The Nightrats @ The National Underground 03/27/09

by DJW When The Nightrats took the stage in their black Chairman Mao uniforms, it was a tiny nugget of dramatics that perfectly complimented their unique music to come. A great entrance is always welcomed and in a space like The National Underground, where the stage is a cave at the back of the room [...]

Swoon & Mike Borgia Downstairs @ The National Underground 03/27/09

Swoon by DJW While we’d actually come to see both The Nightrats and The Monte Vista (Mr. Neil is in command of a very small troop division), our early arrival introduced us to Swoon. Sometimes you don’t know what you’re going to get with early arrivals, but this was a pleasant surprise. Swoon have a [...]

Bushwick Country Club

by DJW The Bushwick Country Club (of which I’m a certified member, although I couldn’t tell you where my membership club card may be lurking…) is my favourite neighbourhood bar. I don’t visit it enough, although it is a place where a few of the bartenders do, indeed, know my name (this, however, is due [...]

Downstairs @ The National Underground

by DJW While I think I visited the upstairs part of The National Underground for about three whole minutes (which makes me somewhat unqualified to offer forth a review), the downstairs certainly knows how to rock your evening for you. It’s a small space, with a couple of booths in the back, right at the [...]

Sweet Ups

by DJW Coveniently located a mere half block from my humble abode, Sweet Ups is pretty much my lazy person’s bar of choice. Perhaps not my favourite neighbourhood bar, but its warm, velvety interior, muted lighting and black booths are most definitely inviting, especially on a cold eve. I remember when the bar opened. It [...]

Money Makes You Boring – The Monte Vista

by DJW When I get handed CDs of bands I know absolutely nothing about, there’s always a nervous anticipation about it. You hold in your hand something new, something loaded with potential. Of course, that potential can go either way, it could be horrible, or it could be great. Lucky for my precious ears, Money [...]

The Nightrats at Goodbye Blue Monday, 3/17/09

by DJW Nestled in deepest, darkest Bushwick (okay, on Broadway), Brooklyn, Goodbye Blue Monday is pretty much not the place I expected to be on St. Patrick’s Day. GBM, a coffee shop/bar, a dark hole in the wall filled with a mishmash of books, garage sale leftovers and lighting by the local gypsies was not [...]

The Trash Bar 256 Grand St.

by LLI I don’t know if this review should be under Tucker or Trucker! HA! You think I jest you with this riddle, but “no!” you noble laureate I speak the truth! The Trash Bar is actually filled up with tons and tons of real truck seats! They also have car seats, one seaters (the [...]

Big Push at Southpaw 3/11/09

by LLI I walked into Southpaw on Wednesday night to a half full room with a few people thrashing around in a hardcore manner on the dance floor. What was this the show I was covering? Interesting. I proceeded in because I had gotten a tip to check them out and I wanted to understand [...]

Chin Chin at Union Pool 3/10/09

I was excited to see Chin Chin live for the first time. Up until this point I’d only hit them up on the You-Tizzles and I had an appetite to see what they could do live. We rallied troops and began gravitating to the back bar at Union Pool. The list girl at the door [...]

Zander Bleck & Studio E at The Canal Room 03/07/09

by LLI The evening began with a $10 cover charge. Never cool, especially in this economy, but it was Saturday night in the city and my buddy’s birthday, so I shelled out. Studio E was the opening band. I’d checked them out earlier on the interwebs whilst sipping a glass of cheap red zinfandel, getting [...]

Grand Morelos Diner & Bakery

by DJW While I still yearn for the days with this was called “Grand Morelos Bakery & Dinner”, I understand that even a gorgeously tacky 24 hour Mexican eatery has to grow up with the gentrification of the neighbourhood. No matter how they have changed the decor, signs and take-out bags, one important thing remains [...]

Beta Beta @Trash Bar 3/4

by LLI Beta Beta was the last band of the night and it seemed they were more of a bridge between bands rocking-it on stage at Trash Bar and when the stage morphs into the hottest karaoke night on the south side of Williamsburg. Beta Beta was simply stated. A girl with a mic and [...]

The Beach Project at Trash Bar 3/4

I just heard from Kerry, the lead singer, and her shirt was made by Mandate for Heaven, not a self crafted piece as I originally thought but still cool!

Like Trains & Taxis at Trash Bar 3/4/09

When Like Trains and Taxis appeared there was something about them that didn’t gel for me. I noticed the lead singer/keyboardist (whom I suspect is also the songwriter and the force behind the band) when he came in. He was snappily dressed, if a tad stylized. As they started to play the music,  his personality [...]

Introducing The Nightrats (Night Rats)

by DJW Of course, I’m meant to be doing something else, so naturally I’m trawling the internets for things to do instead. I stumbled across The Nightrats (Night Rats). With only a handful of songs on offering on their page, I found myself instantly liking them. Their music is the kind of laidback, quirky, catchy, [...]

Skin God at Trash Bar 3/4/09

Hello world!

Well, hello, everyone and everything. This is Mr. Neil here. Mr. Neil loves all sorts of things, including quirky events, music (especially Neil Diamond!), eating, drinking, reading, and maybe even rock climbing (but only after an apple, thyme and vanilla Martini – Mr. Neil read about those today and is most excited…). So! If you’re [...]