Here are musician Ken Beasley’s top music picks on the Lower East Side for this weekend:
BUCK 65 – Fri, July 22 | 8pm at the Bowery Ballroom
They do have Hip-Hop in Canada. But even by Canadian standards, this is different. Buck 65 is a producer/songwriter/emcee hailing from Nova Scotia, and specializing in Alternative/Experimental Hip-Hop. How is it Alternative or Experimental? Well, for starters, it’s not overly heavy on the bass, and the beats are fairly minimal. Buck 65 also mixes folk, blues, and North American Roots sounds in his compositions. The final product boasts memorable hooks, and is ultimately a solidly pleasant listening experience that gets your head bopping before you even realize it. $15 //Delancey Street
THE FLOORWALKERS – Sat, July 23 | 11:15pm at the Rockwood Music Hall
There is a common image that pops up in older music – the image of “walking the floor,” or more specifically, walking the floor Over Someone. Whatever it might be that the Floorwalkers are pacing the boards about, their music definitely conveys the feeling of tension and pining most associated with such acts. A 6-piece band from Columbus OH, the Floorwalkers have covered a lot of ground in their 10 years together, and they cover a lot of ground in their sound as well. Each song embraces a different genre, or an amalgamation of several genres; from Blues to Funk to Country, the Floorwalkers walk through all of them. FREE //196 Allen Street
THE HEARTLESS BASTARDS – Sun, July 24 | 7:30pm at the Mercury Lounge
The Heartless Bastards originally came about as a wrong answer in a multiple-choice trivia question asking the name of Tom Petty’s back-up band. Ohio native Erika Wennerstrom saw this, and vowed to one day take the name and do it justice — and that she did. She put together a punchy rock trio in Dayton, OH, called it The Heartless Bastards, and hit the ground running by going on tour. The Bastards don’t necessarily sound like Blondie or the Pretenders, but they could definitely fill out a triple bill with them any day of the week. Now based out of Austin, TX, Wennerstrom has added some musicians and begun to steer the band’s sound in a new direction. She’s gaining some well deserved recognition because of it. $15//217 E. Houston St.
Splitting his time between performing and producing, contributor Ken Beasley primarily plays with his own roots/rock band, Ken Beasley & Co., as well as the power punk outfit, Missy Sport, while also curating the Underground at the Abrons music series on the Lower East Side
