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May 18, 2007

Amy Winehouse, White Stripes, etc..

* White Stripes playing MSG, touring
* White Stripes not conncerned about Indie Cred
* Coke, iTunes Team For 2 Billion Song Promo
* Pictures of Amy Winehouse & boyfriend
* SPIN: Exclusive: Amy Winehouse Weds
* Rolling Stone: Amy Winehouse not married
* "Spin" and "Rolling Stone" Get Into Catfight Over Amy Winehouse

Posted in music at 4:33 PM | Comments (2)

Franz Ferdinand planning a small show

Franz Ferdinand posted the following message on MySpace:

Hi, just a quick message to let you know that we’re planning a couple of small shows in Glasgow and one in New York in the next few weeks. We’ll be trying out some new songs and inviting some other bands that we like to play with us. We’ll let you know the details in the next few days, hopefully see you there. Bob

(text via MS, puppets via Flickr)

Posted in music at 4:11 PM | Comments (27)

MP3: new Smashing Pumpkins - 'Tarantula'

Billy got mad.

Posted in MP3 | music at 3:05 PM | Comments (25)

VIDEO: The Cribs - "Men's Needs" (banned by MTV)

ha. Speaking of MTV, is anyone watching 24 Hours of Human Giant right now....

The Cribs will be back around our parts this summer to play Conan O'Brien on July 17th (or is it 16th), and Lollapalooza on August 5th. More tour dates at their MySpace.

Previously
* more Cribs posts

Posted in music | video at 2:49 PM | Comments (13)

TAKKA TAKKA sign to Ernest Jenning (home of ODEATH)

DOWNLOAD: Takka Takka - Draw a Map (MP3)

Some have wondered if Brooklyn's Takka Takka would go the label-less route of their friends in Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.

The answer is "no", but I don't think that's a bad thing...

Ernest Jenning Record Co. will re-release their debut LP, We Feel Safer At Night, as a deluxe edition which will include the three tracks from their 2007 EP, Talk Faster.

In addition to re-releasing Safer, the band will be hitting the studio in summer/early fall to record their sophomore album, also to be released by Ernest Jenning in early 2008.

This means Takka Takka and O'Death are now label-mates.

Takka Takka's next show is opening for The National at South Street Seaport.

Previously
* Takka Takka Takka Takka

Posted in industry | music at 1:43 PM | Comments (5)

what color were ANDREW BIRD's SOCKS at Webster Hall?

DOWNLOAD: Andrew Bird - Heretics (MP3)

Andrew Bird's sock monkey in Bellingham, WA - May 6, 2007 (CRED)

Something very important came out in Gothamist's interview with Andrew Bird this week...

Whenever I'm going to do an interview I always scan the fan sites to see what people are obsessing over. In your case, there seems to be a lot of message-board curiosity about where you get your socks. There are entire threads about this, titled things like "Dude, where does Bird get his socks?!", "I will ask him at the San Francisco show, if I can, directly after I ask him to marry me!" And "I don't want him to think that I only love him for his socks." So are they custom made or would you rather that remain a mystery?

Andrew: Sometimes people give them to me, which is nice. Who doesn’t need a new pair of socks? We’re actually working on making our own socks instead of T-shirts. But honestly the best socks I’ve ever found in the most colorful and interesting patterns are Paul Smith. They’re pricey but they’re pretty beautiful socks. But I mix it up, you know I wear Sock Monkey socks sometimes. Have you ever seen those Sock Monkey kits? They’re good socks! But onstage I have admit I do pay a little more attention to my sock wear.

Andrew Bird's socks - SXSW 2004 (CRED)

The interview by John Del Signore also reveals Andrew's thoughts on one small Brooklyn venue he visited recently...

We just played Union Hall and I thought that was a pretty great place. I just like how much work they put into those glass cases.

Below you'll find a picture of Andrew's socks from that very show....

Andrew Bird's socks @ Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY - Apr 9, 2007 (CRED)

Bonus sock rock shots...

Listen to Andrew's show in Washington DC this Sunday on NPR.

Get an Andrew Bird ringtone.

more Tour Dates at his site.

Previously
* more Andrew Bird posts

Posted in music at 5:23 AM | Comments (14)

PSYCHIC TV record release show at Bowery Ballroom tonight - Gibby Haynes, Kembra Pfahler, Julie Atlas Muz

Psychic TV (PTV3) has a new album out on June 12th, and they'll be selling advance copies at their sure-to-be-crazy record-release (some may say "freak") show at Bowery Ballroom in NYC tonight (May 18)....

Here's a video from one of their recent shows at Galapagos....

and one not from those shows....

Godstar

Posted in music at 4:48 AM | Comments (3)

VIDEOS: Flaming Lips - trailer & 'She Don't Use Jelly' from UFOs at the Zoo DVD

I assume the quality of the actual DVD will be better...

'She Don't Use Jelly'

The DVD UFOs At The Zoo - The Legendary Concert in Oklahoma City is out July 10, 2007. And here's the trailer...

If you haven't actually see The Flaming Lips live, don't let the DVD be your subsitution. Stay tuned for future tour announcements.

---

The Flaming Lips also contribute to the Spiderman 3 soundstrack which you can stream HERE.

(thx YANP for the video tip)

Posted in music | video at 4:03 AM | Comments (1)

WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden

First filmwhore, then fender blender, and now: wahhhhmoo, or is it whamewwwww....

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN AND WaMu ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR NAMING RIGHTS DEAL FOR THE THEATER AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

"WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden" is the First Naming Rights Deal for the Property

New York, May 17, 2007 – Madison Square Garden and WaMu have reached a multi-year naming rights agreement for The Theater at Madison Square Garden, now the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Hank J. Ratner, vice chairman of Madison Square Garden and Cablevision Systems Corporation, and Steve Rotella, president and chief operating officer of WaMu, jointly announced the partnership today. The name of The Theater will be changed immediately; the financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

This is the first time that Madison Square Garden has entered into a naming rights agreement with a company for any of its properties.
Under the agreement, WaMu will receive:
* Branded signage throughout The Theater, and externally on The Garden, featuring the new WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden logo;
* The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden name will be included in all marketing and promotional materials for events held at the venue during the length of the agreement;
* WaMu will place 11 branded ATMs throughout The Garden and Theater

"We are pleased about this new partnership with WaMu and that such a well respected company will be a key part of Madison Square Garden for years to come," said Mr. Ratner. "MSG is uniquely able to create innovative partnerships with companies that connect their customers with our brands like no other place in the country. WaMu is a perfect partner as a company that wants to connect their brand with our experiences, and we're excited to build this unique relationship with them."

Madison Square Garden is one of the most recognized entertainment venues in the world and the partnership – to use a musical pun – is very well 'in tune' with our brand and focus on everyday people," said Mr. Rotella.

He further noted, "New York is an important market to WaMu. The visibility on the venue's ads, billboards and signage gives us a tremendous opportunity to extend our brand, which focuses on making banking simpler and delivering industry leading service, to millions of customers and potential customers who attend music and other events and use WaMu's onsite ATMs."

With more than 325 retail banking centers and nearly 5,000 employees in the New York area, WaMu's history of supporting entertainment in New York City has included an unprecedented "buy out" of all theater tickets on Broadway for a day and donating those tickets to teachers, serving as presenting sponsor of the musical sensation "Movin' Out,"
and creating entertaining, giant interactive Times Square billboards.
In addition to the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, WaMu has naming rights to the WaMu Theater in Seattle, which opened last year.

"This partnership with Washington Mutual marks the first time that Madison Square Garden has ever had a naming rights deal for any of its properties, continuing to secure these type of strategic partnerships are a major part of our growth strategy, " stated Michael Bair, president of MSG Media. "As The Garden builds its business at this time of unprecedented growth, we will continue to offer distinctive marketing solutions to clients that present extraordinary value and brand exposure for both companies involved."

The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden is a versatile 5,600-seat venue that has served as host to major entertainment and sporting events in its over 30-year history. Some of the biggest names in the music world have played The Theater including Neil Young, Melissa Etheridge, Kanye West, Van Morrison, Elton John and Simon & Garfunkel.

The Theater has also hosted some of the hottest award shows including
VH1 Divas Live, The Daytime Emmys and the Essence Awards, and continues to have success with legendary family shows including a 10-year run of A Christmas Carol, as well as a 27-year run with Sesame Street Live. In addition, the venue has hosted a variety of sports events including the NBA and NFL draft and numerous world championship boxing bouts. The most recent addition to the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden is the new Cirque Du Soleil production Wintuk, which will premiere with a ten-week run this November.

About Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, L.P. is owned by Cablevision Systems Corporation, and includes the New York Knicks (NBA); the New York Rangers (NHL); the New York Liberty (WNBA); the Hartford Wolf Pack (American Hockey League); MSG Entertainment, which includes concerts and events at Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, The WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, and the Beacon Theatre; MSG Media, which is comprised of MSG and FSN New York; fuse, the music television network; and the Madison Square Garden arena complex, located in the heart of the New York metropolitan area.

About WaMu
WaMu, through its subsidiaries, is one of the nation's leading consumer and small business banks. At March 31, 2007, the company had assets of $319.99 billion. The company has a history dating back to
1889 and its subsidiary banks currently operate nearly 2,700 consumer and small business banking stores throughout the nation. WaMu's press releases are available at http://newsroom.wamu.com.

Posted in music | venues at 3:33 AM | Comments (11)

VICE Records to become indie? Atlantic splits

DOWNLOAD: The Streets - Let's Push Things Forward (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Streets - Get Out My House (mc's Mix) (MP3)

Word on The Streets is that Atlantic Records and VICE are splitting up. What this means for each artist involved is being decided as we speak. Some history below...

2002

For seven years, ''VICE'' magazine has farmed the fertile soil where punkish attitudes, gutter culture, and irreverent humor blend with edgy music and art. Now, the bratty visionaries behind the free monthly -- which has featured oddball acts like Comet Gain, published cocaine reviews, and run articles written by retarded people -- has launched VICE Records, an imprint of Atlantic, with the Streets' ''Original Pirate Material.'' [Entertainment Weekly]

Mike Caren

"Known for consistently discovering innovative artists and pioneering strategic partnerships for Atlantic, Caren engineered (or played a lead role?) the launch of Vice Records, a joint venture between Atlantic and Vice Magazine. The successful enterprise brought acclaimed UK artists Bloc Party, The Stills and The Streets to the US." [Mike Caren's Wikipedia]

Suroosh Alvi

"VICE Records was born three and a half five years ago when Suroosh Alvi discovered Grime sensation Mike Skinner, aka the Streets. There is debate about which of these lovelies actually discovered which but we will have to save that for a more in-depth probe. Let's just say that some spiffy microphone work beneath the sheets proved key to the fruits of their labor.

This wicked Skinner/Alvi amalgam allowed VICE to enter into a joint venture with Atlantic Records and the rest, as they say, is history. Soon the little record label that could evolved into a leviathan marching to the west Indian drumbeat of the shrewd Dr. Alvi. With his six loyal minions, he has created a power house of independent music including The Streets, The Stills, Bloc Party, Chromeo, Death From Above 1979, Panthers, The Boredoms, Justice, The Favourite Sons, and the Run the Road compilations." [VICE Rumor Mule]

Warnet Music Group

Other record labels distributed by Warner Music Group
Chiyun Records
Vice Records
Lightyear Entertainment
Sub Pop
New Line Records
Green label records
SaraBellum Records
VMG Recordings
Teleprompt Records
[WMG Wikipedia]

Anyway, Mike Skinner is working on a new Streets album....

DOWNLOAD: 120 Days - Come Out, Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone (MP3)

Posted in MP3 | industry | music at 2:52 AM | Comments (3)

the week in Dance w/ David Bruno (05/18/07)

DOWNLOAD: LCD Soundsystem - Tribulations (tiga mix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: !!! - Heart of Hearts (radio edit) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Brazilian Girls - Jique (MSTRKRFT remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Justice - Waters Of Nazareth (erol remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Justice - Put that Justice on Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Surkin - INS Minimix (MP3)

Curses! & Das Glow @ Element, NYC - May 11, 2007 (CRED)

People Don't Dance No More (my party at Element) had a supremely glowtastic night last Friday (May 11). Das Glow destroyed, playing the newest French bangers along with bangers from Paris circa 1998. Curses! chopped and re-edited almost every track he played and hi-jacked some Chicago house into 2007. Supremely awesome. Beware the acid.

PS1's Warm Up 2007 party series begins on June 30th, and runs until September 1st.

Each Saturday, music and performances will revolve around a theme or guest host. A sampling of themes include Punk revival, Psychedelic trends, Girl groups, and global fusion. Objektivity, Tummy Touch, Rong, DFA and other music labels have been invited to assemble six-hour programs featuring their most exhilarating artists.

This party is one of the best reasons to be in New York in the summertime. Line ups are coming soon.

Dance Parade & Remix Hotel Invades NYC This Weekend

The first annual NYC Dance Parade is this Saturday (May 19) from 1 pm down Broadway & 5th Ave to Washington Square Park. The parade seems to be a mix of Carnival's massive troupes of dancers and the Love Parade's freaky types. From their site:

We are celebrating everything from Break dance to Ballet with Burning Man Spirit and Love Parade Energy. We are an all volunteer run Non-Profit Organization who seek to show that dance is an expressive form of art--Our aim is to educate the public on the wonderful health and cultural benefits of dance. In doing so, we aim to support and strengthen the role of dance in our culture.

Go and support dance, dancing, and dance music. There's a festival in Washington Square park after the parade from 4-8pm with appearances by Danny Tengalia & Kool Herc, and an afterparty at Element.

Remix Hotel is a travelling public event that was started by Remix Magazine to bring hands-on access to new music production technology via presentations and demonstrations from some of electronic & urban music's brightest minds.

NYC's edition takes place at the SAE Institute of Technology Friday May 18th - Sunday May 20th, and IT's FREE. The full schedule of events can be found here. I'm most interested in the Producers Panel on Saturday at 5 pm with Just Blaze, Kode 9, Buckshot, Rob Swift, and Eric Kupper. Remix hotel-related parties listed at the end of this post.

NEWS

• Buzzin' Fly (ex-EBTG) head honcho Ben Watt makes 2 stops at Cielo next Tuesday and Thursday (Tix)
• Kitsune releases their buzzy Maison 4 comp on June 11th, Discobelle has a promo mix and the tracklisting
• Justice for you: Gaspard & Xavier's Top 10 (What do you think of the album, hmm?)
XLR8R TV is at it again, this time with Digitalism
• Simian Mobile Disco go live, hit the road (Studio B July 7th)
• Playhouse to release 'Famous When Dead V' feat. Isolee, My My, & Roman Flugel on May 29th
• DJ Hell's International DJ Gigolos turns 10 and issues double CD on June 29
>

MUSIC

• If you don't already have the MSTRKRFT remix of D.A.N.C.E., what are you waiting for? My personal favorite is Stress...
• Distortion Disco has a Van She remix of the electro-poppers Dragonette
• Frankie Knuckles Live at Boom Boom Boom Chicago March 2007 (ZIP)
• Popstatic (Chicago) rips out a sweet two part mix Fast Cars/Pretty Girls. More info on Popstatic here. Listen up for these guys. [Part 1 (MP3) / Part 2 (MP3)]
• Also from Chicago, The Wonderful World of Bald Eagle and Friends sent us a mix that has basically every indie dance track from the past 3 years that you could possibly want in one sitting (zShare)
• DJ Hell Live at Le Boum Deluxe Feb 2007 (MegaUpload)

You need more parties...

Friday - 5/18
* RONG at APT
* Modular Monthly at 200 Orchard (RSVP)
* Curses! at Ruff Club at the Annex
* FUN at Studio B w/ Lady Sovereign, The Glass & Professor Murder (tix)

Saturday - 5/19
* Everyone in New York DJs at PHONO at Rebel (Seriously this is huge & retarded: A Guy Called Gerald, Metro Area, Tim Sweeney...)
* Trouble & Bass invades Don Pablos

Parties related to the Remix Hotel:

Saturday Night - 5/18
* DUBWAR at Love feat. Kode 9 and Shackleton from the UK's burgonening dubstep scene. Shackleton's US debut should be HEAVY.
* Evolve at Pacha with Victor Calderone & Josh Wink. Victor is "taking Evolve on a new, techier path" and Wink is there to keep him honest.
* Derrick Carter brings his trademark bump and shuffle house to Sullivan Room

Sunday Night - 5/19
* Frankie Knuckles at Cielo. Dude is Legendary.
* Louie Vega at Sullivan Room. Also serving as the launch party for the Meatpacking district's DJ teachers Dub Spot (nothing to do with dubstep)
* Miguel Migs at Tribeca Cinemas. Miguel's Salted label hosts a deep house get down.

Tickets are still on sale for !!! at Studio B? They killed at Bowery last night.

-David

Posted in MP3 | To Do | dance | music at 12:44 AM | Comments (8)

May 17, 2007

VIDEO: Transformers live-action movie trailer

DOWNLOAD: Lion - 1986 Transformers movie theme song (MP3)

2007.
Real humans, real cars, real airplanes, real Strokes t-shirts....

"Dueling alien races, the Autobots and the Decepticons, bring their battle to Earth, leaving the future of humankind hanging in the balance." Transformers is out in theaters on July 4, 2007.

A quick look on IMDB reveals that the voice of Optimus Prime will be played by Peter Cullen, who was not only the original voice, but has an impressive cartoon (& live action) resume that includes the voice of Mogwai in Gremlins, Bankjob Beagle in Duck Tales, Sour Puss on Pac Man, Captain Crabnasty on My Little Pony, Airborne on GI Joe, and "Additional Voices" on Snorks. That's some serious cartoon cred.

DOWNLOAD: cartoon outro (MP3)

Posted in MP3 | movies | music | video at 10:17 PM | Comments (7)

VIDEO: BEASTIE BOYS - 'Off the Grid' ++ instrumental new album cover & track list

For their new album, Beastie Boys are bringin' it instrumentally.....

BEASTIE BOYS GO INSTRUMENTAL, AGAIN
The Mix-Up
All-Instrumental Album Out June 26

Mike "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch and Adam "Adrock" Horovitz have confirmed a June 26 release date for their seventh studio album, The Mix-Up, on Capitol Records.

The Mix-Up is Beastie Boys' first-ever full album of all-new instrumental material. The follow-up to 2004's To The 5 Boroughs, The Mix-Up features Diamond, Horovitz and Yauch back on drums, guitar and bass, with able assistance from Keyboard Money Mark and percussionist Alfredo Ortiz, on 12 brand new wordless, sample-less, scratchless originals. Sure to please fans of the instrumental cuts from Check Your Head and Ill Communication and the cult hit compilation album made up largely of those tracks, The In Sound From Way Out!, The Mix-Up finds NYC's favorite sons drawing on one of their arsenal's primary strengths and pushing it into bold new directions.

Beastie Boys will kick off a summer's worth of worldwide touring May 26 & 27 with two sets at the Sasquatch! Festival at the Gorge in Washington State. The band will be playing at several European festivals throughout June and July, including Live Earth at Wembley Stadium on July 7.

The complete track listing for The Mix-Up is:

1. B For My Name
2. 14th St. Break
3. Suco De Tangerina
4. The Gala Event
5. Electric Worm
6. Freaky Hijiki
7. Off The Grid
8. The Rat Cage
9. The Melee
10. Dramastically Different *
11. The Cousin Of Death
12. The Kangaroo Rat

* Yes "Dramastically" is intentional.

Thx AD for the video tip.

DOWNLOAD: Beastie Boys - Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun (quarterbar Remix) (MP3)

Previously
* BAD BRAINS on a boat, new album - BEASTIE BOYS too & 2007 Tour Dates

Posted in music | video at 9:49 PM | Comments (5)

an Interview with Tokyo Police Club

DOWNLOAD: Tokyo Police Club - Be Good (live on Daytrotter) (MP3)

Montreal's BrooklynVegan Mike sat down with Toronto's Tokyo Police Club at a show they were playing in Montreal in early April. They talked about such topics as how the band got their start, Pop Montreal, Daytrotter, Pitchfork, Cold War Kids, NME, and they may have even started a feud with UK buzz band the Horrors. Full transcript below.....

(BrooklynVegan Mike in BOLD...)

I read the bio of the band on the website, and I had a couple questions about it. If you read enough one sheets, you get a romanticized view of how a band comes together. On yours, it mentions how when you first formed, no one was really into your stuff at all, and then this Pop Montreal invitation came about. Is that accurate?

Graham: Yeah. I wrote the bio. I was trying to copy one-sheets as much as I could. I was trying to be pro. That's entirely true.
Josh: It wasn't that no one was into it, just that we weren't playing at all.
Graham: Right. And then playing Pop Montreal was the only thing that made us be a band. In all seriousness, if it wasn't for that Pop Montreal festival, we wouldn't have done anything. Ever. I cannot overstate the importance of Pop Montreal.
Josh: Before Pop Montreal we played a few low key shows in Toronto, for other bands, you know? Pop Montreal was the first time we played to a crowd, at all, that was there to see us.

So how did you get the invite? Did you know someone?

Dave: We just sent our application and twenty bucks in the mail.
Graham: We had always talked about applying for things like CMW and North By Northeast and other stuff around Toronto but we never got around to it. We are lazy guys. For whatever reason, the Pop Montreal thing actually got done. I don't know why. We actually had to do work for it. I guess it was just the hand of fate.
Josh: It was the best twenty bucks we ever spent.

So this show is kind of a homecoming, of sorts.

Graham: We have a weird connection to Montreal. Dave used to go to school here. Just because of how important that show was and just hanging out. Every time we come here...we've played here four or fives times, but this time feels real special.

Not to do the cliché journalistic question...

Graham: Go for it.

...From that show in October 2005 to now, does it seem like things are moving fast?

Graham: From the outside, it must look like things are moving fast. For us, we've been there for every step. To most people it seems like one month we were point X and two months later we were point Y. But between that, there were a hundred phone calls and all of this work. We've seen all the work we've done for every step of the ladder. To us, it doesn't seem that fast. I know it is happening to us faster than it is for a lot of other bands, and we are fortunate, but it doesn't feel that fast.

I saw you guys at Osheaga (in August), and maybe it's just because that's the first time you guys appeared on my radar, but from there to here it just seems very fast.

Dave: It has been accelerated. I totally see the progression and the hard work we have put into it. Sometimes, though, weird things will come up and you're like "we're playing Letterman? Really?"

Graham: It's amazing to think we have gotten where we are on an e.p. We call it a mini album, but it seems such a strange thing. People keep mentioning it to us, but we have treated it like an album. We've done the promotion, toured behind it.

Not to jinx it, but are you anticipating the wave the NME are going to give you? What they have written about you so far is has been super positive and you get the feeling you are being groomed by them.

Graham: The NME loves to ink bands and put them on a pedestal. But as much as they love putting them on that pedestal, they love knocking them off it, too. I'd rather things progress naturally. I'd like the NME to like us. I'd like everyone to like us, be they media or not. I don't want to be popular because the NME tells us to like us.
Dave: If you just build up your popularity through touring and good records, nobody can knock you off that.
Josh: The NME can hype it as much as they want and people might come to a show based on that, but if they really like it, we've gone past that.
Graham: If the NME tells you to like The Horrors and you go to a show and don't like them, the NME is not gonna convince you unless you are one of those people. If you go to the Horrors show and you think they are the greatest thing since sliced bread, for some reason, then...

The Horrors are not that good.

Graham: No they're not. I mentioned them because they were the last band I saw on the cover. But if the NME tells you to hate the Horrors, but you love them, you're not gonna be like "fuck The Horrors."

Not to continue down this line of questioning, but to counter that, the U.S. Equivalent is Pitchfork. Now they dug your e.p., but if they decide they don't like someone, they can really affect that band, like Travis Morrison from the Dismemberment Plan, a Pitchfork-approved band. His solo album got a 0.0 and college radio effectively dumped him.

Dave: [Tour mates] The Cold War Kids are a band Pitchfork has given the cold shoulder too. It's cool to see that they are on this tour and crowds are big and people like the music. Pitchfork is good at what they do. It's good writing. But it's good to see that people are thinking independently.

Now you guys mentioned the length of the e.p. At any point in time, be it a specific song or when the album was done did you think "maybe we should add a second verse here" or "repeat the chorus?"

Graham: Actually, "Nature of the Experiment" ...you know the part at the end where it goes (sings guitar line after last chorus)? It goes six times at the end and then the tremolo guitar comes in. Those last two times weren't in the original song. Our label, the Paper Bag guys, are real cool. They sat in the studio but they never tried to change anything. We finished the song and we're mixing the song and they're like "the song is a minute and fifty seconds. This is kind of a single, guys, but it has to be over two minutes if its gonna be played on radio." They didn't strong arm us or anything but I remember us talking about it for a long time. There was other stuff we were gonna add that we decided not to. We did add those two repetitions. In retrospect, I think it makes the song way better. That was really the only thing we added.

So, the song "If It Works" is supposed to have that start/stop, long pause?

Graham: Yeah.
Dave: I was sitting in the studio. That was the second song they laid down. Greg and Dave in the room recording. I was sitting behind John, the producer, and when they cut out he was like "what the fuck is this?" I kept telling him "it's gonna make sense later."
Dave: When we were working on the song, we were thinking what should we do here? Let's-
Dave + Graham just stop. [laughs]

Talking to fans, and being a fan myself, it seems "Citizens of Tomorrow" is your most popular song. Is there any reason why "Nature of the Experiment" was picked over that?

Graham: "Citizen" is one of the fan favorites. We find when we play it, that gets the biggest reaction. We are picking "Cheer It On" as the second single, actually. Obviously, most of the people who are coming tonight have heard the record. But there is a whole class of people, like the radio listening public. And when you're releasing singles, the point is to get it played on tv and radio so people will buy your record. In terms of a song that will grab someone when they hear it for the first time, its gonna be the big drums and the opening "Operator, get me the president of the world." That's what they are going to remember, not the eerie song with atonal chord progression and the hand clapping.

I've heard the Radio 3 session and the Daytrotter session, and some of the newer material is slowly trickling out.

Graham: Daytrotter was so much fun.

Not to get sidetracked but let me ask you, I've been a fan of that site for awhile. How does it work? Do you go in and are given fifteen minutes and they record on an eight track?

Graham: I didn't look at their recording set up, but as I understand it, it was pretty rudimentary.
Josh: They told us "this is tape guys, just so you know that." [laughs].
Graham: Take the CBC session. It was very professionally done. They had the amps facing the wall to prevent bleed and there were big isolation walls and Greg is playing in another room. We're looking at him through glass. At Daytrotter, they set us up in a room, Mic this, mic that. We're like "do you want us to turn our amps around?" and they're like "just play. We'll mix it later." It was like jamming or rehearsing in a basement but more fun. And I think it comes through.
Josh: We even tried new shit. We didn't go in there planning on recording the songs but we just kind of felt it and we said "why don't we record this song?"
Graham: If it makes sense, I want to go to Daytrotter and do a track for track live recording of the album as a world premiere or something. I haven't talked to anyone about it. I don't know if its feasible, but I would like to do that.

What's interesting about it is the concept isn't new but their approach and how it's presented feels very fresh and original And they've already got some great acts, like Will Oldham and Sunset Rubdown.

Graham: It's very artist friendly. It's small time right now, but I think as word gets out it will grow. As more bands hear about it, I think more bands will want to do it.

My original question was going to be on the new album? Is it done? Are you working on it?

Dave: We are in the very, very preliminary stages of working on it. We have a few songs done.

From the sessions, I've heard "New Song," "Graves," and "Your English."

Josh: We are planning on writing as many songs as possible in the next few months and see where it goes from there.

In the last few years, many bands have embraced the e.p. Cold War Kids and Voxtrot jump to mind, of bands who released a series of eps before any full length. Do you think that is a model that will gain more traction?

Graham: From a strictly business standpoint, ep's are a dumb thing to do. Record stores can't sell them for much money, meaning they don't make as much money, so they don't want to stock them. Theoretically, we could have thrown three more songs on there and called it a full length and we probably would have sold more records. But ultimately, we felt we wanted to put our best foot forward. An e.p. is just a good way to start.
I like albums and bands that make big statements on albums, but for us and other bands, musically speaking, e.p's make more sense. We think of the e.p as an album. The songs are short so the album should be short. People listen to our e.p and get really into it and then it's over, and they want to put it on again. Adding more songs runs the risk of people looking at track numbers and wondering how many more songs are left.

I won't get too much into the lyrics because I know people have been picking them apart.

Dave: Yeah.

I've noticed a lot of the songs have references to family, if not directly then to other people's family. Was that a self conscious decision or was that something that just came about when the songs were done?

Dave: It's just another hyper relationship people don't explore as much. There are a lot of songs about guys and girls, relationships. I think there's some really good stuff there to be explored. It's a really good part of my life. Sometimes it's conscious and sometimes there's reference to it without knowing. I think every song we have put out has at least one reference to family or a family member.

Does it bother you that people only want to talk about the robot aspect of the songs?

Dave: Yeah. It's weird. It's only one song. The robot and the futuristic part was only a vehicle to talk about something else. Graham suggested "you should write a song about robots."
Josh: It just so happened that the guy who did the artwork only heard that song so he was like "yeah, I get it. I'll put a robot in there." Then people looked at it and they are like "oh, a concept record."
Dave: Robots, emergencies, a song about an experiment, rebuilding our city, factories. Their mind was made up.

It seems whenever I read anything about the band, people assign you guys like 'sci-fi pop-punk band' or some weird label.

Graham: Yeah, but I must admit if I read about a band that was labeled science fiction punk rock, I'd have to check those guys out [laughs].

----

More interviews by BrooklynVegan Mike in the archives. See TPC live in a town near you.....

Tokyo Police Club - 2007 Tour Dates
5/27 - Sasquatch Music Festival The Gorge, Washington
6/21 - Hoxton Bar and Grill London, UK
6/22 - Glastonbury Music Festival Glastonbury, UK
6/23 - Hurricane Festival Scheessel, Germany
6/24 - Southside Festival Neuhausen, Germany
6/25 - Cookys Frankfurt, Germany
6/28 - Hove Festival Hove, Norway
6/29 - Accelerator Festival Stockholm, Sweden
7/3 - Barfly London, UK
7/4 - Barfly Birmingham, UK
7/5 - Barfly Liverpool, UK
7/17 - The Intersection, Front Room Grand Rapids, MI
7/18 - Birdy's Bar & Grill Indianapolis, IN
7/21 - Larimer Lounge Denver, CO
7/23 - The Independent San Francisco, CA
7/25 - Troubadour West Hollywood, CA
7/26 - Beauty Bar San Diego, CA
7/27 - Anderson's Fifth Estate Scottsdale, AZ
7/29 - Emo's Austin, TX
7/30 - Meridian Red Room Houston, TX
7/31 - Cambridge Room @ HOB Dallas, TX
8/1 - The Republic New Orleans, LA
8/2 - Vinyl Atlanta, Georgia
8/4 - Lollapalooza Chicago, IL
8/7 - Rock & Roll Hotel Washington, DC
8/8 - Sonar Baltimore, MD
8/9 - Johnny Brenda's Philadelphia, PA
8/10 - Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
8/11 - Maxwell's Hoboken, NJ
8/12 - Middle East Downstairs Cambridge, MA

Previously
* more posts about Tokyo Police Club

Posted in interviews | music at 4:42 PM | Comments (7)

Nickel Creek & Fiona Apple - 2007 collaborative & farewell Tour Dates (Summerstage)

Check out this video of Fiona Apple, Jon Brion, and Chris Thile of Nickel Creek performing 'Fast as You Can' together....

Check out this news.....

Fiona Apple (again) & Nickel Creek are playing Central Park Summerstage in NYC on August 14th, but it gets better (or worse) than that:

The members of Nickel Creek and Apple met several years ago in Los Angeles, and began occasionally working together at the club Largo - an intimate and magnetic music club that has become legendary for stellar lineups and surprise appearances. A loose and friendly musical exchange began with Apple sitting in on Sean and Sara Waktins' ‘anything goes' "Watkins Family Hour," and with either Thile or the Watkins returning the favor whenever possible.

For the August dates, fans will be treated to an expansion of those collaborations developed at Largo. Naturally, material will be pulled from both artists' solo catalogues, but fans can also expect to hear anything from pop standards to country classics to modern rock covers. Apple's presentation will be unique in that she will rely on Nickel Creek for back up during her set.

As you may know, club Largo in LA is also where Jon Brion does his weekly shows - sometimes with Fiona, and some times with Chris. I assume that's where the above video was taken. Jon was just on tour with Nickel Creek. Fiona starts touring with them on August 2nd. Before that Nickel Creek have Glen Phillips opening, and it's important to note that this will be Nickel Creek's farewell-for-now tour. All tour dates below....

Nickel Creek - Farewell (for now) - 2007 Tour Dates
7.13 - Paducah, KY Carson 4 Rivers Center *
7.14 - Ashland, KY Paramount Arts Center*
7.15 - Grand Rapids, MI Meijer Gardens *
7.16 - Interlochen, MIInterlochen Center/Kresge *
7.18 - Cleveland Heights, OHCain Park *
7.20 - Ancramdale, NY Grey Fox Festival
7.21 - Lowell, MA Boarding House Park *
7.29 - Lyons, CO Rockygrass
8.02 - Baltimore, MD Pier Six Concert Pavilion**
8.03 - Glen Allen, VA Innsbrook Pavilion **
8.04 - Charlottesville , VA Charlottesville Pavilion **
8.05 - Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium **
8.07 - Columbus, OH The LC Pavillion **
8.10 - Highland Park, IL Ravinia Pavilion **
8.11 - Rochester Hills, MI MeadowBrook Music Festival **
8.12 - Peoria, IL CEFCU Center Stage at the Landing **
8.14 - New York, NY Rumsey Playfield **
8.16 - Rochester, NY High Falls Festival Site **
8.17 - Boston, MA Band of America Pavilion **
8.18 - Philadelphia, PA Mann Center for the Performing Arts **
8.19 - Westbury, NY North Fork Theater at **
9.01 - Pagosa Springs, CO Four Corners Folk Festival

* w/ Glen Phillips
** w/ Fiona Apple

Posted in music | tour dates at 3:08 PM | Comments (20)

Free concert tickets at Other Music on Sunday

This Sunday May 20, 2007, Absolut is giving away 100 pairs of concert tickets at Other Music in NYC

We cannot announce the bands in advance, but venues include McCarren Pool, Central Park SummerStage, Keyspan Park, Highline Ballrooom, Madison Square Garden, Roseland Ballroom & The Town Hall. It's a great selection of Other Music's favorite artists and top sellers.

Some of these events are already sold out. Tickets will be distributed first come, first served, but you must be 21+ with government issued ID to participate. Giveaway begins at 12PM. Each person will be limited to one pair of tickets.

I read somewhere else that the ticket giveaway starts at 11:00, so get there early.
(thx Eduardo)

Posted in music at 2:15 PM | Comments (37)

GEORGIE JAMES (Q and not U) signs to Saddle Creek + 2007 Tour Dates

DOWNLOAD: Georgie James - WOXY lounge act (MP3) (info)
DOWNLOAD: Georgie James - Need Your Needs (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Georgie James - Grizzly Jive (MP3)

"Georgie James are a two-piece indie pop/rock group from Washington D.C. featuring John Davis (formerly of Q and Not U) and Laura Burhenn." [Wiki]

Georgie James says:

We're happy to say that we've signed with Saddle Creek and that they'll be issuing our debut record, Places, sometime in September or October. We'll have a release date pretty soon. We're also going to be touring the U.S. and Europe for most of the fall, so we'll have dates posted for that later in the summer. In the meantime, we're playing some regional shows over the next few months and we still have some copies of the "Need Your Needs" single left. You can get that from dischord.com in the "Stuff We Sell" section, if you're interested.

They play Mercury Lounge in NYC with (the) Mary Timony (band) on June 14th. All tour dates below....

Georgie James - 2007 Tour Dates
May 26 - St. Stephen's Church WASHINGTON
Jun 14 - Mercury Lounge NYC w/ Mary Timony band
Jun 15 - Mojo 13 Wilmington, Delaware
Jun 16 - Johnny Brenda's Philadelphia, PA w/ Mary Timony band
Aug 11 - Recher Theatre Towson, Maryland w/ Ted Leo

Previously
* more Georgie James posts

Posted in industry | music | tour dates at 1:42 PM | Comments (4)

initial 2007 jellyNYC Pool Parties FREE CONCERT schedule

free concerts at McCarren Pool in McCarren Park in Brooklyn, NY this summer....

DOWNLOAD: The Octopus Project - Tuxedo Hat (MP3)

June 24
SUPERCHUNK
Oakley Hall
Special guest

JULY 1
MAN MAN
Dengue Fever
Illinois

JULY 8
OCTOPUS PROJECT
ERASE ERRATA
Dan Deacon

JULY 15
Details coming soon!

JULY 22
Details coming soon!

JULY 29
Details coming soon!

AUGUST 5
BLONDE REDHEAD
I’m From Barcelona
Special guest

AUGUST 12
TED LEO + THE PHARMACISTS
The Thermals
Birds of Avalon

AUGUST 19
GHOSTLAND OBSERVATORY
Plus special guests

Previously
* Blonde Redhead, Ted Leo, Thermals & Man Man playing McCarren Pool

Posted in music | tour dates at 1:05 PM | Comments (43)

"Don't Give Up" - NOISETTES playing SIREN + 2007 Tour Dates

As someone pointed out in the comments, Noisettes from the UK were added to the 2007 Siren Festival lineup (which for those who don't know, is a free outdoor concert in Coney Island, Brooklyn, NYC on July 21, 2007).

I didn't love the Noisettes when I saw them at Mercury Lounge in March 2006, but I'm willing to give them another chance. As Sasha Frere-Jones points out, their song "Don't Give Up" is pretty rockin'....

Actually, Sasha really recommends the whole 'What's The Time, Mr. Wolf?' album - even more than Feist, but not as much as Arcade Fire & LCD Soundsystem. It came out on April 17th. You can get it for only $9.99 at Insound.

The Noisettes' June 6th show at Knitting Factory in NYC is sold out, but their Bowery Presents June 7th show in Asbury Park with Bloc Party is not. All tour dates below...

Noisettes - 2007 Tour Dates
May 18 - Topman DJ set London
May 19 - Great Escape Festival @ The Beach Brighton
May 21 - Temple Bar, Bud Rising Show, supporting Maximo Park Dublin
May 24 - Koko, War Child Event London
May 26 - Pinkpop Festival, 3FM stage near Amsterdam
May 27 - Pompano Beach Amphitheatre West Palm Beach, Florida *
May 28 - USF Sun Dome Tampa, Florida *
May 29 - UCF Arena Orlando, Florida *
May 31 - Tabernacle Atlanta, Georgia *
Jun 1 - House Of Blues North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina *
Jun 2 - Millenium Center Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Jun 5 - Electric Factory Philadelphia, Pennsylvania *
Jun 6 - Knitting Factory New York
Jun 7 - Asbury Park Convention Hall Asbury Park, New Jersey *
Jun 9 - Schubas Chicago *
Jun 11 - Uptown Theatre Kansas City, Kansas *
Jun 12 - Ogden Centre Denver, Colorado *
Jun 13 - The Pearl Las Vegas, Nevada *
Jun 14 - Pop Scene @ 330 Ritch San Francisco
Jun 15 - Troubadour Los Angeles
Jun 16 - Viejas Concerts In The Park Alpine, California *
Jun 20 - Pembroke May Ball, Pembroke College Cambridge
Jun 22 - Glastonbury Casino @ Lost Vagueness near Glastonbury town
Jun 23 - Glastonbury, Leftfield stage – Love Music Hate Racism near Glastonbury town
Jun 24 - Glastonbury, John Peel Stage. near Glastonbury town
Jun 27 - Hove Festival, Marquee stage Tromoy, Ardenal
Jun 30 - Bournemouth Music Festival, headline slot Bournemouth
Jul 1 - Metropolis Festival Rotterdam
Jul 4 - Manchester Academy 3, International Festival, headliners Manchester
Jul 13 - Lounge On The Farm Canterbury
Jul 21 - Village Voice Siren Music Festival New York, New York
Jul 27 - Secret Garden Party, main stage near Cambridge
Jul 28 - Standon Calling Festival, headline slot Standon, Ware, Hertfordshire
Aug 2 - Sudoeste Festival Zambujeira do Mar
Aug 4 - 1st Festival Wick, Wales
Aug 17 - Pukkelpop Festival Kiewit, Hasselt
Aug 24 - Rock En Seine Festival Paris
Aug 25 - Reading Festival, NME Radio One Stage Reading
Aug 26 - Reading Festival, NME Radio One Stage Leeds
Sep 7 - Isle Of Wight Bestival, Main Stage Isle Of Wight

* w/ Bloc Party

Previously
* more Noisettes posts

Posted in music | tour dates at 11:54 AM | Comments (12)

reviews of DANIEL JOHNSTON at Warsaw & the Highline Ballroom + more pics

DOWNLOAD: Daniel Johnston - Funeral Girl (MP3)

Daniel Johnston played his second of two NYC shows last night (May 16, 2007) at the Highline Ballroom (part of the High Line Festival). I wasn't there, but I did go to the first show at Warsaw the night before (May 15). Apparently I picked the right show.

We were treated to a beautiful performance by Daniel at Warsaw - two sets (one acoustic, one with a band, neither the Nightmares), two one-song encores, and a happy, cheerful, and loving Daniel Johnston. I'm serious about the loving part too - especially in light of the Nazi stuff that I'm sure everyone is wondering about. Daniel seems to have two jokes that he tells at every show. He told the one about a man being sentenced to death for trying to commit suicide, and then at one point - almost sadly, but still smiling - he told us how he didn't have anything to say at that moment because one of his jokes has been censored. He said the press wrote about it, and his dad and brother yelled at him - so he couldn't say it anymore. I was both happy (not to have to hear the 'joke') and sad at the same time. Here was this amazing man talking about being censored, and he was even so cute when saying he can't say it anymore because he was yelled at by his dad. Other times during his set he wished us all to live forever and true love. During the censored joke he told us to think about the funniest thing we could think about instead (or something like that) - this way we would laugh even without his 'joke'. Again - I don't think anything about Jews going to a concentration camp is funny, but I won't hold it against him.

That all said, I've asked sometimes BV-contributor Nick Brassbonanza to write a review of the Warsaw show, and I received a really disappointing letter from someone who went to the High Line show. Both of those, and more pictures from Warsaw, below.....

From Alex who went to the Highline....

i'm sure you'll get plenty of comments about this, but i might as well send this anyway. right in the middle of daniel johnston's short set, the highline ballroom busboys push to the front of the stage (i was standing up against it). they're carrying big tupperware bins to pick up all the bottles and glasses on stage (maybe about 20 on the whole thing). they're making a shit ton of noise, banging glasses together and ordering people to move. a girl near me tried to explain how rude they were being, but of course they ignored her. i hate to try to guess what someone is thinking, least of all daniel johnston of all people, but i can't help but think this may have had something to do with him playing half as long as the night before....

True? Did anyone go to both shows?

And from Nick Brassbonanza on Warsaw....

Going into this show I was told not to expect any old Daniel Johnston songs, except for maybe “Devil Town” and “Speeding Motorcycle.” Well, not only did he play them both, but the entire show was heavy on familiar material and lasted for almost 2 hours. Starting with the acoustic set, Danny was joined by one of his college buddies and collaborators, Brett Hartenbach, who played guitar while Danny sang from his notebook.

The appreciative crowd was treated to favorites such as “Living Life,” “Silly Love,” and “Mask,” which he recently played on the Henry Rollins show. The set was beautiful and Danny seemed to be in great spirits. His jokes now seem to be part of his repertoire and he told the one where he had a dream that he was sentenced to death for trying to commit suicide. He then mentioned his controversial/anti-Semitic joke from SXSW, saying how his Father and brother were mad at him and something along the lines of, “My joke got bad press and has been censored.” He then told the crowd to imagine the funniest thing they can think of and have a laugh. He ended the set with “Grievances” which he said was his favorite song and hadn't played it in years.

Backed by the Joe McGinty band, the second set was more up-tempo and opened with “Rock This Town.” Although the set was electric, it was loaded with classics. He played “Funeral Girl,” and “Funeral Home” back to back, “Do You Really Love Me,” “Fish,” “Casper The Friendly Ghost,” “Hey Joe” and “Rock n Roll/ EGA.” One of the many surprises was when he broke out arguably his most popular song, “Walking The Cow.” The crowd went nuts the entire show and it seemed to have a positive effect on him. A great moment was when he said that with the help of today's technology we should be able to live past 100 years old. "This generation should be about living, " he said. "I'm supposed to be 45, but I feel like a 3 year old....seriously." The highlight of the night came in the first encore. Danny wished everyone “Good luck,” and played “True Love Will Find You In The End.” He cut it off a bit early, but that didn't’t matter, it was beautiful. He came back out for a second encore and ended with a solo rendition of “Devil Town.”

The show exceeded my expectations in every way. Both sets were amazing, the crowd was respectful and Danny seemed to be having a great time as well. Wow!

Previously
* Daniel Johnston @ Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY - pics
* more Daniel Johnston posts

Posted in music | pictures at 10:53 AM | Comments (29)

Tony-nominated Kiki & Herb DVD filming @ Knitting Factory, Lost References show & other Tour Dates

See a good show, and be on a DVD - Kiki & Herb do it at Knitting Factory in NYC tonight (May 17, 2007). Lat time you saw them they weren't Tony-nominated. They're also playing Joe's Pub (as usual) on May 20 and May 27, and Justin Bond (Kiki) is playing a one-off show with the Lost References at the Zipper Theater on May 30 (I have no idea what they sound like). More K&H tour dates below....

Kiki & Herb - 2007 Tour Dates
May 17 - Knitting Factory - DVD RECORDING! New York, New York
May 20 - Joe's Pub New York, New York
May 27 - Joe's Pub New York, New York
Jun 13 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 15 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 19 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 20 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 21 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 22 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 23 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 23 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 26 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 27 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 28 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 29 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 30 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 30 - Wimberly Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Jul 13 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 14 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 14 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 15 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 17 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 18 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 19 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 20 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 21 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 22 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 24 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 25 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 26 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 27 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 28 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California
Jul 29 - American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, California

Previously
* more Kiki & Herb posts

Posted in music | tour dates at 10:00 AM | Comments (0)

!!! (Chk Chk Chk) played Bowery Ballroom + Hot Chip remix

DOWNLOAD: !!! - Must be the Moon (Hot Chip Remix) (via)

LCD Soundsystem and !!! in the same week is a good thing. Last night (May 16, 2007) at Bowery Ballroom was great, but when the crowd loosened up and exploded for the last three-or-so songs it was even better. When whats-her-name? from the Durty Nanas? jumped into the crowd I thought for sure she and the guy she landed on were not getting up - but they both seemed to survive it OK...

Photo via here. 'Must be the Moon' video here. The latest tour dates at their MySpace (they are unstoppable). More !!! here.

Posted in MP3 | dance | music at 9:41 AM | Comments (34)

The Veils add 3rd NYC show w/ Phoenix Foundation

DOWNLOAD: The Veils - Advice For Young Mothers to Be (MP3)

The Veils have added a third NYC date at Mercury Lounge, so their NYC tour schedule now looks like this:

Jun 7 @ Mercury Lounge w/ Bon Savants (early) (TICKETS)
Jun 7 @ Mercury Lounge w/ The Phoenix Foundation (late) (TICKETS)
Jun 8 @ Union Hall w/ Elizabeth Harper (TICKETS)

The new show is the late one at Mercury Lounge, and the new opener is also from New Zealand. More tour dates HERE.

Posted in music | tour dates at 8:58 AM | Comments (0)

VIDEO: Feist - 'I Feel it All' & 'The Park' on a bus

Let's give a big bus welcome to Feist...

This video aired on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show on May 15, 2007.

----

Martha Plimpton hearts Feist.

Feist is on tour. She's playing two NYC shows.

Previously
* more Feist posts

Posted in music | video at 8:45 AM | Comments (2)

May 16, 2007

Interpol in Atlantic City & other 2007 Tour Dates

Interpol announced a July 20th show at the Music Box in Atlantic City. All tour dates below....

Interpol - 2007 Tour Dates
05-19 Irvine, CA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (KROQ Weenie Roast)
05-27 George, WA - The Gorge (Sasquatch!)
05-31 Dallas, TX - The Palladium
06-02 Atlanta, GA - HiFi Buys Amphitheatre (99X Big Day Out)
06-03 Chicago, IL - Metro
06-07 Toronto, Ontario - The Guverment
06-09 San Francisco, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre (Live 105 BFD 07)
06-10 San Diego, CA - Devore Stadium (94/9 Independence Jam)
06-21 Dusseldorf, Germany - ISS Dome *
06-23 Scheesel, Germany - Hurricane Festival
06-24 Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany - Southside Festival
06-25 Dresden, Germany - Dresden Alter Schlachthof
06-27 Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega
06-28 Arendal, Norway - Hove Festival
06-29 Stockholm, Sweden - Accelerator
07-01 Werchter, Belgium - Rock Werchter
07-05 Lisbon, Portugal - Super Bock Super Rock
07-07 Naas, Ireland - Punchestown Racecourse (Oxegen)
07-08 Balado, Scotland - T in the Park
07-19 Rochester, NY - Harro East Ballroom
07-20 Atlantic City, NJ - Music Box @ Borgata
07-21 Norfolk, VA - Norva
07-23 Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
07-24 Pittsburgh, PA - Byham
07-25 Columbus, OH - The LC Amphitheatre
07-27 Grand Rapids, Michigan - Orbit Room
07-28 Detroit, MI - MI State
07-30 Milwaukee, WI - Rave
07-31 Indianapolis, IN - Egyptain
08-01 St. Louis, MO - Pageant
08-03 Covington, KY - Madison Theatre
08-04 Chicago, IL - Grant Park (Lollapalooza)
08-05 Baltimore, MD - Pimlico Race Course (V Festival)
08-11 Tokyo, Japan - Summersonic Festival
08-12 Osaka, Japan - Summersonic Festival
08-24 Reading, England - Reading Festival
08-25 Leeds, England - Leeds England
09-08-09 Montreal, Quebec – Osheaga Music and Arts Festival

* with Pearl Jam

"Like the auditory equivalent of an icy Nestea on a scorching August afternoon, too-cool-for-the-room NYC mope-rockers Interpol-- still set to issue Our Love to Admire July 10 on Capitol— are set to send temperatures plunging through the summer months." [Pitchfork]

Previously
* Interpol @ Coachella, new album details & tour dates

Posted in music | tour dates at 4:54 PM | Comments (25)

VIDEO: breakdancing (w/ baby) in Times Square

Wikipedia says, "Breakdance, breaking, b-boying or b-girling is a street dance style that evolved as part of the hip hop movement among African American and Latin American youths in the South Bronx of New York City during the early 1970s. It is normally danced to funk or hip hop music, often remixed to prolong the breaks, and is arguably the best known of all hip hop dance styles".....

Hopefully this is not just a promo in disguise for Jamie Kennedy's new movie Kickin' It - then again, hopefully it is.

A breakdancing documentary (Planet B-Boy) also just premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Posted in music | video at 2:56 PM | Comments (18)

VIDEO (premiere): THE ROSEBUDS - 'Silence By The Lakeside' ++ bonus video starring comedian TODD BARRY

It's another blog television network debut....

....by The Rosebuds....

BONUS VIDEO STARRING ACTUAL HUMANS..........

The Rosebuds are playing some shows with Ladybug Transistor, and with Land of Talk. And here are all the Rosebuds' tour dates....

The Rosebuds - 2007 Tour DAtes
May 18 - GREY EAGLE Asheville, North Carolina
May 19 - CAT'S CRADLE Carrboro, North Carolina
May 22 - ROCK AND ROLL HOTEL District of Columbia, Washington DC
May 23 - JOHNNY BRENDA'S Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 24 - BOWERY BALLROOM New York City, New York
May 25 - IRON HORSE MUSIC HALL North Hampton, Massachusetts
May 26 - GREAT SCOTT Allston, Massachusetts
May 28 - HORSESHOE TAVERN Toronto, Ontario
May 29 - BLIND PIG Ann Arbor, Michigan
May 30 - GROG SHOP Cleveland Heights, Ohio
May 31 - LITTLE BROTHERS Columbus, Ohio
Jun 1 - SUBTERRANEAN Chicago, Illinois
Jun 2 - HOUSE OF ROCK! EAU CLAIRE, Wisconsin
Jun 3 - 7th STREET ENTRY Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jun 4 - JACKPOT SALOON Lawrence, Kansas
Jun 5 - LARIMER LOUNGE Denver, Colorado
Jun 8 - KEXP.org (live on air performance) Seattle/ World Wide Web, Washington
Jun 8 - NEUMO'S Seattle, Washington
Jun 9 - MEDIA CLUB Vancouver, British Columbia
Jun 10 - DOUG FIR LOUNGE Portland, Oregon
Jun 12 - GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL!! San Francisco, California
Jun 13 - CELLAR DOOR Visalia, California
Jun 15 - GLASS HOUSE Pomona, California
Jun 16 - SPACELAND Los Angeles, California
Jun 17 - PLUSH Tucson, Arizona
Jun 19 - THE CAVERN Dallas, Texas
Jun 20 - THE PARISH Austin, Texas
Jun 21 - Chelsea Cafe' Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Jun 22 - THE BOTTLE TREE Birmingham, Alabama
Jun 23 - THE EARL Atlanta, Georgia

Posted in comedy | music | tour dates | video at 2:34 PM | Comments (9)

Street Teams + Flickr = bad --- ARCTIC MONKEYS played Hammerstein Ballroom --- DAVID BAZAN signs to Barsuk

The only thing worse than regular people who mislabel Flickr photos (for instance the people who tagged every single photo from their NYC vacation with "CBGB"), are street team people who mislabel pictures on Flickr - actually - street teams just need to stop using Flickr at all. For instance, here's a few pictures that came up when I just did a search for "Arctic Monkeys"....

Yep, that's David Bazan in the last photo (sometimes mistaken for an Arctic Monkey - especially when holding a small flag, but actually just a Pedro the Lion), and it was just announed that David signed to Barsuk - ex-home of his tour-mate Ben Gibbard's band Death Cab For Cutie.

How were Arctic Monkeys at Hammerstein, and while we're at it - how were Ben Gibbard and David Bazan at Town Hall?

Posted in music at 2:06 PM | Comments (46)

Warner Music sues Imeem for copyright infringement

"The lawsuit in question, which was filed by Warner Music through the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, points accusatory fingers at Imeem Inc. for amassing an active user base of 16 million people on the back of “illegal use of ‘free music,’” including Warner Music artists such as Green Day, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Madonna." [Monsters & Critics]

Posted in industry | music at 1:08 PM | Comments (1)

a letter from Trent Reznor on CD prices

I linked to a story about this earlier, but then realized the actual letter by Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor deserved its own post....

As the climate grows more and more desperate for record labels, their answer to their mostly self-inflicted wounds seems to be to screw the consumer over even more. A couple of examples that quickly come to mind:

* The ABSURD retail pricing of Year Zero in Australia. Shame on you, UMG. Year Zero is selling for $34.99 Australian dollars ($29.10 US). No wonder people steal music. Avril Lavigne's record in the same store was $21.99 ($18.21 US).
By the way, when I asked a label rep about this his response was: "It's because we know you have a real core audience that will pay whatever it costs when you put something out - you know, true fans. It's the pop stuff we have to discount to get people to buy."
So... I guess as a reward for being a "true fan" you get ripped off.

* The dreaded EURO Maxi-single. Nothing but a consumer rip-off that I've been talked into my whole career. No more.

The point is, I am trying my best to make sure the music and items NIN puts in the marketplace have value, substance and are worth you considering purchasing. I am not allowing Capital G to be repackaged into several configurations that result in you getting ripped off.

We are planning a full-length remix collection of substance that will be announced soon.

Nice one.

Posted in industry | music at 12:52 PM | Comments (16)

Wes' Weekly Hip Hop News Roundup (May 16, 2007) -- Ghostface/RZA played High Line Ballroom

How was the Ghostface (& RZA) & Spank Rock show at the High Line Ballroom last night? Angry Citizen took some pictures....

Ghostface @ RZA @ Highline Ballroom - May 15, 2007 (CRED)

NY Magazine went to the 24-hour "Rapathon" in Harlem.

Tickets are on sale for Method Man and GZA at Webster Hall on June 5th. Tickets still on sale for Rakim at Southpaw.

Our favorite Joell Ortiz was added to the KRS-One show at Irving/Fillmore on May 20th. KRS-One is also playing Prospect Park in Brooklyn this summer.

We have a pair of tickets to give away to the Devin the Dude show at Knitting Factory this Friday night. Want them? E-mail BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Devin), and let us know who the best hip hop act you ever saw live was. One winner will be picked at random. Include your first and last name for guestlist purposes.

Dres of Black Sheep, Emily King, Ralph McDaniels and El Michels Affair were added to the 3rd Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival.

KEEP READING for news, music, videos, tour dates, and more............

NEWS

• MOP speak on sideprojects and if their G0Unit debut will ever come out.
• AboutRap reviews the new KRS-One & Marley Marl album Hip Hop Lives.
• Kanye West, who by the way is not the new DJ Premier, will be releasing his third album Graduation this september.
• Who? Mike Jones! His album was just pushed back.
• Eve speaks on the state of female rappers.
• Eminem's protege Cashis is interviewed on AllHipHop.
• Beastie Boy MCA is set to produce the new Bad Brains album.
• Twista & Bone Thugs set to do an album together

MUSIC

• Not 1, not 2, but 3 new Lupe Fiasco tracks for download.
• Common returns with The Game produced by DJ Premier.
• Kool G Rap shooting for a comeback with They Paid With Bullets.
• Wu affiliate Trife da God brings along Termanology on Milk Crate (download.) (Via NahRight)
• I can't wait for the new album, Desire, Pharoahe Monch gives us a taste with What It Is.
• Listen to "We All Want The Same Thing" by Kevin Michael feat. Lupe Fiasco here and the acoustic version here.

VIDEO

• Watch the video for East Flatbush Projectbs classic 1996 bTried by 12b3 here and read about their new upcoming album.
• A great throwback from RealTalk NY: Keith Murray - The Most Beautifullest Thing
• Rakim speaks on his new album and hip hop.
• N.O.R.E. is back! Watch a video for Cocaine Cowboys here and download Throw Em Under The Bus ft Jadakiss & Kurupt
• Redman did a video for Get'em and I agree with Eskay who says: This happens to be the one song I canbt really fuck with from the album.
• Nahright also has the new Prodigy video.

SHOWS

5/18 Talib Kweli @ Highline Ballroom, 11pm, tix

5/19 Rakim @ Southpaw, 9pm, $18 tix

5/20 KRS-One & Marley Marl w/ Joell Ortiz and Skillz @ The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza, 8pm, tix

5/22 Beanie Sigel w/ live band @ Knitting Factory @ 8:30, (tix)

5/25 Lifesavas @ Southpaw

5/25 & 5/26 Sage Francis with Band plus Buck 65 / Alias / Buddy Wakefield @ Bowery Ballroom, tix

5/26 Mos Def @ Highline Ballroomm tix

5/31 T-Pain @ SOBs, 8pm, $25, tix

6/05 Method Man with special guest GZA / Mike Relm @ Webster Hall, only $15! tix

6/3 Hot 97 Summer Jam @ Giant Stadium, Tickets will be going on sale April 27th at 9AM. Presale April 23rd, 9AM with password ACCESS

6/8 Common @ Central Park Summer Stage w/ Joss Stone & Ryan Shaw

6/9 DJ Drama plus Willie The Kid / The Rub DJs @ The Highline Ballroom, tix

6/15 DMX @ B.B. King's Blues Club & Grill, 11.30pm, tix

06/15 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Tribute To Grandmaster Flash & Furious Five @ Paradise Theater, Bronx (tix)

6/23 3rd Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival ft Ghostface, Consequence, Skillz and more. (info).

07/28 & 29 - Rock the Bells w/ Wu Tang and many others @ Randall's Island

07/29 - "Wild Style 25th Anniversary Reunion" Central Park SummerStage ft Busy Bee, Cold Crush Brothers, DJ Grand Wizzard Theodore & Grand Master Caz

08/03 Lyricist Lounge With KRS-One, Ladybug Mecca, and more @ Prospect Park Bandshell. (info)

------

this post brought to you by Undisputed Wes

Posted in hiphop | music at 10:55 AM | Comments (11)

Bike Fest show moved to Studio B -- Dan Deacon, Parts & Labor, Gang Gang Dance - FREE TONIGHT

DOWNLOAD: Queen - Bicycle Race (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sufjan Stevens - Happy Birthday (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Marilyn Monroe - Happy Birthday (MP3) (via)
DOWNLOAD: Missy Elliot - I can't stand the rain (Aphrodite remix) (MP3)

Rather than risk equipment getting wet, tonight's entire bike fest show has moved to Studio B in Brooklyn (May 16). All four bands are playing there: Gang Gang Dance, Dan Deacon, Parts & Labor, and Team Robespierre. This of course is unfortunate to those who were hoping to catch Parts & Labor and Dan Deacon before !!! at Bowery Ballroom, but much more convenient to those who would like to see Gang Gang Dance too - but didn't want to cross a river to do so after Dan Deacon (who loves "The Happy Birthday song" and doesn't have a cell phone) left the stage. This of course doesn't matter at all to Mates of State who still aren't playing.

This event is part of the Bicycle Film Festival, and there will be bicycle valet parking at Studio B. More details below....

THE BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL'S SHOW WITH DAN DEACON HAS BEEN MOVED TO STUDIO B (169 Banker Street Greenpoint Brooklyn)

DOORS ARE AT 8 PM, STILL FREE AND ALL AGES!!!

Although it is fairly sunny right now at 8 am, the weather is currently predicting 80% chance of thunderstorms between 7-9 pm tonight. The odds are very much against us, and we can't risk the equipment and safety of the performers and of you!

However, the show is still on! It's happening at Studio B in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (easy walk from the Bedford L stop or the Nassau G stop). Doors are at 8 pm, and the show is still free and all ages, with valet bike parking! It's going late too, so stop by when you can! Here is a map: http://www.clubstudiob.com/

Thanks for understanding, please visit www.bicyclefilmfestival.com for more info and for the weekend's program. Also, don't forget to check out the Citysol Festival at Solar One throughout the summer!

Previously
DAN DEACON replaces MATES OF STATE @ Bicycle Film Fest

Posted in To Do | music at 10:00 AM | Comments (6)

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT - Barnes & Noble tonight, Summerstage, new album, video & other tour dates

DOWNLOAD: Rufus Wainwright - The Origin of Love (Hedwig cover) (MP3)

Rufus Wainwright is performing (and signing) tonight (May 16) for free at 7 pm at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square. Rufus' four upcoming Gramercy Theatre shows are sold out. Rufus' headlining show at Central Park Summerstage on August 19th goes on sale this Sunday @ Noon. A Fine Frenzy and The Magic Numbers (who recently played Hiro Ballroom and were spotted at Bjork's Apollo Theatre show) are opening that show. For the latest Rufus tour dates, check his site.

Rufus' new album 'Release the Stars' came out this week. My favorite song on the album (and the one he performed at UCB) is "Going to a Town". Check out the video below....

"Maybe it's due to the influence of executive producer Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys), or more likely to Wainwright's maturation from drug-addled party-boy to focused sobriety — with composing as his new addiction of choice. Either way, Release The Stars is a stunning new path etched into Wainwright's musical journey, and a welcome return after the intriguing but uneven Want albums." [Chart Attack]

"His next move will be bigger still: he is working on a Metropolitan Opera commission with the suggestive title “Prima Donna.” He seems ready for this task; he’s already inclined to view human failing as potentially epic." [NY Times]

Previously
* Rufus Wainwright - new album, 4 NYC shows, Tour Dates
* more Rufus posts

Posted in MP3 | music | tour dates at 9:09 AM | Comments (6)

What's going on?

DOWNLOAD: Kinski - Semaphore (MP3)

* Pete Doherty to exhibit "Bloodworks"
* Bono objects to penthouse smoke
* New Spoon track at Prefix
* Elliot Smith photo book, live album
* Trent Reznor blasts label for high priced CD's
* Kinski touring with Tool
* Franz Ferdinand launch t-shirt line
* Franz Ferdinand to collaborate with the Mitchell Brothers
* Radio City concert to raise money for King Memorial
* Rick Rubin to aid Columbia Records with new music business model
* Spinal Tap want to collaborate with Ricky Gervais

Posted in music at 8:09 AM | Comments (3)

initial 2007 Siren Festival lineup

Despite the July 21st date being set in stone for some time, it seemed a lot of people had their doubts that the annual, free Village Voice Siren Music Festival in Coney Island would even happen this year. Perhaps with the destruction of Astroland and what not, 2007 will indeed be the last year. Enjoy it while you can. The Village Voice just announced the following intiial list of bands:

New York Dolls
We Are Scientists
Matt And Kim
The Black Lips
Dr. Dog
Lavender Diamond
The Detroit Cobras
Elvis Perkins
The Twilight Sad
The Noisettes

Something tells me this isn't going to be a friendly comment thread. Thoughts?

Posted in music at 7:26 AM | Comments (102)

Daniel Johnston @ Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY - pics

DOWNLOAD: Daniel Johnston - Walking the Cow (MP3)

To be continued....

Posted in MP3 | music | pictures at 12:52 AM | Comments (27)

May 15, 2007

Secret Machines add 2nd semi-secret NYC show

Do The Secret Machines even still live in Brooklyn? I have no idea, but if they don't, then the reason they're in town is to play a show at the Highline Ballroom for the David Bowie-curated High line Festival this Saturday night (May 19). Tickets to that are (or were - you should check) sold out, but tickets are now definitely on sale for a second show at the Annex two nights earlier.

Posted in music | tour dates at 5:02 PM | Comments (16)

What are you doing tonight? + Electrelane tour dates

DOWNLOAD: Electrelane - On Parade (MP3)

Tonight (May 15) is another one of those nights when a live music junkie like myself feels their head about to explode. Are you going to:

• Daniel Johnston @ Warsaw?
• Sam Champion @ Bowery Ballroom?
• Arctic Monkeys @ Hammerstein Ballroom?
• Spank Rock & Ghostface @ Highline Ballroom?
• Electrelane & The Blow @ Irving Plaza?
• Silversun Pickups @ Webster Hall?
• Bo Bice @ Canal Room???????????

Electrelane tour dates below....

Electrelane - 2007 Tour Dates
May 15 - Irving Plaza New York, New York
May 16 - Paradise Boston, Massachusetts
May 18 - Lee's Place Toronto
May 19 - Chicago Theatre Chicago, Illinois *
May 20 - Chicago Theatre Chicago, Illinois *
May 22 - Empty Bottle Chicago, Illinois
May 23 - Triple Rock Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 26 - Sasquatch Festival George, Washington
May 27 - Schnitzer Hall Portland, Oregon *
May 29 - LA Greek Theatre LA, California *
May 30 - LA Greek Theatre LA, California *
May 31 - Troubadour LA, California *
Jun 1 - Berkeley Greek Theatre Berkeley, California *
Jun 2 - Berkeley Greek Theatre Berkeley, California *
Jun 5 - The Parish Austin, Texas
Jun 7 - Creepy Crawl St Louis, Missouri
Jun 8 - Andy Warhol Museum Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jun 9 - Johnny Brenda's Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jun 10 - Black Cat Washington, Washington DC

supporting Arcade Fire.

Posted in music | tour dates at 2:49 PM | Comments (36)

Crowded House & Pete Yorn - 2007 Tour Dates

Crowded House, fresh off their Coachella and Glass House reunion appearances, have announced their summer tour dates that include two nights at NYC's Beacon Theatre in August with Pete Yorn. All dates below....

Crowded House - 2007 Tour Dates
August
4 - Northampton, MA - Calvin Theater
5 - Boston, MA - Bank of American Pavillion *
6 - Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center for Performing Arts *
8, 9 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre *
11 - Montreal, QUE - St. Denis *
13 - Toronto, ONT - Massey Hall *
14 - Ann Arbor, MI - Michigan Theatre +
17 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theatre +
18 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues +
20 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theatre +
22 - Denver, CO - Fillmore +
24 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey’s +
25 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl *
26 - Oakland, CA - Paramount Theatre of the Arts *
28 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theater *
29, 30 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery *

September
1 - Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot
2 - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer *
3 - Vancouver, BC - Orpheum Theatre *
5 - Calgary, AB - Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium *
6 - Edmonton, AB - Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium *
8 - Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeg Concert Hall *
9 - Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre *
11 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium *
12 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle *

* w/Pete Yorn
+ w/16 Frames

"The first shows go on sale Saturday, 19 May"

Crowded House have confirmed their first US tour since 1996. Starting on 4 August in Northampton, MA, the tour will take the band across country and back, ending on 12 September in Atlanta, GA. The tour is in support of the band's new record, 'Time on Earth', which will be released in the US on 10 July on ATO Records.

Crowded House's first new studio album in 14 years, 'Time on Earth' was debuted at the Coachella Festival last month, their first appearance in the US since 1996.

Previously
* more Crowded House posts

Posted in music | tour dates at 2:28 PM | Comments (6)

Violent Femmes - 2007 Tour Dates (Warsaw)

Violent Femmes are back at Warsaw in Brooklyn this summer. They're supposedly playing two nights in a row, but one (June 23rd) is either not on sale yet, or has been cancelled. All tour dates below....

Violent Femmes - 2007 Tour Dates (in reverse)
October 13,'07 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino
October 12,'07 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino
August 11, '07 Belville, South Africa
August 10, '07 RSA (South Africa) Eoppikoppi Festival
August 6, '07 Johannesburg, South Africa
August 3, '07 Del Mar, CA Race Track
August 1, '07 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
July 28, '07 Los Angeles, CA Bet Tzedek Justice Ball (www.thejusticeball.org)
July 27, '07 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Hotel
July 13, '07 Louisville, KY 4th Street Live
July 11, '07 Columbus, OH Promowest Pavilion
July 6, '07 North Kansas City, USA Voodoo Lounge
July 4, '07 Denver, CO Red Rocks
June 28, '07 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest
June 23, '07 Brooklyn, NY Warsaw
June 22, '07 Brooklyn, NY Warsaw
June 21, '07 Buffalo, NY Lafayette Square
June 16, '07 Chicago, IL Q101 Block Party
May 26, '07 Seville, Spain Territorios Festival
May 24, '07 Milan, Italy Rolling Stone
May 23, '07 Rimini, Italy Velvet
May 22, '07 Rome, Italy Alpheus
May 20, '07 Malaga, Spain Teatro Cervantes
May 18, '07 Lyon, France Nuits Sonores Festival

Previously
* Violent Femmes | 2006 Tour Dates

Posted in music | tour dates at 2:07 PM | Comments (17)

spend 24 hours (or less) w/ HUMAN GIANT on MTV + Ted Leo

WAIT... Did you see Cloud Cult on MTV?

NEXT: Clell Tickle to reunite with Tapes 'n Tapes and Ted Leo on MTV. You can watch it, or you can be in the studio audience. Details below....

HUMAN GIANT: 24 HOURS LIVE ON MTV!

Last week, MTV told us we could get 24 hours on MTV and MTV2 to do whatever we want. So on Friday, May 18th at noon - we'll take over both channels for a full day and will host live from MTV's Times Square studio. They're literally letting us do whatever we want - we can program whatever shows we want, have guests, bands, music videos, anything! We just have to stay up for 24 hours and get a million hits on our website.

Here are a few of the guests we have coming down, (more bands and guests will be announced later in the week):

Will Arnett
Andy Blitz
Michael Cera
Zach Galifianakis
Jon Glaser
Eugene Mirman
Morningwood
Rob Riggle
Slovin and Allen
Tapes 'n Tapes
Ted Leo
Tegan and Sara

If you want FREE tickets to be in the audience, just send an e-mail to battleofthebands@mtvstaff.com and please include the following:

-Name
-Age
-Phone number

Of course, you are not obligated to stay in the audience for the full
24 hours and can stay as long as you want from what I understand. It should be really fun.

Previously
* Aziz and others on Flight of the Conchords

Posted in comedy | music at 6:57 AM | Comments (25)

DAN DEACON replaces MATES OF STATE @ Bicycle Film Fest

DOWNLOAD: Dan Deacon - Snake Mistakes (MP3)

I promise my goal is not to inundate you with news on Dan Deacon's every move, but news is news, and sometimes it gets to me in bits and pieces. I'd much rather not have to report that Mates of State pulled out of the Wednesday night Bicycle Film Festival parties due to a "family emergency" - it absolutely sucks. Luckily though, indie-superhero Dan Deacon (able to ride tall bikes around and around) has come to the last-minute rescue, and will take their place on the two-venue lineup that also includes Gang Gang Dance, Parts & Labor and Team Robespierre.

More info on the Bicycle Film Festival HERE.

Posted in To Do | music at 6:18 AM | Comments (10)

the Polyphonic Spree played NYC (High Line) + new 2007 Tour Dates (Warsaw, etc)

DOWNLOAD: The Polyphonic Spree - 'Fragile Army' album preview (MP3) (info)

The Arcade Fire (new interview at Pitchfork) kicked off the David Bowie-curated High Line Festival at Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday May 9th. Then Air & TV on the Radio chilled things out at MSG the next night. And on Friday, the "festival" continued with a show by the Polyphonic Spree at Manhattan Center's Grand Ballroom......

More pictures where they came from at spreetaper's Flickr.

More Polyphonic Spree on July 1st at Warsaw in Brooklyn, and on/at all of the following dates......

Polyphonic Spree - 2007 Tour Dates
05-27 George, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre (Sasquatch! Festival)
06-23 Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre
06-24 Austin, TX - Stubbs BBQ
06-25 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
06-26 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
06-27 Atlanta, GA - Roxy Theatre
06-29 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
06-30 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
07-01 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
07-02 Boston, MA - Avalon
07-03 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis
07-05 Toronto Ontario - Phoenix Concert Theatre
07-06 Detroit, MI - The Majestic
07-07 Cleveland, OH - House Of Blues
07-08 Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
07-09 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave II
07-10 Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Cafe
07-13 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom
07-14 Portland, OR - Aladdin Theatre
07-15 Seattle, WA - The Showbox
07-17 San Francisco CA - Great American Music Hall
07-18 Los Angeles CA - El Rey Theatre
07-20 San Diego CA - Canes Bar & Grill
07-22 Denver CO - Gothic Theatre
07-23 Aspen CO - The Belly Up
08-04 Chicago, IL - Grant Park (Lollapalooza)
08-11 Osaka, Japan - Summersonic Festival
08-12 Tokyo, Japan - Summersonic Festival
09-01 Stradbally, Ireland - Stradbally Estate (Electric Picnic Festival)
09-02 Argyll, Scotland - Inveraray Castle (Connect Festival)

dates via pfork

Previously
* more Polyphonic Spree tour dates

Posted in MP3 | music | tour dates at 5:42 AM | Comments (16)

SUPERCHUNK playing McCarren Pool & Chicago cancer benefit ++ "Guilt by Association" covers comp

DOWNLOAD: Superchunk - Kicked In (acoustic) (MP3)

Superchunk & Magnetic Fields @ Princeton University - 1996 (CRED)

As previously reported, Superchunk are playing a cancer benefit with the Mountain Goats in Chicago in June. And as previously reported, Dan Deacon and many other popular indie rockers are playing free shows in McCarren Pool in Brooklyn this summer. What has not yet been reported though - not until this sentence anyway - is that Superchunk will also be playing a free show on a TBA date this summer at McCarren pool. Stay tuned for more details.

Want to hear Superchunk sing "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child? Well, then you'll have to buy the new "Guilt By Association" comp. when it comes out (Aug 28, 2007). You CAN hear Devendra Banhart sing Oasis, Petra Haden sing Journey, and Will Oldham sing Mariah Carey though - right now streaming on the sinful compilation's own MySpace page. Be its friend*.

* full disclosure: BV contributor Undisputed Wes works for the company who put out this awesome comp

But what about Portastatic??
* Schedule Two posted some live videos recorded in February
* They're playing North Carolina and Spain
* They miss San Fadyl

Posted in MP3 | music | tour dates at 5:02 AM | Comments (28)

belated obituary: RIP San Fadyl of the Ladybug Transistor

"I am certain that next year will be a year to remember, unlike the past 47 years, which I'd rather forget." [Sam Fadyl, December 29, 2006]

"San Fadyl, drummer for the beloved Brooklyn indie-pop act the Ladybug Transistor, passed away today, April 26, in his Zurich, Switzerland home due to complications stemming from a lengthy bout with severe asthma." [Pitchfork]

"we miss you, San!" [Mac Merge Superchunk Portastatic]

The Ladybug Transistor is still playing though. In fact, they play Bowery Ballroom on May 24th with the Rosebuds.

Posted in music at 4:47 AM | Comments (2)

Yacht @ Studio B, Brooklyn, NYC - pics

DOWNLOAD: Yacht - See A Penny (Pick It Up) (MP3)

I give Jona (Yacht) a lot of credit for getting up and doing his instrument-less thing in front of a packed, tough, NYC Studio B crowd that was anxiously awaiting the arrival of LCD Soundystem (May 12, 2007).

Check out his new video. More pics below....

Previously
* VIDEOS: Yacht - See a Penny (regular & "the making of")
* Yacht (Jona from the Blow) - MP3s, 2007 Tour Dates & pics from SXSW

Posted in music | pictures at 4:08 AM | Comments (4)

ROKY ERICKSON + ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO = double awesome +++++ the updated RIVER TO RIVER festival schedule & DANIEL JOHNSTON is here

I knew Roky Erickson was playing a free show this summer, and I had heard Alejandro Escovedo was too, but it wasn't until I saw it in writing yesterday that I realized the two legendary Austinites are playing the same free show! June 2nd @ Castle Clinton. Many, many, many more free NYC events now UP AT THE RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL SITE.

On a related note, fellow wacky Austinite Daniel Johnston plays Warsaw in Brooklyn TONIGHT (May 15) (not sold out), and the Highline Ballroom for the High Line festival tomorrow (is sold out).

Posted in music | tour dates at 3:53 AM | Comments (0)

SAM CHAMPION members displaced by Park Slope FIRE + playing Bowery Ballroom - WIN TIX

DOWNLOAD: Sam Champion - Like a Secret (MP3)

You may have heard about the fire at Pizza Plus on 7th Avenue in Park Slope (Brooklyn, NY) the other day. Those living above the pizza place have been displaced, and two of those currently-homeless people just so happen to be members of the NYC band Sam Champion (who may or may not have started the fire to gain publicity for their new album - JUST KIDDING!). I contacted their singer (and man about town) Noah Chernin, and this is what he had to say:

I live there with two other roommates, ryan, who plays drums in our band and luke schurman, an actor/musician. our bathroom and back of the apartment including luke's room are completely destroyed. ryan's room and my room were pretty much untouched, except my windows were smashed out and some smoke damage.

it's still a crime scene, i think. we are slowly going back and getting our things. no instruments or gear really got damage. luke lost a bunch of writing and journals that obviously have a lot of sentimental value and can't be replaced.

we are couch surfing and living with girlfriends right now and don't think we'll be back there (if we go back) for another few months.

at this point we don't really know what our next move is...
except to ROCK HOUSE on tuesday at bowery.

Want to see them rock house (with TigerCity, Stylofone, the Affair, and DJ Justin Carter)? Noah is giving away TW0 PAIRS OF TICKETS to BV readers. Want them? E-mail BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (Subject: SAM). Include your first and last name as you would like it to appear on the guestlist. Contest ends at 1pm on Tuesday (TODAY) May 15, 2007. Two winners will be picked at random and contacted.

Posted in MP3 | music | tour dates at 2:57 AM | Comments (3)

SMASHING PUMPKINS playing 17 residency shows, LOW opening for WILCO

This week in shows-that-have-already,-or-will-sell-out-very-quickly news....

* Low touring with Wilco
* Pumpkins Plan Residencies In Asheville, San Fran

Smashing Pumpkins' only scheduled NYC-area show is still Live Earth.

Earlier this year Billy Corgan was seen hanging out with his friend Courtney Love who was definitely looking very plastic-surgeryey....

Previously
* more Smashing Pumpkins posts
* WILCO - Brooklyn sale is over + a DVD screening

Posted in music | tour dates at 1:09 AM | Comments (10)

May 14, 2007

LCD Soundsystem played Studio B & Webster Hall

DOWNLOAD: James Murphy - DFA Radio Mix 2005 Cd1 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: James Murphy - DFA Radio Mix 2005 Cd2 (MP3)

I just woke up from a much-needed nap that was the result of non-stop moving that went something like: LCD @ Studio B --> not-much-sleep --> family --> Monday blogging. Now I feel better, so it's time to say that, once again, LCD brought the house down (@ Studio B Saturday night)....

How was Webster Hall?

I never saw Studio B that packed - especially when LCD started (an hour after they were supposed to start which made it impossible for me to get to Manhattan to also see Dan Deacon) - it was PACKED. I started in the back, but eventually made my way up front where the dance floor resembled a mosh pit. My clothes quickly turned from dry to (sw)wet.

James made two things very clear:
1) He was drunk
2) The three songs at the end were not an encore. They were merely LCD Soundsystem going upstairs for a short break to ensure that they/he do/does not puke on stage.

Posted in MP3 | dance | music | pictures at 11:55 PM | Comments (33)

Coachella is not all Arcade Fire & Bjork

not for these people at least...

DOWNLOAD: Party Ben - Coachella Dance Mix 2006 (MP3) (more)

Posted in music at 4:51 PM | Comments (12)

Largehearted Boy's Interesting CD Releases This Week

Wilco's latest album, Sky Blue Sky, is out today (along with its 5.2 review at Pitchfork).

Rhino releases Genesis: Genesis 1976-1982, a box set, this week, including the remastered Abacab, And Then There Were Three, Duke, A Trick of the Tail, and Wind & Wuthering, complete with bonus DVD discs.

Two Clash-related discs are noteworthy: the soundtrack to the Joe Strummer biopic, The Future Is Unwritten, and the Clash tribute album, The Sandinista! Project.

Among other releases, I can recommend Rufus Wainwright's most political effort yet, Release The Stars, YACHT's I Believe in You. Your Magic Is Real, Utah Carol's Rodeo Queen, Great Northern's Trading Twilight for Daylight, Efterklang's Under Giant Trees, and Au Revoir Simone's The Bird of Music, and am looking forward to sampling many more of this week's releases (list below).

What new releases are you picking up this week? What can you recommend (or warn against)?

This week's interesting CD releases:

Au Revoir Simone: The Bird of Music [cd]
Avalanches: Ski Surfin' [cd]
Avett Brothers: Emotionalism [cd]
Balkan Beat Box: Nu Med [cd]
Beatlejazz: All You Need [cd]
Betty Davis: Betty Davis (reissued with bonus tracks) [cd]
Betty Davis: They Say I'm Different (reissue with bonus tracks) [cd]
Bruce Robison: It Came from San Antonio [cd]
The Contrast: Underground Ghosts [cd]
Dolores O'Riordan: Are You Listening? [cd]
Dungen: Tio Bitar [cd]
Efterklang: Under Giant Trees [cd]
The Exies: A Modern Way Of Living With The Truth [cd]
Fennesz / Sakamoto: Cendre [cd]
Flash Hawk Parlour Ensemble: Plastic Bag in a Tree [cd]
Genesis: Abacab (remastered with bonus DVD) [cd]
Genesis: And Then There Were Three (remastered with bonus DVD) [cd]
Genesis: Duke (remastered with bonus DVD) [cd]
Genesis: Genesis 1976-1982 (box set) [cd]
Genesis: A Trick of the Tail (remastered with bonus DVD) [cd]
Genesis: Wind & Wuthering (remastered with bonus DVD) [cd]
Girl in a Coma: Both Before I'm Gone [cd]
Great Northern: Trading Twilight for Daylight [cd]
Gretchen Wilson: One Of The Boys [cd]
Guided By Voices: Live from Austin Texas [cd]
The High Strung: Get the Guests [cd]
The Horrors: Strange House [cd]
Ian Hunter: Shrunken Heads [cd]
Jeff London: The Bane of Progress [cd]
Jefferson Airplane: Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969 [cd]
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten [cd]
Joseph Arthur: Let's Just Be [cd]
Linkin Park: Minutes To Midnight [cd]
Linkin Park: Minutes to Midnight (CD/MVI DVD special edition) [cd]
Megadeth: United Abominations [cd]
My Teenage Stride: Ears Like Golden Bats [cd]
The Narrator: All That to the Wall [cd]
Pink Martini: Hey Eugene! [cd]
Plants: Photosynthesis [cd]
The Race: Ice Station [cd]
Rufus Wainwright: Release The Stars [cd]
Steve Nieve, Muriel Teodori: Welcome to the Voice [cd]
Three 4 Tens: Down the Way [cd]
Up the Empire: Light Rides the Super Major [cd]
Utah Carol: Rodeo Queen [cd]
Various Artists: David Bowie Acoustic Tribute [cd]
Various Artists: High Fidelity (2006 Original Broadway Cast) [cd]
Various Artists: Music With a Twist [cd]
Various Artists: Pick Your Poison: The Bluegrass Tribute to Poison [cd]
Various Artists: Pickin' on Kelly Clarkson: The Bluegrass Tribute [cd]
Various Artists: The Sandinista! Project (Clash tribute) [cd]
Various Artists: Shrek the Third (soundtrack) [cd]
Velella Velella: Bay of Biscay [cd]
Wilco: Sky Blue Sky [cd]
Wilco: Sky Blue Sky (CD/DVD special edition) [cd]
YACHT: I Believe in You. Your Magic Is Real [cd]

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this post brought to you by largehearted boy

Posted in music | new releases at 3:42 PM | Comments (14)

DAN DEACON played Mercury Lounge, playing McCarren Pool

I just posted the initial-dateless list of artists playing the free McCarren Park Pool shows this summer. Then I found out that Dan Deacon is playing one of the Sunday shows too. Thanks to LCD Soundsystem (@ Studio B), I missed Dan's show at Mercury Lounge this weekend...

Dan Deacon @ Friction @ Merc, NYC - May 12, 2007 (CRED)

Previously
* Real quick - Dan Deacon, Olivia D'abo & what not
* ERASURE - 2007 Tour Dates (Radio City & McCarren Pool)
* Armin Van Buuren playing McCarren Pool (& I'm From Barcelona)

Posted in music | tour dates at 3:33 PM | Comments (6)

2007 Celebrate Brooklyn schedule is official

elsewhere in Prospect Park, dogs are flying....

Concert surprises include a new Hal Willner project, and a show by Krs-One. Full schedule of concerts happening this summer in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NYC is HERE.

Previously
* 'Celebrate Brooklyn' w/ the Hold Steady, Stills, Teenage Prayers, Malajube, Big Sleep, Sam Roberts & Joan Osborne

Posted in music at 2:33 PM | Comments (22)

A letter from a United Palace security guard

The following was posted in the comments:

I am a security guard for the United Palace Theater. I was working the night of the Bjork show. First of all, let me point out that we (the security guards) are guest of the church. Yes, the United Palace is still considered a church (no matter how many vegans/hipsters go there for shows). Second, there are two teams of security, one is the "house" security, and the other is the company that I work for. The house security are the tall men in suits with earpieces. Whatever these guys do or say goes because they work for Rev. Ike and the church. Third, the United Palace one of the largest venues in New York. If people are blocking the isles the fire department will shut us down. The theater is old and if there ever was a fire or a structural collapse there would be a stampede. As security we are responsible for 3800 people's lives.

As for a "mini-revolution" or starting a riot...are you serious? It's a Bjork show. If any number of people started a riot security would just call the NYPD and leave the building. Just because a singer is saying something in his/her lyrics doesn't mean you have to take it literally. When Iggy Pop sang, "My idea of fun is killing everyone", did you think that it would be fun to kill everyone?

Next time you go to a show and decied to write about the staff you should first consider who they are and what they do. The staff keeps you, Brooklyn Vegan, safe. If you are into shows that get shut down by the fire department, by all means block the isles. Then maybe you can start a "mini-revolution" out on the sidewalk against the FDNY. Good luck with that one.

Posted in music | venues at 2:10 PM | Comments (81)

WIN tix to a FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS screening & other COMEDY in this canon by KLAUS

Flight of the Conchords on set - April 20, 2007 (CRED)

No sooner did we express our love for Flight of the Concords, than we were contacted by those involved with the series inviting us to a screening of the first episode at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in NYC this Thursday May 17th (8:30pm). It gets better – they’re giving us 10 PAIRS of tickets to give away to said screening. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL - for those not in NYC (or for those in NYC that are TOO busy on Thursday), we've also got five Flight of the Conchords prize packs (DVD, t-shirt, etc) to give away. To enter to win one of these 15 prizes, E-mail BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: FOC). Tell us your favorite stand up comedian. Include your first and last name as you would like it to appear on the guestlist. Winners will be contacted via email. Losers will not.

Flight of the Conchords & Aziz Ansari in NYC - May 10, 2007

In the meantime, the Conchords are, and have been, filming all over NYC - possibly in your apartment. Just the other day they did some outdoor filming with special guest Aziz Ansari - another awesome addition to an already insane guest roster.

In related news, I sincerely hope you've been watching The Human Giant on MTV, people. The core cast of Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel, and Paul Scheer and the masterful direction of Jason Woliner has made it one of the greatest comedy shows to hit the tube in recent memory. Add special guests such as Patton Oswalt, Jon Benjamin, Jon Glaser, Brian Posehn, Jonah Ray and Ghostface Killah to the mix, and you've got the concept of 'must-see TV' redefined.

And speaking of Jason Woliner, he was recently interviewed by Aspecialthing. Read it HERE. Though the three main stars of the show get the most exposure, it should be noted that the show wouldn't be what it is without Jason. As Sub Pop's Patton Oswalt once said...

He's as crucial to the success of Human Giant as the writing and acting abilities of its stars. He's a sharp comedic actor himself, as well as infinitely patient and instinctive, so he always knows how to get maximum wattage out of every sketch.

Are you going to Bonnarroo this year? In addition to some pretty dope musical acts, they also have a comedy tent featuring many of the comedians featured elsewhere in this post - like YO LA TENGO REVIEWER David Cross, Flight of the Conchords, and Aziz Ansari. They also have the amazing talents of Lewis Black, Dave Attell, Demetri Martin, Finesse Mitchell, Dov Davidoff, Nick Kroll, John Bowman, and Lynne Koplitz.

And speaking of music festivals and Aziz Ansari........

Aziz Ansari, fellow TV star Sarah Silverman, and karaoke host Michael Showalter are hosting the three stages at this year's Sasquatch Festival in Gorge, Washington.

David Cross, Eugene Mirman, Todd Barry, Kristen Schaal and many more special guests will be doing a very long run of shows at the famed rock venue 100 Club in quaint old London England. The show is entitled A Really Lovely Night Out With David Cross and Friends . The shows are going to be at 8:30pm June 19 - 23 and June 26-30. That's 10 shows! If you're from England or will be in England, buy your tickets HERE

You can also see Todd Barry at a gig in Queens

For those of us that sadly couldn't bear witness to the majesty of the Comedians of Comedy at Coachella this year and, well, buy their merch, I have good news. Chunklet has Comedians of Comedy Coachella gear for sale

TONIGHT: The Daily show takes over the Lower East Side. (May 14)

Bored? See what's playing over at UCB.

-Klaus

Posted in Contests | NYC | TV | To Do | bonnaroo | comedy | music at 1:22 PM | Comments (0)

Blonde Redhead, Ted Leo, Thermals & Man Man playing McCarren Pool

DOWNLOAD: Ben Gibbard (Cash Money) covering the Thermals (MP3) (MORE)

A couple of weeks ago I went to see The Thermals rock NYU....

JellyNYC has released this initial list of artists playing free shows at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn this summer:

Blonde Redhead, Ted Leo/Rx , The Thermals, Ghostland Obervatory, Octopus Project, Man Man, Illinois, I'm From Barcelona, Dengue Fever, and THE RUB DJs

Looking good. More bands and dates TBA. I also heard that despite talk of building a pool in the pool, concerts will be back at McCarren in 2008.

Also note: Despite the Saturday date that was announced, I'm From Barcelona are actually playing that Sunday.

Previously
* Ghostland Observatory played Bowery Ballroom
* Ted Leo & Blonde Redhead played Webster Hall
* MAN MAN vegan dinner w/ ISA CHANDRA & NY Magazine
* I'm From Barcelona - 2007 Tour Dates (McCarren Pool)
* Sonic Youth playing Daydream Nation @ McCarren Pool

Posted in music | pictures | tour dates at 12:35 PM | Comments (16)

Controversial radio DJ's are dropping like flies

A threat to free speech, or bigots getting what they deserve?

From this article in the NY Daily News:

* CBS confirmed "The Dog House with JV and Elvis" show was canned permanently after an on-air prank call three weeks ago ordered "slimp flied lice" from a Chinese restaurant.

* In the wake of the Imus case, it would have been maddening to the community if these idiots did not get fired," said Queens City Councilman John Liu.

* The show had aired on WFNY-FM in the slot immediately after shock jocks Opie and Anthony - whose careers also hang in the balance.

* And comedian Donnell (Ashy) Rawlings also lost his job on New York's Power 105.1 FM station last week after he was suspended for making an anti-Semitic remark - reportedly saying "a cheap black guy" should be better known as "a Jewish black guy."

* But 100 protesters yesterday gathered in Union Square to support radio personalities under fire. "It's not about whether you like what you heard or not," said Debbie Wolf, president of People Against Censorship. "I find censorship to be far more offensive than anything that was said."

If you're like me, you never even heard of JV and Elvis until just a few weeks ago when they made waves (sort of) right here in the indie rock community (is there such a thing?)

In other news, Verizon drops sponsorship of Gwen Stefani / Lady Sovereign tour for actions of Akon. Akon says he's sorry.

Posted in music | radio at 11:26 AM | Comments (49)