Desert Sharks

I firmly believe the world can never have enough girl bands, so I'm always excited when ladies get together and rock out like the Runaways. New Brooklyn group Desert Sharks is one such band: four tough gals with tons of swagger and a heavy sound that any fan of amped-up rock 'n' roll will love. You can listen to their debut demos (and download them for free!) here, and if you're in Brooklyn this week, check out their first show at Williamsburg's Legion Bar. Pro tip: stick around after the show for dance party jams and pink jello shots. Desert Sharks will also be appearing at the CMJ Music Marathon: details here. - Bust Magazine

After an invite-only show at the John Varvatos store on Thursday, Paul Weller played two nights at the Best Buy Theater in Times Sq on Friday (5/18) and Saturday (5/19) with openers Desert Sharks. Weller performed three sets -- Sonik Kicks in full, an acoustic set backed by a string section, and then an electric set of career-spanning favorites. Weller plays Toronto tonight. The Goldmine review above is from Saturday night's show, but our pictures are from Friday night.
More pictures of Paul Weller's show (and openers Desert Sharks), and Weller's setlists for both nights, are below. - BrooklynVegan

After an invite-only show at the John Varvatos store on Thursday, Paul Weller played two nights at the Best Buy Theater in Times Sq on Friday (5/18) and Saturday (5/19) with openers Desert Sharks. Weller performed three sets -- Sonik Kicks in full, an acoustic set backed by a string section, and then an electric set of career-spanning favorites. Weller plays Toronto tonight. The Goldmine review above is from Saturday night's show, but our pictures are from Friday night.
More pictures of Paul Weller's show (and openers Desert Sharks), and Weller's setlists for both nights, are below. - BrooklynVegan

The Coathangers are on a tour which brought them to NYC for two shows, including a stop at Death By Audio on May 30, the day after they supported OFF! at Bowery Ballroom with Cerebral Ballzy. Joining the bratty Atlanta foursome was support from Hunters, The Numerators and Desert Sharks. More pictures from the DBA show are in this post. - BrooklynVegan

The LoDown’s upcoming CMJ showcase is shaping up nicely. We have some outstanding bands set to perform on Oct 18th at Fontana’s, including Less, Andrew Vladeck, and Saadi. PLUS, following a great response from our open call for LES based groups, we’ve made our pick for the show’s opener:

Kicking things off that night will be guitar crunching, heavy rock band DESERT SHARKS. The all-girl, 4-piece rock assemblage holds true to the movement started way back by groups like the Runaways, and furthered through the 90’s by the likes of Veruca Salt and the Breeders. That being said, it’s 2011, and make no mistake Desert Sharks are doing it their way. - The Lo-Down

The LoDown’s upcoming CMJ showcase is shaping up nicely. We have some outstanding bands set to perform on Oct 18th at Fontana’s, including Less, Andrew Vladeck, and Saadi. PLUS, following a great response from our open call for LES based groups, we’ve made our pick for the show’s opener:

Kicking things off that night will be guitar crunching, heavy rock band DESERT SHARKS. The all-girl, 4-piece rock assemblage holds true to the movement started way back by groups like the Runaways, and furthered through the 90’s by the likes of Veruca Salt and the Breeders. That being said, it’s 2011, and make no mistake Desert Sharks are doing it their way. - The Lo-Down

There’s something about all-girl bands that make us swoon, especially those who know how to rock out hard while still lookin’ cute (c’mon, it’s totally part of being in an all-girl band right?). Lower East Side/Brooklyn’s Desert Sharks has some serious rock n’ roll swagger, churning out heavy hitters about the one thing that fuels all that angst – boys.

Reminiscent of The Runaways and surfy 60's garage girl bands like the Continental Co-ets, the four-piece will certainly get your heart pumping and head bobbing. We chatted with bass player and lead vocalist, Stephanie Gunther, about what it’s like living and making music in the belly of the beast we call NYC. - Audyssey Presents: The Neighborhood

Writing this post as I’m sat at Wharf Chambers. They’re playing Bikini Kill right now and I’m thinking, how apt. Anyway, Desert Sharks – I FUCKING LOVE THESE GUYS. If you like The Donnas and Veruca Salt you’ll dig em. Bad ass garage rock with pop sensibilities. Ok, maybe not as bad ass as The Coathangers and not quite Sleater Kinney if I’m honest but they still fucking rock.

A 4 track demo ep simply entitled Recordings is up for grabs via their bandcamp. It’s basically the kinda songs we’d play at Suck My Left One! I wanna go and watch them play a show at a bar, get drunk and hang out with every single one of them after the gig. - Bad Fotography

Writing this post as I’m sat at Wharf Chambers. They’re playing Bikini Kill right now and I’m thinking, how apt. Anyway, Desert Sharks – I FUCKING LOVE THESE GUYS. If you like The Donnas and Veruca Salt you’ll dig em. Bad ass garage rock with pop sensibilities. Ok, maybe not as bad ass as The Coathangers and not quite Sleater Kinney if I’m honest but they still fucking rock.

A 4 track demo ep simply entitled Recordings is up for grabs via their bandcamp. It’s basically the kinda songs we’d play at Suck My Left One! I wanna go and watch them play a show at a bar, get drunk and hang out with every single one of them after the gig. - Bad Fotography

Desert Sharks are a NYC based quartet of ladies who are sure to be your favorite band to have at your house show. Under the name Recordings, the tough as shit lasses have collected four straight up attitude-driven rock’n’roll. Other reviews seem to love comparing them to the Runaways and they do lean towards the Joan Jett school of thought. But listen closer and you will see they have the rocking chops à la Sleater-Kinney (with The Woods specifically in mind) mixed with the ‘get the fuck outta my way’ swagger of the Pandoras and Coathangers.

I’ve been given insider information that they plan to play some shows in February, but nothing has been posted yet. So be on the look out if you happen to be running about in Brooklyn. Offered as a free download from their Bandcamp, Recordings can be picked up faster than you can say “Riff Randall” and be jammed anytime. Here’s track one, “Cruel Pattern Vicious Cycle”, to prove their rockittude. - GET BENT!