Photos by Nathan Miller

DOWNLOAD: Deer Tick - Art Isn't Real (City of Sin) (MP3)

"Deer Tick took the stage at Brooklyn's Southpaw on Saturday for the release of the War Elephant reissue on Partisan Records. Texas based Feow! Records put out the first version of War Elephant last Fall. Unfortunately, the little label run by Jana hunter and Matt Brownlie closed up shop this past August.

Five minutes had not elapsed before bronze-voiced McCauley was shirtless. A detail that lent to a level of intimacy that one usually doesn't get from a standing-room-only concert. It was best illustrated in the couple of songs he played with one of the ladies from Those Darlins (I have a crush on the curly haired one, by the way). They had written some ditties at 6am, just hanging out. McCauley's stage presence exudes simply that: we're all friends and we're hangin' out, singing together. The first half of the set consisted of newer, meloncholy songs. I was annoyed by some drunk members of the audience that wouldn't STFU during a beautiful piece of just acoustic guitar, upright bass and harmonica (I don't know why, but this girl brought an aloe vera plant to the show and wouldn't stop talking about it). At the halfway point, McCauley started a sing-along hootenanny with "Ashamed" - to which my friends and I drove our fists into the air and exclaimed in chorus: "Oh oh oh ohhhhhh, a crying shame! A cryin' shame, what we became!" Highlights included the foot-stomping "These Old Shoes" and a song dedicated to president-elect Obama. The night ended with a glorious cover of "La Bamba."" [BLT / IDM]

More pictures below...

Continue reading "Deer Tick, Those Darlins & Luke Temple @ Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY - pics"

photos by Faith-Ann Young

DOWNLOAD: Deer Tick - Beautiful Girls (Sean Kingston Cover) (MP3)

"Despite the dismal Spiegeltent acoustics, Deertick's rough-hewn blues folk is a refreshing break from today's production-heavy pop. John McCauley screeching, slurring, scratching and finger-plunking with lazy eyes. It's easy to succumb to band's loose playing style and 'my-porch-is-your-porch' Americana charm. Like life's greatest ephiphanies, the more beer imbibed, the more the words made sense. By the end of their set, Deertick had the crowd woozy and warm. Then, they did a cover of "La Bamba." Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba." Now, let's be honest: though Ritchie Valens may be an inspiration of McCauley's, pretty much any white country blues band that covers "La Bamba" is asking for associations with (bad) wedding bands. We'd have much preferred their killer rendition Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girl"......But hey, truth told, the crowd seemed to love it and sway along....and sure it made the whiskey go down smoother." - Faith

The Sean Kingston cover Faith speaks of available for download above. The show she was at was the one that happened Sunday night, November 2nd, at Spiegelword by the South Street Seaport in NYC. More pictures from that below, but first....

Some may remember that I announced this show almost two months ago, but got in trouble and quickly removed the post. This is what I wrote at the time:

BrooklynVegan is proud to present Deer Tick's NYC record re-release party at Southpaw in Brooklyn on November 8th. Luke Temple and Those Darlins will open the show. Tickets are on sale.

The Southpaw show is six days after Deer Tick plays the Spiegeltent in Manhattan with the Felice Brothers who are playing Maxwell's with AA Bondy this Saturday (9/13).

Now that Spiegelworld is over, I'm allowed to say it. Better late than never.

Deer Tick also have another record re-release party, Friday in Rhode Island. The record is out November 11th. All dates and Spiegelworld pictures below....

Continue reading "Deer Tick - record release (BV Presents) show Saturday in Brooklyn, pics from Spiegeltent"

BrooklynVegan is proud to present the Department of Eagles record release show in Brooklyn on October 6th, 2008. The date is one day before their album In Ear Park drops on 4AD. The venue is the brand new Bell House in Gowanus. It will be the first time their band ever plays together live. Tickets are on sale.