Yr Knives: May 4, 2026 Tubby’s

May 8, 2026
By

Yr Knives are the best band you’ve never heard of. You’ve definitely heard of the players in the band, but unless you’re a Chicago-area native, you’ve probably never heard the music. They haven’t played much outside of the Chicago area and, aside from a tour-only CD at the merch desk, currently have no recorded output. But when a band like The Messthetics hand-selects a group to open an East Coast run, you should probably pay attention.

Yr Knives is essentially a supergroup made up of a few of Chicago’s best: Andrew Trim and Brian Sulpizio on guitars, Douglas McCombs on bass, and Quin Kirchner on drums. Readers of this site may recognize Quin and Brian from their work with Ryley Walker, and everyone knows Doug’s work. This project, however, is truly better than the sum of its parts.

I had never heard of these guys before this show and, honestly, didn’t even know there was going to be an opening band for The Messthetics. It’s always a good sign when venue staff start telling you the opening band is good—but when the sound guy tells you the opening band is really good, you’d better pay attention. Opening with “Double A (Start Yr Singing),” the band’s thesis became apparent: tightly orchestrated guitar parts layered over a wide-reaching, free-roaming rhythm section. Did I mention the guitars sound HUGE, too? Giant and overdriven, with interwoven parts that had people bobbing their heads immediately. The set closed with a ripping version of Sonny Sharrock’s “Many Mansions.” Unbelievable.

While speaking with the guys after the set, I was happy to learn they have a debut record finished that will be coming out on Western Vinyl later this year. I’m super excited to see what these compositions turn into with full studio treatment. Sadly, this run of shows is over, but maybe this recording will get them on your radar for the next one.

I recorded this from my normal spot in the back with the Schoeps MK22s and an excellent board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Wil, who had the room sounding great all night. If you listen real closely at the end of the recording, you might even hear me turn to Wil and say, “That was fucking good!”; followed by Wil replying, “Yeah, I told you it would be.” Always trust the sound guy.

Download and stream from the Live Music Archive here!

YR Knives
2025-05-04
Tubby’s
Kingston, NY

Source: Scheops MK22 > KCY > PFA + SDB > SD MixPre 3 > SD (24/48) > Adobe Audition/Izotope 9 > Audacity Flac (lvl8) > Mp3Tag

Thanks to Tubby’s FOH engineer, Wil Wright, for the board patch!

Recorded and produced by kliked for nyctaper.com

  1. intro
  2. Double A (Start Yr Singing)
  3. Trimnopedie
  4. Yr Water
  5. These Chords
  6. Fear & Trimbling
  7. Stretch Bath
  8. Many Mansions *

*Sonny Sharrock

Yr Knives is:
Douglas McCombs – Bass
Andrew Trim – Guitar
Quin Kirchner – Drums
Brian Sulpizio – Guitar

Support this excellent artist!
https://yrknives4u.com/

Support the venues bringing you interesting music!
https://www.tubbyskingston.com/music-calendar

FACS: February 11, 2026 Tubby’s

February 16, 2026
By

Sure we were disappointed when our old favorites Disappears called it quits. But fortunately most of the group reformed as FACS and leaned even further into experimental impulses of Disappears. FACS sound something like a constellation of Wire fronted by Mark E Smith. I could throw out more comparisons but FACS deserve to stand on their own even from their erstwhile band.

So here we are a decade later from seeing Disappears do Low at Baby’s All Right and FACS have quite a few albums under their belt on Trouble in Mind (RIP). The latest is Wish Defense, released last year and about half of which they played for a sold-out crowd at Tubby’s last week. “North America Endless”—which, let’s take a moment for that title!—is a non-album 7” they released with a Eurythmics cover on the b-side. (I love a band committed to releasing standalone singles.) In addition to songs from the back catalog, it sounds like there some new ones in this set so I hope some more good things are coming from FACS. I promise to not wait another decade to catch them live.

I recorded this from my usual spot in the back with a pair of MBHOs set up in DIN stereo configuration, combined with a board feed from FOH Nic. The sound is excellent!

Download and stream from the Live Music Archive!

FACS
2026-02-11
Tubby’s
Kingston, NY

Recorded and produced by Eric PH

Soundboard (engineer: Nic) + MBHO KA200N/603A > Naiant PFA >> Sound Devices MixPre-6 > WAV (24/48) > Adobe Audition CC + Izotope Ozone 5 > Audacity 2.4.2 > FLAC

Tracks [49:46]

  1. Lock and Key
  2. A Room
  3. North American Endless
  4. Returning The Gift
  5. When You Say
  6. Zero Year
  7. Darling of Time
  8. Wish Defense
  9. Desire Path
  10. Parallel Lives
  11. Sometimes Only

Support this excellent artist!
https://wearefacs.bandcamp.com/

Support the venues bringing you interesting music!
https://www.tubbyskingston.com/music-calendar

Bitchin Bajas: December 9, 2025 Tubby’s

December 12, 2025
By

Once a year, the Bajas come to Tubby’s, and every time, it’s one of the best nights of the year.

Every Bitchin’ Bajas track carries the chance of being lost forever inside its all-encompassing tones and zones. There are many reasons for this. Part of it is the illusion of time all of their compositions take on; it’s not a question of “has this been a minute or an hour?” It’s a question of “does that matter?” Another reason is the impossible pure tones that their synths ensconce the listener in. Yet another reason, and one that’s not often discussed, is the sound system.

Anyone who has seen Bitchin’ Bajas is familiar with the mad scientist’s tangle of cables and tables full of gear. What you may not realize is that they run this through their own sound system, which they carry on tour and operate live from the stage while playing. It seems like a wholly impossible task. I once asked Cooper how they manage it, and he said, “You just do it.”

I’m happy to report that the Bajas sound system is sounding better than I’ve ever heard it. After the show, Cooper mentioned that they had done significant work on it before this tour. Cracking things open and really putting in the solder time. It is incredibly loud and impossibly crystal clear. Absolutely no sound is out of place or unpleasant, with zero unintentional distortion or buzzing. When they stop playing, it’s dead quiet. The results of their modification would make Owsley proud.

This East Coast run finds them fresh off tour dates with kindred spirits Stereolab and supporting their excellent new record, “Inland Sea.” They played the entirety of the album as well as a few classics from “Baja Fresh”. They also played a new song, “Ajami,” which is currently only available on “Live! Grout?“, a tour-only 12” recorded with an entirely analog signal chain.

East Coast heads have three more tour dates to catch the Bajas before they take a short break and then head to the West Coast in February, followed by a trip to Europe in April. Don’t miss a chance to have your temporal load rearranged by this sound system!

I recorded this from my usual spot in the back with Scheops MK22s. The sound is incredible!

Download and Stream from the Live Music Archive!

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Bitchin Bajas
2025-12-09
Tubby’s
Kingston, NY

Source: Scheops MK22 > KCY > PFA + SDB > SD MixPre 3 > SD (24/48) > Adobe Audition/Izotope 9 > Audacity Flac (lvl8) > Mp3Tag

  1. Ajami
  2. Keji Dreams
  3. Jammu
  4. Circles on Circles
  5. Reno
  6. Skylarking
  7. Graut

Support this excellent artist!
https://bitchinbajas.bandcamp.com/

Support the venues bringing you interesting music!
https://www.tubbyskingston.com/music-calendar

Orcutt Shelley Miller: November 6, 2025 Tubby’s

November 18, 2025
By

Are you a punk that’s struggling to accept your interest in improvisational music? Are you a hippy who’s realizing pretty much every jam band is boring? Orcutt Shelley Miller may be just the thing for you!

Just over a year ago, EricPH beautifully captured one of the first East Coast Orcutt Shelley Miller shows. With some additional material under their belt and a new record to promote, we get to check in with them again.

This trio, to me, is the definition of a supergroup.  Bill Orcutt, Steve Shelley, and Ethan Miller have been involved in some of the most respected, creative, and daring music of the last 35 years. I’m not going to try and sell you on their past accomplishments because that would be absurd.  You know these bands, or at least you damn well should know these bands.

An interesting aspect of this project is that it isn’t just three beloved musicians playing together; the sum turns out to be greater than its parts. In power trio form, you get to see the best of what they all have to offer.  Miller’s bass lines bounce in and around Orcutt’s absolutely fire-breathing leads while Shelley somehow manages to keep the things on the tracks. Interesting side note: 30+ years into being at the bleeding edge of creative guitar playing, Bill Orcutt has finally started using pedals! There’s a lot of upside potential here!

This was a really fun night with lots of friends in attendance, so it’s no surprise that I completely forgot to take a picture.  What was a surprise was that, collectively, among the 7 of us in attendance, we only managed to get two photos. That’s a testament to how engaging the show was.

I recorded this from my usual spot in the back with a set of Schoeps MK22s. I opted not to mix in the board feed and instead focused on the live feel of the room.  This was made quite easy by Tubby’s FOH engineer Wil, doing a killer job mixing the room. The sound is excellent!

Download and stream from the Live Music Archive!

Orcutt Shelley Miller
2025-11-06
Tubby’s
Kingston, NY

Source: Scheops MK22 > KCY > PFA > SD MixPre 3 > SD (24/48) > Adobe Audition/Izotope 9 > Audacity Flac (lvl8) > Mp3Tag

recorded and produced by kliked

  1. A Star Is Born
  2. LA Funeral
  3. Unsafe At Any Speed
  4. Untitled
  5. Four-door Charger
  6. Long Island Wedding

Support this excellent artist!
https://orcuttshelleymiller.bandcamp.com/album/orcutt-shelley-miller

Support the venues bringing you interesting music!
https://www.tubbyskingston.com/music-calendar

Minami Deutsch: October 1, 2025 Tubby’s

November 13, 2025
By

It’s been nearly six years to the day since I last saw Minami Deutsch. That night, they were opening for Kikagaku Moyo at the wonderful—but now sadly closed—Burlington, VT venue, Arts Riot. The band’s name translates to “South Germany,” so the krautrock analogies were impossible to avoid. But what I found then, and what still holds true now, is that this is much more than Neu! worship; this is a band that has drunk deeply from all corners of German avant-psychedelia and found ways to keep its 60+ years of tradition fresh.

Regardless of subgenre, when you speak about this musical movement, it always comes back to the motorik beat and its undeniable propulsion of both the music and the listener. Try listening to this recording without significant head-nodding—I dare you. For reference, check out the moment around 3:30 on “I’ve Seen a U.F.O.” when, after a significant build-up, the band drops into the beat with intention. The collective release was palpable. A fun bonus game: listen to the crowd reactions and meltdowns when they finally bring that monster of a jam to a close.

The band was also jamming on some new material during this tour, two of which we’ve captured here. I particularly enjoyed the first of those (track 4 on this recording), which finds them deep inside the soaring dual-guitar harmonies you may remember from Agitation Free. We need more bands influenced by Agitation Free.

Reviews from everyone I know who saw this tour are the same: this was one of the best sets of the year. They have some Euro dates coming up, so hopefully our friends on the other side of the pond have a chance to catch them soon.

I recorded this from the back with Schoeps MK22s and a nice board mix from Tubby’s FOH engineer, Wil. The sound is excellent!

Download and stream from the Live Music Archive!

Minami Deutsch
2025-10-01
Tubby’s
Kingston, NY

Source: Scheops MK22 > KCY > PFA + SDB > SD MixPre 3 > SD (24/48) > Adobe Audition/Izotope 9 > Audacity Flac (lvl8) > Mp3Tag

Thanks to Tubyy’s FOH engineer, Wil, for the board patch!

recorded and produced by kliked

  1. Futsu Ni Ikirenai
  2. Grumpy Joa
  3. Can’t Get There
  4. Jam/New song
  5. I’ve Seen a U.F.O.
  6. Jam/New song
  7. Tunnel

Support this excellent artist!
https://minamideutsch.bandcamp.com/

Support the venues bringing you interesting music!
https://www.tubbyskingston.com/music-calendar

Bonny Doon: August 21, 2025 Tubby’s

October 13, 2025
By

Unfortunately, I was unable to make Bonny Doon’s set last year when they came through with John Andrews, so I made sure the calendar was clear when this date was announced. “Let There Be Music” was a big sing-along favorite in the backyard, and I was hoping Tubby’s back room would be the same.

From the start, the obvious chemistry between principal songwriters Bill Lennox and Bobby Colombo is evident. They are relaxed and confident, easily displaying the folk-fused psychedelia they have become known for. These songs are made for spending time with, for learning their nuances. They are perfect tunes for a summer evening, inside or out.

About halfway through the set, they mentioned they were working on new songs and were kind enough to play a number of them for us. While new, these are still very unmistakably Bonny Doon songs. You can even hear some well-placed claps and “yeahs!” from the crowd, with people reacting like they already knew them.  A particular highlight of this section was the introduction of Anna St. Louis, to sing on “Thunder and Lightning”.  Aside from the beautiful harmonies, Anna’s inclusion highlighted the point that this show was absolutely loaded with other musicians. Anna aside, I recall seeing members of Woods, Real Estate, and Slow Fawn, among others. 

I recorded this from the usual spot with the MK22s and board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer, Wil.  It sounds wonderful and intimate, just like ti did in the room. Enjoy!

Download and stream from the Live Music Archive!

Bonny Doon
2025-08-21
Tubby’s
Kingston, NY

Source: Scheops MK22 > KCY > PFA + SDB > SD MixPre 3 > SD (24/48) > Adobe Audition/Izotope 9 > Audacity Flac (lvl8) > Mp3Tag

Thanks to Tubby’s FOH engineer, Will, for the board patch

  1. Lost My Way > Longwave
  2. Crooked Creek
  3. I Am Here (I Am Alive)
  4. What Time Is It in Portland?
  5. Feel Like Getting High*
  6. Losing My Cool*
  7. Forever Green*
  8. Banter
  9. Thunder and Lightning (with Anna St. Louis)*
  10. Saw a Light
  11. I See You
  12. Clock Keeps Ticking
  13. A Lotta Things
  14. Summertime Friends

*New song

Support this excellent artist!
https://bonnydoon.bandcamp.com/album/let-there-be-music

Support the venues bringing you interesting music!
https://www.tubbyskingston.com/music-calendar

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