Sunday afternoon with the booyah! kids in Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Stacie Joy 

This past weekend saw the free two-day Show Brain Festival in Tompkins Square Park, featuring a lineup of 10 emerging bands. 

Here, we're focusing on the booyah! kids, a trio of NYC natives featuring Emma Lee...

...Aidan Ludlam...

... and Julian Kaufman...

The three take turns on lead vocals, with an intimate, DIY sound that pairs indie-pop sensibilities with lounge-y synth textures. (Their music has been described as "bedroom pop.") 

The band formed in 2018 and continued while the three attended college in different states. They have since released a full-length LP and several EPs, with a set of covers coming next. (A highlight Sunday was their take on Nelly's "Ride Wit Me" — the first time they played it live.) 

Between songs, Emma, an East Village native, talked about making another memory in Tompkins Square Park on this day. She recalled spending a lot of time there growing up — swimming in the mini pool with her brother and grabbing a slice at Nino's (RIP) on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place. She also gave shout-outs to her old East Village schools, the Neighborhood School and Tompkins Square Middle School.

You have a chance to catch the booyah! kids when they headline Night Club 101 on Avenue A on Sept. 26 as part of a five-city tour.

And a few faces in the crowd from their set ...

Show Brain Fest returns to Tompkins Square Park this weekend

Show Brain's fourth annual two-day indie music festival is back this weekend in Tompkins Square Park. 

Here's the lineup for the free Show Brain Fest... 

Aug. 8/Saturday

• Loose Buttons 

• Garret Elias 

• Improvement Movement 

• ISTA 

• Bonny

Aug. 9/Sunday

• Dogpark 

• The Booyah! Kids 

• Shilpa Ray 

• Alex Orange Drink 

• Mary Shelley 

Per the organizers: "Show Brain Fest is a weekend built by artists, fans, volunteers, and everyone who believes people should be able to access live music."

As always, these shows are a budget-friendly way to see some local touring bands ...

Pippy and Star's Revenge at Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Stacie Joy

This past Saturday afternoon's free Show Brain gathering in Tompkins Square Park featured a five-band bill, including Bonny, T!LT and Dallas Wax. 

We caught Pippy and the closing set from Star's Revenge, a project featuring Olive Faber (Sunflower Bean) and Emily Green (Geese). 

First up, the Brooklyn indie quartet Pippy, who recently released their excellent self-titled debut record ...

... and Star's Revenge...

Emily Green

Olive Faber

... and the full band with Show Brain founder Ozzie (in the shades) ...

... and in the crowd...

5 bands on tap for tomorrow's free Show Brain show in Tompkins Square Park

Five bands are on tomorrow's bill for the latest free Show Brain concert in Tompkins Square Park, closing out with Star's Revenge. 

Approximate set times: 

• 1:55 to 2:25 Bonny 

• 2:45 to 3:20 T!LT 

• 3:40 to 4:15 Pippy 

• 4:35 to 5:10 Dallas Wax

• 5:25 to 6:00 Star's Revenge

First president of japan caps Show Brain show with a joyous set in Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Stacie Joy

If you like your Sunday afternoon concerts fun and unpredictable, first president of japan delivered.

The Brooklyn punk band headlined Sunday's free Show Brain concert in Tompkins Square Park, capping the afternoon with a joyous, high-energy set that blurred the line between performance and audience participation.

Lead vocalist Non Kuramoto (also a comedian and actress by trade) spent much of the set in the crowd — crowd-surfing, dancing and encouraging fans to join the fun as the audience eagerly obliged.

The band's sound blends punk, garage rock and math rock with a healthy dose of absurdity. (Their latest EP, Your Recommended Daily Intake of first president of japan, includes songs featuring humor, heart... and whale facts.) 

And faces in the crowd on this Sunday...

Show Brain Sunday (part 1) with Diary, Tea Eater

Photos by Stacie Joy

We arrived at Sunday's free Show Brain show in Tompkins Square Park just as Tea Eater had audience members ducking under an oversized inflatable stick of butter during a limbo contest inspired by "Butter," a track from the art-punk band's LP, I Don't Believe in Bad Luck. 

We knew it was going to be a memorable afternoon.

Next up, NYC's Diary, which just released an infectious new single, "Keep Comin' Up," that we happily heard on the Morning Show with John Richards on KEXP several times last week. 

The band's first LP, Spiral Bound, is out in September.

Show Brains veterans Pons were next, and they never disappoint...

Then came the headliners — The First President of Japan, who provided 30 minutes of unbridled joy...

To be continued ...