Live review: Nuclears and Brass Knuckle Evangelists

On Wednesday Night on the curb in front of Bowery Electric, Nick Vivid, frontman of the Nuclears (in the picture), took a deep breath and limbered up, making tai chi-esque poses. When asked about his pre-show ritual, he commented "I don’t want to pull anything – other than hijinks." And there were hijinks to be had. Ripping through most of the tracks off their recent release, Brian and Mick Maverick worked out their sibling rivalry by shredding guitar. In between sets, Go-Go Amy’s steamy burlesque kept (male) patrons glued to their spots (by the way, the lady’s nipple-tassel-twirling is well executed). After a brief fashion show from Stella Zotis (featuring more zippers, studs and leather than I have borne witness to in quite a while), Brass Knuckle Evangelists took the stage, working through a set of expertly executed bluesy rock ‘n roll. After one last set from Go-Go Amy, patrons stumbled their way out, looking for the afterparty on a weekday night. – allison levin