Friday night I found myself out in the field once again, scouring Brooklyn in search of something worth writing home about. It’s rare to come across treasure; nevertheless have it wash up on the shore right in front of you. That’s why we do what we do here at Nothing Radio: we’re chronically outside to help you decipher what’s trash and what’s treasure. The eternal chase for New York’s best continues.

This blog isn’t solely about music- it’s about taste. So before I tell you all about the show, let me quickly present to you what I ate beforehand. Yes I’m holding you captive for an impromptu food review. We eat too good over here not to. Lifestyle.

Restaurant: Huda New Levantine Bistro

Cuisine: Levantine (Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, Jordanian)

Location: 312 Leonard St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

To drink, I selected a vibrant orange wine with a well rounded mouth feel. Sometimes I’m not quite feeling a red, sometimes I’m not quite feeling a white. A few chilled glasses of these set me right and paired wonderfully with the variety of different flavors I had during this meal. Forgive me for rhyming.

For my appetizer I ordered Freekah, a salad that consists of pistachios, pecorino, charred romano beans, radishes, and fresh herbs. Each bite was layered with a medley of complimentary flavors and textures, making for a complex yet refreshing plate. There were hints of mint and basil which provided an element of sharpness, along with a citrusy, lemon soaked tang that was offset by the nutty overtones of the pistachio. Every bite I tasted a new flavor, which kinda felt like when you listen closely to a well mixed song and discover something you hadn’t heard on your last listen. A winner forsure.

As for my main course, I went with Huda’s signature dish, Shish Barak, which was recommended to me by the bartender. This Lebanese dish consists of beef stuffed tortellinis in a yogurt sauce that is drizzled with chili oil and garnished with herbs and pine nuts. I’m a sucker for dishes with a yogurt based sauce, and this was no different. It reminded me of the Afghani dish Manto, which is almost identical except the dumpling is a bit different. It was creamy, savory, delicious and balanced but I did feel like it could’ve used a bit more mint in the sauce and more seasoning in the beef. However, that’s just personal preference.

Overall: Ultimately, I was quite satisfied with my pre-show meal. The food was fresh, delicious, and thoughtful. Could there be slight improvements? Absolutely. There’s nothing that would stop me from returning though. While the price stood out in my credit card bill, the service more than made up for it. 7.9/10.

Anyways, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Dallas Wax, The Dutch Kills, & Riko and Whaler at Baby’s All Right

After taking a much needed stroll with my post-meal victory cigarette, I arrived at Baby’s All Right buzzed off of those 3 glasses of natural wine and found myself a seat at the railing where I can get comfortable and take notes. There was a distinct smell in the room, kind of similar to the fragrance of Paul’s Casablanca. I wonder if they’re pumping the same aromatics? Regardless, there was a strong sense of anticipation at the venue. I think everyone knew we were in for a good night.

The first band to go on that night were Riko and Whaler, who play their own brand of music that they describe as “Philadelphia Psychedelic”. Usually when I go to a gig the first band is painstakingly average or even hard to listen to at times, but these guys were legit (as a matter of fact, this whole lineup was). They started off with some steady, lounge-like music that had me intrigued as to what they meant by Philadelphia Psychedelic. And just like a dodgy tab of acid, it hit out of nowhere.

While the drums and the keys maintained all the jazzy tonalities they began with, the guitarists had a quick and sudden break into psychedelia tinged blues. Where most renditions of psych bands are reminiscent of suede, Riko and Whaler feel a whole lot like leather. Equally hearty as it is heady, the band’s music finds itself at a cross-roads between prog rock, 60’s San Fran psychedelic, and road house blues. Imagine a warmly lit biker bar with stained glass windows. That’s the sound of Riko and Whaler; the sound of what they call Philadelphia Psychedelic. And it’s damn good.

Although there were no shortage of passages that swung the speedometer between 50 and 100, Riko and Whaler were in complete control of both the music and their crowd. There was a great deal of showmanship in their performance and for their NYC debut, the lights never seemed too bright for the band. Riko and Whaler lived up to the billing and then some. Also, don’t let the picture above fool you; while the room was sparse at the beginning of their set, it was most definitely packed out by the end (the picture I took at this time was unfortunately too blurry for use). If I heard them from a distance at the bar, I’d probably close my tab and see what’s up too.

Remember what I said about hunting for treasure? I’m happy to report that on this fine Friday night, I struck gold. X marked the spot, and that spot just so happened to be Baby’s. Let me tell you a little bit about a band called The Dutch Kills.

The Dutch Kills are a Brooklyn based band led by Julia Von Dutch, their seemingly fearless front woman who exudes eccentricity. And no I don’t mean cat lady eccentric, I mean rockstar eccentric. The kind that’s equally as empowering to the free as it is intimidating to the sheep. This band of kick ass ladies and their lead guitarist, Alec, ride the fine line between passion and pain on stage in what feels like an emotional free fall. Performing punk music for the femme fatales and the kindred spirits of the world, The Dutch Kills started the show the same way they ended it: in full throttle.

Most of these songs are written about Julia’s relationships and life experiences, which she channels on stage while belting out lyrics that feel all too real and relatable. What’s remarkable is that even in these seemingly cathartic moments where she’s reliving past anguish and pain, she never fails to maintain a tight control over her impressive range of vocals. While you get the feeling that she’s letting go and sitting in the drivers seat with no hands on the wheel, there is always a presence of discipline and conviction in her singing. Controlled chaos.

Between songs, Julia spoke with beautiful crassness and a refreshing sense of vulnerability. Whether it was about a relationship that others didn’t want her to be in, or a shitty friendship that she was fed up with, there was an overwhelming sense of “fuck you” from the band that will take them very far. The feeling to rebel in your every day existence; to live life by your own rules and nobody else’s.

While Levantine cuisine is synonymous with spice (no pun intended), it was The Dutch Kills that provided me the spice of life that I had been chasing all night. It felt like I discovered a missing piece in the cultural puzzle of 2025, a voice for people with their own issues going on in addition to the external hell-scape we currently live in. Did I just discover my new favorite band?

At this point of the night, there was a great deal of alcohol and energy flowing throughout the venue.

“Is this your first Dallas Wax show?”

“I heard they got a surprise song they’re performing.”

“These guys are absolutely great, I saw them in Boston.”

The buzz and excitement surrounding the headlining band was unreal. I’m probably a bit late to the party as most of the crowd were already fans of them, but better late than never, right? Based off their performance, I’d say so.

Prior to the show, I familiarized myself with Dallas Wax through their EP “The Air We Breathe”. Believe me when I tell you: they sound just as good, if not better, when performing live. Fronted by the charismatic Ryan Wax, this New York band took stage to a frenzied crowd and immediately doused fuel onto the flames that were ignited by the previous acts. It took little to no time for the band to settle into their fast moving, hard edged, psychedelic grooves, which were only escalated by their larger than life stage presence.

It was obvious that these guys knew what they were doing, and I was impressed by the mere restraint and intentionality towards their guitar pedals. That’s refreshing. There were a lot of 70’s influenced riffs, some with blues influences akin to Zeppelin, and some with a sharper bite that sounded more like The Stooges. I particularly enjoyed the synthesizers used, which reminded me of destitute daydreams and tripping at Coney Island on a hot summer day. The music was shifty as well, with dramatic swings that kept me on the edge of my stool expecting the unexpected.

If you ever think about taking a date to a live performance, Dallas Wax are a sure success and a safe bet if you want to get a call back tomorrow. The band plays with superb chemistry, the music is like a rollercoaster you don’t want to end, and above all, they know how to show the crowd a great fucking time. You know, maybe don’t take her if she’s easily swooned. Oozing charisma and a natural knack for rocking crowds, these guys are up next, if not right now. Good luck competing with that, and don’t be surprised when you start to see them on every show flyer in town; it’s well deserved.

Dallas Wax, The Dutch Kills, & Riko and Whaler @ Baby’s All Right 3/14/25

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