Each month, talented, eclectic, and rising artists take to the stage at Our Wicked Lady to show off their musical prowess in an energetic and dance-filled display of sound. We call this event: The Indie Shuffle Showcase. Hosted in the only East Williamsburg event space boasting a rooftop bar, New York music lovers convened at the venue this past weekend to discover new music and drink.

Due to the threat of rain, the event had to be moved from the rooftop to the downstairs bar area to avoid soggy concert-goers, saturated amps, and possible electrocution. I was looking forward to finally being able to Instagram a heavily filtered shot of me on a BK rooftop complete with fairy lights and REAL LIVE HIPSTERS.

Nevertheless, the floor-level presentation space is just as cool and was much less humid than outside. The opening project was headed by Brooklyn singer/songwriter Aaron Taos whose sound, I've was told, doesn't match his media presence. For example, his debut EP artwork consists of a photo of his disembodied head, wide eyed and tongue out. His music is much tamer.

While the frontman's stage presence is one of confidence and bravado, the band is guitar heavy with hints of surf and indie rock influences. There's a lot of reverb and even some hip-hop flavored percussion involved, blending the lines between genres and destroying all my expectations. The band grooved through tracks like "Hands" with a little too much guitar distortion- which may have had to do with the fact that I was standing directly below the speaker- but enthusiasm all the same. Teetering between concise songwriting and playfulness (See: "Blow"), the artist entertained with a sense of humor, making audience members applaud and chuckle throughout the set. 

Listen: Aaron Taos's Guits EP

After properly embarrassing their drummer by announcing his birthday, the Aaron Taos and his three-piece crew conceded the stage to Wet Leather- whose name may as well have been a harbinger for the remainder of my evening. 

After retreating to a vantage point with better acoustics and high-fiving Birthday Drummer, I watched as the  subsequent band set up in a small alcove on the opposite side of the bar. Without a stage, OWL makes for an instantly intimate setting that reminds me of the small, local shows I used to frequent back when Internet Cafes were still a thing and my favorite outfit consisted of skinny jeans, a black v-neck and Nike Dunks. Cringe. 

My favorite part of the setup is the instantly recognizable neon sunburst that looms above the performance space, melting through the spectrum of colors and oozing into the feeling of the set. It seems to be the venue's signature; an iconic staple similar to that of the glass bottle wall at fellow Brooklyn venue Baby's All Right.

Wet Leather have a gritty sound they describe as "anxiety pop." Characterized by buzzy synths and captivating guitar riffs, they're surprisingly refined live, with all elements represented in the mix equally. They immediately reminded me of NVDES or The Virgins. They swaggered through the sassy and dance-inducing "Yours & Mine" (a new favorite of mine) with style and ease, and taught the audience that anxiety pop is much more pleasant than the name suggests. 

Listen: Get an intro to anxiety pop

After their fun-as-hell set, I decided to check out the rooftop while awaiting the final set of the night. The weather was balmy and cool as I drank in the jagged skyline. The upstairs is lined with tables and umbrellas, and was surprisingly spacious despite being colonized by a large mob of friends and a bachelorette crew. I commiserated with one member of the crew as she pored over her Tinder woes, musing on whether or not she could date a guy named "Corley" and maintain her self respect.

"Like, is your name Corey or Cole or Corby? Make up your mind."

Before we could come to a mutual decision on the matter, the sky opened up with heavy droplets of rain, driving hordes of music enthusiasts downstairs into the main area just in time for Loose Buttons. Amusingly enough, they have a track called "Crowded Room" that I imagine they wrote for this exact situation.

Despite their NYC local status, the lead singer has a distinctly Alex Turner vibe to his voice, with a musical flair that reminds me of a more chill Arctic Monkeys meets Airborne Toxic Event ("Thrill" sounds a lot like TATE's "Missy"). They also describe themselves as "the first ever indie-rock band" which, while impressive, I may have to fact check them on. With laid-back melodies, they created a chill atmosphere, perfect to wind the rainy evening down with. My favorite track of theirs is the most Arctic inspired and punny: "Scissors." With plucky guitars, a dash of reverb and spacey "oohs," this is a great intro track to the artist.

Listen: Loose Buttons's EP Damage Gallery

Despite the excellent music, I ducked out a bit early to fight Brooklynites to the death for the nearest Uber in the torrential downpour (Wet Leather, indeed). My night concluded with a sticky subway ride listening to two frat boys ponder the mysteries of whey vs casein protein and Anderson .Paak. Overall, quite a solid night.

If you're in the NYC area and want to check out some fantastic local music organized by our very own Christiana Bartolini, you can find more info on the OWL official site.