The Williamsburg & Greenpoint neighborhoods of Brooklyn have been the center of all things hipster-dom ever since Manhattan’s Lower East Side fell to gentrification, making the L train, their main/only subway line, the ‘hipster train’. So a few years ago L Magazine was started up, freely distributed all the way from 8th Avenue in western Manhattan to Canarsie/Rockaway Park in far eastern Brooklyn. And now L & L are taking it a step further with the Northside Festival, a series of music showcases in Williamsburg & Greenpoint venues, June 11th-14th.

Music ‘festivals’, held over four or five days in venues across a city, have been cropping up all over the place.  It all started with Austin’s South-by-Southwest, then New York’s CMJ Music Marathon.  San Francisco threw down Noise Pop, Seattle brought the benefit Noise For the Needy, Michigan & Cincinnati put up Midwest & Midpoint, and Toronto more directly aped its forebears with North-by-Northeast (QRO Festival Guide).  Some haven’t made it – witness 2007’s only year of The Highline Festival in Manhattan.

In its first year, Northside has naturally focused on its home borough.  Unfortunately, with a few exceptions, the blown-up or even currently blowing-up Brooklyn bands seem to be missing – instead, it’s got the bands people ‘in the know’ are telling you are going to be blowing up, making it a grab-bag of undiscovered gems and acts that richly deserve to remain unknown.  And the headliners are a mixed bunch as well, from much-loved locals made good to out-of-town art-rockers (with a strong San Fran contingent, for some reason).

New York is already thick with summer music festivals – Central Park Summerstage, Celebrate Brooklyn! (at Park Slope’s Prospect Park Bandshell), downtown Manhattan’s River-to-River, and the soon-to-come Williamsburg Waterfront (to replace the late, lamented McCarren Park Pool Parties).  And those are all all-summer – and free.  Is there space for another?  Well, Northside has kept the badge rate low, and the above mostly don’t really kick off until the end of June/beginning of July, leaving a space open for the latest hipster venture on the L.

Only time will tell what comes of Northside, but it’s going on in 2009, and here’s a schedule of all the events, as well as a map of participating venues:

View QRO Magazine Northside Preview in a larger map

(Click venue name/address for event listing in the QRO Concert Calendar)

(asterisk indicates a free show)

Thursday, June 11thQRO review 

Studio B, 259 Banker St. at Meserole Ave. – venue review

9:00 PM – Mariee Sioux
10:00 PM – Zomes
11:00 PM – Brightblack Morning Light

Northside Opening Party features the psychedelic folk of Rachael Hughes & Nathan Shineywater, who together form Brightblack Morning Light, most recently with last year’s Motion To Rejoin (QRO review).  And just to keep everything crunchy, there’s local organic rooftop BBQ by chef Kelly Geary of Sweet Deliverance – and free Heineken Light served 5:00-8:00 PM.

Bar Matchless, 557 Manhattan Ave. at Driggs Ave.*

7:30 PM – Aldenbarton
8:30 PM – Crime Novels
9:30 PM – Girls In Trouble

Artlog House (formerly Supreme Trading), 213 N 8th St., between Driggs & Roeblins Aves.

8:00 PM – Alex English
8:00 PM – Mark Alan Gray
8:00 PM – JD Samson

Shea Stadium, 85A Debevoise Ave., between Richardson & Frost Sts.

8:00 PM – Dynasty Handbag
8:00 PM – The Fly Girlz/Nine II Thesaurus
8:00 PM – Marnie Stern
8:00 PM – Magic Markers

Go to the new Shea Stadium (no, not the demolished one in Queens - though that still shows up on Google Maps) for up-and-comers Magic Markers & Marnie Stern.

Scratch all of that - event hosts Strength In Numbers decided that they wanted nothing to do with Northside for some trumped-up reason, and only let people know when they came to the door and were told their badge was worthless there.  Oh, and Marnie Stern, a.k.a. the main reason to go, cancelled...

Pete’s Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St. between Frost & Richardson Sts.*

8:00 PM – This Frontier Needs Heroes
9:00 PM – Art Sorority for Girls
10:00 PM – The Brunettes
11:00 PM – Kittens Ablaze

Trash Bar, 256 Grand St at Roebling St.

8:00 PM – Vero
9:00 PM – Crazy Mary
11:00 PM – We Read Minds
12:00 AM – Little Buddha

Bruar Falls, 245 Grand St. between Driggs Ave. & Roebling St.

8:30 PM – Israel M.
9:30 PM – Bleven Blectum
10:30 PM – Father Murphy

Union Pool, 484 Union Ave. at Meeker St. – venue review

8:30 PM – Ivana XL
9:30 PM – Sharon Van Etten
10:15 PM – Lisa Li-Lund
11:00 PM – Emilyn Brodsky
12:00 AM – Ólöf Arnalds

Uncensored Interview is holding ‘The Speakeasy: A Showcase of Transatlantic Alt-Folk’ at Union Pool, including Iceland’s Ólöf Arnalds (QRO photos at a festival), who’s been the subject of much hype these days (including recently playing the high-profile Housing Works benefit with countrywoman Björk), and Brooklyn’s own Sharon Van Etten (QRO album review) – both of whom will be playing again at Northside.

Spike Hill, 184 Bedford Ave. at N 7th St.

8:30 PM – Me
9:30 PM – Discovery
10:30 PM – Himalaya
11:30 PM – Gigantic Hands

Coco 66, 66 Greenpoint Ave. between Franklin & West Sts.

8:30 PM – The Pleasure Circus Band
9:30 PM – Bonnie Baxter
10:30 PM – Henry Wolfe
11:30 PM – The Albertans

Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves., 8:00 PM – venue review

9:00 PM – Hype of the States
10:00 PM – The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady have reached serious heights with their classic rock and singer/guitarist Craig Finn’s talk-sing storytelling, most recently with last year’s Stay Positive and this year’s live A Positive Rage.  They’re also incredibly overrated (could they have picked an opener with a more apropos name?…), but certainly have fun when they return to Brooklyn (QRO live review, at a Brooklyn festival).  This is the final of four nights in a row they’re playing in New York (two at Music Hall, two at sister venue across the East River, Bowery Ballroom – QRO venue review), and with individual tickets sold out, and only 150 spaces open to festival badge holders, there’s every reason in the world to skip The Hold Steady if you’re not a die-hard.

Cameo, 93 N 6th St. between Berry St. & Wythe Ave.

9:00 PM – Ducktails
10:00 PM – Julianna Barwick
11:00 PM – Men & Women
12:00 AM – S.S.P.S. (Porkchop from Excepter)

Glasslands Gallery, 289 Kent Ave. between S 1st & S 2nd Sts.

9:00 PM – Exit Clov
10:00 PM – Autodrone
11:00 PM – Miho Hatori
12:00 AM – Class Actress

Zebulon, 258 Wythe Ave., between N 3rd St. & Metropolitan Ave.*

9:00 PM – Amazing Ghost
9:00 PM – Cabaret Filet

Public Assembly, 70 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

QRO review

10:00 PM – Free Energy
11:00 PM – Solid Gold
12:00 AM – Tanlines

Monkeytown, 58 N 3rd St., between Kent & Wythe Aves.

Friday, June 12thQRO review 

Studio B, 259 Banker St. at Meserole Ave. – venue review

6:30 PM – Elfin Saddle
7:30 PM – Witchies
8:30 PM – Sunset Rubdown

Easily the best band playing at Northside is Sunset Rubdown (QRO live review).  Originally just thought of by many as a Wolf Parade (QRO live review) side-project from singer/keyboardist Spencer Krug, the Montreal act has been opening a lot of ears, with last year’s Random Spirit Lover (QRO review), an electric live show (QRO live review in Brooklyn), and such songs as “Three Colours” (QRO video) and “The Mending of the Gown” (QRO video).  Just the right level of art & indie, Krug and the accomplished rest of the band have a new record, Dragonslayer, out less than two weeks after Northside, so expect new material (QRO video) as well as old.

Artlog House (formerly Supreme Trading), 213 N 8th St., between Driggs & Roeblins Aves.

8:00 PM – Andrew Vogt
8:00 PM – Pito: Biatch Corp
8:00 PM – Memek
8:00 PM – Connie
8:00 PM – Sleepy & Boo
8:00 PM – Julio & Roman
8:00 PM – The Fear and Trembling
8:00 PM – The Recovery

Coco 66, 66 Greenpoint Ave. between Franklin & West Sts.

8:00 PM – The Callen Sisters
9:00 PM – Paul Brill
10:00 PM – Pepi Ginsberg
11:00 PM – AJ Roach

Spike Hill, 184 Bedford Ave. at N 7th St.

7:30 PM – Coyote Eyes
8:30 PM – pow wow!
9:30 PM – The Secret Life of Sofia
10:30 PM – tUnE-yArDs
11:30 PM – Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers

An online music mag that we here at the Q actually like, EAR FARM, is unfortunately putting on a showcase headlined by one of the most over-rated up-and-coming acts in Brooklyn today, Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers (QRO photos in Brooklyn).  Formerly the frontwoman of Beat the Devil (QRO live review), Shilpa Ray (QRO solo photos in Brooklyn) bellows with her voice & a harmonium (sort of like an accordion, but on a table & it’s Indian), and while that might impress music critics who’ve seen it all and are just looking for something, anything new(-ish), if you’re not ‘in the know’, you’re bound to be wondering what all the fuss is about.  However, EAR FARM did manage to line-up some up-and-coming Brooklynites who actually are interesting to open up, like The Secret Life of Sofia and pow wow!.

Cameo, 93 N 6th between Wythe Ave. & Berry St.

8:00 PM – Neckbeard Telecaster
9:00 PM – Patrick Bower & The World Without Magic
10:00 PM – The Art of Shooting
11:00 PM – Bottle Up and Go
12:00 AM – The Press
1:00 AM – The Albertans

Europa (upstairs), 98 Meserole Ave. between Manhattan Ave. & Lorimer St.

7:30 PM – Dinosaur Feathers
8:30 PM – Soft Black
9:30 PM – Wild Yaks
10:30 PM – Red Wire Black Wire
11:30 PM – Electric Tickle Machine
12:30 AM – CHARLIE!

One of the best, if not the best, terrestrial & internet radio stations out there, KEXP, has a very interesting showcase at Northside, including locals Electric Tickle Machine, Wild Yaks and Dinosaur Feathers.

Europa (downstairs), 98 Meserole Ave. between Manhattan Ave. & Lorimer St.*

Trash Bar, 256 Grand St at Roebling St.

8:00 PM – Simi
8:45 PM – Elevator Fight
9:45 PM – Swear On Your Life
11:00 PM – BLK JKS
12:00 AM – Investigative Reports
1:00 AM – The Exelar

Watch out, Investigative Reports & The Exelar – BLK JKS (QRO photos at a festival) take forever to set up…

Pete’s Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St. between Frost & Richardson Sts.*

8:00 PM – Jeff London
9:00 PM – Franklin Bruno
10:00 PM – Mariee Sioux

Death by Audio, 49 S 2nd St. at Wythe Ave. – venue review

8:00 PM – Organs
9:00 PM – Air Waves
10:00 PM – Real Estate
11:00 PM – Javelin
12:00 AM – These Are Powers

FREEWilliamsburg holds a not-free show (unlike at the Candy Store above), and it is a chance to see talked-about Real Estate, but whatever you do, get out before midnight and These Are Powers (QRO photos).  Why this terrible noise-punk band ever gets booked in their home borough (including last year’s Siren Festival on Coney Island – QRO photos) or anywhere is still a mystery.  And as bad as their debut LP All Aboard Future (QRO review) is, they’re even worse live…

Union Pool, 484 Union Ave. at Meeker St. – venue review

8:10 PM – Screens
8:50 PM – Aa
9:40 PM – Pterodactyl
10:30 PM – Sightings
11:20 PM – Golden Triangle

Panache Booking’s showcase includes Golden Triangle (winner of Dickie’s Battle of the Bands at SXSW – QRO recap) and Aa (QRO photos at a festival) – just try to Google them…

Public Assembly, 70 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

(front room)

8:00 PM – The Great Unwashed
9:00 PM – Grooms (ex-Muggabears)
10:00 PM – Dinowalrus
11:00 PM – Sisters
12:00 AM – Screaming Females
1:00 AM – Brilliant Sweaters

(back room)

8:30 PM – The Rabbits
9:30 PM – Murder Mystery
10:30 PM – Palomar
11:30 PM – Eula
1:30 AM – Home Video

Both the front & back room of Public Assembly (formerly Galapagos) is booked by Pop Tarts Suck Toasted (which ain’t true, by the way…), playing host to a host of Brooklyn acts attempting to break it – guess being featured as the hip venue on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, where the hipster guitarist was trying to kill his way to the top, paid off (QRO Indie on TV).  Unfortunately, while a few acts show promise, like the darktronic Home Video on No Certain Night Or Morning (QRO review) or the punk-press Screaming Females on Power Move (QRO review), others are grating (Grooms, who haven’t improved since changing their name from Muggabears – QRO photos in Brooklyn), or annoying (like the jammy Murder Mystery – QRO photos).

The Charleston, 174 Bedford Ave. between N 7th & N 8th Sts.

7:30 PM – Straight Mangled
7:30 PM – Turn It Up!
7:30 PM – Probable Cause
7:30 PM – Suburban Scum
7:30 PM – Swallowed Up

Monkeytown, 58 N 3rd St., between Kent & Wythe Aves.

8:00 PM – Mattison
8:00 PM – Holly Throsby

Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

9:00 PM – Dave Deporis
9:40 PM – Ólöf Arnalds
10:15 PM – The Tallest Man on Earth
11:20 PM – John Vanderslice

You knew BrooklynVegan was going to be in on this (in fact, he’s been more up-to-date on Northside in the run-up than the festival’s own website).  He takes over the biggest Northside venue to present three alt-folk singer/songwriters.  Too bad San Francisco’s tiresome John Vanderslice is headlining over the really interesting artists on this bill, Sweden’s ‘new Dylan’, The Tallest Man on Earth, and Iceland’s Ólöf Arnalds (see above).

Zebulon, 258 Wythe Ave., between N 3rd St. & Metropolitan Ave.*

9:00 PM – The Burden
10:30 PM – Luke Winslow King Trio

Glasslands Gallery, 289 Kent Ave. between S 1st & S 2nd Sts., 8:00 PM

9:00 PM – Your Nature
10:00 PM – Acrylics
11:00 PM – Savoir Adore
12:00 AM – The Willowz

Brooklyn’s Savoir Adore have a new record out at the end of June on Cantora Records (go to their website now for the free Machines EP – link), but the important thing is Your Nature (QRO live review) seem to have found a home.  They’ll be coming off their four-week residency at The Annex in The Bowery (QRO photos) – and maybe now they can finally live up to our calling the best Brooklyn band (QRO photos in Brooklyn) you’ve never heard of, back when they were Frankpollis (QRO photos)…

Bar Matchless, 557 Manhattan Ave. at Driggs Ave.

9:00 PM – Fan-Tan
10:00 PM – Darlings
11:00 PM – Workout

Bruar Falls, 245 Grand St. between Driggs Ave. & Roebling St.

9:00 PM – We Are Country Mice
10:00 PM – Sean Bones
11:00 PM – Zaza
12:00 AM – Drink Up Buttercup
1:00 AM – The Beets

A bunch of hyped Brooklyn acts are hitting the new Bruar Falls (the just-opened sister venue from the people who run Bowery’s Cake Shop – QRO venue review), thanks to Kanine Records, Frenchkiss Records, and Insound Record Store, including The Beets, crazy Drink Up Buttercup (QRO photos), and reggae-riffic Sean Bones (QRO photos), which features one-half of Sam Champion (QRO spotlight).

Monkeytown, 58 N 3rd St., between Kent & Wythe Aves.

11:00 PM – Lewis Forever: Jungle Fervor!

Union Pool, 484 Union Ave. at Meeker St. – venue review

Studio B, 259 Banker St. at Meserole Ave. – venue review

12:00 AM – Deastro
1:00 AM – Michna
2:00 AM – Lusine

Saturday, June 13thQRO review 

Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

1:00 PM – Shellshag
2:00 PM – The Extraordinaires
3:00 PM – O'Death

This was supposed to be the inaugural show at a new Brooklyn Bowl, but the lanes ain't open yet.  So instead, Music Hall throws a special Saturday afternoon show with Kemado Records’ O’Death (QRO photos), whose backwoods freak-folk, most recently with Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin (QRO review), has always been friendly to the daytime (QRO photos at CitySol festival), including violins & shirtless antics (QRO photos).

Trophy Bar, 351 Broadway between Rodney & Keap Sts.*

2:00 PM – Afuche
2:30 PM – tUnE-yArDs
3:00 PM – Luke Winslow-King
3:30 PM – Gracious Calamity
4:00 PM – Drink Up Buttercup
4:30 PM – Glass Ghost
5:00 PM – Sharon Van Etten
5:30 PM – Adam Arcuragi
6:00 PM – Vandaveer
6:30 PM – special guests

Here’s your free chance to catch Sharon Van Etten & Drink Up Buttercup (see both above), thanks to Hooves on the Turf.

Spike Hill, 184 Bedford Ave. at N 7th St.*

1:30 PM – The Albertans
2:15 PM – pow wow!
3:00 PM – Darlings
3:45 PM – Anamanaguchi
4:30 PM – Emanuel & The Fear
5:15 PM – Xylos
6:00 PM – Savoir Adore

Trash Bar, 256 Grand St at Roebling St.

2:00 PM – California King
3:00 PM – Shelly Nicole's Blakbushe
4:00 PM – The Smyrk
5:00 PM – Honeychild Coleman

Bar Matchless, 557 Manhattan Ave. at Driggs Ave.*

2:00 PM – Family Lumber
3:00 PM – The Pet Ghost Project
4:00 PM – Appomattox
5:00 PM – pow wow!
6:00 PM – Bridges & Powerlines

Bridges & Powerlines (QRO photos at a festival) aren’t anything special, despite what people are trying to tell you – even the house music is better…

Union Pool, 484 Union Ave. at Meeker St. – venue review

2:00 PM – Skeletonbreath
2:45 PM – Charles Burst
3:30 PM – La Strada
4:15 PM – The Albertans

Cameo, 93 N 6th St. between Berry St. & Wythe Ave.*

Public Assembly, 70 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

(front room)

3:15 PM – Henry Wolfe
4:45 PM – Motel Motel
6:15 PM – Aaron Behrens

(back room)

2:30 PM – jacksonknife
4:00 PM – Geoff Ereth
5:30 PM – Mia Riddle

Websites Gothamist & Brooklyn Based are holding court in both rooms of Public Assembly, with Aaron Behrens (of Ghostland Observatory), indie-jam-hyped Motel Motel (QRO photos at a festival), and others.  It’s all followed by an after party at The Gutter (link).

Europa, 98 Meserole Ave. between Manhattan Ave. & Lorimer St.

6:30 PM – Revocation
7:30 PM – Dark Faith
8:30 PM – Quo Vadis

Studio B, 259 Banker St. at Meserole Ave. – venue review

7:00 PM – Darlings
8:00 PM – Bishop Allen

Though the latest from Bishop Allen (QRO photos at a festival), Grrr… (QRO review), didn’t match last year’s excellent The Broken String (QRO review) – the summing up their audacious ‘12 EPs in 12 months’ from 2007 – they’re still one of the best, and biggest, bands at Northside.  Justin Rice (QRO interview) and Christian Rudder (QRO photos in Brooklyn) might have named their band after a street in Cambridge, Mass., but they’re a Brooklyn band – and one with a great live show (QRO live review at a festival).

Death by Audio, 49 S 2nd St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

7:00 PM – Say No to Architecture
7:30 PM – Sisters
8:00 PM – dANA
8:30 PM – Golden Cities
9:00 PM – Boogie Boarder
9:30 PM – Dinowalrus
10:00 PM – Anamanaguchi
10:30 PM – Talk Normal
11:30 PM – Pink Skull
12:00 AM – Dan Friel
12:30 AM – Gary War

A million-and-one Brooklyn bands with terrible names are at Death by Audio, thanks to IMPOSE.  Maybe Dan Friel (QRO photos at a festival), of Parts & Labor (QRO album review), can teach them how to choose a title…

Pete’s Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St. between Frost & Richardson Sts.*

Bar Matchless, 557 Manhattan Ave. at Driggs Ave.

Cameo, 93 N 6th St. between Wythe Ave. & Berry St.

8:00 PM – Tristen
9:00 PM – Pursesnatchers
10:00 PM – April Smith
11:00 PM – Jaymay
12:00 AM – Xylos

Cameo is a new Brooklyn venue, this one right on the corner where you turn off of Bedford to head down to Music Hall & Public Assembly, and it’s artists at Northside include Jaymay, of last year’s Autumn Fallin’ (QRO review).

Monkeytown, 58 N 3rd St., between Kent & Wythe Aves.

Trash Bar, 256 Grand St at Roebling St.

8:00 PM – '68
9:00 PM – Your 33 Black Angels
10:00 PM – Apollo Heights
11:00 PM – White Noise Supremacists

The Shank, 98 Bayard St. between Manhattan Ave. & Leonard St.

8:00 PM – Pygmy Shrews
9:00 PM – Woods
10:00 PM – Grooms (ex-Muggabears)
11:00 PM – Blues Control
12:00 AM – Kurt Vile

Readers of Todd P.’s website might think ‘Less Artists More Condos’ was a venue, but either it ain’t, or they’ve lost their lease to you-know-what, because they’re holding a showcase at The Shank, with locals like Woods (QRO photos at a festival) & Grooms (see above).

Union Pool, 484 Union Ave. at Meeker St. – venue review

9:00 PM – Doug Paisley
9:45 PM – Virgin Forest
10:30 PM – Endless Boogie
11:20 PM – The War on Drugs

Like their namesake, The War on Drugs (QRO photos in Brooklyn) go on for far too long.

Glasslands Gallery, 289 Kent Ave. between S 1st & S 2nd Sts.

8:30 PM – Bora Yoon
9:30 PM – Chica Vas
10:30 PM – Katie Eastburn
11:30 PM – tUnE-YaRdS
12:30 AM – Dragons of Zynth

The new face of Afro-punk follow in the tradition of fellow Brooklynites TV On the Radio (QRO live review) and others with 2007’s Coronation Thieves (QRO review), produced by TVOTR’s own David Sitek.  Fronted by Bronx-born twins Aku & Akwetey O.T., they’ve played everything from Central Park Summerstage to Siren Festival down on Coney Island (QRO photos), so they’re a natural fit for Northside.

Spike Hill, 184 Bedford Ave. at N 7th St.

8:30 PM – Julia Haltigan & The Hooligans
9:30 PM – The Anabolics
10:30 PM – Tiger! Tiger!
11:30 PM – Les San Culottes

Public Assembly (front room), 70 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

8:30 PM – Palmyra
9:30 PM – World Atlas
10:30 PM – Knight School

Public Assembly (back room), 70 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

8:30 PM – Weekends
9:15 PM – Arrington De Dionyso
10:00 PM – Bell
10:45 PM – Twi the Humble Feather
11:30 PM – Death Vessel
12:30 AM – Teengirl Fantasy

Sound Fix Records have lost their backroom bar/venue (QRO venue review), and were supposed to be opening a new venue, Berry Park (right next to the aforementioned park) – but, like how O’Death was supposed to open the new Brooklyn Bowl (see above), Berry Park ain’t gonna be ready.  So Sound Fix instead hits the already up-and-running Public Assembly with both alt-folk, such as Death Vessel & Arrington De Dionyso (of Old Time Relijun), and electronica, in the likes of Teengirl Fantasy (QRO photos at a festival) and BELL (QRO photos).

Coco 66, 66 Greenpoint Ave. between Franklin & West Sts.

9:00 PM – Ghost Gamblers
10:00 PM – The Holy Childhood
11:00 PM – The Van Pelt

S.L.A.M. Warehouse, 51 N 1st St. between Kent & Wythe Aves.

9:00 PM – Onno
10:00 PM – Freetime
11:00 PM – Smirk
11:30 PM – Jakub Alexander
1:00 AM – Worst Friends
2:00 AM – Trus' Me
3:30 AM – Wolf & Lamb

Red Star Bar, 37 Greenpoint Ave. at West St.

9:30 PM – The Shivers
10:30 PM – NT
11:30 PM – Post Honeymoon
12:30 AM – Esque
1:30 AM – Mirror Mirror

Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

9:30 PM – Elika
10:30 PM – Cymbals Eat Guitars
11:30 PM – Asobi Seksu

Brooklyn’s fuzzy dream-pop Asobi Seksu moved to a major label for their latest, Hush (QRO review), but stayed local when they recorded (at Gigantic Studios, with Chris Zane – Walkmen, White Rabbits, Harlem Shakes), and are keeping that up as the big act on the Saturday night of Northside, along with rockin’ opener Cymbals Eat Guitars (QRO photos).

Monkeytown, 58 N 3rd St., between Kent & Wythe Aves.

Studio B, 259 Banker St. at Meserole Ave. – venue review

12:00 AM – Megasoid
1:00 AM – Ghislain Portier
2:00 AM – Daedelus

Ninja Tune Records presents a special late night dance party at Studio B.

Public Assembly, 70 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

12:15 AM – The Maine Attraction
12:30 AM – Tamar-Kali
1:25 AM – The Maine Attraction
1:45 AM – Brown Girls Burlesque
2:00 AM – FunkFace
2:55 AM – The Maine Attraction

Public Assembly, 70 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

Sunday, June 14thQRO review 

Cameo, 93 N 6th St. between Berry St. & Wythe Ave.

2:10 PM – The White Noise Supremacists
2:50 PM – Safire
3:30 PM – The Crinolines
4:10 PM – High Teen Boogie
4:50 PM – SwEEtie
5:30 PM – Faith

3:00 PM – Browns
4:00 PM – Air Waves
5:00 PM – The Sundelles

Studio B, 259 Banker St. at Meserole Ave. – venue review

3:00 PM – Phil & The Osophers
4:00 PM – Laura Gibson
5:00 PM – The Dodos

The experimental folk of The Dodos (QRO photos) isn’t as psychedelic live (QRO video) as on last year’s Visiter, but the San Fran act is still blowing up – and nowhere more so than in Brooklyn (QRO photos in Brooklyn), including last year’s Siren Festival on Coney Island (QRO photos).  But come early to this early afternoon show for friends of the Q, Phil & The Osophers (QRO interview).  The Brooklyn garage-rock act (QRO photos in Brooklyn) recently rocked at SXSW (QRO photos), and are always good at home (QRO photos in Brooklyn) with such songs as “High Art” (QRO video)  “Cheap Livin’” (QRO video).

Public Assembly, 70 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

2:30 PM – Ken Thomson’s Slow/Fast
3:30 PM – Andrew D’Angelo’s Gay Disco Trio
4:30 PM – Kneebody
5:30 PM – Steve Coleman’s Five Elements

7:30 PM – Teddy Blanks

Shea Stadium, 85A Debevoise Ave., between Richardson & Frost Sts.

7:30 PM – Specific Heats
8:30 PM – Gutsies
9:30 PM – Knight School
10:30 PM – So Cow

Europa, 98 Meserole Ave. between Manhattan Ave. & Lorimer St.

second floor

8:00 PM – Liturgy
8:50 PM – Howl
9:40 PM – Javelina
10:30 PM – tba
11:30 PM – Doomriders

first floor

8:20 PM – Wetnurse
9:10 PM – Cough
10:00 PM – Sourvein
11:00 PM – Clouds

BrooklynVegan veers wildly in the opposite direction from his alt-folk singer/songwriter showcase at Music Hall (see above), when he goes very metal at the hardcore Europa.

Spike Hill, 184 Bedford Ave. at N 7th St.

7:30 PM – Kerry Kennedy
8:30 PM – Alina Simone
9:30 PM – Martin Bisi
10:30 PM – Kings Crescent
11:30 PM – SUSU

Bruar Falls, 245 Grand St. between Driggs Ave. & Roebling St.

Monkeytown, 58 N 3rd St., between Kent & Wythe Aves.*

Public Assembly (front room), 70 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

9:00 PM – Dinosaur Feathers
9:40 PM – Drawlings
10:15 PM – Wild Yaks
10:30 PM – The Drums
11:15 PM – Wild Yaks
11:30 PM – La Strada

Public Assembly (back room), 70 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

8:00 PM – Porter Block
8:45 PM – The Bloodsugars
9:30 PM – Bamboo Shoots
10:30 PM – Wakey! Wakey!
11:30 PM – Murder Mystery

Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review

9:30 PM – Sir Richard Bishop and His Freak of Araby Ensemble
10:40 PM – Bill Callahan

One of the originators of the lo-fi singer/songwriter sound in alternative music, Bill Callahan (also known as ‘Smog’ – and, weirdly, ‘(Smog)’…) started on four-track tape recorders before graduating to Drag City, which is home to both singer/songwriters (like David Berman) and lo-fi punks (like Monotonix).

Studio B, 259 Banker St. at Meserole Ave. – venue review

9:30 PM – Cool Dads
10:15 PM – Thank You
11:15 PM – Ponytail
12:15 AM – Crystal Stilts

Ponytail (QRO photos in Brooklyn) may be curating their own showcase – but the important thing is who's headlining, the just-added, oh-so-blowing up Crystal Stilts (QRO album review)…

Union Pool, 484 Union Ave. at Meeker St. – venue review

9:00 PM – Bezoar
10:00 PM – Lapdog of Satan
11:00 PM – Crackula NYC

Glasslands Gallery, 289 Kent Ave. between S 1st & S 2nd Sts.

9:10 PM – Ex-Humans
10:00 PM – K-Holes
11:00 PM – Coathangers

Zebulon, 258 Wythe Ave., between N 3rd St. & Metropolitan Ave.*

For festival website, go here: http://www.northsidefestival.com/