A while back you may remember Tara and I gushing about the Akron/Family show we stumbled upon at SXSW. Since then, we've developed a full blown love affair with this band which is why we were SO excited to hear that these boys are gearing up for a new record, (coming out on Dead Oceans) and 2009 tour! The band will be playing a short run of December dates, culminating with a New Year's Eve performance, (with Deer Tick!), for what promises to be an all...

As much as the Holidays can sometimes suck for grown ups (the rushing, the shopping, and the hassles) I really do love Christmas, and here are at least three excellent things I can recommend to get you thru any stress and strain you may be feeling. 1. A John Waters Christmas CD , including number one hits like Santa Claus is a Black Man , Merry Christmas Baby Jesus, and Fat Daddy. This cd gets heavy rotation in the BUST offices and has been a favorite...

Some bands are worth the wait. Some shows leave you glowing, sweaty, tired, footsore, but with a stupid grin on your face that lasts for hours. Some shows remind you why you love rock'n'roll. Boss Hog's reunion was everything teenage me would've wanted, and everything that makes grownup, cynical me let down my defenses and bliss out on the music. And on the pure heat between Cristina Martinez and Jon Spencer, easily the sexiest couple in rock. (Photo by Gabi Porter/Prefix) And while I'm at it, can I...

Judging by last night's show at Brooklyn's Williamsburg Music Hall, of Montreal have totally made it. Seeing them a few times over the years, their fan base always seemed loyal but obscure to me. Last night it seemed their popularity was almost cult-like. I mean, 16-year-old boys were in drag to celebrate the art queer vibe of their newest album! It was nuts! Deliciously androgynous frontman, Kevin Barnes took it all the way and back again with costume changes of diva proportions (I lost count at...

Our good friend and Bust's former Princess of Darkness, Cristina Martinez is reuniting with her band Boss Hog this Wednesday, Dec 17th at Bowery Ballroom. Boss Hog is Cristina, her husband Jon Spencer, Hollis Queens, Jens Jurgensen and Mark Boyce. It promises to be a great night of punk infused garage blues, with Tenessee's Those Darlin's warming up, as well as some of New Yorks finest burlesque performers. Come soak up the sleaze! Artwork by Paul Pope. Also, you can catch them...

I'm so excited that my all-grrrl pop-punk band Royal Pink is going to be playing tomorrow night at the Girls Rock and Girls Rule 7th Anniversary Show! Seriously, when was the last time you went to a rock show that had EIGHT girl bands on the bill? So awes! What's even more awes is that we're all kicking out the jams for a great cause, the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls . So come on out and give us a shout! Emily...

According to Hollywood Reporter , Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame has been pegged to play rocker Joan Jett in the Runaways movie. She's already working on her bad reputation (heh-sorry) so we'll see how she does, it's not a bad choice actually. We were speculating back in June that it should be Ellen Page or Olivia Thirby.  What do you think? I personally love the Runaways, so am excited to see it, apparently Joan is a producer as well. ...

Shelby Lynne and her fantabulous band played at HIRO in NYC this past Friday night. They're finishing up a tour that started about a year ago for the press launch for Shelby's latest gem Just A Little Lovin'. This of course is Shelby's interpretation of selections from the late great Dusty Springfield's songbook. That show was all about the Dusty material. This time around Shelby framed some of her originals around Dusty's stuff and played an eclectic mix of these two great artists music. Shelby...

Boss Hog, the punk rock spawn of Cristina Martinez and Jon Spencer will return for their first show in 8 years following a mini tour in Europe and performances at All Tomorrow's Parties.  Joining Boss Hog at the Bowery Ballroom on Dec. 17th is a full compliment of rhythm and grind, featuring the country punk moxie of Tennessee's Those Darlins , the titillating parade of burlesque goddesses Harvest Moon and Dirty Martini , and special guest DJ Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah...

I still don't know what hit me, even two days after experiencing all that is a Quintron and Miss Pussycat show. The New Orleans-based art rockers (which essentially consists of a one-man band and a Maraca-playing backup singer) played Santos Party House, the NYC venue owned by previous BUST Boy du Jour, Andrew W.K. He was the host with the most Monday night, and did his best to hawk the $4 Budweiser specials to a packed house. Here he is, looking snazzy in what a...