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 ...

Sunday in the Park

Photos by Stacie Joy 

People of all ages gathered in Tompkins Square Park on Sunday afternoon as the annual Tompkins Square Riot Reunion unfolded. Here's a look at some faces in the crowd...

ABC No Rio returns to Tompkins Square Park with a free afternoon of music

Photos by Stacie Joy 

ABC No Rio hosted a free afternoon of music in Tompkins Square Park on Saturday as a fundraiser for its long-awaited new home on Rivington Street... part of a weekend that included the annual Riot Reunion show.

Five bands performed during the event. We caught sets by headliners, indie vets Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, and Crush Fund. Organizers also passed the bucket to help fund a new PA system for the new ABC No Rio building, expected to open later this year. 

From the day...starting with NYC's Crush Fund, who released a debut record on Friday...

... and Ted Leo, who played in the OG ABC No Rio space in the early 1990s...

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Inside the new ABC No Rio

Sunday's opening shot

Photo of Scotty Skitzo by Stacie Joy 

The 38th annual Tompkins Square Riot Reunion show takes place TODAY from 3 to 7 p.m. ... in the Park. 

The free concert, commemorating the Tompkins Square Park police riot of Aug. 6, 1988, includes several bands, Kartel, Drunken Rampage, and Citizens Arrest, among others, and several speakers.