 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:
(asterisk indicates a free show) Thursday, June 11thQRO review Studio B, 259 Banker St. at Meserole Ave. – venue review 9:00 PM – Mariee Sioux 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.
7:30 PM – Aldenbarton
8:00 PM – Alex English
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...
8:00 PM – This Frontier Needs Heroes
8:00 PM – Vero
8:30 PM – Israel M.
8:30 PM – Ivana XL 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.
8:30 PM – Me
8:30 PM – The Pleasure Circus Band
9:00 PM – Hype of the States 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.
9:00 PM – Ducktails
9:00 PM – Exit Clov
9:00 PM – Amazing Ghost
10:00 PM – Free Energy
Friday, June 12thQRO review Studio B, 259 Banker St. at Meserole Ave. – venue review 6:30 PM – Elfin Saddle 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.
8:00 PM – Andrew Vogt
8:00 PM – The Callen Sisters
7:30 PM – Coyote Eyes 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!.
8:00 PM – Neckbeard Telecaster
7:30 PM – Dinosaur Feathers 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.
11:00 PM – Eagle Hawk Falcon  12:00 AM – Sportman's Paradise
8:00 PM – Simi Watch out, Investigative Reports & The Exelar – BLK JKS (QRO photos at a festival) take forever to set up…
8:00 PM – Jeff London
8:00 PM – Organs 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…
8:10 PM – Screens 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…
(front room) 8:00 PM – The Great Unwashed (back room) 8:30 PM – The Rabbits 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).
7:30 PM – Straight Mangled
8:00 PM – Mattison
9:00 PM – Dave Deporis 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).
9:00 PM – The Burden
9:00 PM – Your Nature 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)…
9:00 PM – Fan-Tan
9:00 PM – We Are Country Mice 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).
11:00 PM – Lewis Forever: Jungle Fervor!
12:00 AM – Deastro Saturday, June 13thQRO review Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N 6th St. between Wythe & Kent Aves. – venue review 1:00 PM – Shellshag 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).
2:00 PM – Afuche Here’s your free chance to catch Sharon Van Etten & Drink Up Buttercup (see both above), thanks to Hooves on the Turf.
1:30 PM – The Albertans
2:00 PM – California King
2:00 PM – Family Lumber 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…
2:00 PM – Skeletonbreath
3:30 PM – Blame the Patient 4:30 PM – 9 Eleven Thesaurus 5:30 PM – Grade 13
3:15 PM – Henry Wolfe (back room) 2:30 PM – jacksonknife 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).
6:30 PM – Revocation
7:00 PM – Darlings 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
7:00 PM – Say No to Architecture 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…
9:00 PM – Sgt. Dunbar & The Hobo Banned 10:00 PM – Carlon 
9:30 PM – The Boy Bathing 10:30 PM – SUSU 11:30 PM – Wild Yaks
8:00 PM – Tristen 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).
8:00 PM – The Loom
8:00 PM – '68
8:00 PM – Pygmy Shrews 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).
9:00 PM – Doug Paisley Like their namesake, The War on Drugs (QRO photos in Brooklyn) go on for far too long.
8:30 PM – Bora Yoon 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.
8:30 PM – Julia Haltigan & The Hooligans
8:30 PM – Palmyra
8:30 PM – Weekends 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).
9:00 PM – Ghost Gamblers
9:00 PM – Onno
9:30 PM – The Shivers
9:30 PM – Elika 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).
11:00 PM – Raw Q
12:00 AM – Megasoid Ninja Tune Records presents a special late night dance party at Studio B.
12:15 AM – The Maine Attraction
Sunday, June 14thQRO review Cameo, 93 N 6th St. between Berry St. & Wythe Ave.
Bruar Falls, 245 Grand St. between Driggs Ave. & Roebling St. 3:00 PM – Browns
3:00 PM – Phil & The Osophers 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).
Cameo, 93 N 6th St. between Berry St. & Wythe Ave. 7:30 PM – Teddy Blanks
7:30 PM – Specific Heats second floor 8:00 PM – Liturgy first floor 8:20 PM – Wetnurse 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.
7:30 PM – Kerry Kennedy
8:00 PM – Data Dog 8:00 PM – Ava Luna
9:00 PM – Dinosaur Feathers
8:00 PM – Porter Block
9:30 PM – Sir Richard Bishop and His Freak of Araby Ensemble
9:30 PM – Cool Dads 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)…
9:10 PM – Ex-Humans
12:00 AM – Flower Mound 12:00 AM – Little Gold 12:00 AM – Candles of Paradise 12:00 AM – Pure Horsehair For festival website, go here: http://www.northsidefestival.com/ |
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10:00 PM – Mariee Sioux
10:00 PM – Dinowalrus
10:30 PM – Luke Winslow King Trio
(front room) 
a street in Cambridge, Mass., but they’re a Brooklyn band – and one with a great live show (
2:10 PM – The White Noise Supremacists
2:30 PM – Ken Thomson’s Slow/Fast
10:15 PM – Wild Yaks
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).
9:00 PM – BezoarLatest Album Reviews
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