecos, Market Hotel, Saint Vitus

#3. Dead Tooth - 21 shows listed in 2022

Dead Tooth is a dope post-punk-goth-rock band from Brooklyn featuring members of DIIV, Haybaby, The Adventures of Silver Spaceman, Verite, Ghost Piss etc.

Get into this super group's moody goodness ASAP, please.

Read more about Dead Tooth here

Bands they played with: Bass Drum of Death, The So So Glos, Haybaby

Most played venues: Our Wicked Lady, The Sultan Room, Berlin

#4. May Rio - 21 shows listed in 2022

May Rio is a rising songwriter based in NYC who creates very solid lo-fi indie-synth pop.

Perhaps you're familiar with her past good work in Poppies?

This musical goodness is completely catchy and dreamy and slightly off-kilter in the best way.

Read more about May Rio here

Bands they played with: Porches, Dirt Buyer, Foyer Red

Most played venues: Union Pool, The Windjammer, Elsewhere

#5. Tits Dick Ass - 21 shows listed in 2022

Tits Dick Ass is a band with very limited Internet presence (search if you dare).

You're just gonna have to go see this trio shred for yourself.

Seeing is believing.

Tits Dick Ass Forever.

Read more about Tits Dick Ass here

Bands they played with: Dion Lunadon, Tape Hiss, Hank Wood and the Hammerheads

Most played venues: Our Wicked Lady, Arlene's Grocery, The Broadway

#6. 95 Bulls - 20 shows listed in 2022

95 Bulls features members of Ashjesus, The Mystery Lights, Smock, Bipolar, and Jelly Kelly and together they are a sick fuzzy scuzzy good time.

For a very fun night, go see them rip and thrash on stage. You'll be into it.

RIYL: the punk rock

Read more about 95 Bulls here

Bands they played with: The Paranoyds, Hunx & His Punx, L.A. Witch

Most played venues: The Broadway, Baby's All Right, Market Hotel

#7. Joudy - 19 shows listed in 2022

Joudy is a rising psych rock band from NYC (via Venezuela).

This solid crew's heavy sound is influenced by Afro-Caribbean rhythms, the British '90s trip-hop scene and American '90s grunge-rock.

Get into them.

Read more about Joudy here

Bands they played with: Dog Date, Evolfo, Public Nature

Most played venues: Berlin, Knitting Factory, The Broadway

#8. Thus Love - 17 shows listed in 2022

Thus Love is a goth pop / post punk band based in Brattleboro, VT.

You're now on notice to get into their shimmery bass-y reverb-y goodness before everyone else finds out and blows up the spot.

You'll be hearing a lot more from these three talented multi-instrumentalists.

Read more about Thus Love here

Bands they played with: Wild Nothing, Sports Team, Yeah Baby

Most played venues: Mercury Lounge, Berlin, Baby's All Right

#9. Heavy Halo - 16 shows listed in 2022

Heavy Halo is a goth-grunge band from NYC and they're coming for YOU.

This (heavy) duo will definitely appeal to fans of '90s era dark industrial.

Come for the underground noise. Stay for the soaring melodies.

Read more about Heavy Halo here

Bands they played with: Pictureplane, Dreamcrusher, Spite Fuxxx

Most played venues: Brooklyn Made, Saint Vitus, TV Eye

#10. My Son The Doctor - 16 shows listed in 2022

My Son The Doctor is a laid-back indie rock / eccentro-pop band from Brooklyn.

They sound real good in that real cool ramshackle way.

Get into them immediately.

Read more about My Son The Doctor here

Bands they played with: Blonde Otter, No Kill, Punchlove

Most played venues: The Sultan Room, The Broadway, Our Wicked Lady

Rounding Out the Top 25

#11. Bummer Camp (15 shows)

#12. Desert Sharks (15 shows)

#13. Gal Fieri (15 shows)

#14. Gorgeous (15 shows)

#15. Indigo Fuzz (15 shows)

#16. Mary Shelley (15 shows)

#17. Nara's Room (15 shows)

#18. Posterboy2000 (15 shows)

#19. TVOD (15 shows)

#20. Mary Jane Dunphe (14 shows)

#21. Fat Trout Trailer Park (14 shows)

#22. Frida Kill (14 shows)

#23. Pamphlets (14 shows)

#24. Heat Death (14 shows)

#25. Heavy Lag (14 shows)

Who were the hardest-working bands of 2019? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT >>


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