Crackers United presents FRICTION | 9.14.06
Posted: September 5th, 2006 | Author: justin | Filed under: FRICTION, events, music, nyc | 2 Comments »It was a little less than a year ago since we held our very first show at Rothko to raise relief aid for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. All of the proceeds from the show were donated to Oxfam America, whose efforts focused on helping the rural and urban poor victims of the storm. That night gave me the most gratifying feeling since we began this blog, knowing that all of our hard work had paid off and that every penny was going to a good cause.
Going into the benefit show, we never thought of doing these monthly gigs, but here we are a year later with our 11th show featuring North Carolina’s Annuals, Toronto’s Femme Generation, and New York’s very own Takka Takka and A Brief Smile. I guess you could say that this month’s show is really special to us, so come out and celebrate as FRICTION turns the page on a year of great music.
Matt Earfarm will be handling the DJ duties between sets and there will be free beer or Sparks (not sure which one yet) from 9pm-10pm and as always advance tickets are available on Ticketweb.
“Ace Fu Records is blowin’ up, what with getting their claws into Man Man, blog faves DeVotchka, and Books-alikes Tunng. But if their forthcoming Be He Me album lives up to what this track promises, North Carolina-based Annuals might be the label’s best find yet. Like some fantasy hybrid of Animal Collective, the Arcade Fire, and Broken Social Scene, “Brother” opens on a whisper before exploding at the halfpoint with colossal percussion, twisting guitars, feather-fall violins, and exultant, emphatic shouts that puncture the mix like they’re trying to break in from another dimension.” [Pitchfork]
“These New Yorkers have some serious talent. What I found when I ventured to their simple (yet charming) website was a bunch of neat, folky indie/rock songs. Their sound is so familiar, but not stale. I spent a few hours last night listening to “They Built You Up Too Fast,” “Joshua and Professor Faulkner,” and “American Queen” trying to pinpoint who they sound like. Even after scanning thorugh my extensive iTunes library, I couldn’t really put my finger on it. I heard a little bit of Yo La Tengo. A little American Analog Set. And even a little Neutral Milk Hotel. Yet those comparisions still don’t really work all that well. I really can’t wait to hear more.” [Welcome to the Midwest]
Takka Takka ”We Feel Safer at Night”
“Femme Generation are a damn fine post punk band. One which succinctly captures their essence simply by generously offering these influences: The Stooges, Esquivel, Talking Heads, The Smiths, and Curtis Mayfield. There is a rawness via The Stooges, and caffeinated polyrhythms via Talking Heads, but the high creamy soul of Curtis Mayfield and The Smiths mopiness is not as apparent. But make no mistake this band is right up there with the best of the post-punk bunch in 2006, due to the band’s sense of humour and history melded with vocalist Kadosh’s familiar and pleasing yelp.” [Sixeyes]
Femme Generation ”Hearts in Stitches”
“They have a way of combining the epic and intimate in their stage show, it really causes you to pay attention…A lot of times young bands stumble though their early days of trying to be creative, but not A Brief Smile. They have a vision.” [The Underrated]
though the show will undoubtedly be spectacular, can we have paul jump out of a cake in celebration of friction’s awesome first year?
Happy birthday? anniversary? Congrats either way!