NEW YORK IS DEAD, LONG LIVE NEW YORK: 8 Music Acts to Catch Live
By Alice Teeple
New York City’s artistic magic lies in its ephemeral transience. Its eternal life lesson is to exist in the moment. Beloved institutions, artists and luminaries fade into the night; but one touchstone remains constant: the sentence “New York is dead!”
It’s not. Yes, many beloved hangouts and venues have certainly succumbed to gentrification, the Covid era, and other sacrificial altars to urban transformation. CBGB, Mars Bar, Limelight, The Pyramid Club, Gem Spa - these iconic locations are gone and perpetually mourned.
“It’s not the ____ I remember!” the locals wail. Well, no.
“Music today isn’t like it was in the 70s/80s/90s!” That is also true.
The problem is, living in the past and immersing oneself in nostalgia completely ignores the wealth of talent that exists - and persists - today. We live in a completely different world now, one where the creation of music is much more accessible, but the circumstances of the music industry are not.
We have a plethora of new bands creating music on laptops and setups in their shared apartments, scattered all over the city. The biggest difference, it seems, is a lack of community. While Williamsburg, Bushwick and Ridgewood have had their moments as grouping places for artistic minds, musical artists remain unfairly compartmentalized. Be it the algorithm, promoters looking for a single theme, or plain old cliques, this pigeonholing to specific tastes does no one any favors, nor does this environment foster integration or community.
I partly blame the oversaturation of social media for this problem. It’s certainly not a lack of talent. It's usually a lack of opportunity - and funds - for the perpetually Sisyphean task of bands getting their music heard. PR packages are often cruelly out of the price range of underground artists subsisting on Easy Mac and ramen, and the onus is often put on indie musicians to fill small venues. Despite the neverending parade of 30 second IG stories or TikToks of a performance, there is a lack of real music journalism out there describing the feeling of seeing something live. Documentation is one thing - it says, “I was here, this happened,” but the memories and resulting mythology are what bring these artists to life and generate interest.
I have been covering (mostly) indie artists all over the world for Post-Punk.com for over three years now, and can say with confidence that there is quality music out there every bit as political, passionate, and innovative as what you remember. As a photographer, I’ve had the unique pleasure of taking a front seat to many, many shows in these clubs, across all genres.
The names and locations change, but New York’s music scene is still as vibrant and creative as it’s always been. While the old stalwarts have passed gently into the good night, there are plenty of incredible acts gracing the stages. You can regularly catch an amazing, affordable show with those DIY vibes at TV Eye in Ridgewood, St Vitus Bar in Greenpoint, Shrine World Music Venue in Harlem, C’Mon Everybody in Bed-Stuy, and Bowery Electric half a block from the former CBGB, to name a few. You have a glorious pick from the myriad of drag performances, underground punk shows, goth nights, theme showcases, and powerful performers…still blessed with the creative infusion and passion of their forebears.
So come on out! Here are eight NYC-based bands whose incredible live shows will burrow deep in your memory as legendary.
Christeene
Describing themself as a genderqueer "drag terrorist,” a Christeene show is not to be missed; nor is their hilarious display of macabre sexuality for the faint of heart. Part Iggy Pop, part Peaches, part swamp goblin, Christeene’s raucous, confrontational shows lampoon and skewer modern politics, gender roles, heteronormative society, and all the phobias. Christeene has haunted stages with Bronski Beat, Marc Almond, Suicide and Faith No More. You’ll be repulsed, highly entertained, and possibly transported into an alternate reality. Follow the saxophones.
The Silk War
Fronted by kohl-eyed, high-octane frontwoman Alexandra Blair, The Silk War has been generating massive buzz for Blair’s onstage antics, powerful voice, and brilliant onstage fashion displays. Blair’s cerebral lyrics and intellectual poetry are infused by highly catchy musical hooks and power ballads from songwriter James Mullen. Joining forces with designer Amber Doyle, Blair channels Bowie by appearing in bespoke costumes made of electrical tape, clear vinyl and various metal accouterments. The star of the show, however, is Alexandra Blair - and she will take your breath away.
Jack Martin’s Deathwatch
Long a well-respected guitarist in the NYC scene, Jack Edward Martin has collaborated with everyone from Kid “Congo” Powers to ‘half a cigarette in the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.’ Well dressed in a sharp suit and shades, Martin deftly tangoes between jazz, NYC punk, the blues and early country on a vintage Gretsch, commanding a room with the intensity of Nick Cave and regaling the audience with self-effacing good humour. A powerful recent appearance at TV Eye showcased a wisdom and presence only attainable from experience, and his gift to the crowd was a powerful, transcendent performance.
NYC producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kelsey Warren blends pop with intelligent lyrics and darkwave. Spanning the gamut of musical influences from early hip-hop to Kraftwerk to Prince to NIN to Depeche Mode, Warren boasts a uniquely complex, hypnotic sound. Blak Emoji regularly appears in clubs all over the East Village and LES, and has found success with multiple soundtrack appearances and critical acclaim. Although his sound is rooted in electronica, his velvety voice brings a warmth and humanity to his songwriting. Do not miss a performance.
Primitive Heart
Primitive Heart, aka producer and visual artist Dani Mari, is a synthpop outfit with deep soul: Mari’s haunting, ethereal voice and elegant minimalism transport listeners into the cozy embrace of nostalgia. A Primitive Heart show is an enchanting spectacle: Mari’s calm and cool stage presence often channels the spirit of Klaus Nomi with her appearances in opulent, retro-futuristic costumes (designed by Holden Bucy).
Fronted by mercurial songwriter Daniel Kasshu, Mevius delivers shoegazey electronic post-pop. Kasshu’s effervescent, often hushed vocals push through haunting melodies, each one dwelling in the haze of introspection and conversation. Joined onstage by Blaise Dahl and Lachlan Driver, this trio explodes with glorious distorted, echoing soundscapes.
New Music composer Concetta Abbate lives with synesthesia, crossing the disciplines of poetry, visual art, body movement and tactile art. Abbate has a long history as a violinist and music educator with a colorful history, from performing as a subway busker to becoming a voting member of the Grammys Recording Academy to working as a death doula. Her latest piece with the Concetta Abbate Chamber Ensemble, Laminaria: A Folk Horror Chamber Music Suite, has been making the rounds all over the city, culminating in a mesmerizing collaboration with a troupe of modern dancers. Abbate is a jewel in the crown of the New York New Music scene.
The Dye
Channeling 60s psychedelia and boasting intelligent poetic homages to Voltaire and Echo and the Bunnymen alike, The Dye has consistently given incredible stage performances all over the city. Vocalist Eudora’s powerful, commanding voice is reminiscent of Grace Slick, which anchors Bruno’s formidable guitar prowess in their passionate, strange, dreamscapes. This band is always a delight to catch live, particularly their bring-down-the-house song Full Moon, which usually results in the audience being treated to an ecstatic tambourine dance from Eudora, and power anthem House of the Fall transporting you to somewhere mysterious within the psyche.
All photos by Alice Teeple
Alice Teeple is a photographer, multidisciplinary artist, and writer. She lives in New York City, where she works as a freelancer.
