Suuns Coming To Mercury Lounge And Rock Shop In January

Suuns at Bowery Ballroom, from the HAD Archive

We made no secret of our love for Suuns set when they opened for Land Of Talk at Bowery last fall. So, then, it should come as no surprise that we were stoked to learn that they'll be back in town at the end of January: The band plays The Rock Shop on January 25th and Mercury Lounge on January 27th.

To see the band in these smaller rooms will unquestionably be a treat, and judging by the high crowd enthusiasm at their set at Bowery, we're guessing it may be your last chance to catch them this up close and personal. What's more, the show is part of a set of east coast dates just before Suuns head to Europe for the month of February. We highly recommend you get your dose of their killer live show while they're still stateside.

Suuns East Coast Dates Winter 2010
JAN 20 Quebec, CA Quebec City, Qc, CANADA
JAN 23 Higher Ground South Burlington, Vermont, US
JAN 25 The Rock Shop Brooklyn, NY
JAN 26 Shea Stadium New York, NY 11206
JAN 27 Mercury Lounge New York, NY
JAN 28 Funk N Waffles Syracuse, New York , US
JAN 29 Lee's Palace W/The Besnard Lakes Toronto, ON, CANADA

mp3: Suuns - Gaze

Sea of Bees and Matt Bauer Played Rock Shop - Pictures, Review

Last week we stopped in at the recently-opened Rock Shop, and caught a show from two artists both firmly rooted in the singer-songwriter tradition. Sea Of Bees, the brainchild of Julie Ann Bee, was operating in solo mode, while Brooklyn local Matt Bauer made an appearance with his full band and more. The show was a poignant glimpse into the artists' worlds, and both delivered sets that underscored their recorded work to a T.

Sea of Bees started off the night, and as mentioned, was firmly in solo mode. Julie Ann Bee played a set that definitely emphasized her distinctive vocals and, with solo arrangements, took on a simpler quality that exposed both the lyrics and the melody as the two pronged heart of her unique songwriting.

Interestingly, Bee's stoic songwriting was underscored by her playful demeanor and banter onstage. Unafraid to discuss neither the songs nor their content, Bee offered up a stage presence that was at once playful, honest, and completely endearing.

Bee was followed by Matt Bauer, who took to the stage with a formidable lineup of guitar, upright bass, clarinet, and Bauer's own banjo. The combination was undeniably unusual, and curiously made for a very natural and well hewn sound that perfectly supported Bauer's bassy vocal timbre.

Part of what held our attention with the band was their undeniable chemistry. We later learned that the guitarist and bassist are brothers, which perhaps explains part of it. But even more than simple sibling bonds, the entire band managed to have a synchronized approach to their playing that held the set together brilliantly.

Towards the end of the set Jolie Holland joined Bauer on stage, and the two sang a newly composed duet. After hearing Bauer and his band for the beginning of the set, Holland offered up a nice variation. Moreover, it was clear that she and Bauer have worked together extensively, and their vocal interplay was clearly well practiced.

At the end of the night, we were happy to have caught two amazing sets from two amazing songwriters. Yes, there are a million folks out there trying to get their tunes out in the world, and sometimes it can be tough to wade through. But in our opinion, these are two that are more than worth your time.