by BBG

As you can see above, El-P's special guests for his upcoming show at Santos on May 21 will include none other than Killer Mike! The Atlanta MC, who also plays a free show at Brooklyn Bowl with DIIV three days later, will join Jaime Meline for his Cancer for Cure release party along with Despot and more special guests. That makes Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire the only artist that isnt officially on the Santos show from the upcoming tour with El-P and Killer Mike. No word on if he'll show up as well, but considering his proximity... it's definitely possible. Tickets are still available. UPDATE: special guests confirmed:

In other El-P news, he recently released another new trailer Cancer for Cure. But no need to wait because you can also now stream the LP in full. El-P recently performed "Stay Down" with Nick Diamonds on David Letterman (on 5/15), check that out along with the trailer below.

Killer Mike just released his recently BNM'd LP in R.A.P. Music. Make sure and catch him on said tour with El-Producto -- a list of all dates is below. While you're down there, make sure and stream a new track from Killer Mike and watch him talk about weed with his mother. No shit.

Continue reading "El-P's LP streaming; Killer Mike appearing at El-P release party, gives his mother weed advice (and his LP is out now)"

photos by Craig Barritt

Paul Weller is in town for two shows at the Best Buy Theater tonight (5/18) and Saturday (5/19) to which tickets are still available. Last night, Weller played an invite-only show at the Paul Varvatos store (aka the old CBGBs space) and his 15 or so song set ran his entire career, from Jam classics "Eton Rifles" and "Art School" through songs off Weller's new album, Sonik Kicks.

Weller also stopped by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and performed the Jam's "That's Entertainment." You can watch that below, and check out a few more pictures (mostly red carpet) and setlist from the Varvatos show.

Continue reading "Paul Weller played John Varvatos store (pics, setlist) and Jimmy Fallon (video), playing Best Buy Theater this weekend"

This train is no longer making all stops

Van Halen have canceled most of their summer reunion tour, affecting all tour dates after their June 26th show in New Orleans. Over 30 shows have been abruptly postponed, including the July 13 show at East Rutherford, NJ's Izod Center on 7/13. No explanation has been given for the canceled dates... are the boys fighting again?

A full list of Van Halen dates, both still scheduled and postponed, are below.

Continue reading "Van Halen cancel/postpone most of summer tour"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Dent May - Best Friend (MP3)

Dent May

Dent May's new album, Do Things, is out June 12 via Paw Tracks, and those expecting more of his magnificent ukulele may be in for a surprise. Having traded his signature instrument for synthesizers, drum machines and electric guitar, Do Things sounds like May has spent the time between albums listening to that Orange Juice box set and his baritone croon works well with his new, funkier sound. You can download the very OJ-ish single "Best Friend" at the top of this post and watch the video for it below.

Dent plays 285 Kent tonight (5/18), the last date of a short East Coast tour, and shares the bill with Family Portrait, The Babies, William Tyler and Ducktails on DJ duties. He then takes a month off before launching an extensive North American tour with Quintron and Miss Pussycat that will not hit the East Coast unfortunately. All Dent May tour dates are listed below.

While we're on Kent Ave, right next door at Glasslands tonight (5/18) is Big Troubles who have taken most of 2012 off. They play with The Hairs and Punks on Mars. Tickets for tonight's show are still available.

Punks on Mars are signed to Zoo Music, the label run by Dee Dee of Dum Dum Girls and Brandon of Crocodiles. They just released their new 7" EP, Hey Tiffany, and it's got a compressed early-'80s new wave feel to it. Fans of Cleaner from Venus, Chris Stamey-era dB's or even Ariel Pink might want to take a listen -- you can stream the whole thing at the bottom of this post.

That stream, along with the Dent May video, and a list of all dates below...

Continue reading "Dent May releasing new LP (MP3) playing 285 Kent tonight; Punks on Mars have a new EP, playing Glasslands tonight"

We Are Augustines @ Hotel Vegan 2012 (more by Tim Griffin)

A total of seven Williamsburg Park shows are on sale and that includes Jane's Addiction and Die Antwoord (which will take place on August 17).

It also includes "The Outlaw Roadshow Featuring Counting Crows with Special Guests" which takes place on July 17. Those special guests include We Are Augustines (ex-Pela) and Field Report (ex-bandmade of Justin Vernon), both of whom played Hotel Vegan at SXSW this year (Counting Crows also played SXSW this year). Kasey Anderson & the Honkies is one of the special guests too.

Now there are eight Williamsburg Park shows total announced, one of which is free, and one of which is part of the Northside Festival.

Screaming Females at Red 7 earlier this month (more by Tim Griffin)

It makes us very sad to have to announce that we are canceling all Screaming Females dates from now through June 14. Marissa has mono and the doctor says no shows for a month. Don't worry, we will be back in your hometown before you know it. -[Screaming Females]

All current Screaming Females dates are listed below. Mono is no fun...get well soon Marissa!

Continue reading "Screaming Females cancel tour dates, including Northside (Marissa has mono)"

Art for Shiner's The Egg

Shiner was a band from Kansas City, Missouri that was active from 1992 to 2003. The group formed in 1992, and quickly found wide exposure, releasing a vinyl EP in 1993 and touring with acts such as Sunny Day Real Estate, Chore, Jawbox, Season to Risk, The Jesus Lizard, and Girls Against Boys. The group released their first LP, Splay (recorded at Steve Albini's Chicago studio) in 1996, and a second album, Lula Divinia the next year. Sub Pop took notice, and released a 7" single of the group's songs "Sleep it Off" and "Half Empty". Following this the band toured with Hum in 1998.[1] A third full-length, Starless, was released on a label run by members of The Descendents, Owned and Operated, in 2000. A fourth LP, The Egg, would follow before the group broke up in 2002.

Close to ten years later, the band is back for a quintet of reunion shows in the US in celebrate of The Egg's reissue, due on August 7th. The dates include stops in Lawrence, Kansas, Chicago, LA and NYC at Irving Plaza on August 11th with Errortype:11. Tickets are on sale.

In related news, Errortype:11 shares members of Primitive Weapons, who will team with Whores, Family, and Tiger Flowers at Saint Vitus on June 13th. Tickets are on sale. As previously mentioned, Whores will also play Union Pool on June 15th with Harkonen, The Atlas Moth, and Fight Amp as part of a Brutal Panda/BV-BBG Northside event. Tickets are still available, or get in with your Northside badge.

A listing of all Shiner tour dates and a teaser video for The Egg reissue are below.

Continue reading "Shiner reunites for US dates (including Irving Plaza)"

by Andrew Sacher

Father John Misty at BV-SXSW 2012 (more by Tim Griffin)

Folk singer Jonathan Wilson will play his last US show for a while tonight (5/18) before heading out on a European tour with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Tonight's show is at NYC club Mercury Lounge with Jenny O. Tickets are still available. All Jonathan Wilson dates are listed below.

Wilson's show is an early one (doors at 7PM), separate from the one that happens later that night at Mercury Lounge with Father John Misty (whose debut album, Fear Fun, Jonathan contributed to) plays a late show at the venue with Har Mar Superstar (sold out). Maybe Jonathan will stick around and join Father John Misty later. That show is part of Father John Misty and Har Mar Superstar's ongoing tour together which also includes a sold out show in Brooklyn on Saturday (5/19) at Knitting Factory.

Speaking of Father John Misty, he's not too happy about what Pitchfork (or as he likes to put it, Supercomputer) had to say about his new album. FJM took to his constantly active twitter to comment on it. Here's some choice tweets from the twitter sesh:

"It's cute when critics put on airs that they understand the language of music theory while wildly misconstruing basic compositional elements" - FJM

".@pitchforkmedia For future reference, saying an album doesn't have enough "syncopation" is like saying a book doesn't have enough letters." - FJM

".@pitchforkmedia Supercomputer, I believe your review was a bit too "written". Much in the way my album was clearly too "composed"." - FJM

".@pitchforkmedia Supercomputer, paragraph 4, sentence 2 is so chock full of musical non-sequiturs it's practically incoherent. -Ombudsman" - FJM

"@pitchforkmedia For all the casual dismissing of my back-catalogue, your supercomputer seems to think they're at least a few decimals better" - FJM

Continue reading "Jonathan Wilson playing Merc tonight before Father John Misty (who does not approve of P4K's review of his album)"

by Bill Pearis

Helmet at Irving Plaza, March 2012 (more by BBG)

'90s alt-rockers The Toadies and Helmet are hitting the road this summer for a co-headlining tour, stopping in NYC on August 2 for a show at Webster Hall. Tickets to that show go on sale TODAY (5/18) at noon.

While the good times vibes of The Toadies and the math-rock blast of Helmet probably didn't cross paths a lot back in the day, it makes a little sense through the haze of '90s nostalgia. Hair-flying Austin trio Ume open on all dates and are absolutely worth showing up early to see.

The Toadies have a new album, Play.Rock.Music, that will be out July 31. Helmet most recent album is 2010's Seeing Eye Dog. As for openers Ume, the band (who played Hotel Vegan during SXSW) will go on a co-headlining tour with The Life and Times before hooking up with the Toadies and Helmet.

All Toadies/Helmet and Ume dates are listed below...

Continue reading "The Toadies, Helmet and Ume touring together this summer, playing Webster Hall (dates)"

by Andrew Sacher

MS MR

NYC duo MS MR recently dropped the pop-leaning track, "Hurricane," which you can watch the video for below and download the MP3 in exchange for your email at their website.

They've got a number of NYC shows coming up including one TONIGHT (5/17) at Bowery Ballroom opening for VHS or Beta. Tickets for that show are still available.

They'll also support Marina and the Diamonds at a few of their upcoming US shows including their NYC shows on August 16 and 18 at Webster Hall. The first of those shows is sold out but tickets for the 8/18 show go on sale Friday (5/18) at noon. MS MR are also on board to open for Xylos at Glasslands on June 1 with Ninifabi. Tickets for that show are available. All MS MR dates are listed below.

Speaking of tonight's VHS or Beta show, there's a Vibrations afterparty at Hudson Terrace Roof Deck (5/17) starting at 10 PM. In addition to a VHS or Beta DJ set, the party will also include Classixx, Sean Glass, and Electric Youth (DJ). Admission is free til midnight with RSVP.

Electric Youth

Speaking of Electric Youth, you can also catch them play a live show at Brooklyn Bowl on Friday (5/18) with Italians Do It Better co-founder Mike Simonetti (who recently remixed Lemonade). Tickets for that show are available. Electric Youth were featured on the excellent Drive soundtrack teaming up with College for "A Real Hero." That soundtrack also includes two Johnny Jewel (the other Italians Do It Better co-founder) groups, Desire and Chromatics. Electric Youth dropped the "Right Back to You" single last year, and like Drive's aesthetics and soundtrack, it's soaked in '80s nostalgia. Though few modern songs scream '80s quite like this one does -- from the Like a Virgin-era Madonna drums, exercise video synths, and even a squealy guitar solo. Stream it below.

Video, streams, and a list of all MS MR and Electric Youth dates below...

Continue reading "MS MR playing shows, opening for VHS or Beta tonight; Electric Youth DJ the afterparty, play live tomorrow"