Must See: Don Giovanni Showcase This Weekend At the Knitting Factory

Last year I was talking about the new Peter Stampfel album with Don Giovanni Record’s Joseph Steinhardt, who gleefully told me it might be the least commercial thing they’ve ever released,  and that tells you everything you really need to know about Joe and co-owner Zach Gajewski. They do what they do and what they do is present a Jersey Centric, punk loving, alternative to alternative label based just about solely on their love of music and loathing of the music business. They are proof there is a better way to do these things.

I’ve known Joe for years, and am a huge fan of both of his bands, For Science and Modern Hut (whose first album was the best of 2013), I like the way he conducts his business and every year I make my pilgrimage to at least one of the Showcase Shows.

Except this year because I have plans on both this Friday and this Saturday (though I would love to make it to Screaming Females gig on February 28th).

The line up is pretty stellar as always (though not putting California X and Nude Beach on the same night is the definition of fucking with us), especially Worriers who are a terrific band, Black Wine and Shellshag… Nuclear Santa Claust (who I once saw open for Screaming Females and was in shock and awe)… but really when it comes to Don Giovanni you just can’t go wrong. Like Atlantic and Motown before them, if it is on Don Giovanni just buy the damn thing.