It’s going to be one crazy week in the New York City music-verse. The KISS End of the World Tour hits Barclays Center, Tame Impala does a two-night stand at Madison Square Garden and AFROPUNK dominates the weekend. These shows are all well and good if you enjoy being sandwiched between a few thousand people. However, if you’re in the mood for something smaller and more intimate, we’ve put together our recommendations for the week. Summer is almost over, so there’s no better time to get in the groove.

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Death Valley Girls, Craig Brown Band, Groupie

at Saint Vitus, 1120 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Tuesday, August 20 at 7pm
$12-$14
When Iggy Pop refers to your band as being “a gift to the world,” you know you have to be doing something right. Death Valley Girls is the band that earned such high praise from the punk legend. He also starred in the video for “Disaster (Is What We’re After),” a track off the LA band’s 2018 Suicide Squeeze Records release Darkness Rain. Self-proclaimed California doom boogie rockers, the group, led by Bonnie Bloomgarden on vocals and Larry Schemels on guitar, often explore occult themes in their lyrics. They recently shared a video for new single, “Dream Cleaver.” The song, which is said to be inspired by psychonaut Terence McKenna, is a hook, guitar, and organ-fueled ride with some saxophone thrown into the tank. The video is a witchy good time. Also on the bill, Third Man Records’s Detroit country rockers Craig Brown Band, and Brooklyn post-punks Groupie.

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Cut Worms (solo acoustic), Kyle Avallone

at The Sultan Room at The Turk’s Inn, 234 Starr Street, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Tuesday, August 20 at 8pm
$15
Fans of 1960s pop à la Harry Nilsson, the Kinks and the Byrds will find much to love in Max Clarke’s musical project Cut Worms. His debut album, Hollow Ground, was released last year via Jagjaguwar.
A midwestern boy who currently calls Brooklyn home, he’s toured with the likes of Jenny Lewis, Kevin Morby, and King Tuff. He also recently opened for Phosphorescent. At this show, he’ll be going it alone. Kyle Avallone with his haunting vocals, open this gig.

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Bill Callahan with 75 Dollar Bill

at Webster Hall, 125 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003
Thursday, August 22 at 8pm
$30
After a sold out show at Murmrr Theater in July, Bill Callahan and his dreamy baritone return to play Webster Hall. Signed to Drag City, the indie crooner, formerly known as Smog, has been making music for nearly three decades. An enigmatic storyteller, Callahan’s lyrical logs float in the deep river of Americana and indie-folk. His darkly funny laments on life, love, faith, death, and America are incredibly thoughtful and benefit from repeated listening. His latest release, Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest, dropped in June. It’s a double album that features twenty tracks. If the Webster Hall show is like Murmrr, he’ll play a mix of songs from throughout his career. Musical duo 75 Dollar Bill open.

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Laser Background, Izzy True, Privacy Issues & “Secret” Band

at The Glove
Thursday, August 22 at 8pm
$7
The Glove, an awesome DIY space in Brooklyn, celebrated its 3rd birthday a few months back. Sadly, accompanying the party was news that the space would close permanently on September 1. The reason given is all too familiar these days: the neighborhood was changing. Fortunately, they have a few more shows up their sleeves before they turn out the lights. This bill includes Philly psych-pop group Laser Background, Don Giovanni Records-signed slack rockers Izzy True, and local post-punk duo Privacy Issues, as well as a “secret” band.

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Gauche, Public Practice, Dumb Wolves

at Alphaville
Saturday, August 24 at 8pm
$10-$12
Featuring members of Priest and Downtown Boys, Merge-signed Washington DC band Gauche mean business with their debut album A People’s History of Gauche. The five-piece’s new wave/post-punk vibe channels UK’s the Raincoats. Their album delivers 11 punchy tracks that should get you up on your feet and flailing around joyfully. Public Practice, made up of members of Wall and Beverly, is also on the bill, as is Brooklyn trio Dumb Wolves.

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Jonathan Toubin’s Sunday Soul Scream with Tall Juan & Bloom

at Our Wicked Lady, 153 Morgan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Sunday, August 25 at 8pm
$10 while the bands are performing, free for the dance party
Jonathan Toubin hosts his penultimate 2019 Sunday Soul Scream banger on the roof at Our Wicked Lady. This go Argentinian born/Far Rockaway-dwelling hero Tall Juan headlines with his Latin-tinged garage rock. Bloom opens. Following the bands, Toubin curates danceable soul tracks from his collection of 1960s-era 45s.