November 20, 2009
Carsick Cars, PK-14, Xiao He played powerhouse Arena (videos) & Glasslands (pics), playing more shows this week
photos by Lori Baily, words by Andrew Frisicano
DOWNLOAD: Carsick Cars - You Can Listen You Can Talk (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Carsick Cars - Zhong Nan Hai (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: PK-14 - Behind All Ruptures (MP3)
PK-14 @ Glasslands
Arriving late [to powerHouse Arena on November 5th] I found the place packed, but I was just able to set up in time to get Xiao He's last tune. This piece was a lengthy improv involving electronic looping, acoustic guitar, and Mongolian style throat-singing - all to bewitching effect. Next up were the catchily named Carsick Cars, a young and winsome trio who played just three songs, opening with the liberating 'You Can Listen You Can Talk' and closing with - reportedly a Chinese underground anthem - Zhong Nan Hai - a silly song about a popular cigarette brand that just happens to be named after the seat of Chinese Government. The point being, as I understand it, that being punk is being beyond politics. Lastly came P.K.14, apparently elder statesmen of the movement. Sporting a tight Swedish drummer, and singing in pure mandarin, one could discern a wide mix of influences from pop to punk, to post-punk, to freak-out rock. I've picked two tunes from them - the more melodic 'Eden' and the wild closer 'Some Surprises Happen Too Soon'. [Punkcast]Punkcast was at the "China Underground Invasion" tour's kick off show on November 5th at powerHouse Arena. It was one of the four NYC shows for the tour that've already happened. Another was the next night (11/6) at Glasslands with These are Powers and Soft Circle. Pictures from the Glasslands show are above and below.
The trio of acts return to NYC on Friday, November 20th (TONIGHT) for a gig with The Octagon at UWS club Ding Dong Lounge with The Octagon. They follow that up with a tour-ending show at Secret Project Robot (NOT Monster Island Basement as originally listed in their dates) with Knyfe Hyts 81 and Aa on Saturday (Nov. 21). Knyfe Hyts 81 also have a show booked tonight in Manhattan with Sleigh Bells and Javelin.
Their label, Maybe Mars, lists one more stop for the gang. Guitarist Zhang Shouwang (from Carsick Cars) and Xiao He are slated to appear at the closing Performa 09 event, Scratch the Grand Finale at (Le) Poisson Rouge on November 22nd. But that isn't quite a conventional show - the fest writes that "invited artists will be asked to present a five to ten minute work responding to the following subtitles: Dining on Radio Waves; Lust is a Force; Between Noise & Silence; Songs for Architects; and Motion & Magic. The stage will be set with a arrangement of musical and Futurist inspired instrumentation and means from record decks, green light to perfume and the bassoon." Tickets are on sale.
Speaking of unconventional gigs, These Are Powers' next performance will be November 21st at Galapagos for a free edition (RSVP) of Cinema 16 (silent film+live band). For their set, the group will be scoring a pair of PSAs and one educational video from the '60s and '70s. Included in those will be "One Got Fat: Bicycle Safety" from 1963, summarized as such: "A group of children, wearing ape masks, the dangers of biking the hard way in this strange and dark PSA."
More pictures from the Glasslands show, videos via Punkcast from the powerHouse Arena gig, and more details on the upcoming shows are below...
this post, posted at 4:24 PM in music | To Do | tour dates | pictures | video | Comments (0)
Javelin played Monster Island w/ Juiceboxxx (pics), plays new venue Under 100 TONIGHT w/ Sleigh Bells & Knyfe Hyts
words & photos by Erez Avissar
MNDR (aka Amanda Warner) opened the Brooklyn show at Monster Island on Wednesday night (11/18). Shouting, singing and rapping over techno-centric beats, she showed respect to tour-mate Juiceboxxx as well as a strong influence by him. She fared better than her mentor though, who played a super-brief, possibly truncated, set of less than 20 minutes. Opening with his most well-known tune/statement of intent, "Thunder Jam #5", Juiceboxxx positioned himself in sort of a "me against the crowd/world" way, alienating himself from the audience. It was unfortunate, because a basement show like this one could have been the ideal place to see him.
Even without their signature boomboxes, Javelin brought much-needed positive energy to the room with highlights like expanded versions of "Mossy Woodland" and "Vibrationz", as well as their skewed "Into The Groove" interpretation and some worldly tropical beats that turned the place into a dance party. The energy stayed with the crowd, who were more than happy to stick around after and dance to pop hits, ranging from Olivia Newton-John to Jay-Z, courtesy of Todd P's iPod.
Javelin live is not to be slept on. Catch them Friday (TONIGHT) with Sleigh Bells (who played Le Poisson Rouge last night) at a new DIY all ages venue in Manhattan called "Under 100." Get there early - Javelin goes on first (9pm). More details about that show and pictures below...
this post, posted at 3:58 PM in To Do | music | pictures | Comments (2)
Eli Paperboy Reed playing Brooklyn (Bowl), but not DC, Neon Indian tix on sale, Talib Kweli & other upcoming shows
Eli Paperboy Reed @ The Bell House (more by Jacob Blickenstaff)
Tickets are on sale for the recently-added Neon Indian show at Brooklyn Bowl.
Soul man Eli "Paperboy" Reed is playing a show at Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday night (11/21). Tickets are on sale for that too. Eli, who also plays in Salem, Massachusetts tonight (11/20), was supposed to hit DC on the 22nd, but that's been cancelled "due to some logistical problems".
Jacob Blickenstaff took the picture of Eli you see above. If you happen to be in Memphis, check out his pictures on display at the Stax Museum of Ameican Soul Music.
Speaking of BV photographers with cool other projects, Justina Villanueva just released the first issue of her own magazine. Check out her recent photos from Jesus Lizard at Irving Plaza too.
Sunday is the Talib Kweli show at Brooklyn Bowl. Tickets are still on sale. It's one of three shows Talib will play in the city before the end of the year.
Other shows coming up at Brooklyn Bowl with tickets on sale include Julian Plenti, Dr. Dog, and Dangerous (All Metal Tribute to Michael Jackson). Dangerous also opened for Deer Tick there on Halloween.
It's been a year since Eli performed on Jools Holland. The video from that performance is below...
this post, posted at 2:59 PM in To Do | music | tour dates | Comments (1)
Jesus Lizard & Noveller @ Irving Plaza (night 2) in NYC - pics
photos by Lori Baily
"How can it be that in the wake of the ten year absence of this band, there's really yet to be a front man as captivating, ferocious, unnerving and entertaining? Sure there's Matt Korvette of PISSED JEANS and Eugene from OXBOW as current torch bearers, and I'm not sure that the world needs another GG Allin. Actually, scratch that...I am sure we don't need another GG. But those bands can't hold a 5W bulb to the music of the Jesus Lizard, and Yow's the propellant that gets it all going. He spent probably as much time in/on the crowd as on stage, and never missed a note while singing propped up by the hands of strangers. Highlights? Truly, there were no lulls. How can there be when you've got the mutated hybrid of "Chrome" coming at you, or the manic "Bloody Mary," or the insistent throbbing of "Gladiator"?" [Big Takeover]The Jesus Lizard came to town. Night one pictures and discussion HERE. Night two setlist picture and more discussion HERE. Pictures from when they played a show on Halloween HERE. A whole bunch of pictures from the secomd night at Irving Plaza (11/17), with opener Noveller (aka Sarah Lipstate who also plays in Parts & Labor), below...
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this post, posted at 2:09 PM in music | pictures | Comments (13)
Art Brut, Surfer Blood & Midnight Masses @ Brooklyn Bowl - pics & setlist
photos by Vincent Cornelli
Art Brut's most recent tour brought them into the NYC-area three times with three different sets of openers. Last Friday (11/13), the show was at Brooklyn Bowl with Surfer Blood and Midnight Masses. More pictures from that one, with the setlist, below...
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this post, posted at 1:52 PM in music | pictures | Comments (12)
Negative Approach approach ++ pics from Red 7 in Austin
This Saturday (11/21) will be exactly two weeks since I saw Negative Approach at Red 7 in Austin. It will also be the day NA returns to Southpaw in Brooklyn. Tickets are still on sale (for the early show).
Austin & Brooklyn are two of seven cities NA announced shows in. There's also Sunday (11/22) in Long Branch, NJ.
The Austin show was one of a few official Fun Fun Fun Fest afterparties (another I went to was Forgetters at the same venue one day later). That dude in the cart above was one of many going crazy in the pit. Trash Talk was one of the openers and you can see their singer stagediving in the pictures that are continued below...
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this post, posted at 1:15 PM in To Do | music | pictures | Comments (9)
ATP NY 2010 tickets on sale - Sleep performing Holy Mountain! + Stooges confirmed & Mudhoney & the Scientists
by BBG
DROP OUT OF LIFE WITH BONG IN HAND......
BrooklynVegan: A lot of your US fans are wondering why [Sleep] aren't doing a US tour or even a show in San Francisco and NYC. Whats the reasoning? Is that mostly due to Chris?I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Kutscher's is going to need a fumigator and a team with some SERIOUS HVAC experience. Sleep has announced that they will perform all of Holy Mountain at ATP New York 2010, right beside Iggy & the Stooges performing Raw Power, Mudhoney doing Superfuzz Bigmuff + Early Singles and The Scientists (their first ever US show) who will preform all of Blood Red River!!!Sleep's Matt Pike: I think the dude just wants to retire.... He lives up in the hills and he's got a lot going on... I don't think the rock lifestyle is really for him. Chris is really a "to himself" kind of guy... he's an awesome guy and an awesome drummer. But yeah, I don't think that's the lifestyle he wants... and me and Al... both of us are obviously lifers. But he still wanted to [reunited Sleep for shows in Europe] genuinely to wrap up what we started so long ago... and for our fans. I mean we played Jerusalem as Dopesmoker for a long time on tour, but people didn't even get into it until we broke up.
To continue our year-long celebrations of Ten Years of ATP we are thrilled to announce that All Tomorrow's Parties will return to Kutsher's Country Club, Monticello for it's third ATP New York festival over Labor Day weekend, running from Friday 3rd September - Sunday 5th September. Weekend and Day Tickets are available, with a Layaway Ticket option available. [ATP]The "Iggy & The Stooges" lineup (as opposed to The Stooges) means the addition of James Williamson back into the fold, who Iggy collaborated with on Raw Power, Kill City, and New Values. The Raw Power announcement isn't much of a surprise, as Iggy let it slip last month.
Al Cisneros of Sleep/Om recently played NYC as part of Shrinebuilder along with Rwake and Liturgy. Pics from that show are here. Matt Pike of Sleep also played NYC recently, as part of High On Fire. Dig on pics from that show here and here.
Another flyer, more info on this year's fest, and some videos from the Sleep reunion in the UK are below...
this post, posted at 12:43 PM in music | tour dates | Comments (21)
Vampire Weekend, Hot Chip, Yeasayer, Magnetic Fields, Wild Beasts, People Under the Stairs & other tickets
Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the three upcoming Vampire Weekend shows in NYC (United Palace, Bowery Ballroom, and Webster Hall)
Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the two Magnetic Fields shows happening at Town Hall. BAM tickets are also now on sale.
Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the two February Yeasayer album release shows at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Hot Chip / xx show happening at Terminal 5.
Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the upcoming Wild Beasts / Still Life Still show at Bowery Ballroom.
Alberta Cross is headlining Bowery Ballroom on February 4th. Tickets are on sale (@ noon).
Tickets are on sale at noon for the three Jonathan Richman shows taking place at Music Hall of Williamsburg in February.
People Under the Stairs are playing Bowery Ballroom on January 23rd. Tickets are on sale (@ noon).
Slayer, Tinariwen, and other tickets are on sale too.
Pictured above is ROCKABILLY BARBIE.
this post, posted at 11:51 AM in music | tour dates | Comments (36)
Nader Sadek playing Santos, Shining touring with Behomoth
by BBG
Nader Sadek at Mayhem (more by Paul Birman)
Ever since the Mayhem show at Irving Plaza earlier this year, I've wondered about the shadowy costume figure that set up Atilla's stump/podium and mounted heads on spears before they took the stage. Turns out it was performance artist, and Mayhem stage designer, Nader Sadek, who will perform his new piece at Santos Party House on Saturday (11/21).
B'doun Wag'h (Faceless), provocatively incorporates Arabic design, Death Metal music, and Darfur activism. Musicians from the well-known metal bands Morbid Angel, Cryptopsy, Krallice, and Behold... the Arctopus played a specially commissioned composition on a stage featuring Middle Eastern elements that ambiguously resonate with the occult iconography of this underground music scene. Woodwork screens and geometric patterns that frame blistering guitars and frenetic drumming blur configurations of private and public, holy and profane, ritual restraint and impulsive aggression. [from Nader's bio]Tickets for the all ages B'doun Wag'h show are still available. Look for Sadek to be joined by Steve Tucker (ex-Morbid Angel), Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy), and Mike Lerner (Behold..The Arctopus).
Speaking of Morbid Angel, the much revered death metal band recently signed with Season of Mist.
Shining also recently announced their signing to Season of Mist, and will hit US shores in the new year with Behomoth and Septicflesh. That tour impacts Gramercy on 1/30/10. Get presale tickets here now, or wait until noon to get tickets here.
Full US Tour dates for that Behemoth/Shining/Septicflesh trek, as well as a few Nader Sadek videos and the flyer for the show are below.
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this post, posted at 11:34 AM in metal | music | tour dates | Comments (0)
upcoming Bear in Heaven shows & a set of live pictures
photos by Ryan Muir
DOWNLOAD: Bear in Heaven - Wholehearted Mess (MP3)
STEREOGUM: I've been to Barcade [where you bartend]. Used to live a block away from it. Good beer selection, but sometimes the guys playing the games can get a bit too aggro. Have you ever had to intervene with a drunken Dig Dug fan and a battered arcade game?Bear in Heaven have three upcoming NYC shows, the first of which is tonight (11/20) at Zebulon in Brooklyn. It's free (or donations). They share a bill with Chicago's Pillars and Tongues. After that, Bear in Heaven don't have anything listed on their schedule actually, but tickets are on sale (@ noon) for a January 27th show at Mercury Lounge with Denmark's OH NO ONO.Bear in Heaven member Joe Stickney: Eh, every now and then someone will, in a 12% alcohol-beer fueled rage, start banging on Ms. Pacman or Outrun or something, but there's always a manager on board to take care of that. In general the crowd's pretty passive. I used to manage there for a few months and one of my first nights there someone threw up all over Tetris. I think that might have been some belated Iron Curtain protest though.
They'll also play a short in-store set at Sound Fix Records on December 3rd (8pm, free).
The pictures in this post were taken back in September when Bear in Heaven opened for the Rapture at Matchless. More of those pictures below...
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this post, posted at 10:30 AM in To Do | music | pictures | tour dates | Comments (11)
