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May 26, 2007

NEKO CASE made it through a set @ Sasquatch 2007 + BEASTIE BOYS

DOWNLOAD: The Beastie Boys - Now Get Busy (MP3)

Reports from the 2007 Sasquatch Festival in Gorge, Washington are starting to filter in. One such report involves alt-country's corset queen Neko Case

"I'm going to see if I can make it through an entire set this year," Neko Case said when she began at 3:40 p.m. Last year, Case's Sasquatch! set was plagued by hail; this year, she got lots of sunlight, which didn't prevent her from playing Bob Dylan's "Buckets of Rain." Case's largely acoustic performance was a good mid-day balm. [Seattle Times]

The picture above has been described like this:

Beastie Boy Ad Rock looks cool while playing the guitar during an intimate show at the Crocodile Cafe Friday night. The concert was a warm up show for the group's two sets at the Sasquatch! Music Festival in George during Memorial Day Weekend. Photo by Travis Hay

According to the setlist, the Beasties didn't play all instrumental. More photos of the Boys HERE.

It should also be noted that both comedians Aziz Ansari & Sarah Silverman arrived (VERY) late to the festival. That in turn left two of the three stages un-hosted for most, or all, of the first day. Michael Showalter was spotted doing his job though.

Stay tuned right here for more reports from Sasquatch 2007 - including those from the yeti himself.

Posted in MP3 | Sasquatch | music at 10:55 PM | Comments (6)

Sirius Blog Radio updates & some radio MP3's

DOWNLOAD: Regina Spektor - On the Radio (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: TV on the Radio - Dreams (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Radio 4 - Calling All Enthusiasts (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Primitive Radio Gods - Ghost Of A Chance (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Melvins interviewed on Sirius Radio (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Feist live on Chicago Public Radio (MP3)

Those with Sirius satellite radio can tune into the Blog Radio Memorial Day weekend marathon going on right now on Sirius channel 26 - Left of Center. Nothing but Gorilla vs Bear, Productshop, My Old Kentucky Blog, It's a Trap, and Brooklyn Vegan Blog Radio shows all weekend long. We'd (Sirius, me, whoever) would also like to welcome Aquarium Drunkard to the roster of bloggers with radio shows on Sirius. He starts soon. My show is moving from Tuesdays to Wednesdays. This week my guest is DJ David Bruno (yes, that one). Last week I had on DJ Never Forget (we played a Maccabees remix). Two weeks before that I had on Ryan Freshbread who introduced me to the Amy Winehouse cover that The Arctic Monkeys did. I then meant to post it with his playlist, but I didn't, so you might as well get it at Stereogum who has the track up now. That's it. Thanks!

Posted in MP3 | music | radio at 10:46 PM | Comments (2)

May 25, 2007

VIDEO: "Control" (Joy Division movie) trailer

"Ian Kevin Curtis (July 15, 1956 – May 18, 1980) was the vocalist, lyricist and occasional guitarist of the band Joy Division, which he helped form in 1977 in Manchester, England."....

(quote via Wiki.)

Posted in movies | music | video at 9:11 PM | Comments (18)

The week in KURT COBAIN & NEKO CASE's corset

DOWNLOAD: Neko Case - If You Knew (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Nirvana - Jesus Doesn't Want me for a Sunbeam (MP3)

As you may have read on Idolator and then Stereogum and then Gawker and then Idolator again (oops), Doc Martens managed to lose all credibility with their ridiculous new ad campaign.....

"Dr. Martens boots are ‘made to last,’"

Courtney (friend of Billy), and rightly so, got mad. The ad agency even got fired.

Kurt was also spotted this week on the cover of Sassy, wearing a BMX Bandits T-shirt, and expressing his love for Daniel Johnston.

There's also a new Nirvana biography out. PopMatters read it.

Kurt's boxers may or may not show up on E-bay anytime soon, but there is still time to bid on Neko Case's underwear 'vintage 50's bustier girdle corset' on E-bay.

See Neko this summer. She's one of many artists playing free shows at Central Park Summerstage.

Nirvana & Neko Case both start with N. Have a happy Nemorial Day.

Posted in music at 4:28 PM | Comments (15)

NYC "Pop Fest" happening now & this weekend ---- BMX BANDITS TODAY

BMX Bandits is happening like any minute at Cake Shop (they're always running late though). This weekend is the NYC Pop Fest - basically a bunch of shows at different venues.....

"Highlights include Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Bunnygrunt, Pipas, caUSE co-MOTION!, Human Television, Pelle Carlberg, Dear Nora, Ballboy, a performance by Michael Grace's post-My Favorite project the Secret History, and a rare appearance by longstanding Scot-poppers BMX Bandits." [Pfork]

More info at NYC Pop Fest's website.

Posted in To Do | music at 3:09 PM | Comments (7)

is TED LEO the sexiest vegetarian? + THERMALS add shows

you'd never know this MP3 was the Thermals...

DOWNLOAD: The Thermals cover Elliott Smith (MP3) (info)

This picture is not of The Thermals, Ted Leo, or a vegetarian, bit it is a sexy picture of Les Savy Fav's Tim Harrington dressed as something a vegetarian wouldn't eat at the ATP festival in the UK last weekend that The Thermals (and Grizzly Bear and Daniel Johnston) also played....

The Thermals have a few more shows popping up. Tickets are on sale for a July 27th show in Chicago, and one on August 10th at Maxwell's in NJ. That last one is two days before they play a much larger free show at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn with Ted Leo who may or may not be this year's sexiest vegetarian. Ted Leo was also recently seen looking sexy on MTV (and getting sexed up by the crowd at Webster Hall).

The Thermals recently played NYU with the Hold Steady who are also playing a big free show this summer in Brooklyn.

Posted in music | tour dates | veggie | world music at 1:21 PM | Comments (2)

a review of Bright Eyes in Boston - "Conor Outburst"

Bright Eyes @ the Want Center in Boston - May 24, 2007 (CRED)

Speaking of Bright Eyes kicking off 7 NYC nights tonight, here's a review of Bright Eyes' show last night in Boston by first-time BV-contributor "Filthy McMuffin".......

CONOR OUTBURST

Bright Eyes
May 24, 2007
Wang Center, Boston, MA

Bright Eyes had every luxury available to them heading into Thursday's show at the Wang Center in Boston, MA: a sold-out crowd, perfect acoustics, and a full band that included a string quartet, two horn players, two drummers, a vibraphonist, and a keyboardist (in addition to founding members Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nate Walcott). Unfortunately, they seemed unprepared and unable to reach the sonic expectations that accompany such a venue and group of players. For the most part, the arrangements sounded disjointed and ill-conceived. There were a few exceptions ("Make A Plan To Love Me," "Four Winds") where the instrumentation complemented the songs well and it really worked (mostly due to the songs' structural simplicity). But for most of the night it felt like the crowd was on hand for a trial-and-error practice, like watching a minor league team in a major league setting. Perhaps the band should have focused more on the music and less on their outfits (everyone was decked out in white suits and white dresses, which Oberst glibly attributed to their being born again as "second virgins.") To close the night, an apparently inebriated Oberst started smashing all his instruments and the whole stage ended up being trashed to the tune of deafeningly loud guitar feedback. While it may have been fun for the 27-year-old Oberst, his actions came across as immature histrionics, which is the Achilles heel that he has faced throughout his career. Considering the sonic quality and powerful songwriting contained on Bright Eyes' latest record Cassadaga, it was a shame to see all the musical, visual, and acoustic luxuries go to waste.

-Filthy

elsewhere: TMNT butt, Conor Oberst, & Molly Ringwald + an article in the NY Times.

Previously
* Bright Eyes kicking off 7 nights in NYC tonight

Posted in music at 12:51 PM | Comments (35)

What are you doing this weekend? Bright Eyes?

DOWNLOAD: Bright Eyes - Take it Easy (love nothing) (MP3)

Bright Eyes & Gillian Welch kick off seven nights at Town Hall in NYC tonight. Lightning Bolt, Aa, and DMBQ are playing a Todd P show on Saturday. Sage Francis has two shows at Bowery. Handsome Furs are not playing Maxwell's. Les Breastfeeders are here. The Faint are playing Sunday night, and you might not have to work this Monday when Best New Music's The National kick off five nights at Bowery.

There will also be Memorial Day parades, services, Fleet Week, and a NY Philharmonic concert. What are you doing this weekend?

Posted in To Do | music at 12:04 PM | Comments (25)

Blondie & Lily Allen on the Today show

Blondie performed three songs on the Today show this morning - the second of which was "Heart of Glass" with special guest Lily Allen (who is known for covering that song). Tim was there and got pictures...

Posted in TV | music at 11:19 AM | Comments (26)

The Rosebuds @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC - pics

DOWNLOAD: The Rosebuds - Get Up Get Out (MP3)

some of the crowd got in on the action at the end

Last night's show at Bowery Ballroom just kept getting better and better (May 24, 2007). Bowerbirds were pretty good. The Ladybug Transistor was mostly great (I would have left happy if they headlined), but then The Rosebuds were absolutely incredible. It was actually the first time I ever saw them live, and now I might be a little obsessed. It was exactly what I needed - something to counteract all the David Bruno-approved music that's been dominating my life lately.

Bowery was PACKED too. I have to admit I wasn't expecting that - partly because it still wasn't sold out yesterday - and wasn't their last NYC show at (the much smaller) Union Hall? - I can't even imagine how awesome that must have been.

They're on tour. Check them out.

Previously
* MP3s & A CONTEST for free ROSEBUDS Bowery tix
* VIDEO (premiere): THE ROSEBUDS - 'Silence By The Lakeside' ++ bonus video starring comedian TODD BARRY
* Land of Talk touring with the Rosebuds

Posted in MP3 | music | pictures at 9:52 AM | Comments (19)

more White Stripes Tour Dates & the Icky Thump video

There was already all those summer White Stripes dates, and now...

Icky Thump

The White Stripes have announced a string of fall U.S. tour dates that will take the duo to eight areas it's never played in, as the band continues its mission to visit the 16 states it's never toured before. The trek will begin with a two-night stand in the more traditional market of Chicago on September 4th and 5th, before venturing to states like North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Jack and Meg White are hitting the road in support of their sixth album, Icky Thump, which arrives on June 19th.

Previous to this, the Stripes will undertake a tour of all 10 Canadian provinces in June and July, including a July 14th stop in Nova Scotia to mark the band's 10th anniversary.

The group is also set to appear at Tennessee's Bonnaroo festival in June and will play some major U.S. markets in late July.

Newly confirmed White Stripes 2007 tour dates:
September 4 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
September 5 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
September 6 - Lincoln, NE - Pershing Center Auditorium
September 7 - Fargo, ND - Fargo Civic Auditorium
September 8 - Rapid City, SD - Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
September 10 - Jackson Hole, WY - Snowking Center
September 11 - Boise, ID - Idaho Center Theatre
September 12 - Salt Lake City, UT - The "E" Center
September 13 - Albuquerque, NM - Kiva Auditorium
September 15 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
September 16 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
September 19 - Inglewood, CA - The Forum
September 21 - Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre
September 24 - Anchorage, AK - William A. Egan Civic Center
September 26 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Ballroom
September 27 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Ballroom

High-res Icky at Spinner.

Posted in music | tour dates | video at 9:26 AM | Comments (1)

the week in Dance w/ David Bruno (05/25/07)

DOWNLOAD: Busy P - Rainbow Man (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hot Chip - No Fit State (audion Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Digitilism - promox mix 2 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Digitilism - Pogo (radio edit) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Daft Punk - Technologic (Vitalic remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Justice - Waters of Nazareth (Erol Alkan remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (Guns and Bombs remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: M.A.N.D.Y. vs Booka Shade - Body Language (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Jesse Rose - A Sided (MP3)

first annual NYC Dance Parade - May 19, 2007 (CRED)

Holiday weekends in New York are usually stacked with fantastic dance talent. This weekend is no exception.

Top of the list is a rare NYC DJ set from gutter/wobble house mover and shaker Jesse Rose. If you like Switch, you'll be down with Jesse. Jesse runs his own label (Front Room Recordings) and records for Berlin's Get Physical (home of Booka Shade & M.A.N.D.Y) and Switch's Dubsided label. While his productions for those fine imprints tend to the 4 to the floor with the wobble bassline, he also runs a jazzy house label 'loungin recordings'. Expect to hear a DIVERSE set from JR this Saturday at Fixed at Studio B. Go to Front Room's Jesse Rose Bio for more details...

The FIXED boys have been kind enough to give us 3 pairs of tickets to see Jesse Rose on Saturday night. Email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM with an invented house music genre. For example, Fixed resident Dave P probably invented "cocainesexjams". Winners will be notified by Saturday afternoon at the latest.

Its no secret I love house music outside, this is a great clip from Jesse doin' it outside in Miami during WMC....

Hightlights for the rest of the weekend:

APT has a killer weekend planned. Thursday (May 24th) night sees the Dirtybird himself Claude Von Stroke touchdown for the first in a monthly series of parties featuring the San Franscisco based Dirtybird Records crew. Friday night gets a super new disco infusion from Max Pask, Andy Butler of DFA's Hercules and Love Affair, and My Cousin Roy. Check out my site for a little bit more on Hercules and Love Affair.

As mentioned, Studio B rips it out with Crystal Castles (hopefully they'll show) on Friday, Fixed on Saturday, and a Beautiful/Decay party on Sunday featuring Taylor McFerrin, Mattie from the Rapture, and Scottie B.

Cielo has Ben Watt for a second time this week on Thursday night. Steve Bug, champion of the mimimal sound, plays the club for Made Event on Friday.

Rebel throws down again on Friday night, the wonderful DJ Harvey freaks out at Love on Saturday, King Britt plays Sullivan Room on Friday, Acid Girls play the Ruff Club on Friday, Drop the Lime Video release party on Saturday at Savalas, and Flavorpill hops across town to the Natural History Museum for their new monthly Friday night bash.

And last but not least of course, the baby daddy of all today's parties: The Faint rock MOTHERFU@KER on Sunday at Webster Hall.

NEWS

• I've recently discovered Fact Magazine UK. The Contemporary Fix is an excellent monthly rundown of electronic music by TAPE's Kiran Sande. I agree completely:

  In brief: Bjorn Torske’s album is worth your hard-earned for that breezy whistle-fest ‘Hatten Passer‘ alone; the awesome Pilooski edit of Frankie Valli has been re-licensed to 679 and is going to be this year’s ‘Crazy’, so pick up the white and enjoy it while you can; and Hot Chip’s ‘My Piano’, the new track recorded for their DJ Kicks compilation, is camp, euphoric, anthemic pop genius – and the 12” packs a tasty dub. Enjoy.

• If you are anywhere near Detroit this weekend, you should be at the DEMF festival
• Earplug does Klaxons
• Resident Advisor rewrites a press release on Justice's forthcoming album. I still only like "Stress".
• Just in time for summer, Modular releases Cut Copy's ridiculously fantastic "HEARTS ON FIRE"
• DJ Mag interviews Stretch Armstrong about his new electro blog house tendencies

MUSICISM

• Ben Watt's mix Buzzin' Fly Vol. 4 is streaming over at AOL's Spinner
• Distortion Disco has the pretty cool new Bonde Do Role track
• Fujiya & Miyagi's new video for "Ankle Injuries"
• Italo Rave Disco from Scuoloa Furano over at Electric Zoo
• Chromeo's new video for "Fancy Footwork" (MOV)
• Digitalism's new video for "POGO"
• XLR8R TV gets spooky with Joakim
• Pick up tracks from A Touch of Class, Motor, and New Young Pony Club over at XLR8R Downloads

-David

Posted in MP3 | To Do | dance | music at 9:07 AM | Comments (4)

May 24, 2007

LADY SOVEREIGN issues apology, press release

Lady Sovereign cut short a PA set in Brooklyn last Friday night at Studio B following her performance supporting Gwen Stefani at PNC Bank Arts Centre, New Jersey. Lady Sovereign cut her performance to just 2 tracks (she was booked to perform 4 tracks). She was only able to get on stage at 3:30am, two hours later than planned due to her tour bus breaking down on the way to Studio B (a fanbelt needed replacing). Following a long day driving from Bristow, VA and having already performed at the PNC Bank Arts Centre that night, tiredness set in and an emotional and short performance followed. Lady Sov says "I know how stupid i must have looked on Friday, I was tired and not in the mood, having a bad day. But that's no excuse for letting fans down, I'm sorry to those that were at Studio B to see me".

Lady Sovereign will return for a highly anticipated New York performance on July 7, at the exclusive opening night celebration of Spiegeltent. We will have the tour bus replaced prior to the event, and a great show is guaranteed.

Posted in music at 5:03 PM | Comments (25)

Wes' Weekly Hip Hop News Roundup (May 24, 2007)

DOWNLOAD: Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass (MP3)

Aesop Rock speaks on John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats making a guest appearance on None Shall Pass. The Rap Up shares with us the tracklist and cover for the album (MP3 above).

Ms. Lauryn Hill shows newbies like Amy Winehouse how it's really done with her new single Lose Myself

Rakim @ Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY - May 19, 2007 (CRED)

Billed only as The 18th Letter and The Leader, Southpaw in Brooklyn subtly advertised the show with a ‘know the deal or don’t show’ attitude. After an hour and half wait, Rakim graced the stage at 2:00AM to a packed house. The material was what you expected, tracks from his extensive catalogue ranging from ageless Eric B. classics like “Paid in Full” and “Don’t Sweat the Technique” and solo singles “When I B On the Mic” and “It’s Been a Long Time.” More impressive than Rakim’s setlist however was his incredible stage presence, unmatched by anyone else and a fine example of how you earn the title The Master. [26 Going on 27]

Check out the lineup of free NYC hip hop park shows this summer - Kurtis Blow, Arrested Development, Biz Markie, Slick Rick, Whodini, Black Sheep,.....

How was Devin the Dude at Knitting Factory? Reviews at The NY Times and the Village Voice. Interview at Prefix. How was the Beanie Sigel show? Oh wait, it didn't happen.

Read this hilarious interview with Mike Heron, Joell Ortiz' manager - then read about Joell working with Smokey Robinson for his new album. On May 20th Krs-One, Fat Joe, Marly Marl, Joell Ortiz, and a whole pack of legends took the stage at Irving Plaza in NYC. Videos are popping up all over YouTube....

...those videos, NEWS, SHOWS, MP3s, and more, BELOW...........

KRS-One & Marley Marl Live May 20th '07 @ Irving Pl.

Peace. Love. Unity. And Having Fun. More videos from the show HERE and HERE.

NEWS

• Whoa, Remember Drag-on? Never liked him much but this interview is pretty cool
• In the biggest surprise of the year Method Man was found with marijuana on his person.
• Never thought I'd ever say this but Master P shares some insightful thoughts
• Last, and definitely least former Source owner and eternally unsuccessful 'rapper' Benzino makes me chuckle with surprising turn of events. Now he wants to be friends with Eminem again.

MUSIC

• Stones Throw is set to release a deluxe double-CD reissue of Jaylib's underappreciated 2003 classic, Champion Sound, on June 12. Madlib hooked up a bunch of unreleased Jaylib remixes for disc two of the reissue, including this one: Jaylib The Mission (Stringed Out remix) download at GVB.
• One of the best female MCs around: Rah Digga's 2003 album Everything is a Story was shelved but download 4 songs here
• Download the new Jadakiss mixtape here.
• Sick of mash ups yet? No? Check out The Hood Internet.

VIDEO

• This was one of my least favorite songs on the Timbaland's album but Throw It On Me ft. The Hives has a video that gave me a whole new appreciation for the song. Cool comic book/Sin City type treatment.
• Uncle Murda's video for Bullet, Bullet is pretty rough, but the song is awesome.
• The Beastie Boys are back with a new video.
• Video Ghetto Penthouse interviews The Clipse's Malice and indie heavyweight Sean Price.
• KRS-One & Marley Marl - Hip-Hop Lives: the video
• Most anticipated Hip Hop album of 2007? Pharoah Monche channels Elvis in the new video for Body Baby. Also check out Pharoahe's new behind the scenes video.
• Check the video for El-P Ft Trent Reznor's Flyentology here.

SHOWS

5/25 Lifesavas @ Southpaw, 9pm

5/25 Lyricist Lounge Presents: Pete Rock & Stimilus @ Southpaw, 11pm

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

5/26 Mos Def @ Highline Ballroomm tix

5/29 Lyricist Lounge Presents: Slum Village, Illa Jay (J Dilla's Brother) @ Southpaw, 9PM

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

07/19 Arrested Development @ Von King Park (Brooklyn)

07/25 Kurtis Blow/DJ GrandWizzard Theodore/Ralph McDaniel @ Crotona Park (Bronx)

07/31 Whodini @ Queensbridge Park (Manhattan)

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

08/08 Biz Markie/DJ Lovebug starski @ Jackie Robinson Park (Manhattan)

08/09 Slick Rick/DJ Red Alert @ Marcus Garvy Park (Manhattan)

08/15 Black Sheep @ Mahoney Playground (Staten Island)

------

this post brought to you by Undisputed Wes

Posted in MP3 | hiphop | music | tour dates at 4:21 PM | Comments (2)

Mystery Jets cancel tour due to VISA problems too

This is now the third post in a row related to VISA issues: Handsome Furs & M.I.A., The Maccabees, and now the Mystery Jets are also cancelling their tour - that includes their Joe's Pub gig, and the June 2nd show at Bowery Ballroom.

The Bowery show will still happen with openers White Rabbit and Vampire Weekend (a stereogum and L Magazine band to watch and hear), but Dansettes and Aeroplane Pageant were also added to the bill, AND the price was slightly reduced. If you already bought a ticket you'll get a drink ticket at the door to make up for the difference. I suppose refunds will also be issued to those wanting to go that route.

Posted in music | tour dates at 3:02 PM | Comments (12)

Noisettes / MACCABEES tix back on sale + Album Stream

Tickets are back on sale for the June 6th Noisettes/Maccabees show at Knitting Factory in NYC. If you were listening to my Sirius radio show with guest DJ Never Forget on Tuesday, you heard us/him play the "South Central remix" of The Maccabees' song X-Ray.

Stream the UK band's whole new album at AOL. All tour dates below...

UPDATE: According to Indietastic, The Maccabees are ALSO having VISA problems which means they're not getting to the U.S. until June 3rd.

The Maccabbees - 2007 Tour Dates
May 27 - Pompano Beach Amphitheatre * West Palm Beach, Florida
May 28 - Jannus Landing * St. Petersburg, Florida
May 29 - Firestone * Orlando, Florida
May 31 - The Tabernacle * Atlanta, Georgia
Jun 1 - House of Blues * North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Jun 2 - Millenium Center * Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Jun 3 - DAR Constitution Hall * Washington, Washington DC
Jun 5 - Tower Theatre * Upper Darby, Pennsylvania
Jun 6 - The Knitting Factory New York, New York
Jun 7 - Asbury Park Convention Hall * Asbury Park, New Jersey
Jun 9 - Schubas Tavern Chicago, Illinois
Jun 11 - Uptown Theatre * Kansas City, Missouri
Jun 12 - Ogden Theatre * Denver, Colorado
Jun 13 - The Pearl Room Theatre at Palms Casino * Las Vegas, Nevada
Jun 14 - Pop Scene Show @ 330 Ritch San Francisco, California
Jun 15 - Troubador Los Angeles, California
Jun 16 - Viejas Concerts in the Park * Alpine, California
Jun 22 - Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury
Jun 29 - Accelerator Festival Stockholm
Jul 7 - T in The Park Scotland
Jul 8 - Oxegen Festival Dublin
Jul 13 - Summercase Festival Barcelona
Jul 14 - Summercase Festival Madrid
Aug 5 - Electric Gardens Festival Kent
Aug 24 - Leeds Festival Leeds
Aug 26 - Reading Festival Reading
Sep 7 - Bestival Isle of Wight

* w/ Bloc Party

"Precious Time"

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

MIA, Sasquatch Festival, YETI & Merc tonight

Handsome Furs are not playing Mercury Lounge tonight (May 24) due to VISA problems (which sucks), but Love As Laughter and TK Webb & The Visions will still go on (10pm).

M.I.A. is also having VISA problems again which in turn will not allow her to make her scheduled appearance at the Sasquatch Festival this weekend, BUT Jerry Yeti (not to be confused with the Sasquatch Yeti Stage) will once again be on hand to give us the non-MIA blow by blow. Perhaps he will check out The Long Winters who will be there to entertain us in her place.

Those with epilepsy should stay away from M.I.A.'s homepage. Those going to Lollapalooza should still expect to see M.I.A. there at this point.

Posted in Sasquatch | music at 2:08 PM | Comments (0)

BOWERBIRDS - album stream, MP3, tour dates & TONIGHT

DOWNLOAD: Bowerbirds - In Our Talons (MP3)

Tonight's Rosebuds/Ladybug Transistor show (May 24) just got more interesting - actually it was already that interesting, but I just realized it was more interesting. The reason = the opener = BOWERBIRDS. After a tip from HOAS, I meant to check them out at Sidewalk Cafe back in October, but then forgot. Right before that The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle called them, "The Best Band You Haven't Heard Yet".

And YES, like pretty much any band putting out an album on any sort of label, they have a publicist now, and yes - blog love is quickly picking up steam. And yes they sound a little bit like Devendra Banhart. And yes I forgot what I'm even talking about. Their album is streaming on their MySpace.

They go on first at Bowery tonight (May 24). Get there early. All tour dates below....

Bowerbirds - 2007 Tour Dates
May 24 - the Bowery Ballroom with Rosebuds and Ladybug Transistor NYC
Jun 22 - Local 506 with Charles Latham (going away forever party) Chapel Hill, NC
Jun 23 - Rock and Shop Market! Raleigh, NC
Jun 30 - The Blend (was Wetlands) with Schooner, Wes Phillips,Chapel Hill, NC
Jul 17 - Nightlight Carrboro, NC

Previously
Ladybug Transistor & Rosebuds playing Bowery & stuff

Posted in MP3 | music | tour dates at 1:28 PM | Comments (2)

Daniel Johnston's private show & the Man Man vegan dinner

There was no way I was going to pass up a big vegan dinner cooked by Isa Chisandra that included an open bar and a Man Man show (true - I'm not the biggest man man fan, but still). That was until I found out I could instead catch a short set by Daniel Johnston - and still have time to see Man Man on top of it. The Daniel Johnston show was in this loft-office-production-company space in SOHO that fit about 125 people. Luckily there was free food there too, but sadly it mainly consisted of cocktail weiners and macaroni & cheese - aka nothing I could eat. On the way there I passed Fred Schneider of the B-52's going into the Antony-Nico Muhly-Final Fantasy $600 Kitchen performance that Lou Reed was also at to honor his wife/girlfriend Laurie Anderson. Kitchen co-sponsor and Daniel Johnston fan David Bowie was at neither performance.

Daniel played for about 30 minutes - an acoustic set with Brett Hartenbach (who also played with him acoustic at Warsaw). The whole thing was being taped - part of some new series for something (not totally sure what). I was also supposed to interview Daniel after the show - hopefully to clear up the air, but that ended up not working out. Maybe there's nothing to clear up (Interview still might happen though). Happy, and moved, yet conflicted and disappointed, I left and walked over to Man Man. It was just a few blocks away in Chinatown.

It was around 9:15, and Man Man was going on at 9:30....WRONG - a big sign on the door said that Man Man doors weren't opening until 10:00. After killing some time in the area while simultaneously getting tireder and tireder, I came back a little after 10:00 to find that doors were still not open, and there was a huge line going in two different directions. I gave up and went home.

Previously
* vegan MAN MAN tonight (tix) -- Bad Art Auction in June
* private DANIEL JOHNSTON show tonight - WIN TIX (or DVD)

Posted in music | pictures at 12:11 PM | Comments (19)

VIDEO: Grizzly Bear on the beach @ ATP

Many have accused Jimmy Kimmel of biting La Blogoteque's 'take away show' style with his video of Feist on a bus. La Blogoteque is known for capturing Arcade Fire in an elevator, The National at a dinner table, The Shins on the street, ETC. They've also done Grizzly Bear - both take away style, and just in regular style, but in French.

That all said, some may immediately think the following video is yet another bite on La Blog. Actually it is, but it isn't, but it is. Grizzly Bear went to the beach to film a clip for an official video about ATP (not La Blog), BUT the guy filming it IS one of the La Blogoteque bloggers (sell out!), BUT the guy that actually filmed the below clip was merely an audience member (thief!).....

Grizzly Bear - 2007 Tour Dates
May 26 - Sasquatch Music Festival George, Washington
Jun 2 - Primavera Festival Barcelona, undefined
Jun 8 - Calvin Theater * Northampton, Massachusetts
Jun 9 - Berklee Performance Center * Boston, Massachusetts
Jun 13 - 9:30 Club * Washington DC, Washington DC
Jun 14 - Carolina Theater * Greensboro, North Carolina
Jun 15 - Variety Playhouse * atlanta, Georgia
Jun 19 - The Vic Theater * Chicago, Illinois
Jun 20 - Pantages Theater * Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jun 22 - Boulder Theater * Boulder, Colorado
Jun 24 - Moore Theater * Seattle, Washington
Jun 26 - TBA * Portland, Oregon
Jun 26 - The Fillmore * San Francisco, California
Jun 29 - The Wiltern * Los Angeles, California
Jul 14 - Pitchfork Music Festival Chicago, Illinois
Jul 16 - Summerstage (with the Decemberists & Land of Talk) New York, New York

* w/ Feist

previously
* more Grizzly Bear posts

Posted in music | video at 10:14 AM | Comments (18)

May 23, 2007

private DANIEL JOHNSTON show tonight - WIN TIX (or DVD)

DOWNLOAD: Daniel Johnston - Impossible Love (MP3)

Sorry for the last minute notice on this one. Daniel Johnston is playing a private acoustic performance tonight in SOHO in NYC (May 23). The event, which will also have some of Daniel's artwork on display, runs from 7-9 pm. It's invite-only, but I have two pairs of tickets to give away to two people who email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM right now (subject: Daniel) and tell me what famous rocker wore a Daniel Johnston t-shirt during his performance at the 1992 Video Music Awards? Include your first and last name for the guestlist. Two winners will be picked at random at 4:15 pm (today - May 23) and emailed the location.

If you can't make the show, I also have one copy of "the Devil and Daniel Johnston" DVD to give out. Just mention in the email that you want the DVD instead of the tickets.

This will also actually be Daniel's second private NYC performance on this tour. I heard he played a conference room on the afternoon before the Warsaw show.

Oh, and in case you were wondering - Daniel has not been in NYC since last week. In fact, he just arrived back to NYC from Europe today. While there he played 3 shows in the UK (including ATP), and one in Belgium. For a guy who just recently couldn't travel at all, he's really turned around.

Posted in Contests | music at 1:56 PM | Comments (31)

vegan MAN MAN tonight (tix) -- Bad Art Auction in June

$35 tickets to the vegan dinner with Man Man sold out pretty quickly, BUT there is still room in the open-bar room that Man Man is playing in (Grand Harmony Palace @ 98 Mott St.), and you can go for just $10. You have to RSVP, but keep in mind that RSVP does not guarantee entry - It will still be first-come, first-serveed. Man Man's set time is 9:30.

Initial details on NY Magazine's next (June) event below....

JUNE 2007 - BAD ART AUCTION

Destroy art for a good cause. Rising art-world stars help us curate the worst art from this city of too much bad art already. And then our unqualified, but amusing, auctioneer will help explain just how ridiculous these works are and will sell them to the highest bidders, who can then add the pieces to their collections or have them destroyed live onstage. All auction proceeds will be going to a worthy art-related charity (which will not be a trust fund for photographers to take pictures of their hot friends puking topless).

Previously
* MAN MAN vegan dinner w/ ISA CHANDRA & NY Magazine
* NY Magazine's Indie Rock Karaoke

Posted in To Do | music | veggie at 1:16 PM | Comments (13)

Good Morning America 2007 Concert Series

The following short-free-televised shows take place at 7am in Bryant Park in NYC....

Good Morning America - 2007 Schedule
May 25 ......... Fergie .........................
June 1.......... Daughtry ........ ........
June 8 .......... Robin Thicke .......
June 15.......... Brad Paisley ...... ...
June 22....... Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana
June 29 .......... Patti LaBelle .
July 6 .......... Norah Jones .
July 13 ..........Fantasia .............
July 20 .......... John Mayer + Special Guest
July 27 .......... SugarLand ........ ...
August 3 .........John Legend
August 10 ......... Mika.........
August 17......... TBA ...............
August 24 ......... TBA ............

Speaking of John Mayer, College Humor has a video of him doing standup comedy.

Robin Thicke is also playing Radio City with Jill Scott.

Norah Jones is touring with M. Ward.

Mika looks like shit.

Previously
* other Good Morning America posts

Posted in NYC | music | tour dates at 11:56 AM | Comments (29)

I'M FROM BARCELONA add Brooklyn show + some BLONDE REDHEAD videos from "23"

Tickets are on sale for an August 6th I'm From Barcelona show at Southpaw in Brooklyn. It's one day after they open for Blonde Redhead at McCarren Pool. New Blonde Redhead videos below...

"Top Ranking"

This is the official video for the song "Top Ranking" off of Blonde Redhead's seventh album, "23". Directed by Mike Mills and featuring Miranda July.

"23"

This is the first video for the title track (and soaring opener) of Blonde Redhead's new album, '23'. The video was directed by Melodie McDaniel.

I'm From Barcelona's only other announced U.S. date is Lollapalooza at the moment. Same with Blonde Redhead actually.

Previously
* more I'm From Barcelona posts
* more Blonde Redhead posts

Posted in music | tour dates | video at 11:13 AM | Comments (6)

LADYBUG TRANSISTOR memorial, new album, MP3 & A CONTEST for free ROSEBUDS Bowery tix

DOWNLOAD: The Rosebuds - Blue Bird (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Rosebuds - You Better Get Ready (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Ladybug Transistor - Song for the Ending Day (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Ladybug Transistor - Three Days from Now (MP3)

What we already know
* The Rosebuds have a new video
* The Rosebuds are going on tour with Land of Talk
* San Fadyl of the Ladybug Transistor has passed away
* The Rosebuds & Ladybug Transistor are playing Bowery Ballroom Thursday night

What we now know
* Ladybug Transistor & others are playing a San Fadyl memorial show @ Soundfix
* Ladybug Transistor have an album ("Can't Wait Another Day") out June 5th on Merge

The album features spirited contributions from members of Aislers Set, Architecture in Helsinki, The Clientele, Jens Lekman, Kevin Barker (Currituck Co., Vetiver), Heather McIntosh (Circulatory System, Instruments), Roy Nathanson (Lounge Lizards/Jazz Passengers) and others. The first fruits of these sessions were heard on 2006's Here Comes The Rain EP.

Do you want to see the Ladybug Transistor & The Rosebuds at Bowery Ballroom Thursday night (May 24)? I have two pairs of tickets to give away. To win, e-mail BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Rosebuds). Tell me your favorite band on Merge Records. Two winners will be picked at random, and contacted around 5pm today (May 23). Include your first and last name for the guestlist.

Posted in Contests | MP3 | music | tour dates at 4:14 AM | Comments (14)

Portishead, Mazzy Star, Patti Smith, The Decemberists

DOWNLOAD: Portishead - Roads (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mazzy Star - Wasted (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Jesus & Mary Chain & Hope Sandoval - Sometimes Always (MP3) (via)

* Portishead playing All Tomorrow's Parties
* Patti Smith covers the Decemberists
* Tix still on sale for Decemberists, Grizzly Bear, Land of Talk
* Hope Sandoval continues to live in relative obscurity
* Jesus & Mary Chain complete two nights at Webster Hall

Posted in MP3 | music at 3:50 AM | Comments (10)

Jesus & Mary Chain @ Webster Hall (night 2), NYC - pics

This fourth and last of their U.S. reunion shows (May 22, 2007) was the only one I attended. Price aside, I liked it. Not everyone was happy though.

Just Like Honey @ Webster Hall part I

Just Like Honey @ Webster HAll part II

That's Nicole from the Comas singing backup again. More dates....

Jesus & Mary Chain - Summer 2007 Tour Dates
22/06 - UK London @ Meltdown Festival
04/07 - Portugal Lisbon @ Super Bock Super Rock Festival
13/07 - Spain Madrid @ Summercase Festival
14/07 - Spain Barcelona @ Summercase Festival
12/08 - Germany bHildesheim @ M'era Luna Festival
31/08 - UK Argyll, Scotland @ Connect Festival
01/09 - Ireland, Stradbally, Laois @ Electric Picnic

DOWNLOAD: The Jesus & Mary Chain - About You (MP3)

Previously
* the Jesus & Mary Chain played Webster Hall, David Letterman ++ Comas - 2007 Tour Dates

Posted in MP3 | music | pictures | tour dates at 2:28 AM | Comments (52)

VIDEOS: Gruff Rhys - 'Candylion' & the John Rambo trailer

The guy from Super Furry Animals knocks a lemon right off a table. John Rambo knocks someone's head right off their body...

Candylion

John Rambo

Gruff Rhys - 2007 Tour DatesZ
Jun 3 - Brazil,Sao Paulo, Studio SP Sao Paulo
Jun 9 - Lynton and Lynmouth Festival, Devon South
Jun 30 - Acceletaror - Stockholm Sweden
Jul 27 - TrocaBrahamaUK, Liverpool - Picket Liverpool
Jul 28 - TrocaBrahamaUK, Glasgow-Fruit Market Glasgow
Jul 29 - TrocaBrahamaUK, London -Koko London, South
Aug 11 - Field Day Festival, London London
Aug 12 - Summer Sundae Festival, Leicester Leicester, Midlands
Aug 12 - Summer Sundae, Leicester
Aug 19- Green Man Festival, Brecon Wales

Info on the Rambo IV footage here.

Posted in movies | music | video at 1:22 AM | Comments (3)

May 22, 2007

Summerstage 2007 Schedule now official

The 2007 Central Park Summerstage line-up is now official, and posted on their website. (thx all)

Posted in comedy | music | tour dates at 5:19 PM | Comments (20)

Handsome Furs cancel tour, though album is out (MP3)

I was definitely excited for one or both of the Handsome Furs shows at Mercury Lounge this week, but unfortunately - they are not happening anymore - possibly due to border/VISA issues, though it is still unclear.

Oh well - it still should be noted though that their album Plague Park is out this week, and is definitely very interesting.

DOWNLOAD: Handsome Furs - What We Had (MP3)

Posted in MP3 | music | tour dates at 5:16 PM | Comments (10)

A letter from Cartel's "Bubble Boy" (to Bob Lefsetz)

I actually never even heard of Cartel until all this caffeinated-carbonated-beverage-band-in-a-bubble hoopla. I also sort of tried to ignore it until just now - that's when I posted the fact that this event is happening right here in NYC next month, and for free. then the first commenter asked, "Why is Cartel plaing inside a stupid bubble?". That in turn reminded me of a letter that the singer of Cartel wrote to Bob Lefsetz......

Bob,

I'm the singer and main songwriter for the band Cartel that you so vehemently wrote off as another desperate band in a desperate time. I've got to admit that your recent letter got under my skin but I totally understand where you're coming from and agree with most everything you said. I don't really care about a response from you. I just want you to hear what the artist is thinking and not what a label/manager/ad agency or anyone else has to say about this.

First off, lets get all the things we agree on out of the way. Of course this is a marketing ploy and a huge one at that. There's not one person who reads about this fan or not that isn't going to see this as a stunt. Second, if I were not the subject of the matter I would whole-heartedly agree that whatever band was doing was being suckered in and hoodwinked and hijacked or whatever phrase we can think of. Lastly, the industry nowadays should be about the music and nothing else. The artist should feel that his or her talent and expression of which should be the only thing that matters and nothing more. With all that I agree.

Now, to address what assumptions you are making about us as an artist. Well, you admitted right off that you've never heard of us and we've been touring for 4 years and started on an indie label....yada yada. All that has a lot to do with why we did this. I'm 23 so most of the lifespan of the modern music industry has passed my mature mind by. 10 years ago I couldn't tell you who sang most of the songs that I had stuck in my head nor did I care. now, things are different. For one, the industry and music for that matter is not one iota comparable to an era such as the 70's....ever since all those bands became popular and started making labels the juggernauts that they are today it's been a downward spiral to this point in time....with labels and agencies and managers at the helm. Artists who are selling records and in the spotlight for the most part have little to nothing to do with anything other than the songs and even then I'd make a guess the 90% of the big artists are having someone else write their songs or sample it from a greater era of songwriting.

Cartel is a band tha believes in what we do. We write the kind of songs that could be on the radio....we also write the kind of songs radio programmers would scoff at. When is the last you heard of a band that has a top 40 single on the radio that also had a 12 minute finale that went through about 4 different movements and turned 5 different choruses from the previous songs into a medley reprise at the end. If there is such an artist I haven't heard of them and most people who have heard the first single on our last record didn't know we were that kind of band either. That is precisely the point. People don't know what kind of artist we are. All they see is what radio and mtv want them to see which is the songs that sell records nowadays. 12 minute epics have no place on radio or mtv....hell, the only show that plays videos on mtv anymore only shows about 2 minutes of each video.....AND THOSE ARE THE MOST POPULAR ONES!!!!

See, we only have one record. We're about to record our 2nd. People don't really know us from any other band on the radio or mtv. All that is about to change. This bubble shit is stirring up all kinds of dust around the music world. Its something people find ridiculous. People think we're crazy, sellouts, whores and everything else negative they can think of. Some people see it as cool. (I would venture to say that most of these people don't have their head up their asses about music in the sense that they don't think they are the definitive source on music knowledge or "what's wrong with the industry"). The big point is that people who have never heard of us are hearing about us now. I know that great bands get out there some way.....but how long does that take. Even the upstarts from left field don't have a career long enough to even call them road tested.....shit, some of them have played less than 100 shows ever by the time they "make it".

The industry is crumbling. People are losing their jobs. Less established bands are being dropped from major labels everyday.....even ones that sold pretty decently but didn't get the break everyone was looking for. We are looking at this as our make or break opportunity. If this bubble thing never happened we would release our next record to our 200,000 or so fans with a single to radio that would be negligibly pushed and we would just sit back and see what happens with our career as our tour schedule continued. It might have broke and we could be sitting on cloud nine by the end of the year and everyone is happy with no cred lost and no harm done. That's best case scenario. What if it flopped in the labels eyes and only sold 300k or so...that's not good enough for these people. We'd be shitting ourselves still calling it awesome and enjoying the modest loot we make on the road. Now here's where you say "shouldn't it only matter what you think.....that you did your best and did it without this whole mess". Well, it does only matter what we think. It really doesn't matter what you or any other blogger in the world thinks. We think we fucking rock. We think we're one of the best bands making popular or any other kind of music right now. Our producers don't do shit to our songs and we don't listen to our A&R...he just got fired anyway. We'd dropkick most of the top 40 artists right in the face if we were put up to the tests of live performance or songwriting ability. With that being said, there are artists who are up there who are fantastic and bust their ass and earned it the old fashioned way. We, however, feel we deserve to be up there too and just because pete wentz doesn't tell everybody they should like our band doesn't mean we don't belong.

This marketing scheme shows the world that we are a real band with real inspiration and real songs. Not some american idol winner or a label lottery contestant. People get to see us do what we do under intense pressure and scrutiny and still hit a fucking grand slam while in the meantime people in your position are hating like there's no tomorrow on a band that they know little to nothing about.

Popular music is still the standard. Every legendary artist is the most popular at what they do and have accrued many platinum records......why? Because millions of people like their music....not the 500k or so indie kids who are too busy sucking their thumbs to realize that a really good band is being passed by because they "soldout". We're even losing some of our fans by trying to play more technical and less "bouncy" rock. They think we've started to become boring to watch because we don't encite mosh pits. That's not what we're about. We aspire to such bands as pearl jam and oasis and radiohead and the beatles and the beach boys and led zepplin....shit Yes is our lead guitar players favorite band. Steve howe is fucking god. Now how many top 40 artist could even name yes or steve howe for that matter.

All you guys think we're just another dickless band with mediocre songs without even giving us a chance. That's no way to find out about a band you might actually like. We will gladly accept all the fans that will have us even if they are of the generation that only listens to radio.....why? Because they just listen to music.....they don't analyze business decisions or marketing ploys. They only care what's coming in their ears and that's what we're about. Not some scene that's too stuck in the past to do anything worthwhile anymore.

So we put our necks on the chopping block. We throw ourselves at everyone's mercy with the belief that we wrote badass songs and that's all that should matter. Which, as you say, that's all that should matter. Not a bubble, not a gimmick, not a marketing stunt, not even mtv.....but the tunes. If we fail at that then that's our mistake and ours alone. But if we knock it out of the park then we bypass all the lame fucks who are too full of themselves to take on opportunities such as this. Its not for everybody but its for us. Fuck selling records if that's what you think this is all about. We want people to know that we will write rock songs and ballads and shit you probably haven't heard before right in front of everyone's eyes with no strings and no puppeteers doing the work for us. Listen to the record and decide then what to do with us.

Call this my manifesto but for one I'm sick of all the ninnies running around acting like they know anything about what it takes to create music. To all of them and you I ask......where's your albums?

Thanks for your time if you actually read this. If you did I appreciate your attention and hopefully this shed some light on the darkness surrounding the bubble.

Take care.
--Will Pugh

-www.cartelrocks.com-

bonus points if you read the whole letter.

Posted in music at 5:08 PM | Comments (37)

2007 Riverrocks free NYC concert schedule

free shows @ Pier 54 @ 14th St, NYC, 2007
Jun 12 - Cartel in a bubble
Jun 28 - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Jul 19 - The Blind Boys of Alabama, Trombone Shorty, Sam & Ruby
Aug 09 - Yerba Buena, Los Amigos Invisibles, Jose Conde Y Ola Fresca

more info here.

Posted in music | tour dates at 4:45 PM | Comments (21)

LADY SOVEREIGN freaks out @ Studio B (video) ++ a new PROFESSOR MURDER mixtape (MP3)

DOWNLOAD: Caps & Jones + Professor Murder - Mixed Tape (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Professor Murder - Free Stress Test (streetlab remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lady Sovereign - Love me or Hate Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lady Sovereign - Hoodie (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lady Sovereign - Hoodie (Spank Rock remix) (MP3)

Professor Murder & Lady Sovereign played a show at Studio B in Brooklyn this weekend, and shortly afterwards the e-mails started pouring in - I mean the Lady Sov part of the show WAS advertised as a mini-set, but this is ridiculous....

Went to go see Lady Sovereign perform at Studio B in Greenpoint. I am not sure what happened, the show started off quite well. She performed two songs and then she got on the Mic and started complaining about how poor she was, and how she had no money and then BAM! she walked off stage, much to the dismay of Studio B.????? and the entire crowd who showed up to see her.

Yo that was pathetic. I can't believe you'd diss youself so hard in Williamsburg. Don't you know that you had a crowd of about 500 tastemakers there just for you? I thought you were someone who mattered. How wrong I was. Go fuck yourself.

Lady, your days are numbered. You just flipped the bird to Williamsburg, the center of the universe. You're over sweety. [Rock Star Diary]

...and by "ridiculous", I of course mean the part about Williamsburg being "the center of the universe". :-) Igor describes the situation like this:

Last night at Studio B in Brooklyn rapper Lady Sovereign completely broke down on stage. As she was waiting to go on stage she started setting this flier on the wall on fire. She got up on stage and the first thing she said was that this was the smallest crowd she had played to in "a long time". This probably had something to do with the fact that people waited two hours for her to go on. She then played Love Me or Hate Me but she didn't sing the choruses. Then she proceeded to say she was just here for the money. She said she was broke and didn't want to go on. She was like "I don't know what I am doing, what song is next?" Then she did another song and just sort of broke down. She said that she had been playing the same songs for two years and that she was sick of it. She told the audience that we couldn't possibly understand. She then was like "fuck this, I don't care if I don't get paid" and walked off the stage after a quick talk with her DJ. It was totally surreal.

Igor also supplsed the pictures on the top of this post, and the following video:

Is she for real, or is it all one big continuing psycho act. Did anyone see her show earlier in the night with Gwen Stefani?

Professor Murder also played the Studio B show. I hope their set was longer. Check out the top of this post for a brand new Professor Morder mixtape that they described to me like this:

we went to the Brothers Studio in Greenpoint and recorded lots and lots of live instrumental jams which we cut up into dozens of loops, which we sent to Caps & Jones, who used them along with other tracks and vocals and everything else to make this mix. The mix also have a preview of our single "Dutch Hex", which will be coming out sometime soon on the new Brothers Label, run out of the Brothers Studio.

Previously
* more Professor Murder posts
* more Lady Sovereign posts

Posted in MP3 | music at 2:01 PM | Comments (70)

Battles also playing Studio B in Brooklyn

Battles are not only touring all over and playing South Street Seaport in August - they're playing a show at Studio B in Brooklyn on July 20th. Tickets are on sale (thx jobcain).

Posted in music | tour dates at 1:41 PM | Comments (1)

Nada Surf, Cheeseburger & others playing Domino's Sugar Factory FREE benefit show

BENEFIT FRIENDRAISER CONCERT DON'T DEMO DOMINO - JUNE 3, 2007

2 pm to 8 pm
Grand Ferry Park, Williamsburg

Williamsburg, Brooklyn: Community leaders and local rock bands will gather on the Williamsburg waterfront on June 3, 2007, to participate in a benefit "friendraiser" concert to save the historic Domino's Sugar Factory from demolition. Concert organizers Act Local have partnered with the Waterfront Preservation Alliance to produce the event. The lineup includes nationally known acts like Nada Surf, The Wau Wau Sisters, and The Hungry March Band, as well as emerging acts Cheeseburger, Vic Thrill and the Saturn Missile, and The Black Tie Party.

The Domino Sugar Refinery is one of the last major industrial sites on Williamsburg's waterfront and it is soon to be rezoned for residential development. "The Waterfront Preservation Alliance supports the redevelopment of the site, provided that architecturally and historically significant buildings such as the refinery, Adant House and Power House are preserved as part of the redevelopment," says WPA spokesperson Alice Rich. "We believe that a comprehensive preservation program, combined with high-quality new design and affordable housing will best serve the Williamsburg community. Landmarking the site means that the rich history of Williamsburg's past has a place in its future. These buildings are significant and should be retained no matter what the future use of the site may be."

The concert is absolutely free. The cost of admission is a signature on a petition asking Mayor Bloomberg to designate the site a New York City Landmark and thus save it from potentially being torn down to make way for luxury condos. (Concertgoers who have already signed the petition can sign a letter requesting the same of the mayor.)

"We are excited to be putting on our first FREE benefit show," said Mikki Halpin of Act Local, the concert organizer. "We've done benefits in the past but they always had a door charge. This is exciting because it is all about people power."

The musical selection is diverse, with the raucous neo-punk of the Black Tie Party, the marching-band-gone-insane-vibe of The Hungry March Band, Cheeseburger's trademark guitar mayhem, costumes-and-country camp divas the Wau Wau Sisters, "backwoods extraterrestrials" Vic Thrill and the Saturn Missile, and an acoustic set from critically acclaimed headliners Nada Surf all combining to deliver a day of music that is 100% locally grown Brooklyn rock.

Local community groups will be using the picnic area to distribute literature and let community members know of other ways to get involved in issues of development, waterfront preservation, and open space.

Both Act Local and the Waterfront Preservation Alliance encourage the community to come out to the park, have a picnic, and enjoy music while saving this important piece of New York history.

LINEUP AND APPROXIMATE SET TIMES:

2:00 The Black Tie Party
2:45 The Hungry March Band
3:30 Vic Thrill and the Saturn Missile
4:15 Cheeseburger
5:00 The Wau Wau Sisters
5:45 Nada Surf (acoustic)

Posted in music | music at 1:20 PM | Comments (15)

BATTLES - 2007 Tour Dates, album stream & MP3's ++ STARS & indie REMIX ALBUMS?

DOWNLOAD: Battles - Dance (old MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Four Tet - A Joy (Battles remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Battles - Atlas (DJ Koze Remix) (new, but remixed MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Stars - The First Five Times (Russian Futurists remix) (MP3)

Battles' great new album Mirrored was released today on Warp Records.

You can stream the whole thing at AOL (and at MySpace), and see them play for free at South Street Seaport in NYC on August 31st.

Drowned in Sound recently spoke with Battles member Tyondai Braxton

What about the possibility of remixes? Mirrored sounds like an LP crying out for a series of awesome remixes, if you get what I mean…

We’re totally open to that – ‘Atlas’ had a remix on it. Actually, it would be cool to get a whole remix album of Mirrored, that’s a good idea.

Pitchfork recently reviewed the new Stars remix album.

In recent years, everyone from Death From Above 1979 to Architecture in Helsinki to Bloc Party have succumbed to the temptation to create indie remix albums. Now we're faced with Stars' Do You Trust Your Friends?, which we may someday see as the tipping point from indie rock remix albums being idle, indulgent fan-club novelties to becoming inescapable annoyances.

So, to remix or not to remix? All Battles tour dates below.....

"Atlas" - live in Chicago

Battles @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC (MORE)

Battles - 2007 Tour Dates
May 22 - Academy 2 Manchester
May 23 - ABC 2 Glasgrow
May 24 - The Barfly Birmingham
May 25 - Birmingham Dublin
May 26 - Maroquinerie Paris
May 27 - Le Grand Mix Roubaix, Lille
May 30 - MJC Oullins Oullins
Jun 1 - Dissonanze Festival Rome
Jun 2 - Primavera Festival Barcelona
Jun 4 - FZW Dortmund
Jun 5 - Conne Island Leipzig
Jun 13 - CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA SATELLITE BALLROOM
Jun 14 - CHARLOTTE, NC THE MILESTONE
Jun 15 - ATLANTA, GA DRUNKEN UNICORN
Jun 16 - GAINESVILLE, FL COMMON GROUNDS
Jun 17 - ORLANDO, FL THE SOCIAL
Jun 18 - MIAMI, FL STUDIO A
Jun 19 - TAMPA, FL CROWBAR
Jun 20 - TALLAHASSEE, FL THE BETA BAR
Jun 22 - BATON ROUGE, LA SPANISH MOON
Jun 23 - HOUSTON, TX NUMBERS
Jun 24 - AUSTIN, TX EMOS JR
Jun 25 - DENTON, TX HALLEYS
Jun 27 - ALBUQUEQUE, NM LAUNCHPAD
Jun 28 - PHOENIX, AZ RHYTHM ROOM
Jun 29 - SAN DIEGO, CA BEAUTY BAR
Jun 30 - LOS ANGELES, CA TROUBADOUR
Jul 2 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA SLIMS
Jul 3 - PORTLAND, OR DOUG FIR LOUNGE
Jul 4 - VANCOUVER, BC RICHARDS ON RICHARDS
Jul 5 - SEATTLE, WA CROCODILE CAFE
Jul 6 - BOISE, ID NEUROLUX
Jul 7 - SALT LAKE CITY, UT URBAN LOUNGE
Jul 8 - DENVER, CO LARIMER LOUNGE
Jul 10 - KANSAS CITY, MO THE RECORD BAR
Jul 11 - MINNEAPOLIS, MN TRIPLE ROCK
Jul 12 - IOWA CITY, IA THE PICADOR
Jul 13 - MILWAUKEE, WI STONEFLY BREWERY
Jul 14 - CHICAGO, IL PITCHFORK MUSIC FEST
Jul 16 - TORONTO, ON LEES PALACE
Jul 18 - BOSTON, MA PARADISE
Aug 31 - NEW YORK, NY SEAPORT MUSIC FESTIVAL

Battles - TRAS (LIVE 03/27/07 Birmingham, AL)

(thx hsb)

Previously
* more Battles posts

Posted in MP3 | music | tour dates | video at 12:27 PM | Comments (3)

the Jesus & Mary Chain played Webster Hall, David Letterman ++ Comas - 2007 Tour Dates

DOWNLOAD: The Comas - You Got The Bumblebee, I Got The Stinger (MP3)

The Jesus & Mary Chain played their new song "All Things Must Pass" on Letterman. It was their second appearance on the show. Last time they they played "far gone and out", and Letterman introduced them as an English band. This time William wore a shirt that said "Scotland" to make sure the same mistake didn't happen twice. Nice touch, but kind of a boring performance. The old one was much better. How was Webster Hall? Letterman video below....

J&MC on Letterman the first time

Does anyone have a video of last night's performance? Set list for from Webster Hall?

Nicole Gehweiler from the Comas sang backup on "Just Like Honey". The Comas are also opening for J&MC at Webster Hall on Tuesday night, and playing the following shows....

The Comas - 2007 Tour Dates
5.25 - Johnny Brendas Philadelphia, PA
5.26 - Mercury Lounge New York, NY
5.30 - middle east Cambridge, MA
5.31 - Maxwell’s Hoboken, NJ
6.1 - Black Cat Washington, D.C.
6.2 - Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, N.C.
6.3 - The Earl Atlanta, GA
6.4 - Zydeco Birmingham, AL
6.5 - Exit Inn Nashville, TN
6.6 - Little Brothers Columbus, OH
6.7 - Beat Kitchen Chicago, IL
6.9 - Great Scott * Boston
6.11 - DC9 * Washington, D.C.
6.12 - The Khyber * Philadelphia
6.14 - El Mocambo Club * Toronto
6.16 - Shelter At St. Andrew’s * Detriot
6.17 - Empty Bottle * Chicago
6.18 - 7th Street Entry * Minneapolis
6.19 - Grand Emporium * Kansas City
6.21 - Larimer Lounge * Denver
6.24 - The Plaza Club * Vancouver
6.25 - Crocodile Cafe * Seattle
6.26 - Doug Fir Lounge * Portland
6.28 - Cafe Du Nord * San Fransisco
6.29 - Spaceland * Los Angeles

* w/ The Veils

Scarlett Johansson sang the part at Coachella. Annie from Giant Drag sang it the night before.

Previously
* tix on sale for Jesus & Mary Chain
* more Jesus & Mary Chain posts
* more Comas posts

Posted in MP3 | music | tour dates | video at 12:05 AM | Comments (83)

May 21, 2007

Flight of the Conchords, Human Giant, Kristen Schaal, YOUR FAVORITE COMEDIANS, Michael Showalter, Brian Posehn & MASTODON

We hosted a Flight of the Conchords (FOTC) contest. Some winners won passes to a screening of the first episode of the new HBO series. Now EVERYONE - even those who don't have HBO (like me) - can watch the first episode thanks to the kind folks at HBO.com. Look for appearances by UCB, Rififi and Union Hall regulars Arj Barker, Eugene Mirman, and Kristen Schaal.

Speaking of Kristen Schaal who was also a guest on the 24 Hour Human Giant Marathon on MTV, we asked all those entering the FOTC contest to tell us who their favorite stand up comedian was. We got something like 50 comedian names total, but these were - by a small margin - the top seven:

your favorite comedians
1) Demetri Martin
2) David Cross
3) Mitch Hedberg
4) George Carlin
5) Aziz Ansari (tie)
5) Brian Posehn (tie)
5) Kristen Schaal (tie)

That's right - you like Kristen Schaal as much as you like Aziz Ansari who you like just as much as Brian Posehn WHO LOVES METAL.........

Brian also appears in Human Giant, the Sarah Silverman Program, Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Reno 911, Flight of the Conchords, is one of Patton Oswalt's Comedians of Comedy, and used to write for the David Cross' Mr. Show (and stuff). It's one big alterna-comedy web.

And speaking of Brian Posehn in a Mastodon shirt, Mastodon also played the Human Giant marathon (yeah, so did the National -blah, blah - JUST KIDDING)......

Mastodon on MTV at noon

How were Mastodon and Cursive at Roseland Ballroom?

And speaking of speaking of Human Giant and their 24 Hour Marathon that Mastodon played - in case you weren't watching during the last hour when they officially announced it - Human Giant (Aziz, Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel) WILL be back for a second season on MTV. Congrats to them.

Michael Showalter, one of their many other guests, also confirmed the upcoming release of all four seasons of MTV's the State on DVD - with extras and all that. I'm very excited. Michael Showalter's appearance was also one of the tensest moments in television. I loved it. If you don't know what I mean, read this related interview at Radar.

and now the obligatory Human Giant Ted Leo performance....

So you read this far, but did you watch the first episode of Flight of the Conchords yet? What did you think? I'm not about to order HBO, but I like it. A little bit like Tenacious D which... I don't know. I just needed to work that in.

See Flight of the Conchords live on tour.

Posted in comedy | music | video at 10:26 PM | Comments (13)

Largehearted Boy's Interesting CD Releases This Week

DOWNLOAD: Voxtrot - Kid's Gloves (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The National - Fake Empire (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Parts & Labor - Fractured Skies (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Shapes & Sizes - Head Movin' (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Shapes & Sizes - Alone/Alive (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: White Rabbits - The Plot (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: White Rabbits - Kid on My Shoulders (MP3)

Two of the year's most anticipated indie rock albums are released tomorrow, the National's Boxer and Voxtrot's self-titled debut full-length. Of this week's releases, I can also especially recommend Battles' Mirrored, Hot Chip's edition of DJ Kicks, Meg Baird's Dear Companion, Parts & Labor's Mapmaker, Shapes And Sizes' Split Lips, Winnings Hips, A Shiner, Stars' Do You Trust Your Friends?, and Wheat's Everyday I Said A Prayer For Kathy And Made A One Inch Square.

For people (like me) who like their rock with a literary bent, check out the Bloodshot Records compilation Just One More: A Musical Tribute To Larry Brown, A Great American Author. What new releases can you recommend this week?

This week's interesting CD releases:

Astrid Swan: Poverina [cd]
Battles: Mirrored [cd]
Beach Boys: The Warmth of the Sun [cd]
Ben + Vesper: All This Could Kill You [cd]
Benni Hemm Hemm: Kajak [cd]
Black Moth Super Rainbow: Dandelion Gum [cd]
The Bravery: The Sun And The Moon [cd]
Charles Mingus: Charles Mingus in Paris Complete America Session [cd]
Chick Corea and Bela Fleck: The Enchantment [cd]
Dashboard Confessional: Dusk and Summer [cd]
Erasure: Light At The End Of The World [cd]
Handsome Furs: Plague Park [cd]
Hayseed Dixie: Weapons of Grass Destruction [cd]
HIM: Uneasy Listening: Vol. 2 [cd]
Hot Chip: DJ Kicks [cd]
Jeff Buckley: So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley [cd]
Joan Osborne: Breakfast in Bed [cd]
Killing Joke: Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Vol. 1 (remastered) [cd]
Killing Joke: Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Vol. 2 (remastered) [cd]
Lateef & Z-Trip: Ahead Of The Curve [cd]
Loudon Wainwright III: Strange Weirdos: Music from and Inspired by the Film Knocked Up [cd]
Maccabees: Colour It In [cd]
Meg Baird: Dear Companion [cd]
Miracle Fortress: Five Roses [cd]
Motor Unhuman [cd]
My Teenage Stride: Ears Like Golden Bats [cd]
The National: Boxer [cd]
Ozzy Osbourne: Black Rain [cd]
Parts & Labor: Mapmaker [cd]
The Queers: Don't Back Down [cd]
Richmond Fontaine: Thirteen Cities [cd]
Shapes And Sizes: Split Lips, Winnings Hips, A Shiner [cd]
Stars: Do You Trust Your Friends? [cd]
Tim Armstrong: A Poet's Life [cd]
Ulrich Schnauss: Quicksand Memory EP [cd]
The Used: Lies For The Liars [cd]
Various Artists: Crucial Acoustic Blues [cd]
Various Artists: Crucial Rockin' Blues [cd]
Various Artists: Just One More: A Musical Tribute To Larry Brown, A Great American Author [cd]
Various Artists: Kyle Xy (soundtrack) [cd]
Various Artists: More Crucial Guitar Blues [cd]
Various Artists: Motown Remixed, Vol. 2 [cd]
Various Artists: Once (soundtrack) [cd]
Various Artists: Zealous Records Presents Soul Sides, Vol. 2: The Covers [cd]
Voxtrot: Voxtrot [cd]
Wheat: Everyday I Said A Prayer For Kathy And Made A One Inch Square [cd]
White Rabbits: Fort Nightly [cd]

---

this post brought to you by Largehearted Boy

Posted in MP3 | music | new releases at 4:54 PM | Comments (11)

Ladytron DJ's, Kudu, & Brazilian Girls playing free shows

Both this week. Both Free. Both at Hiro Ballroom in NYC.
May 23 - Brazilian Girls (RSVP)
May 24 - Ladytron (DJ) and Kudu (band) (RSVP)

Posted in To Do | music at 4:04 PM | Comments (5)

Beth Ditto, Joy Division, Amy Winehouse toilets, etc.

DOWNLOAD: Joy Division - Warsaw (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: FADER issue 46 - the Grateful Dead audio (MP3)

* EMI Accepts Private Equity Bid
* When Perez Hilton talks music, people listen.
* Perez Hilton's Beth Ditto coverage
* Beth Ditto's advice column in the Guardian
* Mika & Amy Winehouse porta potties in Central Park
* Indie bands moving into mainstream
* Judge reduces domestic violence charge against Scott Stapp
* Cat Power + Norah Jones = Blueberry Nights
* Iggy Pop OK with Elijah Wood playing him
* Joy Division Biopic Control Debuts at Cannes
* Former Grateful Dead muso sues YouTube
* Issue 46 of FADER now available for free download

Posted in music at 3:38 PM | Comments (7)

THE BESNARD LAKES - 2007 Tour Dates (Citysol, Mercury Lounge) ++ new SUNSET RUBDOWN album

DOWNLOAD: The Besnard Lakes - And You Lied to Me (MP3)

I'm not sure why, but I've mostly been silent up until now about The Besnard Lakes' great new CD Are The Dark Horse. Not only has the CD been in regular rotation, many of the songs regularly make their way on to my mixtapes, and on to my Sirius radio show. Like Grizzly Bear and Panda Bear, the BEsnARd lakes have the word "bear" in their name, and are heavily influenced by the Beach Boys. And like those bears, the BEsnARd lakes come highly recommended by Pitchfork and other critics alike.

Jace from the Besnard Lakes (also a studio guy) doesn't have much to recommend himself, but can say that the new Sunset Rubdown album that he "made" is "amazing" and "really, really good". It was also just announced that the Sunset Rubdown record he's talking about will in fact be coming out on the very same label he released his Besnard Lakes' album on:

Jagjaguwar to Release SUNSET RUBDOWN's "Random Spirit Lover" in October

"Random Spirit Lover" is the new full-length record following their critically acclaimed 2006 album, "Shut Up I Am Dreaming", that was released on Absolutely Kosher. Plans are in the works for a 3 to 4 week North American tour in October, in support of "Random Spirit Lover". The album will be physically released in both the CD and vinyl formats.

Back to Besnard Lakes...

I am happy to, not only announce some Bensard Lakes tour dates, but also to announce that the Montreal band will be playing a free NYC show that I sort of set up.

Besnard Lakes, NYC, 2007
07/13 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge (tix on sale Wed)
07/14 - New York, NY - Citysol (free, day - stay tuned for more details SAVE THE DATE)

See them once, see them twice, or don't see them at all (like stupid me at SXSW this year). All tour dates below....

The Besnard Lakes - 2007 Tour Dates
05/21 - Glasgow, United Kingdom - King Tuts
05/22 - Liverpool, United Kingdom - Barfly
05/23 - Manchester, United Kingdom - Night and Day
05/24 - Bristol, United Kingdom - Thekla
05/25 - London, United Kingdom - Waterats
05/27 - Brussells, Belgium - AB Club
05/28 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso
05/30 - Berlin, Germany - Lido
07/05 - MontrealQC - Metropolis
07/12 - Cambridge, MA - T.T. the Bear's Place
07/13 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge w/ TBA
07/14 - New York, NY - Citysol w/ TBA
07/15 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's (tix)
07/16 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
07/18 - Chapel Hill, NC - Blend
07/20 - Columbus, OH - Wexner Center for the Arts
07/21 - Bloomington, IN - Uncle Fester's
07/23 - Chicago, IL - Schubas Tavern
07/24 - Chicago, IL - Schubas Tavern
07/27 - Guelph, ON -Hillside Festival

more dates TBA.

Posted in MP3 | music | tour dates at 2:43 PM | Comments (11)

BEANIE SIGEL: Kanye West & Pharrell are not cool (video)

As Wes has pointed out (more than once), Beanie Sigel is playing Knitting Factory in NYC tomorrow (5/22).

In the video below - one definitely making the rounds on the Internet, Beanie has some not-nice things to say about fellow Roc-A-Fella member Kanye and Pharrell....

Posted in hiphop | music | video at 1:43 PM | Comments (18)

free CD from Adult Swim & TV on the Radio video

a few of the tracks....

DOWNLOAD: TV on the Radio - Me-I (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Les Savy Fav - The Equestrian (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Broken Social Scene - Canada VS America (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Liars - Sunset Radio (MP3)

and ALL of the tracks and a video for the TV on the Radio track.

Posted in MP3 | music at 1:12 PM | Comments (8)

VIDEO: Ben Gibbard, John Vanderslice, Jenny Lewis & David Bazan - 'Such Great Heights' @ the Fillmore

It's like if the cast of The OC, Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars & Grey's Anatomy all got together for one big Christmas special hosted by Zach Braff...

"The encore ended with two Postal Service songs. Gibbard started “Nothing Better” and in time for where her vocals were on the album, Jenny Lewis strolled onto the stage. The crowd went nuts, of course. She delivered her lines with some major style. They both seemed genuinely enthused to be on stage at that moment. (And, let’s be honest, a lot more polished than the last time I saw them together on stage in April 2003 when the Postal Service toured through Boston). The show, of course, closed with “Such Great Heights” with Gibbard on lead and Jenny Lewis, John Vanderslice and Bazan singing backups. (This, I imagine and I gathered from the number of camera phones and cameras out, lead to many of what my friend would call “hipstorgasms”). It was a nice version of an overplayed tune, I have to admit." [ipickmynose]

From Wikipedia:

The song "Such Great Heights" was written by Ben Gibbard with friend Aaron Kaplan in 2003, according to an interview with Gibbard in Spin magazine.
The song has been used for...
the ROBOT FOOD snowboard film "Lame"
the UPN drama Veronica Mars.
the Grey's Anatomy original soundtrack.
the trailer of the show Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County Season 1.
a TV advertisement for FUSE's show The Dive.
a TV advertisement for Kaiser Permanente that aired in California and Hawaii.
a Dutch TV advertisement for a company called StartPeople.
a featured part of UPS's "Whiteboard" ad campaign, which launched January 6, 2007.[6]
a flashback sequence in Episode 4-12 of the CBS drama Cold Case.
a PROGRESSIVE TV ad campaign which features several different parts of the song
Such Great Heights has also been...
on the top 10 of the music site, Last.fm, ever since the site started logging its charts until the week of 11 March 2007 where 8 of the 10 slots were taken by tracks from The Arcade Fire's album Neon Bible.
Ben Folds performed a cover version of "Such Great Heights" on Australian television, on jtv's "Like a Version" segment.
Iron & Wine's version of the song "Such Great Heights" was part of of the movie Garden State. It was also used for a TV advertisement for M&M's candy, and a British TV advertisement for Ask.com. The original also served as a trailer for Garden State.

Zach Braff actually did host the season finale of SNL this weekend.

Previously
* Barsuk's David Bazan plays with Ben Gibbard at Town Hall
* John Vanderslice blogs on Brooklyn Vegan from the road
* VIDEO: M Ward, Neko Case, Kelly Hogan & Jim James (My Morning Jacket) on Conan O'Brien

Posted in TV | music | video at 12:19 PM | Comments (14)

They Might be Giants - 2007 Tour Dates (4 nights @ Bowery)

They Might be Giants @ Terrace F Club, NJ (CRED)

I realize it's much easier for the band logistically - they don't need to set up and take down their equipment multiple times, and it probably sounds cooler ("FOUR OR FIVE SOLD OUT NIGHTS IN A ROW") - but sometimes, especially for local bands - I wish they would space out their multiple-nights-at-the-same-venue shows. LIKE THIS:

They Might Be Giants in NYC, 2007
5/31 @ 3-Legged Dog Art and Technology Center
6/01 @ 3-Legged Dog Art and Technology Center
6/02 @ 3-Legged Dog Art and Technology Center
7/18 @ Bowery Ballroom
7/25 @ Bowery Ballroom
8/01 @ Bowery Ballroom
8/08 @ Bowery Ballroom

Tickets are on sale for the Bowery shows. Go HERE for more info and tickets for The 3-Legged Dog robot shows.

Did anyone go see TMBG at Joe's Pub on Wednesday? (the Village Voice did actually) All tour dates and stuff below....

HUZZAH! THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS' NEW ALBUM IS CURRENTLY THE #1 ALTERNATIVE ALBUM on iTunes and #9 of overall albums! Folks can now purchase The Else in digital pre-release form from iTunes. 13 brand-new songs produced by Patrick Dillett, The Dust Brothers and They Might Be Giants. The CD will be out in physical form on July 10th (Idlewild/Zoë/Universal) and includes artwork by Canadian super-genius Marcel Dzama.

They Might Be Giants - 2007 Tour Dates 5/18: Las Vegas, NV @ Orleans Theatre (KVGS) 5/19: San Diego, CA @ Belly Up Tavern 7/18: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom 7/19: Dewey Beach, DE @ Bottle & Cork 7/21: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom 7/22: Detroit, MI @ Max Fischer Music Center (Concert of Colors) – FREE 7/25: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom 7/26: Seaside Park, NJ @ The Green Room 7/27: Wellfleet, MA @ Beachcomber 7/28: Uncasville, CT @ Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Casino – FREE 8/01: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom 8/04: Oyster Bay, NY @ Planting Fields Arboretum FOTA Pavilion – FAMILY SHOW 8/04: Oyster Bay, NY @ Planting Fields Arboretum FOTA Pavilion 8/08: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

ROBOT SHOWS in NEW YORK CITY
They Might Be Giants will also perform a short set of songs as part of this larger event...

LEMUR: “League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots” - Live Music by Robots and Humans
5/31 @ 3-Legged Dog Art and Technology Center, 80 Greenwich Street, NYC (8:00pm)
6/1 @ 3-Legged Dog Art and Technology Center, 80 Greenwich Street, NYC (8:00pm)
6/2 @ 3-Legged Dog Art and Technology Center, 80 Greenwich Street, NYC (8:00pm)

video from Joe's Pub....

Previously
* more posts on They Might Be Giants

Posted in music | tour dates at 11:46 AM | Comments (12)

tix on sale for Jesus & Mary Chain

The Jesus & Mary Chain's NYC reunion shows are tonight and tomorrow, and tickets seem to be back on sale. I wonder who will sing backup on 'Just Like Honey' - I doubt it will be Scarlett Johansson.

Posted in To Do | music at 10:41 AM | Comments (20)

VIDEO: M Ward, Neko Case, Kelly Hogan & Jim James (My Morning Jacket) on Conan O'Brien

It was a late night indie-americana mind explosion...

The show: Conan O'Brien
The air date: May 17, 2007
The song: Chinese Translation
The band: M. Ward, Neko Case, Kelly Hogan, Jim James, Mike Coykendall, Than Luu, & Adam Selzer

M Ward - 2007 Tour Dates
Fri 06.01.07 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
Mon 06.04.07 Kansas City, MO Music Hall *
Fri 06.08.07 Memphis, TN Mud Island Amphitheatre *
Sat 06.09.07 Tulsa, OK Tulsa Performing Art Center *
Mon 06.11.07 Grand Prairie, TX Nokia Theatre *
Tue 06.12.07 Houston, TX Jones Hall *
Fri 06.15.07 Austin, TX Backyard *
Sat 06.16.07 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre *
Mon 06.18.07 Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre *
Tue 06.19.07 San Diego, CA Bayside Concerts Embarcadero *
Thu 06.21.07 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre *
Fri 06.22.07 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl *
Sat 06.23.07 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre *
Tue 06.26.07 Boston, MA Symphony Hall with Boston Pops w/ Friends
Wed 06.27.07 Boston, MA Symphony Hall with Boston Pops w/ Friends
Fri 06.29.07 Seattle, WA McCaw Hall *
Sat 06.30.07 Portland, OR Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall *

* w/ Norah Jones

DOWNLOAD: M. Ward - Vincent O'brien (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On (MP3)

Previously
* more M Ward posts

Posted in MP3 | music | tour dates | video at 12:45 AM | Comments (11)

The Budos Band & other pics from Park Slope on Sunday

DOWNLOAD: The Budos Band - Chicago Falcon (MP3)

Unlike during the dance parade in Manhattan on Saturday, the sun was shining at the 5th Avenue Street Fair in Park Slope on Sunday (May 20, 2007). The annual Brooklyn festival runs down 5th Ave from Southpaw, past Union Hall, and ends right around the Lucky 13 Saloon. The bands playing in front of Southpaw this year were Miss Fairchild, The Real Live Show, and, the only one I saw - The Budos Band....

Somethin' Else Records, the shop owned by a member of the band Radio 4, was still open, but possibly not for long?

The Budos Band (MP3 above) have a record out on Daptone Records, and have members who play with (Sharon Jones &) The Dap Kings, and with Amy Winehouse.

More photos from the street fair - including ones of the Budos Band and their burlesque dancer, at my Flickr.

Posted in MP3 | NYC | music | pictures at 12:43 AM | Comments (11)

May 20, 2007

VIDEO: Spoon - The Ghost of You Lingers + MP3's

From the new album you probably already downloaded....

Actually, is that video official? I don't know, but I like that song.

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga becomes official on 7/10....

not leaked
DOWNLOAD: Spoon - Idiot Driver (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Spoon - Mountain of Sound (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Spoon - I Turn My Camera On (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Spoon - Mountain To Sound (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Spoon - The Way We Got By (live) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: They Never Got You (live) (MP3)

(thx ms for the video tip)

Previously
* SPOON - Bowery Ballroom, Battery Park, SXSW (Ga Ga Ga...)
* more Spoon posts

Posted in MP3 | music | video at 1:49 PM | Comments (14)

David Bowie did play with Ricky Gervais

I didn't go, but someone told me that (unlike at the Arcade Fire show) David Bowie introduced comedian Ricky Gervais at his High Line show Saturday night at the whamu theater by singing a song. I don't have a picture, so instead - here are some pictures taken by caural of David and TV on the Radio (and Ricky?) backstage at Deerhoof's High Line show at the Fillmore-Irving Plaza Thursday night (May 17, 2007)....

Posted in comedy | music at 1:45 AM | Comments (26)