Noel Heroux, Hooray For Earth
Best Unknown NYC Band: Zambri, who is not by any means unknown, but not known enough
Best Live NYC Band: Battles
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? I’m not sure myself but a friend of mine was devistated for Apes & Androids
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Paul & The Patients To The Lions EP
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Glasslands
Most Missed Local Venue: Alphabeta in Greenpoint
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2
Best Post Show Hangout: Maujer Dreams
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Guitar stolen and returned week later by admitted thief

Dylan Rau of Bear Hands
Best NYC Band: Grizzly Bear
Best Unknown NYC Band: Bottle Up and Go
Best Live NYC Band: Das Racist
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Everyone I know is still alive
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: “Veckatimest” Grizzly Bear
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: Mccarren Pool
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Ebay
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 40
Best Post Show Hangout: Clem’s
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Mayor Bloomberg came

Chris Pacifico, Solid PR
Best NYC Band: The Giraffes
Best Unknown NYC Band: Stats
Best Live NYC Band: The Giraffes
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? It Lives
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Hopewell “Good Good Desperation:
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: Knitting Factory
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Anywhere in the Lower East Side
How Many Bands Do You Play in: None
Best Post Show Hangout: Iggy’s
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Too lewd for me to describe.

David Dargahi, The Postelles
Best NYC Band: Your Nature
Best Unknown NYC Band: Movement
Best Live NYC Band: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Velvet Underground
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band:Harlem Shakes “Technicolor Health”
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Music Hall of Williamsburg
Most Missed Local Venue: Sin-e
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: 30th St. Guitars
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: Dublin
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Previous bands smoke machines caused firemen to show up

Coyle Girelli, Your Vegas
Best NYC Band: Well, why Your Vegas of course… and Jupiter One is great as well.
Best Live NYC Band: Semi-Precious Weapons simply for the all out, balls out glam
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Fellow Brits The Primms
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Paul & Patients had a great debut!
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: CBGB’s – even though it was shit hole. Sad to lose such history though at least it became a very cool Varvatos store and not a Starbucks. John’s heart is in the right place and Im glad he still has bands play there.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music, Williamsburg
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: Cabin
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? A mid set argument from the stage with Anton from The Brianjonestown Massacre about the correct pronunciation of the word ‘aluminium’

Justin Russo, The Silent League
Best NYC Band: StarsLikeFleas
Best Unknown NYC Band: Grand Mal
Best Live NYC Band: Bear in Heaven
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? – dunno, did anyone I know break up in 09?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Hopewell – Good Good Desperation
Favorite Local Venue to Play: The new Knit!!
Most Missed Local Venue: Brownies
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: not in New York….
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 3
Best Post Show Hangout: Taco Chulo, Williamsburg
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? – a coke dealer came up to the stage mid set and attempted to sell his wares. didn’t really seem to bother him that we were singing songs to a bunch of people.

Mark Allen, Fugitive Souls
Best NYC Band: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Best Unknown NYC Band: Fugitive Souls
Best Live NYC Band: LCD Soundsystem
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Dirty on Purpose
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Plushgun, “Pins and Panzers”
Favorite Local Venue to Play: The Studio at Webster Hall
Most Missed Local Venue: Original Luna Lounge
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2
Best Post Show Hangout: Alligator Lounge
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Robbed in the parking lot before our Bell House Show

Brad Bennett, Intermissions/Bling Kong/Red Impact
Best NYC Band: The National
Best Unknown NYC Band: Parts & Labor
Best Live NYC Band: These Are Powers
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band:
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Mercury Lounge
Most Missed Local Venue:
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: the internet
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 3 (Intermissions, Bling Kong, Red Impact)
Best Post Show Hangout: My House
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? I was told once by a young, married couple that their 8-year old kid really loved our music. They specifically mentioned one song that hand frequent references to one’s “cock”. I asked what their child thought of the sexual references and the couple easily explained that they told their kid that the song was about chickens.

Steven Matrick, Kepler Events
Best NYC Band: A Place to Bury Strangers
Best Unknown NYC Band: Overlord
Best Live NYC Band: Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Exploding Head by A Place to Bury Strangers
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Cakeshop
Most Missed Local Venue:
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 0
Best Post Show Hangout: Motor City
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?

Dylan Von Wagner, Linfinity
Best NYC Band: The National
Best Unknown NYC Band: Torpedo
Best Live NYC Band: Beastie Boys……
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? simon and garfunkel
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: The Subjects
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Mercury Lounge
Most Missed Local Venue: Brownies
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: 30th st Guitars
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: By Robert James
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Lots of people showed up

Shilpa Ray, Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers
Best NYC Band: I know it says band and not bands. I have trouble with rules. Here goes: Heavy Trash, The Harlem Shakes, Psychic Ills, A Place to Bury Strangers, TV on the Radio
Best Unknown NYC Band: The Wild Yaks, Soft Black, Creaky Boards, Werewolves, Daniel Bernstein and the Everybody Knows, Forest Fire, The Soundscapes
Best Live NYC Band: Ching Chong Song, Heavy Trash, Sharon Van Etten
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? The New York Howl
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Earth is Black- Soft Black. Technicolor Health- The Harlem Shakes. Because I Was In Love – Sharon Van Etten
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Loft Parties
Most Missed Local Venue: Vanishing Point where I freaked out on a moon age daydream. Oh yeah.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Keshav Music Imports. 67 E 4th St. You can buy yourself a magical sitar and become Brian Jones playing George Harrison playing Ravi Shankar playing a bad father.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: Stoned in my room, Car service with Strictly Dickly. She makes load outs loads of fun.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? People dancing Ring Around the Rosie style and throwing money at us. I’m tawkin 5s and 10s, not cheapie 1s. Our audiences are posh.

Brian Betancourt, Hospitality/Frances/White Rabbits
Best NYC Band: The Subjects
Best Unknown NYC Band: Glass Ghost
Best Live NYC Band: Dirty Projectors
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Dymaxion
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Glass Ghost Idol Omen
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Hall
Most Missed Local Venue: I can’t think of one
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 3 right now
Best Post Show Hangout: bar at the Bell House
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Me kicking a beach ball into a sea of 7,000 hippies at Bonnaroo.

Jonathan, Fiasco
Best NYC Band: for me at the moment it’s Boogie Boarder (myspace.com/boogieboardertheband) or Zs (myspace.com/zstheband)
Best Unknown NYC Band: Snuffy (myspace.com/snuffynewyork)
Best Live NYC Band: No One and the Somebodies (myspace.com/nooneandthesomebodies)
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? No idea, but speaking of broken up bands, Pavement just reunited!!!!!!
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: so far it’s Turbosleaze (myspace.com/turbosleaze)’s “Balls Balls Balls Vagina”, but I’m highly anticipating “Mangia!” by Snuffy and an EP by Museyroom (myspace.com/museyroomband).
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Death by Audio or Market Hotel
Most Missed Local Venue: The bodega at 1089 Broadway was pretty cool..
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 5
Best Post Show Hangout: My bed
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? One time this drunk woman started shouting and hitting Julian’s cymbals during the middle of a song. We thought she was just being silly and would eventually stop; however she kept it up for about 2 songs or so. We asked her nicely to stop which didn’t work. At the end of the show we saw her passed out under some bleachers, hopefully everything turned out all right for her…

Paul Schalda, Pablo
Best NYC Band: sonic youth
Best Unknown NYC Band: pablo
Best Live NYC Band: sonic youth
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? ?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: cymbals eat guitars
Favorite Local Venue to Play: no where on staten island
Most Missed Local Venue: the joint
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: mandolin brothers
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: the 45
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? we sucked

Alex Tween, The Forms
Best NYC Band: The National
Best Unknown NYC Band: Limbs
Best Live NYC Band: These Are Powers
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Usaisamonster
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Dirty Projectors’ Bitte Orca
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bell House
Most Missed Local Venue: Northsix
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1.5
Best Post Show Hangout: Larry Lawrence
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?: Onstage intraband strangling

Oliver, A Place To Bury Strangers
Best NYC Band: Sisters
Best Unknown NYC Band: Killer Snatch
Best Live NYC Band: Dead Combo
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Dirty On Purpose
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Grooms Rejoicer
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Death By Audio
Most Missed Local Venue: Asterisk*
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: Under the Williamsburg Bridge
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? We played.

Sam Tyndall, ArpLine
Best NYC Band: ArpLine
Best Unknown NYC Band: Square Wave Punch
Best Live NYC Band: Gang Gang Dance
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: St Vincent ‘Actor’
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Mercury Lounge
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Craigslist
Most missed venue is Acme Underground

Lucian, Fiasco
Best NYC Band: perhaps Krallice or Boogie Boarder
Best Unknown NYC Band: Snuffy or Museyroom
Best Live NYC Band: No One and the Somebodies, Banzai (Jonathan’s band) or TURBOSLEAZE
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? When Biggie died.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Balls Balls Balls Vagina by TURBOSLEAZE
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Death by Audio, Market Hotel or Silent Barn
Most Missed Local Venue: STFO or Bodega
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2, but maybe 3? I’m in a lot of good ideas for bands, but they never get formed.
Best Post Show Hangout: THA LPD! That’s not in the city though.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Once we played @ Bodega and two teenage girls made out during our set

Liz Schroeter, Diehard/Bling Kong
Best NYC Band: Ida
Best Unknown NYC Band: Can I say my own? Diehard
Best Live NYC Band: The Hold Steady, but only when I’m drunk
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Oxford Collapse
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: ARMS
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Hall
Most Missed Local Venue: i guess I sort of will miss the old Knitting Factory
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag, Brooklyn
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1, or 2 if you are getting Bling Kong reunions together
Best Post Show Hangout: the bar at the venue where you are hopefully drinking for free, duh
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Someone puked in the front row

Americans
Best NYC Band: TV on the Radio
Best Unknown NYC Band: Americans, of course…
Best Live NYC Band: The Giraffes
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Oxford Collapse
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Dirty Projectors…bitte orce? hmmm
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Mercury Lounge
Most Missed Local Venue: Northsix
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment:
How Many Bands Do You Play in: two

Shannon Fields, Stars Like Fleas/The Silent League/Helado Negro/Miho Hatori’s New Still Life…etc
Best NYC Band: These Are Powers
Best Unknown NYC Band: Well, nobody in this town is “unknown”, but…Light Asylum is my new favorite. Also, Glass Ghost.
Best Live NYC Band: These Are Powers.
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? It’s never sad when bands breakup. There are too many bands. If a band is around for too long they lose their charm. Break up your band, preserve your charm (and dignity). Do something useful with your life/ambition/energy/cash. I mean it. Become mythical, hurry up… (…except did Lansing-Dreiden cease to be active? Because I could *definitely* use some more of that…)
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: “Awe Owe” by Helado Negro (I play in this live band but only played a few things on the record and didn’t hear it until it was released, so I honestly dont see this as self-promotion–the record is Roberto’s baby and I joined after the record was made and it’s honestly my favorite record of the past many months by a local band)
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Pool
Most Missed Local Venue: Tonic. Jesus christ do I really miss Tonic…
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Craig’s List for small towns in upstate New York
How Many Bands Do You Play in: Most actively, right now…Stars Like Fleas, The Silent League, Helado Negro, Miho Hatori’s New Still Life. Also two new projects of mine that I haven’t given names to.
Best Post Show Hangout: home
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?: I’m pretty bored by weird things so i tend not to notice them if they happen. Or how about this…It’s weird when people listen in this town, right? And I mean with their ears, eh?

Julian, Fiasco
Best NYC Band: These Are Powers or Pterodactyl or (not a band, but) Jay-Z
Best Unknown NYC Band: Turbosleaze
Best Live NYC Band: Aa (Big A little a)
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Does High Places moving to LA count?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Balls Balls Balls Vagina by Turbosleaze
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Dead Herring, Death By Audio, Silent Barn, or Market Hotel
Most Missed Local Venue: Bodega or STFO
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: a bunch
Best Post Show Hangout: going home
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Pratt senior art project getting destroyed

Asher Lack, Ravens & Chimes
Best NYC Band: I’m partial to Ravens and Chimes
Best Unknown NYC Band: Ravens and Chimes, The Secret Life Of Sofia (now called Milagres), The Subjects
Best Live NYC Band:I was recently blown away by a show we did with White Rabbits
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? I’d like to hear another Clap Your Hands record…..not sure when that’ll be.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: You And Me by The Walkmen (late 2008 but…) Also Vecatimest by Grizzly Bear and It’s Frightening by White Rabbits
Favorite Local Venue to Play: It always feels special at The Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: We used to go to Tramps and Coney Island High in high school.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Matt Umanov and Rivington for shops but there are lots of iBankers selling good gear on craigslist these days.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1, typical monogamist.
Best Post Show Hangout: Enids! also, Matchless, Bue and Gold, Black and White etc……
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Someone stole my underwear out of my bag backstage while we were playing.

Michael Jurin, stellastarr*
Best NYC Band: The National
Best Unknown NYC Band: Wakey! Wakey!
Best Live NYC Band: The Kiss Off/ArpLine
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? The Velvet Underground
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: ‘Hush’ by Asobi Seksu
Favorite Local Venue to Play: The Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: The Luna Lounge (in LES) –free shows of upcoming bands
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: two
Best Post Show Hangout: Bowery Electric
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? A girl jumped on stage & mimicked kissing our singers ass.

Paul Holmes, Paul & The Patients
Best NYC Band:
Best Unknown NYC Band:
Best Live NYC Band:
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band:
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Glasslands
Most Missed Local Venue:
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: South Side Guitars
How Many Bands Do You Play in: two, if you count my solo thing
Best Post Show Hangout: a practice space
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? everyone listened

Emma Firth, Team Genius
Best NYC Band: Pearl and the Beard
Best Unknown NYC Band: Ryan Lone Wolf Sawyer, in any of his past, present and future reincarnations
Best Live NYC Band: Grizzly Bear
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? I don’t want to know.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: But You’ve Always Been the Caretaker: The Silent League
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Monkeytown
Most Missed Local Venue: I don’t live in Williamsburg – I can’t keep up with this question!
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Pawn Shops in Random Cities
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: My bed.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? We dressed up as the Nativity Scene for Christmas last year. I was Mary. Drew was Joseph. Our keyboardist, Erin, was a male shepherd. We had angels and wise men too. Benefits of having 8 people in the band. It was pretty funny watching Drew trying to sing though his false beard.

Elizabeth & The Catapult
Best NYC Band: Elysian Fields
Best Unknown NYC Band: Lakewhales
Best Live NYC Band: The Prigs
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Superiority Complex
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Christina Courtin S/T
Music Hall of Williamsburg/The Bellhouse
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Tonic
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: Two
Best Post Show Hangout: Battery Park on the water
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?  Depeche Mode had impromptu show down the street and some of the audience left to go enjoy.

Drew, Team Genius
Best NYC Band:THE HOLDSTEADY
Best Unknown NYC Band: PEARL AND THE BEARD
Best Live NYC Band: MOTEL MOTEL
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH?
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: CYMBALS EAT GUITARS – WHY THERE ARE MOUNTAINS
Favorite Local Venue to Play: MONKEYTOWN
Most Missed Local Venue: DON’T HAVE ONE
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: THE INTERNET
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: ROSEMARY’S GREENPOINT TAVERN
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? NATIVITY SHOW

Josh, New Numbers
Best NYC Band: MGMT
Best Unknown NYC Band: New Numbers
Best Live NYC Band: Amazing Baby
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? The Jealous Girlfriends
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Rewild – Amazing Baby
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: North Six
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Craigslist…duh!! or Maindrag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: just one for me please
Best Post Show Hangout: my bedroom
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? i remembered all the words

Erik Gundel, Motel Motel
Best NYC Band: Dirty Projectors
Best Unknown NYC Band: Glass Ghost
Best Live NYC Band: Dirty Projectors
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Hmm…Does Oasis count? Not so I guess.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Because I Was in Love by Sharon Van Etten
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Hall- Great food, endless bocce fun.
Most Missed Local Venue: Old Sound Fix bar
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag, definitely
How Many Bands Do You Play in: Only time for one, recorded with Grooms though
Best Post Show Hangout: probably a quiet couch somewhere
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Playing music in Egypt was, in itself, weird. But we played for about 1,000 people at a group wedding for 20 couples, whirling dervishes, two guys dressed like a horse, right next to the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen. Unforgettable.

Mike Fadem, New Numbers
Best NYC Band: The Walkmen
Best Unknown NYC Band: Ludlow Lions
Best Live NYC Band: The Walkmen
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Sam Champion…wait, are they broken up???
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: YYY’S “It’s Blitz”
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Music Hall of Williamsburg
Most Missed Local Venue: Northsix
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Drummer’s World
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 3
Best Post Show Hangout: The bar at The Bell House
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? It was weird after a show in Austin, TX to go back stage and find Derek Jeter, just hanging out with his girlfriend.

Miracles of Modern Science
Best NYC Band: Dirty Projectors
Best Unknown NYC Band: Buke & Gass <3<3<3
Best Live NYC Band: The Homosexuals
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Still mourning Steely Dan.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Bitte Orca
Favorite Local Venue to Play: (le) Poisson Rouge! So classy… so air-conditioned.
Most Missed Local Venue: We only recently immigrated from Australia, so we haven’t yet experienced the demise of a favourite venue.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music in Williamsburg… conveniently located next door to our practice space!
How Many Bands Do You Play in: We moonlight as a Vampire Weekend tribute band.
Best Post Show Hangout: Nothing beats a good post-show band sauna session.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? We blew up a PA at Rooftop Films. It actually caught on fire while we were playing. Straight out of Back to the Future.

Zachary, Freshkills
Best NYC Band:Dark Vibe
Best Unknown NYC Band:Violent Bullshit
Best Live NYC Band:None. They all play too long.
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?Panthers
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band:Hamsoken-”Foul Harvest”
Favorite Local Venue to Play:Cake Shop. Because it’s very close to Motor City.
Most Missed Local Venue:CBGBs. Just kidding. Grow up.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment:Main Drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in:1. If that.
Best Post Show Hangout:Mars Bar. In theory.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Band stories are boring. I’d sooner stab myself in the fucking tonsils than listen to some bearded fuckwit talk about the “crazy shit” that happened at one of their shows. Weird things happen on UFOs and in the course of a 30 year marriage. Weird things involve cowboys,ignored children travelling back in time to earn their dismissive father’s love, and/or dinosaurs. Weird things do not happen at rock and roll shows. If you think that girl taking a shit on the dancefloor, or you breaking your collerbone ‘cuz you were ‘tripping balls” is weird, than you’re frame of reference is that of, well, your average dude in a band. I like stories about pandas,celebrity chefs taking time out to help out the less fortunate, and ROM The Space Knight.

Sohrab, Obits
Best NYC Band: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Best Unknown NYC Band: Ambergris
Best Live NYC Band: Lycaon Pictus
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Dirty Projectors
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Rated O by Oneida
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bell House
Most Missed Local Venue: Brownies
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Probably from a friend.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: If not the location of the show itself, then
the next closest place.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Due to flight delays, I arrived at the venue in Calgary at 2:45am, just in time to join the rest of the band for the last 3 songs of our set.

Project Jenny, Project Jan
Best NYC Band: Beastie Boys! Jay-Z, Run DMC, KISS
Best Unknown NYC Band: The Bloodsugars?
Best Live NYC Band: Action Painters
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? The Boggs
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Department of Eagles
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: Sin-e. We had some good times there.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Craigslist.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: One,
Best Post Show Hangout: The roof at 127 Grand St.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?
The crowd taking props (gigantic letters) from the previous band and dancing with them during the song “Brooklyn”

Lyndon Roeller, Hopewell
Best NYC Band: dirty projectors or grizzly bear.. what, were you expecting some obscure band nobody knows?? that’s the next one
Best Unknown NYC Band: electric tickle machine. seriously.
Best Live NYC Band: these are powers, a place to bury strangers, depending on what you’re in the mood for
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? I kinda wish the double or the occasion still played, but actually a few more bands could break up and it wouldn’t make me sad at all
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: blew it again by electric tickle machine
Favorite Local Venue to Play: glasslands wins for like the 3rd year. although cameo was fun the other night
Most Missed Local Venue: I don’t miss any… there’s a new one every 5 minutes. I can’t even remember the old ones
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: williamsburg craigslist… so many rich hipsters unloading their gear for cheap
How Many Bands Do You Play in: two. hopewell + gay for johnny depp
Best Post Show Hangout: I feel cheesy answering this question
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? see above

Body Language
Best Live NYC Band: Grizzly Bear
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Theophilus London + Machinedrum. of course we’d like to see them prove us wrong some day
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Favorite Local Venue to Play: McKibbins Lofts’ Rooftop
Most Missed Local Venue: the old Luna Lounge
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Craigslist, but also check out EARS Nyc in manhattan who restores vintage synths and organs
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1 at the moment
Best Post Show Hangout: Brooklyn Bowl w/ DJ Aarnio
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?
I dropped a shaker on my sampler, and it triggered a completely different backing track to another song, we just kept playing over top of it to see what would happen. It was little weird and we were kind of just flying by the seat of our pants. then the chorus hit and had to have been the most bizarre clash of key signatures one could conceive. It was too much – We stopped the track and had to tell the audience about it. i think even the tone-deaf folks knew something was up.

Thomas Laplaige, Electric Tickle Machine
Best NYC Band: yeah yeah yeahs
Best Unknown NYC Band: light asylum!!!!
Best Live NYC Band: golden triangle shows are fun
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? no sad, i go straight from angry to valium
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: patrick cleandenim’s new one.
Favorite Local Venue to Play: coco66 even thought they’re cheapskates
Most Missed Local Venue:
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: main drag’s stellar
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: someone’s apartment
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? we had the power shut off on us at a party in the soon to be bushwick art mall. the hasids actually locked us and a bunch of kids in the soon-to-be store where we were playing and a near riot ensued. caged animal fire hazard, yikes.

Tim Williams
Best NYC Band: Nada Surf
Best Unknown NYC Band: Barghest (members of castanets and phosphorescent)
Best Live NYC Band: Annie & The Beekeepers
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? USAISAMONSTER
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Langhorne Slim – Be Set Free
Favorite Local Venue to Play: The Bell House
Most Missed Local Venue: Rothko
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag Music
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2 (Tim Williams, Depression State Troopers)
Best Post Show Hangout: 2A
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Mark Eitzel taking notes on a napkin at The Bottom Of The Hill in SF. Really intimidating!

Jed Smith, My Teenage Stride
Best NYC Band: Crystal Stilts
Best Unknown NYC Band: The Gutsies, I’m Turning Into, Tanks Amigo
Best Live NYC Band: Crystal Stilts, The Beets
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?- Cause Co-motion????????
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Revenger by Knight School
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Cakeshop, Bruar Falls, Silent Barn, Dead Herring
Most Missed Local Venue: Dead Herring, cause they only have shows like once a month
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: rural Pennsylvania or western Massachusetts
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 4 or so
Best Post Show Hangout: Daddy’s, or someone’s house
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?- we sold all our merch. Other than that, there was one time a hippie girl tried to molest me onstage. This was a few years ago, when I was still cute.

Matthew Clark, White Rabbits
Best NYC Band: The Subjects
Best Unknown NYC Band: Glass Ghost
Best Live NYC Band: Dirty Projectors
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? There nothing sad about a band breaking up. They broke up because they were in it for the wrong reasons or thought things were going to be different and they couldn’t deal with the reality of being in a band. Or they decided to work with people that didn’t share the same goals and work ethic. I personally think more bands need to break up.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Glass Ghost’s Idol Omen on Western Vinyl
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Bowery Ballroom
Most Missed Local Venue: I have some fond memories of the Knitting Factory. I hope the new one works out.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: 30th Street Guitars
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1. But I’m open-minded.
Best Post Show Hangout:Where the grass is greenest
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? I tend to get severe nose bleeds from time to time,which makes a mess until a break in song. Then there is the challenge of finding something to wrap around my face before the next song starts. Most of the time people don’t even notice,they just think I decided to wrap something around my face like a costume. We definitely aren’t a “costume band”.

Blank Dogs
Best NYC Band: crystal stilts
Best Unknown NYC Band: German measles
Best Live NYC Band: woods
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Cause co-motion
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: songs of shame by woods
Favorite Local Venue to Play: bell house
Most Missed Local Venue: none!
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main drag
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 3!
Best Post Show Hangout: daddy’s
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Fights

Cassie, Vivian Girls
Best NYC Band: Woods.
Best Unknown NYC Band: Stupid Party.
Best Live NYC Band: Cause Co-Motion!
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? Hunchback.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: The Beets – Spit in the Face of People Who Don’t Want to be Cool.
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Death By Audio.
Most Missed Local Venue: North Six.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: Two – Vivian Girls and the Babies.
Best Post Show Hangout: Daddy’s.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? We played a house show last November and Blake Schwartzenbach’s new band played first. That was a crazy experience. The room was packed. It was really awesome to be on a bill with one of our punk heroes, and in our friends’ living room!

Autry Fulbright, Midnight Masses
Best NYC Band: Callers. The ghost of Billie Holiday haunts lead singer Sara Lucas’ voice. They combine the pastoral scenes of the gallant Old South with the most unique guitar/drums combo since the year nineteen-whenever. A torch has been passed.
Best Unknown NYC Band: Sleigh Bells. Heartbreakin’ beats and sass that lasts pass the summer. Today, your house party. Tomorrow – the world!
Best Live NYC Band: TV On The Radio.
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? I don’t get sad when bands break up. I get relieved.
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Veckatimest by Grizz B. (aka Grizzly Bear)
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Pool is always fun.
Most Missed Local Venue: Black Betty.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Main Drag.
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2.5. Midnight Masses, Holy Land, Holy See, choir-izing for …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead.
Best Post Show Hangout: Marlow & Sons.
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? One time at this show none of us fucked up once while we were playing. It was crazy and it’s never happened again.

Eric Zeiler, Xylos
Best NYC Band: Simon and Garfunkel
Best Unknown NYC Band: Hank and Cupcakes
Best Live NYC Band: the Velvet Underground
Saddest NYC Band Breakup? the Strokes (or are they still together? Hard to tell these days…)
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: Bitte Orca
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Music Hall of Williamsburg… best sound system ANYWHERE
Most Missed Local Venue: Wetlands
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: Craigslist
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 1
Best Post Show Hangout: At the venue, after a headlining show, when there’s no rush to load out and we get to talk to girls (and boys)
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows? Crowd of 18-year-old ravers on ecstasy overtook the crowd at a show in Baltimore. We most likely ruined 50 kids’ evenings.

Kyle Wilson, Milagres
Best NYC Band: Its way too hard to choose anyone for such a title.
Best Unknown NYC Band: No Eye Contact, Ifwhen, Ravens and Chimes
Best Live NYC Band: Yeasayer, Grizzly Bear
Saddest NYC Band Breakup?: Its always for the best!
Best Album of 2009 by Local Band: No Eye Contact “You and Me and Other Fables.” This album is amazing and beautiful. If you don’t have it, get it.
Favorite Local Venue to Play: Union Hall / Bell House. Skippy is the best.
Most Missed Local Venue: Tonic.
Best Place to Buy Music Equipment: I wouldn’t know, I can’t afford any!
How Many Bands Do You Play in: 2, unless you count bands that never actually play.
Best Post Show Hangout: On the couch with my cat, Magnus!
Weirdest Thing To Happen At One Of Your Shows?: Once I was looking at Oliver from A Place To Bury Stranger’s pedals, because he makes them himself and I was curious. Suddenly, a full pint of beer was thrown in my face! One of his biggest fans, who shall remain nameless, is apparently very protective and somehow felt that I was violating his space or something. Anyways, I talked to him afterwards and he was totally cool with it. But actually the whole thing turned into a fiasco for me because my girlfriend was really suspicious as to why some strange girl would be throwing a beer in my face and we ended up arguing until late that night.