Words by Brendan Sullivan

There are a bunch of shows happening this weekend around the Burgh. It makes me kinda glad I stuck around town for spring break. And for whatever reason, you’re here, too. Well, you should hope you are anyway, because there’s something for everybody going on Friday and Saturday. Wanna see some upbeat folk rock at a bar? Head to the Brillobox on Friday and help Low Water celebrate the release of their new CD, The Taste You Know And Enjoy. playing with locals Harlan Twins and Nik & the Central Plains. What about some more relaxing folk music in a more relaxing setting? Head over to Polish Hill early Friday evening and see Emily Rodgers play at the Lili coffee shop. In the mood for some noisy garage rock with lots of guitars? Head to the art space known as The Shop on Saturday to see Magik Markers and Sic Alps rock the fuck out. You can’t go wrong with any of these shows, trust us.

Low Water w/ Nik & The Central Plains and The Harlan Twins / Brillobox / Friday March 11 / 9:30 PM / $6

The four guys of Low Water currently reside in Brooklyn, but a couple of them are native Burghers. They’ve been putting out solid indie rock since 2004, crafting upbeat songs with lots of melodic guitar work and thoughtful lyrics sung by John Leitera with a voice that sounds, to these ears, a lot like Jeff Tweedy in a very, very good way. Indeed, in their songs I hear some strains of Wilco, a bit of Spoon, and a dash of The Shins, and that’s good company to keep. They’re celebrating the release of their fourth album, taking its name directly from the slogan of Aiello’s Pizza in Squirrel Hill, on Friday night at the Brillobox in Lawrenceville. Also playing are locals Harlan Twins and Nik & the Central Plains, rounding out a solid bill of indie folk rock. Personally, I’ve yet to see Harlan Twins, but I’ve caught Nik & the CPs around town a few times and have always come away impressed. Tickets are $6 at the door, or you can order online here; doors are at 9:30, show is at 10:00, and 21+ of course. Here’s a video that Low Water made for their song “Strange New Element” from their debut, Hard Words In A Speakeasy, to whet your appetite.

Low Water on the web: Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm
Harlan Twins on the web: Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm
Nik & the Central Plains on the web: Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm

Emily Rodgers w/ Chad Sipes Stereo / Lili Coffee Shop / Friday March 11 / 7 PM / FREE

Also on Friday evening, Emily Rodgers will be playing at Lili coffee shop for FREE. All ages are welcome, and we you can even get there early to hang out, sip some caffeinated beverages, and peruse the upper floors of the building that house Copacetic Comics and Mind Cure Records, great places to find books and vinyl, in that order. Emily Rodgers songs are beautiful and haunting, to say the least, layering her absolutely lovely vocals atop some moody guitar lines. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her 2009 release Bright Day, and seeing those songs in this type of venue should be pretty special. Also playing is The Chad Sipes Stereo, featuring a few members of her backing band (including her husband/guitarist Erik Cirelli). The show starts at 7:00 and did I mention it’s free? Yeah, it’s free. Here’s a video for Emily Rodgers‘ song “Hurricane” to whet your appetite.

Emily Rodgers on the web: Website, MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia, Last.fm
The Chad Sipes Stereo on the web: Website, MySpace, Facebook

Magik Markers w/ Sic Alps and more / The Shop / Saturday March 12 / 8 PM / $8

On Saturday night, The Shop will be the place to be. I saw Magik Markers when they brought their awesome heavy rock jams to Garfield Artworks almost exactly a year ago and called it the 9th best show I saw in 2010 but it probably should have ranked higher. I didn’t think I’d get an opportunity to repeat the experience so soon, but I’m damned glad that they’re back in town. The songs on their albums are mostly lengthy affairs, painting foreboding soundscapes with broad strokes of guitar and meandering drums, splattering on lots of feedback and the occasional free verse lyric. A few tunes on their 2007′s Boss (produced by Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth!) and 2009′s Balf Quarry approach “pop song” territory, like the deliciously upbeat rocker “Taste”, but it’s a rather distant approach, really. For the most part their live shows tend to be built around long instrumental jams with drummer Pete Nolan keeping a steady beat going while guitarist/singer Elisa Ambrogio shreds away on her axe, every once in a while belting out some cryptic line. It’s a serious spectacle, and you absolutely have to watch them play; it simply doesn’t compare to listening to their records, as great as that is, itself. You can download mp3s of a live show of theirs in Brooklyn last year here on NYC Taper to get a sense of what I’m talking about. Sic Alps will bring their catchy garage rock, as well, and I’m looking forward to seeing that, especially after reading online somewhere that Ty Segall is/was a tangential band member. Sick! Er, sic! Stay tuned here for an interview with Sic Alps, to be posted soon. Also playing are hard rockers Scarcity of Tanks and locals Kim Phuc. The show is at 8:00 and will cost you $8 at the door. Here’s a video for Magik Markers‘ song “Risperdal” to whet your appetite.

Magik Markers on the web: Website, Facebook, Blog, MySpace, Wikipedia, Last.fm
Sic Alps on the web: Website, Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm
Scarcity of Tanks on the web: Blog, Last.fm
Kim Phuc on the web: MySpace, Blog, Last.fm

What shows are you going to this weekend? What did we miss? Let us know where the good stuff is at

Low Water w/ Nik & The Central Plains and The Harlan Twins / Brillobox / Friday March 11 / 9:30 PM / $6

The four guys of Low Water currently reside in Brooklyn, but a couple of them are native Burghers. They’ve been putting out solid indie rock since 2004, crafting upbeat songs with lots of melodic guitar work and thoughtful lyrics sung by John Leitera with a voice that sounds, to these ears, a lot like Jeff Tweedy in a very, very good way. Indeed, in their songs I hear some strains of Wilco, a bit of Spoon, and a dash of The Shins, and that’s good company to keep. They’re celebrating the release of their fourth album, taking its name directly from the slogan of Aiello’s Pizza in Squirrel Hill, on Friday night at the Brillobox in Lawrenceville. Also playing are locals Harlan Twins and Nik & the Central Plains, rounding out a solid bill of indie folk rock. Personally, I’ve yet to see Harlan Twins, but I’ve caught Nik & the CPs around town a few times and have always come away impressed. Tickets are $6 at the door, or you can order online here; doors are at 9:30, show is at 10:00, and 21+ of course. Here’s a video that Low Water made for their song “Strange New Element” from their debut, Hard Words In A Speakeasy, to whet your appetite.

Low Water on the web: Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm
Harlan Twins on the web: Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm
Nik & the Central Plains on the web: Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm

Emily Rodgers w/ Chad Sipes Stereo / Lili Coffee Shop / Friday March 11 / 7 PM / FREE

Also on Friday evening, Emily Rodgers will be playing at Lili coffee shop for FREE. All ages are welcome, and we you can even get there early to hang out, sip some caffeinated beverages, and peruse the upper floors of the building that house Copacetic Comics and Mind Cure Records, great places to find books and vinyl, in that order. Emily Rodgers songs are beautiful and haunting, to say the least, layering her absolutely lovely vocals atop some moody guitar lines. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her 2009 release Bright Day, and seeing those songs in this type of venue should be pretty special. Also playing is The Chad Sipes Stereo, featuring a few members of her backing band (including her husband/guitarist Erik Cirelli). The show starts at 7:00 and did I mention it’s free? Yeah, it’s free. Here’s a video for Emily Rodgers‘ song “Hurricane” to whet your appetite.

Emily Rodgers on the web: Website, MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia, Last.fm
The Chad Sipes Stereo on the web: Website, MySpace, Facebook

Magik Markers w/ Sic Alps and more / The Shop / Saturday March 12 / 8 PM / $8

On Saturday night, The Shop will be the place to be. I saw Magik Markers when they brought their awesome heavy rock jams to Garfield Artworks almost exactly a year ago and called it the 9th best show I saw in 2010 but it probably should have ranked higher. I didn’t think I’d get an opportunity to repeat the experience so soon, but I’m damned glad that they’re back in town. The songs on their albums are mostly lengthy affairs, painting foreboding soundscapes with broad strokes of guitar and meandering drums, splattering on lots of feedback and the occasional free verse lyric. A few tunes on their 2007′s Boss (produced by Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth!) and 2009′s Balf Quarry approach “pop song” territory, like the deliciously upbeat rocker “Taste”, but it’s a rather distant approach, really. For the most part their live shows tend to be built around long instrumental jams with drummer Pete Nolan keeping a steady beat going while guitarist/singer Elisa Ambrogio shreds away on her axe, every once in a while belting out some cryptic line. It’s a serious spectacle, and you absolutely have to watch them play; it simply doesn’t compare to listening to their records, as great as that is, itself. You can download mp3s of a live show of theirs in Brooklyn last year here on NYC Taper to get a sense of what I’m talking about. Sic Alps will bring their catchy garage rock, as well, and I’m looking forward to seeing that, especially after reading online somewhere that Ty Segall is/was a tangential band member. Sick! Er, sic! Stay tuned here for an interview with Sic Alps, to be posted soon. Also playing are hard rockers Scarcity of Tanks and locals Kim Phuc. The show is at 8:00 and will cost you $8 at the door. Here’s a video for Magik Markers‘ song “Risperdal” to whet your appetite.

Magik Markers on the web: Website, Facebook, Blog, MySpace, Wikipedia, Last.fm
Sic Alps on the web: Website, Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm
Scarcity of Tanks on the web: Blog, Last.fm
Kim Phuc on the web: MySpace, Blog, Last.fm

What shows are you going to this weekend? What did we miss? Let us know where the good stuff is at

Filed under: Live Music, Not Blake, Jim, or Brendan