Eric Davidson of the New Bomb Turks is hosting this Friday's showcase dubbed the Dilettante Ball at Magnetic Field during the CMJ week long fracas. Look for the choicest cuts of dancefloor-cooking platters to be spun between bands all night long by the insatiable DJs Bazooka Joe & XTine (aka The Thing With Two Heads), who are known around NYC for their testifyin' and houserockin' sets of raw goodness that's just too real to ignore. Starting off the night is the LA-based Fortune's Flesh, who evoke a strong spirit of the Gun Club -which should come as no surprise as they contain members of the recently disbanded Starvations, who were essentially cut from the same cloth. Fortune's Flesh deliver earthy and heartbroken textured layers of sound that will warm up the joint quite nicely this autumn evening, and if you start to feel the alcohol taking more of an effect than you'd anticipated, then you'll know the demons they're releasing are on your side tonight. Fans of the Deadly Snakes and Demon's Claws are sure to find a new favorite with these guys, so do yourself a favor and don't be late for their set. Next up are the Columbus, Ohio crew that go simply by Necropolis. Consisting of some of the people responsible for helping expose the local talent on their own label (Columbus Discount Records) such as Times New Viking, El Jesus de Magico, and Psychedelic Horseshit. Although they haven't quite got the same exposure for themselves just yet, with a bustling web of sound conjuring up the ergonomically incorrect sounds of Pere Ubu and otherworldly art-rock ensembles of the early 80s Ohio soundscape, I'm already starting to feel foolish for not hearing about them sooner. Creating a mid-fi noisy, yet tuneful racket like this may keep them somewhat obscure for the time being, but look for more unsettling hooks and drones from their direction to make some waves during this evening's cavalcade of musical variety. Next on the block are New York's straight-up rock'n roll pack of wolves that go by the name Visitors. Just three guys with all the recommended ingredients to have a pure fun time and none of the showboating, which should turn the Magnetic Field on it's ear and get the crowd even more in the mood for fun and debauchery.
Filling the last slot of the show tonight are the imminent pop darlings known around New York City as the Baby Shakes. With their hot looks and their impeccable harmonies, it's going to be very difficult to hide the enthusiasm they'll generate. Bending the heavenly vocal hooks of Nikki Corvette with the elusive sounds of the powerpop wunderkinds the Incredible Kidda Band, there's no doubt they'll have to fight off every guy in the house with a penchant for being seduced by way of rock'n roll. After getting beyond the surface of the Baby Shakes' adorable presentation, which some could easily describe as the pinnacle of female rock'n roll personified, you'll soon understand that they really do know their stuff. Proving they're not just some girls who walked off with their boyfriend's record collections, they have a boundless appeal that's hard to forget, especially with those torn fishnets, and their ability to write such great songs. Check out their debut single on Douchemaster and keep your eyes open for their follow-up single on Shit Sandwich next week, too. So come on out to the Magnetic Field Friday night, lose your mind and see what all the 'insider' CMJ folks are missing.
