Here are musician Ken Beasley’s top music picks on the Lower East Side for this weekend:
KATE BRANAGH – Fri, Sept. 9 | 9pm at The Living Room
More than 20 years ago, Kate Branagh was born to two folk loving parents in Pennsylvania. In turn, Kate has gone on to give birth to a vast collection of songs that harken back to artists like Carol King, Joanie Mitchel and Crosby Stills & Nash, while still sounding fresh and of the day. Tonight, Branagh will be playing at the Living Room in celebration of her new album “Minutia.” FREE// 154 Ludlow St.
HOORAH! A BOLT OF LIGHT! – Sat, Sept. 10 | 10PM at Rockwood Music Hall
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a band emerge with this kind of focus not just on creating songs, but on creating EPIC songs. Hoorah! A Bolt Of Light!’s repertoire offers lots of heavily thumping drums, textured guitar crescendos and choruses of layered vocals — all pulsating through a cavern of infectious hooks and engaging lyrics. Listen to this music while running a 10k – you’ll be sure to clock your best time in years. FREE//196 Allen St.
BRUTE FORCE– Sun, Sept. 11 | 9PM at The Mercury Lounge
Steven Friedland, aka Brute Force, is the enigmatic New York songwriter who famously did not get famous after Capitol Records released (but did little else with) his bizarre 1967 debut “I, Brute Force – Confections of Love.” Despite being championed by the Beetles, and having his notorious song “The King of Fuh” recorded on Apple records, Brute Force drifted into obscurity and eventually became a paralegal in Edison, NJ.
Now brimming with newfound confidence (at 70 years old) Brute Force returns to the city where it all started, on a day when that city is at its most proud. $8//217 East 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
