Bugs in the Dark Play Mercury Lounge Tomorrow Night (Jan. 25th) with Schwervon

Brooklyn art-punk band Bugs in the Dark are playing a somewhat last-minute show at Mercury Lounge tomorrow night.

"Cancel everything and go see their next show." - Indie Sounds NY, Pete Harris

There aren't many bands where I can stand behind the above quote but Bugs in the Dark are a great live band and I've yet to see them have an off-night. I understand that the band is working on some new material which will hopefully surface as part of tomorrow's live set.

Tickets are $8.00 and Bugs in the Dark are playing at 9PM.





Links:
Bugs in the Dark

Karen Rockower (Bugs in the Dark) is Playing a Rare Acoustic Show Tomorrow Night

DOWNLOAD: Karen Rockower - "Dog" (MP3)

Bugs in the Dark guitarist/vocalist Karen Rockower is playing a rare solo acoustic set tomorrow night at Luca Lounge in Alphabet City (Avenue B btwn. 13 - 14th Street). The show is free at starts at 8PM.

Karen will be playing a 30 minute set which will include tunes from her forthcoming solo album (due out later this year) which she is recording with producer (and occasional Bugs' bassist) Mark Turrigiano.

Links:
Karen Rockower's MySpace Profile
Bugs in the Dark's MySpace Profile

Bugs In The Dark Play OJ All Day Festival Tomorrow Night at Brooklyn Lyceum

Tomorrow night is the kickoff of the third annual OJ All Day festival at the Brooklyn Lyceum. "The OJ All Day music festival is an annual event put on by Olive Juice Music, a D.I.Y. label, studio, and online distributor, based in New York City, interested in helping people who are in the developmental stages of trying to do something with their art."

There are a lot of great bands playing the festival, including art punk Bugs in the Dark (who are scheduled to play at 9PM on Friday). Tickets for the two-day festival are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

Here is the complete schedule of events:

June 19th: Formal Friday
OJ All Day's Friday night kick-off is a black-tie affair for performers and audience members. Of course 'formal' is up to the discretion of the wearer, and is sure to be treated with innovative style from this musical community.

Main Stage
7:00 pm - Kansas State Flower
8:00 pm - The Woes
9:00 pm - Wooden Ghost
10:00 pm - Bugs in the Dark
11:00 pm - Ching Chong Song
12:00 am - Shilpa Ray And Her Happy Hookers

2nd Stage
7:30 pm - Brook Pridemore
8:00 pm - Dan Costello
8:30 pm - Herb Scher and the Key Lime Pie Revue
9:30 pm - Randi Russo
10:30 pm - Barry Bliss
11:30 pm - Purple Organ

JUNE 20th
The festival wraps up with an all-night dance party featuring DJ Black Helmet

Main Stage
2:00 pm - Kung Fu Crimewave
3:00 pm - Lady Bright
4:00 pm - Elastic No No Band
5:00 pm - Sprinkle Genies
6:00 pm - Huggabroomstik
7:00 pm - Urban Barnyard
8:00 pm - Peggy Sue
9:00 pm - The New York Howl
10:00 pm - Dufus
11:00 pm - The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
12:00 am - Schwervon!

2nd Stage
2:30 pm - Elizabeth Devlin
3:00 pm - Thomas Patrick Maguire
3:30 pm - The Best
4:00 pm - Steve Espinola
4:30 pm - Liv Carrow
5:00 pm - Pablo Das
5:30 pm - Susan Hwang
6:30 pm - Lisa Lilund
7:30 pm - Prewar Yardsale
8:30 pm - The Wowz
9:30 pm - Toby Goodshank
10:30 pm - The Babyskins
11:30 pm - Dave End
12:30 am - Jackie Bruce
1:30 am - Mango Glaze

Links:
OJ All Day Festival Website

Bugs in the Dark Play The Cake Shop Thursday Night, Feb. 19th (Art Punk)

It has been too long since I've seen Bugs in the Dark (who are one of my favorite local bands) play live. I seem to be out of town every time that the band plays and tomorrow's show is no exception.

I'm hoping to catch the band live soon as I'm interested to hear how their sound has evolved now that guitarists Karen and Zach have added a bass player and are playing with a new drummer. Long-time drummer Julia Lomax relocated to the West Coast last year so Zeph Courtney is now behind the drum kit and bassist, Mark Turrigiano, will be playing with the band tomorrow night.

On the bill with Bugs in the Dark are Radical Dads (which includes Robbie from CYHSY) and Cinemasophia (who have a new disc, Fits & Cycles, coming out in April).

Tickets are $7.00 and the Radical Dads start things off at 8:30PM

Bugs in the Dark - "New Words"


Links:
Bugs in the Dark's MySpace Profile

Bugs In The Dark Play Public Assembly Tomorrow Night, Jan. 15th

Bugs in the Dark recently placed #5 in The Deli Magazine's Best of 2008 Reader's Poll and the band puts on a phenomenal live show. The band is playing a show tomorrow night at Public Assembly in Williamsburg with Djinn Toys, My Other Friend and Neon God.

Here is what The Deli Magazine had to say about the band: "Bugs in the Dark is a 2 girl / 1 guy dual-vocal art rock trio out of Brooklyn, NYC, inspired by bands like Sonic Youth, The Pixies, Sleater Kinney and Blonde Redhead. The placed 5th in our Best of 2008 Readers' Poll, missing the nomination boat for just a handful of votes. They gathered praise from sources as varied as Impose, L Magazine, Indie Sounds NY and (of course) The Deli. Check out their out of control live show at Public Assembly on 01.15."

Tickets for tomorrow's show are $8.00 and Bugs in the Dark goes on at 10:30PM.

Links:
Bugs in the Dark's MySpace Profile

Bugs In The Dark Play The Delancey Tomorrow Night (Dec. 13th)

Art-punks, Bugs in the Dark are headlining a show tomorrow night at The Delancey. Bugs have been playing shows in support of their full-length debut CD, Grand Avenue, which was released earlier this year.

In a recent review, Impose Magazine said "Bugs in the Dark can do what all those post-punk revivalists did five years ago by prettying up the raw material of their era of choice, which for these guys is early 90s alternative/noise."

Tickets for tomorrow night's show are $7 and the band takes the stage at 11:30PM.

Check out Bugs in the Dark's latest video, "Paranoia", (from Grand Avenue).


Bugs In the Dark - Paranoia from Alex Terrazas on Vimeo.

Links:
Bugs In The Dark's MySpace Profile

Bugs In The Dark Host Video Screening Party Tonight at Floyd NY (Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn)

Bugs In The Dark are hosting a video screening party tonight at Floyd NY (131 Atlantic Avenue) for their latest video "Paranoia".

"Paranoia" comes off of Bugs In The Dark's Grand Avenue CD which was released earlier this year and the video was directed by Alex Terrazas. There is no cover charge tonight and cheap drink specials. The video is showing every hour on the hour, from 9PM to 2AM.

Links:
Bugs In The Dark's Website

Bugs in the Dark - Grand Avenue CD Review (Next show at Lit Lounge on Nov. 7th)

"Having a little fun is the secret to life" - Karen Rockower (Bugs in the Dark)

Brooklyn's Bugs in the Dark released their first full-length, Grand Avenue, earlier this year and I'm completely convinced that the band is going to break big next year.

Grand Avenue is a major step forward for the band as their songwriting has evolved from the Pylon/Hole-ish punk of their debut EP (Shake Shake) to something closer to X meets Sonic Youth.

The band clearly haven't given up their punk roots but there is more of a sense of melody and structure across this disc's six tracks. This time around, Karen Rockower sings of the four cuts and Zach Glass sings two. Karen's strong vocal performance ranges from the punky "Paranoia" to the Sleater-Kinneyish "Aaron". Zach's singing is a real treat as his voice sounds almost like a gothic John Doe (from X). Drummer, Julia Lomax keeps things moving with some great percussion work. Julia's drumming gives songs like "Gasoline" an almost tribal/Cramps-like feel and she mixes things up across the disc with shakers, tamborines, etc.

The new disc is available through the band's MySpace page (link below) and Bugs in the Dark are playing Lit Lounge on November 7th and The Delancey on December 13th.

Links:
Bugs in the Dark's MySpace Profile

Bugs In the Dark Are Playing Lit Lounge Next Thursday, Sept. 25th

Brooklyn's Bugs In The Dark are playing the Lit Lounge next Thursday (Sept. 25th) night.

There are a couple bands from the area that I expect to break big next year and Bugs In The Dark are on the top of this list. The band released their fabulous debut full-length disc earlier this year, Grand Avenue, and their live shows continue to get great reviews (link, link).

For anyone who hasn't heard the band...Bugs In the Dark have a sound that is sort of an amalgamation of Pylon, Sonic Youth and Hole. Check out "Gasoline", which is the first video from the new CD.



Next Thursday, Bugs In the Dark are playing at 10:30PM and tickets are $6.00.

Links:
Bugs In the Dark's MySpace Profile

Karen Rockower (guitar/vox from Bugs in the Dark) Plays Solo Show at Trash Bar

Karen Rockower is playing a solo set next Wednesday (July 23rd) at Trash Bar in Brooklyn. Karen has been debuting new material at her recent solo shows and Wednesday's show will be the premier of the song "Dog".

Cover is $6 and Quiet Loudly and Werewolves are also on the bill.

Links:
The Trash Bar
Karen Rockower's Website
Bugs in the Dark's Website

Bugs in the Dark Release First Video, "Gasoline", from forthcoming CD

Brooklyn's Bugs in the Dark just released the first video from their forthcoming CD "Grand Avenue". This is a great video and I have been really getting into the tracks that I have heard from this upcoming release. Check out Bug's MySpace page (link below) to hear Ave. M.



Bugs in the Dark's CD release show is at Fontana's on May 31st and tickets are $7.00.

Links:
Bugs in the Dark's MySpace profile

Bugs in the Dark Announce CD Release Party at Fontana's on May 31st

Now that we are almost midway through the year - it is time for my 2008 predictions. Bugs in the Dark is one of the bands that I am expecting to break big this year.

The band recently completed their first full length CD, "Grand Avenue", and they are throwing a CD release party at Fontana's on May 31st. The band released an fabulous EP last year so I have high expectations for their full-length. There are two tracks ("Ave M" and "Gasoline") from the forthcoming release streaming on Bug in the Dark's MySpace page. Based on these two tracks, the band's sound has gotten fuller and these tracks are kin to the raw sounds of early Sonic Youth.

"Cancel everything and go see their next show." - Indie Sounds NY, Pete Harris

Fontana's is located at 105 Eldridge St. (between Grand and Broome) and cover is $7.00.