NYC bands and artists,

Make Music New York  is a unique festival of free concerts in public spaces throughout the five boroughs of New York City, all on Monday, June 21st, the first day of summer. MMNY takes place simultaneously with similar festivities in more than 327 cities around the world — a global celebration of music making.

Spike Hill – the bar / music venue in the middle of Williamsburg’s busy Bedford Ave – will have an outdoor concert starting at 2pm and is looking for NYC bands to headline the festival from 8pm till close. Other bands will also play inside Spike Hill, with the venue’s doors open to the street to pipe live music straight to the street crowds.

If you are interested in submitting your band for this event please sign up here. – artists will be selected by the Spike Hill promoters, not by Deli staff.

P.S. As this is a free event, there isn’t a budget for performing bands, but a tip jar will be passed around the crowd after each performance to gather some money for the artists performing.

The Deli’s Staff
www.thedelimagazine.com

When you think of the city of Singapore you’re not likely to conjure up thoughts of early 90’s shoegaze/stoner/noise/dream-pop. Yet that is in fact where the band Stellarium hails from. Their debut album combines shoegaze textures (and attitude) with shredding, bombastic, noise assault guitars. Opening track "Any Day Is Fine," immediately hit our eardrums with a barrage of guitars that shriek, wail and churn with controlled chaos. Multiple layers swirl and feedback, melding together in a beautiful synchronicity of hazy sonics. "Chocolate & Strawberry" is a driving piece that redefines the "fuzz bass" sound. A Place To Bury Strangers’ Jono Mofo would be proud. “Harbinger” sets a deep reverb echo to its cautionary tale about war. Exploding into a gorgeous wash of sound, straddling the lines between heaven and hell. “Fader” employs a rising sonic effect giving the sensation of your head “lifting off.” Stellarium show musical sophistication with their tempo changes within songs. The over 8 minute “final” track on the album – “Dead Nebula culminates in a shredding dual guitar attack. For the final 4 minutes it’s nothing but this – what’s not to love? – Dave Cromwell

El Jezel sparked when George and Dan randomly met at house parties in Massachusetts years back and discovered that they actually only lived a town away from each other. Both eventually linked up with Jessica about ten years ago, which led to playing open mic sessions in downtown Manhattan and ultimately the three formed a band. Recently performing along the East Coast, El Jezel brews bigger plans for its new EP due to release this Spring and desires more extensive tours, although they always value the importance of intimate settings for live shows. – Read Gina Alioto interview with the band here.

Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears are frightening only in their unmatched energy and dynamics, both live and on record. The quintet’s recently debuted “Mad Valentines EP” showcases mastermind songwriting by Bryan Scary (Lead vocals, Keyboard) and his shredding tears, Mike Acreman (Vocals, Keyboard), David Ostrem (Vocals, Bass), Graham Norwood (Vocals, Guitar), and Paul Amorese (Drums). In six outstanding tracks, these Brooklynites pack in operatic vocals and dramatic delivery, and mix theatrical enthusiasm with glam and power-pop, creating a whimsical sound that is elaborate, entertaining, and borderline frantic. After fully sampling what the “Mad Valentines EP” accomplishes, it is hard to imagine the songs’ complexity recreated on stage, but Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears erase any doubt and even outperform expectations. Choice tracks, “Andromeda’s Eyes,” “(It’s a) Gambler’s Wind,” and “Bye Bye Babylon” take listeners on a ride through “Scaryville” and showcase BSST’s top-notch compositions. – Read Meijin Bruttomesso’s interview with Bryan here.

Now in its fourth year, New York City Popfest has highlighted numerous indie-pop bands from around the world and more importantly local. Since its inception it’s produced bands such as The Pains of Being Pure At Heart and The Drums who have now gone to international stardom. This year, the fest will highlight long time veterans and fresh new acts, including Deli’s recent CD of the month The Secret History. The 4 day fest will start on Thursday May 20 with a show at Cake Shop involving two NYC acts that deserve attention, catchy The World Atlas (in the picture), that could be appropriately called NYC’s own Belle and Sebastian, and Dream Diary, operating on similar acoustic and dreamy musical coordinates.