6.17 A wknd w/ Spite FuXXX
The band on egg creams, pool parties and their FREE Sunday-night Soul Scream set at Our Wicked Lady
The Monday after the Super Bowl is said to be the least productive work day of the year, when billions of dollars are lost in productivity as millions of employees across the country call in or phone it in while nursing hurt feelings and hangovers following the~ big game.~
That said, while we appreciate some friendly competition, we’re neither national nor that bro-y, baby, and if there were a Brooklyn-music-scene-exclusive version of this survey/study, the least productive day of the year definitely wouldn’t take place on some frigid date in February butttt pretty much every single Monday of the summer—
All thanks to Soul Scream. Which is basically this community’s weekly equivalent of Super Bowl Sunday, but with significantly less seven-layer dip. And, more importantly, absolutely no athleticism required.
For the uninitiated, Soul Scream is the FREE show + dance party hosted by “NY Night Train conductor & soul proprietor” and patron saint of the dance floor Jonathan Toubin on the Our Wicked Lady rooftop, and it goes down every single Sunday of the season. Featuring live music followed by all-night boogying, it’s a sexy/sweaty super scene, where Brooklyn’s hawtest and hippest come to make out, shake it out and wring as much craziness as they can out of the last moments of the weekend—all while enjoying sets from BK’s best bands and DJs.
Annnnnd SPEAKING OF BROOKLYN BANDS, let’s talk Spite FuXXX, who—along with Shilpa Ray—will be gracing the stage of the OWL rooftop at Soul Scream THIS SUNDAY!
The first time we caught the garbage-glam sensation that is Spite FuXXX was at another Jonathan Toubin event—a 2021 Halloween cover-set spectacular taking place at both Trans-Pecos and TV Eye, where the group transformed into Hole for the evening, with frontwoman MG Stillwaggon (also one of our fave OWL bartenders) playing the role of Courtney Love with true ~aplomb~. This weekend, however, they will not be embodying a band of music past but “trash noise punk” present and showing up as their very excellent selves to play songs from their debut record Find Out, which hit those sweet, sweet virtual shelves just a few short weeks ago.
Along with preparing THE SETLIST, the band filled us in a bit on their new album—and what they’ve got coming next.
“It was a great feeling to finally put this out, as we recorded it literal weeks before the pandemic and have been antsy to get it out there for the last two years (because of that, we've got a second album already in the pipelines for, hopefully, early 2023!) We're planning a few eastern tour dates in early/mid August and hopefully making it out to the west coast next year. Locally, in addition to Sunday's show, we'll be playing a free/all ages show at Rippers on the Rockaway boardwalk next Sat June 25 (with QWAM, Desert Sharks, and Frida Kill), and an all-ages, all day punk benefit fest on Sunday Sept 11 (proceeds to Palestinian liberation efforts), with a stacked bill to be announced later this summer. We may have one or two other local gigs in the mix too, follow us on IG and Bandcamp for updates!”
One more thing to follow: the band’s weekend instructions. The group laid out a very fun n thoughtful itinerary below for your dancing/dating/DIY pleasure, and it—much like their performance—pretty much guarantees a damn good time.
Read on/drink up/take a walk/prepare to rock. It’s going to be a glorioussss weekend. And hey, when Monday comes around…
Eh, nvm. We’ll worry about it then.
[BUT FIRST: PRESS PLAY]
FRIDAY
-Start off with happy hour at All Night Skate, a super cute bar near the far southeast corner of Bushwick/just into Ocean Hill (54 Rockaway Ave, off the Chauncey J). Late 80s/early 90s roller rink vibes, fantastic cocktails, and candy make venture by Bushwick bar darlings Olivia Hu, Danny Waits, and Mitch McCann a fun start to your evening. (Side note, the little mezzanine up the spiral staircase in the corner makes this an excellent tinder date spot!)
- DIY is the best move this Friday - check out Sub Rosa, Radar, Saffron (from DC), and Substitute at an undisclosed location, doors at 7pm (dm @emcee_hesher on IG for addy and bring cash for the door!)
- End your night at Birdys (1215 Myrtle Ave) where Maria Lina, who never fails to keep the party vibes going with everything from legends to local faves, will be DJing till late!
SATURDAY
- It's gonna be a hot one, so what better than a pool party show at an undisclosed location (address to be sent to ticket holders day-of) - Perdixion, Posterboy 2000, OC Rippers, and Ultor all put on wildly energetic live shows and this spot is a great summer hang with a pool, outdoor stage, and bar. Show kicks off at 2pm, tickets here.
- For the night, if you're feeling Brooklyn and high energy, Pink Mass is playing their first show in 4 years with a stacked bill - Blame God, Salvaje, The Crippler (from PA) and Vindicta, at Gold Sounds (44 Wilson Ave, 8pm)
- If something lower-key in Manhattan is more your speed, local fave War Violet will be performing her powerful solo act in support of Robert Leslie's single release at Heaven Can Wait (169 Ave A), along with Too Many Lauras, Juno Roome, and Caroline Elise, 7:30pm
SUNDAY
- It's going to be a gorgeous day, so get outside! Take a walk in Green-Wood Cemetery, have a picnic in Prospect Park, get an egg cream from Ray's and some green market goodies at Tompkins, or just sun on a rooftop.
- Grab some pre-Soul Scream dinner and drinks after 5pm at Masquerade in South Williamsburg (351 Broadway). You probably know owners Obash and Pouya better from their killer sound and stage presence in Bipolar (or Yaasss, or The Spits, etc etc) but their mouth-watering Iranian fare, delicious cocktails, gorgeous bar and backyard, and always-warm hospitality make this a great experience all around (they also have backgammon!)
-Then at 8pm, watch the sunset from the rooftop of Our Wicked Lady as Spite FuXXX kicks off this week's Sunday Soul Scream - the best party in NYC - before Shilpa Ray blows your mind and readies your body and soul for the all night dance party that follows, courtesy of Jonathan Toubin and this week's guest DJ, the fabulous Maria Lina! There's food downstairs by Jazzy Renae's Comfort Kitchen until 11/12 as well, so make sure you try the chicken sandwich. 153 Morgan Ave, tickets at the door.
Itinerary above written + provided by Spite FuXXX. Follow the band at @spite_fu.x.x.x, buy their music on Bandcamp and add the songs to your Spotify playlists!
Feature image (provided by the band): Jessica Gurewitz
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS
In honor of Juneteenth, Bandcamp is holding their third annual Juneteenth fundraiser TODAY and donating 100% of their share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund “to support their ongoing efforts to promote racial justice through litigation, advocacy, and public education.” Need new tunes? (Rhetorical question!) Now’s the time to stock up.
!Bloggers supporting bloggers alert! Following the release of her album Dreamtina, NYC artist Charlotte Rose Benjamin just launched her blog Blogtina, and the first post begins with the musician describing, uh… how embarrassing it is to start a blog. (WE CAN RELATE.) Read the first post here.
RELEASE RADAR
New(ish) stuff from local (+ occasionally, once-local) artists we love, listed in no order whatsoever:
“Running Up That Hill” video // Kristin Flammio & The Pretty Bitchin’
Sweet Little Things // Monarch.
“Starts At The Bay” // Francie Moon
“Hot Air” video // Talk Bazaar
“Eat Cake” video // Debbie Dopamine
“You and McGregor'“ // Deep Sea Peach Tree
The Night Sky // Eighty Ninety
“Let Me Be Clear” // Peter Wise
get freaky on it // Activity Partners
IT’S HAPPENIN’
Here’s a look at the shows we’ve got coming up this month and beyond. Mark your calendars and come hang!
6.22 BdBK Presents: Consumables + Super Drugs + Dead Ringers + Wife Knife @ The Broadway (tix here)
6.24 BdBK Presents: New Myths + Real Burn + Monarch (EP Release) + Hollye Bynum and Friends @ The Broadway (tix here)
7.2 Safer + Rat Motel + Dancing w/ JIALING @ Purgatory
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.