Algernon Cadwallader @ The Silent Barn (8/2/09)
Recently I decided to go vacation in the Big Apple with my girlfriend of five years to celebrate our five years of dating. I know, congrats to anyone strong enough to stomach my idiocy for this long. While we were there we decided to try and catch some shows. We heard about two shows, one was Bridge and Tunnel and the other was Algernon Cadwallader. Since we had already seen Bridge and Tunnel we opted for the latter so we could go to a baseball game (GO METS!!!). The show was in Brooklyn so we had to take the metro. I knew we were getting close to Brooklyn because it seems like the people on the train were getting more hipsterish as we went on. We finally get there and walk to the show space. I’ve never been to Brooklyn but it reminded me of St. Louis in the movie Summer Vacation. I expected someone to steal rims off a car and spray paint “honky lips” on it.
The place is pretty well hidden but we manage to find it alright. We enter the place and its just like I would have imagined. An old storefront converted into a living area and also converted into a neat little area to host shows. The lighting is dark the smell is musky, it feels like all the places I’m used to playing, I was in love already. The first thing that I realize is the show is like 90 percent female. This is weird to me but may not be weird to you. All the shows I’m used to are all 90 percent male. While I am not used to gynocentric shows it is still nice to see and something that I wish there was more of. More people start piling into this small space and the place is packed and it is hot. No harm, I mean it is August.
The first band up, is called, if I remember correctly, Tania. They play repetitive dancey electro-punk, I’m not into it and since I am totally not into it, I lose interest in the show fast. After what seems like forever, the band ends and I learn that the next band is called, Songs for Moms. While they are setting up and while the first band was setting up I realize that New York bands must take forever to set up. Songs for Moms finally start and they are a lot better than the first band, everyone is shaking and singing along and it turns out to be a really awesome set. Think Andrew Jackson Jihad with an all female line-up and maybe not as jangly or nothing like that at all. Next is Algernon Cadwallader, from Philadelphia, who I was really stoked to see. They were just as amazing as I hoped and really suggest you going to see them if you get a chance. Lastly another all female band, the third that night to be exact, plays. They were called Each Other’s Mothers and it happened to be there reunion show. They also have a member of Bridge and Tunnel so that is cool. Sonically they were a mix of Algernon and the Fucking Champs. I might be saying FC because they were instrumental and rocked hard but whatever. Everyone is sweaty partying hard and the atmosphere, while being really smelly, is very positive.
It was good to see such positivity in this space and really hope that I can see more shows where more females attend. There is definitely a place for more women to participate in punk rock as more than an attachment for their boyfriends. These women at this space genuinely seemed to care about the bands and care about the scene. Later on that night, on my way back from the show back to my hostel in Manhattan, all of my positivity is dashed asunder while drinking Arizona Green Tea. I realize to my dismay that Arizona is not in fact made in Arizona it is made in New York. For such a great show this instance really ruined my night. Liars. (Joshua Robbins)
1 comment:
five years? quit living in sin and get married already!
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