8.25 A wknd w/ Gooseberry
The band on pizza and pastries, hangovers with horn players and their show TONIGHT at Bowery Ballroom
Tom, Mark, Travis.
Nick, Kevin, Joe.
Beyonce, Kelly… uh, Michelle?
Alvin! Simon! The-o-dore!
“Name a better trio—I’ll wait” never quite caught on, but if it had, we’d counter the iconic acts above with a Brooklyn band that’s been busy making (sonic) waves in NYC since fall of 2019—
Asa Daniels, Evin Rossington, Will Hammond.
AKA the Brooklyn-born and -based group known as Gooseberry.
Whether you’re of the opinion that three’s a crowd or that three’s company (too), this particular formation is working for the group, who claim that the structure allows them both the freedom to combine and showcase their individual strengths and the ability (and agility) to flex and bend as a band.
“Life as a trio allows us to really lean into dynamics,” says Asa (guitar and vocals). “We can hit you with a squall of distortion and guttural shouts, then shift on a dime and sing you a lullaby.”
The band’s sweet, sweet brand of indie rock was first showcased on their debut EP Broken Dance (2022).
And now, after releasing a string of singles, Gooseberry is back with a new set of songs “born in Greenpoint and honed to perfection on the road”—
Validate Me is out everywhere TODAY!
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
As the band explains,Validate Me “grapples with the relationship between love and making art, magnifying the sacrifices and leaps of faith both require.”
“Anger as a device can lead to both polished and rough expressions of passion,” says Asa. “Much of that anger manifests from fear, which drives us down many wayward paths, whether it be fear of rejection, fear of too much understanding, or fear of losing control.”
The band is currently halfway through THE VALIDATION TOUR, and tonight marks the return of the hometown heroes to celebrate the EP (then sleep in their own beds) at Bowery Ballroom with pals Pan Arcadia and Cab Ellis, before getting back on the road. (Grab your tix here.)
As for the rest of the weekend… well, looks like they’ve got Philly and DC on the docket. But for those of you not planning on talking (or sneaking) your way into the Gooseberry tour van, the band has prepped a perfect (+ quite pastry-centric) wknd for you, right here in NYC.
Read on, rest up and plz prepare 2 party. We’ll see ya tonight~
[BUT FIRST: PRESS PLAY]
FRIDAY
You wake up. That's always a good start. You blink off the New York City sun—it's a different one that shines down here than everywhere else in the world—and get in your morning stretches. You don't mess around. The optimal weekend can only start with a limber, ready body. And let's face it: at 27, you know without these stretches, you're in for a bad time this weekend. You head downtown to Grandaisy Bakery to grab a potato onion slice and the best damn hot chocolate you've ever had. Yes, you know it's the height of summer. And yet you still opt for that chocolatey goodness because you play by your own rules, general conventions be damned!
For a while, you stroll along the west side, winding in and out of the neverending piers. You look out across the water and think how could life be so beautiful? Then you remember you're looking at Jersey City and you keep it moving. Suddenly, you find yourself at Washington Square Park. You told yourself you wanted to read among the cacophony of life that is downtown Manhattan. After getting swindled once again by a local chess champion, you decide it's time for a pickmeup. To FLÉ FLÉ Grill you go, for happiness is a schwarma bowl, after all.
Night has fallen. You've been waiting for this moment for months. It's been circled on your Pooping Pooches calendar since April. Gooseberry. Pan Arcadia . Cab Ellis. Bowery Ballroom. You hop on the F and make your way to the Lower East Side. You dance like nobody is watching. The night pulses with the heartbeat of NYC indie rock, alive and well.
SATURDAY
Christ, does your head hurt. What time is it? Nevermind, don't answer that. Don't say anything. Just bring a BECA from Murray's over, stat. Which horn player from which band stayed the night?
You realize you've missed the bus to head to Philadelphia to catch Gooseberry's next stop on The Validation Tour. Another day in NYC lies ahead. Once more, the sun shines, so why not hop on a Citi bike, ride over the Williamsburg Bridge and lounge around McCarren Park? Time to read that book. You promptly nap for the next several hours.
You wake up. That's always a good start. You're just in time to catch the local league softball games. After practicing your rave hula-hooping with the troop nearby, you head to Anthony's to grab a Godfather panini. You feel the food coma coming on. You can't nap twice in one day, can you? No, you need to stay awake! Quick! Find something that provides energy! A stimulant! Something chemically proven to give you a burst of much-needed vivacity! The bartender at Rocka Rolla serves you a Coffee Thing. Praise be.
You realize it's nearly 8pm. You sprint to the L and head back into Manhattan for night two at Bowery Ballroom. This time, Telescreens and Sid Simons are taking the stage. Another night of tremendous NYC rock. Can life be any sweeter?
SUNDAY
After the first night, it's a hangover. After the second night, it's a routine. You realize you're not as tired as you thought you would be, the excitement of the last two nights still coursing through your veins. You grab the greasiest egg-based sandwich from the closest bodega you can find—the one storefront that hasn't yet been converted to a smoke shop, though still of course doubles as a smoke shop. For today, that's Adam's Marketplace. You grab your classic egg wrap and head for the E. Why not spend a lazy Sunday on Coney Island?
After roughly thirty minutes of wrestling the crossword on your phone, you look up and realize you're in Queens. Whelp. You're not one to stand on ceremony. You'll make the best of what's around. You get out at Forest Hills. You pop into Martha's Country Bakery and before you know it, you have downed a slice of Berry Napoleon and an eclair. This is not your healthiest weekend. But life is short, you think. You get some baklava for the road.
You walk towards Forest Hills Gardens. You want to lose yourself amongst the mansions and greenery, all the while reminding yourself that 1) this is still somehow New York City, and 2) the generations that came before you that undoubtedly own these magnificent homes have made decisions about the economy and state such that your generation will never own one of these homes (or *a* home, for that matter...). But damn, if these houses aren't beautiful.
Monday lurks around the corner. But that's okay, you think to yourself, Gooseberry is back in town at Racket on Friday, September 22nd. The madness can begin again then. Time to watch back-cracking videos for three hours before finally falling asleep at 2am. Sleep easy, friend. Tomorrow is another day in the greatest city in the world. And you will wake up in it. That's always a good start.
Itinerary above written + submitted by Gooseberry. Follow the band at @gooseberryband, buy music on Bandcamp and add the songs to your Spotify playlists!
Feature image provided by the band.
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS
NEW CLASSIFIED ADS ARE UP! And a whole lotta artists are looking for drummers, guitarists, bassists, people to freestyle with and new bands to join. Check out these (+ all of this year’s listings) here.
RELEASE RADAR
New(ish) stuff from local (+ occasionally, once-local) artists we love, listed in no order whatsoever:
“SLAP ME IN THE FACE” // Pronoun
“Cut Me Open” // Um Jennifer?
“Married” // Tetchy
“Midnight Mystery” // Drager
“Queen Conch” // PONS
Richie’s // Imaginary Tricks
“Feeding the Nite” // Johnny Dynamite
IT’S HAPPENIN’
Here’s a look at the events we’ve got coming up. Mark your calendars and come hang!
8.31 BdBK Presents: Two-Man Giant Squid Album Release w/ GROCER @ Baby’s All right (tix here)
9.6 BdBK — THE BOOK! — Birthday Bash w/ Sharkswimmer, Climates (single release!), MamajoVramajoe, Extra Special @ The Broadway (tix here)
9.7-9.10 KARMA BRIGADE WEEKEND PT. 2!
Check out the video from the band’s first trip to NYC back in March above, and come out to catch our fave Icelanders at the following shows:
9.7 w/ O.Wake, Go Home, Shining Hours @ Bar Freda (tix here)
9.8 w/ Mary Shelley, Moonunitt, Telescope Club @ RUBULAD (tix here)
9.9 @ New Colossus Fest’s SUMMER SATURDAY @ 18th Ward Brewing (FREE!)
9/10 w/ partygirl, Skorts, Demonstrator @ Arlene’s Grocery (tix here)
ICYMI
Around the blog and from the archives
SPOTLIGHT: ‘Memento Mori’ from Sam Zalta
SPOTLIGHT: ‘Intro to Basement’ from Two-Man Giant Squid
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