Brooklyn 2/8-4/8
Day three of tour and we’ve thus far had the pleasure of hanging out in Brooklyn. I’ve never really strolled much further than Bedford Street whenever we’ve been her, but it’s a pretty cool area, with enough record stores and vegan food to satiate me.
We arrived Sunday night after a routine flight and baggage collection, etc, and raced from Newark to Brooklyn in time to get into the No Deachunter tour show show that I mentioned briefly the other day. This was immensely fun and may have ruined every other gig I ever go to see. A show where the roundrobin nature means before you have time to get bored of the band (not that I likely would have with these three) another starts playing is pretty much perfect for my aching bones and impatient eyes. The whole spectacle was great. Deacon working and manipulating the crowd as effectively as ever and 7 member versions of Deerhunter’s Cryptograms and No Age’s Boy Void were particular highlights. Also it was a lot of fun spotting the most ridiculous hipsters. Good ol’ Brooklyn.
One of my favourite things about Brooklyn is Vinnie’s Pizza. Every slice they have on the menu, they have a vegan version of, and the staff are the friendliest you’re likely to meet. Some dude yesterday was wearing awesome Heartbreak Kid t-shirt too. I shouldn’t speak of food too much though. Don’t want to go treading on Ollie’s toes.
Last night we played a show at Union Pool. It was announced late afternoon on Brooklyn Vegan and primarily designed to ensure our first gig of the tour wasn’t at Webster Hall to the biigest club crowd of the tour. Here’s something I hate; the concept of a ‘Secret Show’. Couple of days ago I read a news piece on some website that said about a “Secret Show” Health are playing to raffle winners in London in about THREE WEEKS TIME. Srsly, where is the element of secrecy here? It sounds exciting I know, but it’s just a show, k?
Anyway, it was really cool. The tiny gigs are usually the most fun to play. Also, as I mentioned, I often have a feeling of guilt that people choose to spend an evening in our company, and I don’t want to disappoint them. Didn’t have that feeling today, because the show was only announced at 4pm the same day, or something, so if it wasn’t for us, they’d probably not have been doing anything else. I hope they were grateful. We played well, new songs didn’t get fucked up and the audience was lovely and receptive. Perfect.
Was also great to see Girls again. This is going to be a fun tour.
This morning we were wandering through Brooklyn and bumped into our pals and labelmates, Lovvers. Always a pleasure.
AND, we have a new t-shirt design for this tour, designed by our dear friend Sparky Deathcap.
Ohhh that’s a super nice tee. I, too, give it two thumbs up.
Are those shirts available on the web or elsewhere for those of us who can’t make any of the tour shows? (The Sparky Deathcap link wasn’t working for me…) Have fun!
Is she talking to a jellyfish? Very nice design anyway, even if I can’t quite work out what it is.
great shirt!
im totally getting onee
cant wait to see you guys
… 9 days to go
it was so awesome to see you guys at the round robin show, drink, and talk about the crying of lot 49, zola jesus, and the orphan. so excited for tonight. any clue on set times?
Aw man, I am so incredibly bummed that I won’t get to see you guys play tonight in New York.
What’s worse was that I was going to go to the No Deachunter show but decided not to because of the rain.
But please play Philly one last time before Aleks leaves the band, I’m sure it’d mean a lot to a lot of people.
The shirt looks awesome! Is it a dripping… sideways… eyeball? The confusion only makes it awesomer.
It seems to me that the lovely lady on the t-shirt is pulling teeth from a shark.
Anyway – does the t-shirt design have any relation to the new album artwork? Can’t wait to see you guys in Texas! The gig at Emo’s in Austin should be a smaller one – it’s a great venue but doesn’t hold a ton of people. You should love it!
it’s a man hurting a squid isn’t it?
i think for yr october tours in the UKAY you should get sparky deathcap to design more confusing t-shirts
It’s Bobby Moore raising the World Cup, if Bobby Moore was a woman and the World Cup was a fish. At least in my eyes.
I thought it was Jesus, personally. Any chance of getting one sent back to Blighty? Will pay in money, cash or other favours.
Ollie,
By the looks of your picture with Lovvers were on Manhattan Ave in Greenpoint right by Peter Pan Donut and Pastry Shop (one of the places I recommended you to review as a food critic)…did you by chance get to try a donut?
Just wondering.
You guys were amazing at Union Pool the other night!
Cheers,
Ohh that shirt is lovely and I want one lots.
I was a walking billboard for your band yesterday in my new, amazing LC! t-shirt. I passed a girl who said she had heard amazing things about the band, and took seeing me as a sign that she must watch your set tomorrow, at the festival. I agreed. I feel fortunate to see your band 3 times in a week (in venues of escalating size!). That Williamsburg show was special. Glad I made it.
P.S. In Chicago I recommend eating at the Chicago Diner on N. Halsted, take the red line train to Belmont. “meat free since ’83″ is their deal, and they do it well. Mexican, American, breakfast stuff, delicious looking cakes that I was too full to try.
Also, if you’re bored at night..the brew & view at the same stop is showing Ghostbusters and Drag Me To Hell for $5! Also serves cheap beer and pizza.