Big Takeover Magazine

09/19/2026

Sept 18 at a sold-out :

After seeing a portion of his debut in July, it was great to see the talented singer-songwriter of the Las Vegas-based alt-rock stars bring his tour for his 2026 solo LP Thrasher to NYC.

No longer the guyliner-wearing, new-wavey, androgynous frontman of the early ‘00s, Flowers, dressed in a black country-western suit with a suited nine-member band backing him, played a 20-song set that included most of the Nashville-recorded LP, with catchy single “Tiger’s Blood" (vibing like midperiod Soul Asylum; the lyrics do mention “a runaway train"), and the baroque pop of “The Red Ground" and “Angel” as standouts, rousing tunes from his previous two solo albums, and three Killers songs (here's a lightly edited extended clip of 2007 single “Read My Mind" from excellent second LP Sam's Town), closing with Thrasher’s final track “An American Dream", a waltz with a catchy Pogues-like chorus and surreal lyrics, with The Killer’s Ronnie Vannucci Jr. 🥁 (who played on the LP version) watching from near the stage.

Flowers is one the best live rock & roll lead singers, with his magnetic grin, powerful tenor, and monitor-jumping electrifying the crowd, even though the country-flavored dynamics were more subtle and subdued than a Killers’ gig, with his singing channeling Johnny Cash more than Robert Smith. His mid-set explanations about his older brother’s new wave records and his father’s country records being the critical blueprint for his solo career progression was helpful context for this Nashville turn, which he described as being able to love both The New York Dolls and Dolly Parton.

As a special treat for locals, he showcased this duality by debuting a bustling cowpunk cover of the 1980 classic single “People Who Died" by the short-lived late ‘70s NYC punk group The Jim Carroll Band (another song his older brother tipped him to) from the late poet/author/musician Jim Carroll, which, despite the mostly younger audience barely registering Carroll’s name when Flowers introduced the performance, won over everyone as a highlight.

📽️ + 📝 Mick Lewis & The Fine Print

09/19/2026

Sept 18 at a sold-out :

After seeing a portion of his debut in July, it was great to see the talented singer-songwriter of the Las Vegas-based alt-rock stars bring his tour for his 2026 solo LP Thrasher to NYC.

No longer the guyliner-wearing, new-wavey, androgynous frontman of the early ‘00s, Flowers, dressed in a black country-western suit with a suited nine-member band backing him, played a 20-song set that included most of the Nashville-recorded LP, with catchy single “Tiger’s Blood" (vibing like midperiod Soul Asylum; the lyrics do mention “a runaway train"), and the baroque pop of “The Red Ground" and “Angel” as standouts, rousing tunes from his previous two solo albums, and three Killers songs, including the 2007 single “Read My Mind" from excellent second LP Sam's Town, closing with Thrasher’s final track “An American Dream", a waltz with a catchy Pogues-like chorus and surreal lyrics, with The Killer’s Ronnie Vannucci Jr. 🥁 (who played on the LP version) watching from near the stage.

Flowers is one the best live rock & roll lead singers, with his magnetic grin, powerful tenor, and monitor-jumping electrifying the crowd, even though the country-flavored dynamics were more subtle and subdued than a Killers’ gig, with his singing channeling Johnny Cash more than Robert Smith. His mid-set explanations about his older brother’s new wave records and his father’s country records being the critical blueprint for his solo career progression was helpful context for this Nashville turn, which he described as being able to love both The New York Dolls and Dolly Parton.

As a special treat for locals, he showcased this duality by debuting a bustling cowpunk cover of the 1980 classic single “People Who Died" (included here in a lightly edited extended clip) by the short-lived late ‘70s NYC punk group The Jim Carroll Band (another song his older brother tipped him to) from the late poet/author/musician Jim Carroll, which, despite the mostly younger audience barely registering Carroll’s name when Flowers introduced the performance, won over everyone as a highlight.

📽️ + 📝 Mick Lewis & The Fine Print

09/17/2026

Sept 15 : A rare live NYC concert (his first in nearly 40 years!) by Los Angeles native 🎤 🎸, the incredibly prolific TV/film composer (The Simpsons, Tim Burton films, and Sam Raimi's Spiderman are just a few of many) and former leader of new wave band Oingo Boingo (which he disbanded due to severe tinnitus & hearing loss), brought out a surprisingly young crowd, some dressed in Beetlejuice-inspired outfits or in full Halloween-style makeup, for an eclectic 25-song set (many with a full orchestra with a choral section) comprised of Boingo songs, familiar themes from soundtracks (including Batman, Beetlejuice, and The Simpsons), and harder-edged post-Boingo solo material from 2021 / LP Big Mess and an upcoming album.

The elaborately tattooed Elfman is in great shape at 73, and despite the hearing loss, sang with impressive range, backed by a dynamic band of musicians who have overlapped in other bands, including with Elfman latter-day influence members 🎸 & 🥁 (also of earlier Elfman influence Devo), 🎸 🎤, bass/🎤, 🎹, and 🪇 🪘.

With the extended orchestral ensemble, Elfman was able to represent his fecund musical mind that integrates musical styles & inspirations ranging from classical (Bernard Herrmann, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev), ska (Madness, The Specials) to art punk (XTC, Devo) to progressive metal & industrial, infused with his macabre lyrics, in stellar and surprising arrangements that delighted the crowd.

Here's a lightly-edited extended clip of "The Simpsons Theme" leading directly into Oingo Boingo's 1st single "Only a Lad", which was written in 1978 and first appeared appeared on Oingo Boingo's self-titled 1980 debut EP, and contains recognizable motifs that Elfman would later use in 1989 for theme music.

📽️ + 📝 Mick Lewis & The Fine Print

09/17/2026

Sept 16 , it was great to see again, which bassist (of & founding musical collaborator of ) founded in 2014 to honor the post-Roxy Music, (mostly) pre-ambient songs of from his influential 1974-1977 self-produced solo LPs Here Come The Warm Jets, Taking Tiger Mountain, Another Green World, and Before and After Science, which were rarely played live after their release.

Joined by a talented group of musicians, including fellow former Blue Man Group players 🎤 🎹, Jeff Turlik 🎸 🎤, & 🎸 🎤, with
🎤🎹/kazoo, 🎹 🎸 🎤, 🪇🥁 🪘, &
🥁, Heinemann led the MFE ensemble through the complex glam/art rock/funk arrangements that show why Eno became a legendary in-demand producer, bringing out the thrilling tension in deeper cuts, including sizzling versions of "King's Lead Hat" & "The True Wheel", as well as more well known songs like "Needle in the Camel's Eye", the lead track from debut LP Here Come the Warm Jets, to the delight of the appreciative crowd, many of whom were singing along to even more obscure tunes.

📽️ + 📝 Mick Lewis & The Fine Print

09/16/2026

Sept 15 : A rare live NYC concert (his first in nearly 40 years!) by Los Angeles native 🎤 🎸, the incredibly prolific TV/film composer (The Simpsons, Tim Burton films, and Sam Raimi's Spiderman are just a few of many) and former leader of new wave band Oingo Boingo (which he disbanded due to severe tinnitus & hearing loss), brought out a surprisingly young crowd, some dressed in Beetlejuice-inspired outfits or in full Halloween-style makeup, for an eclectic 25-song set (many with a full orchestra with a choral section) comprised of Boingo songs, familiar themes from soundtracks (including Batman, Beetlejuice, and The Simpsons), and harder-edged post-Boingo solo material from 2021 / LP Big Mess and an upcoming album.

The elaborately tattooed Elfman is in great shape at 73, and despite the hearing loss, sang with impressive range, backed by a dynamic band of musicians who have overlapped in other bands, including with Elfman latter-day influence members 🎸 & 🥁 (also of earlier Elfman influence Devo), 🎸 🎤, bass/🎤, 🎹, and 🪇 🪘.

With the extended orchestral ensemble, Elfman was able to represent his fecund musical mind that integrates musical styles & inspirations ranging from classical (Bernard Herrmann, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev), ska (Madness, The Specials) to art punk (XTC, Devo) to progressive metal & industrial, infused with his macabre lyrics, in stellar and surprising arrangements that delighted the crowd.

Here's an extended clip of the final bonus encore "Just Another Day", the percolating 2nd single from 1985 Oingo Boingo LP Dead Man's Party.

📽️ + 📝 Mick Lewis & The Fine Print

09/14/2026

Sept 13 at , Bergen, Norway sophisticated pop singer-songwriter 🎤 🎸 (whom I interviewed for in 2007) played yet another fantastic show supporting yet another excellent LP, 2026's Acrobats, at the venue where I first saw him play his first NYC show as part of an CMJ showcase nearly 22 years ago (and where I saw him play spectacular birthday shows in 2006 & 2012 during the decade+ he spent living in NYC; this show was a week after his birthday, so it may still count).

When I saw Lerche in 2024, he played a special 20th anniversary show for 2nd LP Two Way Monologue with a string quartet at (see linked reel). This time he performed in a trio with longtime collaborators 🥁 🎤 & (also co-producer) on bass/🎤, Lerche engaged the crowd with his pop music-literate, all sides of romance-exploring lyrics and bright melodies, sung in an expressive voice that effortlessly swoops into an affecting falsetto on catchy new songs, including "Little Kids", as well as revisiting earlier highlights like funky lead single "Bad Law" from 2014 LP Please (presented here in a lightly-edited extended clip).

📽️ + 📝 Mick Lewis & The Fine Print

09/14/2026

The Big Takeover Show – Number 608 – September 14, 2026

This week’s show, after a 1996 Descendents demolition: brand new The Tubs, Social Distortion, Stephen Egerton, Effigies, Railcard, Metric, Lemon Fog, and Squeeze, plus Jimi Hendrix Experience, Zombies, Lemon Fog, Porter Wagoner, Enos McLeod, Trashmen, Bobby Rydel, and Cascades; and Special Set: Kinks covers Part 16!

This week’s show, after a 1996 Descendents demolition: brand new The Tubs, Social Distortion, Stephen Egerton, Effigies, Railcard, Metric, Lemon Fog, and Squeeze, plus Jimi Hendrix Experience, Zombies, Lemon Fog, Porter Wagoner, Enos McLeod, Trashmen, Bobby Rydel, and Cascades; and Special Set: Ki...

09/14/2026

Sept 13 : celebrated 30 years of its unique salon-to-salloon home for raw rock & roll culture with a fun music party that featured sets from Jon Spencer, , and Kurt Baker & The 3 A.M.s, with local legend DJing classic 45s between acts.

It's always a good time with the gritty garage rockabilly blues of Brooklyn's Daddy Long Legs, led by 🎙️ 🎸 /harmonica w/ 🎸 🎤 & 🥁 🪇 and auxiliary member 🎹 🎤 roaring through vintage-sounding rock & roll.

Here's 2019 single "Pink Lemonade" from their Lowdown Ways LP.

📽️ + 📝 Mick Lewis & The Fine Print

09/11/2026

Sept 10: If you told me that in 2026 one of most-hyped bands (and hottest ticket in NYC) would be an anonymous avant-garde instrumental art rock duo from Saguenay, Québec who dress in contrasting white & black polka dot costumes with matching papier-mâché masks, I would have said, “Of course, Angine de Poitrine!", because nothing surprises me in these strange times.

Formed in 2019 by Khn de Poitrine with a custom-designed dual-neck guitar & bass with additional frets to accommodate microtonal notes & Klek de Poitrine drums, pseudonyms for these longtime friends and collaborators for decades (internet sleuths can find the real names and earlier history) who donned disguises and chose the name (French for “chest pain") in 2019 to play a booked show days after their main band had played the same local venue.

The conceit blossomed into an elaborate art project for experimental music with a fictional space-time traveling mythology that gained the duo millions of fans after a February appearance on , leading to their first NYC shows this week (I heard that the waitlist for these sold-out shows was in the 15-20K range, but the band honored the booking instead of switching to, say, Madison Square Garden). Angine de Poitrine is a very human answer to the concerns about an AI future leading to the homogenization of music, as I can’t imagine any hit-seeking major label record executive delivering a strategy presentation with the elements of their success mapped out.

With alien-like presence, Khn & Klek connected better to the energized audience (including many noted musicians and rock critics) than many human-presenting artists, communicating with triangle hand gestures & garbled non-language sounds from 🎤 🎤 in their masks that simultaneously activated windowed LED lights, during breaks before launching into the 8 oddly-titled songs from their -distributed LPs Vol. 1 and Vol. II.

Even with the arresting theatrical presentation, the music is the key, bringing together seemingly disparate enthusiasts of post-hardcore punk, progressive jazz, and jam bands with lengthy tunes that employ minimalist, percussive, off-kilter melody patterns that jump off into space-rock disco grooves with distorted persistence and an expanded beyond-chromatic harmonic palette that evokes Asian and Middle Eastern compositions. Khn is a masterful musician, looping spiralling bass and 🎸 riffs that would be challenging to play even without a mask, while Klek provides a propulsive beat that adjusts to the unexpected twists and turns in the compositions.

Three November shows at the much larger are already sold-out: could we be entering the age of Angine de Poitrine?

Here's a lightly-edited extended clip of the closing song "Sherpa", from Vol. 1.

📽️ + 📝 Mick Lewis & The Fine Print

09/08/2026

The Big Takeover Show – Number 607 – September 7, 2026

This week’s show, after a waste of 1958 Larry Williams: brand new Soft Science, Interpol, Smug Brothers, Grebes, Westside Cowboy, Vida Eterna, DIIV, and Teenage Fanclub, plus The Beatles, Edward Hamilton, Manfred Mann, Barry Brown, West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, Majority, Honeycombs, and Larry Williams with Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson; Special Set: Kinks covers Part 15; and R.I.P. Dolly Parton (1946-2026) and Trashcan Sinatras’ John Douglas (1963-2026)

This week’s show, after a waste of 1958 Larry Williams: brand new Soft Science, Interpol, Smug Brothers, Grebes, Westside Cowboy, Vida Eterna, DIIV, and Teenage Fanclub, plus The Beatles, Edward Hamilton, Manfred Mann, Barry Brown, West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, Majority, Honeycombs, and La...