This post is a bit past its prime, since the show happened on Friday. Still, the evening is worth recounting. It was an electric night in Williamsburg; people seemed to be spilling out of every bar and restaurant, enjoying the nice weather. Monster Island basement was no exception, though the crowded venue seemed more like a place where people were just hanging out, rather than watching bands. I arrived just in time for Girls At Dawn. As I predicted, my enjoyment of them was directly correlated to their bad-assness. Which was unfortunately nill. The songs have some merit, but it felt like they were doing an imitation of a punk band, rather than actually being one. The simple parts that might have held some charm were played sloppily and with absolutely no enthusiasm. A letdown for what I thought might have been a pleasant surprise.
Thomas Function from Alabama played next. A rip-roaring threesome, they have absolutely no pretensions and put their all into the songs, which are especially well-propelled by smart, catchy bass lines. They sound like everyone else these days, but I like their songs and their stage presence just a little more than almost everyone. I know I talk a lot about how much I like all these tiny Southern garage rock bands, but these guys are the tops. I have no idea how this band totally escaped my radar before.
Now that I’ve gone on and talked about how I say I like garage bands too much, I have to continue on and praise Harlem. They’re just on a whole different level, though. These guys are pros. They relentlessly make fun of each other and of the audience, which is particularly refreshing, especially since they reward their listeners by playing hard above all. They’re scuzzy characters making music. As I said above, they’re doing what everyone else is doing, but they have a combination of personalities, presence, and chops that make them special. In this case, though, everyone already knows. Also, I’m pretty sure that Harlem is a quietly queer-positive band, something you don’t see a lot, and something I also can’t find any info about anywhere else. Sort of indicative, I think. But anyways, it’s nice to see bands that are pretty open about sexuality without throwing it in your face or using it as a gimmick. Just real positive vibes all around. Check out their new album, Hippies, if you haven’t yet. Some dark photos below, and a second Thomas Function song.
Girls At Dawn:
Thomas Function:
Harlem:
