How will you be staving off bad luck this Friday the 13th? Well, wrack your head no longer: We've got it figured out for you.
First, you should indulge in the NYC tradition of going to get a spontaneous, extra-cheap Friday the 13th tattoo. There's always a bevy of parlors that typically do them, but for our purposes, we're sending you to Magic Cobra Tattoo Society at 775 Driggs Ave. in Brooklyn. It's $13 and a lucky $7 tip for one of the Friday the 13th-themed designs of their special flash sheet.
Thus adorned, you can head out to the most appropriate way to celebrate a traditionally unlucky holiday -- with psychobilly. Psychobilly is an offshoot of rockabilly and punk rock with a distinctly horror-themed aesthetic (think the Stray Cats meets the Misfits.) Rat Fink, EC Comics, '50s-style clothing and all manner of fantastic hair come together with big boxy guitars, upright basses, and lyrics generally concerning the macabre. Psychobilly has always flown just under the radar, but most cities have a tenacious-if-small scene, and New York is no exception.
Case in point: The Sixth Annual Psychobilly Luau, taking place this weekend. Instituted in 2007 as a way to showcase NYC psychobilly bands, the Luau has become a resounding yearly success and a great way to check out some of the scene's best bands gathered in one place.
The Luau runs all weekend but we're shipping off to Friday's event, held at Brooklyn's Public Assembly. You can expect to a bevy of bands, including Reckless Ones, Lower Town Trio, Creepin' Cadavers, and the Cult of the Psychic Fetus. Additionally, there's a crazy amount of vendors (food and otherwise), as well as raffles and prizes from the event's sponsors, which include Sailor Jerry Rum, Pabst Blue Ribbon, longtime NYC tattoo stalwart NYHC Tattoos, and a wide variety of clothing and grooming companies. Of course, even if you're not there as a die-hard psychobilly fan, you could always just come to hang out and experience the rich tapestry of psychobilly style — not only will there be elaborately tattooed guys and delicately pin-curled girls, but there will also be hot rods on display at the different venues.
Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 the day of. Come get your luck corrected.
