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Read the press release here.

Northside Music Top Picks

By Meredith Hoffman | June 14, 2012 11:08am

WILLIAMSBURG — Sometimes too much of a good thing can be overwhelming.

So with hundreds of bands, art shows and events in this weekend's Northside Festival, DNAinfo.com New York talked to local insiders and compiled a list of top music acts (some renowned and others new to the scene) worth checking out.

Badges can be purchased to the entire festival — which runs Thursday to Sunday — or to each venue's show via the Northside website.

THURSDAY

Spike Hill's dynamic line-up on Bedford Avenue includes energetic synth-pop headliner The Pass in from Louisville, Ky. (with sounds along the lines of the iconic Arcade Fire), on at 10:45 p.m. Earlier acts there including Port St. Willow — whose somber album "Holiday" was just acclaimed by Pitchfork for the lead singer's "striking falsetto" that "rises from the aquatic fog of militaristic drums and heavy-slumping guitar swoops." Doors open at 7 p.m.

Knitting Factory on Metropolitan Avenue at 7:30 p.m. is showcasing the sultry but poppy duo Zambri, by Brooklyn-based sisters who released their latest album "House of Baasa" earlier this spring. The line-up there also includes Class Actress, Eternal Summers, Beach Day, and Air Waves. Taking the stage at 10:30 p.m., Philadelphia-based shoegaze group Bleeding Rainbow's catchy melancholia might draw you to dance to lyrics like "I feel nothing" in their song "Dead End."

FRIDAY

Outside in McCarren Park renowned rock acts of Montreal and Jens Lekman, preceded by the Thermals and Beach Fossils, hit the stage at 5 p.m.

And at Brooklyn Bowl at 8:30 p.m., the famous country folk Felice Brothers will strum new jams, they promised via twitter.

Or at Music Hall of Williamsburg you can check out the quickly sprouted success Caveman, an earthy New York-based group that plays on homemade guitars. The music blog Brooklyn Vegan is also presenting Frankie Rose and others at the show, with doors opening at 8 p.m.

If you missed the Spikehill acts Thursday (or just can't get enough of the North Bedford bar), you can catch acts Ice Choir (the new project of the wildly successful Pains of Being Pure at Heart's Kurt Feldman), Fast Years, New Moods, and Zambri again, starting at 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

At Cameo Gallery art space on North 6 St. the ethereal jazz fusion group Physical Therapy headlines, with Caged Animals and other stellar acts earlier in the line-up. 

Brooklyn Bowl offers up the all-encompassing beats and high voice of tiny singer Asobi Seksu and her group, among others. For a late-night dance party head to Glasslands' DJ set.

SUNDAY

Foursome Suckers shares their sounds at Public Assembly (the Brooklyn-based group has been compared to Animal Collective) along with Violens and Night Manager, all starting at 9:30 p.m.

At Union Pool try the line-up of Leda, Air Waves, Grooms and Hard Nips.

Or, at Pete's Candy Store, the Momos headline after Glas Anchors and Gok Nakamura.