Here are musician Ken Beasley’s top music picks on the Lower East Side for this weekend:
ALTERNATIVE GUITAR FESTIVAL – Fri Jan. 13 | 7:30pm at Rockwood Music Hall
The New York Guitar Festival offers up something a little different this year with the likes of Pillow Wand, a project of Nels Cline & Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore – Ben Monder & Pete Rende covering music from 70’s songwriter Jimmy Webb – Joel Harrison & Anupan Shobhakar showcasing their skills on middle eastern Sarode and the iconic resonator guitar, National Steel Guitar – and virtuosos Mark Stewart & Gyan Riley. $20//196 Allen St.
BLACK TAXI – Sat Jan. 13 | 11pm at The Bowery Ballroom
Hometown boys Black Taxi make up one of New York top rockin’ pop bands on the scene today. They’ve been turning out songs that jump from gritty dance grooves to crunchy guitar riffs, and top them with smart lyrics and impressive musicality. They’ll be playing the Bowery Ballroom on Saturday to launch some fireworks for the release of their latest recording “We Don’t Know Any Better”. $13 Advance-$15 Door //6 Delancey Street
STICKLIPS – Sun Jan. 14 | 10pm at the Living Room
From Annandale-On-Hudson, NY comes multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Johanna Warren, and from Johanna Warren comes the arresting music project StickLips. Both catchy and atmospheric, the songs of StickLips are impressive in their composition. Having put out the well received debut “It is Like a Horse/It is Not Like Two Foxes”, the group started a Kick-Starter campaign to raise funds for a follow up, and give their fans more of their self-described “folk, noise, pop and acid” sound. FREE//154 Ludlow 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
