You’ve still got a few days to figure out Thanksgiving plans, which you’ll need because there are plenty of spectacular shows to catch this weekend. Be thankful for all the great music you can see, family plans can wait!
5) L.A. Witch, Las Rosas, Surfbort at Cake Shop
This show was originally scheduled at Elvis Guesthouse, which sounds like it will stop hosting live shows, and will now be at Cake Shop. L.A. Witch haven’t been in NYC since CMJ 2014, where I saw them at Death By Audio. but I also managed to catch them in Austin this year too and the band’s reverb-drenched desert psyche sounded immense. Support comes from local acts Las Rosas and Surfbort. Thursday 8pm
4) Diarrhea Planet, Music Band, Soda Bomb at Music Hall of Williamsburg
Rock fans should be prescribed at least one Diarrhea Planet show a year, purely for medicinal purposes, which is timely because I last saw the band a year ago at Death By Audio. The six-piece play to excess, and turn something that really could be cheesey into a fantastic, fist-pumping rock and roll workout. Sometimes you just want to be entertained, and Diarrhea Planet are one of the best pick-me-ups. Thursday 8pm
3) Robyn Hitchcock at City Winery
Robyn Hitchcock is somewhat of a national treasure back in the UK, with 20 solo albums since disbanding The Soft Boys and a list of admirers that would make anyone blush. His live performances are always entertaining and his surreal humour worth the price of admission alone. The last time I saw Robyn play was in a small club in Oxford where he wheeled out REM to play with him in the encore, the time before that he was joined by John Paul Jones, but despite all that, he might just be at his best alone with a guitar and his wandering imagination. Friday (7pm & 9:15pm)
2) Flamin’ Groovies, Nude Beach, Miriam at Baby’s All Right
San Francisco’s Flamin’ Groovies will soon be celebrating their 50th anniversary, and while there have been various line-up changes through their history, that’s still no mean feat whatsoever. Shake Some Action is one of the great power-pop anthems of all time, but the band are still making new music and should have a record out in 2016, which would be their first in over 20 years. It almost seems ridiculous to be seeing the band with such critical acclaim in such a small venue. Sunday 8pm
1) Okkervil River at Bowery Ballroom
Black Sheep Boy is one of those records that you just have to immerse yourself in to get the full benefit. I remember getting a ripped copy (remember when people would burn CDs?) but before the second track, For Real, had even finished, I’d ordered my own. The album is now 10 years old and the band will be playing it in full to celebrate. The shows on Saturday and Sunday have both sold out, but at the time of writing you can still pick some up for Monday. Saturday through to Monday.
(photo – Oxford Zodiac September 2009 by Chris Quartly)
