photos by Greg Cristman

Genesis Breyer P-Orridge's band Thee Majesty played the BAM Cinema Cafe on 6/23 directly following the screening of the new documentary The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye and subsequent Q & A. The film, which details Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and Lady Jaye path through "Pandrogyne", was screened as part of BAMcinemaFest, a festival which also saw films with Gruff Rhys and Bobby Liebling (Pentagram) among others. Bill Pearis saw the Genesis film and reviewed it.

Genesis Breyer P-Orridge is scheduled to make an appearance this weekend at the previously discussed Licker License event at Secret Project Robot on July 2nd, "a girl-on-girl, video and performance event". Genesis will be one of a few providing video art for the evening. Flyer is below.

More pictures from BAM , alongside a video of "I Love Being Here" from the performance, also below...

Continue reading "Thee Majesty played BAMcinemaFest (pics & video), Genesis will be @ Secret Project Robot Saturday"

by Bill Pearis

As mentioned (and here and here and here), BAMcinemaFest is underway at BAM in Brooklyn (it runs through June 26th), and there's a couple worthy music docs playing this week that you should check out. Tonight (6/22) they're screening Last Days Here, about Pentagram frontman Bobby Leibling's struggles to beat drug addiction and return to the stage. When the movie opens, 50-something Leibling is in bad shape, living in the "sub-basement" of his aging parent's house. But through the help of fan and indie metal label employee Sean Pelletier, there might be hope for Leibling yet.

If that sounds like standard rock doc type stuff, it is, and those who follow metal coverage on BV at all you probably know how everything turns out but it's not really the point. Last Days Here a moving portrait of recovery and, yes, love -- and you can't help but get a little choked up at the end.

I could've used a little more backstory on Pentagram (for that this SPIN article is pretty good at filling in the blanks), and could've done without the (sparingly used) reenactment footage, but the film works on its own terms. Filmmakers Don Argott and Demian Fenton will answer questions after tonight's screening.

Tomorrow night (6/22), BAMcinemaFest hosts The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye which is definitely NOT you're run-of-the-mill rock doc. Filmed over seven years on 16mm, the film follows former Throbbing Gristle/Psychic TV leader Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and his partner Lady Jaye through their "Pandrogyne" project, where they sought to become two parts of the same person through body modification surgery. It is crazy, and amazing, and a genuinely touching portrait of real love. You won't forget it.

Director Marie Losier and Genesis will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A which should be pretty interesting and will then be followed by a performance from Thee Majesty, Genesis' current project.

Trailers below...

Continue reading "BAMcinemaFest continues, Pentagram & Genesis included"

photos by Tim Griffin

Gruff Rhys @ Club DeVille

Austin venues Mohawk and Club DeVille border each other. If there's a loud show at Mohawk, a quiet show at DeVille will suffer. Thus, back on May 27th, as Gruff Rhys was taking the Deville stage he announced, "The idea is to play as many songs as we can... Before the Melvins kick in next door." Luckily, ultimately it wasn't a problem. H0key.net was there:

"The sweetness dripped heavy, especially on songs like 'Honey All Over' and 'If We Were Words (We Would Rhyme).' Gruff didn't go overboard, however. The fact that the Melvins and some other sludge metal type bands were playing next door helped out. It also gave an opportunity for Gruff to flex his wit.

Gruff also flexed his technological ability. The amount of noise gadgets that filled the stage exceeded my expectations. There were these wobbly, red light tipped, noise makers he shook every once in awhile. He had a tiny metal box with a red light shining on itself that produced sound. The coolest gadget for me was the record player he used to drop in effects and other items during songs. It's such a practical use for an old technology that you can get away with using it live and not have to drop major coin for a big computer box thingy to play sounds when needed."

Wales instrumental surf rock quartet Y Niwl opened the show, and then became Gruff's backing band, like they're doing on the entire tour that started on May 18th at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. The tour ends June 15th back in NYC at Mercury Lounge. Tickets for that one are still available.

Tickets are also still available for the June 18th screening of Gruff's movie Separado! at BAM where there will be a "Q&A with co-director and film subject Gruff Rhys" (we weren't sure last time we mentioned it).

More pictures from the Austin show, some videos from the Brooklyn show, and all tour dates (including a whole bunch of newly announced European shows), below...

Continue reading "Gruff Rhys played Knitting Factory & Club DeVille (pics), will do a Q&A at BAM with his movie (and other dates)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: JEFF The Brotherhood - "Shredder" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: JEFF The Brotherhood - "Diamond Way" (MP3)

Pentagram at Europa (more by Keith Marlowe)

As discussed, Pentagram will play a string of shows with JEFF The Brotherhood & Valient Thorr. That tour has now been announced and will include a NYC show at Le Poisson Rouge on August 21st. Ticketing info is forthcoming. All dates are listed below.

Another date on the Pentagram schedule goes down on August 13th at Echo Park in LA aka the 2011 Power Of The Riff festival. The current lineup also includes Winter, Pelican, Trap Them, Masakari, Alpinist, Acephalix, All Pigs Must Die, and more TBA. Unlike last year, the fest costs money this time. Tickets are on sale. Poster below.

In related news, the previously discussed Bobby Liebling documentary is hitting NYC on June 22nd, as Last Days Here will play BAM Rose Cinemas as part of BAMcinemaFest.

Discover the best in recent independent cinema with BAMcinématek's annual festival, collecting the most dynamic and innovative new work from festivals in the US and around the world and bringing them to New York City audiences. Now in its third year, BAMcinemaFest 2011 is our biggest festival yet, screening 26 feature films, including 20 New York premieres and one world premiere, as well as 24 short films, an outdoor screening, parties, live music, a photo exhibition, and more.

The film festival will also feature a few other music-related films, including a documentary on Genesis P-Orridge entitled The Ballad of Genesis & Lady Jaye on June 23rd which will be followed by a free concert by Thee Majesty (which features Genesis). Singer-songwriter Goh Nakamura stars in the feature Surrogate Valentine which screens on June 23rd which will be followed by a concert at nearby Frankie's Lounge.

As previously mentioned, Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals) will be the focus of a film as well, as a screening of Seperado! on June 18th will chronicle his journey "from his native Cymru all the way to Patagonia to look for his long-lost Argentine uncle, the poncho-clad Welsh-Latin singer René Griffiths". Gruff Rhys returns to play NYC a few days before that, on June 15th at Mercury Lounge with Y Niwl and Brakes (Solo Acoustic). Tickets are still available.

In other news, JEFF The Brotherhood released a new video for "Hey Friend" from their forthcoming We Are The Champions. View that, and all tour dates below.

Continue reading "Pentagram, JEFF the Brotherhood, Valient Thorr dates announced, Power of the Riff 2011 & new JEFF video too"

by Bill Pearis

Gruff Rhys kicks off his North American tour tonight at Knitting Factory and tickets are still available. He's over here supporting his new solo album, Hotel Shampoo, and will wind his way around the country before ending back up here in New York for a show at Mercury Lounge on June 15.

A mostly mellow affair, with detours into Bossa Nova and '70s MOR territory, Hotel Shampoo is another fine record from the hardest working indie musician in Wales. Where previous visits have involved just Rhys and a tablefull of junkshop keyboards and other oddball instruments, this time Gruff will be backed by Y Niwl, the finest surf band in Wales, who'll also get their own opening set. Rhys is one of the most charismatic performers around, do go if you can.

In other news, Rhys' travelogue tour film Separado! will make it's NYC debut on June 18 as part of the BAMcineFest. No word yet as to whether Rhys will be at the screening. Like Rhys himself, the film is charming, scruffy, funny and full of good songs. Tickets to all BAMcinefest selections -- including the Pentagram documentary Last Days Here, and The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye -- go on sale May 23.

All Gruff Rhys tour dates are below, along with videos, trailers and album streams.

Continue reading "Gruff Rhys kicking off tour w/ Y Niwl, BAM premiering his movie @ BAMcineFest (Genesis & Pentagram films too)"