05/24/08 The New Deal/Awesome New Republic @ Bowery Ballroom

After Raya Brass Band at Rose, we headed across the Williamsburg Bridge to catch one of my favorite bands at their most frequented NYC digs.

The opener was a high energy dance act in a similar vein that got the crowd moving with renditions of "Eye of the Tiger" and "Thriller."

The New Deal put on yet another wire-to-wire all-out dance party. They may be predictable, but they are predictably awesome, masters of the tension release peak jam.

LISTEN HERE!

12/15/06 The New Deal/Benzos @ Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY

I believe this was the show that The New Deal busted out an unexpected cover of Billy Joel's "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," even eschewing their predominantly instrumental approach for a stab at some of the staccato chorus.

11/29/03 The New Deal/Brothers Past @ Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY

Set 1: I Feel Love > Juno > VL Tone, Jam > G-Nome > Don't Blame Yourself, Jam > Glide
Set 2: Jam > Dancehall Jam > Jam (?) > Deep Sun > Jam > Delay Tower > Deep Sun, Homewrecker > Ravine > A Little While > Jam > Gone, Gone, Gone
Encore: Home > Back Off

The New Deal is one of my all time favorite bands. Every time I see them, it's just a non-stop dance party. This was also my first time at Bowery Ballroom, consistently ranked one of the top music venues in NYC by those who rank such things. I don't think I've actually gone to the Bowery for any reason other than a New Deal show.

I had already played their self-titled release into the ground and this was their release tour for Gone Gone Gone which was even better.

They always seem to step it up in NYC and at the Bowery especially. This night was no different. They even had a sexy vocalist from the album come out to sing a song or two.

I'm still hooked on these guys.

I don't think I made it in time for Brothers Past, marking the beginning of a long string of near misses with that particular band.