9/23 A wknd w/ Tea Eater
Tarra Thiessen on the best dive wine bar, cafes with used-car luck and the band's Saturday-night Brooklyn basement show (PLUS: Christmas in September!)
What do Jack Nicholson, butter, podcasts and evil twins have in common?!
We’ll wait…
Still waiting…
COME AHHHHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN IT’S SO OBBVVVVIOUSSSSSS.
ALRIGHT! FINE! The answer is: They’re all topics tackled in Tea Eater songs! All but one of which aren’t released yet, so yeah, actually, we suppose we’ll let you slide.
For those uninitiated, Tea Eater is the weird and wonderful musical vision and vehicle of the one and only Tarra Thiessen and the beautiful band that is Vram Kherlopian, Lindsey Lawless and Hannah Teeter (whose last name, as a bonus, sounds like the band name said reallyreallyfast).
We enjoyed our introduction to the act one summer Saturday at Rippers, during which the sequined robed (if we remember correctly) frontwoman demonstrated a stage presence, ~pizazz~ and sheer sense of fun—all of which would surprise absolutely no one who has seen her wielding a rubber chicken for percussive purposes while on stage as 1/5 of Gustaf—as she weaved through the half-naked crowd, climbing over picnic tables filled with friends, fans and impressively nonplussed burger-eating beach goers while shouting the lyrics to what, come its eventual release, might grow to be this country’s most universally agreed-upon anthem… one with the power to BRING TOGETHER ALL AMERICANS and UNITE THIS DIVIDED NATION…
“Fuck the DMV.” Obviously.
Alas, you won’t be able to spin this particular track quite yet (though we will be offering you a sneak preview soon via a stripped-down studio session we filmed last night). So until then, you’ll have to consume your Tea Eater in a single-serve portion via the band’s debut single “I’m Starting a Podcast,” which is available on Bandcamp in both digital and super-sweet vinyl postcard form.
Or: OPTION TWO! Catch Tea Eater LIIIIIIIIIVE in a Brooklyn basement (maybe) near you SATURDAY NIGHT, when Tarra and the band hit DIY venue The Tubs with Nihiloceros, Beeyotch and Seattle’s own Weep Wave. (DM 4 address; details available via this post featuring a flyer with what is an apparently-not-broccoli background.)
As for the rest of your waking hours, you literate folks know what to do: READ ON for a Tarra-crafted itinerary featuring a plethora of wonderful ways to weekend like a goddamn pro.
Fall is officially here babez (!), so put on a sweater, grab a pumpkin-flavored whatever and go out and have the gloriousssss three days you deserve—
We’ll catch ya at the tea party 🫖
[BUT FIRST: PRESS PLAY]
By which we mean: listen on Bandcamp. (As far as we know, the Substack gods haven’t made that platform embeddable yet.)
FRIDAY
Morning (about 2pm): 3/4ths of Tea Eater are old-ish Willamsburg folk (Fuck Vice!), so we’re here to tell ya that even though our neighborhood is now 90% condos and babies, you can still get a damn good $9 iced macadamia nut milk latte at our favorite Turkish cafe - Lion’s Milk. They also have Turkish bagels (the Bosphorus is my fav), feta rolls, and NFT screens adorning their walls.
Afternoon and/or Late Night: Grab a slice at Vram’s favorite pizza place: Rosa’s Pizza (since 1975). Get the Lindsey Lawless special - mushrooms on the white slice or my favorite comfort food - the rigatoni slice. Their vegan slices are super satisfying as well!
Take the North Williamsburg ferry to somewhere random. Stand on the upper deck, raise your arms in the air, wind in your hair, yell “wooooooo!!!!” And don’t forget to look up at the bottom of the bridges as you pass under and make a wish! It’s the only time you’ll get that view.
Evening: Oysters at Pinkerton Wine Bar. The best dive wine bar in NYC. I famously kept this place open until 9am once. Lydia Gammill of Gustaf has made multiple speeches while standing on chairs on multiple Halloweens in this bar. “WATER SHOTS! WATER SHOTS!”
Nighttime: Osees at Warsaw!! This is actually happening ALL WEEKEND. I have seen this band at least 25 times in my life and I will see them at least 25 more. Get the pierogis.
If looking for something more local please check out B3cca, Proper Nouns, Washer presented by Footlight Underground at Windjammer!
Late night: The Hana Foods sandwich guy on Metropolitan right next to the Lorimer L train is an ABSOLUTE LEGEND. He made me a sandwich on Christmas in 2012 and then again every time I came in wasted after 4am for the next decade.
My regular sandwich is the Desert Lady with jalapeños, but sometimes I feel crazy and get the Subway Diana Bar. Order or don’t order the “my girlfriend is a whore” based on principle. PLEASE TIP HIM IN CASH!!
SATURDAY
Morning: Oslo Coffee - for an iced oat milk latte. Last time I was at Oslo there was a minivan from Florida for sale for less than 5k parked outside. I texted this to my friend Mel (of Gustaf + Francie Moon) and GUESS WHAT - she bought it the next week. Good coffee and good used car luck!
Afternoon: Take a walk without your phone. It’s good for you.
Early evening: Retrieve your phone and download the Randonautica app. Set an intention and see where it takes you! You might end up jumping timelines or finding a dead body.
After your mind has been blown by a random phone app reading your mind, it’s time for a dirty gin martini at WE GOT COMPANY, our favorite car mechanic adjacent corner bar on Metropolitan and N6th.
Nighttime: If you failed to acquire the address for our house show with our Seattle favs Weep Wave, we highly recommend these shows as alternatives…
Nara’s Room, Future Misters, Antighost, Aisle Knot at Gold Sounds.
Medicine Singers (ft. Yonatan Gat, Lee Ranaldo, Laraaji) 10-Piece Band, Lee Ranaldo & Maalem Hassan BenJafaar Duo, and Laraaji & Mamady Kouyate Duo at Pioneer Works.
Late night: Wei Williamsburg, good-ass late-night Chinese recommended by Lindsey! OPEN TIL 2AM
SUNDAY
Morning: It is Christmas in September. Treat yourself to the fanciest coffee by the Williamsburg waterfront on South 3rd and Kent at Mekelburg's.
Vanessa Silberman introduced me to this place when I was tracking vocals with her for the debut Tea Eater LP (release date TBA). I was fueled mostly by their incredible ICED ROSE HALVA LATTE. It’s surprisingly chewy!
Then walk north through Domino Park by the waterfront. Once you reach the Trader Joe’s on Kent & Metropolitan, remember that this used to be Secret Project Robot/Monster Island where many bands including the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s had their first ever show. Then proceed to go in and buy that Cilantro Jalapeño hummus and a bottle of three buck chuck! We're all gonna die someday! You deserve it!
Afternoon: Walk on over to Oak & Iron in Greenpoint, where our drummer Hannah Teeter used to bartend, and see her friend Monte Antrim’s art show “The Seeing of It.”
Treat yourself to a movie at NiteHawk on Metropolitan! Lindsey and many other friends have worked at this amazing establishment that serves you food and drinks as you watch a movie in a cozy theatre with the most comfy couples seating! SEE THE NEW BOWIE MOVIE AND GET THE TOTS!
Nighttime:
Do not miss Tall Juan (solo) at Union Pooll! The true cumbia Lux Interior of our time. Eat the best queso in town at the taco truck in their backyard.
Wherever you may be tune in to MamajoeVramjoe’s monthly purple Xmas extravaganza stream on Twitch!! Starting at 10pm. We will be celebrating Xmas in September by trying to escape a purple PacMan machine and holding a raffle at 1am. Praise purple.
LATE NIGHT- Drink some quality diner coffee at my latest favorite 24 hour diner - The Sunset Diner on Meeker (suck it Kellogg’s!). GIMMIE A WAFFLE! WAFFLE!!
Itinerary above written and provided by Tarra Thiessen of Tea Eater. Follow the artist at @tea.eater and buy music on Bandcamp.
Feature image: Michelle LoBianco
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Stoked to report our pals in Noverb are doing a Leesta Vall session, which offers you the once-in-a-lifetime chance to get a one-of-a-kind copy of one (or two!) of their songs. Will you choose “SMOOTH MAN”?! “SPICY AIR”?! “FROZEN PRETZELS”? The world is (almost) your oyster. Pre-order here.
HUUUUUUUUUGE THANNNNNNNK YOUUUUUUUUU to the Our Wicked Lady team, the 13 (!!!) bands who comprised our dream bill, the world’s best 2 DJs and every single person who came out (and in some cases, left then came back) over the course of 15 hours (lol) at our BOOK-RELEASE BASH last Saturday. The sick tunes and kind words and warm presence of you all meant more than we can ever say. Feeling more loved and lucky and even more goddamn thrilled to be here than usual <3
And a massive declaration of appreciation to Lance Marwood at V13 Media for the lovely review of the Bands do BK book. We all know Canadians have the reputation of being super mean, which makes these kind words matter even more. Also on V13: an interview featuring the first (we think) coinage of the term “bandemic.” (Fair warning: It’s apparently a 15-minute read, which is pretty muchWar and Peace in internet length. SORRY FOR BEING VERBOSE.l Godspeed!)
RELEASE RADAR
New(ish) stuff from local (+ occasionally, once-local) artists we love, listed in no order whatsoever:
“ANGEL32:35” // Venus Twins
“Catapult” // Aisle Knot
“444 marcy ave.” // Scout Gillett
“Get Me High” video // Acid Dad
“Say It Now” // Hannah Jadagu
“IKYK” // Bill Waters
IT’S HAPPENIN’
Here’s a look at the events we’ve got coming up. Mark your calendars and come hang!
10.2 BANDS DO BK BRUNCH - an afternoon show ft. Marinara, Monarch., Screenager @ Arlene’s Grocery (tix here)
10.8 BdBK BOOK BASH 2 ft. High Waisted, Kissed By An Animal, NEVVA @ EWEL - DM for address (info here)
10.17 BdBK Presents: O. Wake + Consumables + TBA @ TV Eye (tix here)
+ ICYMI
Around the blog + on the radio + from the archives:
SPOTLIGHT: ‘Glad to Be Alive’ from Brook Pridemore
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.