The Field at Pitchfork Fest 2012 (more by Chase Turner)

The Field (aka Stockholm electronic musician Alex Willner) is set to come over to North America for Montreal's Mutek festival this year, which he plays on May 29. Then, he'll stop in NYC for a show the next day at Glasslands (5/30) before heading to Austin for Chaos in Tejas on June 2. Tickets for the Glasslands show are on sale now. Those are his only North American dates that we're aware of at the moment, but he does also play the Yeah Yeah Yeahs-curated ATP in the UK on May 4.

Tickets for Mutek are still available too. That festival runs from May 29 to June 2, and you can check out the day-by-day schedule HERE.

The Field has been doing some interesting official remixes this year, including one of Tame Impala's "Mind Mischief," which is out now, and another less-expected one of At the Drive-In's "One Armed Scissor," which comes out on 12" vinyl on May 13 via Transgressive. You can stream both of those remixes below...

Continue reading "The Field playing Glasslands after Mutek, remixed Tame Impala and At the Drive-In (streams)"

by Bill Pearis and Andrew Sacher

Ex Cops DJing at Other Music, RSD 2012 (more)

We're about a week out from Record Store Day 2013. When it began in 2008, RSD was a celebration of brick-and-mortar stores in the face of digital downloads, offering up exclusive releases to get people out to stores. It's blown up considerably since then, with hundreds of RSD-only releases. (Many of which fall into the hands of folks who turn it around on Ebay that same day, but what can you do?) While it is a mob scene these days, there is no doubt it helps what record stores there are left -- though not enough, as Record Store Day will be the last day for Williamsburg's Sound Fix. Participating stores around the country are listed here.

There are always some pretty cool exclusives too, items that may have never seen the light of day without RSD. With that in mind we've gone through the list of North American RSD exclusives to highlight a few things to keep an eye out. This isn't comprehensive, just stuff we wanna get. What records are you trying to get this year?

We've written about the Sacred Bones comp, the Astralwerks comp, Old 97s, Frightened Rabbit, Austra, Sonny & the Sunsets, and Titus Andronicus Check out our new list below...

Continue reading "a guide to Record Store Day 2013"

The Mars Volta at ACL in 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

The Mars Volta, who have been on hiatus since the release of 2012's Noctourniquet, have officially called it quits, Prefix reports. Cedric Bixler-Zavala dropped the news via a series of tweets , including "Thank u 2 all VOLTA fans u deserved more especially after the way u rooted for us on this album. I tried my hardest to keep it going But Bosnian Rainbows was what we all got instead. I can't sit here and pretend any more. I no longer am a member of Mars Volta."

Cedric has a solo release on the way, and as discussed his former partner in crime, Omar Rodriguez Lopez is working with his band, Bosnian Rainbows, who will have their debut album out this year and are going on a tour in February which hits NYC for the previously mentioned Highline Ballroom show on February 19 with Marriages. Tickets for that show are still available. Since we last spoke, the band revealed a track from their album, "Torn Maps," which you can stream below.

Cedric and Omar joined forces again last year to bring back their old band, At the Drive-In. That reunion never brought the band to NYC, but it did bring them to Austin, Coachella, Lollapalooza and other places.

In related news, At the Drive-In's other half, Sparta, have returned from their hiatus and are in the studio working on the followup to 2006's Threes.

Bosnian Rainbows song stream below...

Continue reading "The Mars Volta break up; Cedric working on solo material; Omar streaming new Bosnian Rainbows track"

photos by James Richards IV

At the Drive-In/Sigur Ros at Lollapalooza - 8/5/12

Lollapalooza wrapped up in Chicago's Grant Park on Sunday (8/5) after two previous days of music in the park. Luckily the weather was much better than Saturday.

Jack White was one of the headliners on Saturday., We weren't able to get pictures this time (see Firefly instead), but you can check out his Lolla setlist HERE and pictures and video of a surprise in-store that took place at Chicago's Reckless Records earlier in the day HERE. Other bands on Sunday included the reunited At the Drive-In, Sigur Ros, The Walkmen, Justice, Polica, Toro y Moi, The Gaslight Anthem (setlist and a video of their entire set HERE) and many more.

More pictures of day 1 are HERE. More pictures of day 2 are HERE. More from day 3 are below...

Continue reading "Lollapalooza 2012 day 3 in pics (At the Drive-In, Sigur Ros, Justice, Toro y Moi, Polica, Gary Clark Jr & more)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

dolphin rider / Wild Flag / At the Drive-In

"Weekend one of Coachella 2012 not only confirmed rock fans' rabid appetite for live music but reminded the music industry that the past is a lot closer than it used to be. There were no rock acts from the 1960s or early '70s on the bill. The look back was dedicated to Coachella's continuing affection for reuniting British bands from the late '70s and early '80s--this year, it was Buzzcocks, James, Madness, Pulp and Squeeze. Other reuniting bands on the bill included American alt-rock bands Firehose, Mazzy Star and At the Drive-In; and Refused, a punk group from Sweden that hadn't been heard from since 1998. One could argue that the "appearance" by the late Shakur was an admission that to become a musical force again, West Coast rap needs a resurrection. Though the beats conceived and developed by Dr. Dre, Shakur, Snoop Dogg and others are now woven into rock and pop's vocabulary, rap had little presence at Coachella 2012, save for the ingenuity of the late Sunday-night oldies show.

And if there was any doubt that electronic dance music is a dominating force, even if it's still underappreciated by the mainstream, Swedish House Mafia and Justice played the main stage. The big tent dedicated to dance music was rarely less than filled to a boisterous overflow." [Wall Street Journal]

You already saw pictures from Friday and Saturday, video of an idiot falling off a wooden structure, watched Frank Ocean's set, and Azealia Banks's. The Weeknd's too. You saw Refused's setlist and some videos. You already know what At The Drive-In played on Sunday, and streamed their set in full after you were done watching Real Estate's and M83's, not to mention parts of Bon Iver's and Andrew Bird's. You're already well aware that Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg and many special guests headlined on Sunday, and you even saw the pictures of them and watched the Tupac hologram video. Now here are the rest of the Sunday pictures, and they continue, below....

Continue reading "Coachella 2012 Day 3 pics -- ATDI, Wild Flag, Justice, Hives, Weeknd, Fitz, Company Flow, Florence & the Machine & more)"

Lollapalooza (more by Grant MacAllister)

Chicago Sun Times reports:

Lollapalooza has revealed its official 2012 list of performers -- a typically wide-ranging smorgasbord of genres and styles topped by nearly a dozen mainstage headliners: the Red Hot Chili Peppers, freshly reunited bands Black Sabbath and At the Drive-In, the Black Keys, Jack White, Florence + The Machine, the Shins and Passion Pit, plus spotlighted electronic music including Swedish house titan Avicii, French dance duo Justice and DJ-producer Bassnectar.

The annual music festival is scheduled for Aug. 3-5 in Chicago's Grant Park.

Rumored lineups have circulated widely, as they usually do, and Lollapalooza itself stoked the speculation in recent weeks via a series of CTA and online advertisements that seemed to hint at who would be playing.

The ads featured lyrics from such acts as Sigur Ros, Santigold, Jack White, Kimbra, Twin Shadow, the Weeknd, Bloc Party and more -- all bands that wound up on the bill.

Continue reading "Lollapalooza 2012 lineup (Jack White, At The Drive-In, Sigur Ros, Black Keys, RHCP, Afghan Whigs, M83, Weeknd, SBTRKT, Black Sabbath & more)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Cedric Bixler-Zavala of At The Drive In @ RED 7 on 4/9

As you know from a post with the setlist last night which was followed up this morning with a set of pictures on BV Austin, At The Drive-In played a show! As it says on BV Austin:

After an opening set by Zechs Marquise, At the Drive-In played their first show since 2001 (as it said on the show poster) at Red 7 in Austin last night (4/9). It was also the first in a series of pre-Coachella warm up shows that continue in Dallas (tonight) and then Marfa.

According to show promoter Transmission Entertainment, the surprise gig sold out in 11 minutes after being announced via Twitter the other day. In addition to all those packed inside, there were many listening from the alley outside. Though some complained that Omar Rodriguez Lopez seemed a bit out of it (update: his mother recently passed away), the band was generally high energy with Cedric hanging from the rafters of the newly refurbished club, and the crowd going insane.

Continue reading "more pics of At The Drive-In's Austin reunion show @ Red 7"

photos by Tim Griffin

Cedric going wild @ Red 7 -- 4/9/2012

At the Drive-In are playing their first reunion show, and first in a series of Texas, pre-Coachella warm up shows, at Red 7 in Austin right now (4/10).

UPDATE: This show happened. More pictures HERE and HERE.

Follow BVAustin on Twitter and Instagram for more of the action. Check out a picture of the setlist below...

Continue reading "At the Drive-In are playing Austin now (here's a setlist pic)"

Radiohead @ Roseland Ballroom in 2011 (more by Bao Nguyen)

Coachella which is taking place over the course of two weekends this year (April 13-15 and 20-22) revealed their 2012 lineup. Last week, Azealia Banks was the first artist confirmed, and earlier today they confirmed The Weeknd (maybe he found a band?), and before that, Jimmy Cliff, Breakbot, and Housse De Racket. The reunited Pulp then announced itself. The full lineup also includes headliners The Black Keys, Radiohead, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, not to mention, as predicted, the reunited At the Drive In and the reunited Mazzy Star (!), and Madness and Refused (!) and Jeff Mangum and many, many more that you can see below...

Continue reading "Coachella 2012 lineup announced (two weekends worth)"

"ATTENTION! To whom it may concern: AT THE DRIVE-IN will be breaking their 11 year silence THIS STATION IS ...NOW...OPERATIONAL"

DOWNLOAD: Jim Ward - Take it Back (MP3)

Old 97 Rhett Miller, currently working on a new record, is going on a solo acoustic tour in October, but first you can catch him with his full band The Serial Lady Killers at a big headlining show at Highline Ballroom in NYC this Saturday night (9/24). Tickets are still on sale.

Jim Ward (of Sparta/At The Drive-In/Sleepercar), who is on a tour himself, opens the show (he'll be solo acoustic). Jim is out supporting his new solo LP called, wait for it... Quiet In The Valley, On The Shores The End Begins & The Electric Six - released on August 8th via his own Tembloroso Recordings. "The album is a compilation of his acoustic solo EP trilogy - 2007's Quiet, 2009's In The Valley, On The Shores, 2011's The End Begins - paired with an additional disc of select tracks gone electric." Download the electrified "Take It Back" above. That's the cover art up there too.

A JW video and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "Rhett Miller playing shows, like Highline Ballroom Saturday w/ Jim Ward (who is on tour & made an LP too)"

by BrooklynVegan Mike

DOWNLOAD: Duchess Says - Ccut Up (MP3)

Osheaga (Vero.b)

Osheaga, the outdoor music festival in Montreal, celebrated its third birthday this weekend with a bevy of local acts, some emerging talent, and great live performers. Day one (Sunday August 3rd) of the festival was also one of the most hectic musical days in recent [Montreal] memory. The week long Francophone music festival, FrancoFolies, concluded the same day with a performance by former Osheaga artist Malajube, and Wolf Parade (another former Osheaga performer) finished a tour downtown with their first Montreal performance since the release of At Mount Zoomer....

Continue reading "Osheaga 2008 - day 1 (a review with pics & videos)"