Peep the quality Google Calendar technology below. Notice how we've color-coded each entry depending on type of booze. Yellow for free beer events. Green for hard alcohol sponsored events. Blue for a mixture of both, or an unspecified open bar. Red for BAL events that we squeezed in. Click on each entry to load more details like where the event is located, or how to RSVP. You can even subscribe to this calendar on your Android/iPhone and get alerts as you get wrecked. What less do you expect from BAL? Oh yeah, a beastly 4 band rock showcase (open bar from 8-9 PBR + well) Wednesday and a dubiously dicey 8 band loft party on Saturday. 

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We all know that CMJ is the most anarchic music festival in the world, but did you know that a majority of CMJ events are non-official and “off the books”? In the spirit of things, we decided to “cook the books” with a delicious smorgasbord of ear-tingling goodness. With 8 bands occupying two separate stages, this is our most ambitious, devious, and straight-up diciest show yet.

Straight out of Brooklyn’s favorite “artistic community” of Bushwick, BAL Presents: The Graveyard Smash, a mini music festival with all the rapport of a big fest, with none of its comforts, prestige, or celebrity. Instead of $4 waters, help yourself to an unlimited supply from the bathroom tap. Instead of the fresh air of an outdoor fest, breathe in the stale air of a dodgey, 100+ year old industrial loft. VIP bracelets? Everyone is VIP!

With so many bands spanning so many genres, there’s bound to be something for everyone. From the pop-deconstructing Idiot Glee, to visceral art-rockers Grandfather and raucous hardcore noisemakers Descender, our lineup is chock full of new sounds, up-and-coming talents, and animated sets.

Filling in the bill will be Brooklyn-based solo troubadour and loop machine master Idgy Dean, Shoegazers Sight Seeing, and experimental rockers Leonia. Get ready rock out, cocks out, in a massively fucked-up concert only BAL could have possibly dreamed of.

NEVERLANDS STAGE:
Grandfather: http://grandfathermusic.bandcamp.com/

Descender: http://descender.bandcamp.com/

Life Size Maps: http://lifesizemaps.bandcamp.com/

Leonia


BAL STAGE:
Idiot Glee: http://idiotglee.bandcamp.com/

Idgy Dean: http://idgydean.bandcamp.com/

Sight Seeing: http://sightseeing.bandcamp.com/

Gospels: http://facebook.com/gospelsnyc

L train to Jefferson Ave, hang a LEFT on Wykoff till you get to Flushing Ave.
Make a LEFT on Flushing Ave till you reach Stewart Ave, make a RIGHT
Take a LEFT onto Johnson Ave ½ block. There will be people outside to let you in.

BAL Presents: The Graveyard Smash
Live at The Neverland
538 Johnson Ave, Brooklyn
8:00 doors
$5 to get in
For help dial (646) 481-7032

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Four months ago, when we brought you the first BAL showcase at Northside Festival, we told you to come support us in our first attempt, and how important it would mean to us if you were there. Unfortunately, many of ya'll were bad friends and decided to sleep on it. You know who you are. Kids we grew up with, went to college with, drunkenly hooked up with... Thanks for coming through for us when we needed you the most.

As for the rest of you who came that night and left with ringing ears of festive merriment, we’re glad you got to see things our way. You know how we roll. We give you the full sensory package - great music, chill atmosphere, and this time around, free tater tots. That’s right, we’re doing our next CMJ Showcase at Trash Bar in Williamburg. Home of the $6 Jack and Back, elaborate neck tats, and of course free, on-demand, and pipingly delicious tater tots.

On Wednesday, October 19th, BAL presents an astonishingly focused and curiously compelling CMJ showcase featuring four caliber bands of our day: Boston’s expressive yet piercing noisemakers Pile, Brooklyn bulwarks Tidal Arms, the wistful and strident King Owl, and of course our boys Grandfather, who played with us at our previous Northside Show. All worth seeing on separate occasions; all together for one awesome night that defies the usual haphazard CMJ experience.

BAL Presents: The CMJ Showcase
Wednesday, October 19th
Trash Bar
Brooklyn NY
$5 at door

FEATURING

Pile: http://pile.bandcamp.com

Tidal Arms: http://tidalarms.bandcamp.com/

Grandfather: http://grandfathermusic.bandcamp.com/

King Owl: http://kingowl.com/

In our final set of videos from our BAL Northside Showcase, we look at one of the more genuinely intriguing bands that graced our stage: Dirty Dishes. Hailing from Boston, this 4-piece shoegaze troupe create an enveloping, yet finely developed sound that follows in the tradition of great 90’s bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, My Bloody Valentine, and Sonic Youth. Anchoring the group’s vast and widely encompassing influences, singer/Guitarist Jenny Tuite delivers dreamy vocals that embody the title of their first EP, In the Clouds.

Many thanks to all who helped out in this show, in particular Jon Silverman who handled post-production sound, Brian Butnick who provided additional photography, and Will Armstrong for his amazing light show that amazed us all. Don’t forget to check out our events during this year’s CMJ…more info to follow!

As you all know, BAL can shoot a diesel video, but did you know that we put on a mean concert as well? For proof, look no further than these sweet videos taken from our last BAL Showcase at Northside Festival. Fresh of their new EP Chibimoon, Grass is Green blew into New York from their Boston home to play an explosive, raucous, and sometimes quirky set reminiscent of old school Built to Spill and the now-defunct cult favorite Burning Airlines. We liked them so much in fact, we decided to book them again for our next show, co-hosted with Exploding in Sound, which takes place this Friday at Cameo Gallery. They play with three other deliciously deafening acts: our boys Grandfather, Pile (fresh off a new 7” released today), and Me You Us Them. Don’t be foolish. RSVP here on Facebook.

Link: Grass is Green bandcamp

I know some of ya’ll slept on the BAL Northside Showcase. What’s a matter with you? I know I know, the L Train was fucked that day. Maybe you were too beat from the Guided by Voices show in McCarren Park. Yeah it was a balls ass day - so balls in fact, I made Paul run to Duane Reade for some Gold Bond. Or maybe you just figured, “Hey, BAL will post the video anyway, so what am I really missing?” If this last thought occurred to you, then you were only half right. Yeah sure, the videos slay - such is the minimum expectation from The Lens. But look at what you missed: a multi-sensory experience, ears that don’t stop ringing for weeks, a night of joyous boozing with the boys from BAL, and most of all - a supremely tight performance by Willy’s own Madam Trashy.

Between Brian Murphy's thicker-than-blood basslines, Jake Bloomfield-Misrach's swirling, psychedelic jams, and Garth MacAleavey's crushing drum kit, you'd be hard pressed to find a band with the ease of performance, tinnitus-inducing loudness, yet striking simplicity as Madam Trashy. They are as catchy as they are punishing; kaleidoscopic as they are cleanly in step; and as flashy as they are humble. We really dug these guys and hope you'll give them a look, check out their bandcamp, and buy their record (available on bandcamp for $name-your-own-price). Madam Trashy is also playing a free show, this Saturday (August 13th) at Spike Hill in Williamsburg if you're around.

After seeing these videos, you’d be an idiot to skip on our next showcase presentation. Lucky for you, we’ll be doing more soon. Enjoy the videos and keep checking back, as we got tons more in the pipeline. You heard?

Artwork by Eric Schutzbank

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When we first launched Big Ass Lens two years ago, one of the first festival gigs we got access to was then then-fledgling Northside Festival in Williamsburg. At the time, Brooklyn didn’t have it’s own legit music festival to highlight all that was going on musically in our little borough, and the addition of Northside was a natural progression for the community. 

That first year was a good one. Sunset Rubdown played, along with The Hold Steady, and a newcomer named Kurt Vile. Back when Studio B was still around, providing sick city views and drug-friendly bathrooms. Right before The Pool Parties moved to the waterfront, and a Chuck Schumer became a hipster folk hero. The year Merriweather Post Pavilion came out and The Dirty Projectors blew up, vaulting experimental indie rock into the sort-of mainstream. The good old days when we were somewhat younger but considerably more carefree and willing to break all sorts of rules that govern the concert-going experience. Times were good, and The BAL crew hustled hard to bring you the illest in HD content for your eyeballs. This often meant sneaking in huge cameras without press passes, crawling beneath VIP barriers, and staging elaborate back stories as to why we were packing huge lenses with pepper spray dispensers built into them. Might have even murdered a few people. So while it might be all fun and entertainment for ya’ll, we have to deal with the troubling emotional consequences of our actions for the rest of our lives.

And while over the years many things have changed, one thing has not: our love for the most compelling and interesting bands that elevate our musical standards and deliver superb live shows that combine popular appeal with raw talent and musicianship. To say that we don’t update enough because the quality of talent around us does not merit it...only partially excuses us for the lack of said updates. But to be honest, we haven’t been exactly thrilled with the state of indie music these days, and wish that more deserving bands would get the credit and attention they deserve.

Which is why we are so very excited to bring you the first ever Big Ass Lens Presents showcase at the place where it all began: The Northside Festival. Mad daps to L Magazine and to ourselves, who have spent months planning, organizing, and finalizing this most chill and fascinating lineup of killer up-and-coming acts. We deliberately chose bands who embody the ideals of music that we have come to embrace over the years: artistry and skill, advancement of new sounds, and exciting live performances. After all, we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all bands are not created equal, that some are endowed with actual skill, talent, and mastery of their respective instruments. It is in the pursuit of quality music that brings us true happiness.

So get ready to piss your pants, lose your socks, and grab your cocks for the winning lineup we have in store for you.

Hailing from Boston, The Dirty Dishes are a psychedelic/shoegaze band led by Jenny Tuite, whose lush and haunting voice has stuck in our heads for a hot minute now. Combined with a eclectic rhythm section that accentuates their music’s idiosyncratic qualities, Dirty Dishes remind us of classic Smashing Pumpkins/My Bloody Valentine jawns; with an extra dollop of pop sweetness and manic energy ala Deerhoof. The Dirty Dishes have shared the stage with the likes of Passion Pit and Autolux, and recently played the Converse showcase at this year’s SXSW. We didn’t go to SXSW because honestly - fuck Austin and that cheater Lance Armstrong. New York has it all: automatic touring destination status, dope venues, free summer concerts, and a surfeit of braless, unemployed hipster honeys who make the Saudi summer balls heat oh so very bearable for us.

Also hailing from Boston, are the prolific and recklessly raucous quartet Grass Is Green. Straight up this band packs an eff’ing wallop while touches upon the sounds of some of our favorite bands – Fugazi, Minutemen, and Unwound. Their knotty and frantic homespun songs double back on themselves with fascinating and intricate playing, and reach a fevered pitch live in concert. Grass Is Green have toured this year relentlessly, sharing the spotlight with no less of acts than Trail Of Dead and This Will Destroy You.

But on the real, it wouldn’t be Northside without some quality New York talent. For any of you who know us you’re well aware how hard we rep NY. To this end we have two killer up and comers from Brooklyn: Grandfather and Madame Trashy.

 

Grandfather have gotten a lot of love from us this past year for their searing live show and really freaking solid debut Why I’d Try. Since recording their Steve Albini-engineered debut, the band has been blowing through shows here in the Northeast, including opening up for the immortal Mission Of Burma. Recently beefing up their sound by adding a new drummer and bassist and sliding drummer/vocalist Josh Hoffman to lead vocals, the band has emerged with a cleaner and more physically intense presence and sound. If you can imagine that!

Also on tap are Williamsburg’s own Madam Trashy, whose debut Book Of Dead was mixed by Jack Endino (Nirvana/Soundgarden) and brings forth all that stoned goodness we love from listening to bands like Queens of The Stone Age, Kyuss and The Melvins. Trashy’s simplicity is why we mess them with so hard. Expertly mixing the captain crunch rumble of the aforementioned bands with their own driving melodies and clean arrangements, this band is strikingly composed only one record in. They let their songs come to the fore, simply and directly without mucking things up with unnecessary sonics. 

No lo-fi fuzzy snorefest here: these are bands that demand precision, clarity, and a deliberating compositional process.

Another potential but possibly worthless benefit of coming to our showcase is to come out and meet us, the brain trust behind Big Ass Lens and the countless crimes that were committed in it's name. To find us, look for a bunch of the koolest kats you’ve seen wielding large camera lenses and possibly being too housed to shoot usable footage. Might even buy you a drink and and let you touch the lens if you are chill and have brought 2-10 paying customers to the show. 

To celebrate the end of winter hibernation mode, we’ve reached into our reserve stash for some “fresh” vids shot 3-6 months ago that we’ve been saving for moments just like this. On some outdoor-middies shit, these vids are pretty decent we guess. Like those halloween baggies you got as a kid which only had Smarties and Tootsie Rolls in them, instead of king sized Snickers and Butterfingers. You always assumed the rich-ass residents would hook it up with full-sized treats, but this was never true; in fact the biggest jackpots were when people left the full container out with a note saying “please take only one!” Pfffff.

On the real though, we got a nice grab bag of vids that will surely satiate your need for that BAL freshness. First up is “Queen Black Acid” by Menomena, one of the hidden treasures from their album Mines. It seems that given this simple melody, most drummers would be content with tapping a repetitive and consistent beat throughout, maybe switching it up a little during the chorus. Not so with Menomena’s Danny Seim, who divides and subdivides the rhythm into an unpredictable yet perfectly timed cadence that makes this song so oddly addictive. In other news, apparently keyboardist/guitarist Brent Knopf said “see ya’ll” last winter and peaced out of the band to focus on Ramona Falls, his solo pj. Kinda weaksauce. Brent was one of the founding members and was with the band throughout 3 distinguished and impressive albums; we’ll definitely miss his contribution. In case you missed it earlier, check out the classic lineup in the video below ending in “Evil Bee”. 

Next up is another track from that Idiot Glee show we shot last winter, at everyone’s favorite summertime sweatbox, Glasslands. Did they even get AC yet? Gonna be a rough summer for shows if Glasslands doesn’t invest in multiple 50k BTU AC units that obliterate several layers of ozone. It’s kinda ass, how that the more you deplete the ozone with AC, the hotter it gets from global warming, thus feeding the vicious cycle until there’s no ozone left and the world is hot as balls all the time. 

The above track, “All Packed Up” is an oldie but a goodie from his EP. I feel like this song could easily be a solo number in one of those classic Hollywood flicks starring Bing Crosby or Fred Astair, singing about some broad who he’s trying hard to mack to. Idiot Glee will be releasing his debut LP hella soon, like June 15th. You can hear one of his new tracks, “Trouble at the Dancehall” over at YANP. 

Another band making big moves these days is our boys Grandfather, who just added two new members and are now a 4 piece. We caught these guys at Union Pool a few months ago, back when taco truck + bonfire made for a great excuse to trek out to the Willy on a random Saturday night. We're glad to have captured the classic lineup freaking out hard in this killer video of them playing "The Outcome." Don't forget to catch the new, expanded Grandfather next month when they play the BAL Northside Showcase (see below).

Spring is a time to start fresh and look ahead to the next season of indie music with derision, amusement, and excitement. For our part, we will be doing a special showcase at this year’s Northside Festival to highlight some of the best, most talented and interesting emerging acts here in New York and beyond. This is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, and we hope you’ll join us for the party next month during Brooklyn’s very own SXSW - Northside Festival. Details/poster/lineup to come SOON. Promise. 

The Dismemberment Plan - Ice of Boston

Of all the indie bands we bumped hard in our high school and college days, The Dismemberment Plan still get knock in my stereo. They're one of the few bands whose development is so finely traceable and their sound so consistently matured from record to record that I often wonder how it is they never got absolutely mega huge. Plenty of lesser bands wrote poppy indie-rock and got pretty massive, but none did it with the reflexivity, awareness and consummate skill of The Plan. From their raucous early two-fer "!" and "The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified" it was obvious these cats had crazy energy and anarchic wit, but the quantum leap they made in "Emergency and I" and their swan song, "Change" is why we still talk about them in such reverential terms. It's why they rank as high as they do on things like the Pitchfork Best Albums of the 90s list, and why when they announced some one off reunion shows months ago we all flipped bathing apeshit and copped tickets immediately. 

The Dismemberment Plan - OK Joke's Over

Saturday night the moment finally came, and as fans who never saw them when they were still active, we were beyond pumped. Kicking off their set with the ever-appropriate "A Life Of Possibilities", the band who once yearned to be described as Radiohead meets De La Soul showed no major signs of rust as they plowed through their densely nimble songs. Joe Easley, Eric Axelson and Jason Caddell still have the skill to jump the rails following singer Travis Morrison's skittish delight and rein it all back together on a dime - delivering two hours of improbably massive hooks. What struck us watching and listening to a completely sold-out room go absolutely nuts screaming every word, each chorus hitting exactly where our pop trained minds tell us it should; was the underlying fact that these songs are still so damn strange! Sure the elements are familiar, and on-the-surface non-threatening, but the arrangements and intensity of the lyrics, and dexterity with which this band bundles it all together is simply unlike any other. 

The Dismemberment Plan - The Face Of the Earth

To us, our awesome videos of crowd favorite "The Ice of Boston", and oldie-but-spazz-out goodie "OK, Joke's Over" are each "just another D Plan song". But lost within saying that, and certainly more important than recollecting the fun of seeing them live, is an acknowledgment that we might never quite see another band like these cats from Washington D.C. 

The Dismemberment Plan - ...Gets Rich

Words by Paul Walker
Edited by Will Xu
Additional Photography by Brian Butnick