Written by Patrick McNamara

Let’s discuss the good shows this week as we slide into October - that wonderful transitional month before we slip, stumble, and fall into seasonal despair.

PARTY.

Monday - September 29th, 2014 A.D.

Titus Andronicus play Cake Shop and it's free with RSVP and there's even free beer so if this won't make you happy, what will, dear Rockness reader? What will?

Danish duo The Raveonettes play Music Hall of Williamsburg (and tomorrow too) and they have been doing the dark drums + guitar shreds FOR EVER (2001). I saw them a million years ago (2003) and it’s high time I saw them again. You can come too if you want but no worries either way.

Lucinda Williams plays Rough Trade and alts of a certain age will immediately think “Sweet Relief” whenever they stumble upon this fine singer-songwriter’s name. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go ask your coolest friend’s older brother or sister or something and they’ll tell you what it’s all about. This show is "free entry with purchase." Whatever that means. (the following is a really good song from "Sweet Relief" but please note Shudder to Think is not playing this or any show ever)

Other notable shows = Netflix + HBOGo + Hulu + Amazon Prime + Crackle + Giggle + Tickle

SEE ALL OF OUR MONDAY PICKS

Tuesday - September 30th, 2014 A.D.

This is it. We’re almost done. Tonight is the last night of the four night Oh My Rockness Turns Ten Fest at Irving Plaza. Yes, three shows have already passed back into ashes to soar once more as dust in the wind. But we still have tonight. Come hang and see The Black Lips close this thing in style. Let’s have some fun and try not to get puked on.

Sonos Studios is a fleeting pop-up shop with some solid things set to get situated. The space opens tonight through October 4th and you can see good artists play there (Danny Brown + Spoon + Best Coast Unplugged + Dev Hynes + just check-out the list and see for yourself). It’s FREE. But you need to RSVP. Be warned. At this point, you’ll probably get wait-listed if you get on the list at all. I just want to manage your expectations so nobody gets too hurt. After all, it’s only rock ‘n roll.

The Big Sleep + Lymbyc Systym + Nicholas Nicholas (click that) play Baby’s All Right. That’s three good bands for the price of one. So while it’s not free, if you don’t get into that Sonos thing (which you won’t) you can still go to this and feel good knowing you stretched your hard earned dollar as far as a piece of paper can go before tearing.

Other notable shows = EULA at Glasslands + Eternal Summers at Knitting Factory + Delta Spirit at Mercury Lounge + The Raveonettes at Music Hall of Williamsburg + Wild Yaks at Shea Stadium + Rise Against at The Wellmont Theatre

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Wednesday - October 1st, 2014 A.D.

I don’t mean this as a backhanded compliment in any way but Tycho makes amazing background music. When you’re working and you want to listen to something that lifts you up without distracting you from that complicated spreadsheet or tweet or whatever. Tycho is it. Even better news, Tycho is also perfect live. Because visuals, man, visuals. See this sweetness at Terminal 5 tonight.

Bambara play Trans-Pecos. Weird. I wrote about those guys. You can read it if you want. I can also sum it up for you. Dark. Cold. Machines. Guitars. Twisted. Pretty. Good.

Buck 65? He’s still keeping on? Well, hell, man, I did not know that but it’s good to hear. I saw this Canadian alterna-hopper back in, oh, let’s say 2004. I might not remember the exact time (or place for that matter - North Six? Rothko? Sin-e?) but I remember he was pretty good. And I just noticed Buck 65 plays Santos Party House tonight. How did I find that out? Oh, this kewl local music listings blob I use and tell all my friends is the best told me.

Other notable shows = The Black Lips at Music Hall of Williamsburg + Team Spirit at Baby’s All Right + The Blow at Union Pool + Ed Schrader’s Music Beat at Cake Shop + Delta Spirit at Bowery Ballroom

SEE ALL OF OUR WEDNESDAY PICKS

Thursday - October 2nd, 2014 A.D.

Real Estate play Terminal 5 tonight. Damn. I can’t believe that. Does anybody remember this show? But it’s not like they don’t deserve to play such a big space. Real Estate is a damn good band and everything they put out I like better than the thing before which I already liked a lot.

Ariel Pink plays Baby’s All Right. And this video is the best. The end.

Hercules and Love Affair play Verboten. This dance project from the mind of DJ Andy Butler came out with a new album recently and I’m sure it’s wonderful but remember this big time jam from six (!) years ago? I try to sing it in the shower at least a couple times during each calendar bathing year.

Black Flag play The Grand Victory. But I don't know which offshoot of Black Flag this is, who are the players, what's involved, so I can't 100% recommend this unless I spend hours digging for answers which let's face it isn't going to happen because I am but just one music blob. Sorry, Black Flag. You did this to yourselves.

(UPDATE: THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED. GOOD.)

Other notable shows = LVL UP at Silent Barn + Danny Brown at Sonos Studios + A Great Big Pile of Leaves at The Studio at Webster Hall + Rakim at Stage 48 + Krill at Shea Stadium + Heeney at Palisades + Delta Spirit at Music Hall of Williamsburg

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Friday - October 3rd, 2014 A.D.

DJ Animal Collective play Brooklyn Bowl. Normally, I wouldn’t include a DJ set on this dynamic weekly feature but last week Panda Bear played the Oh My Rockness Turns Ten Fest Night #3 (RIP) and he had a ton of visuals, man. And that’s just one dude from the band. Imagine the cosmic rays of light the whole collective is going to produce when they DJ for us.

Mr. Twin Sister play Baby’s All Right (and tomorrow too) and I have heard some chill synth pop things since the name change. They now sound more loose and free to be the band they have always wanted to be. Good for you, Sir Sister.

Other notable shows = Richard Reed Perry at Sonos Studios + A Great Big Pile of Leaves at Asbury Lanes + Asgeir at Bowery Ballroom + DJ Juan Maclean at Cameo Gallery + Life Size Maps at Palisades + Weird Womb at Shea Stadium + La Roux at Terminal 5 + Nude Beach at Union Pool

SEE ALL OF OUR FRIDAY PICKS

Saturday - October 4th, 2014 A.D.

The Afghan Whigs play Beacon Theater (and at Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow). This is a good band. And the following is a great performance of a good song.

(*please note - this band didn’t really meet in jail - oh those funny publicists)

The Downtown Festival continues tonight at Webster Hall. I think I forgot to mention it previously. Oh well. Just click the link. Anyway, Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks play tonight. You’ll remember I was just talking about his buddy Panda Bear a few paragraphs previously. Other bands playing = Atlas Sound + Tobacco + Computer Magic + Tobacco. How 'bout that.

Hamilton Leithauser (he was a Walkman once) plays Brooklyn Night Bazaar. It’s free. He’s good. And it will tide you over until the day The Walkmen play again. That day will come. You can count on that.

The two-day Modern Sky Festival starts today at Central Park Rumsey Playfield and it looks to be excellent. Tonight celebrates the music of William Onyeabor and includes sets by Liars (yes) + The Blood Brothers (yesss) + others. I’ll tell you about tomorrow’s lineup later.

Sweden’s sublime songwriting singing indie popster Lykke Li plays a club called Radio City Music Hall - a place perhaps most known, if it all, as being the location where Daddy Warbucks takes Annie to the movies in the movie “Annie.”

Other notable shows = Talib Kweli at Sonos Studios + Radical Dads at Muchmore’s + Screaming Females at Knitting Factory + Langhorn Slim at City Winery

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Sunday - October 5th, 2014 A.D.

Small Black play Brooklyn Flea. It’s free. They're good. I’m going. Be there. Or, I’m just going to stand there and talk to myself - the same mentality I take when approaching this dynamic weekly feature that 13 of you regularly read.

*the following song is still a big time jam and has aged like a fine wine - so I would assume - I stick to blends that come in magnums

Oh yeah. Modern Sky Festival. I told you I was going to talk about Day #2 which happens today. I almost forgot. Cat Power and Stars lead the way. But there’s more. Feel free to peep the entire lineup if you want. But I bet I either had you or lost you at Cat Power and Stars.

Finally. Let’s shut down this week with some super solid punk that’s a much welcomed blast from the past. The Blood Brothers play Warsaw. I saw them at the old Knitting Factory once. I believe it was 2003, the exact year this band was the best band in the world.

Other notable shows = Sinkane at Baby’s All Right + The Afghan Whigs at Music Hall of Williamsburg + EMA at Bowery Ballroom

SEE ALL OF OUR SUNDAY PICKS

That’s it. I’m out. Now let’s all stop staring at our screens and go out there and enjoy early October. It’s beautiful out there. Live in the now. And enjoy it while you can, man.