Preview: the week ahead (27th Aug - 2nd Sep)

There is no reason for me to wish summer would leave us early. No reason, except the offering of live music in this town. I cannot wait for all the amazing gigs autumn will bring, festivals and music weeks. So I salute you September. You are finally here.

Tuesday

DIIV at Monarch: Sold out and highly anticipated. DIIV are the new hip post-punk indie rock band to be listening to. And I am into the hype, embracing it, and dancing in the living room called Monarch on Tuesday. If you like Crystal Stilts, The Drums, Wild Nothing or other recent wave and shoegaze revival bands, you'll dig this. It's good old indie music, made with instruments, and we have been missing this lately, what with all that newly found electro-indie scene in the U.S.. Gig of the week, y'all!

Thursday

206 at SO36: If I was given a cent each time someone says "there is no good German music" I would be owning a house in LA with that swimming pool my son desires so much. Well, I rent a flat in Kreuzberg and there are lots of good German bands, even those that sing in German. 206 is one of them, sitting somewhere between Deutschpunk and Deutsche Welle, defying critics of German music. Go to this and be enlightened because this group is well worth your every attention this Thursday.

Moralens Väktare and The Brunettez at bei Roy: If, despite my above plea, you still don't feel like going to see German punks, Swedish garage rock may be more your thing. Head over to bei Roy.

Friday
Dad Rocks! at St. Oberholz (Rosenthaler Straße 72a): This is a little special thing here, an early gig (starts at 7 pm) ahead of Torstraßenfestival. Dad Rocks! may sound like the name of a fun punk project or maybe hip hop. Wrong! This gentleman quite obviously likes Elliot Smith but doesn't mind some Beirut either. It's singer-songwriter music with a nice twist. 

Sons of Noel and Adrian at Roter Salon: There is folk music and there is folk music, if you know what I mean. This is the good kind, with virtuous guitar play, choral singing and classical instrumentation. Sounds hippie? It somehow manages to stay cool and accessible all the while. If you like Beirut you are bound to love this, too. Roter Salon = perfect venue for this.
Felix Kubin, On+Brr, Broca Areal and Gelbart at bei Roy: I loved Kubin's "Filmmusik" and its weird fake 1960s space music when it came out in the late 90s. Felix Kubin has now ventured into doing a label and is doing a night of it at bei Roy. This can only be amazing.

Saturday

House of Wolves and Mez Medallion at Madame Claude: The soft-spoken tunes from Mexican-Italian LA native House of Wolves will provide the perfect atmosphere for those of you who have had a rough week and can do with some relaxation. Cute indie disco pop support from Mez Medallion.

The Magnificent Brotherhood at Roter Salon: Surf rock in the classic sense. These guys must be so frustrated to be born 50 years too late, because they are good at this 60s stuff but, presumably, nobody buys those paper-cased 7"s anymore or watches the Monkees on TV. But nevermind, don a big hairstyle, a stripy top, some boots and shake those hips at Roter Salon on Saturday.

Friday to Sunday
Indie Pop Days at Marie-Antoinette: For the first time at Marie-Antoinette's but for the third time in Berlin, the Indie Pop Days festival promises another array of talented twee music artists from all over Europe, as well as one group from Canada. It's a sweet little fest that we like to support on an annual basis. The selection of artists is always good (look at the linked website) and Berlin could do with more of these type of events. Support and enjoy it and do a little jig while there.