NYC family bands

The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players

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Photograph: Cami Dreyer56.mu.dreyerfamily_01_0.jpg658054

The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
Backstory Anchored by their daughter, 16-year-old drummer Rachel (the covergirl of our first first issue, by the way), the Bushwick-based Trachtenburgs have been staying up late together for nearly a decade.
Sound Imagine the Mystery Science Theater crew playing catchy pop music after invading your crazy aunt’s stash of family slides.
Scoop The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players Vol. 2 : All Over This World is due in late summer, while Rachel’s ukulele-bubblegum-pop band Supercute! is making waves in indie circles.
City picks Dad Jason Trachtenburg encourages everyone to "go to the 4th St Food Co-op (58 E 4th St between Bowery and Second Ave; 212-674-3623, 4thstreetfoodcoop.org) to learn about nutrition and sustainable agriculture." If you’re looking for a pet, the trio suggests Social Tees (124 E 4th St between First and Second Aves; 212-614-9653, socialtees.com)—the center takes in animals that are due to be put down, and helps the critters find adoptive families.

Opus Ditty and the Hoedown Gang
Backstory New dad and longtime studio engineer Kevin Meeker mines his childhood while creating zany characters with his wife, Ali Wood.
Sound Country cartoon rock with a story arc.
Scoop The Gang plays the Madison Square Kids series on July 1.
City picks Kevin, Ali and six-month-old Levi frequent neighborhood java spot Barcey’s Coffee (143 St. Nicholas Ave at Stockholm St, Bushwick, Brooklyn; 718-484-8183, barceyscoffee.com) for organic fair-trade coffee, before heading to Grover Cleveland Park for the afternoon (Grandview Ave at Stanhope St, Ridgewood, Queens; nycgovparks.org).

Max’s Family Band
Backstory When four-year-old Max was born, parents Gary and Yvette Negbaur found their muse.
Sound Musical-theater-inspired, piano-driven pop.
Scoop Waltz Astoria hosts the band on June 13.
City picks During walks around their nabe, Max "always seems to end up with a lollipop or special toy from the City View Pharmacy (23-07 Astoria Blvd between Crescent and 23rd Sts, Astoria, Queens; 718-545-2550, cityviewpharmacy.com)."

The Dreyer Family Band
Backstory Bicoastal twin brothers—Craig is a Park Slope resident, while Matt settled down in California—enlisted their clans to make Family Photograph. The 2009 album became an unexpected hit with critics.
Sound Eclectic folk with hints of R&B.
Scoop While a live show is logistically difficult (barring a family reunion), the Dreyers say they’ve been making music again. Could a sophomore album be in the offing?
City picks Craig Dreyer loves "the old guy who plays accordion on random corners of Park Slope, and the young guy who plays a jaunty fiddle around the same places," as well as the marionette productions from Puppetworks (338 Sixth Ave at 4th St, Park Slope, Brooklyn; 718-965-3391, puppetworks.org).