12.13 A wknd w/ Outer Shapes
The duo on the city's best bagel shops, bugging Guitar Center dudes and the Bands do BK holiday show and sock drive THIS SUNDAY at Arlene's Grocery
hey, u up?
Kind of feel like we ghosted you, but we’re sliiiiding back into that inbox baby, so please forgive us. C’mon baby, we’ve CHANGED. Really tho, feels v good to be back.
Before getting into it, a note—
We’ve been doing the SETLIST for 3 1/2 years now (first post was with Johnny Dynamite back in July 2021!) and have typically done it on an invitation basis to help promote artists who have upcoming shows, especially BdBK events. But what seems to make at least as much sense as US recruiting BANDS is to enable BANDS to submit to US. So! We now have… drumroll please…. A GOOGLE FORM!
Musicians who would like to be featured in THE SETLIST, please submit here.
We’re at about 530 subscribers, so it’s a great way to promote your shows and your music—and, of course, share your favorite places in NYC.
ALRIGHT! Let’s get into it—
This week, we’re so excited to bring you a legit phenomenally crafted weekend itinerary c/o queer indie duo Outer Shapes, who just dropped their second EP TOOTHACHE last month!
Says Outer Shapes’ C Santos (guitar, drums) of the EP:
“This EP redefines Outer Shapes as a duo to be taken seriously. We’re reshaping ourselves and making it clear that we are ready to shout, to be inspired by the male-dominated genre that we grew up on while carving a unique space for ourselves within it, the voices that need to be heard and have long been silenced, which is the essence of the alternative scene. The collection of songs on TOOTHACHE are a reflection of what it means to have these big, red-hot feelings, and still exist within a world that tends to perceive queer women as soft and sweet. We’re contextualizing the space we take up through the flames that fuel us, that keep us up at night, that spiral our thinking in the spaces we find for ourselves throughout the chaos that is our lives."
This is Outer Shapes’ second EP (this year!)—the first of which, Senses, won Album of the Year at the Wavy Awards.
We first fell for Outer Shapes (the aforementioned C Santos + lead singer and bassist Laura Shkouratoff) at New Colossus Festival back in March, and this weekend we’re super stoked to catch them on the LES once again at the annual Bands do BK Holiday Show & Sock Drive—also featuring Jelly Kelly, Friendly Company and BRODEO—THIS SUNDAY!
GRAB YOUR TIX HERE! And please bring a pair of NEW, UNWORN socks to donate to those in need <3
Outer Shapes’ motto is “FEEL ALL YOUR FEELINGS,” so this weekend… let’s go forth with the mantra. While also doing a whole bunch of other cool shit too.
Read on for a spectacular three days curated by Outer Shapes, and then plz proceed to have the best weekend of your life. You deserve it.
We’ll see you Sunday.
[BUT FIRST: PRESS PLAY]
FRIDAY
Start off your weekend with a trip to the Housing Works bookstore. They always have a dope collection of used books and all the money goes to a good cause. Walk over to the Elizabeth Street Garden to read some of your new book, then sign the petition to save it since you had such a nice time that you want to come back soon and if it was an apartment building you’d be sad.
Keep walking downtown until you get to Bodhi Kosher for dinner, the best vegan Chinese food in town. Make sure it’s the one on Mulberry, not the other one a few blocks away that “claims” to be the “original.” Say hi to our favorite waitress in the world, Christine, for us, and maybe she’ll find a baked veg meat bun for you in the back (they usually run out by 6, but we call ahead for her to save us one ‘cause we’re freaky like that). Eat as much as you can. The hot and sour soup is fire, too.
Wander around and be like damn I just love it here so much I’m just a little monkey in the big city until you get to Urban Dessert Lab for their oat milk soft serve. Sit down to eat it or you’ll have a Hansel and Gretel situation on your hands.
As you head towards the train, find something cool on the street that you Simply Must Have, preferably Large and Inconvenient, and find a way to get it home on the train. No ubers allowed, it takes away the integrity of getting something for free. Sleep tight ‘cause tomorrow’s gonna be a big one.
SATURDAY
Get up early on Saturday and bike over to Prospect Park farmer’s market at Grand Army Plaza. King David’s tacos has great breakfast tacos, so eat up. Then, buy some hot sauce that will change your life at the Evolutionary Organics stand.
Wander into Prospect Park, watch some dogs run around (‘cause they’re fun mostly from afar) or wander into the woods. Don’t forget to pick some grass off off a field if you have a cat at home. Who would pay $11 for that shitty Petco grass when it grows outside for free? All it needs is a good rinse.
Get in a fight at the Guitar Center in the Atlantic mall. Not gonna link that one. Play the drums until the grumpy old Drum Guy tells you to stop, then ask the cashiers if he treats all women like that or just the cool ones. Ask for valve oil just to annoy them and wonder where Laura’s gonna get hers to play the tuba at the Outer Shapes show tomorrow night since they stopped selling valve oil last year.
Bike over to Park Slope and get doored on the way there since they don’t have enough bike lanes in this fucking city. Cuss out the motherfucker who forgot to look before opening his door until his wife and children watching are quaking in their boots.
Go to Artist & Craftsman Supply (there’s one in Williamsburg, but we like the one in Gowanus). Get a journal and a nice pen if you don’t already have one. If you already do, dream up a maniacal new craft or at least get some paint pens. Artist & Craftsman is employee-owned, they have a dope rewards program, and overall the vibes in there are always great.
Wait in line at Ramen Danbo for dinner in Park Slope. Walk aimlessly up and down fourth street to avoid making intense eye contact with everyone in the restaurant while you drool outside and wait for them to finish. Ignore all the families passing by and trust us that you’re in for a good meal.
Walk over from Danbo to the Lightscape show at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, probably smoking a joint along the way. Stroll through the show and catch a little winter spirit. Lightscape is like one of those Christmas light car ride situations your parents would take you to when you were a kid, except that it’s walking and there’s cool art.
Think about how it’s the holiday season while you head home and you want to do something good (plus it’s been a minute since you saw some live music) and get your tickets for the Bands do BK Holiday Show and Sock Drive.
SUNDAY
Wake up slow and get our little morning playlist going while you soak in those good morning vibes. Drop off the compost that you store in your freezer (it’s Very Normal To Do That) because Nurture BK Compost is back, baby! Don’t get us started on where your brown bin compost goes.
Anyways. Grab a toasted sesame with sundried tomato cream cheese at [REDACTED], because the best bagel place is your neighborhood spot and we shouldn’t be crossing over into each other’s bagel territories like that. Be respectful, the line is long enough already. All bagel shops are the best one, except Tompkins Square Bagels in the East Village which reigns supreme over them all.
Head over to the Brooklyn Museum with your journal and the art supplies you got yesterday. Go alone or with someone who knows how to shut the fuck up and chill. Open your journal and enjoy The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition first. Make some doodles, write down words that mean something to you. Have fun with it. Bask in the beauty of the best borough and the creativity that truly feeds itself. You also can’t miss going to The Dinner Party exhibit to feel empowered and maybe a little bit…. You tell us how you feel after you see the shapes of those plates. On your way out, get something from the mystery art vending machine. It’s always something good.
If you really wanna do it the Outer Shapes way, go back into Prospect Park and soak in some more vibes. Maybe do the loop by foot today?
When you’ve gotten enough nature recharging time, head into Manhattan and get some Orchard Grocer for lunch. They have the best vegan sandwiches in the city. The Monty is our favorite sandwich after the Cuban.
Go to Uncle Funky’s and get a new skateboard, skate over to Washington Square Park, and see what today’s lookalike context will be. Cheer for your favorite contestant. While you’re around, Housing Works Cannabis Co. is a great spot to visit nearby to reload if you’re low on the good stuff. Buy any OffHours edibles and you’ll be set for the concert later. Eat some Ethiopian food at Awash when the snack hits and then you’re ready for the show. If you forgot, grab some socks on the way there.
Time to get ready for the show! If you're us, pack 7 instruments onto one dolly and the two of us and head for the train. If you’re anyone else, walk over to Arlene’s and we’ll see you soon.
Itinerary above written + submitted by Outer Shapes. Follow the band at @outershapes, buy music on Bandcamp and add songs to your Spotify playlists now!
Feature image (provided by the band):
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS
⚠️⚠️⚠️ IMPORTANT ⚠️⚠️⚠️ ICYMI, Brooklyn bands’ home base Our Wicked Lady is in trouble and in danger of closing their doors. Please check out the video from co-owners Keith and Zach to find out what’s happening here, plus watch our interview, where they go into detail about their current struggles as well as the challenges so many small businesses are facing post-COVID.
This isn’t just about saving a stage, but also saving our scene. We simply cannot afford to lose this space. Please consider donating to the gofundme here. (Every little bit helps.) You can also support by buying the Favorite Friend Records Presents: Save Our Wicked Lady vinyl featuring 12 songs from local acts. All proceeds to go OWL. <3
Huge thank you to everyone who came out to the last STRONG LITTLE SONGS living-room show and to Mary Shelley, Sweetbreads, Lily Tomlin and co-host / Bodega Santa Arlo Indigo for performing. With donations and matching we raised $426 for Toys for Tots! (IG fundraiser is still live in the @bandsdobk bio if you want to donate.) Hearts are full, baby <3
And TONIGHT! Bundle up and come out for a cozy backyard show + potluck (with fire pit!) featuring The Big Easy, Nadia Kazmi and Go Home and raising money for bail funds and the Release Aging People In Prison campaign. DM @bandsdobk for address.
And finally, a belated HAPPY 10 YEARS (!!!!) to Brooklyn’s beloved ALPHAVILLE. We love you, David and Kallan!
RELEASE RADAR
New(ish) stuff from local (+ occasionally, once-local) artists we love… listed in no particular order whatsoever — & now embedded 4 extra watching/listening ease.
“Hold on Tight” // Caitlin Starr
“All Hail (S.O.S.)” // Eliza and the Organix
“Sueño Intergaláctico” // Los Premios
THE SETLIST by Bands do BK is a reader-supported publication that’s freeeee. BUT! If you want to become a paid subscriber to show some love and support the work BdBK is doing… well, hey. That’d be pretty rad of you. <3