Tickets to see Gold Panda at Webster Hall go on sale today at noon.

Tickets to see Savages at Webster Hall go on sale today at noon.

Tickets to see Austra and DIANA at Webster Hall go on sale today at noon. Tickets to the Music Hall of Williamsburg show are still available.

Tickets to see CSS and Io Echo at Bowery Ballroom go on sale today at noon. Tickets to the Brooklyn Bowl show also go on sale today at noon.

Tickets to see Donnie & Joe Emerson at Mercury Lounge go on sale today at noon.

Tickets to see She & Him and Camera Obscura twice at Central Park Summerstage go on sale today at noon.

Tickets to see RX Bandits play The Resignation at Best Buy Theatre go on sale today at noon.

Tickets to see Future Bible Heroes (sans Stephin Merritt) at Bowery Ballroom go on sale today at noon. Tickets to The Bell House show are still available.

Tickets to see Smith Westerns at Music Hall of Williamsburg go on sale today at noon.

Tickets to see Marijuana Deathsquads at Mercury Lounge go on sale today at noon. Tickets to the Glasslands show are still available.

Chris Isaak is playing The Capitol Theatre on July 13. Tickets for that show go on sale today at noon.

Body Language and Avan Lava are playing Bowery Ballroom on August 1. Tickets for that show go on sale today at noon.

Tickets for the Superhumanoids show at Mercury Lounge go on sale today at noon. Tickets to their Cameo Gallery show also go on sale today at noon.

Tickets for the Jimmy Eat World show at Central Park Summerstage go on sale today at noon.

Dicky Betts and Great Southern, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Beverly McClellan are playing Rock The Blues Summer Jam 2012 at The Capitol Theatre on July 26. Tickets for that go on sale today at noon.

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Little Boots @ MHOW 5/7/2013

Hesketh and her backing band (which included a live drummer and a pair of synth players) performed nine of "Nocturnes'" 10 songs. There was even a surprise performance of the bubbly non-album track "Headphones" ("I wear my headphones at the disco and nobody ever has to know!") that got a better-than-usual reception for a non-album track. It all culminated with the back-to-basics synth banger "Shake," which closed the encore beneath a sea of confetti (courtesy of openers Avan Lava, who stormed the stage with confetti guns). Still, Little Boots aren't ready to close the book on the major label days, including "Remedy" and another "Hands" track -- "Meddle" (an unlikely collaboration with pop producer Greg Kurstin and Hot Chip's Joe Goddard) -- in the encore. Both inspired as much intensity from the crowd's front rows as any if the set's selections. - [Billboard]

Little Boots (aka Victoria Hesketh) celebrated the release of her new album, Nocturnes, last night at a sold-out Music Hall of Williamsburg. (Her tour hit LA last week.) It's been four years since her debut, Hands, and the crowd clearly hadn't forgotten her. It was a fun night all around with Austin's Feathers giving the evening a sultry start before AVAN LAVA blew the place up with thier glitter bombast set. Indie rockers who don't go to dance shows that often might recognize AVAN LAVA's Drew Citron as one half of Beverley (that features Frankie Rose on drums).

Before her MHOW show, Little Boots performed live for WNYC radio's "Soundcheck" and you can stream that, and check out more pictures from last night, below.

Continue reading "Little Boots played a record release show at MHOW with Avan Lava and Feathers (pics)"

photos by Wei Shi

Little Boots at Echoplex, 5/2/2013

As mentioned, Little Boots releases her new album, Nocturnes, this week. It's currently streaming over at Pitchfork. Her tour with AVAN LAVA and Feathers will hit NYC tomorrow (5/7) for a sold-out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. She's in town today, though, and will be performing live on WNYC's "Soundcheck" at 2PM.

Last week, Little Boots, AVAN LAVA and Feathers played Los Angeles club Echoplex last Thursday (5/2) as part of BritWeek (the same venue where The Rolling Stones played the weekend before). More pictures from that show below...

Continue reading "Little Boots played LA's Echoplex with Feathers & Avan Lava (pics), playing WNYC today, sold-out MHOW tomorrow"

NYC rapper Mr. Muthafuckin 'eXquire recently put out his first release for Universal, the Power and Passion EP, which featured the tracks "Telephuck" and "The Message," both of which he just stopped by Sway to perform. While there, he was also interviewed, and you can check out videos of that interview and both performances below.

eXquire will play a hometown show this Wednesday (12/12) at Knitting Factory for a Ladygunn holiday party with Avan Lava and DJs Illyse Singer and Good Goose. Tickets for that show are on sale now. It's his only announced date at the moment.

Videos are below.

Continue reading "Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire performed/was interviewed on 'Sway,' playing holiday party in Brooklyn this week (videos)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Sophia Knapp - Close to Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sophia Knapp - Into the Waves (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cardinal - Love Like Rain (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cardinal - Carbolic Smoke Ball (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Savoir Adore - Dreamers (Golden Pony remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Savoir Adore - Dreamers (MP3)

Del Fuegos in the '80s

Things are beginning to heat up, show-wise, as SXSW gets closer so if you're going to Austin you might do the smart thing and stay home and rest. But if you're dumb like me, there's lots of good music this weekend. To wit:

Dan Zanes these days is best known for his highly successful career as a maker of children's music, but in the '80s he fronted Boston's Del Fuegos, whose brand of no-nonsense roots rock was a college radio staple in the Reagan years. Dan and his brother Warren, plus other original members Tom Lloyd and Woody Giessmann have gotten the old band back together so 40-somethings can call the sitter and go hear him sing songs for grown ups. They play Bowery Ballroom tonight (2/23) and The Bell House on March 3.

In addition to records like 1984's The Longest Day and 1985's Boston, Mass, The Del Fuegos were one of the first "cool" bands to be accused of selling out, appearing in a Budweiser Miller commercial (which you can watch at the bottom of this post) that, if nothing else, inspired the classic Young Fresh Fellows song "Beer Money." Seems kind of silly today, and I'm sure Del Fuegos singles like "Don't Run Wild" and "I Still Want You" have held up pretty well.

The band have recorded a new EP, Silver Star, and you can stream one of its songs at the bottom of this post, where you'll find all Del Fuegos 2012 tour dates.

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Sophia Knapp

Another option tonight, over at Union Pool, is Sophia Knapp who you may know from Lights or Cliffie Swan but will release her solo debut on Drag City next week. The press release for Into the Waves offers up "melodic psych pop of the 60's, Tropicalia ballads, chilly '80s New York dance records, and the seduction of Stevie Nicks or Françoise Hardy" as influences but I think it sounds uncannily like the soft-focus pop of late-'70s Olivia Newton John.

You can download two tracks from her album at the top of this post and watch the video for "Nothing to Lose" further down. In addition to tonight's show at Union Pool, Sophia plays a free record release show at Sway on Wednesday, Feb 29 (leap day), and opens for Nite Jewel at Bowery Ballroom on April 24.

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Cardinal (Richard Davies on the right)

There are a lot of good shows Friday night (2/24) and we'll start with Richard Davies at Cake Shop. The Australian-born singer fronted cult band The Moles in the late '80s, and whose 1994 album with Eric Matthews, Cardinal, is a baroque pop classic. Improbably, Davies and Matthews made a second Cardinal album, Hymns, that came out last month and basically picks up where the first one left off. It's a little more indie rock and a little less harpsichord and trumpets, but it's recognizably Cardinal. You can download two tracks from Hymns at the top of this post.

Davies will also be playing SXSW next month. He can be hit-or-miss live, but is a legend and worth going to see. Also playing are What Next?, the new band from onetime Cause Co-Motion dude David Klein that also features members of The Beets and Beachniks, so expect some scratchy shambolic (maybe charming) indiepop. Check out one song at their Bandcamp page. Also playing: The Pharmacy and Intuitions.

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Pat Jordache

Montreal's Pat Jordache play Glasslands Friday night (2/24). Pat was in Sister Suvi with Merrill Garbus and though his music is a little more trad-indie than tUnE-yArDs, it's still rather weird. When I saw them at CMJ, they reminded me of '80s goth but their album that dark side isn't quite as pronounced. Maybe it was the two drummer thing. Anyway, Pat Jordache make a cool racket and know how to play to a crowd. They're opening for Javellin which I realize is why most people are going to go to this show, but do get there early for Pat.

Savoir Adore

Over at Cameo on Friday, Savoir Adore are having a record release party for their Dreamers EP. The single "Dreamers" came out on Neon Gold late last year and expands on their heartfelt, big pop sound. The EP expands that 7" with a bunch of remixes, one of which you can download at the top of this post. The band are going out with fellow Neon Gold acts The Knocks and St. Lucia, touring their way to SXSW and all dates are at the bottom of this post. Savoir Adore are putting the finishing touches on their new album, Our Nature, which will be out later this year.

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Spanish Prisoners

And finally, Spanish Prisoners are playing Knitting Factory Friday (2/24) with fellow locals Clouder. Spanish Prisoners album from last year, Gold Fools, is still a pay-what-you-want download from their Bandcamp page and is a terrific album if you haven't heard it yet. The band just released a video for "Know No Violence" which you can watch at the bottom of this post. Like pretty much every band in America, they're going on tour next month, stopping in Austin for SXSW, and all tour dates are below.

And that's the main stuff for this week's TWII. A few more day-by-day picks for shows not mentioned already are below

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23

We haven't heard from Acrylics in a while. See what they're up to at Cameo, with Kuroma, Tezeo, and Bright Moments.

Get trippy at Glasslands with Prince Rama, Gary War, Future Shuttle, ^w0rm b1n^, plus a DJ set from Gang Gang Dance.

Snowmine wrap up their Pianos residency tonight, playing with Tiny Victories, Decades, and Awning.

continued below...

Continue reading "Del Fuegos, Sophia Knapp, Richard Davies, Savoir Adore, Pat Jordache, Spanish Prisoners & more in This Week in Indie"

Ava Luna at BV Holiday Party last month/year (more by Jessica Amaya)

Wintersleep are going on a short North American tour this month which ends in 2 NYC dates happening on January 24 at Mercury Lounge with Pretty & Nice and January 25 at Glasslands with ARMS and Writer. Tickets for the Mercury show and the Glasslands show are on sale now. All Wintersleep dates are listed below.

Speaking of ARMS, their frontman, Todd Goldstein, is opening for John Roderick (of the Long Winters) at his Mercury Lounge show (1/28), which is three days after ARMS play Glasslands and one day after John Roderick opens for Aimee Mann at her sold out MHOW show. Tickets for the Mercury Lounge show are still available.

In other Glasslands/Mercury Lounge news, Har Mar Superstar has a few shows announced including Glasslands on March 7 with Rewards. Tickets are on sale now.

Rewards were also just announced as the opener for the second School of Seven Bells show at Mercury Lounge (3/1). Their record release show (happening at the same venue on 2/28) sold out and Tickets for the new show go on sale Friday (1/6) at noon.

Both Rewards and School of Seven Bells also DJ in Brooklyn next Friday (1/13) at Cameo Gallery with CREEP, who is also DJing. Doors are at midnight for this late show, which takes place after Radical Dads play the same venue a few hours earlier. Radical Dads recently played a great set at our Brooklyn Bazaar Holiday Party.

The day before that Cameo Gallery show, NewVillager and Avan Lava play Mercury Lounge (1/12). Tickets are available.

Avan Lava is not to be confused with Ava Luna, who just played a BV Holiday Party with Widowspeak and Twin Sister, the latter of which they're heading out on tour with later this month. That tour doesn't include any NYC dates but Ava Luna just announced their own NYC show happening shortly after the tour ends at Mercury Lounge on February 24 with Celestial Shore, Darlings, and Cindy Lou Gooden. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (1/13) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (1/11) at noon.

You can catch Darlings in NYC even sooner when they headline Glasslands on Thursday (1/12) with The Suzan, Fabric, and DAYTONA (mems. of Harlem and Wild Yaks). Tickets for that show are available.

Friends play Cameo on January 24th.

Faris (of the Horrors) and Honor (of Cerebral Ballzy) both DJ cameo this Friday night (tomorrow, 1/6).

More Wintersleep & Har Mar dates below...

Continue reading "Wintersleep, ARMS, Ava Luna, Avan Lava, Radical Dads, Har Mar Superstar, NewVillager, Friends & other upcoming shows"

Elvis Perkins @ MHOW in 2009 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

tonight in NYC
* Green Day @ Don Hill's
* Julia Nunes, BLEAK! @ 92YTribeca
* Rival Schools, Antelope @ Union Pool
* Hot Chip, Gang Gang Dance @ Terminal 5
* Karl Denson's Tiny Universe @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Jason Collett, Zeus (early) @ Mercury Lounge
* Holy Fuck, Rewards, Food Stamps @ Cake Shop
* Wormburner, Jake Winstrom, Tim Lee 3 @ Pianos
* Inlets, Sparrow House, A Weather @ Union Hall
* Cattle Decapitation, Mutant Supremacy @ Europa
* Dosh, White Hinterland (late) @ Mercury Lounge
* Harlem, Thomas Function @ Monster Island Basement
* Vivian Girls, The Grates, Reading Rainbow @ Maxwell's
* Avan Lava, LE1F, The New Thrill, Rat Boy @ Glasslands
* Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Dawn Landes @ The Bell House
* Adam Green, Savoir Adore, The Dead Trees @ Bowery Ballroom
* Elvis Costello (and the Sugarcanes) @ United Palace Theatre
* Knight School, Gross Relations, Sword and Sandal @ Bruar Falls
* Hot Chip (DJ), The Juan Maclean (DJ), JDH & Dave P @ Webster Hall
* Pilfers, Tsunami Rising, Karen Gibson Roc, Across The Aisle @ Knitting Factory
* The Sediment Club, NT, Martartar, Parasite Singles, Abraham Rubin @ Party Expo
* White Suns, Landlords,Wildfire, Yoni Gordon & the Goods, Sanitized @ the Charleston
* Project Jenny/Project Jan, Nyle X Naysayers, Nuclears, Deathrow Tull @ SheaStadium
* Phantom Orchid, Leslie Keffer, Noveller, Okkyung Lee, MV Carbon, Mi Or and The Pedestals @ Coco 66

Big Stereo says, "Avan Lava is a new project made up of singer Tom Hennes and music maker Le Chev (the bassist for Fischerspooner). The duo just put out their debut "Vapors" EP which is available to download from their site (free as of now). Of course, if you dig it you should be showing support by dropping the five bucks at iTunes." The show at Glasslands tonight will be their debut performance.

Elvis vs Elvis.

Jamie Lidell introduces his new band in a new video. Below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"