Lucid Culture

Newcomers to this site will discover two things quickly: first, this calendar gets updated on a virtually daily basis. So if you’re bored and feel like going out and didn’t see anything here you liked the last time you checked, it’s worth checking back here. We’re working hard to make your nightlife as fun as possible!

 

 

And if you aren’t familiar with the place your favorite band is playing, click on Venues, located under Categories, to your right, for the club’s website, subway directions and other useful info.

 

 

Weds Oct 10 all low-end, all the time instrumental trio Moisturizer gets the crowd dancing at Black Betty, 10 PM, 2 sets. Their set at BAM last week was phenomenal: they often have special guests. This is a small place, get here early.

  

Also Weds Oct 10 Grupo Los Santos feat. Beaver Bausch from Greta Gertler’s band on drums plus ebullient, fiery guitarist Pete Smith from Hazmat Modine plays Brazilian jazz at Rose Bar, 345 Grand St. east of Roebling, Williamsburg, L to Bedford and a 10 minute walk, or J/M/Z to Marcy Ave., walk up Havemeyer and hang a right.

  

Also Weds Oct 10 the sprawling oldtimey M. Shanghai String Band rock the Rodeo Bar, 10:30 PM

  

Thurs Oct 11, one of the greatest voices of our time, frontman Sam Llanas of the Bodeans plays an extremely rare solo show at Luna, 7:30 PM. Over the last 20 years, this powerful, soulful baritone singer has delivered some of the most intense, passionate and amusing rock anthems you’ll ever hear. He also writes dark, sparse, powerful Americana-inflected singer/songwriter material. Here’s your chance to hear both. See ya there.

  

Also Thurs Oct 11 monster surf/twang guitarist Jim Campilongo plays with his trio at Barbes, 8 PM. Your rare chance to see him outside his usual residency at the odious Living Room. If you like Big Lazy you’ll like this guy too.

 

 

Also Thurs Oct 11 Devi plays Arlene’s, 9 PM. This is monster guitarist Debra DeSalvo’s every-more-increasingly psychedelic power trio: the songs are terse, but they can jam the hell out of them.  Go to the website for info on how to get in for free

 

 

Also Thurs Oct 11 & subsequent Thursdays in October the Roulette Sisters, with their hilarious, innuendo-filled, hokum blues songs, soaring 4-part harmonies and authentic acoustic delta stylings play at Pete’s Candy Store, 9 PM. If you can’t catch them here, they’re playing an early show Fri Oct 12 at 7 PM at Cha Cha’s House of Ill Repute, 68 Jay Street ( at Front ), Suite 312 in Dumbo, which seems to be a boutique that sells hats.

Thurs Oct 11 soaring, anthemic, Radiohead-inflected art-rockers My Pet Dragon are back together and play acoustic at Madame X, 94 W Houston St. between Thompson/LaGuardia, 10 PM

  

Also Thurs Oct 11 Her & Kings County play Hank’s, 11 PM. She has a nice, throaty country voice and the acoustic/electric band behind her clangs out some nice textures.

  

Also Thurs Oct 11 Demolition String Band plays the Monkees along with special guests at Rodeo Bar, 10:30 PM. I have an idea: is Steve Jones around? Maybe they can do Stepping Stone. I’d definitely show up for that one.

  

Also Fri Oct 12 at 7 PM Moonlighters frontwoman Bliss Blood’s charmingly authentic acoustic delta blues project Delta Dreambox plays a double bill with the M Shanghai String Band at the soon-to-be-defunct Mo Pitkins, $12 and worth it.

  

Fri Oct 12, 8 PM acclaimed Algerian vocalist/lute player Nassima plays Andalusian and Magreb Sufi folk music with her band at Symphony Space, Broadway/95th St., expensive, $32 but probably worth it. Tix not available online, but the World Music Institute box office has them,  49 W. 27th Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway, 9th floor, Suite 930, open til Thurs 10am – 6pm, Fri 10am –1pm

  

Also Fri Oct 12 tremendous saxophonist Dave Hillyard & his ska jazz band  the Rocksteady 7 take over the Magnetic Field, 8 PM. Coleman Hawkins is his big influence, but it’s the wild, scary, later-period bop-oriented Hawk that this guy channels. And his originals are pretty damn good too. The band is every bit as good as the material.

  

Also Fri Oct 12 Ward White plays solo acoustic at the Living Room, upstairs, 9:30 PM. The rare artist who’s worth braving this horrid tourist trap to see. Upstairs is something of a secret here, as is White, in a sense, a brilliantly literate lyricist and equally dazzling guitarist who could be called the heir apparent to Jarvis Cocker’s legacy of withering cynicism.

  

Also Fri Oct 12 minimalist Americana rockers Kill Henry Sugar play Barbes, 10 PM. Just guitar or lapsteel and drums: smart, understatedly funny songs with an apt political sensibility when they feel like injecting it into the set.

  

Also Fri Oct 12 the Jack Grace Band plays Rodeo Bar, 10:30 PM. This guy books the place, so he gets first dibs at weekend shows here, and he’s worth coming out to see if you’re in a party mood. They do the occasional hilarious Led Zep or Bee Gees cover along with Grace’s surprisingly dark, haunting, potent new Merle Haggard/George Jones flavored material. If old-school country is your thing, this is your man.

  

Also Fri Oct 12 Mr. Action & the Boss Guitars play Lakeside, 11 PM. Ten glorious years ago, the rhythm section in this band was part of the Supertones, whose Saturday night residency at the old Luna Lounge is the stuff of legend. When I first saw this new band I thought they were just spinning their wheels, but they’re really pulled it together. Surf music is their thing: instrumental versions of 60s pop hits, rare Ventures classics and an ever-growing repertoire of great dance tunes, done tightly and with a remarkably self-aware sense of humor.

 

 

Also Fri Oct 12 veteran Nashville gothic rockers Ninth House play Hank’s, 11 PM. The new unit likes to vamp and jam the hell out of their towering, majestic songs’ intros and outros much like Joy Division. With the addition of Suzy Mitchell’s scary gypsy violin, this may be the best edition of the band ever.

  

Sat Oct 13 the incomparable Amy Allison plays Banjo Jim’s, early, 7 PM. Hot on the heels of yet another supposedly triumphant recording session. Her newer material is less country and a whole lot darker than anything she’s ever done, yet she’s as hilarious as always onstage. And what a gorgeous voice, huh?

 

 

Also Sat Oct 13 Secretary feat. Big Boss plays Cake Shop, 9 PM. This is Moisturizer frontwoman Paula Henderson’s quieter, more ethereal instrumental project with baritone sax, other instruments and loops. Most acts that blend live and prerecorded sounds are a joke, but this is a beguiling good time.  

 

 

Also Sat Oct 13 Boston garage revival legends the Lyres play the Magnetic Field,  9 PM. Not sure how lucid their frontman/organist Jeff Connolly is at this point, but at one point, like the Fleshtones, nobody did old-school 60s garage punk better than that guy and his rotating cast of characters.

  

Also Sat Oct 13 oldtimey “historical orchestrette” Pinataland and their faux-gospel choir the Temple Of Reasons Singers play a rare gig at Barbes, 10 PM. Their frontman David Wechsler has a superb new solo cd out, and they may do some stuff from it.

  

Also Sat Oct 13 Zane Campbell, who pretty much invented alt-country by himself in New York 20 years ago plays the Rodeo Bar, 10:30 PM. He’s a real throwback and something of a hellraiser, and has a whole lot of good songs and a pedigree to go with it: if memory serves right, he’s Ola Belle Reed’s nephew.

 

 

Also Sat Oct 13, the Roscoe Trio plays Lakeside, 10:30 PMish. Since Eric Ambel is Steve Earle’s powerhouse lead guitarist, this band will never shortchange you. Expect a long set of very smart, surprisingly subtle, stylistically diverse twangy guitar shit. And maybe a Yayhoos song if you’re lucky. Baby I love you, just leave me the fuck alone so I can enjoy the show.

  

Also Sat Oct 13 the Moonlighters – NYC’s best-known and arguably best old-timey band - play at 9 PM at the Jalopy Cafe, 315 Columbia Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn, B61 bus to the end of the line.

Sat Oct 13 Larch & the WonderWheels (doing both Larch and Liza songs) play at 11 at Freddy’s as a warmup for their upcoming UK tour. So you’ll get the pub rock and the punk-pop and the strangely delightful 80s stuff. Both Ian and Liza will sing. It promises to be a hell of a show.

 

Mon Oct 15, subtle, lyrically dazzling soul/rock siren Dina Dean plays the Living Room with her band at 9 PM. Botanica’s bassist plays upright. The songs’ underpinnings are classic 60s soul but the lyrics are sharp and in the here and now and the band is great.

  

Also Mon Oct 15 acoustic songwriter David LK Murphy – an uncommonly fine lyricist – plays the Magnetic Field  in Brooklyn Heights, 9 PM

  

Also Mon Oct 15 the deliriously danceable Peruvian-style surf rock band Chicha Libre play their home base, Barbes 10 PM.

  

Tues Oct 16 violinist Jenny Scheinman and her group play Barbes, 7 PM. A rare opportunity to see this excellent, frequently haunting, stylistically diverse writer for way less moola than her club dates usually command. She gets pigeonholed as jazz but she delves into chamber music and soundtrack stuff and gets all evil and gypsy from time to time.

 

 

Also Tues Oct 16 Hula plays Europa, that big beautiful old Polish nightclub at 98 Meserole Ave, Greenpoint, G to Nassau Ave. or L to Bedford Ave. and walk over to Manhattan Ave. Quiet, gentle, melodic indie rock with guy/girl harmonies, a cut above the usual fare, more electric than the Pete’s Candy Store crowd.

  

Weds Oct 17, 8 PM Matt Munisteri’s Brock Mumford – his stunningly original, lyrically charged jazz group – plays John Zorn’s new space the Stone at Ave. C/2nd St. where all the old Tonic outsider jazz suspects have gravitated. If distant memory serves right, isn’t this that big, cavernous space that used to be the World ages ago and more recently was a latin dance joint?

  

Also Weds Oct 17 former Industrial Tepee frontman Tom Shaner plays Lakeside, 10 PM. His band was a frequently haunting, rousing southwestern gothic unit. He also knows his country and rockabilly and Byrds. Worth checking out to see what he’s up to now.

  

Thurs Oct 18, 8 PM at Barbes the Plunk Bros – which is Bob Jones and Demolition String Band lead guitarist Boo Reiners doing their dueling acoustic guitar madness – open for Matt Munisteri and his group which this time around includes the amazing jazz accordionist Joey Barbato

 

 

Also Thurs Oct 18 the Roulette Sisters are back at Pete’s, 9 PM.  

 

  

Fri Oct 19 Randi Russo lead guitarist Lenny Molotov plays fiery, authentic fingerpicked delta blues along with his potent, original, politically charged songs at Sidewalk, 8 PM. You could call him the American Richard Thompson: his songs are as good as his playing.

  

Also Fri Oct 19 the martini cowboy Jack Grace, whose latest songs have taken on a haunting, George Jones/Merle Haggard intensity plays Barbes, 10 PM. Not to worry, he still does the funny stuff too.

  

Also Fri Oct 19 Custard Wally, who put out just about the dirtiest album in recent memory play Hank’s, 11 PM. Extremely funny 2-guitar rock unit who are smarter than you’d think after hearing the lyrics.

  

Also Fri Oct 19 Ninth House frontman Mark Sinnis plays an acoustic set with Erica Smith’s bassist on piano at Banjo Jim’s at midnight.

  

Sat Oct 20 the brilliant, effortlessly sexy Les Chauds Lapins – which is Roulette Sisters lead guitarist Meg Reichardt and ex-Ordinaires frontman Kurt Hoffman playing innuendo-laden French songs from the 1930s and 40s – play Barbes, 8 PM, followed by Howard Fishman, who used to be good but now sounds like Dave Matthews. Get there early if you’re going.

  

Also Sat Oct 20 Boston garage rock legends Muck & the Mires play theMagnetic Field, 9 PM, early arrival strongly advised if you’re going.

  

Also Sat Oct 20 the Stay-at-Homes play Lakeside, 10 PM. This is the excellent all-female garage/punk band Sit N Spin fronted by the incomparably funny Tammy Faye Starlite playing Runaways covers. The Runaways were an all-female, teenage LA concept band created by D-list celebrity Kim Fowley back in the 70s. They spawned the careers of both Joan Jett and Lita Ford (and Cherie Currie, if you call that a career). The Stay-at-Homes play their Live in Japan album note for note, word for word and it is absolutely hysterical. You don’t have to know the source material to laugh your ass off.

Sat Oct 20 1 AM (actually the wee hours of Oct 21) El Jezel plays the Delancey. Slightly shoegaze, thoughtful, often minor-key indie rock with guitar, bass and sometimes keys, pulsing along on a deliciciously swinging groove.

 

Sun Oct 21 virtuoso gypsy jazz guitar monster Stephane Wrembel plays Barbes, 9 PM. He’s very popular. Get there early.

  

Also Sun Oct 21 Melomane spinoff the Snow – whose potent, politically charged, crescendoing art-rock sounds just like Melomane with a few more harmonies, and maybe a jazzier feel - plays Luna at 9:30 PM.

  

Mon Oct 22 another monster guitarist-about-town, Pete Galub & the Annuals play his witty, melodic janglerock, opening for indie rock legends the Silos – who have never sounded better live than they have recently – at the Magnetic Field, 9 PM

  

Also Mon Oct 22, 9:30 PM Barbes house band Chicha Libre continue their deliriously fun, danceable residency.

  

Thurs Oct 25 an unlikely and very good singer-songwriter bill at Fontana’s starting at 7 PM with the promising new Sharon Goldman & Nina Soka duo, then the effortlessly very smart Kirsten Williams at 8 followed by spectacular soul siren Meg Braun and her trio.

 

 

Also Thurs Oct 25 the Roulette Sisters finish their October residency at Pete’s, 9 PM.

  

Also Thurs Oct 25 legendary San Francisco punk rockers the Avengers – an iconic band every bit the equal of the Sex Pistols or the Dead Boys, with the great Penelope Houston on vocals - play Maxwell’s at 10 PM. Their Bowery show last winter was packed, so this will sell out. Adv tix available at the box office and at Other Music.

  

Fri Oct 26 the date band for people who hate date bands, the Moonlighters bring their gorgeous harmonies, authentic retro stylings and spot-on political sensibility to Barbes, 10 PM. Repeat after me, get there early.

Sat Oct 27 the absolutely brilliant Dixie Bee-Liners play Joe’s Pub, early, 7:30 PM. This is recent NY expats Buddy Woodward and Brandi Hart’s killer Bible Belt noir band: classic bluegrass melodies, first-class musicianship and some of the smartest, most incisive lyrics anyone is writing right now. They’re also very funny onstage. If you’re an indie rock type who loves Jim & Jennie & the Pinetops, you’ll love this band just as much.   

 

Also Sat Oct 27 legendary 80s surf rockers Agent Orange play Europa in Greenpoint around 9, other acts on the bill TBA. Still living off their one classic album, 1981’s Living in Darkness, after all these years. And they still deliver the goods. It’s just a cry for help in a world gone mad!

 

 

 

Also Sat Oct 27 fiery highway rockers the Sloe Guns – who have taken on a harder edge lately – play the Baggot Inn, 9:30 PM.

  

Also Sat Oct 27 the casually literate, brilliant  Carolyn AlRoy plays the Living Room upstairs at 8:30 PM. Worth the trip through the gates of hell here to see her: if you miss Amy Rigby when she was playing around town all the time, this siren will do the trick: gorgeous voice, stinging, terse lyrics and some incredibly catchy countrypolitan tunes.

  

Mon Oct 29 smart, catchy female-fronted indie rock trio Girl Friday play a free show at the Magnetic Field,  9 PM, dollar beers while they’re onstage! Here’s hoping for a LONG set!!

  

Also Mon Oct 29 your last chance to catch the absolutely killer Chicha Libre and their surfy, Pan-American tunefulness during their residency this month at Barbes, 9:30 PM

 

Also Mon Oct 29 the self-explantory, predictably charming Ukeladies play Rodeo Bar, 10:30 PM

 

Tues Oct 30 another chance to catch the panstylistically brilliant violinist Jenny Scheinman at Barbes, 7:30 PM, where it won’t cost you the usual $50 to see her.

  

Also Tues Oct 30 Australian punk rock legends the Saints play Maxwell’s, 9ish (showtime not on the club’s website as of this posting). I say punk legends rather than janglerock legends because they’ve been doing the blistering old punk stuff which actually isn’t as good as the deliriously good jangle-and-clang they did in the 80s. But if you’re a fan, don’t miss them. Last time around they had the great Marty Willson-Piper from the Church doing his best Ron Asheton impersonation on lead guitar.

  

Weds, Halloween, haunting cello rockers Rasputina play the Music Hall of Williamsburg FKA Northsix, showtime not listed on the club’s website as of today, adv tix an absolute must and available at the box office. I can’t think of anything better to do on 10/31.

Also Halloween, 9 PM System Noise – another equally good Halloween choice, with their eerie guitar and otherworldly vocals – plays R Bar on Bowery north of Delancey, east side of the street. For a $8 cover you get OPEN BAR from 7-8 PM, shades of Trash Bar. This is THE party tonight.