V V Brown at Hiro Ballroom

VV Brown played a fantastic show in New York City tonight at the Hiro Ballroom on 9th Avenue and 16th Street. It was her first show in Manhattan and she didn't disappoint the invite-only crowd who were overwhelmingly excited to see this exuberant young singer perform her debut album "Traveling Like The Light." I videotaped her final song of the evening, "Shark in the Water." It's a hit.

I Woke Up Today - Port O'Brien

I remember that the last time I saw Port O'Brien I could have been at a Japanese sushi place on 57th, but that's another story.

They played a terrific and extremely fun show tonight (though much too short) at Mercury Lounge. Right before their final song they passed out pots and pans and other metal kitchen tools and invited everyone on stage to sing along to the incredibly catchy song "I Woke Up Today." I found some videos of the song. I like this one and this one and even this one.

I think the last time I was up on stage was during a Misfits show in Boston (a cover of "Rise Above" by Black Flag at 2:09).

ADDENDUM: They are playing Friday night in Brooklyn! Only $10.

Mockingbirds from London

This past Sunday afternoon I somehow managed to get on the wrong subway uptown. The F train goes to 57th Street and the others curve around and head to the East Side. Sucks when you realize this after the fact. It means I have to walk home a few extra blocks in the rain.

I have to say my mood improved immensely as I came up the escalator and I hear these two scruffy English guys singing and strumming some really great songs. Highly unusual for a subway stop in midtown underneath the Museum of Modern Art on a weekend. But it's New York so anything is possible and I stuck around to listen to a few songs.

Turns out these two rebellious chaps are an unsigned band -- Mockingbirds from London. Tons of energy, enthusiasm and charisma. They earned around $15 in the ten minutes that I watched them. As one of them told me, apparently they were kicked off their tour in the US and needed to raise money to get back to England. I can only imagine what kind of trouble this adventurous pair did to get kicked off their tour. Drinking and destroying houses across the US or God knows what other shenanigans they managed to get into that left them stranded in New York and forced to sing in the 5th Avenue subway stop.

I especially loved their cover of Jamie T's "If You Got The Money," but they played plenty of other good songs. The random tourists on the subway platform seemed to enjoy them if they cash they pulled in was any indication.

Good luck guys! Hope you got home safely.