Upcoming Indie Rock Concerts

02.28.2008

Upcoming Shows Despite the plethora of information available at the click of a button, many people still lean on iTunes and the radio to tell them what music to listen to. This music is often boring, but for those with real jobs, sorting through countless opinionated blogs, ‘zines, and myspace pages just to find a few new bands worth seeing can be a daunting task. Fortunately, the list below has done all the work for you. From sleek Manhattan halls to dirty Brooklyn lofts, these concerts showcase the best noise being made in this city right now. Venture outside your comfort zone; you might like what you find.

Fri 2/29 Market Hotel 9:30pm | High Places, Lucky Dragons, Soft Circle, Picture Plane

Ever wonder what it might sound like if James and his giant peach somehow floated into a cloud level of Super Mario Brothers? High Places and the Lucky Dragons play quiet, curious music that may conjure just such a scenario.

Sat 3/1 Market Hotel 9:30pm | Genghis Tron, Aa, Ponytail, Shooting Spires, Cheveu, Double Dagger

This eclectic show has something for everyone. Everyone who likes weird sh*t, anyway. Genghis Tron take no prisoners with their malevolent electro-metal; Aa (pronounced “big a, little a”) are sort of like the Slipknot of indie rock with their various maniacal drummers and a backing track of bleeps; Shooting Spires, a Parts and Labor side project, are just as interesting as P+L but in a mellower, more psychedelic and soulful way; Baltimore art-punk outfit Ponytail started as a school project but people liked them so they stuck with it.

Tue 3/4 Webster Hall 8pm | The Walkmen, White Rabbits

They may not be a buzz band anymore, but the Walkmen’s well-crafted pop songs and Dylan-esque vocals still have audiences bopping along. The White Rabbits play similarly well-crafted pop complete with piano that might remind you, variously, of early Pink Floyd, Caribbean music, and Spoon.

Thu 3/6 Death by Audio 8pm | An Albatross, the Golden Error, Fun Machine

Warning: you might get punched in the face. By the singer. For those who grew up listening to speed metal, grindcore, or any similarly evil genre, An Albatross play dense, screamy noise rock with hints of prog. Golden Error are more user friendly with their sparse, energetic brand of party punk.

Fri 3/7 Studio B 10pm | MSTRKRFT, LA Riots, Lazaro Casanova, the Bloody Beetroots

If you’re looking to dance, MSTRKRFT brings the beats, having remixed the likes of Kylie Minogue and Bloc Party. The sparkly disco dance floor of Studio B is a great place to get down, so don’t be shy.

Sat 3/8 Bowery Ballroom 8pm | The Stills, Wild Light

Isn’t it funny how 80s bands like the Jesus and Mary Chain made music we like to dance to now, but the people who were teenagers then were wont to lie on the floors of their suburban bedrooms and cry to it? In any case, the Stills do a pretty good take on the whole 80s throwback gloomy/dancey thing with a dash of 90’s indie pop thrown in, so it’s up to you whether you want to sob or shake your as$. Wild Light have toured with the Arcade Fire and play similarly epic pop songs.

Tue 3/11 Joe’s Pub 11:30pm | The Shout Out Louds

If you just can’t get enough 80s pop, head over the Shout Out Louds’ late show at Joe’s Pub. They sound like the Cure on mood elevators, and they will make you want to don leggings and an oversized sweater and shake your ass forever.

Tue 3/11 The Music Hall of Williamsburg 7:30pm | The Black Lips, Golden Triangle, Quintron

The Black Lips are playing a ton of shows this month, but you should see them with the Golden Triangle, a bunch of crazy hot girls who raid their moms’ closets and scream-sing weird lyrics riot-grrl style over lo-fi guitars and bouncy drumming. The Black Lips’ whiskey-soaked blues-punk by way of the dirty South needs no introduction.

Tue 3/18 Webster Hall 8:30pm | The Mountain Goats, the Moaners

Join John Darnielle’s pity party as he plays affecting acoustic tales of breakup sex and irrational fears. If you like confessional-yet-pop-conscious singer-songwriters like Ani DiFranco, you will like the Mountain Goats.

Wed 3/19 Luna Lounge 7:30 pm | Witch, Graveyard

If you enjoyed smoking pot and listening to Black Sabbath as a teenager, Witch will be right up your alley. They employ an epic mixture of psychedelic 70’s jam rock and spooky minimalism, complete with spot-on sick drumming from J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. fame.

Fri 3/21 Mercury Lounge 8pm | The Most Serene Republic, Miracle Fortress, Liam Finn, Frances

The Most Serene Republic is more than a little reminiscent of the Arcade Fire: dense, multi-layered songs full of interesting melodies, vocal harmonies, crescendos , decrescendos, and intelligent dynamics. Breakdowns feature unexpected combinations of instruments, like handclaps and piano thunder. Hints of free jazz abound. The songs can be long and meandering, but they hold your attention.

Sat 3/22 The Music Hall of Williamsburg 9pm | Holy F*ck, a Place to Bury Strangers

Holy F*ck plays respectable, intelligent, mostly instrumental electro, making good use of looped, overlapping sounds. When they hit their stride, the crowd goes crazy. A Place to Bury Strangers cranks it up to eleven and hits you with a barrage of dark psychedelia and electronic beats that will remind you of the cool kind of bad trip you get to watch in a movie. You know, strobe lights, giant ants, inverted colors, second-long shots of a guy screaming silently. Awesome.

Sun 3/23 The Music Hall of Williamsburg 8pm | Xiu Xiu, Thao Nguyen, Get Down Stay Down

Xiu Xiu plays bizarre, engaging songs that simultaneously attract and repulse. Singer Jamie Stewart’s neurotic vocals are rife with dark, childlike imagery, and the spooky quiet parts are interspersed with sonic freak outs. They’ll make you feel like you’re going insane, in a good way.

Wed 3/26 The Mercury Lounge 7:30pm | Health, Team Robespierre, Crystal Castles, Apache Beat

This show will get you sweaty. Team Robespierre play perky/angry electro-punk that will have even the most jaded indie rocker thrashing about, and Health do extremely loud noise-pop (is that a genre?) complete with shrieked vocals, pounding, syncopated drums, and feedback galore.