support local artists and go to their shows!
Here are some of my thoughts and photos from the ones I’ve made it to!
mother feather at baby’s all right (in williamsburg)
8/31/24
I had been begging the universe, gnawing at the bars of my enclosure, for two years hoping to see Mother Feather live and it FINALLY happened! The experience was absolutely worth the wait… But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Baby’s All Right is a venue I had been trying to knock off my bucket list for a while. Finally visiting, I was happy to discover their space and drinks did not disappoint. Beginning the evening of music was Two Girls NYC who I was aware of but could have never guessed what their music was like. One girl (of the Two Girls) DJed unique and hopping beats while the other girl (of the Two Girls) soloed bass saxophone over it. My mind was blown, and I remember thinking “Wow, I love NYC.” Following them was New Myths who is such a girl power group I was longing to be every single one of them. They rocked out so hard and looked so cool doing it, I definitely recommend you see them live because they are great performers.
When Mother Feather took the stage, it was more like a performance began. Both while dawning wicked makeup, the two front women wore unique outfits that they could play with to make for some striking visuals to go with their music. The energy from both of them was astounding as well. They were great performers, and somehow all while singing too! Fans were treated very kindly with plenty of audience interaction, I am proud to call myself one of the Mother Feathers (MFers). I even was given a press-on nail, but you just had to be there in order to know the whole story behind that. ;) Of course, their music was just as rockin’ as they are. A mixture of old songs and new gave the audience a taste of everything, accompanied by a super talented band. It was everything you could ask for. Seeing Mother Feather perform live is such a unique and sick experience, I genuinely recommend you see them live even if you don’t know their music at all. You will fall in love with them just as much as I have, guaranteed.
fetch tiger at mercury lounge
3/21/24
Me and my pals were ready for a vibey evening as we were making our way to Mercury Lounge this past Spring. None of us had been to this venue despite the fact that we were studying Sara D Roosevelt Park just down the street the whole falls semester prior, so we didn’t know what we were in for. The cozy bar and friendly faces were very welcoming right when we stepped in the door. Right inside as well I was able to purchase a sick Fetch Tiger shirt that I wear religiously now.
Drinks in hand and openers beginning, we were first greeted with Claire Ozmun and her band. We weren’t familiar with the supporting bands going into the evening either, and Ozmun was a very wonderful surprise. (By the way, they released their debut EP just this past summer, called “Dying in the Wool” if you want to give your ears a warm hug!) Ozmun and the backup vocals mixed splendidly and every single bandmate was tight and feeling the music. It is always a treat when you can tell that to be true. The following supporting band was Meyru, who surprised us just as much. The guitarists were really talented with sick solos and I was a particular fan of the way the frontman moved his feet to the music. I went home and listened to both Meyru and Claire Ozmun immediately.
The groovy mood had been sufficiently set by the time Fetch Tiger took the stage. The chemistry between the talented members and their vibey music had everyone in the audience singing along and floating in the air (or at least that second part felt true…) I was very excited to hear my favorite song, “Austin Powers,” and it did not disappoint in the slightest. As always, time flew by and they were done before we knew it. My friends urged me to ask if I could keep the set list they had printed out to use, and that led to me having a quick but wonderful moment where I got to tell them how great they sound. It was a wonderful evening all around and I recommend all three bands’ music.
Blanket Approval + monarch. + Locations at Main Drag Music (in Williamsburg)
10/21/23
I love to shout out venues, and Main Drag Music deserves a big shout out! By day, the joint sells new and used guitars, amps, and pedals, as well as provides repair services and equipment like strings. By night they host shows in the basement with a disco ball and an intimate stage set up! On the night of this show, they had a table for Extincion Rebellion, which is a nonviolent environmental movement, and we just thought that was really awesome so I wanted to shout that out.
Going into this, we knew it was going to be a jam-packed evening with multiple artists getting to take the stage. This show was the release show for Blanket Approval’s new single “You Think It’s Funny,” monarch.’s new single “In the Mood,” and Locations’ new EP “Stop the Money.” Additionally, O. Wake was the opener playing an acoustic set that was a lovely introduction to the band’s music for me.
The floor didn’t have a lot of room which allowed the space to feel cozy and full of fans for every group. Each and every one were great performers, each with unique sounds and styles that all blended perfectly to make a cohesive yet varying evening. Blanket Approval’s set was really groovy with tight bass, vocals from both the guitarist and drummer, and the occasional keyboard that always felt like the cherry on top of the music. Monarch. gave the evening a vibey and emotional set that we didn’t want to ever end. And Locations finished the night with a heavier and impactful set that was easy to dance to. Locations seemed to have been a huge organizer for the evening, and I wanted to shout out the fact that Locations’ music and motivations heavily surround workers rights, taxing the rich, and taking a stand against corporate greed. It was awesome to get to hear their statements about these things in between songs, and the whole evening was incredibly impactful in that way.
Since it was a more intimate show in a smaller space, and each band wanted to watch and support the others when they were performing, it was also a really cool opportunity for us to talk to some of the members of each band. Everyone we talked to was incredibly kind and friendly, which is a testament to how awesome all the bands involved tonight are. Support local artists!! It’s easy and fun to make a lot of friends and hear a lot of fantastic music that way. :)
l’rain at pioneer works (in Red hook)
10/20/23
Pioneer works is another really cool Brooklyn venue! It is connected to some galleries that rotate through exhibits that you can visit before or during the show. Additionally, there’s a wonderful outdoor space populated with trees, stone pathways through the green garden, outdoor art pieces, and a small bar that you can take a spiral staircase to the roof of and get a view of the skyline. Highly recommend visiting Pioneer Works, which is a particularly available opportunity for all since the space often holds art exhibitions and live performances of all sorts of artistic expressions.
L’Rain’s show was to celebrate the release of their newest album, “I Killed Your Dog,” so naturally the performance opened with a chorus of howling dogs as the atmosphere for the night was built. The rest of the show proved to live up to the experimental and vibey opening as the rest of the set continued to blow us away with unique sounds and endlessly talented musicians. My friend described it as feeling like a frolicking woodland fairy got abducted by aliens. I’d say that’s accurate. There was screaming, an ignored fire alarm, a guest violinist who played gorgeously, and so much more. It was a really fantastic show all around.
cut worms at the Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/11/23
I got to the venue a bit early so I was able to explore a bit and The Music Hall of Williamsburg is a fantastically cool space. I especially like the mezzanine that overlooks the stage. After more people started arriving I immediately knew it was going to be a good show just based on the 70’s vibe coming from a lot of the audience members.
Both openers were wonderfully unique and talented with surprises up their sleeves. The first opener was John Andrews and the Yawns – who ended up being the bandmates playing with Max Clarke, the frontman for Cut Worms – and their music was a perfect accompaniment for what was to come. The second opener was Molly Lewis who was a whistler! She whistled to backing tracks which is unlike anything I had ever seen or heard of before and she slayed the whole time. It’s always a testament to the artist when they can stay charismatic and positive through unavoidable technical difficulties. I recommend “Checks in the Mail” by John Andrews and the Yawns and “Miracle Fruit” By Molly Lewis.
Finally, the headliner ended the night with an endlessly cozy and vibey set. Cut Worms recently released a new self-titled album and this show was the last stop on their tour celebrating its release. The country-tinged / folk / indie-ness of Cut Worm’s music isn’t what I normally listen to but something about it all scratches my brain in the best way. Not to mention the fact that the band was incredibly tight in their playing and performed splendidly. Off the new album I recommend the songs “Ballad of the Texas King” and my personal favorite “Take it and Smile.” Gummy worms were thrown and my night was made.
