I’ve been meaning to write about why I love living in New York City, because so often when I tell people that I do live here they make a sad face, like the very idea is so horrific to them that they want to hold a telethon for me. But I do love it, and I’ll get to that topic soon.

In the meantime, in the spirit of showing, not telling: I went to this afternoon’s IPO show at the Baggot Inn. IPO is a festival featuring generally less well known bands who perform in the power pop idiom. I’ve gone to a few of the shows each of the five years its been going on in Manhattan, and every year I’ve discovered at least one great and totally unheralded band. This year I’ve got two. The first is Xoch (“zoach”), which is a band and also the name of the singer. Xoch (the singer, not the band) is about as sexy as you could ask for and then some, but that’s neither here nor there (she’s the smokin’ hottie pictured here; check out the photo gallery on their website for more, and listen to the MP3s while you're there.) They hit the stage at 1:30 PM, and there were maybe 5 of us there. But did this perturb the mighty Xoch? No, I’m here to tell you that it did not. They played and sang their hearts out for 23 minutes or however long they got, played as if they were playing Madison Square freaking Garden. Great live band, catchy tunes, guys in the band are total ace pros, the chick’s a star, and I think she’s going to become one for real. I'm listening to their CD, Caberet, right now. It's definitely got legs (as, and you see this coming, does she.)

Then there was Andy Mac. Nice guy, unassuming, played a set of gorgeous acoustic and harmony-flavored pop gems. He opened with a song called Sara With No H, instantly glorious, and before the first song was over I had bought his CD (from myself; I was working the merchandise table for the artists. When he found out I’d bought one he wouldn’t take my money). Anyway, is this a winning tune or what? Just try and tell me it isn’t irresistible. Go ahead. Give it a listen; it’s our Song of the Day.

Labels: The tunes