photos by Bryan Bruchman

In a Gowanus parking lot Thursday evening, author Neil Gaiman was standing near the adult-film star known as Stoya, discussing fundraising techniques.

Mr. Gaiman and Stoya were at an impromptu party thrown by Amanda Palmer, cult favorite singer/songwriter and Mr. Gaiman's wife, to celebrate the end of her campaign on Kickstarter, a crowd-funding website. Ms. Palmer, best known for founding cabaret punk band the Dresden Dolls, had asked for $100,000 to fund her next album, but she'd wound up raising over $1 million. Stoya, a longtime friend, will star in Ms. Palmer's next music video. [WSJ]

Continue reading "Amanda Palmer played a private loft party (pics) after her Kickstarter block party in Gowanus"

"GOT THE PARTY ADDRESS!!!! ready you new York motherfuckers????"
- Amanda Palmer

DOWNLOAD: Amanda Palmer - "Want It Back" (MP3)

Amanda Palmer at BAM earlier this month (more by David Andrako)

Amanda Palmer has now raised over $1,000,000 on the Kickstarter page for her new album, which had a goal set of $100,000. The campaign closes at midnight tonight (5/31) and in celebration Amanda will throw a party in Gowanus. Here's the press release:

Singer, songwriter, piano-slayer & super-blogger Amanda Palmer re-solidified her title as the queen of crowd-sourcing this week when she hit over $1 million on her Kickstarter. As a thank you to her community of loyal supporters, she will host a very FREE, ALL-AGES special event in Brooklyn tonight counting down the final hours of the 30-day Kickstarter campaign with those who have helped to launch her ambitious global release! Kicking off on a closed-down-street in Gowanus at 6pm, it will be open to the public and will count down to a celebratory performance-art-endurance countdown featuring Amanda and her band, The Grand Theft Orchestra. High-level kickstarter backers will then be treated to a special post-midnight performance in a nearby loft. The event will take place at 55 9th St. (btw Smith St & 2nd Ave) in Brooklyn. Those who are not able to make it to the street party in person can stream the entire event, including the live concert, at http://partyontheinternet.com/. Party go-ers should keep an eye on that link for any last minute updates & details.

Amanda will be on tour this summer, which includes another live show in NYC at the sold out Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 27.

Amanda Palmer's Kickstarter is up to $683,225 which is about $250,000 more than last time we mentioned it which was before her upcoming Brooklyn show quickly sold out. One person spent $10,000 which gets them dinner with Amanda who will also paint them naked (if they want) (they get naked, not her) (well, you never know).

Punk Island isn't doing so well. The free, multi-stage Governors Island fest has only raised $20 so far on their Kickstarter. Both $10 backers will receive a 1 inch button. That said, the fest is also raising money for itself via other means.

In related news, Amanda appears on the new "Music For Occupy" album that Michael Moore also sings on.

Amanda Palmer @ BAM's Crossing Brooklyn Ferry (more by David Andrako)

Tickets for the Afghan Whigs show at Bowery Ballroom are on sale at noon. You can still also get tickets to Terminal 5 and ATP I'll Be Your Mirror.

Tickets for the Amanda Palmer show at Music Hall of Williamsburg are on sale at noon,

Tickets for the Jens Lekman, Of Montreal, Thermals, Beach Fossils show at Williamsburg Park are on sale at noon. You can also try to get in with your Northside Badge, and these artists are four of many recently announced on this year's Northside lineup.

words by Andrew Frisicano, photos by David Andrako

The Walkmen @ BAM

BAM's Bryce and Aaron Dessner-curated Crossing Brooklyn Ferry series/festival had its first night Thursday. It continues tonight/Friday with a lineup headlined by St. Vincent and The Antlers (and Saturday with Beirut and Atlas Sound).

Music kicked off at 5pm with early slots filled by indie-classical acts like yMusic and JACK Quartet. Composer-uke-player Jherek Bischoff started things out inside the Howard Gilman Opera House at 7pm, and his set featured guest spots from David Byrne and Amanda Palmer. Check out the pictures below.

The first band I saw was Twin Shadow, an act that always sounds a lot better to me on record than live (something about George Lewis Jr.'s voice and the intricacies of the production don't translate exactly on stage). A welcome special guest, the Blackfire Percussion, added drum corp percussion on a few of the songs.

Sharon Van Etten powered through a set that highlighted how much she's evolved since her early acoustic days. She offered a throwback to her Because I Was In Love debut with a solo version of "I Fold" dedicated to her parents. Aaron Dessner, who produced Tramp, played guitar on a few of the tracks. And Sharon tapped "Serpents" for the triumphant, soaring closer.

Sharon Van Etten @ BAM

The Walkmen navigated a set of new tunes and classics: in addition to putting out their sixth LP, Heaven, in June, this year marks the 10th-anniversary of their debut, Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone. Among the songs played were "Angela Surf City," "In the New Year," "Blue As Your Blood" and new tracks "Heaven," "Heartbreaker" and "Southern Heart." Hamilton, as always, stretched the limits of his voice to good effect, especially on the haunting A Hundred Miles Off track "All Hands and the Cook." The band closed with an encore of "We've Been Had," which they noted was the first song they wrote as a band.

Between those last two I ventured to the BAM Cafe to see Zs, playing as a duo and sounding completed different than the last time I saw them in July. Guitarist Ben Greenberg describes the change as "The old stuff was like an old Soviet tank driving down Main Street; the new stuff is like a spaceship landing on City Hall." The shift from angular guitar and skronking saxophone to whatever they do now was pretty evident in the small snippet that I caught. Greenberg's guitar laid dubby rhythms lines while Sam Hilmer's sax played melodies and riffs off in the distance. Hopefully they'll line up more shows soon. (As Hubble, Greenberg makes the NYC debut of that project's "quadraphonic Hubble Superposition set" tonight.)

After that I caught a few songs by Yellowbirds, hidden up in Cinema 3 and playing to a crowd of about 20 people (including Conrad Doucette). The Jonathan Richman-esque two-piece was a nice surprise to find soaked in the smell of movie-theater popcorn.

(People Get Ready and Heather Broderick played, and a program of short films screened, but I arrived too late to see them. And I only caught a snippet of Callers by skipping the end of Twin Shadow.)

One bummer about the schedule is that, with the exception of the extremely early classical sets, it's impossible to see more than a few minutes of the smaller bands without skipping the headlining acts. That scheduling, and the vague, unnecessary "Brooklyn" theme, are a bit puzzling, but all in all the fest is a good chance to see bands like the Walkmen and Sharon Van Etten in the gorgeous Howard Gilman Opera House, a space that's surprisingly intimate and cozy for its size (and having the first few rows of seats removed for the crowd to stand was a nice touch).

More pictures from Thursday below...

Continue reading "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry night 1 pics & review (The Walkmen, Sharon Van Etten, David Byrne, Amanda Palmer, Zs & more)"

The three-night, three-stage-per-night, Dessners-of-the-National-curated Crossing Brooklyn Ferry festival begins at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Fort Greene tonight (5/3). The three stages are Howard Gilman Opera House (the big names), BAMCAFE (the smaller names) & BAM Rose Cinemas (a mix of film and other music). Things begin early too. The Walkmen headline the big room at 10:45pm tonight, but the music begins with the JACK Quartet in BAMCAFE at 5pm. The full schedule is at their site.

Before the Walkmen is Sharon Van Etten who spent last night covering the Stooges with Mike Watt and members of Dinosaur Jr. Before Sharon is Twin Shadow who may or may not to continue playing new material like they did recently at Glasslands. And before them is Jherek Bischoff who is rumored to be playing with a very special guest or two which is not surprising at all given who showed up to play with him at the Ecstatic Music Festival, and who appears on his new album Composed (out 6/5 on Brassland). This is the album's tracklist:

Introduction (Defeat)
Eyes (Jherek Bischoff & David Byrne)
The Secret of the Machines (w/ Caetano Veloso & Greg Saunier)
The Nest (with Mirah Zeitlyn & Paris Hurley)
Blossom (Jherek Bischoff with Nels Cline)
Your Ghost (with Craig Wedren)
Counting (with Carla Bozulich)
Young & Lovely (with Zac Pennington & Soko)
Insomnia, Death And The Sea (with Dawn McCarthy)

Continue reading "3-day Crossing Brooklyn Ferry Fest begins tonight at BAM; special guests to join Jherek Bischoff? "

Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra (Michael McQuilken, Chad Raines, and Jherek Bischoff) are prepping their new album, which they recorded with producer/engineer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Modest Mouse, Xiu Xiu). In addition, she's releasing an art book with art for the new album. On April 30, Amanda put the project up for funding on Kickstarter and already gained almost four times her goal. As of this post she is at over $400,000. $150,000 ago she wrote this to Bob Lefsetz:

hey bob

don't know if you've noticed, but yesterday i launched the 30-day kickstarter for my new album, "amanda palmer & the grand theft orchestra".

at the moment i'm writing this, we've reached over $250,000 after only one day of being live. go look:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/amandapalmer/amanda-palmer-the-new-record-art-book-and-tour

that's about $50k MORE than the scheduled recording budget i wouldn't have been given if i'd stayed on roadrunner...AND WE'RE ONLY ON THE FIRST DAY.

i hope we reach $600k or more by the time we're done. or a million. who knows? sky's the limit.

Amanda will be going on a tour in support of the album this summer. In each city that she hits, she'll put on an art show with art from the album and an acoustic set, followed by a full band rock show. That tour includes Brooklyn, where she'll put on her live show at June 27 at Music Hall of Williamsburg and her art show on June 28 at Momenta Art. Tickets for the MHOW show go on sale Friday, 5/11 at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday, 5/9 at noon.

All dates and the video below...

Continue reading "Amanda Palmer kicking ass on Kickstarter, announces art & live show tour"

Halloween (more by Jessica Amaya)

today in NYC
* Halloween parade
* Whiplash @ UCB
* Brain Cloud @ Barbes
* Chicha Libre @ Barbes
* Ween @ Hammerstein Ballroom
* Yukon Blonde @ The Rock Shop
* Dome Theater, Vaz @ Zebulon
* Jonathan Toubin @ Glasslands
* Murphy's Law & friends @ Trash Bar
* SBTRKT, AraabMuzik @ Bowery Ballroom
* DJ Gibby Haynes on a Rocks Off Cruise
* Misfits, Juicehead @ B.B. King Blues Club
* Queensryche, Sonic Bliss @ Highline Ballroom
* Matthew Sweet, The Shadowboxers @ City Winery
* Dionne Werewolf, Hall-oween and Oates @ Union Hall
* Karl Berger's Stone Workshop Orchestra @ The Stone
* Reverend Vince Anderson & His Love Choir @ Union Pool
* PC Worship, Gary War, Amen Dunes, Noveller @ 285 Kent Ave
* Friend Roulette, Huntronik, Clouder, KNTRLR @ Bruar Falls
* The Dearloves, Black Onassis, deVries, BNLX @ Mercury Lounge
* Dream Zoo, Rachel Mason's Little Band of Sailors, Ed Askew @ Delancey
* The Black Angels, Psychic Ills, Exit Music @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Vital Remains, Strong Intention, Prostitution, Gang Signs @ Saint Vitus
* Jim Campilongo Electric Trio w/ Tony Mason & Stephan Crump @ Living Room
* FIXED Halloween w/ The Magician, Plastic Plates, JDH & Dave P @ Public Assembly
* Twin Guns, Baxx SiSis, Your 33 Black Angels, Madam Robot and The Lust Brigade, Apollo Heights @ Spike Hill

Notorious Bright Eyes fan Amanda Palmer took a shower, dried off, drew some eyebrows on, put on her underwear, drank some juice and then got in bed and played a Bright Eyes song on her ukelele, as you can see in the video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday? (Halloween) "

"There is a surprisingly high ratio of Vermonters employed at Blue Man Group, particularly in the cast of Blue Men (three in NYC). When news of Tropical Storm Irene's devastating effect on our homestate, we wanted to rally together and see what we could do to help. We called our sympathetic and wildly talented friends and with the wonderful support of the Brooklyn Bowl put together a night of music, art and, deliciously, maple syrup.

The night will include live music by Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls, long-time friend and artistic collaborator of Zea Barker. Isaac Littlejohn Eddy, in addition to being a Blue Man, is also a published cartoonist for the New Yorker. He got Ed Koren of New Yorker andf Vermont fame on board to create a special poster for the event. The silent auction will include loads of original art, photo prints and a variety of Vermont crafts and services.

Music. Art. Dancing. And to send it all right over the top, there will be a farmers market style stand selling a variety of Vermont maple products right in the club.

All proceeds from the night go to Vermont Disaster Relief Fund and Vermont Farm Disaster Relief Fund."

Meat Puppets

Meat Puppets recently finished up a tour in support of their most recent LP Lollipop which came out this past April. After a couple dates with Soundgarden at the end of the month, the Meat Puppets will take a short break before playing a few more dates this fall. Their last string of dates never came through NYC, but this one will on November 4 at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets are on sale now. All tour dates are listed below.

Meat Puppet Curt Kirkwood recently spoke to JSOnline about their tour and Nirvana, who they played with at Nirvana's MTV Unplugged performance, and whose seminal album Nevermind celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The Meat Puppets recorded a cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for Spin's new Nevermind tribute album, Newermind. The album also features contributions by EMA (who has shows coming up soon), The Vaselines, JEFF the Brotherhood, Amanda Palmer, Titus Andronicus, Surfer Blood and others. The album will be available for free download on Spin's website starting July 26. Tracklist below.

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Nevermind, Universal is also releasing a deluxe edition of the album on September 19. The reissue includes a 4 CD/1 DVD boxset with rarities, B-sides, unreleased recordings, BBC radio appearances, and an unreleased concert on DVD.

Universal will also reissue 1991: The Year Punk Broke on DVD on September 6. The film documents a Sonic Youth tour with Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., Ramones, Babes in Toyland, and Gumball. The reissue includes a bonus film titled (This Is Known As) The Blues Scale, which features live footage of Sonic Youth and Nirvana.

Meat Puppets dates and video of them with Nirvana at MTV Unplugged in 1993, below...

Continue reading "Meat Puppets announce dates, appear on SPIN Nirvana tribute, 'Nevermind' is turning 20"

Thurston at MHOW in May (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Dinosaur Jr. brought their "Bug" tour to Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA last night (6/21). They were supported by Northampton resident Thurston Moore who played a "Demolished Thoughts"-heavy set before Henry Rollins took the stage for a live interview of the headliners (which was followed by a set of spoken word).

A friend and casual fan texted me during the Whole Children benefit show. He said, "Henry Rollins just interviewed dino jr for 30 minutes. People are starting to get antsy." That said, afterwards I got a "show was great." Hartford Courant reports:

[Dinosaur Jr.] dispelled the awkwardness when the musicians came out to play, charging through a pair of post-"Bug" songs including "The Wagon," a wistful melody cutting through a churning blend of bass, drums and singer J Mascis' super-heated guitar.

Next came "Bug," the last album the original lineup of the band released before Mascis kicked out bassist Lou Barlow, leading to years of enmity before Mascis, Barlow and drummer Murph regrouped in 2005.

It sounded on "Bug" as though someone remembered belatedly to turn on the house PA system: everything was suddenly louder and crisper, with overpowering blasts of guitar pushed to the brink of feedback on "Freak Scene," the booming crack of Murph's drums on "Yeah We Know" and guitar squall worthy of an army of screeching wildcats on "Let It Ride."

On "Don't," the last song on the original version of "Bug" (the 2005 reissue included an extra track the band didn't play), Barlow invited a fan to help shriek the lyrics in his place after the bassist blew out his voice doing the song Monday night in Maine. Not only did the fan look a little like Barlow, with a big mess of curly hair, he took to the part like a Method actor, howling into the microphone and eventually shedding his shirt as the band thrashed around behind him.

Dinosaur returned after a pause for two more songs, ending with its cover of the Cure's Just Like Heaven."

Thurston doesn't appear on any of the other dates on the tour, but he does play a different type of show tonight (6/22) in NYC. The show is the first of four benefits at PS 122. He performs tonight, along with John Fleck, the TEAM, Temporary Distortion, Yoshiko Chuma, and many others. Other notable appearances include Reggie Watts (who plays Summerstage tonight) on Thursday (6/23) and Amanda Palmer (who plays Maxwell's tonight) and John Zorn on Saturday (6/25). Tickets are still available. Full PS122 Benefit lineup below.

Thurston also plays Fallon tonight (6/22) (Bon Iver played last night).

La Blogotheque recently filmed Thurston at his NYC apartment for the Take Away Shows. He played "Benediction," "Blood Never Lies" and "Circulation" off the new album and talked about getting his start in New York City, CBGB, and the like. To quote Matador, "These videos are essential viewing, complete with shots of Manhattan's streets, Thurston's reminiscences on his early days in the city and some insights into the record." Watch the videos below.

Thurston heads out on his tour with Kurt Vile soon. That tour doesn't hit NYC but Kurt is also on the bill for the Sonic Youth show at Williamsburg Waterfront with Wild Flag. Tickets for the Brooklyn show are still available. All tour dates below.

Meanwhile, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon's daughter Coco Gorden Moore is currently fronting the Massachusetts punk band Big Nils. Their album Sibling is streaming on their bandcamp and is available for a $5 digital download. We recently heard from Coco when she performed in the band She Murders at the Kathleen Hanna tribute at Knitting Factory in December.

And as mentioned, Thurston's Sonic Youth-bandmate Steve Shelley plays this Friday (6/24) at Death By Audio with his band Spectre Folk. The bill also includes Sic Alps, Weekends, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

All Thurston dates, PS122 lineup and videos below...

Continue reading "Thurston Moore opened for Dinosaur Jr. & Henry Rollins, playing Fallon & the 1st of 4 PS122 benefits (tonight)"

DOWNLOAD: Alina Simone - "Beautiful Machine" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Alina Simone - "Glitterati" (MP3)

Alina Simone

"It's probably one of the weirdest thing if not the weirdest thing that's ever happened to me," said Simone. "I was not even on the cusp of writing a book, or an article or a short story or anything."

The resulting book is a collection of funny, cynical essays on meeting sketchy producers off of Craigslist, her obsession with Skopsy, a Russian castrati set, and battling fleas in her Williamsburg apartment. [The Brooklyn Paper]

Alina Simone is also performing at Largehearted Lit: Singers Who Write, Writers Who Sing tonight (6/8) at WORD in Brooklyn with Wesley Stace (aka John Wesley Harding). In July she'll appear at the second Girls Write Now benefit at Brooklyn Winery (7/14) with Deb Olin Unferth, Jami Attenberg, Maud Newton, and Kio Stark.

Amanda Palmer has some of her own upcoming shows as well. She plays a show at a secret location in Boston on 6/25 (details at her site), and NYC-area shows at Maxwell's on June 22 and The Bell House on June 23. Both of those NYC-area shows, both with Sarah Borrello and Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, unfortunately sold out before we even realized they were announced to famous Amanda's 500,000+ Twitter followers.

Speaking of which, Alina started videotaping her friend Amanda 12 years ago. "She wanted to be famous" and "succeeded", says Alina in the video of lost 1999 footage she recently posted to Youtube. Check that out below.

You can pick up a copy of Alina's book You Must Go and Win and her album Make Your Own Danger as MP3, CD, and LP. Grab two songs off the album for free above too.

All dates, some videos where Alina's friend Eugene Mirman gives her book marketing advice, and Alina's video of Amanda Palmer, below...

Continue reading "Alina Simone & Amanda Palmer have appearances coming up, Alina wrote a book & made a new CD too"

photos by Greg Cristman

[The Dresden Dolls have] been on hiatus for a few years, with both members working on other projects. ...It's difficult to find a crowd as receptive as the one that'll skip Halloween parties to show up for a cult act that hasn't played in a few years. This was a sold-out venue full of people who really, really wanted to be there -- most of them to see the Dolls, but also a few older rock geeks who came to see the Legendary Pink Dots, a long-running and hard-to-define act that Palmer calls her favorite.

The fans got their money's worth, too, and not just because of the big balloon drop during a cover of the viral-video "Double Rainbow" song. The band -- Palmer on electric piano and vocals, and the terrific Brian Viglione on drums (and pantomime asides) -- is built to be stagey and theatrical, and they have a looseness that's great to watch. They know each other and their set well enough that they can wind down in the middle of a song to chatter among themselves or talk back to the audience. They pepper their act with storytelling numbers. They've also collected exactly the kind of fan base that enjoys dressing up and gathering together at their feet, which is a good bet for Halloween. -[New York Magazine]

The show was also an anniversary of sorts for the band; it was on Halloween in 2000 that Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione first met. While the band has been on hiatus, Amanda has been busy making an even bigger name for herself. And take note: she is reportedly moving to Brooklyn in July (which is when she is also reportedly getting married to Neil Gaiman).

More Pictures from the gig (including DD's setlist and the costumed crowd), and some videos (including their cover of "War Pigs"), below...

Continue reading "the Dresden Dolls & Legendary Pink Dots played a Halloween show @ Irving Plaza (pics, video, setlist)"

After what seems like a long period of Amanda Palmer establishing herself as a solo artist, Amanda and Brian are getting back together again. Dresden Dolls tour dates and more info below...

Continue reading "Dresden Dolls return (2010 tour dates) "

The Sadies

"The Sadies are already well known as 'musician's musicians'--famous for playing with well-known musicians, namely, Neko Case, Jenny Lewis and punk-monolith John Doe. Now, the band has announced that they will be joined onstage during their July 23 show at the Bowery Ballroom by an absolute legend--one whose distinct organ playing helped define one of the world's most treasured bands--Garth Hudson of The Band."

Garth and Maud Hudson and Chicken Snake are the openers at tonight's Sadies show. Tickets are still available and probably will be at the door. All Sadies dates below...

Continue reading "Amanda Palmer played w/ Steel Train @ Bowery Ballroom last night, Garth Hudson plays w/ The Sadies (dates) "

tonight in NYC
* Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival
* Nominon, Evoken @ Bowery Electric
* Tony Malaby's Novela @ The Stone
* Lady Gaga @ Madison Square Garden
* Katzenjammer, Um @ Mercury Lounge
* Prince Rama, La Big Vic @ Glasslands
* She & Him, Eugene Mirman @ Terminal 5
* B-52s, Supercluster @ Highline Ballroom
* Beirut, Woom @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* The Nels Cline Singers @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Cary Brothers, Greg Laswell, Harper Blynn @ Maxwell's
* The Felix Hernandez Rhythm Review @ Soundview Park
* Liturgy, Child Abuse, White Suns, The Dreebs @ Death By Audio
* Milkfat, HolidayHoliday, Fredericks Brown, The London Souls @ The Cameo
* Ed Kowalczyk (of Live) @ the 2nd Annual Hudson Square Music & Wine Festival

Now that tonight's B-52's show is sold out and about to be over, maybe they'll announce who the special guest is for the August 19th show in Coney Island.

Liturgy is NOT playing Death By Audio tonight. Greg is sick and they had to cancel.

She & Him play Termoinal 5 tonight. Maybe you caught them on the 4th of July on Governors Island.

New Books video for "A Cold Freezin' Night", below...

"amanda palmer getting filmed in a bathtub for the "No Surprises" radiohead ukulele video" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

[Idioteque] IS THE FIRST SINGLE FROM MY FORTHCOMING ALBUM OF RADIOHEAD COVERS, PERFORMED ON MY MAGICAL UKULELE.

WHAT MAKES MY UKULELE SO *MAGIC*?
YOU'LL HAVE TO *LISTEN* TO FIND OUT!!!

THE ALBUM (WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE HERE ON BANDCAMP IN LATE JULY) WAS RECORDED IN FULL STEREO, AND WAS MAGICALLY FORMATTED FOR USE ON "THE INTERNET"...

FYI, THE MINIMUM REQUIRED DONATION FOR THIS TRACK IS 40¢ BECAUSE 9¢ GOES TO RADIOHEAD (FOR LETTING ME PLAY THEIR SONG) AND THE REMAINDER GOES TO PAYPAL (TO COVER THEIR TRANSACTION FEES). SHOULD YOU WISH TO DONATE MORE THAN THAT, IT WILL COME DIRECTLY TO ME - NO LABEL, NO MIDDLEMAN!

PLEASE BE SURE TO FOLLOW MY NEWS PAGE ON TWITTER AT TWITTER.COM/AFPwire AND SIGN UP FOR THE MAILING LIST AT BIT.LY/AFPemail SO THAT YOU GET ADDITIONAL INFO REGARDING THIS PROJECT BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE.

LOVE,
AMANDA FUCKING PALMER

Evelyn Evelyn, Amanda Palmer's new project with Seattle musician/busker Jason Webley, NYC composer Sxip Shirey and other artists know for their vaudevillian and just general wacky ways. They'll be hitting the road this April, May and June. The show travels Europe and North America, and includes a six-night run at NYC's Lucille Lortel Theatre from June 8-13. Ticket info coming soon.

The album is co-produced by Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley, and is out now in a bunch of different packages (including an 11 million dollar offer to travel the world from Himalayas and Antarctica to Western Massachusetts). The concept behind the project is that the two Evelyns are a ("fictional"?) pair of conjoined twins.

EVELYN and EVELYN NEVILLE are a songwriting duo performing original compositions on piano, ukulele, guitar and accordion. The sisters are parapagus tripus dibrachius twins, sharing three legs, two arms, three lungs, two hearts and a single liver.

Born September 11, 1985 on a small farm on the Kansas-Colorado border, the Evelyns have traveled the greater part of North America performing with "Dillard & Fullerton's Illusive Traveling Show". Their unique musical style is inspired by their many eclectic influences - from 80's music to showtunes, Joy Division to the Andrews Sisters.

The sisters currently reside in Walla Walla, Washington. They are fluent in chicken and their favorite colors are purple and yellow.

The record's extensive list of guests and all tour dates (with details on how to hook the touring band of 5 people up with lodging and food) are below...

Continue reading "Evelyn Evelyn is Amanda Palmer & friends - new album & tour dates including 6 nights @ NYC's Lucille Lortel Theatre"

Elvis Perkins @ Clearwater Fest this summer (more by Chris La Putt)

tonight in NYC
* Phish @ MSG
* The Besties @ Asbury Lanes
* Ian McCulloch @ The Studio
* Crystal Antlers @ Cameo
* Nitzer Ebb @ Gramercy Theatre
* Darmstadt @ Issue Project Room
* Mew, Bear in Heaven @ Webster Hall
* Quest For Fire, Naam & Weird Owl @ Pianos
* Espers, Azita, Doug Paisley @ Drom
* The Sights, The Figgs @ Cake Shop
* A Prairie Home Companion @ Town Hall
* Sloan, Magneta Lane @ The Bell House
* Raphael Saadiq, Anjulie @ Terminal 5
* The Wrens, Palomar @ Maxwell's (early)
* The Wrens, Bob Fields @ Maxwell's (late)
* Sebastien Schuller, Hoferlanz @ Sycamore
* Alicia Hall Moran, Gordon Voidwell @ The Kitchen
* Brendan Benson, Cory Chisel @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* The Beets @ the Degenerate Craft Fair @ Silent Barn
* Woods, Real Estate, Cloud Nothings @ Market Hotel
* Red Mass & Golden Triangle @ Live With Animals Gallery
* The Big Pink, Crystal Antlers, Von Haze @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Bowerbirds, Dave Godowsky @ Bowery Ballroom
* Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica w/ DJ Spooky & ICE @ BAM Howard Gilman Opera
* Mike Yaniro benefit w/ Sightings, Pink Reason, York Factory Complaint (w/ Genesis P-orridge), White Suns @ Death By Audio
* Pissed Jeans, Yellow Tears, Old Men @ Columbia U's Lerner Party Space

Details on the Pissed Jeans show below...

The Wrens' first set tonight will be Meadowlands in full; the second, all new songs.

Elvis Perkins is in town for two shows. Tonight at Bowery and then Saturday at Music Hall. His video for "Chains, Chains, Chains" below...

The Beets plays the Degenerate Craft Fair.

Bowerbirds open for Elvis tonight, but not tomorrow. Instead they're at Union Pool on Saturday with Sharon Van Etten.

Brendan Benson is at LPR tonight and Maxwell's on Saturday. His new video for "A Whole Lot Better" below.

Jack White recorded two new songs with the band Smoke Fairies.

Amazon's 25 days of free Christmas songs continues. They also have Diana Krall's Christmas album on sale for $2.99 and a compilation of 99 songs for $5.00, one of many albums they're selling for that price now.

Ornette Coleman tops Amazon's list of "100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time".

Richard Buckner plays Mercury Lounge on Saturday.

Black Sheep play Santos Party House on Saturday.

Rihanna got inappropriate with a mannequin last night at Hammerstein Ballroom. Video below...

Amanda Palmer does Tegan & Sara. Video below...

a new Lightspeed Champion video, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

photos by Zach Roberts

"She did a mix of her solo songs with Dresden songs, some old cabaret standards. A really sad song about a woman growing up and missing her mom now that shes gone. It made me cry. She did a funny song about a pirate too.

It wasnt just a regular concert though. Amanda read snippets from her boyfriend Neil Gaiman's book titled Who Killed Amanda Palmer. Its a really cool book that I totally need to get. Its basically a photo book of Amanda dead in different scenarios and stories that go along with the pictures. She read a story about a guy in a hot air balloon with his girlfriend and he was typing a novel with a typewriter and the picture is Amanda in a field with a typewriter on her head and groceries to the side. It was cute.

She also did a question and answer period. I was bummed because I found out there was a fishbowl where people could submit questions and had I known I would have put in a few haha. She answered about 4 which was awesome.

Also during the tour, at every show she has artists doing drawings and painting during the concert. Towards the end of the show, she auctions them off. Well there were two artists and both paintings went for 300 each! Pretty damn nifty." [Natalia]

Amanda and friends covered "That's Not My Name" by the Ting Tings at the show. A video of that and more pictures below...

Continue reading "Amanda Palmer & Nervous Cabaret played MHOW (pics), covered Ting Tings w/ Franz Nicolay & Sxip Shirey (video) "

photos by Bryan Bruchman

Nervous Cabaret are opening for Amanda Palmer on this tour. They're also her backing band. Byran just caught the show in Maine. He writes:

at this show, Amanda sent out a twitter message saying she would have people go in a room and confess anything they wanted to her before the show. it was a janitor's closet. a small line of people formed and they got to spent a couple minutes each with her in there talking about whatever they wanted. the lights stayed on, as far as I know.

AP introduced the Nervous Cabaret at the beginning of their set Then she began her own set at the red piano out in the front lounge of the venue before leading the band through the crowd to the stage. Throughout the show, a friend was doing an original painting, which was auctioned off at the end, I believe it went for about $250 in the end. Apparently they're doing this at every show (sorta Cloud Cultish, no?) [editor's note: yes].

Amanda began her encore by playing the ukulele while standing on the bar, then once again leading the band and crowd to the stage for a couple more songs. She then stuck around (along with a very patient venue staff) until everybody who wanted one got an autograph, photo, and hug.

The 11/14 show at MHOW is already sold out. I'm sure it'll be an even livelier one, there's lots of stuff to climb on there.

Continue reading "Amanda Palmer & Nervous Cabaret played Port City Music Hall in Portland, Maine (pics) -- Brooklyn tonight "

"do not fret, boston loves. the gig had to be bumped b/c i've got a local new years blow-out. those who had tix will get 1st crack & a party." - Amanda Palmer

Neil Gaiman reads from Who Killed Amanda Palmer (more by Dese'Rae L. Stage)

Antiquiet: Tell everyone a little bit about the Who Killed Amanda Palmer book...

Amanda Palmer: A little bit? I can tell you a little bit. It's awesome. Is that enough? I can tell you more. It has stories by Neil Gaiman and photos by 20+ incredible people. And I'm dead and naked in them. It's just awesome.

Antiquiet: What does Amanda Palmer do when she's having the shittiest of days?

Amanda Palmer: She Twitters.

Amanda Palmer has a bunch of dates scheduled in November including a Brooklyn show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on November 14th (which was originally the date of the above-mentioned Boston show that is now a TBA New Years Eve event). Tickets for the NYC show are now on sale (thx Paul). All dates are with Nervous Cabaret and listed below...

Continue reading "Amanda Palmer & Nervous Cabaret - 2009 Tour Dates (moves Boston show to New Years Eve, adds Brooklyn in its place)"

Phosphorescent @ the Bell House in March (more by Fresh Bread)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Gordon Lightfoot @ Town Hall
* The XYZ Affair, Wheat @ Mercury Lounge
* Team B, New Numbers @ (Le) Poisson * Rouge
* Pansy Division, Wormburner @ Mercury Lounge
* Steve Wynn & The Miracle Three @ The Bell House
* Cyro Baptista, Ben Perowsky Quartet @ The Stone
* Puffy Areolas, Unholy 2, Twin Stumps @ Silent Barn
* No Doubt, Paramore, Janelle Monae @ Jones Beach Theater
* Au Revoir Simone, Findlay Brown, Lights @ Bowery Ballroom
* Your Nature, Arizona, Javelins, Ghost Gamblers @ Bruar Falls
* Jarboe, IUD, Bloody Panda, Cult of Youth @ Santos Party House
* The Sundelles, Benjees, pow wow!, Shark, Edensong @ Trash Bar
* Girls, Ty Segall, Charlie And The Moonhearts, Screens @ Cake Shop
* The Most Serene Republic, Pursesnatchers, Adam's Castle @ Union Hall
* Dr. Dog, Phosphorescent, These United States @ Prospect Park Bandshell
* Pterodactyl, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Grooms, Boogie Boarder, Ana Lola Roman @ Death By Audio

Dr. Dog, Phosphorescent and These United States play a free Celebrate Brooklyn show at the Prospect Park Bandshell tonight.

Steve Wynn & The Miracle Three are at the Bell House tonight. They'll be playing Wynn's Dream Syndicate album Medicine Show in full.

Arcade Fire & Beirut alum Kelly Pratt bring his Team B to (Le) Poisson Rouge for a show with New Numbers.

The Smithereens cancelled their Brooklyn show, but their show at the Stone Pony tonight is still on.

Williamsburg Walks closes Bedford Avenue to car traffic.

Cymbals Eat Guitars play Cake Shop on Sunday.

Allen Toussaint plays Joe's Pub on Sunday.

Amanda Palmer performed "Billie Jean" on the night MJ died. Video below...

The trailer for Bjork's "Voltaic" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

Passion Pit on a boat in May (more by Tim Griffin)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Old 97's @ Maxwell's
* Bebel Gilberto @ Town Hall
* Hatcham Social @ Don Hill's
* Dirty Projectors @ Other Music
* RJD2 @ Rocks Off Cruises
* OJ All Day @ Brooklyn Lyceum
* Phoenix, Amazing Baby @ Terminal 5
* Hunx & His Punx @ Knitting Factory
* Thunderheist, Wallpaper @ Studio B
* Either/Or, David Budin @ Issue Project Room
* Bone Awl, Akitsa, Ashdautas & Volahn @ Fontana's
* Peter Gordon, Don Byron's Swift Boat @ The Stone
* Passion Pit, Bear Hands, Body Language @ Bowery Ballroom
* David Rudder, Samantha Thornhill @ Prospect Park Bandshell
* Locksley, Tres Bien, The Queen Killing Kings @ The Bell House
* Peaches, Drums of Death, Shunda K @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Secret Machines, Dead Combo, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Santos
* 1.6 Band, Memories From The Space Age, Tournament @ Cake Shop
* Nobunny, Hunx & His Punx, Baby Shakes, Beets, German Measles @ Bruar Falls
* Comedy Central Park w/ Gabriel Iglesias & Pablo Francisco @ Central Park Summerstage
* Best Friends Forever, Dufus, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, The Shakes @ Silent Barn
* The Rosewood Thieves, Borrowed Eyes & The Blood Red Road, The Pizazz @ Pianos

1.6 Band played WFMU last night. Tonight you can catch them at Cake Shop.

Old 97's kick off their four-night run at Maxwell's tonight.

Phoenix played Music Hall of Williamsburg last night.

The Mermaid Parade is Saturday.

Hunx & His Punx play 2 NYC shows tonight.

Peaches kicks it with ex-Yo!Majesty rapper Shunda K at the Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight * . Drums of Death, who did a Peaches remix-tape earlier this year, opens. DoD was scheduled to play at Peaches' Webster Hall show in May, but got stuck at the airport.

* UPDATE: someone correctly pointed out, that despite Shunda listing this show in her tour dates, she is not actually ON the bill. She is only performing a song with Peaches.

PS1 announced this year's Warm Up schedule.

At the Issue Project Room, Either/Or plays Morton Feldman's "Why Patterns."

Major Lazer are filming a video Saturday in Brooklyn.

Sunday is Make Music NY which includes Punk Island on Governors Island.

OJ All Day, the Brooklyn independent music fest, runs tonight and tomorrow at the Brooklyn Lyceum. Peggy Sue was recently added to Saturday. Shilpa Ray And Her Happy Hookers headline tonight. The full schedule for tonight's show is below.

Jesus Lizard tickets went on sale. Naked Raygun tickets went on sale.

July 4th is getting close. Woodsist announced their full festival lineup. Jenny Lewis and Bright Eyes for free is also an option.

Amanda Palmer covered Bright Eyes at that Highline Ballroom show. Video below...

Happy Mondays coming to the east coast?

Andrew W.K. appeared on Fox New's Red Eye last night. That's the same show that has featured Fucked Up's Damian Abraham, Gwar, The Melvins, etc... The Andrew W.K. video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

photos by Dese'Rae L. Stage

"The show, which can teeter on almost too much intensity at times, is tempered halfway through by the Ask Amanda segment in which AFP takes random written questions from audience members. This particular night we also had a birthday singalong for Amanda's longtime comrade / photographer / aide de camp Beth Hommel.

Towards the end, Emily Brodsky and opening band The Lisps joined AFP on stage for a rousing version of 'Delilah', a Dresden Dolls number about a girl who seems to enjoy being abused in a bad relationship. Much of Palmer's work is about women in the grip of such badness who can't seem to find a way out.

The show ended with a sweet duet between Amanda's way cool dad, Jack Palmer, and his daughter on Leonard Cohen's tragic love ballad 'One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong'." [Huffington Post]

Continue reading "Amanda Palmer (and her dad Jack) @ Highline Ballroom - pics"