Entries tagged with: All Tomorrows Parties
ATP NY 2010 - Day 2 in review & pics (Sonic Youth, Shellac, Papa M, Sleepy Sun, Fuck Buttons & more)
words and pics by BBG, additional Sonic Youth pics by Samantha Marble
Thurston

Unlike Friday (and Sunday), people weren't throwing devil horns on Saturday. With the Saturday lineup dominated by indie acts, including many longstanding ones (Sonic Youth, Tortoise, Dave Pajo/Papa M, Shellac, The Breeders, etc etc) there were less shirts that repped the heaviest of the heavy, like Dystopia, Grief and Electric Wizard, and more "vintage look" Judas Priest and Dio with bowl cuts, and 80's style librarian glasses. In other words, there was a definite crowd shift from day one to day two at the 2010 edition of ATP New York.
While cruising through the lobby on my way to my first performance, Text of Light with Lee Renaldo, I paused to catch Helen Money (on tour with Shellac) at the "Lobby Stage". The 10+ minutes of Text of Light was a bust - squalls of guitar feedback with wailing sax made for a fascinating few minutes, but grew tiresome quickly. Helen Money's looped cello was already gone by the time I had returned from the second stage, but I wish I hadn't left. Later on I would catch Frankie Don at the lobby stage, who played hits of the 70s and 80s with Casio presets while the drunk, acid-drenched, and generally out-there spazzed on the dance floor. It was my own personal Tim & Eric Awesome Show episode.
Fuck Buttons were the first band I caught on the main stage, and the tribal drumming, rumbling saw wave bass tones, and pulsing electronic soundtrack were well-represented in the Stardust Room. The band's live show stuck to their recent recorded output and was quite the contrast with my next conquest, the out-there chamber-folk of Fursaxa on stage two, complete with cello and harp. I preferred the former.
Sleepy Sun

After a bit of Tortoise's jazzy math post-rock rhythms, I scooted down to Sleepy Sun (playing Knitting Factory Monday night) on the second stage; the Cali psych-rock band impressed me so much in the exact same room last year. Their set was not as impressive this time around, but more so than The Breeders who played the larger stage later that night and were a touch messy/off-key as they stammered through hits like "Divine Hammer".
On the other hand, Shellac (who also played in 2009) and Papa M killed it though in much different ways. Shellac's treble-y stomping punk rock was a triumph, and their Kutsher's set ("We are Shellac, and we only play ATP shows") included recent faves like "The End of Radio" and "Steady As She Goes". The band nixed their now famous Q&A session during their show due to their shortened set time, so their usual dry-sarcastic humor didn't play out as much this go around. Hopefully they have no curfew Tuesday at the Bell House. Papa M delivered ambient-y guitarscapes on the second stage, impressing immensely.
If you live in NYC, you've probably had your share of live Sonic Youth experiences. I've seen them at least six times. But whether it was the atmosphere, perfectly balanced soundsystem, or the band having a particularly ripping night, SY delivered probably my favorite Saturday set, focusing primarily on earlier material (Daydream Nation was a focal point it seemed). The sound in the Stardust Room was (still) flawless, and they closed out the night with a bang (set list below).
I also saw bits of Avi Buffalo, The Books and Hallogallo on Saturday. I completely missed BEAK> (stay tuned for our coverage from their Bowery Ballroom show though), Sian Alice Group, and Apse (catch them Monday and Wednesday night in NYC). I also missed Explosions in the Sky, but Sam caught them (her pics coming soon).
Read about Friday HERE. Sunday coverage is coming. Saturday (with more pics also coming later), continues below...
words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Ryan Muir
Steve Albini in Shellac

"We're taking a bath, but I don't care," Barry Hogan told [Sasha Frere-Jones]. We were standing in the makeshift production office for the All Tomorrow's Parties festival, at Kutsher's, a resort in the Catskills."My name is Sufjan Stevens and I am going to play all of my Seven Swans album. That should be a good early afternoon hangover sort of thing"Kutsher's, where Muhammad Ali trained and a thousand schticks were born, was once the jewel of the Borscht Belt. The main venue at Kutsher's, the Stardust Ballroom, has a capacity of 2,800. But Hogan seemed largely unbothered that only 1,800 tickets to ATP had sold. It is 2009, after all.
Considering the bad coffee situation and the fun that I had the day before, Sufjan was spot on. Clad in tie-dye that the band had purchased at the general store at Kutsher's, the five piece were delicate, light and lilting. Sufjan's bright banjo strums and songs, like the sunny "Sister", resonated so well in the Stardust Ballroom. The Seven Swans album was an excellent choice for a wake-up set on the second day of the three day upstate NY festival (Saturday, September 12, 2009).
After Sufjan, I wandered over to catch a crew of young Aussies named Bridezilla. Though their name is a touch offputting, guitarist/vocalist Holiday Sidewinder has a sexy and breathy coo that recalled PJ Harvey and their her cocktail-dress-ed crew were a surprise and a delight.
Grouper were next, and as a fan of 2008's Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill, I was eager to check out Liz Harris's ambient soundscapes. Playing to a projection of an ocean at night, the stage show wasn't much visually but the tides of noise was otherworldly.
Conversely, Black Dice in the same room was a psychedelic mindfuck. Blasts of tribal noise beats nodded heads and shook them in equal measure.
As a fan of Bradford Cox, it was great to see him pull a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning with Atlas Sound. Rolling solo with guitar, harmonica, and some backing tracks, Cox was engaging both in song and with between song banter. I would regrettably end up missing Deerhunter's set a few hours later. Drowned in Sound was there though:
Bradford Cox is a picture of serenity as he swaps his shirt for a more tasteful number and leads Deerhunter into their Saturday night set. He announces that this will be their last performance for some time, causing the band to roll out the hits in quick-fast fashion. They gallop through 'Cryptograms' and 'Nothing Ever Happened', the positively herculean double guitar sound feeling unstoppable and a sense of jubilation ricocheting between the walls as people succumb to these great big shining pop songs. The closing 'Calvary Scars' is a slab of beautiful kraut-pop, with Lockett Pundt's metallic Tim Gane-esque strum leading the way, face-painted kids jerking their bodies back and forth, and Cox looking genuinely sad that this will be the last time these songs will be wrung from his fingers and throat for a while.Anti-Pop Consortium was my next venture, the first time I had ever seen the crew though I was a long time fan. On the Stardust Ballroom system, APC's distorted and creative beats sounded amazing but save for Beans energetic movement, I was less than impressed with their live show. Live hip hop is hard to pull off, and those who try should heed the great Rakim who said "to me MC means move the crowd". If you want to give them a chance, they're at Santos Party House on September 29th.
Sleepy Sun were line checking when I got back to the second stage, with vocalist Rachael Williams checking her levels in the monitor
"Check. Check. I. Hi. Me. You. All of you. Us. Getting nervous."
If they had nerves, the band channeled them into positive energy. Sleepy Sun's influences fit right in with their hometown, San Francisco, as the band dabble in a psychedelic California sound with some krautrock-y elements. I was most struck by their fantastic drummer Brian Tice as well as vocalist Williams, who ripped out a solo that had the crowd shouting and applauding. Wayne Coyne watched the band from stage left, clearly impressed.
After an elongated line check, El-P came on and with a four-piece band (Chin Chin) and hypeman (Mighty Quinn) to the sound of "Tasmanian Space Coaster". I have a soft spot for El-Producto's Blade Runner beats and post-apocalyptic rhyme styles, and it was great to see a Hip Hop artist who actually puts an emphasis on his live show. As a matter of fact, El-P put a little too much of himself out there, almost falling off the stage after pogo-ing around during "Smithereens". Careful dude... we need a follow-up to I'll Sleep When You're Dead.
I hadn't seen Akron/Family since the then more acoustic-centric band played Tonic many years ago (with Hamid Drake?) and it was refreshing to see their energy were still in place. Against a backdrop of a tie-dyed American flag, the band played a rousing and ripping set. It's good to see that the loss of Ryan Vanderhoof to a Buddhist center hasn't slowed them a bit.
Autolux had the discordant riffs, feedback squalls, and a 90s alt punk sound to hit all of the right influences (Joy Division, Sonic Youth, etc), but unfortunately didn't really distinguish themselves from their influences. Autolux isn't offensive by any means, just not compelling or distinctive, and I find it a touch disappointing that guitarist Greg Edwards was a member of Failure (a band that I dug).
Dead Meadow and their fuzzy freakout psych blues were riffing on Stage Two towards the end of the Autolux set, but by half way in, the crowd had diminished considerably due to Shallac on the main. For shame, as the trio played a ripping set!
continued below...

JESUS LIZARD, MELVINS, EL-P AND MORE FOR ATP NY! DAY TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Today we're pleased to announce the second group of announcements for our second ATP New York festival which runs from 11th-13th September 2009 and is co-curated by The Flaming Lips. The first event received widespread rave reviews and the second is shaping up to be just as good.On Friday 11th September, joining the previously announced Dirty Three performing Ocean Songs, Suicide performing their legendary first LP and David Cross curating a comedy stage, we have:
THE JESUS LIZARD - their first New York show in many many years
THE DRONES - performing Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of The Enemies Will Float ByOn Saturday 12th September, joining the previously announced Animal Collective, Panda Bear, Black Dice, Antipop Consortium, Autolux and Atlas Sound we have:
MELVINS
EL-P
DEAD MEADOW
AKRON FAMILY
SLEEPY SUNWe will be announcing some of the bands that THE FLAMING LIPS, our Sunday headliners, have announced in the near future.
Tickets are on sale now for $235 with or without accommodation at an extra cost.
We are also placing on sale today a VERY limited amount of day passes
for this festival. Friday day passes cost $75, Saturday and Sunday
passes cost $95 per day. These are on sale now and due to high demand
are not expected to be available for very long.CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS! (thx Jason!)
The Jesus Lizard! It was also just announced they'll be playing the Pitchfork Fest in July. That's in addition to at least 2 other UK shows so far.
Melvins are also performing some shows in May, where, unlike at ATP, they'll be playing their album Houdini from start to finish.
The Drones, coming all the way from Australia, will also be here in the States this month. Unlike at ATP though, they won't be performing an album from start to finish this time around.
I wonder who the Flaming Lips will add. As some have already pointed out, we know it won't be Arcade Fire.
Sleepy Sun is an ATP Recordings-signed band from San Francisco who are also playing SXSW. Check out a video below...
Suicide @ Webster Hall (more by Faith-Ann Young)

FRIDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER - DON'T LOOK BACK/COMEDY
DAVID CROSS - CURATING COMEDY »SATURDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER - CURATED BY ATP
SUICIDE PERFORMING FIRST LP »
DIRTY THREE PERFORMING OCEAN SONGS »
PANDA BEAR »SUNDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER - CURATED BY TBC
ANTI-POP CONSORTIUM »
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE »
ATLAS SOUND »
TBCAs previously reported, ATP NY is returning to Kutscher's in upstate NY in 2009, but note the new dates. They originally said the fest would happen Labor Day weekend, but are now listing it as one week later. Tickets are already on sale. (thx Tye)
David Cross also just announced an appearance at Knitting Factory in NYC on December 8th. Patton Oswalt and Eugene Mirman appeared at ATP NY in 2008.
Atlas Sound doesn't have any upcoming shows, but Bradford Cox is playing with Deerhunter at Music Hall of Williamsburg on that same night (12/8).
Suicide are playing Europa on December 11th.
Anti-Pop Consortium are taking over Knitting Factory in NYC on December 12th.
Anti-Pop Consortium Presents: MELTDOWN w/ very special guests Bomb Squad (Hank & Keith Shocklee), Dragons of Zynth & Chin Chin; Sugar Shack Burlesque in the Tap Bar & The Magma Chamber multi-media installation in the Old Office + many more special guestsTickets are now on sale.
Animal Collective are playing a sold-out show in NYC on January 20th, aka inauguration day, aka the day their new album comes out which will probably leak before then which may or may not be the fault of Grizzly Bear. Chris Bear, Panda Bear cage match date TBA.
Meat Puppets and Built to Spill were among the bands who played full albums at ATP NY in 2008. My Bloody Valentine was the headliner and curated day two.
Other upcoming ATP's (All Tomorrow's Parties) around the world include the one Sleep is playing in the UK, the one the Breeders are curating in the UK, the one The Melvis and Fantomas curated with Boss Hog and others in the UK, and the one Nick Cave chose Silver Apples for in Australia.
For more official info on ATP NY, check ATP's site. For more BV coverage of ATP NY, check brooklynvegan.com/tag/ATP NY.
by Black Bubblegum
The Breeders at McCarren Pool (more by Ryan Muir)

All Tomorrow's Parties recently announced another UK festival, this time curated by The Breeders and taking place May 15-17 2009 at Butlins Holiday Camp in Minehead, England. 40+ bands will play the festival including The Breeders as well as Throwing Muses, Bon Iver, Teenage Fanclub, and Holy Fuck. Tickets are on sale.
The Breeders festival, also know as "ATP UK Weekend 2", comes, believe it or not, one weekend after "ATP UK Weekend 1" which is the ATP that Sleep are reuniting for (and which is also known as "The Fans Strike Back").
ATP is also coming back to NY in 2009. All Breeders tour dates below....
Continue reading "The Breeders are curating a UK ATP ++ other tour dates "
photos by Elizabeth Weinberg

"Sun is falling down/Sky is falling down/Seasons falling down/Air is falling down," Boston art-punk legends Mission of Burma sang in "Weatherbox" Friday night, midway through the opening set of the fourth Pitchfork Music Festival, as their guitars, bass, drums and tape loops evoked the fury of bombs falling in the midst of an earthquake during a vicious thunderstorm.More pics below...Thankfully, the real downpour stopped not long before the band officially opened the three-day festival in the West Side's Union Park. But it was an ominous message nonetheless, with the weather threatening to dampen souls if not spirits all weekend long at what has become the premier celebration of the musical underground in Chicago and the entire U.S.
It's easy to take shots at Pitchfork's opening-night "Don't Look Back" concept of bands performing one of their classic albums in its entirety and to dismiss it as a gimmick or cheap nostalgia. But as with everything else, it all depends on the music in question.
A long since gone-Hollywood Liz Phair performing "Exile in Guyville" or the reunited sorta-Smashing Pumpkins rendering "Gish" arguably are as sad as any state fair act. But a band like Mission of Burma is a different story: Its music was always far ahead of its time; it ended the first round of its career prematurely, in part because of guitarist Roger Miller's tinnitus, and the new albums it has recorded since 2004 have been every bit as good as "Vs." (1983), the subject of Friday's retrospective.
[Jim DeRogatis @ Chicago Sun Times]
Continue reading "Mission of Burma performed 'Vs' @ Pitchfork Fest 2008 - pics"
photos by Elizabeth Weinberg

8:17 p.m.: Public Enemy takes the stage. Yeah!!!! Or, do they? No, wait, it's really their Bomb Squad production team --- Hank and Keith Shocklee --- laying down some dub-reggae beats on the turntables.This happened Friday night (July 18, 2008) @ The Pitchfork Fetsival. More pics below....8:45 p.m.: The band shows up but seems in no particular hurry to get going.
8:50 p.m.: Air-raid sirens, three guys in Desert Storm camouflage (the S1W's, who double as dancers and security guards), and finally the megaphone voice of Chuck D. "Bring the Noise" begins a tour through "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back." This 1988 album served as a rite of passage for a generation in the way it distilled African-American dissent into a series of Molotov-cocktail songs. It still feels like the soundtrack to Eldridge Cleaver's "Soul on Ice" or "The Autobiography of Malcolm X." Its beats --- built on James Brown's "Funky Drummer" syncopations --- were every bit as fierce as Chuck's rhymes. It hasn't dated a bit.
9:10 p.m.: Flavor Flav, who shows up late and is chastised by Chuck D, trumpets his reality-TV show and the audience lets him have it. "Sell-out!" "Boooooo!" Flav is not amused.
9:17 p.m.: Flav momentarily redeems himself by restarting "Mind Terrorist." "Where the volume at?" Indeed, the volume is a few dozen decibels short of adequate. The band's urgency isn't matched by what's coming out of the speakers.
9:45 p.m.: Like a heavyweight boxer sensing a knockout, Chuck D closes in for the kill. "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" creeps with menace, and the music surges. The crowd is into it too, as the set closes with a furious "Rebel Without a Pause," "Prophets of Rage" and "Party for Your Right to Fight," before seguing into "He Got Game" and its central riff from Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth."
10:30 p.m.: The band roars through a half-hour's worth of hits after wrapping up "Millions." "Fight the Power" sends everyone home. Time to get home and recharge for Day 2.
[Greg Kot @ the Chicago Tribune]
Bardo Pond

All Tomorrow's Parties is pleased to announce some additions to the bill for ATP New York, its first east coast festival set for September 19-21 at Kutshers Country Club in Monticello, NY.The day by day lineup is now:As previously announced, the three day festival is curated by both My Bloody Valentine and ATP, and will be headlined by My Bloody Valentine in their first US appearance in 16-years.
Alongside previously announced choices, Dinosaur Jr., Lilys, Yo La Tengo, Mercury Rev and Mogwai, Sunday curators My Bloody Valentine have also chosen, Bob Mould, Sonic Boom, Le Volume Courbe, Gemma Hayes and Wounded Knees. ATP adds in Les Savy Fav, Alexander Tucker and Apse to join Shellac, Fuck Buttons, Low, Growing, Edan With Guest Dagha, Thee Silver Mount Zion Orchestra, The Drones, Polvo, Wooden Shjips, Harmonia, Om and Autolux on their day. Finally Bardo Pond Performing Lapsed joins the Friday Don't Look Back day that also sees Thurston Moore Performing Psychic Hearts, Tortoise Performing Millions Now Living Will Never Die, Meat Puppets Performing Meat Puppets II and Built To Spill Performing Perfect From Now On.
Continue reading "more bands added to ATP New York (Bardo Pond)"
by Black Bubblegum
DOWNLOAD: Deathwish Inc. Summer Sampler (MP3 ALBUM ZIP*)
DOWNLOAD: AKIMBO - Great White Bull (EXCLUSIVE MP3) from the forthcoming Jersey Shores
Lemmy Is God (Rui M Leal)
I haven't even seen it yet, but I have hereby declared the following as one of the most metal movies of 2008. It's called Lemmy: The Movie. A feature-length documentary on the man, the legend, Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead. In case you had some doubt about how amazing this will be, check out this video of Lemmy and his then drummer "Philthy Animal" trashing a hotel room. Motorhead are one of the Metal Masters, and tickets are still available.
Downloadable above, check out the first tasty nugget from Akimbo, pulled from their upcoming Jersey Shores LP! Akimbo's new concept album, about how "sharks.... will totally fuck you up" is due later this year on Neurot Recordings. Akimbo are scheduled to play Jello Biafra's 50th BDay party with the Melvins.
While all of us are getting riled up for Monticello, All Tomorrow's Parties have announced the curators for 2008's Nightmare Before Christmas.... Melvins & Mike Patton! Info is limited so far, but we do know it'll take place between December 5 - 7 at Butlins Holiday Camp in Minehead and you can expect to see the following confirmed performers: Melvins, Isis, Neil Hamburger, Dälek, Big Business, The Locust, Zu, and Fantômas performing The Director's Cut! More deets are available here. Melvins will drop Nude with Boots this July on Ipecac. Mike Patton recently released a soundtrack to a short film, A Perfect Place.
keep going....

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19TH - DON'T LOOK BACKI noticed they broke down the ATP NYC festival lineup by day and who picked which bands (see above) (plus there's still more bands TBA announced I think). I didn't realize until now that bands like Thee Silver Mount Zion Orchestra weren't specifically picked by My Bloody Valentine (not that it matters) (or does it?).
THURSTON MOORE PERFORMING PSYCHIC HEARTS
TORTOISE PERFORMING MILLIONS NOW LIVING WILL NEVER DIE
MEAT PUPPETS PERFORMING MEAT PUPPETS II
BUILT TO SPILL PERFORMING PERFECT FROM NOW ONSATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20TH - CHOSEN BY ATP
FUCK BUTTONS
LOW
GROWING
EDAN WITH GUEST DAGHA
SHELLAC
THEE SILVER MOUNT ZION ORCHESTRA
THE DRONES
POLVO
WOODEN SHJIPS
HARMONIA
OM
AUTOLUXSUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST - CHOSEN BY MY BLOODY VALENTINE
MY BLOODY VALENTINE
DINOSAUR JR.
LILYS
YO LA TENGO
MERCURY REV
MOGWAI
LE VOLUME COURBE
Thee Silver Mount Zion Orchestra are also currently on tour and they're playing NYC tonight/Monday (May 19) and tomorrow/Tuesday. Neither show is sold out.
Other ATP NY bands with upcoming shows in NYC are Built To Spill/Meat Puppets/Dinosaur Jr (Terminal 5), Polvo (Bowery & Maxwell's), and My Bloody Valentine (Roseland). Did I forget anyone?

Another piece of the ATP NY nostalgia trip is coming to NYC. Built to Spill will perform their album Perfect From Now On at Terminal 5 in NYC on September 25th AND September 26th. Dinosaur Jr. AND Meat Puppets will open both shows. $32 tickets go on sale Friday @ noon.
My Bloody Valentine are playing NYC on September 22nd & 23rd.
ATP NY is September 19-21. Dinosaur Jr. was one of the bands they recently added to the My Bloody Valentine-curated bill that already included Built To Spill (playing the same album) and My Bloody Valentine themselves.
Oneida are performing one of their albums two nights in a row in NYC too.
More Built To Spill tour dates below...
Continue reading "Built To Spill playing 'Perfect from Now On' in NYC (twice)"

Tickets are now on sale for the My Bloody Valentine-curated ATP festival in upstate NY (that MBV is also playing).
UPDATE: Sold Out instantly?
UPDATE 2: Doesn't seem sold out if you buy 7 tickets??
UPDATE 3: It seems they just have a really bad ticketing system.

Frank Riley, the group's long time booking agent who started working with My Bloody Valentine more than two decades ago, confirms that the band will play shows in 6-8 U.S. cities.UPDATE: Lineup below....Currently, only one show is confirmed: a headlining slot at the soon-to-be-announced All Tomorrow's Parties Festival in upstate New York the weekend of September 19-21. Kevin Shields is curating the event, which will be similar to the British promoter's weekend-long UK festivals at holiday camps in Camber Sands and Minehead. The New York weekender will be the first stand-alone U.S. All Tomorrow's Parties Festival since 2003 and 2004 events in Los Angeles.... [Daily Swarm]
DOWNLOAD: Portishead - All Mine (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fuck Buttons - Bright Tomorrow (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Silver Apples - Seagreen Serenades (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Aphex Twin - Polynomial-C (MP3)
Portishead

With a new album reportedly coming out in April 2008, Portishead are officially back in action. They proved that this weekend by playing not one, but two reunion shows at the ATP Festival in Minehead (Dec 8-9, 2007). Portishead also curated the shows that included Aphex Twin, GZA, OM, Oneida, A Hawk & A Hacksaw, Boris, Black Mountain and many others. BV correspondent Zach Dilgard was on hand to take pictures. He caught the second Portishead show (night two), and he had this to say....
everyone was amazing. Portishead played about 1/2 old stuff and 1/2 new material. all of the new songs were monstrous.Aphex Twinaphex twin played a solid 2 hours with material i've never heard before. everyone was dancing like crazy... the floor was literally shaking the whole two hours from everyone bouncing.
More photos, videos & reviews, below......
Continue reading "Portishead, Aphex Twin, GZA, Thurston Moore & more @ ATP - pics/video/review"