Bands do BK: A Guide to Brooklyn, by Bands, for Everyone
“Filled to the brim with passion, curiosity, and intention, this book is a fantastic snapshot of the people and places that make and support music and make Brooklyn as special as it is.”—NICK LAFALCE, Musician (ATLAS ENGINE, EDNA), co-founder, Favorite Friend Records
Book Details (NEW RELEASE)
AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOKSHOP | BOOKS-A-MILLION | WALMART | INDIEBOUND
348 Pages | 6 x 9 | 1.25 lb
ISBN: 978-1-7351458-4-6 (Paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-7351458-5-3 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 978-1-7351458-6-0 (Ebook, also available on Kindle Unlimited)
Bands do BK: A Guide to Brooklyn, by Bands, for Everyone
Somewhere in Brooklyn, and all over Brooklyn, your favorite, and soon-to-be favorite, bands are… Writing. Rehearsing. Recording. Performing. Scouring thrift stores. Stuffing down pizza. Drinking and dancing. Lounging and living. But where is this happening? Where are the local musicians whose music, styles, and tastes we admire working, playing, and hanging out in Brooklyn? What spots do bands on tour stop by when they’re only in town for the night? What do their versions of Brooklyn look like?
In Bands do BK, Sam Sumpter explores Brooklyn from the unique perspective of the bands who live it and love it. Equal parts oral history, guidebook, and music-fan memoir, Sumpter shares behind-the-scenes stories, sound bites, and recommendations on places to visit from hundreds of featured interviewed bands—a hot slice of New York City indie chronicling the people and places that define it.
Based on Sumpter’s popular music blog, Bands do BK supports local Brooklyn musicians while sharing new ways to explore and enjoy the borough. In Bands do BK, you’ll discover stories you don’t read on an about page or social-media bio, details and recommendations that aren’t incorporated into reviews, and the defining characteristics that definitely don’t factor into typical guidebook ratings.
Meet your new favorite band, discover your next go-to bar, expand your personal playlist, and experience the weird, wonderful, and unbeatable beauty of Brooklyn’s influential music scene for yourself.
Reviews
“An honest and quirky snapshot of musicians’ lives from the past decade who are really, really doing Brooklyn… If you’re thinking of coming to NYC to pursue music or just be a part of it. Bands do Bk will push you over the edge with DIY inspiration to make this borough your own. Start a band! Start a venue! Eat some pizza! You’ll find your tribe and create community here.” —TARRA THIESSEN, MUSICIAN (GUSTAF, SHARKMUFFIN)
“Filled to the brim with passion, curiosity, and intention, this book is a fantastic snapshot of the people and places that make and support music and make Brooklyn as special as it is.”—NICK LAFALCE, MUSICIAN (ATLAS ENGINE, EDNA), CO-FOUNDER (FAVORITE FRIEND RECORDS)
“An insiders guide to the who’s who and what’s what of the best parts of Brooklyn that you won’t find anywhere else.” —SOPHIE EVERHARD, HEAD OF CONCERTS AT SOFAR SOUNDS
“With wit, charm, and unbridled enthusiasm, Sam Sumpter has captured the next great time capsule of oral history detailing the modern NYC musical landscape. This time in a way it has yet to be viewed before – with fervent eyes and ears soaking up the sounds of the city’s most creatively celebrated borough, Brooklyn. Her words illustrate portraits of the musicians, romantics, and preachers injecting their passions into dimly lit venues and dive bars within the endless web of nightlife. These stories are documented with such poise and precision that every reader becomes a Brooklynite.” —RICH WEISS, FOUNDER (BLOODLESS MANAGEMENT), SR. TALENT BUYER (ARLENE’S GROCERY)
“Bands do BK has its finger on the pulse of Brooklyn’s burgeoning music scene, and this book is a must-have for anyone looking to understand what it’s like to be a part of it.” —MATTIE SAFER, MUSICIAN (SAFER, POOLSIDE, THE RAPTURE), CO-FOUNDER (CELL VISION)
Media & Interviews
Sam Sumpter
Sam Sumpter is the founder and editorial director of Bands do BK. She is a journalist, MC, and host of the popular radio show, Bands do BK on Radio Free Brooklyn, featuring live interviews with local artists. She is the manager of the punk band Mary Shelley, and produces, books, and promotes live shows on stages across Brooklyn and in Manhattan. Since founding Bands do BK, Sumpter has spent time in recording studios, music venues, performance spaces, restaurants, bars, and cafes in the borough of Brooklyn interviewing her favorite musicians about their favorite places while using Bands do BK as a platform to share and promote the amazing music of the artists she loves.
The Cover Album: Bands do BK: A Guide to Brooklyn, by Bands, for Everyone
Listen to The Cover Album, curated by Sam Sumpter and Bands do BK. Artists and bands featured on the cover of the Bands do BK book. And check out the full photo gallery featuring photos from the cover to get to know some of the talented artists on—and in—the book. Links to Spotify and Instagram in the gallery for each of the bands on the cover of the Bands do BK book. View the gallery and discover your new favorite band!
About The Cover Album
The polaroid photos that make the Bands do BK book cover were original photos by Sam Sumpter shot at shows or during in-person interviews with many of the artists and bands and in many of the recommended places to visit featured in the Bands do BK Book. Original and one-of-a-kind photos that demonstrate Sumpter’s presence out and about and in the music scene, as well as the on-the-ground work done when she first started Bands do BK. Ultimately, the Polaroid photos from the Bands do BK archives that make the cover illustrate the premise of community and the true community feel of the Bands do BK Book.
Featured Artists & Bands in the Bands do BK Book
In Bands do BK, Sam Sumpter explores Brooklyn from the unique perspective of the bands who live it and love it. Behind-the-scenes stories, sound bites, and recommendations on places to visit from hundreds of featured interviewed bands. Download the complete list of artists and bands.