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Artist Information

Biography

Funky fresh sound
Hank & Cupcakes heat up Williamsburg with new EP and sizzling live shows. On stage, at least, Cupcakes can’t help but stand out, with her explosive, commanding voice and overt sexuality (despite her cutesy nickname, this is a woman who penned the track “Pleasure Town,” a funk-disco enthused “Love Shack”). When they play Brooklyn Bowl this month, Hank & Cupcakes look to “rock the stage really hard and hopefully burn the place down,” said Cupcakes. Don’t be surprised if they do.."
The New York Post

Brooklyn duo Hank & Cupcakes pumps out tight, funky indie pop with impressively sturdy hooks"
Time Out New York

"The remarkable duo gustily riled up the crowd at Greenwich Villages’ Le Poisson Rouge last Wednesday night for their new EP release..Debuting their performance with their song “Pleasure Town,” the pop and minimalist experimental couple instantly filled the venue with infinite glory"
Zink Magazine - 5.20.10

"As Hank & Cupcakes set the stage on fire at Mercury Lounge with their sonic pop tapestry, flashes of Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore danced in the periphery. New to NYC, Hank & Cupcakes are quickly hooking everyone in their path with their dirty gloss and sweet edge. The sound was crisp and tuned, the energy was fuzzy and warm and the mood was soul."
Socially Superlative - NYC

"...Armed only with a drum kit, a bass guitar and a complete disregard for their own limitations, the two smack and slap their way through herky-jerky dance-pop songs that bristle with sass and sexuality..."
Fly Magazine, PA.



Previously played venues:

NYC:
FOX TV "Fearless Music"
NBC "The Jimmy Lloyd Songwrite's Showcase"
Le Poisson Rouge
City Winery
Mercury Lounge
Pianos
Crash Mansion
Tainted Blue Studios
Bowery Poetry Club
Rockwood Music Hall
Ace Of Clubs
The Delancey
Arlene's Grocery
Fontana's
Groove
The Suffolk
Ace Of Clubs
Rehab

BROOKLYN:
Music Hall Of Williamsburg
Brooklyn Bowl
Knitting Factory
Glassland's Gallery
Market Hotel
Public Assembly
Cameo Art Gallery
Zebulon
Death By Audio
Castle In Hell
The Glass Door
Sugarland
Monkey Town
Goodbye Blue Monday
Spike Hill
Coco 66
Black Betty
Hank's Saloon
The Trash Bar

NY:
Wonderland - Astoria, NY
Astoria Park - Astoria, NY
Bearsville Theater - Woodstock NY w/ Ronny Spector
Electric Company - Utica, NY (Upstate)
Funkn'Waffels - Syracuse, NY
Boulder Coffee Company - Rochester NY

PENNSYLVANIA:
Crocodile Rock Cafe - Allentown, PA
Lizard Lounge - Lancaster, PA
North Star Bar - Philadelphia, PA
The Silo - Reading, PA
Midtown Harrisburg Arts Centre - Harrisburg, PA
Der Maennerchor - Harrisburg, PA
House of One Accord - Harrisburg, PA
Millcreek Tavern - Philadelphia, PA
Mr G's Place - Harrisburg, PA
Ray's Bar - Philadelphia, PA
Tritone - Philadelphia, PA
The Alpenhoff - Reading, PA

ILLINOIS:
Ronny's - Chicago, IL

OHIO:
Below Zero Lounge - Cincinnati, OH
The Balcony - Oxford, OH
The Summit - Columbus, OH

ISRAEL:
PIC.NIC Festival -Tel Aviv - w/ Plasibo
Barbi - Tel Aviv, Israel
Tel Aviv University - Tel Aviv, Israel
Hakatzae - Jerusalem, Israel
Bloom Bar - Tel Aviv, Israel
Sublime - Tel Aviv, Israel
Mikes Place - Tel Aviv, Israel
Bar Giora - Tel Aviv, Israel
Muza Bar - Yahud, Israel
Mikes Place - Tel Aviv, Israel
Patiphon - Tel Aviv, Israel

Instrumentation

Cupcakes:Vocals and Drums
Hank: Bass

Discography

Hank & Cupcakes - Hank & Cupcakes (EP)

Links

• http://www.Hankandcupcakes.com
• YouTube
• You Tube
• You Tube

Audio

• Track 1
  Listen  
• Track 2
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• Track 3
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• Track 4
  Listen  

Video

Pleasure Town ipod

HnC _She's Lost Control_low

Photo Gallery

Press

• The New York Post - NY, 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  Funky fresh sound Hank & Cupcakes heat up Williamsburg with new EP and sizzling live shows Read mo...Funky fresh sound
  Hank & Cupcakes heat up Williamsburg with new EP and sizzling live shows Read more: http://www.myspace.com/hankandcupcakes#ixzz0tQbBln00
  Hank & Cupcakes have been making music for over a decade, but it took moving to Brooklyn to put them on the map.
  Formed in Israel more than a decade ago, the Williamsburg-based boy-girl bass and drums duo decided that in order to do what they love right, they needed to leave.
  “The music industry where we come from is more challenging, less diverse and less open-minded,” said Sagit Shir, better known as Cupcakes.
  Shir’s husband, Ariel Scherbacovsky, the “Hank” of the outfit, added, “We wanted to leave Israel and go to a new place to do new things. We figured New York would be amazing for that.”
  
  The two chose correctly. Since moving here nearly two years ago, the duo have attracted attention for their infectious dance music, heard on their self-titled EP, released last month, and in their energetic live show.
  It’s been easy to catch them live, too; when not touring the globe, the two play here almost constantly, with at least one show a week if they can swing it (they achieve that next week, with a show outside the Lovin’ Cup Cafe in Williamsburg on June 21 and then again in the neighborhood on June 23 at Brooklyn Bowl).
  “The shows are the center of excitement in our lives,” said Cupcakes, who handles the drums and vocals, while Hank’s on the bass.
  Cupcakes also is responsible for the lyrics, which pull from her everyday experiences in Brooklyn. The New Wave dance track, “Ain’t No Love,” for instance, was the first song Cupcakes wrote upon moving to New York, inspired by the “experience of weird alienation here, riding the subway and people not making eye contact, which was weird or me to get used to,” said Cupcakes. “Now, I’ve learned to be part of the crowd.”
  On stage, at least, she can’t help but stand out, with her explosive, commanding voice and overt sexuality (despite her cutesy nickname, this is a woman who penned the track “Pleasure Town,” a funk-disco enthused “Love Shack”).
  When they play Brooklyn Bowl this month, they look to “rock the stage really hard and hopefully burn the place down,” said Cupcakes. Don’t be surprised if they do.
  Brooklyn Bowl [61 Wythe Ave. between N. 11th and N. 12th streets in Williamsburg, (718) 963-3369], June 23 at 9 pm, free. For info, visit www.hankandcupcakes.com.
  

• Zink Magazine - NY, 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  These Cupcakes are two of a kind. A distinctive combination is emerging here! This blast of intric...These Cupcakes are two of a kind.
  A distinctive combination is emerging here! This blast of intricate melodies and lustful exuberance is non other than — drum roll please — Hand and Cupcakes. The remarkable duo gustily riled up the crowd at Greenwich Villages’ Le Poisson Rouge last Wednesday night for their new EP release. Hank, the slick bass player extraordinaire, was surrounded by a medley of synthesizers around the stage floor. This set up, enough to make the sound of a three man band, was accompanied by Cupcakes, who simultaneously sang, danced and fleeted around the stage while beating drums in her sparkly East London vintage number. Their matrimonial chemistry was intriguing to witness on stage and intimately wild. Debuting their performance with their song “Pleasure Town,” the pop and minimalist experimental couple instantly filled the venue with infinite glory. HankAndCupcakes.com —

• The Whiskey Dregs - NY, 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  The first time I saw Hank and Cupcakes it was at the Astoria Music and Arts’ annual festival in Asto...The first time I saw Hank and Cupcakes it was at the Astoria Music and Arts’ annual festival in Astoria Park. Although they had a relatively short set, as there were over 30 acts performing on three stages throughout the park, my initial impression was that live, they reminded me a lot of duos such as the White Stripes and the Raveonettes – if anything, I was blown away by their devastating simplicity and how incredibly funky their tunes actually were. It shouldn’t be surprising then that this EP has a decidedly new wave/post-punk feel similar to Gang of Four. In other words, the songs are powered and then pushed forward by the bassist instead of the guitarist. Simply put, this is music you can get up and shake your ass all night to at a party or at one of their shows.
  
  Hank and Cupcakes cover of Joy Division’s “She’s Lost Control,” is by far the most interesting rendition of the song I’ve heard. Stripping the familiar new wave standard down to Hank’s bass and Cupcake’s vocals creates a haunting mood that forces you to pay attention to the lyrics in a way you probably haven’t before. I’ve heard “She’s Lost Control,” too many times to count, usually without thinking of context or my particular interpretation of the song at this point but hearing the familiar lyrics being sung by a woman breathes some fresh air into the song – while creating a completely different interpretation. Whenever you hear the pronoun I throughout the song, you can’t help but think “is she referring to herself?” “Ain’t No Love,” is the funkiest and perhaps catchiest song on the entire EP – and it’s perhaps the song where Cupcakes is the most sincerely soulful and seductive. Interestingly enough, I kind of thought of late-era Eurythmics (think of a song such as “Would I Lie to You?” and “Sisters are Doing it For Themselves” for example), as Cupcakes voice reminds me slightly of Annie Lennox.
  
  Based on the release of their EP, Hank and Cupcakes definitely have a great future ahead of them. Two of the songs on this EP are probably the most danceable rock tracks you’ll hear in the first half of 2010. Of course, as they write more material, it’ll be interesting to see how their sound develops and expands over time. In the mean time, be sure to catch them live as they’re touring to support the EP.
  
  

• The Jerusalem Post - Jerusalem, 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  Starting from the bottom, quirky Israeli-bred drum and bass duo Hank & Cupckakes is finding moderate...Starting from the bottom, quirky Israeli-bred drum and bass duo Hank & Cupckakes is finding moderate success in New York
  
  
  Most bands rely on a sturdy bass and drums rhythm section to build a sound foundation. But no matter how stellar the combination – think Moon and Entwistle, Watts and Wyman, Mullen and Clayton – there would have been something seriously lacking without the glorious musical toppings provided by Townshend, Richards and the Edge, respectively.
  
  Hank & Cupcakes, a quirky Israeli-bred, New York-based drum and bass duo, have no such sonic shortage problem. As one reviewer of a recent Brooklyn show noted, “At times it seems as though there are 10 people on stage, all playing rare, exotic synthesizers, when in fact, of course, there are only two.”
  
  As visually riveting as they are musically stimulating, Cupcakes (Sagit Shir) attacks her drums with a vengeance from a standing position, belting out vocals in the best “girl group” tradition while often wearing provocative spandex outfits. Meanwhile Hank (Ariel Scherbacovsky) is equally aggressive on his bass, surrounded by pedals, knobs and other equipment that creates a dizzying dance club effect. Together, they create wildly invigorating music that is full of danger, mystery, noise, and sex – all the ingredients of great rock and roll.
  
  And to think it all began a decade ago in the IDF, where Shir was playing percussion in an army band and Scherbacovsky was serving as a sound technician.
  
  “Being in the army was a good education for me in the sense of performing a lot and getting into a routine of rehearsals, but beyond that… I’m not sure how beneficial it was,” said Shir in an interview with The Jerusalem Post earlier this week in Tel Aviv. The the group has come back to Israel for a short vacation that will include a few performances – at the Ozen Club in Tel Aviv on April 12 and 15, and at the Barby Club on the 16th, opening for old friend Tamar Eisenman (Scherbacovsky played with her band for five years).
  
  GETTING TOGETHER both professionally and personally, Shir and Scherbacovsky formed an acoustic band upon their release from the army, which they called Mayim Shketim (Still Water). While experiencing some success, within a few years the couple decided to break up the band and try something completely different – like moving to Cuba.
  
  “We went to Havana for six months to study music because we were attracted by the fact that music there is like a nature reserve,” said Shir. “Because Western culture is basically closed to Cubans, their culture is very preserved, and it was a great opportunity to get exposed to the music there. It was very worthwhile musically, but it wasn’t easy living there for six months.”
  
  Upon their return to Tel Aviv two years ago, the couple began hatching the idea of moving to New York and starting a band there.
  
  “We did the acoustic thing for a very long time. It was very revealing and it was very personal and really hard for me to get on stage and be so open in front of the crowd,” Shir told the New York music Web site Music Vagabond. “I was showing my gut and I just wanted to do something fun and groovy and less serious and deep.”
  
  At the time, their intention was to master their instruments and create a well-oiled rhythm section that would attract top New York musicians. But a surprising thing happened – they got so good they didn’t need any other musicians.
  “We’re a duo by choice,” Shir told the Post. “What happened was that we wanted to move to New York and try living there and making music. And because we knew we were going to be moving, we didn’t try to start a band in Israel with other musicians. Instead, we planned to get really solid as a bass and drums rhythm section and meet other musicians in New York to form a band with. But since we rehearsed so intensively, our sound got so full, and at some stage we realized that it stood on its own.”
  
  Reinventing themselves as a high-energy drums and bass duo, Shir and Scherbacovsky only needed a name, which they found courtesy of revered beat poet and novelist Charles Bukowksi.
  “We both love Charles Bukowski, and were watching a documentary about him one night, around the time we were thinking of a band name. He used to call himself Hank Chinaski in his books and in a certain scene in the documentary, he was waiting in vain for a lover of his called Cupcakes,” Shir told Music Vagabond.
  
  REBRANDED HANK & Cupcakes, the duo relocated to Williamsburg, Brooklyn and began the arduous task of building a following from the ground up. Performing wherever someone would have them and late last year releasing a well-received EP, Pleasure Town, the group found success based on their own modest criteria.
  
  “We’ve been working very hard to get a following, and it’s growing. It’s not an explosion, but we’re working organically, starting from the bottom. At each show, we add people to mailing lists and send out flyers announcing shows. We’re very happy with the progress,” said Shir, adding that she and Scherbacovsky have been bolstered by the vibrant musical environment of their adopted neighborhood.
  
  “There’s a huge music scene in Williamsburg – I think that every musician in New York must live there. There’s a whole underground network of rehearsal spaces and studios, and 15 music venues within walking distance. We really feel like we’re part of a scene all the time.”
  
  With rave reviews for their dynamic stage show and inventive music, Hand & Cupcakes are poised on the cusp of making it as a drum and bass duo, and don’t consider the lack of another instrument in their lineup a limitation in any way.
  
  “I consider it being challenged, not limited, at finding ways to keep the songs sounding full,” said Shir. “The more we play and the more experience we get, the arrangements become more creative. Finding ways to overcome our musical lineup is a challenge that we really enjoy.”
  
  Something else that Shir and Scherbacovsky enjoy is returning home to Israel, to see friends and family, to relax in a familiar environment, and to experience the feeling of seeing something familiar from a different angle.
  
  
  “When I come back to Israel, I feel like an Israeli but with a very different perspective,” said Shir. “Every time you leave home, and have experiences and see different cultures, it broadens your horizons and helps you to see things that maybe you don’t understand or can’t see when you’re always at home.”
  
  Still, following their shows here next week, Hank & Cupcakes will be returning to New York for some more career building.
  
  “Our plans are to keep building a following in New York,” said Shir. “But it’s nice to have a following here in Israel too.”

• Beyond Race Magazine - 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  Though only in existence for less than a year, Brooklyn’s Cameo Gallery—the back room at the Lovin C...Though only in existence for less than a year, Brooklyn’s Cameo Gallery—the back room at the Lovin Cup, a classic rock themed eatery/bar—has seemingly mastered the Saturday night party, bringing together fantastic music and great crowds week after week for a high energy dance party featuring DJs and dance-friendly bands. This week’s the party was powered by Diet Kong, Sophistafunk, Hank and Cupcakes and Belikos.
  
  The night started off with the easily danceable indie punk act Diet Kong, whose strange imagery coupled with catchy melodies made for a great way to start the evening. They were followed by the only non-New York City band of the night Syracuse’s Sophistafunk, who blended hip-hop, funk and rock flawlessly to create a sound very much their own. At times channeling Rage Against The Machine—even a reworking of their hit single “Renegades of Funk,” other times, sounding more like a soul-filled jazz band, the originally unreceptive crowd quickly warmed to the band, dancing and shouting back lyrics as if they’d been seeing the band for years. The frontman Adam Gold frequently busted into seemingly improvised jams on the keys while moving seamlessly between soul-filled choruses and blistering rapping. Backing him was a remarkably proficient band of top notch musicians.
  
  Following them Brooklyn two-piece Hank And The Cupcakes took the stage. The band has been building considerable buzz based upon their stage presence and high energy live show. They proved exactly why with a short and energetic set which combined a punk rock energy with highly danceable
  material. The start of their set really set the tone of the night for me. The frontwoman/drummer, who goes by Cupcakes, told a story about troubles with a leak in their apartment and how angry she got about it, only to then hear about the tragedy in Haiti. She encouraged the crowd to have an extra good time tonight because they had the ability and privilege to do so, and not to let little things get them down. Their set, in which they played pretty much every track off their 7-song EP, was nonstop energy with barely a minute to catch your breath. They manage to recreate a full band with simple bass and drubs, and often more noise then many more complex acts.
  
  They were followed up by indie rock act Belakose, who were the most rock leaning act of the night, though they did infuse some rapped vocals in to their music. The sound for whatever reason was off, making the vocals almost impossible to hear. It was surprising that the sound which had so easily accommodated a fantastic hip-hop jazz band just a bit ago failed so badly at accommodating a simple rock band. Though they were by no means bad, they did not capture me nearly as much as the rest of the night’s performers.
  
  

• The Audio Perv - NY, 2010 [+ Show ]
  

  By Britnee Foreman Hank & Cupcakes is a sweet treat. When I walked in mid set of Hank & Cupcak...By Britnee Foreman
  
  Hank & Cupcakes is a sweet treat.
  
  When I walked in mid set of Hank & Cupcakes at the Mercury Lounge, I thought it would take me a while to get into the music and vibe. That was indeed not the case. Within thirty seconds of walking in I was moving right along with the rest of the crowd. Hank & Cupcakes is cheekily fun band with charisma that projects of the stage. The Brooklyn based drum and bass duo is high energy and takes everyone along for the ride.
  
  The dancey rhythms permeate the crowd and turn the show into a party with an amazing playlist. Hank was playing bass on stage left emitting the funky buzz that complimented the beats pounded out by Cupcakes on stage right. The music was so overwhelmingly provocative, that even Cupcakes stood up on her drum kit and started dancing. The music has a sexy, cheeky charm that makes you want to dance, makes you want to party, makes you want to grope and make-out with strangers (not that anyone is advocating that).
  
  The band certainly is talented. The minimalist duo creates a sound much bigger than the pair of them. And might I add, playing an instrument and doing vocals at the same time is challenging for any performer, let alone the drums. But to dance behind the kit on top of that and do all three flawlessly is just an amazing sight to see. I think I just found my new role model. She didn’t even bother with a drum stool, because she was dancing the entire show in her swingy little black dress. It added festiveness to the benefit concert for Beyond Race Magazine.
  
  Both Hank and Cupcakes are strong musicians and have the energy to sustain a live show. It is definitely a fun show to watch and I would encourage anyone to see this band play live, multiple times. You will leave satisfied and feeling like you just had a workout, which is sexy in and of itself.
  

• City Newspaper - Rochester, NY, Oct 2009 [+ Show ]
  

  Hank and Cupcakes played full speed. This is a charismatic, minimalist outfit, equipped only with dr...Hank and Cupcakes played full speed. This is a charismatic, minimalist outfit, equipped only with drums, vocals, and bass guitar, and before the two even play their first note, you could feel the chemistry. The two seemed enveloped in their own magnetic, mysterious energy and confidence. They danced around the set unassuming, playing a dash of electro-pop with a potent rock edge. The music was mind-stirring and avant-garde, with a gritty rock vocal and a continuous deliverance of catchy, perfectly executed bass walks.
  
  Every once in awhile, singer Cupcakes came out into the audience, waving and thrashing her body around to the infectious sounds seeping off of the stage. Her demeanor in these moments was irresistible and elegantly flirtatious. Hank and Cupcakes' overall presence is unparalleled - it is a must-see live show.

• Fusion Magazine - Utica, NY November 2009 [+ Show ]
  

  Hank & Cupcakes had only minutes to spare before their set at The Electric Company on the last day o...Hank & Cupcakes had only minutes to spare before their set at The Electric Company on the last day of the Utica Music and Arts Fest.
  
  Cupcakes didn’t have time to change. She briefly glanced around the dimly lit bar, nearly empty at 4 p.m.
  
  If you go ...
  What: Capital Zen and Hank & Cupcakes.
  She was glad she hadn’t changed.
  
  “I said: ‘I’m not going to wear something sparkly; it’s going to be embarrassing,’” remembered Cupcakes, drummer/vocalist for the Brooklyn duo that includes her husband, Hank. The duo will return to The Electric Company, 700 Varick St., at 12:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 6.
  
  About 10 minutes into their set, however, Cupcakes wished she’d been wearing her glitz. The dozen people initially milling around the bar seemed to – almost instantaneously — multiply into dozens, nearly 100 by the end of the set, Cupcakes guessed.
  
  “I start playing, I look up, I open my eyes, and there are all these people,” she said. “I wouldn’t expect to walk into an empty club and have the place pack up like that.”
  
  ‘Like a magnet’
  
  It was like a fever, said festival attendee Eric Phillips.
  
  “There was nobody there, and then all of a sudden there were literally 100 people who heard something from the street and came in and stayed,” he said. “It was kind of like a magnet.”
  
  Phillips remembered being hypnotized by the duo.
  
  “It’s just these two people — and this girl — she stands up and she’s drumming … and she sings while she’s drumming,” he said. “And, then, her (husband) – this Hank guy – he plays the bass, but not in a traditional way. It sounds like more than one instrument. It’s just a really good groove, and a really good vibe about the whole thing.”
  
  That vibe had dozens of festivalgoers clamoring for phones and cameras. Messages, videos and pictures began circulating among friends featuring Hank & Cupcakes.
  
  “It was definitely a frenzy,” Phillips said. “It was one of the most amazing things I’ve seen in the area in a long time. … It was uncanny. The music was so different and so cool and something people had never seen or heard before.”
  
  ‘It just started on its own’
  
  The sound — made up of only drums and bass — is meant to be minimalist but offers all the fullness of a complete band. Whether it’s Hank’s incredibly skilled bass-playing or Cupcakes’ perfectly pitched vocals and powerful percussive abilities, this power pop duo will have you awed. The sound is familiar, yet there’s something completely unheard (and maybe even unseen) when they perform.
  
  That sound wasn’t exactly intentional, said Cupcakes. It happened by circumstance.
  
  More than 18 months ago, the duo planned to leave their native Israel for New York City. They hoped the city would provide varied outlets and audiences that Israel could not. They would have to leave their band behind, but discussed how they’d recruit members when they arrived in New York.
  
  But then the rehearsals began – without band members. It was intense, Cupcakes said. And it just sounded right, she added.
  
  “We started performing, and it started sounding good, and we were exploring the bass and drums, and out of that it just started on its own,” Cupcakes said.
  
  ‘The whole talk of the day’
  
  What started in Israel and New York City spread upstate to Utica, and it would seem the duo has a loyal fan base for years to come, said festival organizers Anthony Donaldson and Joe Sweet.
  
  “The whole talk of the day was Hank and Cupcakes, even my mother: ‘Hank & Cupcakes.’ Even my neighbors: ‘Hank & Cupcakes,’” Donaldson said. “And even now, I’ve got people texting me about Hank & Cupcakes.”
  
  Creating that buzz and having it last long after the festival is exactly what Sweet intended.
  “Having (Hank & Cupcakes) come back and having that reaction means it’s working and that the idea of (the festival) is working and through the support of everyone, we’re making it happen,” he said.
  
  Capital Zen will open for Hank & Cupcakes at 10 p.m. Cover is $5.

• The Deli Magazine - Fall 2009 issue [+ Show ]
  

  "Butt shaking and heartbreaking at the same time, Hank & Cupcakes' distinctively beat-driven electro..."Butt shaking and heartbreaking at the same time, Hank & Cupcakes' distinctively beat-driven electro-pop bursts with fresh bass hook lines, sexy grooved and remarkably multifaceted vocals. Their immediate and straight forward sound offers an amazing mix of emotive power and free thinker attitudes exploding into stirring electro fantasies..."
  The Deli Magazine - Fall 2009

• Knocks From The Underground - NYC, Sep. 2009 [+ Show ]
  

  Pleasure Town by Hank & Cupcakes If you thought that bringing back the eighties would only go so ...Pleasure Town by Hank & Cupcakes
  
  If you thought that bringing back the eighties would only go so far as leggings and neon, you obviously haven't heard of Hank & Cupcakes. The duo, who this past Friday released their debut EP Pleasure Town, are bringing back the sound with a vengeance. And if you are one of those people who is too cool to get your groove on to Blondie or the Bangles, just stop reading this right now and go back to listening to your trendy ambiance and soul-wrenching folk. Because I, for one, think this music is awesome. And no, I don't exactly have a intelligent explanation as to why that is but after the first few measures of the album's opening number "Stay," I'm throwing on some layered socks and Keds and jumping up and down in my room and teasing out my hair. Maybe its because the eighties were a good time for me.
  
  It doesn't make a lot of sense, but then again the duo themselves are a bit of an anomaly. Hank, a master of a bass player, stands tall and silent as he oh so casually moves his fingers at lightning speed, craftily spinning out a powerful electronic beat. Meanwhile, Cupcakes, a tiny and energetic sprite of a girl beats her drums ferociously with a steadiness that is a direct contrast to the rest of her body, which is bumping and grinding with no abandon, practically emanating sex, a quality intensified by the fact that girl can SING like the love child of Patti Smith and Cyndi Lauper. I dare you to listen to "Beat" and not marvel at the power of Cupcakes' vocals. The result? A sound that is wild and crisp. Poppy but bold. A guilty pleasure but with enough artistic merit to not illicit shame.
  
  That's not to say that H&C is a carbon copy of the music we long buried with the photos of us displaying our best full body acid wash attire. They have an edge and are innovative and experimental in their own way. Maybe it's just that a little bit of fresh attitude and spunk goes a long way in making an impression on their sound, but there's something about their punk/electronica fusion that sounds refreshingly relevant and ground-breaking. Or maybe they are just doing a great job of sticking to, what I believe, is the greatest lesson we learned from the eighties: go big or go home.
  
  Link:
  http://www.knocksfromtheunderground.com/ny-album-reviews/2009/9/15/pleasure-town-by-hank-cupcakes.html

• Time Out NY - NYC, Sep. 2009
  

  "Brooklyn duo Hank & Cupcakes pumps out tight, funky indie pop with impressively sturdy hooks"

• Jezebel Music - NYC, August 2009 [+ Show ]
  

  There’s star power here – and more than just a glimmer of it. Husband-and-wife duo, Hank and Cupcake...There’s star power here – and more than just a glimmer of it. Husband-and-wife duo, Hank and Cupcakes, brought audacious flair and neon vivacity to the stage, kicking off their set with “Pleasure Town,” the driving title track of the band’s forthcoming EP (out September 4). Hank, on guitar, stood sexy and stoic as he channeled some of funk’s best reverberating loops. Cupcakes, on drums, also stood (that’s right), optimizing both her vocal prowess and her ebullient stage presence. When she played, it appeared as though she were splashing about, having a rollicking good time, but the sounds emanating from her drum set were crisp as well as clamoring.
  
  Picture a pairing of Karen O and Jack White. Then add an alchemic chemistry. This is a band to catch live while you can.
  
  http://www.jezebelmusic.com/6746/silver-sound-studio/

• The Deli Magazine - NYC, July 2009 [+ Show ]
  

  You don�t need too many ingredients to produce some catchy tunes that make hearts leap for joy: mi...You don�t need too many ingredients to produce some catchy tunes that make hearts leap for joy: mix some funky beats with vibrant bass tunes and add some magical voice full of life and confidence � and here we go. Hank and Cupcakes is the quirky but auspicious result of this exceptional combination. There is no doubt about this group�s entertaining value emerging from their sweeping performance which shows not only their musical and technical skills but also this special synergy between the two band members, Hank (bass) and Cupcakes (drums and vocals), which makes their musical output even more hypnotizing. The distinctive edgy sound and overall attitude of this minimalist but successful duo is reminiscent of New York City�s energy and restlessness combined with bits of soulfulness and youthful spirit. The music is simple, but honest; diverting, yet at the same time highly expressive. Definitely go to check out their slamming live shows, the next one will be at The Delancey on July 6. � Susi Muhr
  Published on Wed, 1 Jul 2009 11:26:47
  http://www.thedelimagazine.com/index.php?name=thedeli&itemId=218518&mode=comments#post
  

Setlist

Set of Approximately 50 Min:

1. Pleasure Town
2. Beat
3. Sweet Potion
4. My Name Is Jimmy (And I Have A TV Show)
5. She's Lost Control
6. Roses
7. Tame The Fool
8. Aint No Love
9. Hit

Basic Requirements

Calendar