Chairlift @ Capitale, Feb. 2013 (more by Dylan Johnson)

As mentioned, Bear in Heaven are playing short film showcase Tropfest which happens in Prospect Park's "Nethermead" on June 22. Since that post, the full line-up was announced: Chairlift, Bear in Heaven, Ghost Beach and People Get Ready will perform, and Neon Indian will DJ. Free tickets are still available.

Meanwhile, Chairlift will play DJ, strangely enough, also in Prospect Park's Nethermead this Friday for GoogaMooga. between Flaming Lips and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Chairlift's Caroline Polachek provided vocals on Ice Choir's track, "Everything is Spoilt by Use" and you can check out the recent video for that song and more tour dates below.

Continue reading "Chairlift & DJ Neon Indian also playing Tropfest (get free tix)"

still from 'Autonomy & Deliberation'

As discussed, UV Race have branched out into film with Autonomy & Deliberation, the band's new film and soundtrack. Now comes word that while on tour, the Aussies will screen that film at Williamsburg's Spectacle Theater on May 22, with a Q&A session to follow. This will mark the US debut of the film.

Did I mention that UV Race are actually going to play shows too? Why yes, I did. Make sure and catch them on 5/21 at Death By Audio with Warthog, Scott & Charlene's Wedding and Household

UV Race ALSO have a new 7". Stream that below along with a trailer for the film.

Continue reading "UV Race's film 'Autonomy & Deliberation' making its US debut in NYC during the band's tour"

According to a tweet by the girlfriend of the legendary Pogues vocalist with one of the most unintelligible accents this side of Mark E Smith, Shane MacGowan is currently looking for new dentist to help shape up his mangled mouth of snaggleteeth "so he can star in Hollywood film." Interested dentists can apply by responding on twitter, with word that "Shane promises to do advertising campaign for the winning dentist" if chosen. You have your work cut out for you, whoever you are. McGowan's choppers are legendary, and onetime tourmate Mojo Nixon once wrote a song his dentist who may or may not have existed at the time (stream it via Spotify).

The Pogues recently released 30:30, a 2CD retrospective on their 30-year career.

Continue reading "former Pogues singer Shane MacGowan seeking dentist via twitter to help with burgeoning film career"

Rooftop Films Summer Series kicks off in NYC tonight (5/10) with a showing of "This is What We Mean by Short Films" featuring "some of the greatest new short films from all around the world," and will go down at Open Road Rooftop, 350 Grand Street (LES Manhattan). The series continues through the summer, featuring 45 screenings of films at multiple locations across the city. As always, most screenings are accompanied by live music, and though most of the bands aren't announced yet, the schedule does so far include yMusic, Darlene Love, Brazos and more. Darlene performs at a June 8th screening of Twenty Feet From Stardom which she also stars in.

Tickets are available for specific events at their website, and you can head below for a full listing of films and locations.

Continue reading "Rooftop Films Summer Series 2013 kicks off (full schedule includes music by Darlene Love, yMusic, Brazos & more)"

Andy Warhol and Taylor Mead

Writer, actor, and performer Taylor Mead has passed at the age of 88.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Mead appeared in Ron Rice's beat classic The Flower Thief (1960), in which he "traipses with an elfin glee through a lost San Francisco of smoke-stuffed North Beach cafes..." Film critic P. Adams Sitney called The Flower Thief "the purest expression of the Beat sensibility in cinema." Village Voice film critic J. Hoberman called Mead "the first underground movie star." -[Wiki]

RIP Taylor Mead. Head below for a few videos, including his appearance in Jim Jarmusch's Coffee & Cigarettes.

Continue reading "Taylor Mead, RIP"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Ray Harryhausen has passed away at age 92, according to a Facebook post issued by his family.

The Harryhausen family regret to announce the death of Ray Harryhausen, Visual Effects pioneer and stop-motion model animator. He was a multi-award winner which includes a special Oscar and BAFTA. Ray's influence on today's film makers was enormous, with luminaries; Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Peter Jackson, George Lucas, John Landis and the UK's own Nick Park have cited Harryhausen as being the man whose work inspired their own creations.

Ray Harryhausen, you will be missed, but your films will live on forever.

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Never say never. A band that I thought I personally would never be able to see in my lifetime was Italian horror-prog band Goblin.

Formed in 1972, Goblin's roots lie in several other Italian prog-rock bands of the time... the group initially dubbed itself the Cherry Five and played British-style progressive rock in the vein of Yes, Genesis, and ELP. They signed with the Italian Cinevox label, and issued a self-titled debut in 1975, which performed disappointingly. However, it caught the ear of film director Dario Argento, who contacted Cinevox after growing dissatisfied with the jazzy work being done on his Profondo Rosso by composer Giorgio Gaslini. the Cherry Five rechristened themselves Goblin (in keeping with the horror movie theme), kept a small portion of Gaslini's work, and completely redid the remainder of the score in a heavier, harder-rocking style. The results helped make the film a hit, and the soundtrack album topped the Italian charts... [Argento] put Goblin to work creating a new soundtrack; this time, he shot the film only after hearing the music. The result, 1977's Suspiria, became Goblin's most acclaimed work, combining the band's heavy riffing and busy drum work with more eerie electronics than ever before, plus sinister, experimental vocal effects. The film and soundtrack were both hits once again, and the Goblin/Argento partnership was firmly established -[Allmusic]

Head below for the trailer for the legendary Suspiria.

Continue reading "Goblin to play first-ever U.S. show at Housecore Horror Festival, performing 'Suspiria' score"

The xx @ Coachella 2013 (more by Wei Shi)

As you may be aware, Baz Lurhmann's glitzy, big-budget adaptatation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, The Great Gatzby, is out May 10 and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Toby Maguire, and Carey Mulligan. That same week will see the release of its soundtrack which was curated by Jay-Z and features Jack White, The Bryan Ferry Orchestra, Gotye, Lana Del Rey, Beyonce with Andre 3000, and Jay-Z himself.

It's also got a new track by The xx, titled "Together," which was specifically written for the film. You can stream it, and check out the soundtrack art, full tracklist and a trailer for the film, below....

Continue reading "stream The xx's contribution to 'The Great Gatsby' soundtrack"

"You are such a pushover Agent PW"

Summer is coming, and with that the outdoor film/music series SummerScreen at McCarren Park at Bedford Ave. and N.12th S (right next to the tennis courts). So far the musical portion (which will be curated by Todd P / Showpaper) has yet to be announced, but the films have:

July 10
Can't Hardly Wait

July 17
Pee Wee's Big Adventure

July 24
The Craft

July 31
The Goonies

August 7
Speed

August 14
Audience Pick!

Ain't In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm will open at Cinema Village on Friday, April 19 which is, sadly, the one-year anniversary of the legendary musician's passing. Synopsis:

Director Jacob Hatley's intimate documentary finds Mr. Helm at home in Woodstock, NY, in the midst of creating his first studio album in 25 years. Shot over the course of two-plus years, ...[the film] shows Helm dealing with the burdens of renewed celebrity, continuing financial obligation and returning health problems. The man known worldwide for his soulful voice, as well as his singular and unparalleled drumming and multi-instrumental skills, permitted a camera crew inside his home to show the world an intimate side of his art and life.

Continue reading "'Ain't In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm' opening this week in NYC, elsewhere soon"