1.3 A wknd w/ Desert Sharks
The band on cat adoption, just-offensive-enough onesies and the Oh My Rockness Hardest-Working Bands show at Baby's All Right this Saturday night
HAPPY NEW YEAR! (Not sure what the statute of limitations is on that, but Larry David probably would not approve. No matter!)
2025… the HECK?! In the words of a wise, wise band, the years start comin’ and they don’t start comin’, but before we look forward into the unknown of this year, let’s take a moment to look back on 2024.
Now we all know that sharks work hard. Great Whites literally never stop swimming. EVER! So sub those gills for guitars, and it makes perfect sense that Brooklyn’s locally native species — Desert Sharks — are officially among the hardest hustlin’ bands in New York (specifically #6) as ranked by god’s eternal internet gift to live-music lovers, Oh My Rockness.
According to OMR’s annual Hardest-Working Bands in New York feature, Desert Sharks had 19 shows listed this year, slingin’ hits from their 2023 EP The Tower on stages across the city while also releasing their latest single, “Deeper,” in February.
If you somehow managed to miss all 19 shows, never fear! Becuase opportunity is now knocking for the legit 20th time as the band hits Baby’s All Right for one of our favorite events of the year—The Oh My Rockness Hardest-Working Bands showcase—with Femcel, Balaclava, Glimmer, Genre is Death and a ~special guest~ THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!
GRAB YOUR TIX HERE! Then read on for an NYC itinerary curated by the sickest, hardest-shredding sharks in these here waters, and go out and make the first weekend of 2025 the best weekend of your life.
And come tomorrow, we’ll see you at Baby’s, babies 👶👶👶👶👶👶👶👶👶👶
[BUT FIRST: PRESS PLAY]
It’s the first weekend of 2025 and you’re on a ride along with Desert Sharks!
FRIDAY
It starts so boring. I’m sorry to report. We’re a bunch of working stiffs so you’ll catch us at our day jobs from about 9-5 on Friday. For a morning coffee, The Concrete Jungle right by THEE Myrtle-Broadway subway stop is the winner — and you can shop for the cutest plants and garden accessories while you wait.
When we’re at the office and it’s time for lunch, shopping for gifts at the NYC CityStore is the best. It’s the official store of NYC (and yes, that is a thing). It’s on Centre St. at the base of a giant municipal building, and they have the cutest NYC swag that isn’t souvenir-y junk! Offend your bestie with a t-shirt for their infant that suggests they did not pass a health inspection. Everyone loves it.
Around quitting time, you can’t go wrong with a few rounds at Library Bar. It’s been there on Avenue A for so many years and remains unchanged in the best way. May she live forever.
After that, on this Friday in particular, we’re heading to Alphaville to see our friends QWAM and Wifeknife. GOOD DELI and Dolls are also playing and the show is a benefit to save Our Wicked Lady which, as you may have heard, is in danger of closing. We gotta save this institution! And we can do it by seeing awesome bands, how great!
We’ll close out the evening with a nightcap and a round of pool with the gals at Nightshade. What’s not to love about a $5 ‘gansett?
SATURDAY
Saturday we’re sleeping in, because surely we had too much fun Friday night and we’re exhausted from headbanging. Kick the day off with a green juice from Grass Roots Juicery right by the Graham L stop — such a cute local business and it’ll start your day with Health. Take your juice for a lil stroll (like 7 minutes) around the neighborhood and hit Suzume for lunch to warm up (it is cold as shit outside).
Saturday night you simply must come to our big show at Baby’s All Right. We’re playing Oh My Rockness’s 2024 NYC Hardest-Working Bands showcase with some of the best in the local biz. It’s an honor to be recognized by the folks at OMR and we’re thrilled to kick the year off with this show. Every band on this is truly great but can we just say — we played with Balaclava last month and they will make sure you came to party. They’ll demand it!
SUNDAY
Sunday we’re back at it, no days off, grindset mindset baby, and we’re working on new songs. We grab extra practice time at The Shop BK whenever we need it. These music rehearsal spaces are hourly and honestly really nice — great gear and plenty of space.
After we finish our magnum opus, it’s time to adopt some fucking cats. Every Sunday there is an adoption event at Bushwick Bark from 1-4pm. It’s 2025 and we’re adopting cats, people. Or worst case, we’re meeting some sweet lil fluffy angels and going home to dream about them.
Wrap up the weekend with a movie at Nitehawk Cinema (Nosferatu, maybe?) and have yourself a sandwich and a beer to go along with it. In bed that night, pat yourself on the back — you persevered and completed the Desert Sharks itinerary and it was the best weekend of your life. 2025 can only go up from here, folks.
Itinerary above written + submitted by Desert Sharks. Follow the band at @desertsharks, buy merch at desertsharksmusic.com and add their songs to your Spotify playlists now!
Feature image (provided by the band): Jeanette D. Moses
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS
The final installment of our interview with Keith Hamilton and Zach Glass—co-owners of Brooklyn bands’ home base Our Wicked Lady—is out now on Instagram! Throughout this series, they talk about the challenges OWL has been facing since COVID, the dangers facing all small businesses in NYC and how—to save our city from being taken over by Starbuckses and Sweetgreens, Hard Rock Cafes and Houses of Blues—you can go out and support the independent spots you love most.
Please consider donating to the Our Wicked Lady 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 AND/OR by going to the OWL BENEFIT SHOW at ALPHAVILLE TONIGHT. All proceeds to go OWL. Meet ya there <3
RELEASE RADAR
New(ish) stuff from (mostly) local (/once-local) artists we love… listed in no particular order whatsoever — & now embedded 4 extra watching/listening ease.
“K*LL BOB” // Leo Lovechild
“Cement” // mango dreamgirl
“Chica” // 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