Just got back from a weekend in New York, primarily for two nights’ worth of sold out shows at North Six in Brooklyn.

Saturday night was The Fucking Champs, Rye Coalition, and Drunk Horse, the denser of the two shows in terms of quality. The Fucking Champs were excellent as usual, Rye Coalition was significantly more entertaining than the last time I saw them (insane energy, plus the singer put on some weight and has a kind of John Belushi thing going on that really works for him), and Drunk Horse, who I hadn’t heard of before, rocked my face off.

There were five bands on the bill Sunday night, including Lightning Bolt, Deerhoof, Wolf Eyes, Thurston Moore with Carlos Giffoni, and 5ive (not the British boy band). The incomparable Lightning Bolt was the highlight of the show, opting to do their set on the floor on the right side of the club instead of the stage, actually cutting off the final song of Deerhoof’s set. Rock. Deerhoof was the only other band that really grabbed me, partly because of the singer’s vague resemblance to my friend Kim, and mostly because of their performance: song structures would slowly and suspensefully unravel to the point of totally falling apart, at which point it would snap back together into a distorted sort of indie-pop thing. That doesn’t quite sum it up, but whatever.

I’m looking forward to seeing Lightning Bolt again next month in Philly with the reunited Rorschach, The Locust, Arab on Radar, Wolf Eyes, and Orthrelm, even if I’m not looking forward to how insanely crowded, hot and uncomfortable that show is certainly destined to be.