Interview: Punches, Williamsburg Brooklyn

 

Formed in the belly of the much ballyhooed, mimicked and misunderstood neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is the new “late night disco project” Punches. The creation of singer and dj Alan Astor and the popular dj duo Finger on the Pulse, otherwise known as the twins Greg and Darin Bresnitz, Punches is releasing both mix albums and their own original songs. Their first ep, Sleepless City, is out now and features the single “Feeling Right,” which has been getting rave reviews. The new video for the song (above) features a tour of Williamsburg and the places which the trio attribute to the group’s birth- like the venues Royal Oak and The Shank, making them the perfect people to show us around their adopted hometown.
 
What should we know before we go to the Williamsburg?

Your first stop should be Blue Bottle Coffee and your last stop should be La Nonna pizzeria. If you are looking for colonel reenactments, you’re in the wrong Williamsburg.

Who are your local musical heroes?

James Murphy and subway saxophone players.
 
What local bands or musicians should we be listening out for?

Check out this tasty disco band from hell, called Midnight Magic.
 
What are your favorite music venues and where should we eat and drink around there?

We can usually be found hanging out at the Let’s Play House warehouse and staying up late at the Bakery. We love to cook, so we always hit Tops to pick up ingredients before a family meal.
 
Any local music festivals or events we should put on our calendar?

We are getting close to the end of the year, so before all of the New Year’s madness starts, we have our eyes and hearts set on BEMF.
 
Is there a ” Williamsburg sound”? Or is there a community/scene vibe in the city?

There is definitely a scene here, but it’s a lot of parts that make up a great whole. Where else can you have two men screaming down Bedford: one, a tall, lanky, man of Jesus, yelling about how we are all going to hell and the other, a short, portly man of Pop, singing about his Sharona?
 
What’s your perfect night out in Williamsburg?

It starts with a few drinks and then it ends in a loft. The perfect night is determined by whose loft that is.
 
Any other things that are a must see and do in Williamsburg?

There’s a secret society of beautiful people who walk pristine does and elks down Bedford every Sunday morning, while singing ethereal songs of love, life and togetherness. If you can get up in time, it’s a beautiful thing to see.
 
What’s the best roadside food you’ve found?

Wild Boar, Corsica, dripping with sweat and sunshine.
 
What is your favorite city/venue to play on the road and what place has the craziest fans?

We played at the base of the Eiffel Tower while Nicolas Sarkozy ate dinner at a nearby bistro. He came up to us afterwards and said that he was “feeling right” about his steak frites. Then he bought us a round of absinthe and told us that no one would ever believe us if we told them this story.