By Daniel Jumpertz
Special to DNAinfo
Experimental sounds have always found a home in this city — think Velvet Underground, John Cage, Laurie Anderson, Yoko Ono and Sonic Youth. This week, amid the usual hip-hop, rock, jazz, folk and pop offerings, there is genre-hopping madness going down.
Dub Trio combines dub reggae and noise metal in a way that really satisfies. Morton Subotnick has been pushing, and defining, the boundaries of computer music since the mid '60s and Tav Falco and Panther Burns combine Southern gothic, psychedelic country and Memphis music styles into their own crazy noise. They're all in town. All you need is a pair of ears and an open mind. Oh, and some earplugs may come in handy.
Wednesday November 9
A meeting of New York electronic wizards young and old, with grand master Morton Subotnick and an opening set by Gavin Russom, of DFA Records and LCD Soundsystem. Morton Subotnick is one of the pioneers in the development of electronic music. The work which brought Subotnick celebrity was 1966s "Silver Apples of the Moon" — commissioned by Nonesuch Records and marking the first time an original, large-scale composition had been created specifically for vinyl disc. Doors 6:30 p.m., show time at 7:30 p.m. At Le Poisson Rouge, presented by Wordless Music, an organization promoting an array of cross-genre instrumental music.
Also tonight: Sting's "Back To Bass" tour rolls into the Roseland Ballroom.
NY indie-pop band fun play The Bowery Ballroom.
Stoner-metalheads from Florida, Torche, hit the Mercury Lounge for some sludgy grooves.
Thursday November 10
Dub Trio combines noise-metal with dub. How? Well, some tracks (such as their current album "IV"'s closer "Thousand Mile Stare") start with thick metal riffing and sledgehammer drums before breaking down into Lee Scratch Perry-style dub interludes, all echoing snare and skanking guitar. It's quite a trip! Dub Trio are playing with The Wicked Tomorrow at the Mercury Lounge.
Also tonight: MGMT are performing a site-specific musical piece at the Guggenheim Museum as part of the opening of the Maurizio Cattelan exhibit and retrospective which began on November 3. Their Friday performance is sold out.
Fitz & The Tantrums at Terminal 5.
Friday November 11
Kurt Vile & the Violators make hazy, psychedelic bedroom pop with echoes of early Tyrannosaurus Rex and Ariel Pink-like sounds. Kurt Vile's latest album is "Smoke Ring For My Halo". With The Young and Widowspeak at Webster Hall.
Also tonight: At Le Poisson Rouge you'll hear the highly anticipated pairing of Warp Records electronic heroes Plaid (making their first NYC appearance since 2007), with an opening set by New York City's own Balinese-music wizards Gamelan Dhara Swara.
Saturday November 12
Disco and soul survivor Gloria Gaynor started out with the obscure R&B outfit the Soul Satisfiers and won the only Grammy awarded for Best Disco song with the global smash "I Will Survive" in 1978. At B.B. King Blues Club & Grill.
Also tonight: The 5.6.7.8's at Mercury Lounge and John Hiatt at City Winery.
Sunday November 13
The Foo Fighters have created a garagey, raw sound for their most recent album "Wasting Light". Why garagey? Well, it was actually recorded in Dave Grohl's garage, by Nirvana producer Butch Vig, after Grohl decided he wanted to avoid modern technology (especially computers) and get back to basics. Check this live video for the direction the Foo Fighters decided to head in. With veteran new wave punks Social Distortion at Madison Square Garden.
Also tonight: The 37th Anniversary of Hip-Hop and The 38th Anniversary of the Universal Zulu Nation, presented By Afrika Bambaataa at SOB's.
Monday November 14: PICK OF THE WEEK
The High Flying Birds are Noel Gallagher's first band since the Brit-pop superstars Oasis called it a day in 2009. In concert, expect Beatle-esque indie-pop with wicked wit and a liberal sprinkling of Oasis classics. Their self-titled album has already hit the number one spot in the UK and is released in the US this week. With The Hours at Beacon Theatre. Also Tuesday.
Also tonight: Buddy Guy is the real deal — a Southern blues legend. Born in Louisiana in 1936, he first recorded in the mid-'60s and did much to popularize Chicago Blues — he moved there in 1957 and was heavily influenced by the great Muddy Waters. Buddy's latest album "Living Proof" won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. At B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, also Tuesday.
Tuesday November 15
Tav Falco and Panther Burns formed in Memphis in 1979 and are a self-described "Southern Gothic, psychedelic country band influenced by Memphis music styles". Catch their buzz at "NYC's premier Southern Roadhouse", the Rodeo Bar.
