Influential Yahoo! group the NYC-Freaks, who are known for discovering New York/New Jersey bands like Robert Randolph & the Family Band, the Benevento/Russo Duo and RANA, will host the eighth annual Freaks Ball at Brooklyns Southpaw on February 9. Scheduled to appear this year are Led Zeppelin cover band Bustle In Your Hedgerow, American Babies and a group that, for now, is being billed as The Bearded Ones (list creator Aaron Stein describes the group as hip, local afrobeat groovers recently featured in New York Magazine).
The gig marks the sixth consecutive year that American Babies/Bustle In Your Hedgerow bandmates Joe Russo and Scott Metzger have appeared at the Freaks Ball, having played in projects ranging from their own Duo and RANA to Chris Harfords Band of Changes and Coxygen. Past Freaks Ball performers include Apollo Sunshine, Ollabelle, Dansettes, The Squad and, of course, Randolph, among others.