New York City Antifolk has ridden the coattails of the Strokes and is in a
possible position to pass Detroit Garage as the best second tier music scene.
As the Strokes and the White Stripes battle it out in the revived classic rock radio
first tier arena, there are us who like to rock but still like to see the band. Here are the
match ups, scene to scene, Detroit vs. New York.
The Dirt Bombs vs. The Moldy Peaches
It not surprising that these two bands are actually both better than the Strokes and the White Stripes(better vocabularies), It not good for the Moldy Peaches that the Dirt Bombs are the best band on the planet, but unfortunately for the Dirtbombs the Moldy Peaches transcend the genra, their new single on Rough Trade runs circles around the Bombs, who are made to look pedestrian. Advantage: Moldy Peaches.
Jeff Lewis vs. The Detroit Cobras
The Detroit Cobras don't write any of their own songs and Jeff Lewis is coming off a batch of his best written in Austin. That being the Cobra's are tight, rock hard, and don't miss a choice. Lewis is closing the gap production wise and the Cobras don't write. Don't miss either of them: tie
Major Matt Mason USA vs. SlumberParty
Until the Moldy Peaches hit New York and turned antifolk upside down Mason was a beguiling master of irony and comic timing, recently recast as earnest urban folk troubadour holds up the inabilities of Slumber Party. Their production is good but the songs and arrangements are not. Advantage: Mason
Lach vs. Ko and the Komotions
Antifolk guru Lach is setting his sights on some solo acoustic gigs, the best setting to see this magical performer, Ko is also magical as proven by the track on the Detroit comp on sympathy.
Advantage: Lach
I'm not keeping score so I don't know what any of this adds up to except that all the bands discussed are fantastic and you will not be disappointed if you check them out.
on the road in London, with Joie DBG and the Jeff Lewis band.
Prewar onstage at Rough Trade night at Cherry Jam, their set was pretty rocky, it was their first night in London and they forgot to pack their pink ostrick feather hats, so they felt pretty left out.
Joie and Dina sharing some water, a mailing list, and some red eye as they battled jet lag at the Studio Club.
Prewar on the floor at the Studio Club. This was a hot show and whenever they A/C went on the wind chime would start chiming.
Prewar Yardsale playing Prewar Yardsale at ROTA at the Notting Hill arts club.
Joie and Jeff on stage for a late night impromptu jam at the 12 Bar.
....later that night at the Track and Field gig, notice both Dina and Mike are wearing running shoes. The doorman would not let anyone in unless they had athletic footwear.
Prewar opened for Joie in the art space Public Life, that used to be an underground public toilet, the ceiling was the sidewalk, and made of glass, and Joie kept looking up passerby's skirts as they went by overhead. Joie got a shock when a bunch of scots in kilts walked overhead!!!
After the show we all posed in our Joie DBG t-shirts, Dina forgot hers back at the hotel but she was allowed to be in the picture cause her shirt matched Joie's hair.
Joie onstage at the Up All Night open mic at the Spice of Life.
Jeff came to see Prewar at the Enterprise, which was nice cause if Jeff didn't tell them about Prewar, they probably wouldn't have got invited over to play in London. Jeff was telling Mike how difficult it was opening for Cornershop in big rooms, Mike kept thinking how difficult it is to act normal while being photographed when talking to Jeff about how difficult it is open for Cornershop in big rooms.
Later that night Joie onstage at the 12 Bar
Here is everyone after the Prewar show at the Enterprise, Mike was standing in front Jeff, so Jeff put his hand on Mike's shoulder and pushed him to the floor in front of him, Mike got up and yelled "Hey what's that for?" and Jeff just looked up innocently.
A poorly lit Seth goofing for the camera outside a theater in London.
A picture of the whole gang taken by Seth, we were all fighting about which beverage was better, 7-Up vs. Fosters, Jeff was stuck in the middle trying to bring the two sides together.
Jessica, music director for Skidmore College Radio, and Jeff; photo by Dina, there are about 15 people squished into a van heading towards South Kensington and beyond.
1A-King Missle 3 - Spotty outtings at recent gigs at North 6th and Brownies had money wary, recent Ramones tribute triumph restored faith, John S. Hall versatility is good on the current sloppy track that Antifolk is right now. Odds 3-1.
1-Diane Cluck - Money got wary when things got too quiet at her Artland show, she saved it for the streatch though and brought a lot of folks back to the window. Odds 4-1
2-The Babyskins - Unfailing pop melodies diplayed on back to back nights at Side Cafe and Artland will leed them holding the hands of a lot of wagers right up to the window. Odds 3-1
3-Lach - Looking strong after recent workouts and open mic's and coming off a strong English tour, Lach will dominate the field leading wire to wire cutting the mud with a focused guitar vocal attack. Odds even
4-Cockroach - A longshot too inconsistant to win but talented enough to challenge, and is running probably just because of the speculation surrounding what he will do next. Odds 8-1
5-PaleFace - If Paleface went with the a single guitar attack he could go neck and neck with Lach and they would go down to a photo, however Monkey Bone is gonna get bogged down in the slop. Odds 6-1
6-Jeff Lewis - Lewis won't get out of the gate the fastest and he may have a better distance at the Preakness, but he is very smart and is an excellent slop horse, he will pick a spot and wait to take it. Odds 2-1
Scratch-Major Matt Mason USA-Florida
Moldy Peaches-Europe
Andre Herman Dune-Europe
Posted Results for the Belmont Stakes of Antifolk
1-1A King Missle 3 - Riding the ghost of one of New York City's greatest songwriters Dee Dee Ramone in his hometown borough of Queens King Missle 3 easily distanced the field. Mystical Shit.
2-6 Jeff Lewis - The release of the Back when I was 4/Modern Age 7 inch on Rough Trade would normally have enough legs to take this race hands down. Down the stretch though Hall/Ramone was grittier than Lewis/Casablanca. If you can't find this 7 inch order it from the Rough Trade website.
3-3 Lach - After a solid performance Lach got caught in some mud on a very sloppy track and was bumped twice down the stretch by a now disqualified entry. True to form Lach stayed on the pace and finished in the money.
