Northside Fest - Day 1 (I'm turning into german measles and then going to Aa)

Northside Fest Day 1

It couldn't make more sense than to get right into the middle of things at the Charleston. NF has booked so many bands into so many venues, I have to, and maybe even want to hit the smaller, overlooked venues because great bands are still playing there and I won't be fighting crowds at the Wavves show. There's nothing like seeing a dirty, garage-y whatever band under a...I would even go so far as to say, historic bar. It's been in Williamsburg longer than I have, and at this point if it's not a condo or about to be then it better be landmarked.

That basement feels like a house party from high school, clip lights, the faint smell of barf, or is that the line of kegs next to the stage 'area'. And this setup was a huge improvement from the last show I saw there. I made it early enough to catch I'm turning into who curated the night and if they wanted The German Measles as a part of their set, then they were worth checking out. 3 Pretty unassuming guys, cracking jokes with everyone, rocking tank tops...as their set went on it went from heavy 70's jam to punchy Dinosaur Jr. indie pop. They switched instruments so much no one is pegged as the drummer or guitarist. I think the fact they couldn't really be pegged musically either is why they ended up being so good. It's a classic indie pop, that veers a little into the minimal post area, high feedback melodies over a speed bassline on 'I'm going' gets started with a classic indie quiet/loud foundation, but vocally they're harmonizing as loud as they can...it's great. This song could carry an entire single on it's own. If they keep messing with expectations like this, they are going to have one hell of a great full length where the momentum of the last track is literally going to force you to flip it over again.
The German Measles were up next, consisting of a couple of guys from Cause Co-Motion, I keep forgetting. I wanted to see Nick again after a show at Death by Audio a while back...his performance feels completely unhinged...he's not a drunk mess, there's just something unsettling about how into the show he gets. I can see right away why he's got to be the lead. You might occasionally end up with an uneven performance but the audience doesn't know where he's going, and that's a good thing. Combine that kind of tension with this reckless kind of garage punk and I'll be catching them again...just wish I could find that EP they put out on Captured Tracks.
Northside was having an impact and Bedford was more insane than usual I over heard a girl talking to her boyfriend as they walked by ...'It's not Saturday night people...it's Thursday!'


From there Aa was still on at Union Pool, and as much as I love the drunken mess of bare bones drunk punk I was into catching their Battles, Black Dice brand of soundscape especially live...it gets looser, the kind of synth samples get better on the fly, and two drummers live...well that you can't really capture on their recordings. It's violent up there, with the yelling into effects and strobe lights. And I think they're underestimated...they've been (not so) quietly gong places the Liars and These are Powers abandoned for their own idiosyncratic directions...it's a more chaotic sort of math leaning percussion experiment. The vocals turn into just another sound, the electronics keep up with the sets of live drums to get a maximum range of expression through a simple hit. They've been headlining for years, and should be right up there in credibility with Lightning Bolt and Japanther. On this cabaret red curtain stage is ridiculous...they're made for the warehouse basement, but that's again that's what Northside is doing...putting more bands in different spaces, just so when you step back and the dust settles, it's gong to be impressive, even for Brooklyn, you're going to take notice.

German Measles and The Nymphettes at Death by Audio 3-25-10

I ended up hanging out with Tim and Aaron Condon from Herizon Thursday night, they were passing through working on their massive documentary, and we ended up going to good old Death By Audio to catch The German Measles and Nymphettes. I noticed this single from The Measles at a merch table and picked it up before the set. I wasn't sure what to expect, but Tim said he had actually picked up one of their cassettes in New Hampshire or Vermont the previous week and they had been listening to it in the van the whole way to NY. As they got onstage they reminded me of Nodzzz, that unassuming style all their own, and proceeded to seemingly throw together this kid of geek punk that wasn't interested in faster louder, but melodies held together with scotch tape and staples. Chords hanging around a second too long, the drummer straining to hear changes, bass playing barely along. It works in that unfiltered pop culture way. It's a mess, like the back of the sleeve: xerox cutout Charlie Brown, monsters, high school yearbook pictures. All of those things that are a little off in their own way, or maybe it's putting them all together that you end up with the weirdo punk monster with tourettes of German Measles. The A-Side track from the single 'Color Vibration' is a perfect example, it's no surprise he's actually singing about colors: frequency of light / is making me feel stoned / neuroscience can you tell me / what these colors are doing to me in a off beat delivery, he lyrics are the most important, jam it into weird phrasing say color vibrations as fast as possible and the rest has this lazy drunk stumbling around quality. Forget love, it's all been done before...well not a song about color vibration, I guarantee. They are just a crazy mystery..the next song live is about how it's 'party time', or how he's 'totally wild'. They're messing with contradictions (and this NY Press reporter).

from their myspace

Afterwords Aaron said 'that was like seeing a punk joy division'. The lead singer is awkward, and maybe it's just because being with those guys made me think about the city in a little different way...but that's what makes New York so great, it's not put on, it's just his thing. He's got a job, orders pizza, books a show at DBA, but also has a collection of black light velvet paintings that would blow your mind. Perfectly normal. I can relate to this outsider do your own thing freak direction they have going completely. So uncool, they are cool again.
Looks like it's sold out from Wild World, so check the usual distro's or April 17th at Glasslands you might be able to pick up a copy.

The Nymphettes up after GM were insane energy, the lanky lead singer/guitarist practically had the shakes smashing into the mic, the drummer kept it high tempo and was an all around ridiculous drummer. Solid, fun blasting songs I want to hear again. They have a single as well from Signed by force records that I'm going to look into.