6.21 A wknd w/ Ema Barnes
The super fan on beast mode, butterscotch martinis and, as is custom, oh so so so many shows
If in coming weeks, you go to a show and notice a bit of a dancing deficit… like we’re missing some movement… or the space seems slightly less joyful and less fun and less free… that will be due to the final departure of the crowd’s most enthusiastic cutter of rugs, ultimate music fan and our favorite New-Zealander-turned-New-Yorker Ema Barnes, who after seven years in our fair city is transitioning to the nomad life, starting with a stint in the perhaps-exact-opposite-of-NYC location that is Yellowstone National Park (though if there’ s a music scene there, trust us, she’ll find it).
Now for some data and analytics. Since moving to NYC in 2017, Ema has seen 771 shows worldwide featuring 1557 artists. On the local front, 56 of those shows were at her favorite venue, Baby’s All Right, while the artist she’s seen more than any other is O. Wake, whom she also worked behind the scenes with for two years. (Other top contenders for this category include the Cure — 16 times! — then Mary Shelley and SKORTS, whom she’ll be catching for the 12th and 15th time, respectively, this Saturday at Mercury Lounge.)
In other words: SHE’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC, BABY. Plus, obviously, very good at keeping track of people and places. Both of which just happen to be the exact attributes that make her a perfect guest-star for this week’s very special newsletter, for which we’re making a SETLIST exception and pulling a music fan into the spotlight and onto this digital stage to share her very excellent recs for this—her last weekend in New York City.
Read on for a local-focused playlist + weekend plan curated by the inimitable Ema Barnes— who, for the record, we will very much miss not just as a fellow fan but on the friend front as well. The scene (and the dance floor) will be a much less sweet, and far less fun, place without her <3
[BUT FIRST: PRESS PLAY]
FRIDAY
The afternoon finds you at the Bean, where the baristas are chill and the outlets plentiful, eavesdropping on the girl next to you as she sings under her breath. Though her voice is off-key, her taste is phenomenal. “What’s that playlist?” you ask her, and suddenly you’re subject to a rant about how a sprinkle of NYC magic makes for incredible bands. “After seven years, this is my last weekend in the city,” she tells you. “Want to see some shows and fall in love with New York one last time with me?”
That’s how you and I agree to pack the weekend full and spend all our money. I start us off with a quiz on what it takes to call oneself a “New Yorker” (no correct answers) and we conclude that you must have a religious opinion about the best pizza. Thankfully, I’ve got that covered, and we head to Luigi’s in Park Slope (South Slope, my friends have corrected me many a time, but their Instagram handle might mean I finally win this battle...) I’ve still got a glow from seeing RIP Dunes the night before just around the corner at Mama Tried, and now you’re cheesing equally from the mozzarella and grandma slices you just downed.
Next, we’re heading over to Berlin Under A. It’s a nuisance of a room, with crowd crust issues galore. You love it instantly. It’s a beautiful room, with seats you can bask in and a stage so low you feel like you’re one with the band. Tonight, the stacked lineup features indie for all tastes: rocky, folky, dancy, poppy (aka The Fictionals, who just put out a single; Monarch.; Nino Disco; and Blanket Approval).
Over on the Lower East Side, drunk college students count down the days until SantaCon, but you’re rewarded for braving this region with affordable food. Punjabi Deli has excellent samosas for $2.50, and their chai is so delicious and soul-warming that you’ll probably find yourself sneaking it into the cosy Baker Falls lounge at some point. (It’s summer, you say? Who cares?! No one in NYC!)
Beast mode option: Alphaville shows always run way too late (it’s not libel if it’s true!), so if we bike super-fast, we might catch Bruiser & Bicycle from Buffalo and riproaring Boyscoutmarie. Or also (and also??? don’t look at me like that! you don’t need sleep!), Been Stellar plays a late show at my favouritest favourite venue, the luminescent Baby’s All Right, which is perfect in every way, from their light wall to their size to how everyone always shares their tacos.
SATURDAY
On Saturday morning, you wake from a nightmare featuring the constantly whistling ice cream trucks. It’s my fault; I pointed out how when they stop, they say “hello” in the creepiest tone. Endearing, if you have less than a week left to hate on them, but not conducive for working, and freelancer life means weekends are but a myth, so let’s head out. It may be a tourist destination, but Dominique Ansel has SPACE, baby, SPACE. You can work there all day and no! one! cares! The tourists gossiping about Aunt Hilda's scandalous off-off Broadway show are so cute that you forget how annoyed you were when they held up traffic five minutes earlier by not noticing the pedestrian light signal had changed for a whole three seconds.
After, find yourself a bike or some walking stamina and languidly head up the West Side Highway, admiring the dulcet views of breathtaking New Jersey, and meet me at Edgar’s Café on the Upper West Side. My eyes have doubled in size at the pastry cases, but you might enjoy their excellent pasta for lunch. As I reminisce about all the first dates I had here when I first moved to the city with a grand total of zero friends (hot tip: Tinder makes for great job interview prep!), ask me how it is that I’m in love with so many people yet not in love with this city, this whimsical city where an Edgar Allen Poe themed café has the best apple cider. I bet I won’t have a good answer.
Next, we head to Art Bar on 8th. $5 wells during happy hour, $10 butterscotch martinis, equally affordable food, and so many comfy couches make this my favourite bar. Plus it’s right near Meyers of Keswick which sells real Cadbury Crème eggs around Easter time, and we can take a field trip to my favourite subway stop, the 14th Ave ACE/L stop. (Forget pizza, does a favourite subway stop makes you a true New Yorker?)
6pm on the dot, we find ourselves at Mercury Lounge. We cannot risk the subway eating us and making us even a minute late. Thank you in advance for reassuring me that neither Skorts nor Mary Shelley think that I am stalking them even though I have been to four and three of their gigs, respectively, in the past month. But addiction to incredible music is oh so sweet and Mary Shelley’s new album is even sweeter. How can we not love this city?! I’m also psyched to see Pons for the first time as smart people hype them up. And if we dance hard enough we might conjure up Sam Sumpter, who will match and amplify our energy every single time you find her on the dance floor. Have you bought her some rosé yet?
[Editor’s note: I will never say no to a glass of rosé.]
Beast mode option: show’s over 9pm. Splurge on an e-bike, dodge the salmon, and book it to MSG: Odesza starts their set in half an hour.
On your way home, consider a pit stop at Petee’s Pie, a place I apparently did not discover through the BandsdoBK book despite my total confidence that I did. Eat a slice of chocolate chess pie while traversing the Williamsburg Bridge and envision the countless stories taking place throughout the myriad of buildings. If that’s not beauty, what is?
SUNDAY
This itinerary so far has been totally real but let’s pretend for a moment it’s just oneeee weeeek later and the NYC outdoor pools are open already so we can start our Sunday with a meditative lap swim that might finally bring us back to reality; we transcended last night after all those glittery rhythms.
With all that exercise you might hope I’d suggest some breakfast food, but you’re getting more sugar. My favourite café is Charlotte Patisserie, conveniently close to my dentist (who does not get a shout out, as my friend is currently suing him for overcharging and negligence. NYC! We’re in love, right?!) The staff here are very kind and the hidden table at the back is never occupied. Promise me you’ll return for some duet cake because right now you need a passion fruit orange cake to push you through some productivity. Drink tickets don’t pay for shows!
Later, let’s teleport to Flushing Meadows Corona Park to see the Home for Retired Playground Animals. It is small, but it is emotional. These animals have seen all faucets of this city and raised our small music lovers. They are true New Yorkers.
You gently inform me that you’re beginning to crystalize as you’ve only eaten sugar all weekend. Fine, fine! Let’s head to H-Mart on 3rd: The fried chicken there is the reason I’m not yet vegetarian—though they also have great kimchi and veggie pancakes.
The best thing about NYC, aside from live music? The subway. I’ll slip on my sunglasses as I skip down to the platform, and no one will mind one bit as I cry my way to JFK. You, on the other hand, you get to go back to the LES! Three time in one weekend? Worth it: vvhen is playing their second show ever and it’s going to be phenomenal and I am very envious.
Beast mode option: If you never want the weekend to end, head to TV Eye on Monday. Lukka/Diary/Endearments/Fair Visions is a dream lineup! (This is true and also a pun as the overarching genre is dreampop. Hahaha. You miss me already!)
Itinerary above written + submitted by Ema. Follow her at (the very apt instagram handle) @emagoestotoomanyshows.
Feature image provided by Ema.
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS
‘TIS THE SEASON FOR INDIE SLEAZIN! So meet us in the bathroom — by which we mean Mercury Lounge — to move your body and spill your drinks to tunes spun by the DJ dream team who does it best, Last Night NYC! This Saturday, the duo is throwing their final FREE indie dance party, featuring hits from The Strokes, The Killers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and all the other bands who defined that gloriously epic musical era —and, as a bonus, it’s also serving as the OFFICIAL AFTER PARTY for the Bloodhounds album-release show earlier that night, with special guest DJs Mary Shelley! Entry is free until 10 pm — RSVP HERE.
Three days before their tour was set to start, Proper. and PEOPLEVIOLENCE were robbed and lost thousands of dollars worth of gear. There’s a gofundme set up to help them replace what was lost, and you can donate to help these artists in need here.
HAPPY PRIDE BABEZ! In the spirit of the season, we’ve kicked off a fundraiser for the Audre Lorde Project — “a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color community organizing center, focusing on the New York City area” — and we’ll be matching the first $150 in donations at the end of the month. Give a little and double your impact right over here.
RELEASE RADAR
New(ish) stuff from local (+ occasionally, once-local) artists we love, listed in no particular order whatsoever:
“Cracked Mirrors” // The Big Easy
“First Time” / “Be Here” // Oceanator
“Tell Me How” // Noah Lexi
“CAN’T STAND IT” video // Pons
“Good Intentions” // Phantom Handshakes
“Criminal” // wakelee
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