Over the past three years, New York’s Alright has served as sort of an antidote for the bland, big-box shitshows and corporate-backed music conferences that have come to define music festivals. More specifically, the punk and hardcore fest has been everything that the much-maligned CBGB festival should have aspired to be – real ass punk rock without any co-opted bullshit, played loudly by sweaty dudes in dingy spaces like ABC No Rio and The Acheron. And it’s almost time to do it again.
Advance tickets will be available online on Valentine’s Day (Saturday, February 14) for this year’s fest, which runs from Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19. You can also pick up tickets at Bushwick’s Heaven Street Records. You’ll want to do that; the 2015 edition of New York’s Alright is the best-curated one yet, boasting both the finest in Japanese hardcore and Australian noise. It even includes past “Over the Counter” luminaries, L.O.T.I.O.N. and Sadist, so you know its pretty dope right off the bat. But there’s one more reason to go. This is its last hurrah.
It is the last year of the fest, for sure. Why? I feel this is the biggest and best year, it’s the third year, don’t want to keep overwhelming all the locals who have to deal with the influx of tourists, etc. Also, I never wanted the fest to become some sort of institution like a lot of fests. I’ve actually made it smaller each year and I think it’s finally the right size. [IMPOSE]
It sucks that we’re losing the fest, but I’d rather it ended now than bear witness to its slow castration and transformation into a “branded experience.” Fortunately, the lineup is quite virile. Vicious modern New York hardcore bands Ajax, Warthog, Nandas, Anasazi and La Misma are easy recommendations. They’re some of the best bands out there today, but they’re regulars at all of our local haunts. The real draw here are rare appearances from the incredible out-of-town acts Whites has brought into the fold (special exception for Dawn of Humans, see them no matter what, geography be damned.)
He calls Japanese hardcore band Warhead, the “biggest get” for the fest, and they’ll make the long flight across an ocean and a continent with Isterismo and Raw Distractions. Other bands making a journey and a half include Sweden’s Urbanoia and Herätys, and Australia’s Kromosom.
Glue and post-punks Institute are two Austin-based bands I’ve become a pretty big fan of. Shoutout to Blood Pressure and Sheer Mag too. Really though, wherever you end up should be pretty wild. Here’s the full lineup:
Friday, April 17th
Kromosom
Blazing Eye
L.O.T.I.O.N.
Pure Disgust
Sadist
Ajax
@ Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker Street)
New York, NY
6pm, $25, All Ages
Friday, April 17th
Isterismo
Aspects of War
Mommy
+ a special guest
@ The Acheron (57 Waterbury Street)
Brooklyn, NY
Aftershow, $15, 18+
Saturday, April 18th
Condominium
Mystic Inane
Freak Vibe
Nandas
@ Palisades (906 Broadway Ave)
Brooklyn, NY
2pm, $10, All Ages
Saturday, April 18th
Warhead
Warthog
La Misma
Blood Pressure
Contingent
2×4
@ Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker Street)
New York, NY
6pm, $25, All Ages
Saturday, April 18th
Sheer Mag
Vanity
Bad Noids
Tapehead
Gowanus Mutant Komandos
@ The Acheron (57 Waterbury Street)
Brooklyn, NY
Aftershow, $15, 18+
Sunday, April 19th (“BBQ & Flea Market”)
Dawn of Humans
Herätys
Glue
Raw Distractions
Urbanoia
+ 1 new local band without a name yet
@ The Wick
Brooklyn, NY (260 Meserole St)
4pm, $25, All Ages
Unofficial shows:
Thursday, April 16th (DanO’s Birthday Bash!)
S.H.I.T.
Vaaska
Party Plates
Ajax
Raid
+ a special guest
@ The Acheron (57 Waterbury Street)
Brooklyn, NY
8pm, $20, 18+
Friday, April 17th
13th Chime
Rule of Thirds
Survival
Aube
Cheena
@ St. Vitus Bar (1120 Manhattan Ave)
Brooklyn, NY
Aftershow, $20, 21+
Saturday, April 18th
Part 1
Anasazi
Pleasure Leftists
Institute
@ St. Vitus Bar (1120 Manhattan Ave)
Brooklyn, NY
Aftershow, $20, 21+