Alt Citizen’s favorite live acts of 2019

Art by Charis Forrester

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It’s the last day we can do any sort of list like this for 2019 so HERE IT IS. Some (but def not all) of our favorite live acts from the past year.

Faux Real

It’s pretty interesting to me how we make up assumptions of bands and a live performance of a band we have never seen before, but we’ve experienced through social media. Before finally seeing Faux Real live, I’ve followed them online throughout a plethora of Instagram stories and post of idolatry from rock performers that were fans of the duo.  Franco-American brothers Elliot and Virgile Arndt, are the offering of the indie-pop underground. Their choreographed performance is surprisingly evolving, there are wardrobe changes and all in the shape of ‘taking shirts off’. At first, when I saw their “Second Sweat” I was reminded of that opening scene in Music & Lyrics, where Hugh Grant’s band plays that new wave jam “Pop! Goes My Heart” but their energetic and no apologies flair is something I haven’t seen if it’s not for that glam 80’s era within their synth-pop tunes. The Faux Real show was like being in a time capsule of pop nostalgia, but instead of us traveling they landed here and voila, here’s some hips for the whole crowd… and a lot of eye contact. They are committed to the crowd, to the show, to not missing an 8-count, if any.

— Lola Pistola, Associate Editor

Deli Girls

Attending a Deli Girls show is one of the most cathartic experiences available to me as a dissatisfied Brooklynite. Going from murmuring their lyrics under my breath on the train to screaming them in a packed room as the band plays is much-needed release. Despite blowing up this year, Deli Girls are still paying with other freaks and mutants, making their shows an introduction to all the weird shit pushing BK forward right now.

— Mo Wilson

Model/Actriz

I truly have not been the same since Model/Actriz played our issue 8 zine release show. From scaling the velvet studded walls of the Broadway in 8 inch platforms to dancing with consenting strangers, all with their pulsating post-punk meets industrial music, they became one of my favorite acts I’ve seen in a very long time.

— Lauren Khalfayan, Managing Editor

Mitski

I first saw Mitski play at Gov Ball years ago during the Puberty era. She was centerstage in all black, poised and almost indifferent with bass in hand. She hardly moved while she let the wind push her hair around in front of her face. It was great, but her evolution to a knee pad clad table dancer is everything. I always say that she’s the emo princess we don’t deserve, writing songs we’ve all felt before and singing them with such a calming but powerful energy. This year at Gov Ball her stage was set with a plain white table and chair, and she crawled around it on it and under it like she was hunting something. She flipped it upside down and sideways, dancing with the inanimate object turning it animate. She danced so hard she fell down and got right up, and it was the most metal thing I could have asked for. She’s come even more into her own at such a high caliber and she left everything she possibly could have on that stage.

— Grace Eire, Associate Editor

Machine Girl

“There’s going to be a lot of blood.” Those were the exact words I said on the subway ride to the show. Machine Girl stole my heart when they opened for the Garden the previous year, and I had been dying to see them play again since then. When I heard they were playing Market Hotel, I immediately bought tickets and dragged friends along because I knew it would be a wild experience. They were scheduled to play at 2 am so the anticipation grew as we patiently waited through the other sets that night and made our way to the very front. As predicted, a group of people in white contact lenses wearing multiple chains pulled out a gallon of fake blood and started pouring it all over themselves. When they came on stage, everybody pushed to the front, smearing fake blood on all of us as the opening synth beats to “Because I’m Young and Arrogant…” started playing. When Matt Stephenson (Vocals) starts screaming into the microphone, a powdery substance explodes from the drum kit that Sean Kelly (Drums) sits behind and the rest of the night is pure, utter chaos. Full of angsty rage, fake blood, and bruises, there’s hardly any time to stop and catch your breath. Highlights of the night were their cover of “Bennington” by John Maus, and Matt climbing on top of the speakers and pulling down his pants, per Machine Girl tradition.

— Julia Fletcher

Sir Babygirl

“In this family, we sing live and we don’t sing to tracks” Sir Babygirl crowed to a sold-out crowd this summer. Rock bands singing live is the norm, but Sir Babygirl doesn’t market herself to rock fans. She’s shooting for pop stardom and her (very rare) live shows show it by embracing exuberant spectacle. At the Elsewhere show, she had her two backup dancers carry her through the crowd on a pool front. She frequently invites fans onstage during “Heels” to dance and scream along to the song’s breakdown. Her shows aren’t all just pop showmanship. It’s also a showcase of Houge’s firecracker talent, with her breaking into covers of songs from musicals like Wicked or covering the catalog of the rock band Hole.

— Mo Wilson

Material Girls

Atlanta’s glam-punk sextet Material Girls were a highlight on an already sort of hectic night. After working a flower shop on Mother’s Day weekend I gather my florist coworkers to go see Stuyedeyed over at Our Wicked Lady. I was not expecting to see anyone else, one because I didn’t planned for it, and two I was tired and just wanted to get drunk fast. Material Girls, though had me paying attention and nodding in appraisal and approval every second of their show. It’s different, it’s fun, it’s sweaty, and my favorite part of the live act: the members switching instruments and “roles.” They didn’t missed a beat. They commanded, with glitter, cowboy hats, with a saxophone, with their huge catchy but still dark jams. It was just so “refreshing,” and as much as I dislike using that word, refreshed I was. Sounds a little like Malaria, early Slits, and a mix of risqué fun with a mystifying, theatrical attitude.

— Lola Pistola, Associate Editor

Girl Band

I wasn’t really sure what crowd to expect for a Girl Band show, and sure enough when we showed up to the venue in DC, it was a mix of people – both older and younger. “I don’t care if nobody is moshing, we’re starting a pit to Fucking Butter” is a direct quote from me before the show started. The band walked on stage with no introduction, no greeting, and hardly said a single word the entire set and generated the same energy they put out on their new album “The Talkies”, which was one of my favorites of 2019. Slowly but surely, the younger fans of the band found their way to the center of the crowd and began pushing each other and moshing to the rhythm of harsh noise, almost moving as one. “Salmon of Knowledge” was my personal fave off the record and sounded incredible live, if not better. Something about the bass in the song sounds so threatening and mysterious, and towards the end of the song we all felt like we were in a trance. After everything, we were all drenched in sweat, falling down and on top of each other because we were sore and it hurt to move. Definitely a memorable show, and Girl Band was added to my list of acts you must see live.

— Julia Fletcher

GRLwood

GRLwood are a great example of a band you have to see live to get the full picture of what they are and how amazing it is that they’re doing it. Rej Foster and Karen Ledford are the only two on stage, with only their guitar and drum kit respectively, but they make so much good noise up there. They take themselves just seriously enough while soaking their lyrics with sarcasm and self awareness. They really don’t care if you misinterpret their intentions, but I guarantee you that those intentions are only the very best and most genuine. When they played at Brooklyn Bowl a couple of months ago, precision crossed perfectly with the chaos and gravel this band possesses. You know Rej’s voice when you hear it on the record, but you feel it when you hear it live.

— Grace Eire, Associate Editor

IDLES

Seeing IDLES at Terminal 5 was one of the wildest live music experiences of my life thus far. Standing on the second tier, I was able to see the the rolling waves of the mosh pit below and a crowd of thousands yelling in line word for word every song of their set. By far the best show I’ve ever seen at that venue and a mile marker for the band as it marked their largest US show to date.

— Lauren Khalfayan, Managing Editor