Preview: the week ahead (6th-12th Dec)

Ah, good idea, stick all interesting gigs on to one day - Tuesday. The remaining days of the week are really not that interesting. But here goes.

Monday
MGMT at C-Halle: MGMT have really impressed me with their latest album with which they didn't try to reap in the cash following the success of the previous one but took a completely different direction. I think they shouldn't be underestimated. BTW, there is a sweet interview on Q TV that shows nicely how these guys approach their work. How do they survive on a major? We don't know. Anyway, the gig is too expensive and sold out. I will be going to see Woody Allen's new film at Babylon Kottbusser Tor instead.

Tuesday
Frank Zappa "The Listening Sessions" at Jansen Bar: This is not a gig in the literal sense of course but the Jansen Bar has started a series where every first Tuesday of the month you can listen to one of Frank Zappa's live performances. This week you will hear Zappa in Los Angeles von 1984. You can prepare for the evening by reading the autobiography which is witty and funny.
Marnie Stern at Comet Club: Marnie Stern is a Kill Rock Stars signed artist. Kill Rock Stars is possibly my favourite label of all time and therefore, anything on KRS catches my attention. It never disappoints. This lady plays pretty much lo-fi pop and rock music, a bit Sonic Youth at times really, but then again very KRS, pop enough to appeal to a wide audience but quirky punk and experimental too. Wonderful. Also, friends attending the Vienna concert gave her a big thumbs up.
Small Black and Pictureplane at Marie-Antoinette: Psychedelic electro pop, sometimes with a dance beat, in line with the mode at the moment, from Brooklyn, as is half of the world's band population at the moment, and from Denver. You won't get disappointed, this is good, but I find it increasingly hard to get excited by this sound. In Bonaparte's words: You know too much too much.
Stanley Brinks + Freschard at Roter Salon: a.k.a Andre Herman Düne. And that's the crowd it will apeal to, but also to the melancholic and those that just want the perfect soundtrack to go with the snow outside. Dreamy and beautiful music with a strong jazz influence. The ambience of the Roter Salon will perfectly match this music, too - since we cannot attend the gig at a smoky club in 1960s Paris. This gig will be my choice on Tuesday, including a visit to the merch table for a record to take home.
Tamaryn at Café Zapata: San Francisco represent. Girl-Boy combo that could be playing with Small Black and Pictureplane but also with Coco Rosie and friends. As far as I know, they also do a great visual show with their sets.



Wednesday
2manyDJs at Arena: 2manyDJs were removed from the bill at the Berlin Festival at last minute's notice because of security issues. You will probably have heard of this whole episode. The Berlin Festival is now staging a night of all groups that didn't get to play their sets at the Festival. Owners of festival wrist bands will get in for free if they register online - all others can actually still purchase tickets to this event.

Thursday
We Invented Paris at Tante Horst: We used to go for the vegetarian brunch at Tante Horst on Sundays until the small café-bar became just so crowded that it was actually not possible to get a free seat. Now it's one of the local Kreuzberg 36 bars to go to in the evening when there is nothing else to do. Seldomly, they stage small indie concerts and this is one of those occasions. We Invented Paris are from Basel and play very standard indie-music which will appeal to the post-emo lovers. Nothing special. But it might be nice to sip a little something at Tante Horst while a band is playing.
What else are you going to do on a Thursday except maybe go see Sam Taylor-Wood's film Nowhere Boy, portaying John Lennon's early years as a musician, which is being released in cinemas in Germany today.

Saturday
Nothing at Kastanie: The band name Nothing might cause this group some Google issues in the future but for the moment this is a new project by people of defunct Berlin group Mönster, among others. There aren't going to be any suprises musically. Punk/HC with rock influences. Should be fun and might attract the Vice crowd who are showing up at Glasses gigs these days. Times have certainly changed.
DAF at Festsaal Kreuzberg: Some bands don't need any introduction. If you don't know what Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft sound like or where they're from, etc, then do your bloody homework. There is going to be some Remmi Demmi DJing, too. A night to dance away until the morning.