by Bill Pearis and Andrew Sacher

Ex Cops DJing at Other Music, RSD 2012 (more)

We're about a week out from Record Store Day 2013. When it began in 2008, RSD was a celebration of brick-and-mortar stores in the face of digital downloads, offering up exclusive releases to get people out to stores. It's blown up considerably since then, with hundreds of RSD-only releases. (Many of which fall into the hands of folks who turn it around on Ebay that same day, but what can you do?) While it is a mob scene these days, there is no doubt it helps what record stores there are left -- though not enough, as Record Store Day will be the last day for Williamsburg's Sound Fix. Participating stores around the country are listed here.

There are always some pretty cool exclusives too, items that may have never seen the light of day without RSD. With that in mind we've gone through the list of North American RSD exclusives to highlight a few things to keep an eye out. This isn't comprehensive, just stuff we wanna get. What records are you trying to get this year?

We've written about the Sacred Bones comp, the Astralwerks comp, Old 97s, Frightened Rabbit, Austra, Sonny & the Sunsets, and Titus Andronicus Check out our new list below...

Continue reading "a guide to Record Store Day 2013"

Tickets for The Weeknd's September 21 show at the Congress Theater go on sale this Saturday (8/18) at 10AM CST.

Tickets for The Soft Pack's October 12 show at Lincoln Hall go on sale today (8/17) at noon.

Tickets for Yakuza's record release show on October 16 at the Empty Bottle go on sale today at 10AM.

Tickets for Regina Spektor and Old Son's October 17 show at The Chicago Theatre go on sale this Saturday at 10AM CST. A JAM presale will be active from 10AM-10PM today; the password is spegina.

Tickets for Shearwater's October 21 show at the Empty Bottle go on sale today at 10AM.

Tickets for Justice's October 24 show at the Congress Theater go on sale this Saturday at 10AM.

Tickets for Daughter's October 25 show at Schubas go on sale today at noon.

Tickets for Ben Gibbard and Advance Base's November 2 show at the Athenaeum Theater go on sale today at noon.

Tickets for The Misfits' November 5 show at House of Blues go on sale at 10AM today.

Tickets for Matthew Dear and Light Asylum's November 6 show at Lincoln Hall go on sale today at noon.

Tickets for Japandroids' November 13 show at Metro go on sale today at noon.

Tickets for Tame Impala and The Amazing's December 13 show at Metro go on sale today at noon.

Presale passes for Tomorrow Never Knows 2013 go on sale today at noon.

Shearwater @ the Vic in May (more by James Richards IV)

Austin's Shearwater have been touring non-stop since their newest record, Animal Joy, hit stores in February via Sub Pop. The group are set to head out on yet another tour in October, supporting Dinosaur Jr. That tour doesn't hit Chicago, but Shearwater have scheduled a one-off show during that run-- at the Empty Bottle on October 21. Judson Claiborne and Daniel Knox will act as main support, and tickets go on sale this Friday (8/17) at 10AM CST.

Speaking of Dinosaur Jr., as we've mentioned many times, they'll be headed to Champaign-Urbana, IL to perform at the 2012 Pygmalion Music Festival on September 29. Festival passes and individual tickets for their show-- with Grizzly Bear, Cloud Nothings, Frankie Rose, and others-- are still available.

All Shearwater/Dinosaur Jr. dates and a video for Animal Joy's "Immaculate" are below...

Continue reading "Shearwater touring w/ Dinosaur Jr., playing a one-off at the Empty Bottle"

Best Coast at Orion Fest, June 2012 (more by Dana [distortion] Yavin)

today in NYC
* Nas @ Rucker Park
* Tori Scott @ Joe's Pub
* Nate Radley @ Barbes
* Spyro Gyra @ Blue Note
* Meat Loaf @ Welmont Theatre
* Seal, Macy Gray @ Beacon Theatre
* Sam Moore and Deva Mahal @ City Winery
* Geri Allen, Laurie Anderson @ The Stone
* Thomas Mapfumo @ World Financial Center
* Black Wing Halo, We Run @ Mercury Lounge
* Jeff LeBlanc, Rhinna LaRocque @ Joe's Pub
* Best Coast, Those Darlins, DIIV @ Terminal 5
* Katie Dill, Selva Oscura, Yung Life @ Cameo Gallery
* Allison Weiss, Mitten, Jack Dolgen @ Mercury Lounge
* Missy Higgins, Butterfly Boucher @ Le Poisson Rouge
* New York Philharmonic @ Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx
* Gym, Deer, Andy Elwell, Pony of Good Tidings @ Cake Shop
* Spirit Animal, The Ludlow Thieves, The Sanctuaries @ Glasslands
* Chi-Lites, Felix Hernandez @ Queensbridge Park Summerstage
* Eye Ra Haze, Gunfire-N-Sodomy, Heroes and Underdogs @ Saint Vitus
* Delta Rae, Aunt Martha, Andy Suzuki & the Method @ Bowery Ballroom
* Upright Citizen's Brigade presents All Stars of Improv @ Central Park Summerstage
* The Moon w/ Gabrielle Bell, Dave Hill, Sean Donnelly, Corn Mo @ Union Pool
* Adrian Belew Power Trio, Stickmen, Consider The Source @ Beekman Beer Garden
* Counting Crows, We Are Augustines, Field Report, Kasey Anderson @ Williamsburg Park
* Murder By Death, Corey Chisel and His Wandering Sons, Ha Ha Tonka @ Webster Hall
* Diamond Terrifier, Patrick Higgins, Sleng Teng, Tetryl Red, DJ Dutch E Germ @ Zebulon
* Onra, Dam-Funk (DJ set), Taylor McFerrin, The Doppelgangaz, DJ Sean Rowlands @ Santos Party House

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Tonight's the first show at Williamsburg Park with a not-so-exciting line-up headlined by Counting Crows. Better shows later this week.

Nardwuar recently interviewed Trash Talk and you can watch the obscure factoids and gifts fly below.

Deer Tick were on AV Club video series 'Undercover' to perform Harvey Danger's '90s hit "Flagpole Sitta" which you can watch below.

No Doubt are back with "Settle Down," their first new single in 11 years. Watch the video below.

Check out new videos from Shearwater and Hot Chip below too.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

photos by Chris Graham and Rae Graham

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah/Feist

Before the release of their 2011 album, "Hysterical," Clap Your Hands Say Yeah had been inactive for three years, but they were as lively as ever on Monday afternoon. Blowing through tracks from all three of their albums, Alec Ounsworth and company charged through a set full of guitar-based indie rock that catered heavily towards their fans. But judging by the crowd's response, even those who were unfamiliar with the band were enticed. After playing Sasquatch! 2006 on a much smaller stage, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's triumphant set had the crowd, well, clapping their hands and saying "yeah!"

Mogwai (who have upcoming shows with Balam Acab) were supposed to play that day but they cancelled last minute and were replaced by Deer Tick who came on to play a set of covers.

Pictures of Day 1 are HERE, Day 2 are HERE and HERE, Day 3 are HERE, and more from Day 4 below...

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2012 in pics - Day 4 (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Feist, Beck, Spiritualized, SBTRKT, Shabazz Palaces & more)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Opening on keys, Meiburg's choice to begin with "Snow Leopard" about brought me out of my seat. As a guy who regularly pontificates, "Shearwater's Rook is in my Top 5 albums of all-time," it was a welcome initiation to a band I was long overdue to see live. Ten of the 18-song set was off Animal Joy. The highlight, for me, was the solo rendition of "Hail, Mary" which I previously thought of as a relatively easy going number, again, much to my dismay, and jubilation, featured a soul thrashing big-rock-finish that left nothing but the dissonant feedback of squawking hens and fluttering feathers. -[Ryan C Zerfas]

In other Dawn Landes news, she plays "Spring Forward!" at The Green Building in Brooklyn on June 6 with The Jack Grace Band and Diamond Doves. Tickets for the Gowanus Canal Conservancy benefit are on sale. Diamond Doves (aka Elvis Perkins' band minus Elvis) also open for Man Man at Brooklyn Bowl one day earlier, and play (and helped organize) the Levon Helm tribute at Brooklyn Bowl one day before that.

In other Shearwater news, the band have added some European dates, as well as a leg of shows with Husky on the West Coast. A listing of all tour dates and the rest of our LPR pictures and the setlist are below.

Continue reading "Shearwater played LPR (pics, setlist) with Dawn Landes (who's playing the Spring Forward! benefit)"

photos by James Richards IV, words by Claire O'Connor

In a stark contrast to her last visit to Chicago, Annie Clark of St. Vincent really gave it to her fans and the city. The show was flushed with "silver linings," as Clark put it, and it was a statement that rang true as the night progressed. Complete with storytelling sessions and a strobed-out light show that could put Crystal Castles to shame, this was not only a different Annie than we saw in October, but a whole different show. At the sold-out Vic Theater on Friday night (May 11), 2011's Strange Mercy held court, with peaks and excerpts from 2009's Actor and 2007's Marry Me. As they've been doing for a hot minute, the band also meticulously covered The Pop Group's "She's Beyond Good and Evil," following it up with St. Vincent's newest release and elected stage-dive number, "Krokodil."

Fitted with her standard leather hot pants and "how does she wear those" high heels, backed by keyboardists Toko Yasuda and Daniel Mintseris and drummer Matt Johnson, Clark not only added dimension to songs on her most recent album, Strange Mercy, but equally changed their language. Their set opened with a Mooged-out "Marrow," followed by fan-favorites "Cheerleader," "Chloe in the Afternoon," Actor Out of Work," "Black Rainbow," and "Cruel." Before diving into "Dilettante," Clark described how it is a love story, almost a love/hate note, to New York City. She then said, "New York is just a lesser Chicago, the Chicago of the East Coast." All in attendance liked that a lot (myself included).

Clark broke out a theremin for "Northern Lights" and jumped back and forth between that and her guitar, an eccentrically fantastic effort that was one of the highlights of a show filled with many. As "Krokodil" closed the set, Clark abandoned her guitar, sat on the shoulders of a bouncer, and dove into the crowd arms first singing "sweet krokodil-dil-dil." Covering what seemed like the entire standing floor area, pushed back and forth with a summersault mixed somewhere in there, she never stopped singing. The audience went nuts and it was the perfect way to end the set. The band quickly returned to the stage for the one song encore of "Your Lips Are Red," an extended version they've been playing on tour.

Austin, TX's Shearwater opened the show and we've got pictures of both acts below...

Continue reading "St. Vincent & Shearwater played the Vic (pics/review/setlist)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Shearwater @ Bowery Ballroom

Shearwater completed a tour with Sharon Van Etten over the course of two nights in NYC over the weekend. Pictures from their opening set at Bowery Ballroom on 2/25 are in this post (pictures of Sharon are HERE).

Shearwater is currently on the road for a string of US and European dates, including SXSW (where they'll play a Stereogum party), and a stint with St. Vincent. None of the shows with St. Vincent hit NYC but Shearwater will make a stop here for their own show during the tour at Le Poisson Rouge on May 6. Tickets for that Manhattan show are on sale now.

In other news, you can still stream all of Shearwater's new LP Animal Joy below. Pick up your copy now via Sub Pop.

Pics, dates and stream, below...

Continue reading "Shearwater played shows with Sharon (pics), add their own NYC show during St. Vincent tour (updated dates)"

Bowery photos by Amanda Hatfield, MHOW photos by Anna Webber

Sharon Van Etten & alien balloon @ Bowery Ballroom

Sharon Van Etten's recent round of East Coast dates came to a close over the weekend with a trio of homecoming shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg and Bowery Ballroom. The first and second shows featured support from Shearwater and went down on 2/24 at MHOW and 2/25 at Bowery; pictures of Sharon from both adorn this post. Sharon's next date was at Bowery Ballroom on the following evening (2/26) with Carter Tanton and Glass Ghost (no pics).

The Saturday show was especially joyous, being that she was back home, it was at her favorite venue Bowery Ballroom (where it once seemed like a big deal that she sold out for just one night), her family was in the house, she was celebrating a birthday, there was a huge balloon alien on stage that was a gift from the Antlers (who were all in the audience), and it was her last date with Shearwater who came out for the encore to play as one big happy band with Sharon and crew. (like they have on other dates of the tour). "Sharon Van Etten melting hearts and faces" I tweeted from the show.

Sharon Van Etten boards a plane later this week for a short string of dates in Europe, but will be back on US soil in time to play two shows at SXSW: the big NPR show at Stubb's with the just-added Fiona Apple and the Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar/Dead Oceans showcase at Mohawk Patio on 3/15 with Brazos, Gardens & Villa, Bear in Heaven, and The War On Drugs. SVE will also play ATP I'll Be Your Mirror in NJ, Newport Folk Fest, and the Dessner-curated fest at BAM in Brooklyn this year View all of her current tour dates below.

Shearwater pictures and dates HERE. All Sharon tour dates and pictures, below...

Continue reading "Sharon Van Etten played 3 NYC shows (pics), playing SXSW, BAM, ATP, Newport & other dates"

Stereogum writes:

Around midnight on the evening of March 15th, until well after every other bar in town has stopped serving legally intoxicating beverages, the Stereogum crew is throwing an Austin-based party with a bunch of bands we believe in while charging absolutely no money for admission, or legally intoxicating beverages. It’s called RANGE LIFE, and it is for you. If you are 21+, and in Austin the evening of March 15th, and near the very conveniently located intersection of E. 2nd & Trinity.

The night opens with a DJ set from REWARDS (aka Aaron Pfenning, formerly of Chairlift) while you get to know the space, and then Das Racist crew affiliate/spirit animal LAKUTIS will rap, eventually turning over the stage to Brooklyn-based Albini acolytes Mr. Dream. After they bruise up the backline things will get more local, stately, and shirtless, with Jonathan Meiburg and Thor Harris’s Shearwater, whose set will wash into a Balearic-pop and R&B-minded DJ set from Swedish Acéphale duo Korallreven. Up next is Bear In Heaven, who just released a zoom-heavy Wonder Showzen-affiliated video for 2012 superjam “The Reflection Of You” and are about to put out an album called I Love You, It’s Cool, which is a great name for an album. Following that is a set from the young NJ firebrands Screaming Females, who are holding down the latter half of our bill’s Albini quotient with their Steve-produced Ugly LP. We will wrap up the night with the occasionally gothic electronic art-pop BTW Zambri. By this point the sun will be rising, and we’ll all be best friends.

This whole thing kicks off at 11:59PM on March 15th at The PureVolume House (340 E. 2nd St. & Trinity), in Austin, Texas and goes for over four hours. If you are 21+ you are cordially welcome, and invited to drink for free all night. All you have to do is RSVP HERE. Do it!

This is the sequential lineup, with links to many more posts on the artists:

REWARDS (DJ Set)
LAKUTIS
Mr. Dream
Shearwater
Korallreven (DJ Set)
Bear In Heaven
Screaming Females
Zambri

Shearwater @ Lincoln Hall on 2/16/2012 (more by Grant MacAllister)

Austin band Shearwater welcomed their eighth LP, Animal Joy, on February 14 via Sub Pop Records. To me, Animal Joy is the full realization of what the band were aiming for on 2010's The Golden Archipelago, keeping the Peter Gabriel-like core intact, but firming it up into an interesting rock record. As we've mentioned a few times, the album is still streaming via NPR and can be purchased via Sub Pop's webstore.

Two days after the record hit stores, Shearwater toured through Chicago with Sharon Van Etten, playing two sold out nights at Lincoln Hall. Some pictures from night one (February 16) are in this post. Head HERE for a full review and all photos from the show.

If you missed Shearwater this time around, don't fret: they've just been added as main support to St. Vincent's spring North American tour. The tour hits the Vic on May 11. Advance tickets are on sale.

All 2012 tour dates, more pictures from Lincoln Hall, and some videos, below..

Continue reading "Shearwater released 'Animal Joy,' played LH w/ Sharon Van Etten (pics); were added to St. Vincent tour (the Vic included)"

photos by Grant MacAllister, words by Zach Pollack

SVE @ Lincoln Hall last night

Last night (Thursday, February 16), Sharon Van Etten played her first of two Chicago shows on this tour at Lincoln Hall, with support from current tour mates Shearwater.

Shearwater, who just released their eighth LP and debut for Sub Pop Records, Animal Joy, kicked things off with an incredibly powerful set dominated by the album. Like Active Child's Pat Grossi (who recently played Lincoln Hall and will again soon), frontman Jonathan Meiburg sports a full, choirboy-like voice (though not as cinematic) - floating effortlessly over washes of thick guitar and intricate keyboard leads. Sadly, longtime-members Thor Harris and Kim Burke are not a part of Shearwater's touring act this time around, but nevertheless, the five-piece outfit we saw last night seemed comfortable and well-practiced. Purchase Animal Joy via Sub Pop's webstore and stream the LP in its entirety via NPR.

After a long set changeover, Sharon Van Etten and her new band took the stage around 10PM. "How are y'all doing tonight," she asked. The packed crowed roared with excitement. Coming off as she was nervously awaiting our response, the songstress laughed and said, "Oh, thank god!" before launching into "Warsaw" off of her fantastic new LP Tramp. Fan-made video footage was displayed on the projector screen above, providing a nice and unexpected visual element to her live show. Longtime band member Doug Keith played more guitar than ever last night, especially squealing out leads over the appropriately heavy track "Serpants." New live member Heather Broderick, who has been a member of Efterklang, Horse Feathers, Loch Lomond, Laura Gibson's backing band, and more, provided excellent backup vocals while handling some bass/keyboard/guitar duties. As expected, the setlist drew heavily from Tramp. It included the uplifting ballad "Kevin's", showcasing Sharon's full range. Of course it's up for debate how uplifting a song with a line like "you dig your own grave" can be considered, but the track does hold a certain ethereal quality to it.

In-between songs we received hilariously awkward commentary, in only that quirky Sharon-way we've come to be so familiar with, learning of her father Steve's aspirations to tour as an interpretive dancer/merch guy (yikes!), Heather's deep obsession with the arcade game Moon Patrol, and much more. About halfway through their 12-song setlist, the band played an older favorite of mine, "Don't Do It," complete with a cool vocal-looped intro passage. Trading her guitar for an omnichord, the appropriately titled "Magic Chords" came next, whose album version is made dark and stormy by the brooding National frontman Matt Berninger. The group closed out their set with Tramp's "I'm Wrong," which saw Doug furiously attacking his guitar with a violin bow and an overall interesting extended jam.

Returning for a two-song encore, Sharon and co., with Shearwater in tow, tackled a raucous version of the Soft Boys' "I Wanna Destroy You," which she also covered at a show on New Year's Eve along with Ted Leo. Shearwater then exited the stage and the night finished with fan-favorite "Love More."

And they do it again tonight (2/17). Some more pictures and the full setlist from night one of her Lincoln Hall stay, below..

Continue reading "Sharon Van Etten & Shearwater played Lincoln Hall --------- (Night 1 pics/setlist/review)"

Veronica Falls @ MHoW earlier on tour (BKLYN) (more by Amanda Hatfield)

today in Chicago
* Lizz Wright @ SPACE
* Veronica Falls @ WBEZ Studios
* Chaperone, Juniper Tar @ The Burlington
* Pictureplane, Triple Six Sound Club @ Berlin
* The Dirty Guv'nahs, David Ramirez @ Schubas
* Ode, Kellen and Me, Jennifer Hall @ Abbey Pub
* Pandava, Drekka, Scott Tuma, Bound @ Township
* Rachele Eve, Ty Maxon, Duck & Goose @ Hideout
* Akbar, Pseudo Slang, Green Wilder @ Double Door
* Fort Knox Five, Intel, Maker, DJ Merk 1 @ Smart Bar
* Sharon Van Etten, Shearwater @ Lincoln Hall (Night 1)
* Panda Riot, Nerves Junior, Tiny Fireflies @ Subterranean
* 12th Planet, Flinch, Nameloc, Subnoxious @ Bottom Lounge
* Veronica Falls, Brilliant Colors, The Halamays @ Empty Bottle
* English Dogs, The Casualties, Toxic Waste, Havok @ Reggie's
* Things To Come, Acidic Tree, The Island Of Misfit Toys @ Beat Kitchen
* Jet W. Lee, The Saturday Giant, Property of Saints, Panoramic & True @ Ultra Lounge

The 10-song Epitonic Saki Session that Hospitality recorded during Tomorrow Never Knows has been posted.

Chelsea Wolfe played Daytrotter. Stream "Benjamin" and "Mer" from the session, below.

Follow @bvChicago on Twitter, "Like" us on Facebook.

Sharon Van Etten plays her first of two shows @ Lincoln Hall tonight (2/16), with Shearwater.

Veronica Falls play an early-afternoon session at the WBEZ Studios and then headline the Bottle tonight.

Pictureplane heads up CULT.

Dubstep-cat, below (you'll see)..

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

Frankie Rose releases Interstellar this month (2/21) and as Bill points out, she's left the garage pop of her debut behind in favor of synthy, jangly pop. It's a huge step up from her last album and you can stream the entire thing at SPIN. She plays a record release show for the album at Knitting Factory on February 21 with Dive and Night Manager.

The new album from Dr. Dog, Be The Void, is out this week (2/7) and streaming at Conan O'Brien's website Team Coco. Watch the video of their performance on the show last night (2/8) below. Also, don't forget to grab your tickets for their Terminal 5 show on 3/23 while they're still available. More tour dates HERE.

Sharon Van Etten and Shearwater are touring together in support of their upcoming albums which are both currently streaming on NPR. Listen to Sharon's HERE and Shearwater's HERE. Their tour hits NYC on 2/24 at MHOW and 2/25 at Bowery Ballroom. Both shows are sold out but Sharon plays Bowery again the next night (2/26) and tickets are still available.

Islands' new album, A Sleep & A Forgetting, is due out February 14 via ANTI- and you can stream the entire thing below. Their tour in support of it hits NYC on 2/25 at LPR. Tickets are still available.

Instrumental hip hop producer Mux Mool released his new album, Planet High School, digitally this week and that can be streamed in full below (via FADER).

Field Music will release their new album, Plumb, on February 14 via Memphis Industries. You can stream the whole thing at NPR.

Tennis's new album, Young and Old, is due out February 14 via Fat Possum and you can stream it in full below (via P4K). Their tour in support of it hits NYC on 3/3 at Bowery Ballroom and 3/5 at MHOW. The Bowery show is sold out but tickets for MHOW are still on sale.

Air's new album, Le Voyage Dans La Lune, which features a collaboration with Beach House's Victoria Legrand, and as mentioned is a soundtrack, is out this week and streaming in full on NPR.

It's not exactly an album, but Fucked Up's 15+ minute "Year of the Tiger" single which features Jim Jarmusch, Austra, and Annie-Claude Deschênes of Duchess Says, can be streamed below.

Streams below...

Continue reading "Frankie Rose, Dr. Dog, Sharon Van Etten, Shearwater, Islands, Tennis & other new album streams "

Jeff Mangum

today in Chicago
* Julie Frost @ SPACE
* Terrapin Nation @ Martyrs
* Jeff Mangum @ Athenaeum Theater
* Stolen Silver, Julie Meckler, Ami Saraiya @ Schubas
* Deleted Scenes, The Hudson Branch @ Subterranean
* Girl Detective, New Oceans, The Newburys @ Reggie's
* Radar Eyes, Bare Mutants, Outer Minds @ Empty Bottle (Free Show)
* Various Hands, The Ultrasounds, Matthew Jason & the Collective Debut @ Township (Free Show)

Neon Indian has a new video for Era Extraña's lead single "Fallout." Watch it below.

Madonna was this year's Superbowl Half Time Show performer. As noted, M.I.A., Cee Lo, Nicki Minaj, and LMFAO all joined her on stage at one point or another. Watch The Material Girl's full 12-minute performance below.

Stream Shearwater's forthcoming LP, Animal Joy, via NPR.

Jeff Mangum begins his two-night-run at the Athenaeum Theater tonight (2/6).

Check out Radar Eyes' FREE record release show at the Bottle.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

"Following last year's 10th anniversary, which crushed previous attendance records and set a new mark for the speed with which tickets sold out, the Sasquatch! Music Festival unveils its 2012 lineup which once again features 4 days of music. The festival, hailed as "a model of well-paced programming...in a four-day schedule as efficient and natural feeling as an expertly built algorithm" by NPR Music while Wired notes, "leave the landscape out of it and Sasquatch! has a lineup to kill for," runs May 25-28 (Memorial Day Weekend) at The Gorge, the internationally acclaimed concert venue carved in the basalt cliffs high above the Columbia River Gorge in Quincy, WA."

Continue reading "Sasquatch! 2012 lineup announced (Bon Iver, Jack White, Beck, Tenacious D, Shins, Portlandia, Spiritualized & more) "

The Shins (more by Natasha Ryan)

Their new album comes out in March, so of course it makes perfect sense that The Shins, who will also be at both Coachellas, are playing SXSW this year (thx Do512).

CoS also points out these new additions (and previously announced bands):

Who's New: The Shins, Best Coast, Kasabian, Miike Snow, Neon Indian, OFF!, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Big Star's Third, Sharon Van Etten, Deerhoof, Japandroids, Matthew Dear, Nneka, Rachel Yamagata, Shearwater, Murs, Tennis, Diamond Rugs, Cancer Bats, Caveman, Fake Problems, Fanfarlo, Gary Clark Jr., Doldrums, Machinedrum, Princeton, Cities Aviv, Eternal Summers, and James Husband

Who Else Is Playing: Built to Spill, The Magnetic Fields, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, of Montreal, The Ting Tings, Alabama Shakes, Little Boots, Danny Brown, The War on Drugs, Heartless Bastards, The Drums, Talib Kweli, Hot Water Music, Youth Lagoon, Oneothrix Point Never, Grimes, Crystal Antlers, Delta Spirit, Mr. Muthafuckin' Exquire, Dragonette, The Men, Screaming Females, The Big Pink, Bleached, Daughter, Free Energy, Friends, Gross Magic, Purity Ring, and many many more.

Shearwater @ BV-CMJ 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

The now-Sub Pop signed Shearwater will be out on the road with Sharon Van Etten (their former tour manager) in February, but return home in time for a show at Antone's on March 4th. Tickets are on sale. The Austin show is with Dana Falconberry & Marmalakes who also play with Shearwater one night earlier at Fitzgeralds in Houston.

Broke? Shearwater also play a free-instore at Waterloo on March 11th, exactly one month after the Antone's show. Their new album Animal Joy is out 2/14. All tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Shearwater playing Antone's, Waterloo, Fitzgerald's & other places on upcoming tour (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: The Antlers - "VCR" (The xx cover) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Korallreven - "Sa Sa Samoa" (ft. Julianna Barwick) (MP3)

The Antlers at Moogfest (more by Diana Wong)

We recently mentioned that Sharon Van Etten and Shearwater are planning a tour together that hits NYC at Music Hall of Williamsburg on February 24 and Bowery Ballroom on February 25. Tickets for both NYC shows are available for AmEx presale now, and general sale starts Friday (11/11) at noon. All dates have also since been announced and are listed below.

After the tour, Sharon will go on a string of dates with The War on Drugs, who open for The National at Beacon Theatre the night before Sharon does. Sharon's new album, Tramp, comes out February 7 via Jagjaguwar.

Sharon's friends and fellow Brooklynites The Antlers are following their release of Burst Apart, which came out earlier this year, with the (together) EP, which features material from the Burst Apart sessions. It includes collaborations with Neon Indian, Bear In Heaven, Nicole Atkins, and a cover of The xx's "VCR," which you can download above. The EP's tracklist is below. The Antlers are currently on a European tour and will return to NYC for a Webster Hall show on December 10 with Suuns. Tickets for that show are still available.

Speaking of The xx, they've recently begun working on a new album and have started a blog, where they've posted the message:

We have started recording our second album! We have also started this blog where we will post our inspirations + pictures + favourite songs. We hope you enjoy it! Lots of Love, The xx

The Walkmen, whose drummer Matt Barrick guests on Sharon's new album, are also working on a new album with producer Phil Ek which will be released next year on Fat Possum/Bella Union.

Julianna Barwick, who is also a guest on Sharon's album, recently released the Matrimony Remixes EP, which features remixes of two of the tracks off of her most recent LP, The Magic Place, which came out earlier this year. The entire EP is available to stream and download for $5 on bandcamp and features remixes by Diplo & Lunice, Helado Negro, Alias Pail, and Prince Rama. Julianna also provided guest vocals to Korallreven's debut LP, which comes out November 15 via Acephale. Her vocals appear on the song "Sa Sa Samoa," which you can download above.

All dates and (together) tracklist below...

Continue reading "new Antlers EP, an xx cover, updated Sharon Van Etten dates, Julianna Barwick & more"

Sharon at LPR in October (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

As mentioned, Sharon Van Etten signed to Jagaguwar and will release her next album with them in early 2012, which Aaron Dessner (of The National) is producing. A release date still hasn't been set for the album, but we now know that it's called Tramp and will feature contributions from Matt Barrick (of The Walkmen), Doveman, Zach Condon, Jenn Wasner (of Wye Oak), and Julianna Barwick.

After Sharon opens for The National at Beacon Theatre (12/13) (tickets), she'll go on a tour in support of her new album with one of her favorite bands Shearwater. That tour hasn't been announced in full yet (update: now it has), but it hits NYC on February 24 at Music Hall of Williamsburg and February 25 at Bowery Ballroom, and also includes two Chicago shows. Tickets for the MHOW show, and the Bowery Show, go on sale Friday (11/11) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (11/9) at noon.

Shearwater also have a new home (Sub Pop), and they'll be releasing their next album on the label in early 2012. They released some live recordings and experimental pieces on their bandcamp back in April in honor of the signing.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Sharon Van Etten planning tour w/ Shearwater (who are now on Sub Pop) -- some dates announced"

Sharon Van Etten @ Lincoln Hall in April (more by Grant MacAllister)

Brooklyn-based, singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten is getting ready to release her as-of-yet untitled follow up to 2011's Epic via her new label Jagjaguwar.

Currently, she only has one announced show, and that's a supporting slot for her friends The National on December 13th at the Beacon Theatre in NYC. Van Etten has just added two more shows to her schedule, which are both right here in Chicago! She'll play Lincoln Hall on February 16th & 17th with support from Shearwater. Tickets go on sale this Friday (11/11), at noon CST.

Stay tuned to BrooklynVegan for a possible full tour to hit other cities.

Shearwater (more by Chris Graham)

Shearwater are multitaskin'. The band is currently on tour with Damien Jurado (hopefully following Thor's guidelines) but managed to squeeze out a new album of quirky instrumentals entitled Shearwater is Enron via their Bandcamp over the weekend. The record, which was written/performed after The Golden Archipelago, is also available in physical form at ther merch table or on their website, and is one of two releases in the past two weeks for Shearwater frontman Jonathan Meiburg:

Two years before Shearwater's Palo Santo, JM made this off-the-cuff solo record in two days at the home of producer and fellow Austinite Brian Beattie. Recorded live to 2-track tape, and never issued in print except for a handful of burned copies, this haunting, subdued mini-album features Beattie's whimsical bass playing and a young-sounding Meiburg playing guitar and singing.

Shearwater and Damien will hit Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on 11/12 with Anni Rossi (tickets are still available). Current dates and some video taken on Friday are below.

Continue reading "Shearwater on tour, released some new stuff"

photos by Tim Griffin

"An estimated 200,000 people journeyed the grounds of Zilker Park this weekend for the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

The descent of the iconic guitar sign Monday signified the end of an incredibly successful ACL Music Festival, and with eight stages and 130 bands, clean up is expected to take the rest of the week.

"This year's ACL was one of the best. The weather was incredible," City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department spokesperson Victor Ovalle said.

The show's producer, C3 Presents, takes care of cleaning up Zilker Park, and the city sends crews into the surrounding neighborhoods to remove any trace of music fans who know how to have a good time.

After C3 Presents leaves the park later this week, fertilizing and watering the grass will city's number one priority." [News 8 Austin]

Continue reading "ACL 2010 Day 3 in pics (Foals, Eagles, Yeasayer, Norah Jones, Ted Leo, Devendra Banhart, Morning Benders & more)"

Thor of Shearwater/Swans (more by Chris Graham)

Behind those long golden tresses and rugged good looks, Thor is a warrior. Before, in-between and following appearances at 'Matador at 21' and Austin City Limits, the Shearwater percussionist will play dates with the reactivated Swans (tickets are still available to their show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on 10/8).

After the North American Swans dates, that last through the end of October, Thor will go BACK on the road with Shearwater for a string of November dates with Damien Jurado. That hits Music Hall of Williamsburg on November 12th (tickets are on sale). After that, Thor heads to Europe with Swans.

All Swans and Shearwater dates are below...

Continue reading "Shearwater touring w/ Damien Jurado in between Swans tours (2010 dates) "

Jamie Stewart @ Williamsburg Waterfront on July 11th (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart seems to be in an collaborative mood of late. Recently, Stewart and Xiu Xiu member Angela Seo joined Deerhoof for a live tribute to Joy Division, which headlined the year's first Pool Party.

Next, Jamie teams up with Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg (someone who's been venturing out as well, like at a gig with Wye Oak's Andy Stack at the Whitney in June) to form Blue Water White Death, a name drawn from "a 1971 documentary that follows a team of increasingly reckless explorers on a shark-finding quest to Australia's aptly-named Dangerous Reef." The collab's self-titled debut comes out October 12th on Graveface Records. The pair wrote and recorded the eight-song album in a one-week session produced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Modest Mouse, The Roots, Black Mountain).

On the Xiu Xiu front, who, don't forget, released their a record of their own, Dear God, I Hate Myself, earlier this year, the band plays a show at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Sunday, September 26th with Japanese noise musician Merzbow. Ecstatic Sunshine and Gentle open the show Tickets are on sale.

Xiu Xiu plays in Baltimore this weekend for Whartscape, an annual fest in its fifth and, according to co-organizer Dan Deacon, final year. When asked by Baltimore Sun about his favorite act on the Whartscape lineup, Jamie Stewart mentioned Brooklyn's Talk Normal, saying "Talk Normal berates all that is dull by ignoring it and being thrilling, intense and open. When you see them, you want to be creative and you want to see the rest of the world. They remind you that art does matter and that you need it to live." Talk Normal opens for Sonic Youth (along with Grass Window) at Prospect Park on July 31st.

More Blue Water White Death info (art & tracklist) below...

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu forms group w/ Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg, playing NYC w/ Merzbow, likes Talk Normal"