A beer tradition that has been going on in Williamsburg for many years is happening again this weekend.  March 6th & 7th welcomes the annual Split Thy Skull strong ale festival back to Mugs Ale House.

Mugs Ale House is a long running beer establishment, and an establishment that champions craft beer.  If you want a good brew,  great bar food, an incredible draft selection, and some of the most reasonable prices in town this is where you want to be.

With that said you can find the full list of beers for Split Thy Skull 2010 here, but I’m going to give you my personal picks by style too. Please note that each day has a different tap list (yes, I know that sounds crazy…but it’s true).

Saturday March 6th:

• Brown Ale
  • Goose Island Brown Goose 9%
• Double IPA
  • Two Brothers Hop Juice 9.9%
• Dark Belgian Ale
  • Sixpoint Express 2008  11.3%
• Barley Wine
  • Nogne O #100 Barleywine 10.0%
• Belgian Pale Ale
  • St. Somewhere Lectio Divina  8.00%
• My number one recommendations is….
  • Cask Ale// Barley Wine double fermented with Champagne yeast
    • Otter Creek Quercus Vitis Humulus
      • If you go you must try this.  Like nothing else.

Sunday March 7th:

• Barley Wine Cask:
  • Heavy Seas Below Decks
• Double IPA
  • Greenflash Palate Wrecker 9.0%
• Old Ale
  • Kuhnenns 4th Dementia 9.5%
    • these beers don’t make it here that often, and everything I’ve had has been amazing.
• Imperial Stout
  • Heavy Seas Siren Noire  8.0%
• Dark Belgian Style Ale
  • 21st Amendment Monks Blood  8.3%
• Intergalactic Oak Aged Stout (self proclaimed)
  • Brewdog Tokyo 18.2%
• Aged Barley Wine
  • Sierra Bigfoot 2005  9.6%
    • fucking classic.

Check out the full tap list here!

Those are my short lists…and I won’t even get to try all of those…and there are so many that I’ve never even had.  This is a beer event not to be missed.  Get to Mugs, grab a table, order a beer, and chow down on some good and cheap bar food.

If you can’t make it this weekend stop in next week…you will get the dregs of the fest, but when we are talking about strong ales that isn’t bad at all…I plan on doing that myself.

• More What Ales You can be found here.
• More on Mugs Ale House can be found here.

Cloud Nothings are coming back to New York shortly after the release of Turning On, and this time it is to play with Alex Bleeker and the Freaks (and Beach Fossiles).  I’ve listen to Turning On more times than I can count on my headphones since I got it at the beginning of December (see my post on Turning On here), and I’m ready to see what it sounds like live.  Cloud Nothings’ Turning On is almost sold out at Bridgetown records, and Speaker Tree Records, out of Lynchberg, Virginia is planning to release it on LP toward the end of February (with an extra track).

Breakfast of Champs have posted a newish mp3 from Cloud Nothings that will be on their forthcoming compilation:

[mp3] Cloud Nothings- “Crying Underwater”
(eventually it will be available here)

On top of Cloud Nothings….Alex Bleeker is playing too…

When I got to see Alex Bleeker play with Mountain Man back in December (actually the same weekend I got the Cloud Nothings CD) it was a truly surreal event. Alex Bleeker played a beautiful set, and his only backing musicians were the women from Mountain Man. The crowd was the most respectful I’ve ever seen in New York, and let the quietness and intimacy of the Lutheran Church of the Messiah, as well as the music itself, shine. As wonderful of an experience as that was I’m looking forward to seeing him backed by the Freaks.  But we do have this mp3 to remember that event by, thanks to Chocolate Bobka:

[mp3] Alex Bleeker w/ Molly Sarle of Mountain Man- “Oh, Boy (Girls cover)”
recorded live at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah. via Chocolate Bobka.

Saturday should be fun…you should be there:

Presented by Chocolate Bobka & Group Tightener:
This Saturday, January 16th
Beach Fossils.
Alex Bleeker & the Freaks.
Cloud Nothings.
Nude Beach.
at Monster Island Basement.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Links:

• Buy Cloud Nothings’ Turning On from Bridgetown Records here.
• more on Cloud Nothings here.
• more on Alex Bleeker and the Freaks here.
• Buy the Alex Bleeker & The Freaks LP from Underwater Peoples here.
• more on Group Tightener Records here.

My first show of Twenty Ten will be tonight, and as far as I’m concerned it couldn’t be any better than Julian Lynch.  Julian Lynch made one of my favorite records of 2009 (my lists are still to come), and he will be contributing his own best of list to the Great Pumpkin later this week! I also hope to shoot a little video at the show tonight as well…we will see.

If you can make it this should be a really good show(oh and it’s FREE!), honestly it would be a really good show if Julian was the only one playing…but I’m pretty excited to see Big Troubles as well.

I’ve been digging on the Julian Lynch tracks that Friendship Bracelet posted a while back from the Birthday CDr on Buffalo Songs, and I thought I would share one here with you now.  Just as dreamy as Orange You Glad, but with some found tapes and loops added in…initially reminded me of the backwards speak in Twin Peaks.

[mp3] Julian Lynch- “dubna”

If you missed it a while back I posted Big Troubles “Freudian Slips,” and here it is again:

[mp3] Big Troubles- “Freuduian Slips”

Here is to hoping that all of Big Troubles’ songs are this wonderful.

See you at Bruar Falls tonight! Again this show is FREE!

Links:

• more on Julian Lynch here.
• more on Big Troubles here.
• this show is presented by PopJew
• Concert Poster by Courtney

So the GRE is finally over, and last night klk and I went to Mugs Ale House to have a couple drinks and celebrate.  Mugs annually has a Belgium Comes To Brooklyn Festival where they showcase many rare Belgian and Belgian style ales, and while we missed this event this time around there were still quite a few on tap, and at extremely reasonable prices.

Last night we drank a twenty ounce pint of Pretty Things Baby Tree Quad (8.7%abv, and only $7).  The Baby Tree  “benefits from the addition of 40lbs of dried California plums in the kettle – hopefully contributing to the overall dark-fruit character of the beer”.

We also had a Saint Somewhere Athene (also a twenty ounce pint, 7.5%abv, and only $7).  This one is brewed with chamomile, lemon zest, herbs, and bacterial sour yeast.  Sour and savory, and completely unique.

Avery’s Salavation is on tap and on sale for $3 for 16 ounces…this beer is 9%abv, and Avery Brewing Company’s excellent Belgian style triple.  They also had the extremely rare Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus on tap as well as many others.

If you get a chance to stop into Mugs today or tomorrow you will surely enjoy some excellent Belgians that are rarely seen for an extremely affordable price. Oh yeah, and for bar food…they have some of the best (and cheap too).

Links:

• More What Ales You can be found here.
• More on Avery Brewing can be found here.

This past Monday Dum Dum Girls played a show at Bruar Falls.  The show might have been last minute, or at the least not very publicized, but when I got there at a quarter after eleven the bar was packed.  Monday’s are typically a free show night at Bruar Falls, but no one seemed to have a problem paying five bucks to see one of Sub Pop’s newest acts.

I picked up the Yours Alone the 12″ EP that came out on Captured Tracks back in March, and have been pretty into that record.  The songs are solid, but I didnt’ really know how it would transfer to a full band format.  In July the Dum Dum’s played with Dee Dee fronting the band, and Mike Sniper, Brandon Welchez of Crocodiles (her husband), and Frankie Rose, but this show at Bruar Falls showed the Dum Dum Girls new line up…Frankie Rose is still on drums, but they are joined by Jules and Bambi.

The four ladies on stage were dressed to impress, and their music did the same thing.  The fuzzy lo-fi sound that I was expecting totally fell away, and the Dum Dum Girls brought loud,  slightly gothy, rock and roll to the audience.  The vocals and the guitars were crisp…it was perfectly wonderful.  For a band that has only played like 10 shows (or any band for that matter) these ladies totally have it together, and I was completely impressed.  I can’t wait to hear the full length that is slated for Sub Pop…it should be a great record.

The ladies played for just under45 minutes, and a couple of the songs were from records that I have heard, but the majority were new to me.  I captured a couple of them on video to share with you…if you happen to know the name of the last song…please let me know…as far as I know it is unreleased.

Dum Dum Girls- “Don’t Talk To Me” (G.G. Allin cover)

Dum Dum Girls- “Bang Bang”

Dum Dum Girls- “Jail La La”

[mp3] Dum Dum Girls- “Jail La La”

Dum Dum Girls- “untitled” (possibly unreleased)

See Dum Dum Girls live:

• 10/30/09- New York, New York @ Bowery Ballroom w/ King Khan & BBQ Show
• 10/31/09- Brooklyn, NY @ The Bell House w/ King Khan & BBQ Show
• 11/1/09 Philadelphia @ First Unitarian Church w/ King Khan & BBQ Show
• 11/12/09- Sonoma Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern w/ The Raveonettes & Crocodiles
• 11/27/09- San Diego, CA—> Art Fag Fest w/ No Age, Crocodiles, Best Coast, Ganglians, & Pearl Harbor (all ages)
• 11/28/09- LA, CA @ Spaceland

Links:

• more on Dum Dum Girls here.
• buy releases by Dum Dum Girls (and Dee Dee’s other band Mayfair Set) here.
• more on Captured Tracks here.

New York City tomorrow is your only chance on this tour to catch the always wonderful, extremely talented Karl Blau.

This tour is coming just after the release of his new African influenced album titled Zebra (but you can actually say that all of his music is African influenced).

If you haven’t heard the second single (I’ve already posted it once) “Dark Sedan” listen to it now:

[mp3] Karl Blau- “Dark Sedan” (Buy Zebra here!)

This song is definitely in my list of best songs of 2009, and on top of that…  Karl Blau has released one (or more) of my favorite records in both 2007 (Dance Positive), 2008 (Nature’s Got Away and AM), and it looks like he has at least two (Zebra and Baby Nettles), if not three (I think there is one more that I need to get my hands on), that will be in my year end lists this year.

Karl Blau has been nice enough to post some tracks for free download on his wonderful Kelp Lunacy, and during my listening I came across some real gems.

First up is “Too Thirsty to Drink Water,” and it is what I what I consider a signature Blau solo live song…guitar, vocals, minimal drum beats, and of course loops….but ends with a worldly sounding drone.  I’ve been listening to this track all morning and it has been so sweet to my ears…gearing up for the awesomeness that will be tomorrow!

[mp3] Karl Blua- “Too Thirsty to Drink Water”

Off of Grease and Bread, buy it here.

This next track… as a pretty well listened fan of Blau’s I can honestly say that I would have a hard time confirming that this was Blau if he didn’t attach his name to the track.  This has happened before, but this one is by far the most unusual coming to date. This very well might be a traditional song, but I wasn’t able to find very much information on it…on that note it comes from  If I Knew Zen What I Know Now which Blau says ” is a collection of would-be pop songs: that is would-be if they were sung in English. There’s a song in Hebrew, and a few in made-up languages and even some deutsch gesprechen–also English and several instrumentals.”  Thanks Karl for giving me some back ground on it.  With that said:

[mp3] Karl Blau- “My Name, My Name”

as I said, this track appears on If I Knew Zen What I Know Now.  Buy it here!

I posted this next track a my previous post about Karl, but just discovered this amazing video!

Karl Blau- “Song For Kevin”

Karl Blau is on tour right now, with fellow K Records stars LAKE! If you didn’t know Karl Blau produced the most recent LAKE album too.  Karl mentioned during his shows in New York back in May that he was working on a full band format…I wonder if that is happening on this tour?  Maybe LAKE will help out…lots of possibilities!  Here are the dates:

• Tonight! Oct 28, 2009 – Bennington, Vermont @ Bennington Collegew/ LAKE
• Tomorrow! Oct 29, 2009 – Brooklyn, New York @ Ash’s Place – 234 Wythe St – w/ LAKE, White Diamonds, and Alex Bleeker and the Freaks!
  • I can’t say it enough…this is not to be missed.
    
• Oct 30, 2009 – Haverford, Pennsylvania @ Lunt Basement – w/ LAKE
• Oct 31, 2009 – Hellertown, Pennsylvania @ Shorb’s Costume Extravaganza – w/ LAKE
• Nov 1, 2009 – Baltimore, Maryland @ The Windup Space – w/ LAKE
• Nov 3, 2009 – Richmond, Virginia @ The Camel – w/ LAKE
• Nov 4, 2009 – Greensboro, North Carolina @ Artistika – w/ LAKE
• Nov 5, 2009 – Lexington, Kentucky @ Al’s Bar – w/ LAKE
• Nov 6, 2009 – Knoxville, Tennessee @ The Pilot Light – w/ LAKE
• Nov 7, 2009 – Athens, Georgia @ Secret Squirrel – w/ LAKE
• Nov 8, 2009 – Tallahassee, Florida @ Club Down Under – w/ LAKE
• Nov 10, 2009 – Dallas, Texas @ Ocher House – w/ LAKE
• Nov 11, 2009 – Austin, Texas @ Emo’s Jr. – w/ LAKE
• Nov 12, 2009 – Lubbock, Texas @ Bash Riprocks – w/ LAKE
• Nov 13, 2009 – Albuquerque, New Mexico @ Burt’s Tiki Lounge – w/ LAKE
• Nov 14, 2009 – Phoenix, Arizona @ Trunk Space – w/ LAKE
• Nov 15, 2009 – Tucson, Arizona @ The Hangar Art Space – w/ LAKE
• Nov 17, 2009 – Los Angeles, California @ The Smell – w/ LAKE
• Nov 18, 2009 – Santa Barbara, California @ Biko Garage – w/ LAKE
• Nov 20, 2009 – San Luis Obispo, California @ SLO Art Center – w/ LAKE
• Nov 21, 2009 – Santa Cruz, California @ Resource Center for Non Violence – w/ LAKE
• Nov 22, 2009 – San Francisco, California @ The Hemlock Tavern – w/ LAKE
• Nov 23, 2009 – Arcata, California @ The Green House – w/ LAKE
• Nov 24, 2009 – Salem, Oregon @ Ike Box – w/ LAKE

Links:

• More Great Pumpkin posts on Karl Blau (mp3s, release info, videos, ect) click  here.
• Buy other Karl Blau releases directly from him here.
  • or if you have other shopping needs at insound.
• More on K Records here.
• Photo by Arrington De Dionyso

This week is CMJ, and while most people are going to things every hour of the day I’m being very selective (shows aren’t conducive to studying)… but one of those things that I will be attending is happening tonight!

Group Tightener Records is having their showcase at Monster Island!

If you don’t know Group Tightener yet…you probably soon will…they are about to release the first Best Coast 7″. Best Coast is the lo-fi pop act of Bethany Cosentino, and has been drawing a lot of attention lately.  Cosentino was formerly a member of Pocahaunted, and has now moved on to make music that is a little more condusive for the laying in the sun.  While I personally have been moving away from the fuzziness something about Best Coast draws me back.

On top of  Best Coast playing I have heard a lot about Highlife (and the one single that has been released is pretty awesome….see below…features Sleepy Doug Shaw of White Magic) as well… and if these two weren’t enough… Alex Bleeker, Fluffy Lumbers and Ducktails will also be performing… and if you have been following the Great Pumpkin this year you know how big of a fan of Ducktails I am.  Group Tightener and Todd P have put together a line up that can’t be beat.

If you are still on the fence about the show hopefully this will help convince you:

[mp3] Best Coast- “Something in the Way”

“Something in the Way” isn’t on the Group Tightener 7″, but you can order that here.

[mp3] Highlife- “F Kenya Rip” (via Transparent)

[mp3] Ducktails- “Pizza Time”

“Pizza Time” is on the out of print Beach Point Pleasant 7″,  but you should really just pick up all the Ducktails stuff here.

[mp3] Fluffy Lumbers- “Cruisers”

“Cruisers” is not on the Weird Hug 7″, but you can buy that here.

[mp3] Alex Bleeker and the Freaks- “Never Goin’ Back” (via Chocolate Bobka)

If you are looking for something to do before the Group Tightener showcase…you should check out Alphabar NYC…it’s a drinking club that meets every other Wednesday.  Tomorrow is Alphabar’s first time in Brooklyn, and I is for Iona.  Drink specials start at 8pm.  Click on the links for more info, and join the facebook group.

Hope to see you there…this should be a great Wednesday!

Links:

• more on Ducktails here.
• more on Alphabar NYC here.
• Buy Ducktails releases here.
• Buy the Best Coast 7″ here.
• Buy Fluffy Lumbers releases here.
• Group Tightener’s website.

UPDATE 10/22/09: Check out videos of Best Coast live from Monster Island here.

This weekend involved much more than pinball (Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, and the Edible Manhattan Fall Harvest Party), but we did manage to check out a couple more machines.

I had been reading about Satellite Lounge for a while, and heard that they had several machines… Satellite Lounge is a very short walk from Grand Street, and after finishing dinner at Caracas we headed over for a beer.  The sign outside the bar said “Good Vibes,” and that is something harder to deliver than one would expect…but that is exactly what Satellite Lounge is….Good Vibes.

As we walked up to the bar we could see five glowing pinball machines!  Typically I’m surprised to see a bar with two machines, but 5 is unheard of.  Four of the machines are newer machines produced by Stern (Batman, Simpsons, 24, and Lord Of the Rings), but they also had one machine made by Williams (Taxi). All of the machines were 50 cents a play, expect for Batman (75 cents per play, or 3 for $2).  All of the machines were pretty level, but the Lord of the Rings and 24 machines were a little on the steep side…not bad, but a little fast.

Beers were reasonably priced too…Lagunitas IPA for $5, and the bartender had good taste in music as well.  I will definitely be making the trip to Satellite whenever I have the urge for pinball…it is by far Brooklyn’s Best Pinball destination.

Saturday night we stopped in at the Levee on the way back from the Harvest Party.  The Levee isn’t my favorite bar, but they do have really reasonably priced beers (and good beers at that…$5 Dogfish 90 mins).  The Levee only has one machine, and that is the same Batman machine that Satellite Lounge had.

The Batman machine showed me how much two identical machines can differ.  The machine at the Levee was very steep (I can’t call this one level), and wobbly (the machine shook when you hit the flippers hard). The machine itself also did not work like the one at Satellite Lounge Machine either.

A little bit on the Batman machine itself…at Satellite Lounge this was our favorite machine.  Very unique playing field, and bonuses…the machine even rumbled (literally shook the whole machine) during some of the bonuses, but at The Levee this feature was broken.  The machine at the Levee is playable (although we did have problems with the ball getting suck), but not ideal.

For more (easier to read details..including addresses to these places) please click through to the North Brooklyn Pinball Directory.