Here’s TLD Contributor Flora Theden’s weekly run-down of the best live music on the Lower East Side.
Thursday – Surf Rock is Dead
Formed in 2014, Surf Rock is Dead made waves in the New York music scene when they landed a January residency in the Piano’s showroom. The two Brooklyn residents celebrate the Surf Rock genre in a paradoxical way, with a dreamy pop sound reminiscent of bands like The Drums.
Listen to: Equinox
Piano’s // January 22nd // 10pm //$8
Friday – SugarBad
The fierce funk/soul group is celebrating the release of their newest album, Up in the Clouds, with a release party open to the public. Combining funk, rock and soul, SugarBad channels artists such as Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and Janelle Monae, but have more rock ‘n’ roll energy than the typical funk-soul acts.
Listen to: In Case
Rockwood Music Hall // January 23rd // 10:15pm // Free
Friday – Uzimon
Uzimon has been blazing a trail with his own original blend of reggae dancehall and hyper-roots-rock style since 2009. Straight out of Bermuda, he’s known for wild stage antics, outrageous lyrics and inexorable dedication to the true sound of reggae.
Listen to: Champion Sound
Mercury Lounge // January 23rd // 10:30pm // $10 in advance, $12 day of
Saturday – The Whigs
The Athens-bred/Nashville-based alt-rock trio recently released their fifth album after over a decade together. Get there in time to see Streets of Laredo, one of the openers, an energetic seven-piece indie-folk group.
Listen to: Hit Me
Bowery Ballroom // January 24th // 9pm // $15
Monday – Great Caesar
Great Caesar aims for the heart with a vulnerable blend of brass, voice, and indie rock, drawing from acts like Arcade Fire and Beirut to create music that confronts the things that really matter: love, legacy, and the complexity of human relationships. Bonus: They’ll be playing new music at Monday’s show.
Listen to: Don’t Ask Me Why
Mercury Lounge // January 26th // 8:30pm // $10
Monday – Vomitface
Make sure to catch the last night of their Cake Shop residency! Vomitface is bringing grunge back, and having a lot of fun doing it. Punk rock, sludge stoner metal and black-surf are all ways to describe the band, whose residency at Cake Shop was recently featured on OhMyRockness as one of the top shows to see in New York City.
Listen to: Sloppy Joes
Mercury Lounge // January 26th // 9:30pm // $7
Flora Theden lives and works in the Lower East Side. She is an Account Executive in the Hospitality Division of Brandsway Creative, a Public Relations, Marketing and Branding firm.
