Bonnie Baxter at NK Lounge — photo by Phoebe Waterson.

Bonnie Baxter, the Bushwick duo made up of Miss Baxter herself (vocals, guitars, keys) and multi-instrumentalist Nicos Kennedy (guitars, keys, noise), were joined by video artist Christina Medina for a hypnotic and riveting performance at the Northeast Kingdom Lounge on Sunday night.

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Columbia’s Ryan Sartin at the Bushwick Starr. — photo by Phoebe Waterson

Columbia are a two-man rhythm machine, made up of Jett Drolette (bass/vocals) and Ryan Sartin (drums/vocals). The duo intertwine ESG-like bass grooves with a cool 1981 downtown vibe and a modern post-punk synergy. Drolette and Sartin met in Bushwick and are making the neighborhood their musical haven. But they would probably be offended if I quickly dubbed them a Bushwick band, as their biggest gig yet was playing to a sweaty crowd on an East Village rooftop last week.

Sartin hails from Kansas City, which sharply contrasts Drolette’s east coast precision. I think it’s a match made in heaven.

Check out the new track “South Bronx Sways,” now streaming at their myspace page.

Columbia dates:

Oct 17 — Vanishing Point, Brooklyn
Oct 31 — Bushwick Starr, Brooklyn
Nov 21 — Vanishing Point, Brooklyn

Menahan Street Band consists of members of Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Budos Band, and other Daptone bands that producer Thomas Brenneck brought together to “record hits” in his Bushwick apartment. In fact the band is named after Menahan St. here in Bushwick.

Led by Dap-Kings/Budos Band guitarist Brenneck, the album is, as The FADER puts it, “filled with untouched palettes waiting to be sampled,” while XLR8R says “most of the all-instrumental tracks waver between Motownish and Stax/Volt-esque flavor; the mood is very ‘Soulsville’-era Isaac Hayes-meets-The Funk Brothers. Crisp, tight ensemble playing defines tracks like ‘Tired of Fighting’ and ‘The Contender’… this is a must-have.”

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It was a very busy weekend for music in Brooklyn! From Todd P’s Midsummer Party at The Yard to The Breeders free show at McCarren Pool, it was impossible to see everything, but I managed to check out over twenty bands over the course of three days. Here are some highlights…

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Last Thursday night the talented Bushwick diva and multi-instrumentalist Carrie Anne debuted her new band, Bad Credit/No Credit, at the Wreck Room.

Largely influenced by the swing-jazz era of the 1930’s, BC/NC’s sound is wildly eclectic. The band utilizes all kinds of crazy instruments including the saxophone, a pair of flutes, the euphonium (similar to a tuba), a tambourine, and even some kazoos! But it is Carrie Anne’s maniacal and operatic voice that is perhaps the most captivating instrument at work here, recalling the raw intensity of the legendary Diamanda Galás.

Being that this was their first live show ever, the band does have a few kinks to work out. But if they can perfect their sound a bit more Bad Credit/No Credit could become one of the most exciting bands in Bushwick.

Check out a live video from the show here.

Over the weekend Pass Kontrol played three great shows and they were all free! Friday night’s performance at Duck Duck was loud and rockin’. Oliver, Adam, and Mike had tons of energy as they played in the sweaty, cramped space. Luckily, one side of the “stage” opened out onto the sidewalk, turning the show into a sort of indoor/outdoor event. Highlights from the set included the popular sing-along gem “Suzie Lou” and my personal fave, “Love is a Dog From Hell”. Read more about this show at passkontrolblog.com.

On Saturday the boys played two more shows, beginning with a mesmerizing three-hour afternoon set in front of Northeast Kingdom as part of Make Music NY. Later that night the band shared the stage at Pete’s Candy Store with another Bushwick band, Burlington VT transplants Activists/Dictators. If you missed out on all the action this past weekend, you can check out both bands at Goodbye Blue Monday on Friday, July 11th.

Love is All delivered a wildly entertaining set Saturday night at Market Hotel. The scene was sticky, hot, and sweaty — a sauna full of jubilant fans who made their way out in the thunder and lightning to see the band from Sweden play in Brooklyn. The storm brought significant downpours, but that did nothing to cool off the steaming temperature at Market Hotel.

Cause Co-Motion! and the excellent Vivian Girls opened up the show. Both bands turned in short and tight sets, equally showing significant promise in what led to a rather amazing night of music. Cause Co-Motion! reminded me of a cross between Elvis Costello and Gang of Four with their angular changes and tight syncopation. Vivian Girls are a three-piece from Brooklyn who have been described as sounding like “The Ronettes produced by Kevin Shields“. I am all about these girls. Expect a lot more about them in the very near future.