8.11 A wknd w/ Dead Tooth
Zach Ellis on post-breakfast siestas, '90s youtube rabbit holes and some very sick shows this weekend
HIDE YOUR KIDS, HIDE YOUR WIVES, HIDE YOUR DENTAL HYGIENISTS—
This week’s SETLIST is courtesy of the legendaaaary Dead Tooth!
To be honest, it’s actually a shock we’ve been doing this newsletter for two years and haven’t gotten Zach Ellis to contribute until now. We’ve probably spilled more (digital) ink on Dead Tooth than any other Brooklyn band, “Liars” was once (maybe twice) our top-spun Spotify track and we generally try to live our lives by what is undoubtedly the most holy of mantras: WWDTT (What Would Dead Tooth Do).
But as they say, timing is everything, and there’s no better weekend than this one, when Zach is playing multiple shows across the city!
While Dead Tooth’s lyrics are pure punk poetry—really, they should be bound and sold in book form; we would buy!—somewhat ironically, it’s LIVE where this DEAD TOOTH truly shines. Head to a DT show and you’ll witness Zach shouting/snarling/spitting while shaking/shimmying/slithering/surfing around the stage, between his (equally insane) bandmates and over the crowd like a man possessed (by the ghost of his tooth, perhaps?!). All to say, it’s no surprise that Dead Tooth won Our Wicked Lady’s Winter Madness in 2022, played the SPIN mag stage at SXSW one month later and then spent this spring touring with Bass Drum of Death—
Who, here’s our segue, the band is reuniting with SATURDAY NIGHT at Our Wicked Lady!
As for the hours before/after/in-between that show—and the other two—Zach whipped up a weekend itinerary for us below. But first, as extra inspiration, please enjoy this video (originally premiered on BdBk back in 2021) featuring Dead Tooth and collaborator No Surrender, in which the pair of pals prowl an anonymous city with the restlessness and recklessness of overgrown teenagers, hitting the most important of hot spots—batting cage, liquor store, cemetery—breaking rules (and guitars), and getting into a littlllle bit of trouble… all while clearly having a hell of a lot of fun.
If that doesn’t get you pumped for the weekend ahead, well… we don’t know what will.
ALRIGHT! It’s gonna be a glorious couple days n nights, y’all. Read on, rock on and if you opt to Rockaway… aaaaaay plz be careful out there 🦈🦈🦈
[BUT FIRST: PRESS PLAY]
FRIDAY
I'm a lover of a classic diner and luckily I live relatively close to Tasty's in Queens. They have those plump, delicious breakfast sausages you get at a lot of country diners in upstate NY or PA. A classic two egg breaky with some coffee is my go to. Friday's the move at Tasty's cuz there's always a line on Saturday and Sunday. After that I'll stroll over to Topos Bookstore and top off that mediocre diner coffee (no offense Tasty's) with a fat Cold Brew. I'll peruse some books feigning an heir of intellect as I slurp that down in about 45 seconds. Then I'll head home to take my after breakfast siesta. 15 mins with an eye mask and some deep brown noise and I'm good. If it's nice I might try and cruise down to Jacob Riis and tussle with some sharks. Not for too long cuz I gotta get ready for my solo set in a friend’s backyard. I'll hang there for a while and then depending on how I'm feeling either head home or over to Jones Bar for a nightcap before landing my head safely on my new sertapedic pillow.
SATURDAY
If I'm a good boy Saturday will hopefully start off with a pretty negligible hangover. I'll make some eggs and grits and linger around my apartment for a while doing pre show bull shit. I try to keep things mellow to save all that dopamine for later. I'll likely fall down a youtube rabbit hole of 90's live show videos (the Smashing Pumpkins 1993 Tower Records acoustic in-store Siamese Dream album release performance has been on repeat as of late). If it's nice out and I have time I'll hit Highland Park for some quality time with mommy nature. When the time is right I'll hop in the van and start making rounds scooping up the other members of Dead Tooth en route to Our Wicked Lady for soundcheck. After we check, I'm gonna grab some Arepas by Arepaz Colombianas which will be served downstairs at OWL till midnight. Then we'll let the good times roll with Bass Drum of Death and Comatosed. [EDITOR’S NOTE: Grab your ticket here.] After the show, who knows where the night will go? Usually Alphaville at some point or another.
SUNDAY
I recently discovered Governors Island after working an event there and I'm thinking about going with a friend on Sunday. It's pretty cool and you get to ride the ferry which is always fun. There's a taco spot with a great view of the city called Taco Vista. Then I'll hop back on that ferry boat and make my way up to Tompkins Sq Park for the 2nd day of Show Brain Fest. If you haven't been to one of these yet this summer you should come cuz they're very fun. This one in particular is a weekend long festival and day two features Pop Music Fever Dream, Tits Dick Ass and Shred Flintstone to name a few! Shit is free and all these bands rip! Tbh after that I'll probably call it a weekend unless Ginno miraculously convinces me to go to Bossa or one of y'all got any Sunday suggestions. Sunggestions if you will.
Itinerary above written + submitted by Dead Tooth. Follow the band at @dead_t00th, buy music on Bandcamp and add the songs to your Spotify playlists!
Feature image (provided by the band): John Burgundy
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Time flies, they grow up so fast, etc. etc. etc. TLDR: It is crazy, but it’s been almost one year since the publication of the BANDS DO BK BOOK—so you better believe we’re having a birthday party. Meet us at The Broadway on SEPTEMBER 6TH for Sharkswimmer, Climates (also celebrating their single release!), MamajoVramajoe and the full-band liiiive debut of Extra Special!
Grab your tickets here! (Eternal thanks to the incredible Justin Buschardt—of Sharkswimmer—for the world’s best flyer/birthday card <3)
And while we’re talking birthdays! HBD to BdBK pals Brooklyn Drum Collective who are celebrating five years! From the org::
“This month marks the Brooklyn Drum Collective's 5th YEAR ANNIVERSARY and they'll be celebrating at the Our Wicked Jam, Tuesday, August 15th at Our Wicked Lady (153 Morgan Ave, Brooklyn, NY)! Sponsored by Threes Brewing, with takoyaki by Yoko Nips and an after jam DJ set with DJ NiteOwl!
The Brooklyn Drum Collective was organized in 2018 by three local drummers Carlo Minchillo, Rick Martinez (Warp Trio and The Royal They) and Zac Pless (Crazy & the Brains and Tree River). Offering drum repair services, weekly jams, masterclasses, and more, the BDC is committed to supporting the local music community.
This is a free open jam 21+ event with a focus on musical improvisation. The OWJ house band will kick off the night. People interested in playing can sign-up using the sign-up sheet. *Bring your instruments! (drummers, just bring your sticks).
Doors at 7:30, 8-11pm. DJ set to follow from 11pm-12am. 21+.”
As we mentioned a few weeks ago, KARMA BRIGADE is coming back, baby! Our Icelandic pals are making their triumphant return to NYC to play four shows in four days, and links are now live!
Hope to see you at 1/2/3/All. Woo!
PLUS! One more reminder about our STRONG LITTLE SONGS living-room show this Tuesday. Details below.
RELEASE RADAR
New(ish) stuff from local (+ occasionally, once-local) artists we love, listed in no order whatsoever:
“Spake the Salt Pillar” // Lizzie No
“Again, Again” live video // WAAH
“Dyslexia” // The Upstart Crows
Delivision // Good Deli
“Another Day in the Experiment” // Onesie
“Miss The Summer” // Ilithios
“Proof of Life” video // Big Bliss
“Diffy Q” // Marvelle Oaks
IT’S HAPPENIN’
Here’s a look at the events we’ve got coming up. Mark your calendars and come hang!
8.15 STRONG LITTLE SONGS living-room show with Cameron Castan, Extra Special, Dustin Hamman, Arlo Indigo - DM 4 address
8.31 BdBK Presents: Two-Man Giant Squid Album Release w/ Namesake @ Baby’s All right (tix here)
ICYMI
Around the blog and from the archives
PREMIERE: ‘Delivision’ from Good Deli
PREMIERE: “Another Day in the Experiment” from Onesie
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
Thx 4 reading! Find more fun stuff at bandsdobk.com and @bandsdobk. <3
Order the Bands do BK BOOK (!) (out now via Lit Riot Press) here.