Earn Your Hipster Merit Badge

So I know this blog already has an "Upcoming Concerts" sidebar, but I wanted to draw attention to the fact that two of my favorite new bands are playing TOGETHER at the end of the month ... at a cool venue ... with inexpensive tickets ... across the street from a combination Irish Pub/Curry House.

Tuesday, May 26
Bimbo's 365 Club in North Beach
Passion Pit
with special guests
Harlem Shakes

Tickets only $16

I've mentioned Harlem Shakes in this space before as my "I still think they're cool despite the fact that bloggers are mostly over them and they only got a 5.0 in Pitchfork and they kinda rip off Clap Your Hands Say Yeah" band of 2009, but I haven't had a chance to say anything about Passion Pit, a band that is still 100% hipster approved, though their album is coming out May 19, so the backlash should start up any minute now.

Anyway, long-time locker-mate and occasional blog commenter Curtis (say it with me now, Elliot and Ellard) hipped me to these guys, and so I owe him forever. Their 2008 EP Chunk of Change was their first release, with single "Sleepyhead" earning them widespread blog attention. As mentioned, their full-length debut, Manners, comes out in just a few days. Standout tracks for me include "Moth's Wings," and, above all else, "Little Secrets," which might have taken over for Phoenix's "1901" and The National's "So Far Around the Bend" as "Aaron's Presumptive Song of the Year 2009."

So that's the deal. I've linked both albums here, so give them a listen. And come to the show. We'll all be a week into BarBri, and I'm betting we'll already be sick of it.

Passion Pit

Harlem Shakes