7.15 A wknd w/ Damn Jackals

The band on rollerskating, vintage shopping and their Saturday-night vinyl-release show (+ birthday party!) at The Sultan Room

Jul 15, 2022

Ask any kindergartener what they want to be when they grow up and they would likely reply with one of the classics: fireman, doctor, YouTube un-boxer, professional eater. (Will the next Joey Chestnut plz stand up?!)

However, there is no doubt in our mind that at age 5—sometime, we imagine, between 1992 and 2002—when the Damn Jackals were mere darn pups, Beau Croxton, Sean Burke, Max Motchan, Sean McCann and Mike Goehler each scrawled ROCSTARR!!! (sic) onto construction paper with black glitter-infused crayons from the expansion pack of Crayolas that they insisted their respective mothers buy for them one afternoon at Walgreens.

One could say that there are two opposite approaches bands can take on the ~image~ front: too cool to care—a little un-groomed, typically un-color-coordinated, rocking out with their mismatched socks out; and too cool for school, in which artists unabashedly turn it up to 11 in every sense and embrace their genre as not just a musical style, but a lifestyle, going full throttle with not just their tunes, but equally with their visuals and ~vibe.~

A listen to their songs, scroll of their feed and watch of their videos leaves no doubt that Damn Jackals fall firmly in the latter category, and the band’s dedication to their craft and commitment to New-York-cool is more evident than ever on their insanely rad new EP Rivals—a brazen, hip-shakin’ embrace of rock-n-roll sound, style and shine that’s set to inspire a gaggle of Generation Alpha’s future rocstarrs to beg their parents for electric guitars and google “leather pants for kids” on their iPads in between episodes of Paw Patrol.

Oh, and it’s out TODAY! And available on some (unsurprisingly) super sick vinyl!

Be sure to cop a copy, and while you eagerly sit on your stoop waiting for it to arrive while sweating balls in your leather jacket (again - lifestyle! ), go ahead and spin it in the digital sense via your streaming service of choice. Then, come Saturday night, don your most silky, shimmery, studded and/or (and!) animal-print attire and head to The Sultan Room to celebrate at what’s not just an EP release show but Beau’s ~official~ birthday party as well. (Tix available here!)

As for the rest of the next 72 hours, this pack of Jackals has got you properly covered with three days of good ol’ fashioned New York fun! Please read on for what might just be your most rock ‘n’ roll wknd yet…

FYI, rockstars are very into dogs and zoos and roller rinks and hummus these days. You heard it here first!

[BUT FIRST: PRESS PLAY]

FRIDAY

1. The Cast

For the best threads in NYC go to The Cast. You’ll walk out with plenty of gear that’ll have you looking like a total badass mofo. There is a fantastic vintage store in the back called The Night Shift with the best deals and retro finds. It’s been a pleasure working there for over the past year and I have been a huge fan of their incredible T’s, Button-Ups and Custom leather jackets and more for many years. Also the block party concert every year on June 21st is insane!

- Beau (Vox/guitar)

2. Brooklyn Bridge Park

Beautiful NYC view and good times to be had in the park. Bring your bluetooth speaker or boombox.

And the Pier 2 Roller Rink - After dusk you can enjoy a nice roller rink session with your loved one or friends

- Sean/ ‘Mickey’ - Bass

3. Bowery Ballroom - Pan Arcadia

Our homies Pan Arcadia hit the stage at Bowery Ballroom on Friday July 15th so pull up. Doors at 6 show around 8pm. Awfully proud! I'll be there ! say hi.

- Beau (vox/guitar)

[Editor’s note: Plz enjoy Pan Arcadia’s Bowery Smoothie.]

SATURDAY

1. Dog Beach at Prospect Park

This place rips because it's a beach for dogs, in a park. Also not too far from Prospect Park Zoo for good times.

- Sean B. (guitar/keys/vox)

2. Queen

I will always recommend Queen for the best hummus outside of the Middle East - and great Mediterranean food.

- Max (guitar)

3. THE SULTAN ROOM - Damn Jackals ‘Rivals’ Vinyl EP release show (7:30 -10:30pm) with Abby Jeanne, Sylmar, Skye Matlock

This is going to be our biggest celebration yet! We will turn into an 8-piece band by the end of the night. We have Ash from Vanderwoolf on guest vocals, Carter Yasutake on trumpet who has played with the likes of David Byrne, St. Vincent and LCD Soundsystem (!!) and Noah Dreiblatt on saxophone who plays with artists such as Blitz the Ambassador. We are so lucky to party with such talented & dear friends. A rager not to be missed - It may or may not be my own birthday party as well….

- Beau (vox guitar)

SUNDAY

1. Fort Tilden beach

After a big night of partying - it’s best to go get a nice reset… and to sweat it out and jump in the ocean at Fort Tilden! I spend as much time as possible out there every summer. There is no crowded vibe here that you might find on Coney Island and Rockaway beach on busier days... only good vibes and people. You might even see the abandoned and graffiti-covered warehouse where we shot some of our “New Broke City” video.

-Beau (vox guitar)

2. Comfortland

Superior stoner cuisine ! Delicious only.

- Sean B. (Guitar/vocals/keys)

3. Sunday Soul Scream with Daddy Long Legs & The Wand-ers at Our Wicked Lady

We have had the pleasure of witnessing Daddy Long Legs preach the blues gospel on Orchard street in NYC during The Cast block party 2 years in a row now. They are an incredible stripped down 3-piece garage-blues band that lights up every room and does wonders with crowds. Go see this for the best time possible on Sunday evening !

- Beau (Vox/Guitar)

Itinerary above written + provided by Damn Jackals. Follow the band at @damnjackalsnyc, buy merch on their site and add the songs to your Spotify playlists!

Feature image provided by the band.

MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS

TOMORROW! Our friend, photographer Nico Malvaldi, is showcasing his incredible photos (as seen in MANI, “a tribute to the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle in New York City'‘) at an event presented by Ilegal Mezcal, taking place at 38 Greenpoint Avenue. It goes from 12-7 and Dead Tooth hits at 5:30. Don’t miss it! (Details here.)
Happy birthday to Footlight, which is also celebrating their one-year anniversary at Windjammer. Join us in giving them (and yourself) the gift that keeps on giving by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month and scoring sweet perks while supporting a very sweet community.
On July 28th, The Sultan Room is throwing an Abortion Access Fundraiser ft. L’Rain, Kahiem Rivera, Joy Morales, Lipsweat with proceeds from ticket sales being donated “toward various organizations aiding family planning, contraceptives and safe abortion services.” Tickets available here. (Keep us in the loop on your fundraisers! We will always share!)

RELEASE RADAR

New(ish) stuff from local (+ occasionally, once-local) artists we love, listed in no order whatsoever:

“Hotline Psychic” // Strange Neighbors

“Manhattan Youth” // Been Stellar

“The Last Ones” video // Johnny Dynamite and the Bloodsuckers

“Easy” // Peter Wise

“Watch You Dance” // Brandi and the Alexanders

IT’S HAPPENIN’

Here’s a look at the shows we’ve got coming up. Mark your calendars and come hang!

7.26 BdBK Presents: Pamphlets + Two-Man Giant Squid + Church Crush + Aisle Knot @ Our Wicked Lady (tix here)

8.15 BdBK x New Colossus Summer Sunday w/ Elizabeth Wyld, Moonglow, Atlas Engine, Stranger Waves, Two-Man Giant Squid @ 18th Ward Brewing (FREE! Deets here.)

A LOOK INSIDE THE BOOK

Leading up to the 9/6 release of Bands do BK — THE BOOK (avail for pre-order here), we’ll be dropping in *short* snippets from the 18-chapter ~manifesto~ that’s equal parts guidebook, oral history and music-fan memoir.

“The idea and themes for the party were born from an intense desire to be a part of something bigger than us. In the LCD Soundsystem song ‘New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down,’ James Murphy sings, ‘Take me off your mailing list for kids that think it still exists yes, for those who think it still exists.’ We are those ‘kids’ he’s referring to, and we wanted to prove him wrong because we knew that our community had the potential to unleash the amount of fire and electricity that the song claimed had faded from the city.
We sat down with our manager, Brian, who was around for the magic during the period this song is referring to, the late nineties and early 2000s NYC made famous by bands like the Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. We asked him, what about that time made going out so exhilarating? Brian leaned forward and said, ‘Sex.’ Everyone was fucking each other, so it was all about who’s gonna be out tonight, and who will I go home with tonight, and will my crush be at the show? You know, that giddy excitement that lures you out night after night no matter how tired or hungover you are…”

(Words by Moon Kissed)