by Andrew Sacher

Zomby

UK producer Zomby took to his twitter today to rant about EDM and called it "the garden gnome of music."

He first asked, "What the fuck is edm ...euphemism ?," and soon followed with "Need to be a bit more specific than the fact at some point electricity might have been involved in the making of the music." He continued saying, "Edm sounds corporate....nothing to do with the art of music," then "Music is art like sculpture is except u don't want to put garden gnomes in a gallery do you edm is the garden gnome of music not artistic." He then said "I'd sooner be called a dubstep producer than edm at least dubstep was something to be proud of at one point," but also noted, "I don't make dubstep." He then clarified, "Btw I'm no hater. I love what's good so much ill spend time defending it its nothing."

In other news, Skrillex released a new EP today. Some people are saying it sounds like Burial (we don't think so though). What do you think? You can listen below.

Continue reading "Zomby calls EDM the "garden gnome of music"; people saying new Skrillex EP sounds like Burial"

Dominick Fernow at Public Assembly in 2011 (more by Louis Caldarola)

NYC party The Bunker is celebrating its tenth anniversary this week on Friday (1/4) at Public Assembly, where they've been throwing their parties for the last 5+ years. The party will take place in both Public Assembly rooms with all four Bunker resident DJs (Derek Plaslaiko, Bryan Kasenic, Mike Servito, and Eric Cloutier), in addition to Reagenz aka Move D (live), Spacetime Continuum, Silent Servant, and Vatican Shadow (live). Tickets for the party are on sale now.

Vatican Shadow (aka Dominick Fernow, formerly of Cold Cave, and also the brains behind Prurient) released the album, Ghosts of Chechnya, back in October via Hospital Productions. You can stream the track "Chechnya's Ghosts Loom Large in Death of Former Spy" from that album below.

Continue reading "The Bunker celebrating 10th Anniversary in Brooklyn"

by Andrew Sacher

Bok Bok

Night Slugs, one of the best current labels for left field bass music, are putting together a mini-tour with Girl Unit, Kingdom, and label co-founders Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990. The tour surrounds Holy Ship!!, which sets sail off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale on Friday (1/4), and it hits NYC on January 11 at Steel Drums (35 Beadel Street in Brooklyn). Tickets for that show are on sale now.

The show flyer, a list of all dates, and some song streams are below...

Continue reading "Girl Unit, Kingdom, Bok Bok & L-Vis 1990 playing shows together (dates & song streams)"

Love it or loathe it, New Year's Eve is coming. Here are some of this year's NYC concert options, of which there are many.

One of the biggest shows of the night is Coldplay and Jay-Z at Barclays Center. If you've seen pictures of Coldplay's tour this year, you know they have this bluetooth controlled, light-up wristbands that (no matter how you feel about their music) makes for a spectacular interactive experience. And certainly Jay-Z will throw a good party at his own house.

Jay-Z's pal Kanye West is doing a three-night run in Atlantic City right before NYE (12/28-30) at Revel. Tickets for those shows are still available.

Another hip hop option includes Nas at Radio City Music Hall that also features Elle Varner. Tickets are still available.

Azealia Banks is playing a black tie party on top of The Standard Hotel (aka Boom Boom Room). More info is at the facebook event. You can RSVP for tickets ($250 minimum) by emailing unifiedpromo@unifiedpromo.com.

Also in the biggest NYE show race there is also Phish's sold-out night at MSG, part of a four night run at the venue.

If jam bands are your thing, you might also want to catch The Disco Biscuits, who kick off their four-night run at Best Buy Theater tonight (12/26) and then play NYE at The Theatre at MSG (tickets).

Another jammy option is Gov't Mule's two-night run at Beacon Theatre (12/30-31). Tickets for both nights are on sale.

If you're more into dancing, RJD2 will be DJing at Gramercy Theater with Com Truise and Chrome Sparks; and Moby and many others will be DJing at an as-yet undisclosed location (tickets).

Pretty Lights is also doing two sold nights at Roseland Ballroom (12/30-31). Another dance option that you might want to avoid is Afrojack is playing two nights on Pier 94 (12/30-31), but it's worth mentioning that if you get there early on night 1, you can catch opening sets by Diplo and Rusko. Night 2 (aka NYE) is sold out but night 1 is still on sale.

Brooklyn dance party The Bunker is throwing an event at the 70 N 6 St loft (above Public Assembly) with John Roberts, Mike Parker, Bryan Kasenic, and Mike Servito. Tickets for that party are on sale now.

Downstairs at the actual Public Assembly, Gaze 4 Daze is throwing two queer parties. Room 1 has DJ sets by Rizzla, Sebastian, and D'Hana, along with Emcee Ryann Supamakenzi and host Cherlyn. In room 2, they've got MIchael Magnan, Amber Valentine, Telfar, Mursi Layne, host Helen Harris, and live performances by House of Ladosha, Cakes Da Killa, and Abdu Ali. $10 at the door gets you into both parties.

Brooklyn warehouse party group Rubulad is presenting "Party-Go-Round" in three separate secret Bushwick locations near the Jefferson L stop. There will be live music by Friend Roulette, Not Waving but Drowning, Viva, and more; dance parties with music by DJ Shakey, Ol' Stark, DJ Mojo, $mall ¢hange and more; a puppet show, a midnight champagne toast, and more. Admission is $20, the events start at 9 PM, and there will be a party bus to navigate between the three locations.

Matthew Dear and Superpitcher are at Le Bain (tix); Ian Pooley, Pat Mahoney and more at Cameo; Onra, Nick Catchdubs, and Samo Sound Boy are at Williamsburg's Villian (tickets).

Holy Ghost! and Midnight Magic are at Brooklyn Bowl (sold out) and after that, Holy Ghost!'s DFA labelmate Juan Maclean will DJ an afterparty at the same venue (tickets).

Chris Keating of Yeasayer is DJing a BangOn!NYC-presented party at a secret warehouse location in Williamsburg near the Montrose L stop with Felix Cartal, Chordashian, Alex English, Sean Glass, and many others. There will also be live music by Carousel, Suntalk, and more TBA, art installations, an inflatable obstacle course, food trucks, and more. Tickets (more info at that link) are on sale and RSVP is open. Location will be revealed with the purchase of tickets or an RSVP.

If you'd rather dance to classic soul and R&B, there's New York Night Train Annual Dusk Till Dawn New Year's Ball at Home Sweet Home featuring a live performance from Kid Congo and the K-Holes, plus Jonathan Toubin and a crew of DJs.

For the indie rock inclined, you could go see Titus Andronicus at Glasslands which is a pretty small venue for them these days. While So So Glos were originally on the bill for this, they have since dropped off. Dapwell, formerly of Das Racist, is your MC for the evening and tickets are still available.

Right next door at 285 Kent, Florida's (awesomely) mopey Merchandise will visit,  plus Blanche Blanche Blanche, Tonstartssbandht and "speciial guests" (note the two ii's is "speciial") will surely be a wild night. Dive in, tickets ($20) are on sale now.

After that, DJ Rashad, DJ Manny, Sasha Go Hard, and others will play an afterparty at 285 Kent (tickets).

Psychic Ills and Herb Craft are playing Saint Vitus. Tickets for that show are on sale.

Also happening in Williamsburg, They Might be Giants play a sold-out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (one of three shows there that week; Reverend Vince Anderson and His Love Choir will be at Union Pool (free); and at Knitting Factory it's a night of cabaret hosted by the great Murray Hill (tix).

More indie rock: Blonde Redhead and Beach Fossils are at Irving Plaza. Tickets are still available and you can also win a pair from us.

Swimming Cities and Gowanus Ballroom (55 9th St) are presenting The First Party Ever: Primal Reset for the Year Zero with dance parties by Barney Iller, DJ Shakey, and DJ Tinseltown; live music at midnight by Stumblebum Brass Band; an open bar from 11:30-12:30; visuals; "Serret's patented coal fire hot tub time machine"; "Live birth of the antichrist, according to Doctor Adventure"; and more. $15 tickets are on sale now (or $20 at the door, cash only) and all proceeds go to recovery at Serret Metal Works and the "BOATEL" art hotel project in Far Rockaway that were damaged during Hurricane Sandy.

Meanwhile across the Hudson, The Hold Steady will ring in 2013 with Lucero at The Wellmont Theatre in NJ. Tickets are still available.

Before that, Lucero will do a two-night run at Brooklyn Bowl (12/28-29) with Nude Beach supporting on night 1 and Hollis Brown on night 2. Tickets for night 1, night 2, or both are still available.

Amanda Palmer will be at Terminal 5, playing Prince's Purple Rain in its entirety which will surely be a spectacle. She'll play a set of originals too. Tickets are still available.

If you'd like to party like it's 1929, Spirit Family Reunion are bringing the old time religion to Pianos. Tickets are still available, includes a champagne toast.

More rootsy options include The Punch Brothers and Michael Daves at Bowery Ballroom (sold out); and The Felice Brothers, Yellowbirds, and Mail the Horse at Mercury Lounge (sold out).

The Felice Brothers also play Maxwell's (12/30) a day earlier (sold out), and on New Year's Eve, the Hoboken venue will host "Maxwell's Rockin' & Rollin' Ass Kickin' New Year's Eve Dance Party feat. The Two Giants: Todd-O-Phonic Todd & Mono-O-Phonic Matt Porter." They get their name from being big San Francisco Giants fans, and they'll be spinning "some of the greatest soul, r'n'b, garage, rock'n'rol etc" all night. Admission is totally free, no cover.

My Morning Jacket is doing a sold out pre-New Year's Eve three-night run (12/27-29) at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.

After that, Capitol Theatre will host Steve Miller Band on 12/30 (tickets) and funky METERS with Dumpstaphunk on NYE (tickets).

For some old school punk, Manitoba (the project of Dictators frontman Dick Manitoba) and Sylvain Sylvain (of New York Dolls) will play Bowery Electric with The A-Bones and Daddy Long Legs. Tickets for that show are on sale.

To keep the party going the next day, head to SOB's for Questlove's holiday party.

Whatever you end up doing, be safe!.

What did we miss?

Heading to Austin? We have a list of shows happening there too. Update: And Chicago too.

Continue reading "A guide to New Year's Eve shows and parties in NYC"

Sasha Go Hard at Santos in September (more by Julie Schabel)

You already know that Merchandise, Tonstartssbandht, Blanche Blanche Blanche, and "speciial guests" are playing 285 Kent on New Year's Eve (tickets) and that Titus Andronicus is playing next door at Glasslands (tickets). If you're headed to either of those shows to ring in the new year, and you're looking for some convenient after party plans once it turns 2013, stick around because footwork master DJ Rashadis DJing back to back with collaborator DJ Manny, fellow Chicagoan Sasha Go Hard (who first came to NYC in September and then played 285 Kent during CMJ), secret Body High guest, J-Cush, and Durban will be going all night at 285 Kent (doors: 1 AM). Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Rashad and Manny recently posted a clip of a new song with two of their other collaborators, DJ Spinn and DJ Kidd, along with the message, "COMING SOON TEKLIFE 2013 SHIT!!!!!" You can stream that song below.

Also below is a stream of "Where Have You Been?," a track Sasha Go Hard recently cut with Freddie GIbbs for Freddie's upcoming project, East Side Slim (via FakeShoreDrive).

Continue reading "DJ Rashad promising new music in 2013 (stream a clip), playing NYE afterparty in NYC w/ Sasha Go Hard & others"

Flying Lotus at LPR in October (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Flying Lotus, whose great Until the Quiet Comes has been getting the credit it deserves on year-end lists by NME, Uncut, NPR, and Pitchfork, just made a list of his top ten films that have Criterion Collection editions. The whole list with commentary is on Criterion's website but you can see his picks below.

In related news, Flying Lotus' rap alter-ego Captain Murphy recently tweeted that he'll be in Austin this March for SXSW 2013. This announcement comes after SXSW's own recent announcement of artists which included Rhye, Savages, Flatbush Zombies, Deap Vally, Angel Haze, and more.

Flying Lotus' list below...

Continue reading "Flying Lotus lists his top 10 Criterion Collection DVDs; Captain Murphy playing SXSW 2013"

by Andrew Sacher

Salva at BEMF 2012 (more by Oliver Correa & Amanda Rohowsky / HiFi Cartel)

LA producer Salva released the impressive Complex Housing LP and Yellobone EP back in 2011, and he's been spending most of this past year playing shows and dropping remixes, like his remix of Kanye's "Mercy" with RL Grime, which you can stream below. Now Salva is set to return with a new EP in 2013 called Odd Furniture, which comes out on February 12 via Friends of Friends. The cover art and tracklist are below.

Salva will be supporting the EP with a North American tour that includes dates with Brenmar, Lunice, Shlohmo, and Daedelus, the latter of who is on board for Salva's NYC show which happens on March 2 at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets for that show are not on sale yet but check LPR's site for updates.

Daedelus also recently released an EP, Looking Ocean, which came out via Scion/AV. You can download that EP for free below.

Song stream, cover art, tracklist, EP download, and a list of all dates below...

Continue reading "Salva releasing new EP, touring w/ Daedelus (dates)"

by Bill Pearis

Little Boots, who back in 2008, made everybody want one of those Tenori-on light-up sequencers, is finally ready to put out LP #2 which will come out sometime in 2013. The record still doesn't have a title (or she hasn't told anybody what it is) but recently told This is Fake DIY about it:

I have spent a lot more time and care on the songs and production, it definitely feels more representative of me of an artist, at least now in 2012. It's less 80s synth pop influenced, it's quite an upbeat album, which I think has stemmed from the fact I have been DJing a lot, and listening to a lot of dance music.

Flyer for tonight's show, that also features Doorly, is below.

Continue reading "Little Boots working on new album, playing NYC tonight"

by Andrew Sacher

Speaking of veteran electronic musicians, Detroit techno legend Juan Atkins is returning to NYC before the end of the year for an intimate gig at Cameo in Williamsburg on December 29 with Brooklyn Bass. Tickets for that show are on sale now. Before recently visiting San Francisco, SFBG wrote...

It's telling that one of the originators of Detroit techno -- who first together with Rik Davis as Cybotron not only exploded what was expected of black American music, but also reinvented the possibilities for machine generated music -- would substitute android names for human ones.

Already the word Cybotron contained the material trace of the cyborg, spun into rapid particle acceleration by the cyclotron. "Not that I was hiding my name," Atkins clarifies. "When I first started making music in the '80s, the music industry was still really racially polarized. Even in America it still is that way to a certain degree. It was harder to cross over to certain genres, so I wanted to put more emphasis on the music as opposed to the person behind the music."

In the past year or so, Juan has made a contribution to the Scion A/V remix series and made a FACT mix, both of which you can also stream below. And in 2010, he contributed to RVNG's FRKWYS series, which included him remixing Psychic Ills' "Mantis." That remix is below too.

Continue reading "techno legend Juan Atkins playing NYC this month, listen to some mixes & tracks"

Kraftwerk @ MoMA in April (more by Ryan Muir)

Remeber all the controvery with tickets when Kraftwerk came to NYC earlier this year? It's happening again, but this time in London...

To say Kraftwerk fans were unhappy might be an understatement. "We are livid," said Angela Kennedy, standing at the end of a queue of about 200 people in Tate Modern's chilly Turbine Hall hoping there were still enough tickets. "We got here at the crack of dawn [around 10am] and were turned away - that was after trying on the phone since 7.30am."

Kennedy, style director of Woman & Home magazine, was one of thousands caught up in Tate's ticketing fiasco after the online booking service for Kraftwerk's London gigs, in February, crashed almost immediately at 7.30am. The next option was the phone, which for most people, was constantly engaged... [Guardian]

The shows are happening at London's Tate museum, who issued this statement:

Many people had a difficult time trying to buy tickets for Kraftwerk yesterday, and we apologise unreservedly for that. We had anticipated a significant volume of interest but our website was overwhelmed by the phenomenal number of people attempting to access it simultaneously. This meant the majority of tickets had to be sold over the phone and we apologise for the long wait and frustration this has caused. We believed that our system could cope with the volume so did not appoint a third party ticketing site.

We expected to sell most of the tickets online before the galleries opened and did not anticipate selling tickets in the gallery. Some customers came to Tate Modern and we made the late decision to sell tickets to them to avoid their disappointment. We are sorry that this was not communicated as an official route to buy tickets and subsequently led to more frustration from other customers trying to buy tickets online and by telephone.

All tickets for Kraftwerk have now sold out. Please do not purchase tickets through a secondary sale as we cannot guarantee their authenticity. Access to the events will only be permitted with the credit/debit card used to make the purchase.

Continue reading "Kraftwerk tickets weren't easy to get in London either"