photos by Jessica Amaya

Amanda Blank, MNDR and Pacific Theater played a benefit for Keep-A-Breast.org last night (4/26) at The Bell House in Brooklyn. Pictures from that show continue below...

Continue reading "Amanda Blank, MNDR & Pacific Theater played a benefit @ the Bell House (pics) "

Amanda Blank @ Terminal 5 in 2009 (more by Paul Birman)

Amanda Blank + MNDR + Brooklyn band Pacific Theater + A Benefit for Keep-A-Breast.org TONIGHT (4/26) @ The Bell House in Brooklyn (tickets).

100% of profits from this event will go to the Keep A Breast Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Our mission is to help eradicate breast cancer by exposing young people to methods of prevention, early detection and support. Through art events, educational programs and fundraising efforts, we seek to increase breast cancer awareness among young people so they are better equipped to make choices and develop habits that will benefit their long-term health and well-being.

Continue reading "Amanda Blank & MNDR play benefit in Brooklyn tonight (and other tour dates) "

DOWNLOAD: MNDR - I Go Away (MP3)

MNDR @ Mercury Lounge (more by Erez Avissar)

MNDR plays a free show with Restless People at Brooklyn Bowl tonight (Tuesday, 2/9), and then again at the same venue with WAVVES exactly one week later (also free). Total that makes three upcoming NYC show for MNDR before she leaves on a tour with Yacht on February 28th. The third is a February 20th show with These Are Powers at a mysterious TBA location.

MNDR was supposed to also open for Ebony Bones at Southpaw on Saturday, 2/13, but she has been replaced on that bill by Jessica 6. The Brooklyn show is one of two upcoming NYC shows for Ebony Bones who also share a bill with Amanda Blank and Daniel Merriweather "at Hudson's new subterranean lounge, Good Units" (356 West 58th Street) on Wednesday, February 10th. This is another free show though RSVP is required.

All dates below...

Continue reading "MNDR playing 2 free Brooklyn Bowl shows but not playing w/ Ebony Bones who plays a free hotel show w/ Amanda Blank"

Amanda Blank @ Terminal 5 in Nov (more by Paul Birman)

"They're both most commonly associated with bigger male underground stars, but tonight Amanda Blank and Maluca should prove themselves major players in the electro-pop-hip-hop-ghetto-Latin nexus. Philly's Amanda Blank has worked with Spank Rock, and handily delivers an equally bumping and even filthier and funnier take on B'more gutter music. Maluca's debut on Diplo's Mad Decent Records more than lived up to his much-heralded Major Lazer release. The flaming meringue that is Maluca's "El Tigeraso" made for one of the most energetic, gripping singles of 2009." [Village Voice]

Continue reading "Amanda Blank & Maluca - 2010 Tour Dates (Santos tonight) "

photos by Paul Birman

"Thank you for the greatest show you've ever seen!" screamed electronica goddess Merrill Nisker, aka Peaches, before stepping off the stage Saturday night at Terminal 5. Never one for modesty, the 43-year-old former elementary school teacher known for her provocative performances, explicit lyrics, and all around bad-ass allure, put on a great show with Brooklyn's Jessica 6 and Philly's self-proclaimed "hottest-muthafucka-on-the-whole-damn-block" Amanda Blank. Backed by her Berlin-based band Sweet Machine, Peaches' set and double encore were a sexually-charged gender-bending spectacular that featured all of her classics. The crowd went wild for numbers like "Operate," "Boys Wanna Be Her," and, of course, feel-good, sing-along hit "Fuck the Pain Away." She also rocked an array of colorful costumes that would put Lady Gaga to shame, and for her final song, "Set it Off," she wore a revealing nude bodysuit and a ghetto fab chain. "New York is the most open-mided city," she teased, before encouraging the audience with a chant of "shirts come off, shirts, shirts come off!" Lo and behold, shirts came off." [Paper]

Continue reading "Peaches, Amanda Blank & Jessica 6 @ Terminal 5, NYC - pics "

photos by Ryan Muir

"People who speak in magazine copy will call 2009 The Year Of The Electro Gal. With La Roux and Little Boots leaving their signatures on the last 12 months, it falls to Philadelphia rapper-slash-singer Amanda Blank to own the last quarter of 09.

Blank's been around for almost half a decade. Her potty mouth has been front and centre on electro-rap masters Spank Rock's most beloved tracks (most notably Bump, where she name checked herself as a "boastful bitch MC") and she also appeared on the Diplo Vs Santogold mixtape, as well as NASA's debut. But due to record company machinations and her own caution, her solo debut, I Love You, is only coming out now." [Guardian]

Continue reading "Amanda Blank, her guest Spank Rock, and Devlin & Darko @ the Museum of Natural History in NYC - pics"

Last week I only made it out to Fixed on Friday. While I wasn't floored by Annie Mac and Dada Life's selections, their energy behind the decks was infectious and had the crowd going wild in the basement of the Tribeca Grand. It was really a great time, regardless of whether you were super into the music, or not. This week there is a lot going on. Consider this you warm-up to CMJ...

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (part 1) (Amanda Blank, One Step Beyond, Dim Mak, Holy Ghost & more) "

Mew bongos in the darkness @ MHOW (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Britney Spears @ MSG
* Nine Inch Nails, Mew @ Terminal 5
* The Alternate Routes @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Marc Ribot's Sun Ship @ Rose Live Music
* Cubic Zirconia, Michna, ApSci @ Mercury Lounge
* Spindrift, Hopewell, The Runaway Suns @ Union Pool
* Surprise Me Mr. Davis, The Low Anthem @ The Bell House
* Highline Piano Series: Phil Vassar @ Highline Ballroom
* Univox, Akudama, Ex-Humans, White Noise Supremacists @ Death By Audio
* Knight School, Prince Rainbow, Bright Lights, The Sugarplums @ Cake Shop
* Georgiana Starlington, This Frontier Needs Heroes, Feather & Folly @ Bruar Falls

NIN plays their last NYC show (maybe ever) tonight at Terminal 5. Peter Murphy showed up last night. Tonight Mew opens.

Where Brooklyn at? Matt and Kim are on Jimmy Kimmel tonight. Even weirder, Care Bears on Fire (who play Irving Plaza on Saturday) are on Letterman.

Georgiana Starlington, which has ex-Black Lips guitarist Jack Hines, has a monthly residency at Bruar Falls. Tonight they play with This Frontier Needs Heroes and Feather & Folly.

If today seemed slow that's because my computer kept crashing every 5 seconds. It makes me feel better to vent, so thanks!

Breakfast at Sulimays reviews Amanda Blank (who played in Urban Outfitters last night) and Radiohead. Below...

Lou Barlow's new video for "Don't Apologize" -- off the new disc Goodnight Unknown -- is posted below. He'll be in NYC with the Missingmen on October 6th.

"A day with Ida Maria". Video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

"If you're in NYC tonight [August 25], stop by our store at 14th St. and 6th Ave. to catch a free, in-store performance by Amanda Blank. The trash-talking Philly rapper is back on the East Coast before she starts touring with Matt & Kim, so you can see her on what's almost her home turf. Show starts at 7pm. Don't be late, or Amanda will be pissed! Kidding, kidding. She won't care, but you'll be mad at yourself." [Urban Outfitters]

Matt & Kim dates below...

Continue reading "Amanda Blank playing Urban Outfitters tonight + other dates"

"Inglewood police dispatched a riot unit, and by 1:25 a.m. Sunday, more than 17,000 attendees had been sent home." -LA Times

Balcony climbin' @ Hard Summer '09 in L.A. Saturday night (downtownlobby)

A back door of the VIP section, where tickets began at $125, flew open and fans ran in from the parking lot in what [concert-goer Will] Fan described as a "stampede."

"We saw about 200 kids run right through the bar area," said the 35-year-old Sherman Oaks resident. "It was a little scary. I saw the bartender push one kid down, but everyone else just ran around him. Eventually, security was able to stop more people from coming in. But the kids ran out of the bar...and basically hopped over the balcony and onto the floor. Then the music stopped."

The sold-out all-night Hard Summer concert, which featured a lineup that included U.K. dance duo Underworld and Canadian electronic rockers Crystal Castles, was halted at about 10:50 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which cited "hazardous life-safety things taking place inside the event."
[L.A. Times]

"We were required to shut down Hard Summer at The Forum Saturday [August 8th] night by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. They declared the event a "hazard" after seeing concert-goers jumping from the balcony to the floor. The Inglewood Police Department backed the decision of the Fire Department and assisted in clearing the venue.

While we, the promoters, worked with the authorities to consider other options to continue the concert, ultimately they made the decision to end it. We are happy to report that there were no major injuries.

We are offering refunds to all concert-goers and are deeply disappointed that the fans were not able to see this incredible show come to fruition." [official statement]

Hard Fest NYC is set to take place October 10th at Terminal 5 where we doubt any problems like that will happen. Crookers and Major Lazer (Soundsystem) headline, and tickets are still on sale.

LA refund info and the continued Hard Summer story with videos (showing people climbing, falling & jumping over railings and ledges), below...

Continue reading "chaos at HARD Fest LA causes shut down - people broke in, climbed over balconies, etc (VIDEOS) --- refunds available"

Spank Rock & Amanda Blank @ The Shank in March (by Tod Seelie)

"What went on inside soon became the stuff of legend, so much so that very few revelers were willing to go on the record for this story, even to admit they'd visited The Shank. Engel declined to comment specifically on The Shank's reputation as a drug den, but admitted to the obvious: "We weren't exactly policing things." Prerequisite hedonisms aside, the vast, windowless space seemed to radiate depravity from its very walls, from its unmarked entrance to the plank patrons had to traverse over murky waters to get to the much-abused bathrooms. "I bought the same jeans twice," explained Telli Gramz, also of Ninjasonik. "I like dirty white jeans, but these just got destroyed. The Shank will fuck your shit up."...

...According to many people I spoke to, the club's real decline started when Engel asked [Jonathan] Toubin to take a Saturday off and booked a one-off party thrown by promoters Bikes in the Kitchen. The evening began with sets from local party fixtures like Juiceboxxx, Ninjasonik and Team Robespierre, and culminated in a performance by Spank Rock and Amanda Blank."... [NY Press]

Continue reading ""the rise and fall of The Shank" (the Brooklyn venue)"

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Bonnaroo (more by Graeme Flegenheimer)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs will play a series of headlining shows around their July 31st appearance at All Points West. The band has second-to-top billing right under the Festival's Friday TBA headliner. That spot is still unfilled after the Beastie Boys were forced to cancel their APW appearance and all summer dates so MCA can undergo cancer treatment.

The new Yeah Yeah Yeahs shows, which include Clifton Park, NY (near Albany), Philadelphia and Toronto, can be added to the band's mostly-summer-festival schedule. The shows will be opened by Philly rapper and Spank Rock collaborator Amanda Blank, whose debut LP, I Love You, is due August 4th on Downtown Records. You can get a track off it at RCRD LBL.

Amanda Blank @ the 2009 Siren Festival (more by Tim Griffin)

YYYs have been releasing sections of Snakesweat, an art film directed by Barney Clay that was recorded during the It's Blitz sessions, as separate episodes. That's now streaming in full at Pitchfork ("one week only").

The tracklist, album art and video for It's Blitz' second single "Heads Will Roll" (out now as a digital remix EP through iTunes) with a live video of "Skeletons" and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Yeah Yeah Yeahs - headlining shows (not in NYC) w/ Amanda Blank (new album) + All Points West (with ?) -- all dates"

photos by Tim Griffin

"Spank Rock's set at Siren wasn't a concert. It was a dance party. A couple songs in, MC Spank Rock (Naeem Juwan) invited the crowd behind the barrier to come dance in the pit. Mind you, this was after he brought people on stage to dance. It seemed the group would stop at nothing to turn the ex-Coney Island parking lot into a club. The crowd was definitely on Spank Rock's side, gaining energy after a long day of standing in the sun. Rapping in stride with a playful cadence and constant grins, the group, led primarily by Juwan, turned the boardwalk on its bad side (that's the good kind of bad, Mom)." [Knox Rd]

Continue reading "Spank Rock, Ninjasonik & Amanda Blank @ Siren Fest - pics"

Matt & Kim @ Bowery Ballroom in February (more by Bao Nguyen)

Hudson River Rocks in NYC - July 9, 2009
6:30 Team Robespierre (added to the bill)
7:30 Flosstradamus
8:30 Matt & Kim

---

Flosstradamus are also playing one of the final shows at Studio B this weekend.

All Matt & Kim dates below...

Continue reading "Matt & Kim - 2009 Tour Dates (FREE SHOW TONIGHT w/ Flosstradamus - Team Robespierre added)"

Amanda Blank

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Youssou N'Dour @ BAM
* Buke and Gass @ Sycamore
* Phish @ Jones Beach Theater
* Transit @ Issue Project Room
* Dark Meat, Disappears @ Cake Shop
* Lee Fields & the Expressions @ Southpaw
* Tribeca New Music Festival @ Flea Theater
* Charlie Hunter, Elysian Fields @ The Stone
* Holiday Shores, Doctor Ready @ Shea Stadium
* Amanda Palmer, The Lisps @ Highline Ballroom
* Dave1 from Chromeo (DJ), Viking @ Webster Hall
* Shannon McNally, Jones Street Station @ 92YTribeca
* Eric Friedlander, Colin Stetson @ Abrons Art Center
* Rooftop Films w/ Bottle Up & Go @ Open Road Rooftop
* Detachment Kit, Goes Cube, The Thin Man @ Union Hall
* Amanda Blank, The Freedom Party @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* James Yuill, True Widow, Field Recordings @ The Annex
* TV on the Radio, Dirty Projectors @ Central Park Summerstage
* Pink Mountaintops, Quest for Fire, Hard Drugs @ The Bell House
* Endless Boogie, Five Dollar Priest, Electroputas, Coconuts @ Fontana's
* Love Is All, Right on Dynamite, Sean Bones @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Rosetta, Architect, The Handshake Murders, Hot Cha Cha @ Death By Audio
* Family Band, Parkington Sisters, TK Webb & Friends @ Dam Stuhltrager
* Screaming Females, No Courage, The Eskalators, Michael Jordan, No One & The Somebodies, more @ Hillstock Music Fest
* Shellshag, Passive Aggressor, Stupid Party, Ukebox, Fiasco, Grass Widow, Pregnant, Querent, Little Lungs @ Don Pedro
* Art Brut, Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard, Keith TOTP & his Minor US Indie Celebrity All Star Backing Band @ Mercury Lounge

Friday and Saturday are your last chance to see Cirque du Quoi?!? at the House of Yes.

Amanda Palmer at Highline. Amanda Blank at LPR. Blank is also opening for Santigold on the tour that includes Tuesday's show at Terminal 5.

It's raining like crazy. Dirty Projectors go on at 6:30 (or maybe 7:00).

This weekend is the Fangoria Convention.

Saturday is the Roots Picnic in Philly.

Screaming Females are touring with The Dead Weather.

In the Vivian Girls video interview with Nardwuar, you can see at bit of the interview he did with Mika Miko. That entire interview is below...

As BB pointed out, Sex Vid is here Saturday. A short video clip of them playing at Dad's house, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Santigold show @ Irving Plaza (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

"Santigold will take her endless dance party across the US one more time this spring before heading back into the studio to record the follow up to her smash self-titled debut. Santigold will be performing with a full band and dancers for the first time in North America to bring her genre-blending sound to life. Virgin Records artist Trouble Andrew, who can be heard on the Santigold track "I'm A Lady," along with Downtown Records' singer/mc Amanda Blank will be the openers." [PR]

Not part of the tour is Santigold's upcoming appearance at the new Topshop store opening in SoHo. According to NY Mag, Mark Ronson and Lady Gaga will also be there on April 1st, the day before the store on Broadway and Broome officially opens. And there will be deejays...

"It's always nice to have tunes while you're shopping your latest look. It's even nicer when they're played by LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy, Justine D, The Whip and other surprise acts. With DJs on hand throughout the opening week, tapping your toe is inevitable. Make sure you check out the instore schedule to see who is spinning the decks daily." [TOPSHOP]

UPDATE: Here's the whole DJ (I think just DJ) schedule:

"Fashionable UK clothing stores Topshop and Topman are opening their first American outpost here in New York City, on Thursday, April 2, and EVR is the first to announce the lineup at their grand opening event. EVR's own Andrew Andrew and Cassie and Harley will be there along with The Rapture, Kid Sister, Misshapes, LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy and many more. Located at the corner of Broadway and Broome Street, Topshop and Topman are a celebration of downtown fashion, music, and culture, and East Village Radio is proud to be their radio partner."

Continue reading "updated Santigold tour dates, new TOPSHOP in-store DJ info"

Santigold (then known as Santogold) @ Irving Plaza (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

"Conan O'Brien is being lured by University of South Carolina honor students to make an on-campus appearance to receive their "Cocky Award" (named after the school's Gamecock mascot) in honor of his Bud Light Super Bowl ad, in which the comedian sported bunny ears and spoke in a Swedish accent. Daniel Boulud enjoyed the oysters at The Four Seasons Bar Room, while Robert Morgenthau, Jack Rudin, and Edgar Bronfman Sr. lunched nearby. Kate Moss is expected to hit up NYC on April 1 for the opening of Topshop on Broadway and Broome, celebrating with performances by Mark Ronson, Santigold, and Lady Gaga. Wild child Katy Perry likes kissing boys too. She's dating decidedly un-wild singer Josh Groban." [NY Magazine]

Santigold, fresh off a Vermont appearance at the US Open, has a few big shows coming up - two of which are in NYC. The first happens next Wednesday at the new Topshop store (see above). The next is a headlining show at Terminal 5 on June 9th with openers Amanda Blank and Trouble Andrew. $25 tickets for that one go on sale Thursday at noon.

You can also catch Santigold at this year's Ultra Music Festival in Miami (this weekend), Sasquatch Festival, Roots Picnic, and Bonnaroo. All dates below...

Continue reading "Santigold playing Topshop store opening, Terminal 5, the Roots Picnic & Bonnaroo"

Amanda Blank covering for Spank Rock @ Coachella 2008 (jonprc)

Today we learned that Naeem Juwan Hanks (aka MC Spank Rock) experienced a serious sudden health problem that will cause him to have to cancel his Studio B performance this Friday.

A STATEMENT FROM SPANK ROCK'S MANAGEMENT:
Naeem Juwan Hanks (aka MC Spank Rock) experienced a serious sudden ailment that resulted in his inability to perform at Coachella this past weekend and will cause him to have to cancel his Studio B rooftop performance in NYC this week. While in Indio, at the Coachella Music festival, he had to endure two emergency room visits (one hour before his set time) that eventually resulted in an actual operation on Monday and he now remains in Palm Springs to recover from this unexpected surgery. Our love and well wishes go his way and our thanks to involved industry peers and fans for their understanding and support.

We wish him the best and hope he feels better soon.

While this unfortunate circumstance is beyond our control, we'd like to offer refunds to those Spank Rock fans who wish to no longer attend due to their cancellation.

Customers who purchased tickets online via Ticketweb will receive an email with refund instructions. Those seeking a refund who purchased tickets at either Other Music or Sound Fix should follow up with Studio B directly using this email: generalinquiries@clubstudiob.com with SPANK ROCK REFUND in the subject.

We hope to see you this Friday with Brazilian Girls, The Rub, Chester French ,Roxy Cottontail, 88-Keys, and more with the debut of Studio B's new rooftop, starting at 9 PM !

Thank you, Studio B

"Spank rock isn't real hip hop , it would be disrepectful to have him on the same bill as Rakim.." [Anonymous]

I don't know who wrote the above anonymous comment, but I've had more than one conversation with more than one hip hop fan about the very same thing - "real" vs "hipster" and/or "fake" hip hop. Are Spank Rock and friends "hip hop"? Does it matter? I don't care, but it's always a fun conversation, and I couldn't help but notice the strong prescence Spank Rock and friends have on this year's Rock the Bells festival lineup - a festival that is is, for the most part anyway, about hip hop.

on a related note: Santogold also has shows coming up at the Virgin Megastore and Summerstage. Spank Rock is playing Studio B.

then, and now....

Though free, the Metromix holiday party at Music Hall of Williamsburg wasn't that packed. I'm guessing that had something to do with it falling on a day that was simutaneously the worst weather we've had this winter AND one of the busiest nights of the year (Dec 13, 2007) (and Pitchfork hasn't given Santogold 'best new music') (and White Williams was on the bill - his 500th show that week). Anyway, it didn't stop Santogold from putting on a fun show - what she called her first real/official show (in NYC, or anywhere - I can't remember). Last time I saw her it was at the FADER party which was probably a shorter set (but honestly not by much), and it was more industry (though this party was a newspaper party, so it wasn't really normal either).

Last time I saw her (Santi), she also wasn't accompanied by Diplo and Amanda Blank. This time she was. Bonus! I really liked her sidekick the first time though, but Amanda was good too, and she seemed to know all her parts really well, and they played a new song that was produced by Diplo. Actually, they played all the songs Santi had/knew (which wasn't very much, but long enough). More pics below....

Continue reading "Santogold, Diplo & Amanda Blank @ Music Hall, NYC - pics"