7.8 A wknd w/ Kissed By An Animal
The band on trash eggs, free bobblehead day and their Saturday-night recordrelease show at East Williamsburg Econo Lodge
GOOOOOOOD MORRRRRRRRRRNING (-ISH)!
We’re psyched to share that it’s officially been *one year* since we launched THE SETLIST ft. A WKND W/ JOHNNY DYNAMITE, who graciously agreed to spend his time crafting a weekend itinerary for what was literally 0 subscribers. (And has since grown to a very kewl 203—only one of which is Sam’s mom!) (Hi mom!) Anyway, Johnny Dynamite is a great dude and a killer artist and you should def go pre-save his single. Also, in fun news, even though Brooklyn changes approximately every 5 seconds, Coney Island is a consistently magical spot, and we’re stoked to see that the Cyclone was featured on the very first SETLIST and once again, below, as part of the 52nd. Classic.
ALRIGHT! Before we go down a rabbit hole about the mysterious and terrifying nature of time itself (meet us at happy hour for more on that!), we’d like to introduce the band responsible for crafting this weekend’s itinerary: Kissed By An Animal!
Despite what the above image might indicate, KBAA is not in fact a group of animated artists a la a semi-psychedelic (+ way hotter) Brooklyn version of The Beets but in fact a band of four very real (very talented) 3D humans “dedicated to playing fast and loud.”
We originally fell in love with the band via their Stoned Eagle EP, which they recorded at home and released in October 2020, and now we’re stoked to share that their second full-length I Don’t Have to Explain Myself to You is out TODAY!
While the album is very much streamable—and you should get on that ASAP—come July 10th, we very much recommend copping a copy on sweet blue vinyl via Handstand Records (pre-order via Bandcamp here). In a true example of musicians possessing creativity that can’t be contained to one medium, the band’s Dima Drjuchin is also an incredible illustrator and animator who, along with casually creating the art for Father John Misty’s 2012 album Fear Fun, is also responsible for all of KBAA’s art—including that for this album and the music video for the band’s most recent single “Be.” In other words, you aren’t just buying a record but scoring a seriously frame-worthy work of art featuring birds, UFOs, some cool (and maybe satanic?) cow-headed human plus other trippy shit that tbh we haven’t done enough mushrooms and/or acid to totally understand.
ALRIGHT! Once you’ve listened to the record, don’t miss the opp to catch it liiiiiiiive. Get a little taste of the band’s live performance via this footage of their last show at Pet Rescue (RIP :’( ) now and head to East Williamsburg Econo Lodge for the album release show TOMORROW NIGHT.
KBAA drummer Jon Daily is the patron saint of this particular DIY spot, so while we’re not sure if home-field advantage actually exists in the music sphere, we do know you’ll be seeing the band fully ~in their element~ and that the event won’t feel like a stuffy show at a standard venue but more like a sweaty, laid-back house party with BK BFFs new and old. Complete with Bud Heavy. Really, what more do you need?
Read on for a KBAA-crafted weekend itinerary + lots of other newz and thangz.
It’s going to be a wonderful weekend, and boy o’ boy do we sure hope you enjoy it <3
[BUT FIRST: PRESS PLAY]
FRIDAY
The Brooklyn Cyclones are playing in Coney Island, and it's free bobble head day. The Cyclones are our favorite New York team to see because tickets are cheap, drinks are cheap, and no one is ever mad about anything. And if you go to a yankees game what are the chances you are going to hang out with Derek Jeter after the game? Stop by Freak Bar after the game and hang out with Bret Baty and Jose Peroza. Get there early and ride the Cyclone too for the full experience.
SATURDAY
We like to make trash eggs, so here's how you do that:
- Open a can of black beans and rinse them out in a colander (you want to rinse the preservatives off)
- Heat the beans on medium low in a medium sized pot
- dice a tomato and throw that in with the beans
- Put about 1/3 of a jar of salsa in as well. Whatever non-rancid salsa you have around is fine.
- if you've got some spinach or arugula, throw a handful of that in
- in a separate bowl, scramble three eggs, and cook them in a pan
- put the scrambled eggs into the pot and mix it all up
- serve it in a bowl with a little sour cream, and some hot sauce (and some avocado if you're really fancy)
- YOU'RE WELCOME!
Also, we heard there's a rock and roll show Saturday night at east williamsburg econo lodge. Doors are at 8pm and we highly recommend you getting there then because happy hour is 8-9, which means $1 drinks. And even more importantly than cheap booze, Yazan is opening the show and everyone will call you a fool if you miss his set at 9. Groupie is up next and they are going to make you think about life and stuff while they rock your faces off. Followed by A Very Special Episode who somehow make the most wonderful melodic noise that you ever heard. And then you can watch us play through our brand new LP (hopefully we'll even have copies for sale).
SUNDAY
Sunday is a day for rest. What we do with our Sunday's is nobody's business but our own. Come on Sam!
[Note from Sam: FAIR ENOUGH]
Itinerary above written + provided by Kissed By An Animal. Follow the band at @kissedbyananimal, buy their music on Bandcamp and add the songs to your Spotify playlists!
Feature image, provided by the band, by Dima Drjuchin.
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS
We’re psyched to share THE COVER ALBUM—a photo gallery + accompanying Spotify playlist featuring artists on the cover of the Bands do BK book (and often featured inside it). Check it out.
NEXT WEEKEND (July 15-17) is ROCKAWAY SUMMER FEST, a *FREE* music festival featuring your fave Brooklyn bands at multiple Rockaway Beach venues. View all the lineups here (Kissed By An Animal is playing Sunday, while Jon Daily’s other band The Black Black hits on Saturday) and meet us at the beach. There’s never been a more fitting opportunity to ~crowdsurf~.
Congrats to our friend Danny Ross, founder of the Anti Social Producers Club, whose 2022 Anti Social Camp—featuring a sick lineup of 150+ artists, writers and producers—was a huge success, with participants producing 100 songs in three days to showcase the incredible amount of talent in NYC. (Even the mayor went and checked it out.) Be sure to follow the organization—and maybe join?!—and stay tuned for more events.
The Big Easy is playing Knitting Factory on 8/3 with HYPEMOM, Sharkswimmer and Well Wisher, and the band is donating a portion of proceeds to The Brigid Alliance, which supports people across the country who must travel for abortion care. Grab tix here. (Another reminder that we’re promoting all shows, fundraisers, etc. for good causes. Send yours our way.)
Mary Shelley just announced a July residency at Berlin! Join the band 7/14, 7/21 and 7/28 with Grand Army Reapers, Bend, Katie Glasgow, My Son The Doctor, Stranger Waves and more bands, plus DJ sets and drag. Tix avail via the link in the band’s bio.
RELEASE RADAR
New(ish) stuff from local (+ occasionally, once-local) artists we love, listed in no order whatsoever:
“Cherry Cola” music video // Royal Blush
“Fuck Being Humble” // Savage the Poet
The State of Things // Modern Diet
“Celebration” // The Crooks
“Get Better” // Debbie Dopamine
“Singing To Let England Shake” // Forever Honey
“Somehow” video // Pamphlets
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)
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.
According to the six-degrees-of-separation theory, any two people on Earth are six or fewer acquaintances apart. However, when it comes to the Brooklyn music community, I’d wager it’s more like one and a half.
Those two guitarists live with that bassist, who dated that drummer, who just started a side project with a certain keyboardist, who is hooking up with one of those guitarists because they all went on tour with that one vocalist, who went to high school with this violinist, who’s doing that weird Bach-meets-Blink-182 thing with the stepsister of the original bassist’s half-brother. You get the idea.
Brooklyn is a beautifully tangled web of wonder and weirdos, a community packed with people who are constantly creating and collaborating…a shape-shifting scene where bands morph and multiply like musically gifted gremlins fed mostly beers after midnight.
+ ICYMI
Around the blog + on the radio + from the archives:
PREMIERE: “Bar Bathroom” from Couvo
BEST OF BROOKLYN w/ Debbie Dopamine
Thx 4 reading! Find more fun stuff at bandsdobk.com and @bandsdobk. <3
Pre-order the Bands do BK BOOK (!) (out 9/6 via Lit Riot Press) here.