The Best Concerts in NYC This Weekend: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart + The xx + Trail of Dead + Mates of State + lots more goodness. - Oh My Rockness

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The Best Concerts in NYC This Weekend: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart + The xx + Trail of Dead + Mates of State + lots more goodness.

March 23, 2014

Written by Patrick McNamara

This is a really good weekend for shows.

I know. I know. I often say that. And when I do, I mean it, man. But some weeks I say it with a little more emphasis. I'll turn "really" into "REALLY" or I'll toss off a few extra exclamation points.

"This is a REALLY good weekend for shows!!!!"

But I’m not going to do either of those things this week. No exclamations. No leaning on the caps lock key. Just the cool neutral facts.

Be sure to check back in with me at the end though. And let me know that I was right, when I said.....

“This is a really good weekend for shows.”

Thursday - March 27th, 2014 A.D.

Speaking of comics, Joe Mande is at The Bell House tonight for his “Bitchface” mini world tour (5 cities - it’s a small world after all). I enjoy his retweets on Twitter. It sure must take a lot of time and energy to follow all those dumb accounts and then make fun of them by retweeting the dumb things they say.

JD Samson & Men play a hot new club called The Jewish Museum tonight. The evening also features “interactive art making activities.” Ain’t no one can late night rage like The Jewish Museum can late night rage! Show starts at 8pm prompt.

(yep. a pic of a disco ball dick finally made it onto The Best Shows This Week. I might as well call it quits right here. end my blob career on top.)

#EMO #REVIVAL #HALLELUJAH The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die (congrats! thanks for letting us know! #humblebrag) + The Hotelier lead a good #holy #guitar lineup at Suburbia tonight. This show costs only 5 bones. So what are you waiting for, emo-ers?! That’s less than the average cost of a good lockable diary!

Other notable shows = Grouplove at Terminal 5 + Flagland at Shea Stadium + Allah-Las at Rough Trade + My Left Tit at Radio Bushwick (just because... My Left Tit) + Tiger & Woods at Output (just because…..Tigers & Woods).

SEE ALL OF OUR THURSDAY SHOW PICKS.

Friday - March 28th, 2014 A.D.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart play Rough Trade tonight. I love this band. That is all. No, it’s not. I have more. (I’m so glad we all finally seem to be turning a corner on the use of “That is all”). This show is recommended if you like any of the following instruments: guitar, bass, synth, drums. Also recommend if you enjoy the following: listening to good songs. Or: experiencing transcendence brought upon by music.

File under: File under.

#hashtag

RIYL: shoegaze

Jamie xx (guess which band he’s in!) + John Talabot get their DJ on at Verboten in Williamsburg. That place may not be able to late night rage like The Jewish Museum can late night rage but they manage just fine. Show starts at 11pm or maybe 1am or more like 12:15 or somewhere in there. Prompt. (you know how the late night rages do.)

...And You Will Know Us As Just Trail Of Dead Someday play one of their best albums (“Source Tags & Codes") in its entirety (for some reason you must also include “in its entirety” when talking about a band playing a full album) at Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight (and tomorrow at Bowery Ballroom - but let’s deal with that later - can’t we just enjoy the here and now for once?) This a really good band. And probably my all time favorite one that starts with an ellipsis.

The pioneer of combining the vowel-less movement with the all caps movement! MNDR plays Glasslands tonight. Come see a true visionary. And dance to the memory of everyone who came after her. Wonder what all those vowel-less caps lock bands are up to today? Probably doing a whole lot of NTHNG at their BRNG 9-5 DSK JB.

Atlanta’s Whores play Saint Vitus tonight. They’re really loud and sludge-y. And kids. That means they #shred. Bring earplugs and a mind open to getting blasted in the face. If you’re cool about it, I guarantee you’ll have a good time.

Lady Gaga starts her run of dates Roseland Ballroom. Who gives a shit.

(though 18 of you have saved her shows using your My Rockness account - which is about 5 more than are still reading this article - so, you know - it's fine - you do you - it's your journey, man.)

Other notable shows = Midnight Magic at Cameo Gallery + San Fermin at BRIC House + Har Mar Superstar at Knitting Factory (late - free) + Dinowalrus at Radio Bushwick.

SEE ALL OF OUR FRIDAY SHOW PICKS.

Saturday - March 29th, 2014 A.D.

Let’s see. I already told you about Trail of Dead.

I told you about The xx (if it’s a day of the week ending in "y" - just assume The xx are playing - because they are).

But I’ll now tell you about some other things. If you want.

Say nothing if you want.

Great!

Mates of State play two shows at Joe’s Pub tonight. I saw and enjoyed their syrup-y husband/wife synth pop (I’m a softie at heart) at Northsix many moons ago. Do you remember Northsix? It’s what Music Hall of Williamsburg is now. Now. Now. I’m not going to do the thing you think I’m going to do and FREAK OUT about how much that area has changed. This is New York. And this city waits for no man.

Mates of State. Nice long-running good little band though.

Remember when I was talking about Whores before? It’s OK if you already forgot. You can scroll back up. I’ll wait. Back? Cool. Well anyway, if you like getting your face blasted, you should also consider going to see Raspberry Bulbs at Baby’s All Right tonight. They’re loud. So loud. And they don’t care who knows it.

Darwin Deez leads the free show lineup at Brooklyn Night Bazaar. This also includes a “DJ Battle” between Caveman and one of the dudes from Mumford and Sons. Look out now. Things could get really intense when those two bands go at it on the wheels of steel. (“oh yeah? I’ll see your Bon Iver b-side and raise you a Kings of Leon live sound check demo cut - BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE, SON!)

Other notable shows = Wild Yaks at Cheap Storage + The Range at Glasslands + Adam Green and San Fermin at NYU Skirball Center.

SEE ALL OF OUR SATURDAY SHOW PICKS.

Sunday - March 30th, 2014 A.D.

Ease into Monday. Ease into it. You can’t always be going 150 mph. Someday something’s gonna catch up to you. Its lights will be flashing. And it won’t come in peace.

So just go see Highness open the show at Saint Vitus tonight . They’re a new-ish band featuring members of Christie Front Drive and Darkest Hour. They sound like Christie Front Drive meets Darkest Hour. And this is a good album.

Other notable shows = Antibalas at City Winery + Hannibal Buress at Knitting Factory front bar (free) + Lady Gaga at Roseland Ballroom (who gives a shit).

But don’t forget what I said.

Ease into Monday, baby.

Ease into it now.

SEE ALL OF OUR SUNDAY SHOW PICKS.

Those were The Best Shows This Weekend.

And as per our earlier discussion I want to circle back with you about my previous statement that “This is a really good weekend for shows.”

So…... knowing everything you now know…. was I right?

Is this a really good weekend for shows?

Say nothing if I was right.

I knew it.

(remember... the key to unlocking everything.... lies right...... here.)

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