The acts we’re stoked to see at Northside Festival 2017 (+ 15% off tix)
We love city festivals! We especially love small festivals highlighting and celebrating emerging artists, while also providing an opportunity to catch intimate performances by mainstream acts. That’s exactly what our friends at Northside Festival in Brooklyn, NY do.
A certain, indescribable energy comes over Brooklyn for the five days of the festival (four of which are music, with an extra for innovation). The best part (IMO) is that it’s a great chance to catch a whole lot of acts across genres, broadening your awareness and supporting smaller acts. Especially for those feeling the void the loss of CMJ Fest left.
And Northside 2017 is coming up fast — June 7–11 to be exact. There are a ton of great acts playing, but we thought we’d highlight the ones we’re most excited for below (in order by day and time). Check out the full schedule here and take 15% off your badge with the code: ASAD17.
Thursday, June 8th
Jay Som
Janet Choi: Melina Duterte’s newest album Everybody Works is a gem with glints of pop fun, head-bopping funk, shoegaze fuzz that paint that nostalgic tint of summer. It’s a perfect soundtrack for the long hot days to come. She’s an opener for Dirty Projectors so you probably want to get there early.
McCarren Park, 6:30pm
Salt Cathedral
Gold Sounds, 8:30pm or Friday, July 9th at The Well, 8:30pm
Yucky Duster
Admittedly, I (Shannon) just learned about this band like three days ago, but I am really digging their sound.
Gold Sounds, 9pm
Larkin Grimm
Sunnyvale, 9pm
Aldous Harding
I flipped my (hi, it’s me, Shannon again) shit when I saw Aldous at SXSW. Her performance is passionate, intense, and like non other. And her full-length came out on Friday and it’s great. DO NOT MISS HER. She’s from New Zealand, so who knows when you’ll have another chance!
Park Church Co-Op, 9:30pm or Saturday at Baby’s, 7:30pm as part of the Panache showcase!
Nassau
Our friends at Nassau put out the ultimate summer time cassette for lo-fi lovers last year and we cannot wait for their new EP coming out sooooon. Their on-stage banter and vibey, chill tunes will leave you dreaming of long road trips and the future ahead.
Main Drag, 9:30pm
Dougie Pool
If you’re into country or psych-country, singer-songwriter stuff, this is the show for you! Dougie Pool’s music is the fresh take on old school country that the genre really (like, really) needed.
Union Pool, 9:45pm
Cut Worms
Cut Worms has been one of our favorite Brooklyn acts since he was playing in much smaller venues than he is today. That is, before he was opening for acts like The Lemon Twigs, Courtney Marie Andrews, and Mild High Club. And he blew the crowd away at our 2nd birthday show. :) If you’re a fan of Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen, you have to go see him.
Music Hall of Williamsburg, 9:45pm
Mild High Club
Lo-fi, stoner rock enthusiasts go nuts for these guys and rightfully so. Hop on the bandwagon — they’re great!
Music Hall of Williamsburg, 10:30pm
Cuddle Magic
From Janet Choi: Brooklyn’s “avant-pop” group hugs ambitiously across genres, applying their conservatory-training to electronics, synths, and vocal harmonies to create music that’s somehow brainy and catchy at once. They’re opening for Shilpa Ray.
Sunnyvale, 10pm
Grim Streaker
Brand new Brooklyn band once described by the following account: “Hell hath no fury like Grim Streaker’s Amelia Bushell. She’s Courtney Love, Exene Cervenka and Kathleen Hanna all rolled into one, with an alto that cleaves her bandmates’ Adolescents-style tantrums in two, like a hot, rusted knife cutting through a rancid stick of butter.”
Bar Matchless, 10:30pm or Friday at Cape House, 10:30pm
Meatbodies
Like garage/psych rock? Love face-melting shreds? Then you better go catch the Meatbodies — so much fun!
Alphaville, 11pm
Friday, June 9th
Russian Baths
Terra Firma, 7:15pm
Wilsen
Blues rock/rock and so, so, so much fun! These dudes have a cult following locally for a very good reason.
The Well, 7:30pm
Juliana Barwick
National Sawdust, 8pm
Mega Bog
Another highlight of acts we’ve seen this year. Erin Birgy has a voice like non other. Mega Bog’s music is a little bit jazzy, a little bit experimental, very French sounding (although it’s not), and extremely captivating.
Rough Trade, 9pm
Ian Sweet
I hear their live show is v good.
Warsaw, 9:45pm
Mirah
Janet Choi: Mirah is a mainstay of indie pop and rightly so. Here for her smart, intimate songs and her clear-cutting voice.
Baby’s All Right, 10pm
Girlpool
Warsaw, 10:30pm
Kelsey Lu
Janet Choi: Kelsey Lu’s a classically trained cellist with a powerful voice. Separately they seem like they wouldn’t go together but she creates some mesmerizing, almost-mystical music.
Saint Vitus, 10:30pm
Big Thief
We’ve long been fans of Big Thief and lead Adrienne Lenker’s music. Their lyrics are often sad and always beautiful. And their live performance is something you just have to see. They are raw, magnetic, and just great.
Rough Trade, 11pm
Ricky Eat Acid
Mallory Johns says: The solo project of Baltimore-based musician Sam Ray. Come for the bleeps, bloops, and drops. Stay for the artfully-manipulated vocals and truly impressive electronic stylings.
Union Pool, 11pm
Saturday, June 10th
Friday night: Flock of Dimes
Baby’s All Right, 1am
Darkwing
Muchmore’s, 1:30pm
Cones
LA-based Cones played our Planned Parenthood at Baby’s in January and are so, so, so great live. The Cohen brothers have recorded and toured with several stellar acts, including Eleanor Friedberger. Catch them playing music from their first LP as Cones before it comes out!
Baby’s All Right, 7:30pm as part of the Panache showcase with Happyness and Aldous Harding
A. Savage
Frontman to everyone’s favorite Brooklyn indie rock/post-rock outfit, Parquet Courts, Andrew Savage is apparently going to be playing some solo stuff at Alphaville before Future Punx, Eaters, PC Worship, and more. Though his music is practically impossible to find online.
Alphaville, 9pm
Julia Holter
Mallory Johns says: A true wunderkind of the LA-scene, she floats effortlessly between the worlds of lo-fi, ambient, pop, and electronic music. Oh, did we mention she’s got the voice of an angel too? ;
National Sawdust, 10pm
Timbre Timber
Honestly, I haven’t listened to their new album yet and haven’t really listened to them much outside of “Demon Host” but I freaking love that song. I’ve also heard great things about their new material (I think some someone on Tinder..). Check it out and let me know what you think? ;-)
Music Hall of Williamsburg, 10pm
Lower Dens (PERFORMING SONGS FROM ABBA’S GOLD: GREATEST HITS)
Rough Trade, 11pm
Unknown time spots
Ciarra Black
Mallory Johns said: The world needs more badass female techno producers like Ciarra Black — a member of Brooklyn’s No-Tech Collective. Her sound is hazy, bass-heavy, and completely hypnotic.
Know of a band that should be on this list? Let us know! Or better yet, take a video while watching them and tag us @asongaday.co on Instagram and @asongadayco on Twitter. ;)
