Sophie’s choice

That’s how I felt selecting these pictures — should I go with movement, action, and mayhem? Or should I go with cookie cutter pictures of a band, whose sound deserves more than concert portraiture. There’s the right way of doing things and then there’s our (The Whiskey Dregs) way of doing things. I guess maybe it wasn’t Sophie’s choice after all. When you’re getting smashed between the stage, girls fighting to kiss each other, and legs kicking the body of your camera, you realize real quick that photographing a show like this one isn’t going to be about about photography at all, it’s going to be about freezing the moment so everyone can experience some semblance of quite possibly one of the best shows this year.

Fuck cookie cutter concert portraiture.

Dim red lights cast the shadow of shoegaze-leaning Violens over the crowd that had gathered in the East Village cavern also known as Mercury Lounge. It’s literally a black box inside where sound is trapped into its surrounding black walls. It’s where labels like Warner Brothers go to showcase prospective talent. So despite its isolated appearance, the venue is more corporate than it appears but despite these leanings, bands like Violens play there without the need of any of the Big Four. Verging on new releases, the band came to Mercury Lounge, played their asses off, and set the guitars down for the night, leaving the rest of us in a vibrating state of musical satiation. Their music playing in our ears, so loudly that when the Nite Jewel played, some of us had to leave. As much as this venue caters to the larger, bigger name labels, there are many nights to hear and see a band of this caliber play.

As part of the ongoing River to River festivities in New York City, electro-pop group, YACHT played a free show on at the South Street Seaport with the panorama of old schooners and behemoth downtown skyscrapers lit by the setting sun over the horizon.

The organizers of River to River have ceaselessly pursued artists who are not only relevant but also quintessentially summertime New York (another example of event organization as art). The large gathering converged before the stage and expanded upon every square inch of the outdoor space. From the grace of the setting sun, the band strolled onto stage, donning tuxedos, and elegant wares — some of which Claire Evans tore off in favor of a black tight-fitting one-piece. Jonas Bechtolt’s stage presence was that of a sideshow barker, injecting humor into the band’s jaw-bangingly bassy set. People heaved about, undressing their inhibitions in exchange for dance and singalongs. YACHT finished their set and New York City felt like a better place to be in.

It’s not too late to be in New York, particularly Brooklyn, to enjoy the last throes of this sun beatup summer. Brooklyn Bowl, a bowling alley dually frequented by the hip and not-so-hip, provided an air-conditioned space for a gathering to convene. Live music — the keynote feature of this spectacularly hot season in New York — shook the industrial foundation and old brick walls of Brooklyn Bowl when it was handed over to Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers last Thursday night.

The band’s flawlessly tight set exhaled thunder and inhaled applause, drowning the sound of bowling balls colliding into pins. It was the largest crowd this reporter has seen at this venue and for good reason. Shilpa Ray’s audience was crammed together to watch her stage antics, chugging at the lip of her bottle of Jim Beam and howling into the microphone. The band ripped through a pastiche of hypnotic rhythms and throat-slashing compositions in this convention for furiously raw, emotive music.

Shilpa Ray tugged and pushed the bellows of her harmonium as an extension of the raw and vicious sexuality of her band’s music. Leaping from their residency at another classic New York venue, Pianos, the band has made the rounds through the local club circuit, adding to another reminiscent quality presented by Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hooker’s music and debauched lyrics. She and her band recall the ambiance of legendary provocateurs such as Jim Morrison and the rest of the beloved Doors or a 1970s Patti Smith — all welcome in this epoch rife with cookie cutter rock and roll.

Much of their set included songs from the Shilpa Ray’s latest album, released in 2009, entitled A Fish Hook, An Open Eye. Word on the street is that we can expect her next album to be released later this year or in early 2011. She is currently signed with Knitting Factory Records.

Located in a former factory in Long Island City, Queens, 5 Pointz has become the Mecca for graffiti artists since its inception in 2002. Here is the result of a recent Dregs’ field trip to 5 Pointz.

P.S. I realize one of the pictures are not from 5 Pointz but a neighbor. It’s the one with the EYEEYEYEYEYESSS.

It was like this:

All of us, fans, press, sound guys, PR folks, and record label types — holed up we were in the small back room of Pianos and we were all in on a secret. Even the people outside of the bar must have known because those older guys, the ones looking slick and detached from the scene, looked important.

Oh yes, the secret in the LES was that Deluka was playing, a BK transplant from Birmingham, England is going places — huge, big places like LA and Grammys and other European music awards. It was one of those rare moments when you can see a band’s ascension before the closing of their set – and others, too, must have had that feeling because the room was packed, which is not unusual for an opening band, however it is notable when it’s packed by people in the Lower East Side who don’t look like tweens or hipsters but disguised corporate folks.

Anyway, they were great, played a tight set, and gave the impression of a band being groomed for stardom. Deluka will be huge if the band continues on its trajectory. Mark my words.

P.S. Ellie Innocenti looked great.

Rewards opened for We Are Scientists last week at Bowery Ballroom. What began with calls from the audience, demanding identification (“Who are you?”) and yells for the headliners, ended with a cheerful approbation. Rewards was a pleasant surprise; an artist (Aaron Pfenning) who knows how to command a stage, provide ambiance and direct the crowd in his direction. Part Peter Murphy. Part Simple Minds and heavy on the base and discordant sounds.

New York-based We Are Scientists returned to their city with a brand of pop-punk that made all the kids spill their cans of Coke and cups of water all over the nice pine floorboard. The band was pure fun and chockfull of raucous energy. Their set list included many songs from their latest album, Barbara. The more exuberant of fans lifted a happy fan from the floor and passed him to the front of the stage where he promptly fell into the crowded flesh.

Anyway, if you missed it or wanted our visual perspective, here you go. Bowery Ballroom and all.

Lost Coves most recent set at Public Assembly.