photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

For those who experienced and loved ATP America's festivals in Monticello, NY, it may have been difficult to imagine how a change of location, from upstate New York to the New Jersey shore, could possibly improve and enhance the unique and uncanny event that it was known to be. Well, it has.

Friday afternoon the fans, followers and leaders of All Tomorrow's Parties arrived in Asbury Park, NY, a town that only five or so years ago was known for its high crime rate and abandoned boardwalk. It's likely that this decadence, however, is precisely what draws the festival and its goers to a new spot on the map, a mere hour south of New York City. Although the rain dampened the ground here at Asbury Park, it did not extinguish the ATP fire that was sparked on stage by Chavez, Reggie Watts with his knee-slapping musical spoofs (ironically fit for a music festival), event regulars Shellac, Hannibal Buress and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, The Album Leaf and the absorbing Jeff Mangum (of Neutral Milk Hotel). -[Dossier]

Edan

Here is a full set of pictures I'll Be Your Mirror Friday. They continue below...

Continue reading "I'll Be Your Mirror 2011 -- pics from Asbury Park ATP Friday (Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Shellac, Cults, Chavez, Edan & more)"

Jeff Mangum isn't on the list, but one could argue that the elusive frontman of Neutral Milk Hotel might be classifiable as an "outsider musician", much like Daniel Johnston (who he covered on Friday again) and Roky Erickson (who he covered on Sunday again). Those covers aside, Jeff's three ATP Asbury Park setlists, religous experiences for many, stuck 100% to songs he wrote.

At last night's show (Monday, 10/3), Jeff was also joined on stage for two songs by show opener A Hawk and a Hacksaw, his Neutral Milk Hotel band-mate Jeremy Barnes included. To quote one anonymous attendee, "I loved him just solo but when they came out it sounded like neutral milk hotel." It looks like we're one step closer to the full on reunion. The Neutral Milk Hotel box set is out 11/22.

Last night's setlist also included "Little Birds" which he didn't play the other two nights. Two quote wiki, it's "the only song by Neutral Milk Hotel written after the release of In the Aeroplane over the Sea of which a recorded version exists.

"It's the beginning of a story where a boy is in a not-so-nice situation. One day, little birds start to form around him in his room. They start coming into his body and he was very happy about this. But unfortunately he tries to share it with other people and they get very upset because this is something that he finds to be very beautiful but they don't find very beautiful and they want to destroy it." -Jeff Mangum

Above photo by missdubs. All three Asbury Park setlists below...

Continue reading "Jeff Mangum played 3 shows @ Paramount Theatre, was joined by Jermey Barnes, covered other outsider musicians (setlists)"

photos by Chris La Putt

Dark Dark Dark / A Hawk and a Hacksaw

"Eerily soothing piano melodies, smirking accordion lines plucked from a New Orleans carnival, cloudy gang vocal harmonies, and lonely horn bleats inhabit last year's Bright Bright Bright EP and full-length Wild Go (both from Supply & Demand Music). Thus far, the catalogue of Dark Dark Dark could be mistaken for lullabies inexplicably emanating from a deserted lakeside cabin haunted by Tori Amos and Gogol Bordello . . . except that, thankfully, Amos and those affiliated with the Bordello camp are alive and well, and therefore can't haunt anything. [The Phoenix]

A Hawk and a Hacksaw have since opened for Jeff Mangum as part of ATP at the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park on Friday (9/30) and will again in the same venue tonight (10/3)...

Without a word, Neutral Milk Hotel frontman Jeff Magnum walked onto the stage of Asbury Park's gilded, enveloping Paramount Theatre Friday night and eased into "Oh Comely," staring straight ahead, singing "soft silly music is meaningful, magical." In the recorded version of that song, at the end, you can hear someone far off exclaim "holy shit!" as if startled - which is just about right.

Over an hour and 15 minutes, Mangum - performing as part of the three-day ATP I'll Be Your Mirror Festival - was focused and relaxed, sitting on a chair mid-stage. He was flanked by four guitars, bathed in autumn orange lighting and looking especially solitary in the theatre's expanse. Where Bon Iver has traded up in touring accompaniment, Mangum is more at home alone - except, of course, for the rapt, capacity crowd of around 1500. [Rolling Stone]

Continue reading "A Hawk & a Hacksaw played Drom w/ Dark Dark Dark (pics), opened for Jeff Mangum @ Paramount Theater (do again tonight)"

A Hawk and a Hacksaw

A Hawk and a Hacksaw (ft. Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeremy Barnes) are touring with Minneapolis chamber folk group Dark Dark Dark and Chicago avant-folk trio Pillars & Tongues surrounding their set at ATP NJ and their 10/3 Asbury Park show with Jeff Mangum. Directly before ATP, the tour will hit NYC twice on September 28 at The Bell House and September 29 at Drom. Tickets are on sale for the Bell House show and Drom show.

All tour dates and some videos and songs below...

Continue reading "A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Dark Dark Dark and Pillars & Tongues --- 2011 Tour Dates"

The Olivia Tremor Control

The Olivia Tremor Control are back and reportedly working on a new release. Previously confirmed to play the December Jeff Mangum-curated ATP UK, the band has now confirmed a full North American tour with fellow Elephant 6er The Music Tapes (aka Julian Koster of Neutral Milk Hotel). The tour includes FYF Fest, MusicfestNW and a NYC show on September 21 at Le Poisson Rouge which is on sale now.

The Music Tapes is also playing Restoration Fest in Albany in August along fellow Neutral Milk Hotel offshoot The Hawk and a Hacksaw who also plays ATP NJ with Jeff and some other dates which are listed below. All of Jeff Mangum's tour dates are HERE

The Olivia Tremor Control recorded their first new track since the reunion last year. The song, "North Term Reality," appears on AUX's compilation AUX Vol. 2. Listen to Olivia Tremor Control's contribution to the comp over at Pitchfork.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Olivia Tremor Control & the Music Tapes -- 2011 Tour Dates "

All Tomorrow's Parties returns to the USA this September in the new location of Asbury Park, N.J. bringing an I'll Be Your Mirror event to the iconic waterfront. For the inaugural U.S. I'll Be Your Mirror, Portishead will curate and headline their firrst East Coast shows since 1998 on the Saturday & Sunday.

As well as Day Tickets, ATP have to date been selling two types of weekend pass - "Three Day Jeff Mangum" passes that include Jeff Mangum's Friday show and guarantee access to one of the Portishead shows (as well as everything else at the festival) and "Three Day Portishead" passes that do not give access to Jeff's Friday show but give guaranteed access to both Portishead shows as well as the rest of the festival. Today we announce a third type of weekend pass...

Portishead have invited Jeff to play an extra show on the Sunday night of the festival. Therefore this week we release new "Three Day Jeff Mangum Sunday Passes" - these give access to all three days of the festival to passholders who will see Jeff Mangum on the Sunday night and are guaranteed to see one of the two Portishead shows. The original Three Day passes for the event are now called "Three Day Jeff Mangum Friday Passes."

That means Jeff is playing Asbury Park three times, twice during the actual festival (see above), and, as you know, once on Monday (10/3) at Paramount Theatre (the day after ATP and not actually part of the fest itself). The Monday show has been sold out for a while now, but ATP are releasing a few more tickets for it. "To buy email feedback@atpfestival.com with JEFF MONDAY TICKETS in subject line, and tell us how many tickets you want. We will respond as soon as possible. Payments must be made by Paypal." A Hawk and a Hacksaw (ft. Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeremy Barnes) open the show.

ATP NJ has a few other lineup additions including Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 (they first reunited to play the Animal Collective ATP that recently happened in the UK), avant guitar hero Marc Ribot, avant sax hero Colin Stetson, avant comedian Reggie Watts, and others. Also: "Today we are also very pleased to announce that in conjunction with The Jonathan Levine Gallery, renowned artist SHEPARD FAIREY (who has created the art for this event and will also DJ) will be presenting an exhibition of his art over the weekend entitled Revolutions: The Album Cover Art of Shepard Fairey. More details of the exhibition will be confirmed soon."

The updated lineup is below, along with updated Jeff Mangum tour dates (he added a few other shows recently too)...

Continue reading "ATP NJ adds another Jeff Mangum show, a new kind of pass & some more bands to the lineup"

Updated ATP flyer

"Can we assume they'll be added to ATP, which starts a few days after the Bklyn date?," asked a commenter in the comments of our post announcing the Swans show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and that commenter was dead on.

ATP NJ (aka "Ill Be Your Mirror") has updated its previously announced lineup to include Swans, Peanut Butter Wolf (who will be DJing), Battles, Deerhoof, Jim Thirwell's Manorexia, and Oneida (who will again perform in Ocropolis formation, like in 2009) "ONEIDA PRESENTS THE OCROPOLIS III which will take place at the Asbury Lanes Bowling Alley - the band will perform continuously throughout the day, sometimes with guests from the rich array of musicians also performing in the festival, sometimes alone and mostly improvised."

Though 3-day passes for the Asbury Park Fest, which include your only shot at seeing Jeff Mangum, are sold out (now called the Jeff Mangum Three Day Pass), tickets are still available in multiple incarnations for the three day celebration, including a new "Portishead Three Day Pass" which allows "passholders to see everything else from Friday-Sunday as well as giving priority access with the day pass holders to BOTH Portishead shows on Saturday and Sunday" (the pass doesn't include entry into Jeff Mangum). The "Portishead Three Day Pass" will go on sale at 10AM EST Thursday (4/21) and individual day passes are currently on sale. The versions of the 3-day pass that are sold out only guarantee you one night of Portishead. "Existing Day ticketholders or Jeff Mangum Three Day pass holders who wish to switch to a Portishead Three Day Pass should contact ATP via feedback@atpfestival.com before May 30th."

The current lineup is below.

Continue reading "ATP NJ adds 'Portishead 3 Day Pass', expands lineup (Swans, Oneida, Battles, Deerhoof, more)"

Shepard Fairey is also DJing the event on Sunday

ATP Asbury Park ("I'll Be Your Mirror") has released the second wave of artist announcements including many of Portishead's choices for the bill! We already knew about Jeff Mangum, Bonnie Prince Billy, Shellac, Chavez and more. New additions include, not surprisingly, Portishead-related acts Anika and Beak> (and this time Anika will be performing live and not just DJing). There's also now a rare reunion of The Pop Group, an Ultramagnetic MC's reunion (WITH Kool Keith), Silver Qluster (Simeon of Silver Apples and Hans-Joachim Roedelius of Cluster/Harmonia), Thee Siliver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, Mogwai, Earth, The Horrors and more. The full list is below.

Jeff Mangum also just announced a slew of other shows aside from ATP Asbury Park, including a UK ATP.

More details, a bigger Shepard Fairey-designed poster, and the full schedule below...

Continue reading "ATP NJ lineup expands (Pop Group & Ultramagnetic MCs reunions, Mogwai, Horrors & more Portishead-picked bands)"

"ATP Concerts are very excited to present the return of Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum to headline and curate one of two festival weekends planned for December 2011 at Butlins, Minehead. After releasing what is now one of the most loved and critically acclaimed albums of the 1990s (In The Aeroplane Over The Sea), Neutral Milk Hotel disbanded before many of those who now love their albums had a chance to see the songs performed live, so Jeff's much anticipated return to the live stage this year will no doubt be a very special occasion for fans throughout the UK and worldwide.

As well as headlining, Mangum will choose around 40 acts to play across the weekend on three indoor stages with a total festival capacity of around 5500 people. Mangum will perform more than once in the more intimate Centre Stage venue, although entry to only one show is guaranteed - he will be performing a solo acoustic set."

Jeff's initial UK lineup (listed below) includes A Hawk and A Hacksaw who (also contain a Neutral Milk Hotel member and) are also on the lineup with Jeff in NJ.

The full initial UK ATP lineup and more details below...

Continue reading "Jeff Mangum curating & playing an ATP UK too!"

Not surprisingly (since they were down to less than 25, 5 hours ago), all 3-day passes to I'll Be Your Mirror USA, taking place in Asbury Park, NJ from Sept 30 - Oct 2, 2011, are sold out. All tickets to see the October 3rd Jeff Mangum show are gone too, so that means all the Mangum tickets are gone since only 3-day pass holders can get into Mangum's Friday show. If you want to see the rest of Friday, or Saturday (Portishead) or Sunday (Portishead), grab one-day passes on either SeeTickets or Ticketmater before those sell out too (let's see if they all disappear as fast as Coachella's did)

Jeff Mangum is not the only member of Neutral Milk Hotel playing the fest (though he may be the only one singing the band's songs). A Hawk & a Hacksaw (NMH's Jeremy Barnes) is also on the Friday lineup so far. A Hawk and a Hacksaw are releasing a new album, "Cervantine" (pictured above), via their own label L.M. DUPLI-CATION on February 18th. In March they'll tour the west coast before heading to Europe. All of their non-NJATP dates are below...

Continue reading "3-Day 'I'll Be Your Mirror' passes are sold out, A Hawk and a Hacksaw releasing an LP & touring"

This was actually posted by ATP on Friday, but probably still all true:

The Jeff Mangum show at the Paramount Theatre is now sold out.

Three Day passes and Day passes are selling fast and the ticket sites are going slow due to the number of visitors so if it doesn't work first time please be patient and try again, or try phoning! Thanks for your understanding. On Seetickets you will know your order was successful when you get email confirmation.

Here are the correct ticket links to use for today's on-sale at 9am EST. Tickets will be limited to 4 per order per ticket type so please bear this in mind and if you need more than that try to get a friend to do a separate order.

Please note 3 day passes are only on Seetickets...

Three Day Passes - SEETICKETS

Friday / Saturday / Sunday Day Passes - SEETICKETS or TICKETMASTER

Please be advised that each site has a different allocation of tickets, so if tickets say they are sold out on one ticket agent, check out the other!

If you want to try phoning for tickets the numbers are:

Ticketmaster - 0844 844 0444
Seetickets - +44 (0)1159 129000 (thats a UK number)

OR if you're in Asbury Park, Day tickets will be available at The Stone Pony Box Office, located at 2nd and Ocean Avenues in Asbury Park, and at the Experience Asbury Store, located in The Grand Arcade off of the 5th Ave Boardwalk.

Updated I'll Be Your Mirror USA lineup (they added a couple names since the initial announcement) below....

Continue reading "I'll Be Your Mirror USA lineup & ticket update"

A Hawk and a Hacksaw @ Mercury Lounge 1/10 (more by Natasha Ryan)

The bond between Jeremy, Heather and their Hungarian associates finds glorious voice on Délivrance. "The songs were all written and inspired by our time there. It felt like we were trying to document what we had learned and played in Eastern Europe. So we tried to get everyone we had played with on the album, plus a few people whom we love and admire," Heather explains.

Recorded in Budapest during mid-2008 around the core of the Hun Hangár group, with a variety of specialists (Jeremy would often take the train to different places around the city and record musicians like Kálmán Balogh, one of the world's foremost gypsy cimbalom players), it is wholly evident that months of being submerged in the local culture and making music the focus of daily life has seeped right through Barnes and Trost's songwriting and playing. This is by far their most vivid, intense and confident work to date. [neufutur]

The band will be touring North America this fall. Joining them on most dates will be Damon & Naomi. Both groups will be at a Sepember 19th show at NYC's (Le) Poisson Rouge. Tickets are on sale.

Damon & Naomi are releasing a comp of their four Sub Pop albums (put out between 1995-2002) on an appropriately titled collection The Sub Pop Years, which comes out September 8th on 20/20/20. They also have a DVD, "1001 Nights," due September 29th on Factory 25. That disc is touted as "a comprehensive anthology of the ethereal Damon and Naomi with videos and live performances by the duo from 2001 through 2009."

Before their duo days, Damon & Naomi used to be in Galaxie 500 (a trio with Dean Wareham of Dean & Britta who are playing Prospect Park on Saturday). All three of Galaxie 500's studio albums were recently remastered and re-released as vinyl and mp3s available through the band's own online store.

All tour dates and videos from AHAAH's Délivrance are below...

Continue reading "A Hawk and a Hacksaw - new record & 2009 tour dates (LPR) w/ Damon & Naomi who are reissuing a bunch of stuff"

Etta James @ New Orleans Jazz Fest 2009 (more by Graeme Flegenheimer)

tonight in NYC
* Etta James @ BB King's
* The English Beat @ Maxwell's
* The Roots @ Highline Ballroom
* Local Correspondents Fest @ Bar 4
* Whoopie Pie with Sam Mickens @ Zebulon
* Animal Collective, Grouper @ Terminal 5
* Jill Sobule, Matthew Barber @ Union Hall
* Wye Oak, Pomegranates, Winter Gloves @ Mercury Lounge
* The Phenomenal Handclap Band @ Black Betty
* Your Nature, The Extraordinaires, Invisible Hand @ The Annex
* Marc Ribot B-day Week: Spiritual Unity & Marc Ribot Trio @ Joe's Pub
* Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers, Drink Up Buttercup, Wild Yaks @ Pianos
* Tribute to Marc Ribot w/ Marco Capelli/Anthony Coleman/Grey Gersten, John Madof and Rashanim/Eyal Maoz/Roger Kleier's El Pocho Loco Project @ The Stone

If you're in Philly, hit up this benefit.

Wilco is streaming their new album.

Fever Ray tickets went on presale.

De La Soul releasing new material for Nike.

If you've never seen a frontman covered in dildos, you've probably never seen Shat.

A Hawk and a Hacksaw's new video for "I am not a Gambling Man" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

Efterklang @ Mercury Lounge - March 28, 2009 (Efterklang - photoblog)

A Hawk and a Hacksaw @ SXSW 2009 (Efterklang - photoblog)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Whiplash @ UCB
* Les Paul @ Iridium
* Garotas Suecas @ Zebulon
* The Roots @ Highline Ballroom
* Jamie Stewart (of Xiu Xiu) @ Monkey Town
* Mates of State, Black Kids @ Webster Hall
* The Rakes, The Dig, Sean Bones @ Bowery Ballroom
* James Yuill, The Answering Machine @ Mercury Lounge

"This is a charity auction for 2 tickets to see Dark Was The Night - Live at Radio City Music Hall on May 3, 2009. Besides getting the VIP treatment, you will also receive what we are calling THE JOSH FREESE COMMEMORATIVE BONUS PRIZE PACK of extras and goodies to enhance your overall winning bid experience." [ebay]

Videos of Les Paul playing at Iridium below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

words by Andrew Frisicano, photos by Tim Griffin

The Music Tapes visited NYC for two nights in March - Maxwell's in Hoboken (3/1, which I wrote about) and two days later at the Bell House (3/1), where Tim Griffin took pics (below) and wrote:

"The big event was when julian came out in to the audience and asked everyone to sit around him. I didn't catch all of what he was saying, as he was un-mic'd, but he handed out paper and pens to everyone (from a plastic camel attached to the end of a broomstick - of course) and asked them to write down a memory on a piece of paper, and that afterward we'd all go outside and burn it. Seemed nice enough. Until everyone was outside. 11 degrees feeling like -3 with the wind. Brrrr....as the fires 'raged' in the pot, Julian lined everyone up and they proceeded to run and jump over the burning paper in a pot. Admittedly it was all very engaging and charming, however ...we were outside for at least 15 minutes, which was more than enough to make my hands completely numb. I was grateful to go back inside, where Julian and Co. finished out the set and the evening."

AHAAH's fourth album, Délivrance, is set for release on The Leaf Label on May 18. Its first single, "Foni Tu Argile," comes out April 27th as a digital download and a "limited edition of 500 hand-numbered 10" singles, cut at 78rpm, with packaging that replicates the shellac records of old." (The song is streaming now at the band's Myspace. )

All Music Tapes pics (and setlist) and AHAAH tour dates below...

Continue reading "Music Tapes Bell House pics, a Hawk & a Hacksaw tour dates"

photos by Tim Griffin

"On January 27th, 2009, The Lomographic Society is opening a Lomography Gallery Store in New York City (41 W. 8th St, Manhattan). The Store will be the biggest and most exciting international destination for all your Lomographic needs. The New York Store is the newest addition to the other worldwide Lomography Stores in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, Beijing, Seoul, Madrid, Barcelona, Sydney, Santiago de Chile and Vienna.

Located in the bustling, historic Greenwich Village neighbourhood of Manhattan, the Lomography Gallery Store New York will provide the whole range of Lomographic products and services, a wide range of analog photography products, and most exciting of all - the special and limited edition cameras only available at Lomography stores."

Continue reading "A Hawk and A Hacksaw @ the new Lomography store - pics"

AHAAH @ Mercury Lounge - Jan 10, 2009 (more by Natasha Ryan)

A Hawk And A Hacksaw plays the grand opening party at the new Lomography Gallery Store in Manhattan this Monday 26 January (approx 9pm). The show is free but requires a RSVP to info-usa@lomography.com on a limited first come, first served basis! The show will see AHAAH perform as the core duo of Jeremy Barnes and Heather Trost, and will be an early opportunity to hear some new tracks from the band's fourth album due out this spring.

Monday 26 January
The Lomography Gallery Store, NYC
41 W. 8th St, Manhattan
Doors 7pm
Tickets Free (RSVP to info-usa@lomography.com)

Continue reading "A Hawk and a Hacksaw - a free NYC show, Union Hall video"

words & photos by Natasha Ryan

The duo from New Mexico quietly emerged from the side of the stage and began playing to each other in the middle of the floor. The giddy audience started snapping photos and wondered out loud, "are they going to do the whole set here?" After the second song the band made their way on stage and Jeremy Barnes (ex-Neutral Milk Hotel and one half of A Hack and a Hacksaw) shared his enthusiasm for the brand new accordion he'd just purchased earlier that day. The pulsing, frantic Balkan sounds of the duo transformed the entire room into fluctuations of silent awe and pandemonium. Barnes was an eight-armed beast, hitting cymbals and playing percussion while attacking the accordion. Heather Trost broke a string towards the end of the set, but pulled on it for some interesting effects. the occasional shrieks in a definitively instrumental set elevated the hypnotizing beats to the climatic point of the night, and the set ended as suddenly as it began. - Natasha Ryan

It was one of two shows AHAAH played in NYC this weekend. The second was last night (Sunday, January 11th) at Union Hall in Brooklyn. More pictures from Mercury Lounge below...

Continue reading "A Hawk and A Hacksaw @ Mercury Lounge, NYC - pics "

by Andrew Frisicano

Julian Koster & friends in a NYC apartment

The European-folk-music-influenced duo of ex-Neutral Milk Hotel drummer Jeremy Barnes and violinist Heather Trost, A Hawk and a Hacksaw, is set to play two upcoming NYC shows - January 10th at Mercury Lounge (tix), with Great Lake Swimmers, and January 11th at Union Hall (tix).

Barnes didn't turn out for the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise tour earlier this winter, and so far these are A Hawk and a Hacksaw's only announced 2009 dates.

With H&H, there's always the possibility of a Beirut-related appearance, as they've worked & toured together, and are on the same label (Badabing. There's even video evidence of previous collabs (see below). Zach Condon recently appeared unannounced at an Inlets show, and Beirut are playing three NYC shows in February (ahem, for now).

In other NMH-stalking news - a while back BV reported that the Music Tapes Caroling tour would be making its way north from Georgia through New York to Maine playing living rooms and houses along the route. Fans were encouraged to invite "Julian and his friends" to their house. I [Andrew] did so, and strangely enough, on December 13th, Julian, Rudolph (dog) and Badger (musical saw) stopped by at my place with a few other friends in tow for a set of saw-sung carols, fantasical stories and a couple Music Tapes banjo tunes - all performed solo next to the Christmas tree. Even with the show's short notice - I'd just gotten an email that morning with details - about ten to fifteen fans showed up for the event. After the set, Julian paused for a few snapshots (see above) and left as quickly as he had came - I unfortunately wasn't able to follow the traveling party to the next apartment. Jesse Jarnow, contributer to the Voice, attended and wrote up the event on that blog.

Julian was recently featured on NPR's Morning Edition, which commented that The Singing Saw at Christmastime's layered saws "capture just a bit of bone-chilling terror -- just right for these uncertain times." On Christmas day, Julian and friends gave an interview and performed live for NPR's World Cafe. If you missed it, you can listen to it now at their site.

In addition to the date above, Great Lake Swimmers are also playing the Bell House in Brooklyn January 9th (tix) with Haley Bonar & Daniel Martin Moore, and a Feburary 7th date in Guelph, Ontario, near their home base of Toronto, for the Hillside Festival.

Video of Beirut playing with Hawk & A Hacksaw, and all dates, below...

Continue reading "Julian Koster came caroling, A Hawk and a Hacksaw & Great Lake Swimmers are playing shows "

today in NYC
* FREE STUFF
* DANCE (Hudson)
* Bon Jovi @ MSG
* Rush @ Jones Beach
* Ricky Gervais @ Theater at MSG
* NY Philharmonic @ Prospect Park
* A Hawk and a Hacksaw @ (le) poisson rouge

What else?

photos by Ryan Muir

It was almost two years ago that Beirut played in the venue that occupied the same space that they played last night (May 18, 2008). I don't know what my point is. Last night's last-minute Brooklyn show at MHOW was really great (2 encores, some covers, all the hits, and kick ass new songs). More pictures & comments, and the setlist, below....

Continue reading "Beirut @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, NYC - pics & setlist"

I read a lot about this band (Grizzly Bear) but resisted based on the snide expression on a couple of their faces in a magazine. I can’t get past those first impressions easily. There’s so much music to listen to, so you narrow it down any way you can. I’ve missed out on a lot of stuff (probably based on arbitrary facial displeasure). They make really beautiful, evocative music that has a gauzy fuzziness to it; you can’t accurately pinpoint their place in time.....[Wilco's Jeff Tweedy for the NY Times]

Continue reading "JEFF TWEEDY is listening to Dr. Dog, Grizzly Bear, Battles, A Hawk and a Hacksaw & Panda Bear"

Did anyone notice a member of Beirut playing a horn with The Citizens Band when they opened for the White Stripes at Irving the other night? I could be wrong.

Zach @ Primavera sound 2007, 9:00 am soundcheck (more about that)

Back in May it kind of leaked out that Grizzly Bear-fan Zach Condon and his band Beirut would be playing three NYC shows in September, but the tour dates I just received only list two September dates - so either plans changed, or they'll announce the third one after the first two sell out. All dates, and new album info, below....

Continue reading "BEIRUT - new album & 2007 Tour Dates"

ANDREW BIRD @ GOOD SHEPARD FAITH CHURCH, NYC | NOV 15, 2006 (CRED)

I was planning on attending the Andrew Bird / Hawk and a Hacksaw wordless show in NYC Wednesday night, but like Beirut I was too exhausted to make the trip. Sounds like it was good...

This was an amazing night. Bird seemed to channel his music in a way that I have never experience. He swayed, paced, tossed his head, and generally exuded joy throughout the entire concert. He made use of several live recording devices, which allowed him to layer his own music on top of more of his own music. Simply orchestrating this complicated bit of art was amazing enough on its own. Some of the songs he played were arrangements of his vocal versions, other were brand new. It was fantastic. [fuzzyblu]

First up was A Hawk and a Hacksaw, a violin/accordian duo who played music that sounded straight out of eastern Europe...which I suppose is inescapable with that perticular instrumentation. Halfway through their last song, a horn sounded in the back of the church (they held this event in a church btw) and suddenly Beirut...an eight-piece band comprised of guitar, drum, accordiant, clarinet, and trumpet, among other things...comes marching down the aisle to join the two performers in stunning orchestral madness.[cait]

The next Wordless Music Series show will most likely take place on January 24th, 2007. It hasn't been 100% confirmed yet, but Charles Spearin (Do Make Say Think, KC Accidental, Broken Social Scene) may be performing. The show after that is 100% confirmed and already on sale. That one features Explosions in the Sky.

Andrew Bird's next two shows are November 24th & 25th in Chicago at Logan Square Auditorium.

GLENN KOTCHE @ THE WORDLESS MUSIC SERIES | 09/18/06 (MORE)

Wednesday, November 15 (6:30 reception / 7:30 show)
* A Hawk & A Hacksaw
* Katya Mihailova (solo piano)
* Andrew Bird (first-ever instrumental/solo violin performance)

This is the next installment in the Lincoln Center Wordless Music series. Tickets go on sale Thursday, Oct. 5.

Previously
Wordless Music Series featuring Nels Cline and Glenn Kotche
Andrew Bird @ Bonnaroo 2006 | pics, news
Glenn Kotche (Wilco) & David Cossin @ World Financial Center, NYC | pics