Northside Festival announces 2017 dates (badges on sale)

Northside kicked off with a free show in McCarren Park with two Canadian bands who were both back after half a decade away: Wolf Parade and Land of Talk.

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

Land of Talk's current lineup includes Jace and Olga of Besnard Lakes. Despite some technical (and wind) difficulties), they were terrific.

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

Land of Talk in McCarren Park in 2016 (more by Maryanne Ventrice)

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

" There’s nothing like a good outdoor show in perfect weather, and while seeing a band like Wolf Parade in an intimate environment like Bowery Ballroom is always cool, it was nice to be able to stretch out and watch Wolf Parade do the same. They certainly played to the larger stage and the larger crowd, looking and sounding like total rock stars." (Read our full review)

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

Wolf Parade at McCarren Park in 2016 (more by Maryanne Ventrice)

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

A few blocks away from McCarren Park is House of Vans which hosts free shows all summer. Their Northside show on Thursday had DIIV, BADBADNOTGOOD, and Sunflower Bean.

photo by Mimi Hong

At Union Pool on Thursday night was the Cascine/Carpark showcase. TEEN, who released the terrific 'Love Yes' earlier this year, were tight and groovy, nailing the LP's ethereal harmonies.

New Zealand's Yumi Zouma were the "Special Guest" headliners at the Cascine showcase at Union Pool.

Steve Gunn @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Thursday)

Steve Gunn, whose new album 'Eyes on the Lines' is fresh out on Matador, laid down serious guitar chops (and excellent indie rock summer jams) at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Meanwhile, over at Baby's All Right, UK post-punks Eagulls combined sneer with atmospherics.

photo by Mimi Hong

For fans of arty garage-punk, Union Pool was the place to be on Saturday night for the Monofonus Press showcase. Chicago's Running know the phrase "noise annoys" all too well...in a good way.

Brooklyn's Beech Creeps could be described as the rock n roll equivalent of tantric gutter sex. (Or what we imagine that to be.) Lots of build up, very little release, but down-and-dirty awesome.

This show at Palisades, featuring The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, as well as Two Inch Astronaut, For Everest and Blue Crime, was the last at Palisades before cops shut the DIY venue down late Friday night.

Shapeshifting R&B singer D∆WN (aka Dawn Richard) had the crowd bumping at this post-midnight show at Rough Trade. It was quite the spectacle, with a light show, projections and two dancers (one of whom tumbled off stage, but got right back up, barely missing a step).

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

Dawn Richard at Rough Trade (more by Maryanne Ventrice)

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

photo by P Squared

Colleen Green's sold-out late night show (which also featured Childbirth) had her performing on the floor surrounded by the crowd at Baby's All Right.

photo by P Squared

SAVAK, which features members of Obits, Nation of Ulysses and more, headlined the Unblinking Ear showcase at Union Pool on Saturday afternoon. Their set was extra skronky thanks to some guest sax.

Saturday and Sunday, part of Bedford Ave was closed to auto traffic for Williamsburg Walks, which featured games, grass and free live performances.

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

Saturday's McCarren Park show featured sets by Kacey Musgraves, Conor Oberst and The Felice Brothers (who also served as Conor's backing band). A brief sprinkle didn't dampen anyone's spirits.

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

Kacey Musgraves at McCarren Park in 2016 (more by Maryanne Ventrice)

photo by Maryanne Ventrice

JEFF the Brotherhood at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Nashville's filial duo JEFF the Brotherhood brings out goodhearted rebel raucousness with their beer-forward riffy party jams.

photo by Patrick Tabb

JEFF's Jake Orall

photo by Patrick Tabb

Jamin Orall and friend

photo by Patrick Tabb

Yowler at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY

Yowler is the very good bare-bones solo project of Maryn Jones (All Dogs, Saintseneca, etc). Her performance at National Sawdust charmed the crowd, some of whom demanded her to play all night.

Photo by Greg Cristman

Yowler at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY

Photo by Greg Cristman

Yowler at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY

Photo by Greg Cristman

Grouper at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY

It had been two years since Grouper (Liz Harris) has had a show in NYC. We got two in one night at National Sawdust on Saturday, with Liz playing dissing on the floor, her various machines around her, and projections being almost the only lighting.

Photo by Greg Cristman

Grouper at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY

Photo by Greg Cristman

Grouper at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY

Photo by Greg Cristman

Grouper at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY

Photo by Greg Cristman

Grouper at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY

Photo by Greg Cristman

Grouper at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY

Photo by Greg Cristman

Grouper at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY

Photo by Greg Cristman

Pittsburgh band The Gotobeds played twice on Saturday, first as "special guests" at the Unblinking Ear showcase, and then a post-midnight set at Knitting Factory. Sarcasm, cockiness and catchy shouted choruses abound. They also have beer coozies.

Saturday night Rough Trade hosted a special show where acts covered full albums. Frankie Cosmos did Liz Phair's 'Exile in Guyville,' Ava Luna took on Serge Gainsbourg’s pervy concept album Histoire de Melody Nelson, and Deradoorian and her band cranked out a pretty faithful, heavy version of Black Sabbath's 'Masters of Reality .'

photo by P Squared

Atlanta trio OMNI made their NYC debut on Sunday at the Lyft Stage which was on Bedford Ave. Perhaps a odd place to introduce your twitchy Postcard post-punk, but where else would you get a toddler wanting to come up and talk to you after the show?

Brian Wilson, Rostam and HINDS at McCarren Park

Northside wrapped up on Sunday with one of the weekend's most anticipated shows: Brian Wilson performing 'Pet Sounds' in McCarren Park with opening sets from Spanish band Hinds and Rostam (of Vampire Weekend).

photos by P Squared

The line to get in for Brian Wilson was LONG and SLOW but the weather was nice.

photos by P Squared