...which is being rebroadcast online "shortly" NOW. Other performers include Amadou & Mariam, Hugh Masekela, K'Naan, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Touré, Angelique Kidjo, Black Eyed Peas, and Shakira.

DOWNLOAD: BLK JKS - Molalatladi (MP3)

BLK JKS @ Sasquatch Festival (more by Chris Graham)

When the South African four-piece rock band BLK JKS headed to the United States to record their first full-length album last January, they left the blazing Johannesburg summertime for the depths of winter in Bloomington, Indiana.

Unused to the cold but eager to record, the band borrowed sweaters and spent 10 hours a day pounding out live takes until an album materialized.

"I saw it as an exorcism," guitarist Mpumi Mcata says. "We've been growing in the five years we've been together up to this point, and recording was like trying to remember our past. We needed to get something out of us quickly."

The nine-track debut draws from a wide array of styles, from the danceable tribal chants of "Molalatladi" to the moody guitar rock of "Cursor." The album's genre-hopping is founded on an appreciation of African-influenced arrangements, a trend that recently has been highlighted by indie acts like Vampire Weekend and the Dirty Projectors.

"The way people pick up different African styles has been happening for a long time, from African church songs influencing jazz in the 1920s," drummer Tshepang Ramoba says. "It's interesting to see them now coming to the forefront a little." [Billboard]

The song "Molalatladi" off the new record is posted above. The album's currently streaming in full at JamBase, and, for a different take on the songs, check out what happened when the band recently visited Daytrotter.

Speaking of release parties happening tonight, Yo La Tengo is having one too. And so is Raekwon (who also has a show coming up at SOB's).

BLK JKS have a series of North American shows scheduled for the fall. Those dates and the album art and tracklist are below...

Continue reading "BLK JKS - CD release show (tonight), MP3 & 2009 Tour Dates "

Coney Island - July 3, 2009 (setusthebomb)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Deicide @ BB King's
* Allen Toussaint @ Joe's Pub
* BLK JKS @ Weeksville Heritage Center
* Oumou Sangare, Les Nubians, Asa @ Summerstage
* The Entrance Band, TK Webb and The Visions @ Southpaw
* Brian Borcherdt (of Holy Fuck), My Best Fiend @ Mercury Lounge
* Psychedelic Horseshit, Wet Hair, John Maus, Ganglians @ Monster Island
* Afro-Punk Festival w/ Earl Greyhound, Tamar-Kali, London Souls @ BAM
* Show No Mercy w/ Anal Cunt, Fuck The Facts, Locrian, Gwynbleidd, Copremesis @ Public Assembly
* Recovering from July 4th...

"Fireworks burst into the night sky above New York with a kaleidoscope of colors shooting 1,000 feet into the air on an Independence Day that began with the Statue of Liberty's crown opening to the public for the first time since Sept. 11, 2001." [AP]

The Brooklyn Afro-Punk Festival get into its second of three days. Living Colour is no longer on the bill though. Monday you can catch Saul Williams and Janelle Monae.

Ganglians play on a bill with Psychedelic Horseshit, Wet Hair, John Maus and Dead Luke at Monster Island.

"Reporting from Washington -- A day after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin resigned, a federal official in her home state dismissed one potential explanation for her sudden and unexpected resignation: a rumored FBI investigation into the former Wasilla mayor on public corruption charges." [LA Times]

The Entrance Band opened for Sonic Youth on Friday night. Tonight they headline their own show at Southpaw.

Zs played Death By Audio on July 3rd. Video below...

Allen Klein, RIP

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

photos by Chris Graham

Erykah Badu

Day 1, Day 2, and the rest of the pictures from this year's festival...

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2009 - Day 3 in pics (NSFW)"

Two nights in a row at Irving Plaza and a free show in Brooklyn over the summer did seem like a lot, so it's not too surprising that...

"Due To Scheduling Issues, Femi Kuti Regretfully Has Canceled The Wednesday, June 3rd Performance At The Fillmore New York @ Irving Plaza. The June 4th Performance Is Still Scheduled. All Tickets For The Cancelled Show Will Be Honored For The June 4th Performance"

Opening for Femi at that lone Irving Plaza show is BLK JKS, who just played Sasquatch and who have no lack of NYC shows scheduled in a short time themselves (though they too now have one less). Catch them tonight, May 27th, at the Bell House in Brooklyn. The Present and Popo are also on the bill.

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: BLK JKS - "Lakeside"(MP3)

BLK JKS @ SXSW 2009 (maju646)

South Africa's BLK JKS have four NYC area shows scheduled for May/June. The first comes Wednesday, May 27th to the Bell House in Brooklyn. Tickets are on sale now.

The next is Tuesday, June 2nd at NYC's Knitting Factory, as part of that space's AfroBeat Festival. Tickets go on sale for the show Wednesday, May 6th at noon. Baja is also on the bill.

BLKS JKS then open for Femi Kuti at two Knitting Factory-presents nights at Irving Plaza on June 3rd and 4th. Tickets, including two-night passes, are still on sale for that show. Femi Kuti, it was also just officially announced, is playing a free show in Prospect Park this summer.

Earlier this year, BLK JKS played at least five SXSW shows. Those were preceeded by a pair NYC gigs - I caught one on March 14th at Santos, where the quartet's jam-heavy set stacked up layers of improv rock riffs over loose dub bass and frantic drums. Drummer Tshepang Ramoba made the band's frequent time signature changes and transitions seem second nature. Vocals and guitars were loaded mostly with echo and effects and added texture to the swaying grooves. Live, BLK JKS' dub plus angular rock approach reminded me at time of the Pilfers, not least in the subtle phrasing of vocalist Lindani Buthelazi.

Three SXSW videos of the band, with all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "BLK JKS - 2009 Tour Dates (Bell House, KF, Irving Plaza) "

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: BLK JKS - "Lakeside"(MP3)

South Africa's BLK JKS (pronounced 'Black Jacks') will be playing a pair of NYC dates, this Friday (3/13) at Union Hall (TICKETS) and Saturday 3/14 at Santos Party House with Preacher & The Knife (TICKETS). The band then heads to SXSW for a full set of shows, before touring the UK in April. On May 25th they'll be back in the US for an appearance at the Sasquatch Festival.

Secretly Canadian just released a remastered version of the band's debut Mystery EP yesterday, 3/10 (mentioned in Largehearted Boy's Interesting CD Releases This Week column). Mystery's first two tracks, "Lakeside" (posted above) and "Mystery" (streaming on the band's Myspace) both showcase the BLK JKS's free mix of post-punk and dance rock with dub-like, dancehall tendencies. The band recently posted on its site a mixtape by Carlos Ramos (of the Midnight Rockers Express) that remixes and tweaks the source material (3/4ths of the EP) even further.

All tour dates, two videos, and the Santos flyer below...

Continue reading "South Africa's BLK JKS EP is out on Secretly Canadian - free MP3 & 2009 Tour Dates (NYC, SXSW & Sasquatch)"

Jane's Addiction - @ Echoplex, Los Angeles - Feb 16, 2009 (revolute)

Live Nation and Adam Zacks are pleased to announce this year's line up for the Sasquatch! Music Festival at the legendary Gorge in Eastern Washington. The festival, now in its eighth and most ambitious year yet, has evolved from a unique, homegrown & low key fest into a full blown three day extravaganza. A festival-goer's dream, it comes complete with camp-outs, canyons, sunsets, three stages and new this year, an expanded comedy and dance music tent. The tent will feature performances from comedians throughout the day, and then come dusk, will spotlight electronic and dance music artists.

Already the official opener to summer for music fans, the Sasquatch! Music Festival is becoming a certified monster of a musical event: this year features another exciting and diverse line-up for the musically adventurous, and ups the ante on an event already hailed for its independent spirit. Tickets go on sale Saturday February 28th at 10AM

Today it was announced that Jane's (feat. all four original members), NIN, Kings of Leon, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Erykah Badu, The Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, TV On The Radio, Animal Collective, Silversun Pickups, Bon Iver, Santigold, and many others are playing this year's Sasquatch Festival (May 23, 24, 25, 2009 @ The Gorge in Quincy, WA). Full lineup and ticket info below...

Continue reading "Jane's Addiction played LA, headlining SASQUATCH Festival (which just announced most of the 2009 LINEUP)"

FADER cover-stars Blk Jks are playing a late show at Joe's Pub tonight (April 24, 2008), and according to their blog, this will be the "FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO SEE AND HEAR MATERIAL BEFORE THE RETURN TO JOHANNESBURG". Check out their video for "Lakeside" below...

Continue reading "BLK JKS - videos, show tonight @ Joe's Pub"