In and Out: Another edition of "If You Miss These Shows, You Don't Like Music"

What up, fockers? Yeah, we're back again after what seems like forever. And admittedly, the show schedule in this city has been more than a little thin (and no, Dan Deacon playing his shit 30 times in two weeks doesn't count). But, it seems like we're back on track with some good bands, some small bands and some big shows supporting big records. Here's the shot sheet. And again, if you miss these, I feel bad for you and think you should probably spend the week making an application tape for The Pick-Up Artist: Season 2.

Tuesday, Sept. 25:

Bat For Lashes @ The Bowery. This is big and still not sold out, so sneak your tickets now. If you haven't heard of this band, I honestly don't know what to do with you. Move back in with your parents. It's over.

Bear Hands and a bunch of other tiny, weeny, little bands @ Pianos: Bear Hands has one great song, "Long Lean Queen" and some of the worst lyrics of all-time. "Long and lean/God save the Queen/Peace in the world/Is peace in my brain." Can't argue with the world peace sentiment but tell me what incarnation of the universe accepts "brain" and "queen" as rhyming words? Where is that true? Russia? Iran?

Wednesday, Sept 26:

LooseRecord.com favorites and un-favorites Liam and Me make their triumphant return to the Knitting Factory where they seem to sell out .... all. the. time. Now, this band does cause a rift between the writing/blogging staff (people in the know, foot soldiers, on the grind) and the editorial staff (queens, "let them eat cake," detached-totalitarian-style ruling party) but, make up your own mind. It's synth-rock people - not rocket science. And fuck you if you don't like it. jk. lol.

Now, if you want the exact opposite experience, you can head over to the Annex where the Secret Machines (or the impostors passing as the Secret Machines) play the final show of a 4 week residency. Yes, it's new material. And yes, if you saw them at their "triumphant" return to New York, also at the Annex back in May, you know that the new material is rough in places, bad in others. Expect a set of songs you don't know (one or two of which will blow your doors off) and then a closer of "Lightning Blue Eyes" and something else to remind you this band used to write serious music and used to destroy audiences for pure recreation.

Thursday, Sept. 27

Yeasayer and The Forms @ Cake Shop. This is the ultimate, "miss this and feel sorry for yourself" show. Cake Shop is tiny. Yeasayer is big and has one of the most interesting, creative records of the year. Go listen to "2080" and tell me you don't hear Broken Social Scene playing Paul Simon's Rhythm of the Saints in outer space. Tell me you don't hear that. Exactly. Go to the show.

Jose Gonzalez @ The Gramercy Theater. It's expensive but the Gonzalez has a quietly electric persona for his live show. It might not change your life but he'll probably play "Heartbeats" and you can hold your girlfriend's hand and remember the mixtape you gave her two years ago.

Friday, Sept. 28

We close the week in massive fashion with Okkervil (rhymes with Knockerville) River at Webster Hall. Their latest release is an absolute monster of a record and pretty much solidifies them as Indie-Rock Supa-Stars along with Spoon, Bright Eyes, and The National. These kids will churn out another brilliant record every two years until 2020.

If you want to get your sunny-guitar-pop-on, head back to the Knitting Factory for The Lucksmiths. You like the Shins? Oh shit! This band gave birth to bands like The Shins but not in an annoying, "this band is actually un-listenable now but used to be good" way. They still crush people with sunny, little songs and lyrics about "t-shirt weather." Take that Fall. You can wait your turn.

Live Review: Badly Drawn Boy @ Virgin Headquarters, New York [8.14.07]

I'd love to say I have an amazing set of pictures to show you from Badly Drawn Boy's acoustic set on the roof here at Virgin Records but I don't. Suffice it to say that the scene was picturesque with the sun sinking below and between Manhattan's maze of buildings, casting a warm orange glow on everyone and everything.

Badly Drawn Boy took the stage around 6.45 after the Virgin/EMI/Blue Note/Capitol/Astralworks staff had finished slamming fish and chips and free Bass Ale. The fare, a part of the "Born in the U.K." theme of the evening, was solid and most importantly of all, free. Who says record labels are sinking in a sea of illegal-file sharing, music blogs, and album leaks? At least for tonight, we seemed to snap back to 1999 when 'NSYNC was selling 2.4 million albums a week and free fish and chips would be expensed to the "fuck it, who cares, I'm rich bitch" account.

It was an all-acoustic set with "the one who is poorly rendered" being supported by a nameless, dark-haired guy who finger-picked solos while Badly motored through the Barr chords. It was a warm evening, in feeling and temperature, and Poorly Sketched played all the quote "hits." Skimming through "Once Around The Block" and "Born In The U.K.," the set had a quiet dignity to it - all of which seems appropriate for a show that, ostensibly, had Badly Drawn playing directly to the company that represents him.

It would be kind of like if you worked a job making copies and your bosses liked your work so much they asked you to come make copies for free in front of all the people who own and run Kinko's. Hey, it's kind of flattering and it's kind of bullshit. Why am I here? Because they like me or because I have no choice?

Luckily, Badly Drawn Boy wasn't leading any revolution against his label. He was just entertaining a warm crowd, with tight, little acoustic songs built for a sunset rooftop on 20th and 5th. And even if only a few of us were actually "born in the U.K." it didn't seem to matter. There is something about an artist's poor rendition of a man that makes everyone feel welcome. Even the Suits.

[photo care of www.musicsnobbery.com]