« May 22, 2005 - May 28, 2005 | Main | June 5, 2005 - June 11, 2005 »
June 4, 2005
Search Google in Klingon, Elmer Fudd, Bork, etc..
Google has a sense of humor. Hidden among the many languages you can search Google in are:
Google in Klingon (so psyched they are)
Google in Bork
Google in Elmer Fudd
Google in Pig Latin
Google in Hacker
And catch easter eggs
Also...
Star Wars Episode III Easter Eggs
The Easter Egg Archive
Posted in toys at 3:59 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Salon Audiofile's Summer Playlist | MP3s | Doveman
Salon has an MP3 blog called "Audiofile" run by Thomas Bartlett aka Doveman. Thomas is also in of the band Doveman. Better Propaganda just published an interview with Thomas by Alan Williamson of the sixeyes mp3 blog.
Today's 'Audiofile' post is a 15 song summer soundtrack with MP3s by Aimee Mann, Madvillain, the Books, Animal Collective, Eels, Badly Drawn Boy, and more. PLUS, Salon is offering readers the chance to win free songs and an iPod by submitting their own summer soundtracks.
(note: Salon makes you either register or watch an ad to view the site. Watching the ad is not that bad.)
Posted in music at 3:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Killers & Louis XIV @ Misshapes Tonight?
Louis XIV played Warsaw Thursday night. The Killers and Louis XIV are playing Central Park Summerstage tonight. The afterparty is at Misshapes, and according to the flyer the bands will be there (DJing?). The Killers just turned down a headlining spot at Glastonbury. Misshapes holds likes 300 people? Should be funny.
Ultragrrrl needs Summerstage tickets for her brother
Louis XIV made a video with naked Suicide Girls
P.S. rumor has it there will be at least one more Killers show while they are in town
Posted in music at 12:43 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 3, 2005
CMJ Brooklyn Battle of the Bands & Festival This Weekend
"BrooklynBest 2005 and CMJ present the Five-Borough Battle of the Bands on June 5th at Grand Army Plaza."
Performances by the following bands start at 1PM: Cousin, Cut the Wires, d-Cyphernauts, Dutch Kills, Faith, The Fandanglers, Fast Breakin Classics, Graeme K, Jessie Diamond and the Thousand, Paul Brill. 'Special headline performance by 33Hz.' (but they're playing first?) 'Special interlude by international whistling champion Steve Herbst.'
Judging panel is Adam "Indie Yuppie" Shore (Vice Records), Danny Simmons (Def Poetry Jam), Mary Huhn (NY Post), Neil Pineschi (Village Voice), and Shirley Braha (NY Noise TV)
Lots of other stuff is happening on Saturday and Sunday, like Star Wars playing in the park and fireworks, so just look here for all of it.
Posted in music at 2:43 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
DFA's NIN Remix MP3 | Kraftwerk & The Boredoms In NYC
Aziz pointed me to a site where you can download the Nine Inch Nails' "The Hand That Feeds" DFA (LCD Soundsystem) remix (I hope it's real, unlike their post about a U2 show at Tribeca Grand) It's the same site that had the funny ad for a ticket to the Boredoms show at Bowery Ballroom (which they ended up going to)(and so did More in the Monitor).
They were also at the Kraftwerk show at Hammerstein Ballroom on June 1st, as was OneLouder who has really great photos.
Also...
Pitchfork: Chasing V∞redoms
Lareghearted Boy points to a live Boredoms Torrent
More awesome pics of the Kraftwerk show
Newsday: Kraftwerk gets comfy
NY Times: Kraftwerk Playing Live, Sort Of
Posted in music at 1:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie | Video Interview
Peta interviewed Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie. Watch the video
Also...
New Nada Surf CD produced by Chris Walla
Death Cab for Cutie to Release Tour DVD
Chris Walla says listen to Youth Group
Posted in at 12:52 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Bono decks Chris Martin of Coldplay
Just kidding! But maybe he will after he reads this statement from Chris Martin: "U2 can be beaten. For me it's no different from the film Rocky. You study your opponent. And I regard them as opponents." (from One Louder)
Previously...
More busting on Coldplay | New Album Stream | Crazy Frog
Coldplay Wants to be Better Than Mozart
U2 vs Coldplay... continued | X&Y
U2 vs. Coldplay | NYC Small (& Big) Shows Wrap-Up
Posted in music at 11:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Jeff Tweedy & Lawrence Lessig | Audio & Video
You might remember that Jeff Tweedy of Wilco spoke with Lawrence Lessig and Steven Johnson about music copyright on April 7th, 2005.
Wilco World has the audio and video: Who owns Culture?
(via Boing Boing)
Also...
Lawrence Lessig is an A-List blogger
Wilco to hit the studio after summer tour
One Year Post-Rehab, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy Is Riding High
Lawrence Lessig spoke with DJ Spooky too
Pictures of Wilco playing Pianos
Posted in music at 11:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Hundreds of 1900s-1930s MP3s
"Here are MP3s made from hundreds of 78RPM discs recorded between 1900 and 1930. Included are notes on the transfer process and discographic information." (via Boing Boing via Make Blog via MetaFilter)
Posted in music at 11:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Is Jack White really Married? Do We Care?
" Jack White expects us to believe he got married. By “a traditional Shaman priest.” On a canoe. Note also that, according to his website, this is his “first marriage.” "
"Jack, are you playing with our poor little heads--showing us exactly how easily we believe all that we read and poking fun at the national obsession with gossip? In any case, congratulations, you've won our attention."
"plus the White Strips have a big album coming out and publicity marriages are all the rage!"
Jack White Marries Model From Stripes' 'Blue Orchid' Video
Posted in music at 10:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
British Sea Power @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC | Pics
These photos from the British Sea Power show @ Bowery Ballroom on Saturday May 14th, 2005. They put on an extremely energetic, must-see live show. Read a review @ escaping words. Read their Gothamist interview. Read why MTV refused to play their new video, and Pitchfork's review of their latest album which is available at Insound.
Feist opened.
Verbose Coma has a close-up of the same legs-in-the-air-crowd-surfing incident.
Central Village was at their Sunday night show.
Posted in music | pictures at 9:41 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Andrew Bird @ Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY | Pics
Andrew Bird played Southpaw in Brooklyn, NY on May 22, 2005.
More on this show @ Daily Refill
And pictures from his Knitting Factory show the same week and a review of that show.
Previously
Andrew Bird Downloads, News & Shows
Andrew Bird Tickets & Stream
Antony, Andrew Bird, Daniel Johnston | Video documentary
Posted in music | pictures at 9:13 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 2, 2005
Jack White Marries Model From Stripes' 'Blue Orchid' Video
"Less than one week after the band surprised fans by announcing plans for a North American tour while in the wilds of Brazil comes an announcement that Stripes frontman Jack White has married model Karen Elson in the Brazilian city of Manaus."
Shaman weds couple in Brazil with Meg White as maid of honor
Watch the Blue Orchid Video
WIN LOW | WIN MEDIUM | WIN HIGH | Quicktime
Also...
A huge semi-not-safe-for-work pic of Karen Elson
Painting the town red with Karen Elson
Photos of Karen Elson playing @ Sin-e (via Productshop)
Posted in music at 6:31 PM | Comments (30) | TrackBack
Starbucks' Antigone Rising performing @ Housing Works Cafe
The June 17th, 2005 benefit concert at (the very not-corporate) Housing Works Bookstore Cafe in NYC features Antigone Rising, The Redwalls and Peter Bradley Adams playing with Claire Burson. The $25 show is for charity. Buy tickets at their site.
The cover story of the Village Voice this week talks about what (the very corporate) Starbucks is doing to the music industry, specifically citing the recent success of their Antigone Rising release. "The situation with Starbucks is perfect for us because it's going to get us into 4,400 stores, front and center, and expose our band, our music, our name to a whole group of people who have never known us."
By the way, Aqualung is set to play the next Housing Works show on July 8th.
Posted in music at 6:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Out Hud will play Labor Day Motherf*cker @ Roxy (& Intonation)
There were no bands at the 5th anniversary of Motherf*cker this Memorial Day weekend, not even the Strokes. I don't know if there's a July 4th M*therfucker, but Out Hud is definitely playing Roxy for the Labor Day one on September 4th (2005).
Also...
Out Hud is playing Pitchfork's Intonation Festival in July
PrefixMag interviewed MoFo Michael T.
Posted in music at 5:42 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Buy Green Day's First Tour Van on Ebay
"Now you can own Green Day's very first tour van. On there way of becoming the Kings of Punk, before they were signed, before the Bookmobile, they did two U.S. tours in this van. Enjoy the graffitti, stickers, and the stories this van could tell you behind every dent of this one of a kind vehicle. This is the 1985 Ford Econoline 150, still running and just as the band left it."
Also...
Book Authored, Autographed By Deep Throat On eBay
Green Day fans victims of ticket scam
Green Day Drafts Jimmy Eat World For Tour
Live Review: Green Day in Calgary
Ebay buys shopping.com
Posted in music at 5:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Michael Pitt is Pagoda | Aloke | VERY Special Guests
Michael Pitt aka Tommy Knosis from (the movie adaptation of) Hedwig and the Angry Inch (that's who he'll always be to me) aka Kurt Cobain in the upcoming Last Days movie sings and plays guitar in a band called Pagoda. They just played at Cannes. "Coming next is Pagoda's debut album, which has already been recorded."
This month's Wednesday night residency at Pianos in NYC features a band called Aloke "w/ very special guests PAGODA" (not to be confused with "VERY special guest." Keep reading.) According to mebeeb.com, "pulsating rythms, catchy guitar and punk influences make Aloke!" You can catch Aloke and Pagoda at Pianos June 8th, 15th, 22nd. (They also played last night, June 1st, 2005). Hopefully an Olsen twin will show up to support.
BUT WAIT, there's more... According to Pianos' website and Ticketweb where you can buy tickets, the final residency show on the 22nd features Saints & Lovers AND a VERY special guest.
UPDATE: The Modern Age was at last night's show and points to some Pagoda MP3s
Posted in music at 12:46 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Storefronts of Brooklyn's digital camera dealers
I always search for the cheapest price I can find on a camera. Almost all paths always lead to Brooklyn, and I have no problem ordering an expensive piece of equipment from a shady Brooklyn warehouse if it means I'm saving a lot of money (and it still comes with the manufacturer warranty).
I'm sure some are legitimate, but an Israeli guy my landlord hired to fix my bathroom was telling me that a lot of operations are run by Israelis who max out credit cards (in multiple people's names) to buy the stuff, sell it for below cost, then run back to Israel when the bill is due. I've read elsewhere about Mafia ties. If so, maybe this link won't be up for long. (via Boing Boing)
Posted in NYC | toys at 10:37 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Ashley Olsen Twin Visits Mercury Lounge
"Last night (5/24) my roommate and I went to Jared Leto's show at the Mercury Lounge. Right when we were feeling totally lame for trying to relive our Jordan Catalano teenage fantasies, who walks in but Ashley Olsen and all her bodyguards. Ashley Olsen and Jared Leto in the same room - sensory overload..."
Bjork, Chris Martin, Alanis Morrisette, Rufus Wainwright, Juliette Lewis, and Hulk Hogan also spotted in NYC.
And...
30 Seconds To Mars' Jared Leto Succeeds Where Keanu And Crowe Failed
Mary-Kate's Big Boy Toy: The Mathematical Equation
Is Eminem Poking Fun At Olsen Twins?
Olsen Pad Up For Grabs
Posted in music at 10:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 1, 2005
More busting on Coldplay | New Album Stream | Crazy Frog
The media is shocked that Coldplay's new album "has been illegally put on the internet a week before its UK and US release"
Coldplay want to eat the Crazy Frog, admit stealing from The Beatles.
TV's Friends, metrosexuals played part in shaping Coldplay: Martin
STREAM the new Coldplay (illegaly) at SceneStars
Central Village says it's really, really good (and posted an MP3)
Daily Refill posted an MP3 too
Tickets for Coldplay's NYC-area stadium shows go on sale Saturday.
Previously
Coldplay Wants to be Better Than Mozart
U2 vs Coldplay... continued | X&Y
Posted in music at 3:54 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
EMI, Mashups, Dangermouse & Gorillaz
"DJ Dangermouse's "The Grey Album," which mixed The Beatles' "White Album" with rapper Jay-Z's "Black Album," is widely credited with bringing mashups to the forefront.
It was forced underground when EMI, the world's third-largest music label, filed a slew of lawsuits, but not before Dangermouse and the "Grey Album" achieved worldwide fame.
EMI does not seem to be holding a grudge. DJ Dangermouse is a lead producer for the new album from animated rock band Gorillaz, one of the company's most crucial releases of the year. He also turned in a track on "Verve Remixed 3," a remix of Dinah Washington's "Baby, Did You Hear?.""
Music labels open their vaults to remixing DJs
Also...
Gorillaz' Demon Days (Virgin) finally gets EMI into the Top 10
Album delays hit profits at EMI
Dan Dickinson: Gorillaz Q&A
Coolfer's four word Gorillaz review
Download a Gorillaz MP3 @ Fluxblog
Get Ready To Get Sick Of Gorillaz
Watch the new Gorillaz Video
The Thigh Master visits the Gorillaz in Union Square
Verve Remixed MP3
A Whole Lot Of MP3 Mashups to Download
Posted in music at 3:24 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Common | Be
Has Kanye West handed the hip-hop spotlight he enjoyed in 2004 to his friend, collaborator, and label member, Common? "Be" was released on May 24th.
LISTEN TO (clips from) "Be". And order it at Amazon.
Pitchfork Gives 'Be' an 8.6
Rolling Stone gives it four stars
PrefixBlog talks about 'Be'
Prefix Magazine gives it a 4.0 (out of 5)
Slant Magazine offers a more negative viewpoint
PrefixBlog reviews one of Common's recent two shows at S.O.B's in NYC (as suggested by Gothamist ;-) )
PrefixBlog lists a lot more Common links
Posted in music at 12:27 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Concert Biz Rebounds
"The concert business has responded to last year's worst summer season ever with the highest ticket price in history: the Rolling Stones, for $453. But apart from the Stones and $250 top seats for Paul McCartney, most artists have learned the lessons of 2004, and ticket prices are generally more reasonable than in recent years. Green Day tickets top out at $45, System of a Down goes for $32 to $40, and the John Mellencamp-John Fogerty tour costs $23 to $78. Even the Stones sell some seats for $60.
"It feels better across the board to me," says Irving Azoff, manager of the Eagles, who are charging between $25 and $175 for their twenty-show West Coast tour."
Cheaper tickets, smaller venues for big summer shows
Also...
Live Aid Organizers Announce New Shows
White Stripes Unveil North American Dates
Zooma Away! Anastasio-Harper Tour Canned Due To Poor Sales
Violence Mars Rock's Image
Posted in music at 11:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Amusement Parks on Fire | Links
Not to be confused with the Arcade Fire, Amusement Parks on Fire comes up in conversation almost as much as The National and Pela (good PR?). Here are some links...
APOF @ The Oh So Quiet Show
Aversion reviews APOF
APOF @ Stereogum
One Louder reviews APOF
I unfortunately missed all of their recent NYC shows (though I did see "The Ligers" who they opened for) and I haven't listened to their album that came out yesterday, so I guess I have nothing else to add.
Posted in music at 12:31 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
The National | Sound Fix In-Store & More Shows | Pela
Sound Fix records says...
"We take personal pride in this one. The National's new album, "Alligator," is a masterpiece and would have sold no matter what. But this is a CD that everybody at Sound Fix adores (that's a rarity), and we just about pushed it on everyone who walked in the door. It's been one of our biggest sellers of the year, and customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Now, the band will be rocking the joint this Sunday, June 5, at 6pm. This will be a great one, folks. Don't miss it!"
LISTEN TO THE NATIONAL ALBUM
Stylus gives it an A-
Pitchfork a 7.9
The National is playing with Pela @ Mercury Lounge on June 16th, and again with Engineers on June 17th. All tour dates here.
All of Pela's tour dates here
See what Oh My Rockness says about Pela.
Pela are from Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY.
See what Six Eyes has to say.
Get Pela's EP @ CD Baby and listen and watch videos at their site.
Previously
Sondre Lerche In-Store @ Sound Fix soon
Stream the Annie Album | Elkland, The National
Posted in music at 12:05 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
May 31, 2005
Special Show @ Rothko Just Announced
Thursday, June 2nd: Special show at Rothko just announced,featuring:
The Mark Gardener (Ride) Revue with Calla, Soft and Kevin Devine.
This was not listed on my list of shows in NYC this week.
Posted in music at 11:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Blood Brothers @ Spirit, NYC | Pics
"There aren't many bands doing what the Blood Brothers are doing right now. In fact, maybe none. The Seattle group have found a way to fuse indie and metal so seamlessly, it's hard to tell which you're listening to.
Their latest record, Crimes, was released last fall on V2, giving the Brothers a huge promotional boost following their indie hit, "Burn, Piano Island, Burn." The album is a full-on assault, from the "Nightclubbing"-like swagger of the title track to the death metal disco of "Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck."" - Chart Attack
These photos from the Blood Brothers show May 24th, 2005 @ Club Spirit in NYC.
LISTEN TO CRIMES. More on this show @ Tale of Two Cities and @ Central Village and @ FOTOJENYK
Previously
The Blood Brothers are on the Internet Archive
Pictures of Danzig at the same venue
Posted in music | pictures at 10:35 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
Single Frame @ Pianos, NYC | Pics
Friday night (May 27th, 2005), I caught Single Frame @ Pianos in NYC. Live video for the show supplied by SuperAlright! who also did the video for There's an Exact Copy of this is in the Basement.
The band is from Austin, Texas. Upcoming shows in NYC include June 1st @ Club 17, June 3rd @ Tommy's Tavern, and June 9th @ The Delancey. Full tour schedule also at their website.
Reviews of Body/End Basement (their new album) at Pitchfork (which they didn't like as much as their last album) & Tiny Mix Tapes. LISTEN TO THE WHOLE THING. You can buy it at Insound.
PrefixBlog was at the same show and wrote up a very positive review. The opener they refer to shrieking into his microphone in the middle of the floor was the Wind-Up Bird. One Louder (who has an MP3 in their right side bar) has a higher opinion of him. I didn't mind him. There's a very favorable review of his album @ Pitchfork. I left before the Dirty Projectors played.
Melody Nelson was at (and hosted) their show at Rothko.
Posted in music | pictures at 9:43 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Liza Minelli & Michael Bolton | Free Shows in Coney Island
The Siren Festival isn't the only free concert that happens in Coney Island over the summer. The 2005 schedule has yet to be announced, but I've learned that the annual Seaside Summer Concert series in Asser Levy Seaside Park (across from the aquarium) in Coney Island (Brooklyn, NY) will feature free shows by Liza Minelli and Michael Bolton this summer. Liza is either in June or July, and Michael is on August 18th. Call your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and make a day of it.
Liza Minelli just performed in Vienna for AIDS charity
New-look Bolton causes stir at Piarco
Trinidad says Bolton rocks!
Posted in music at 6:59 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
What's Happening in NYC This Week?
Finally. My list of upcoming NYC shows for this week is up on Gothamist.
Posted in music at 4:33 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Village Voice Siren Festival 2005 Line-up Update
According to a press release Gothamist received, "scheduled performers include Spoon, Mates Of State, Brendan Benson, VHS Or Beta, Dungen, Q And Not U, and The Dears, with many more to be announced."
So for those following along, the only surprises here are Mates of State and Dungen (plus Spoon is confirmed). That's good news. It's not often we get to see Dungen (though I couldn't really get into their album last year), Mates of State is fun, and Spoon rocks.
Related...
Coney Island's Future: Flashy, Pink, Anodyne!
Plane Crashes in Coney Island
A Spoon-ful Of Success
Posted in music at 12:25 PM | Comments (15) | TrackBack
Amsterjam @ Randall's Island August 20th
"A few years ago, mash-ups - eye-opening musical juxtapositions created by D.J.'s blending pieces from different songs - were the latest underground sensation. Then, last fall, Jay-Z, and Linkin Park released a collaborative album, "Collision Course," and the mash-up went mainstream. Now a new festival, AmsterJam, is coming to Randalls Island on Aug. 20 to celebrate the form with a roster of incongruous big-ticket pairings. Snoop Dogg will rap with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the band 311 will play with the rapper Fat Joe, and the band Garbage will perform with Mos Def; a pairing of "two major Latin artists" is also promised. The curator of the event is Bootsy Collins, the legendary funk bassist who is something of a stylistic mash-up himself. Tickets go on sale Friday through Ticketmaster."
Posted in music at 8:53 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
May 30, 2005
Darfur | (& Lindsay Lohan & Natalie Portman naked)
"The impact on people of the two-year conflict in Sudan's western region of Darfur has been described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis by the United Nations.
Some two million people are estimated to now live in camps, having fled their homes and at least 180,000 are thought to have died during the crisis. Sudan's government and the pro-government Arab militias are accused of war crimes against the region's black African population, although the UN has stopped short of terming it a genocide."
Q&A: Sudan's Darfur conflict
Washington’s silence over Darfur
Sudan arrests aid agency head after rapes report
Save Darfur
Darfur: A Genocide We Can Stop
I didn't lie...
Natalie Portman Naked
Lindsay Lohan Nude (sort of)
Posted in general at 3:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Coldplay Wants to be Better Than Mozart
"Martin told the Daily Star: “You want to be able to hold your head up high in a room with Paul McCartney and Bono.”
“We’re trying to get to the very highest level. We want to be better than Mozart"
Chris Martin: Coldplay Want To Better Mozart (via Thighs Wide Shut)
Why Paul McCartney is Cool
Paul McCartney pushing meat-free world
Oasis To Be Joined Onstage By Paul McCartney At Live Aid 2
Bono Says the Pope is a Comedian
Bono Surprises Fans at Boston Bookstore
U2's Bono: Apple 'more creative than a lot of rock bands'
Bono to Condi -- All I Want is You to aid Third World
"Moazart Effect" Scientist Gordon Shaw Has Died at Age 72
Rilo Kiley opening for Coldplay
U2 vs Coldplay... continued | X&Y
U2 vs. Coldplay | NYC Small (& Big) Shows Wrap-Up
Coldplay Visits NYC, plays SNL, Tours
Posted in music at 11:44 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack