Bad Brains will play Boston & Manhattan with H2O and then Brooklyn & Philadelphia with GZA. As you can see in the poster, tickets go on pre-sale Saturday. Lionize also opens the Philly show, and there's a show happening on 4/20 with GZA in a TBA city. Stay tuned for more info. All dates are listed with more info below....

Continue reading "Bad Brains announce East Coast shows with GZA & H2O"

photos by Jason House

Agnostic Front @ Santos Party House

Agnostic Front are currently out on tour with Mongoloids in support of a somewhat new record...

"My Life My Way was released on March 22, 2011. The album features 13 new powerful and anthemic songs laid down by Erik Rutan (MADBALL, GOATWHORE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, etc.) at his Mana Recording Studio in Tampa, FL under the watchful guide of producer Freddy Cricien of MADBALL. The record was mastered by Alan Douches (NILE, MASTODON, etc.)."

Fellow DMS crew band H2O also has a new record coming out, but not of their own songs. As their own press release reads...

"H2O has been a mainstay in hardcore and punk since their inception back in 1995 and have had many influences along the way. The band is thrilled to pay homage to those influential artists by covering their songs on the forthcoming album, Don't Forget Your Roots, which will be available November 15th from Bridge Nine Records.

Additionally, H2O will be playing the Gramercy Theater on November 19th [with Killing Time], with a special set consisting of cover songs and originals- both new and old. This show will be a celebration of H2O's covers album available just three days prior, as well as a re-release of their self-titled album, available on LP also on November 15th. Vocalist Toby Morse had this to say: "NYC is H2O's roots - where we started - and couldn't think of a more perfect place to release our covers album and the re-issue of our first record. We'll be playing old songs, new songs and cover songs for our fans there! They'll also be able to pick up copies of our self-titled album on vinyl - Bridge Nine is re-pressing that and we couldn't be more excited. It was originally released back in 1996 and has been out of print for a long, long time. Also Don't Forget Your Roots will be available as well!" He continued, "Our covers album is a big personal accomplishment for us - being able to pay homage to the bands that have influenced us so much since we got into punk rock and helped get us where we are today is an amazing thing. We think we've done them justice!"

Continue reading "Agnostic Front played Santos (pics & more dates), H2O releasing tribute album, playing shows too (dates) "

by BBG

Heavy music fans! If TONIGHT (3/26) in NYC isn't reserved for Hull/Horseback/Batillus/Caltrop at The Studio at Webster Hall (tickets), Sick Of It All/Snapcase at a sold-out Webster Hall, or Nunslaughter/Disma at Acheron, then you're more than likely heading out to see Off! with Trash Talk at Santos Party House. Tickets are still available.

Off! & Trash Talk both appeared at the Vans SXSW showcase at Emo's on 3/16, alongside Bad Brains, Talib Kweli, and Black Lips. Meanwhile on the other stage, Housecore Records was leading a southern metal charge with appearances from Arson Anthem (with Mike of Eyehategod, Phil of Down/Pantera, but no Hank III), Haarp (who were incredible), Warbeast, Skrew, and others. Pictures from both stages are in this post and continue below...

Continue reading "Off! & Trash Talk are here (lots of other heavy shows in NYC tonight too), played Emo's w/ Black Lips, Haarp & more (pics)"

Bad Brains in NYC in 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Bad Brains have announced:

"Bad Brains begin working on NEW ALBUM!
we're pleased to announce that we have recently been holed up in upstate NY working on new material for a 2011 release.
"Stand by for the 'realist' we have ever written," says Darryl.
The album is said to be channeling progressive elements and Megaforce expects us to release the album in late-summer 2011."

HR is playing a solo show at Brooklyn Bowl on May 1st with Trouble Andrew. Tickets go on sale today at noon. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Bad Brains working on new album, playing SXSW & other dates (HR playing Brooklyn Bowl)"

Jerry,

thanks for letting us stay at 171 A ,when we were struggling in the streets of NYC like lost run away Hardcore slaves, for letting us sleep on the stage and under the control room ,and sharing your soaked and dry sunflower seeds, not to mention your Manna bread, and your old school soggy pin joints, thanks for your big brotherly wisdom and patience, and most of all our classic ROIR cassette which blazed the music world with its message of peace and love, thanks for mixing us live, although you would def me with feedback, thanks for those cashews, and soy milk when I was hungry and had the munchies, we love you man, I can see you now all sweaty in your scuba suit with that white SG, I can hear you now saying "whut's up bruther" with that southern accent - I'd say Jerry "bumba clot"! you'd say whut! Bumper Crop!
There's so much to thank you for Jerry, that I will conclude this by simply saying long live the legacy of the one Jay Dubs! May his kind spirit and giving sharing ways continue to spread throughout the world, through our music and the works of us all, we know who we are, if you are from the 171 A era and family or from any era and family connected to Jerry Williams or not - 1 love J DUBS
sail on brother.
And maximum recognition and respects to our brother Dave Parsons and Dave Hahn, I'm sure they're jamming and Rocking The Light!
D. Jenifer - Bad Brains

Continue reading "Bad Brains remember Jay Dubs, D Jenifer releasing solo LP"

by BBG

Every year, thousands of Elvis Presley fans make the pilgrimage to Sun Records studio in Memphis, Tennessee to see the place where Elvis recorded his earliest works. For fans of the Beastie Boys, a place of similar importance would be Jerry Williams's studio located at 171 Avenue A in New York City. It was at Studio 171 A that the Beastie Boys would record their very first release on the Ratcage Records label.

In September of 1980, Jerry Williams would begin renovating the interior of 171A. Previously the place had been a glass shop, but after moving in their PA equipment Williams went on to build a stage at the front and an audio booth in the back. By November the 171A Studio was a venue used to house after hours parties where downtown bands like the Cooties would perform [but] with a huge New Year's Eve show coming up, the New York Fire Dept. stepped in and stopped further shows from proceeding...

By now though 171A had gained a lot of name recognition around town, so instead of shutting it down completely Williams decided to change it into a rehearsal studio. At the time, most of the available rehearsal spots in New York City were tiny little rooms, but 171A offered much more. Jerry described it as being like "...a full sized room with 15 foot ceilings and a floor space 60 feet long and provided recording artists with a quality PA system suspended from the ceiling. It was a cut above other rehearsal studios and since it was about half the size of CBGB's it produced a very similar sound."

Over the next few years, 171A Studio would then go on to be used by the Bad Brains, Reagan Youth, Beastie Boys, Young and Useless and many more. -[Beastiemania]

Jerry Williams would have been 62 years old on Thursday, but sadly passed away in a California hospital room due to, according to his friend Mike Osterhout, liver problems. RIP Jerry.

Continue reading "Jerry Williams aka Jay Dublee, RIP "

Bad Brains @ Vice Halloween 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Bad Brains will be one of the bands headlining Afro-Punk 2010 happening in Fort Greene's Commodore Barry Park (a new location) from June 25-27 (Flushing Ave & N Elliot, Brooklyn). There's music for two days of the skate-heavy fest - Saturday's music includes Bad Brains, Game Rebellion, P.O.S., Ninjasonik, Belikos, Activator, The 54 and Cipher. Sunday's lineup is 24-7 Spyz, The Cool Kids, J*DaVeY, Martin Luther, The Memorials and Bad Rabbits, as well as a their "Culture Klash" DJ series with Q TIP Vs Afrika Bambaataa. Music is 1-9pm both days. Tickets are on sale.

An animated flyer and more details are below...

Continue reading "Afro-Punk 2010 - lineup includes Bad Brains, Ninjasonik, Q-Tip DJing, Game Rebellion, P.O.S. & more (tix on sale)"

photos by Tim Griffin

David Yow rides the crowd as beer flies

Titus Andronicus drama aside for a second, I was worried that the "party" crowd wouldn't be a good audience for the Jesus Lizard and Bad Brains. But as security pointed out, the audience very much treated the show like the "concert" it was. It got crazy for Jesus Lizard, energetic front-man David Yow included...

"The Jesus Lizard performed a ferocious set, with singer David Yow crowd diving and singing noise rock anthems while sweaty hands held him aloft. Meanwhile, the line outside on North 10th Street snaked around the block, as hundreds of costumed revelers waited in the rain to get inside." [The Wall Street Journal???]

The bands played upstairs in the two-level warehouse on North 10th Street between Berry and Wythe. Downstairs, and between bands, there were DJs. I was especially appreciative of all the classic 90's techno hits (at the 1994-themed party). The music mixed with the warehouse location, lights, and smoke machines probably made the Vice event more Maskarave than the actual Maskarave happening across the river. That felt especially true late night, after Bad Brains which was when the majority of the crowd left (and they weren't letting anyone else in). I don't know a lot of song names, but Moby's "Thousand", Josh Wink's "Don't Laugh", and "Percolator" were at least three of the more popular ones I remember hearing during the DJ sets from Dave 1 from Chromeo, Peanut Butter Wolf, Nick Catchdubs, Rub-N-Tug, and/or Blu Jemz. Earlier in night there was also lots of classic hip hop, sometimes accompanied with the song's video.

As promised, there was a skate ramp with skaters too (and all the alcohol was free) (I wish they had more porta potties though). More pictures below...

Continue reading "Jesus Lizard & Bad Brains @ Vice's Halloween Party - pics"

photos by Tim Griffin

HR of Bad Brains / security on stage during Bad Brains

"...At this point, Bad Brains were playing, and it was clear more trouble was in store, when some guy in some sort of medeival doungeon master getup tried to crowd surf during "Attitude," which inspired the security to storm the stage twelve or so deep, evacuate the Bad Brains, and stand like some sort of musclehead Stonehenge along the end of the stage, while their leader informed everyone, "This is not a concert, this is a party. Have a seat." Of course, the floor was covered in horrible grime and broken glass, but whatever.

Poor Bad Brains. Or is it? With all due respect to these legends of hardcore and reformed homophobes, I don't know if I can ever recall a more phoned-in performance in all my life. This should come as no surprise, based on the ubiquity of weed stench emenating from their dressing room, and the equally ever-present site of all-time-greatest-hardcore-singer front-runner HR sitting motionless on a couch (seriously - this hardcore legend did not move an inch during the whole evening!). I mean, whatever floats yr boat, HR, more power to you, but for this Greatest Hardcore Band Ever to get onstage and have their singer remain motionless in body and completely monotone in voice... I dunno, it is just not how I imagined it might be. Disappointing at best.

Well, this whole scene was fucked, clearly, and my ladyfriend was getting more and more disturbed by the assholery on display (or sexual harassment, as she would call it, and perhaps rightly so) and the constant picture-taking by stangers, that she had to go home and try and live like a reasonable person. I wish I could have followed her, but as will become a theme throughout this sad tale, I really needed the money. So, I escorted her out of the building and out of the hellish nightmare that was this party, and I was glad to see her moving towards a more peaceful and decent evening..." [Patrick Stickles of Titus Andronicus]

He makes the whole night sound really horrible though - like really bad, which wasn't actually my own experience. I thought it was fun, though I wasn't kicked out. Security had a major presence, but what do you expect when you invite thousands of people to come drink for free in a giant warehouse in the middle of Williamsburg? My only discomfort was the bathroom lines. I almost peed my pants waiting for one of the porta potties!

Titus Andronicus performed as Weezer (a band that also played a Halloween show in NYC that night). They went on after Bad Brains (who played after Jesus Lizard) which was kind of weird because not that many people stuck around after the two headliners finished. Yes, HR of Bad Brains is a weirdo now and Bad Brains live are just kind of weird, but that's old news. Thanks to an enthusiastic crowd, the Bad Brains show was actually one of the craziest I can remember (security being weirdos for a minute aside). Read Patrick's whole rant HERE. More pictures from the show HERE. Watch some videos of the Bad Brains show, below...

Continue reading "Titus Andronicus didn't enjoy the Vice party"

I know many have been waiting anxiously for details on how to get in to the VICE 15th year anniversary party featuring live performances by Bad Brains and The Jesus Lizard. Well, now they're running a contest. Flyer and more details below...

Continue reading "Vice giving away tix to Bad Brains/Jesus Lizard show (Titus Andronicus, Children, Dave 1, others added to bill)"

Bad Brains @ Irving Plaza in 2008 (more by Tim Griffin)

"VICE magazine, which is still not only fully independent but is also flourishing while the dinosaurs that surround us slowly suffocate in the tar pits of their financial ruin, is throwing a massive Halloween birthday party to celebrate our 15th anniversary. There will be two floors of chaotic nostalgia, scary punk bands, full-on rave DJs, a skate ramp, glow sticks, grunge, big pants, gangsta rap, marijuana-scented flannel, and serious slacker vibes. Plus it's on Halloween, so if you don't show up dressed as some sort of a cultural cliché from 1994, you probably won't get in."

One band who I'd imagine VICE would want to put on the show is one they recently added to their record label roster, The Almighty Defenders who are made up of the combined Black Lips and King Khan and BBQ. Conveniently, King Khan & BBQ do in fact have an early Brooklyn show scheduled on that very (Halloween) night. Whether they get added to the Vice show or not, I have no idea, but the "supergroup" is playing a free show in NYC even sooner for Topman during CMJ (and a they have a show at Maxwell's the same CMJ week).

This Halloween show is happening before both Jesus Lizard shows at Irving Plaza which is the same venue Bad Brains last played in NYC.

The Dead Milkmen are playing Philly on Halloween. The Dead Milkmen and Bad Brains co-headlined Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin last year. This year The Jesus Lizard is one of the headliners of the Texas fest.

The new issue of VICE, pictured above with Chloe Sevigny on the cover, can be read on their website.

Videos of The Jesus Lizard at this year's ATP NY Fest, and all tour dates for both bands, below...

Continue reading "Whoah... The Jesus Lizard AND Bad Brains playing free VICE Halloween party in Brooklyn! ++ (and other dates) ++"

Willamette Week's Musicfest NW announces this year's festival line-up which will be held at various venues around the Portland, OR metropolitan area on September 16, 17, 18 & 19. On the heels of the most successful MFNW to date, MFNW 2009 launches with nothing but the hope of a bigger and better festival. MFNW's ultimate aim is to provide Portland with a unique and special musical experience that features all types of acts including nationally renowned artists while still honoring and supporting the special musical scene of the Northwest.

The lineup so far, including the newly-reunited Sunny Day Real Estate, is below...

Continue reading "Musicfest NW in Portland, OR (Sept 16-19) - lineup"

After meeting his biological father for the first time, GE powerhouse Jack Donaghy discovered his dad, professor Milton Greene, needed a kidney. Not being a potential organ donor himself, Mr. Donaghy turned to some very affluent friends in the entertainment world. This partnership created the phenomenon, "Kidney Now!' -- a benefit concert featuring some of the most recognizable names in the music industry. With the help of this song, Milton Green just might find the kidney match he needs and Jack Donaghy may be granted the gift of a father he never knew.

Continue reading "30 Rock 'Kidney Now' w/ Elvis Costello, Beastie Boys, Moby, Talib Kweli, Norah Jones, Steve Earle, Rhett Miller (video) "

by Ryan Barkan

Duffy @ Lollapalooza 2008 (more by Bao Nguyen)

The cola war has been heating up globally in the last couple of months with music as the weapon of choice.

Pepsi's image rebranding campaign, including a new smile-esque logo, launched right after Christmas with a tv commercial featuring The Apples in Stereo song, "Energy". They then went deep during the Super Bowl, dropping a spot featuring Bob Dylan and Will.I.Am singing "Forever Young" as the beverage's new anthem.

Coke counters with a European spot for Diet Coke that features a playful Duffy doing things on her time during an encore break at a concert. In the commercial, she sings a cover of Sammy Davis Jr's "I Gotta Be Me."

When Sara Tate, a senior planner at the London advertising agency Mother, was asked to find a new face for Diet Coke, she knew what she didn't want. "Definitely no rent-a-face," says Tate, whose ad with Duffy will launch on British television, before rolling out across Europe. "We steered clear of yet another glamorous star with a six-figure fee who will promote anything if the price is right. The public is getting smart to that. We wanted someone who is well known, but not hugely famous. Someone who is on the rise, for whom fame is recent enough that they remember what it is like to have a regular life. Duffy was a perfect fit because, although she is extremely successful, she's still incredibly down to earth." [Via Times Online]

Coke's second attack is from Justice - Coke enlisted the duo along with Ed Banger Records' So_Me to design a glow-in-the-dark bottle and provide the soundtrack, their massive jam "D.A.N.C.E.", to a commercial. The bottle will be available in clubs throughout Europe. See the bottle in the commercial below.

The third assault from the Coke comes in their Full Throttle NHRA spots; three of the five have licensed songs: The Faces has "Blue Moon" by the Mavericks, The Machine kicks it country with Merle Haggard's "Working Man Blues", and Left Behind features Operator Please's "Zero Zero."

The final wave occurred as I was writing this article. A one-two punch during the Oscars with both The Boy Least Likely To's "Be Gentle With Me" and Sea Ray's "Revelry" showing up in Coke spots during the telecast on ABC (no video available yet). For those not familiar with the band, Sea Ray broke up in 2005.

Other Notable Licensing News:

Continue reading "This week in Music Licensing (Duffy, Justice, Sonic Youth, Franz Ferdinand, Radiohead, Sea Ray & more...) "

by Black Bubblegum

Kevin Seconds @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Kevin Seconds is hitting the road. Not literally, because that might bloody his knuckles, but the folkin' punk rock legend will tour the seabaring portions of these United States (the east/west coasts) starting Jan 31st and concluding in late February including THREE NYC shows and one on Long Island! The Long Island show (TBA) takes place on Feb 17th with ex-Groovie Ghoulies frontman Kepi Ghoulie. The two then continue on Feb 18th with a double header....a FREE daytime in-store at Generation records with KS & KG followed by a show that night at Pianos. The next night, Feb 19th, the pair take on Europa (tix here). Full tour dates are below.

...And speaking of punk frontmen who recently played Fun Fun Fun Fest, John Joseph and his Cro-Mags (Jam) have scheduled a show of their own at Europa on March 29th with Maximum Penalty and Dump Body. Tickets are on sale.

...And while we're on the subject of NYHC legends who played Fun Fun Fun Fest, Bad Brains are the subject of a new upcoming documentary! Details are sketchy at best, including the title of the film, but their myspace page professes that the film is "currently in post production" and "follows the music and the life of the Bad Brains from 1979 to present day". Film trailer below.

Bad Brains print by Shepard Fairey

Meanwhile, wheat-paste-ninja-turned-media-mogul-turned-Obama-Campaign-poster-designer Shepard Fairey will release a limited edition silk screening of the band on his website "in a few weeks". It's a collaboration with the mighty Glen E Friedman, check it out above.... pretty much rules.

Oh, and did we mention Daryl Jennifer of Bad Brains has a solo album due this spring?!? Details are sketchy, but as they arise, we'll post 'em.

We didn't catch the show, but HR recently appeared on the bill of an Inauguration show at Le Poisson Rouge here in NYC. How was that one?. The Bad Brains only upcoming date is at the Langerado Fest in Florida on Friday March 6th.

Documentary trailer & tour dates below...

Continue reading "Kevin Seconds tour dates, a Cro-Mags show, Bad Brains documentary, Shepard Fairey poster & Daryl Jennifer solo"

"Rooftop and Sound Fix are thrilled to present Brooklyn's coolest and cheapest Obamauguration Celebration! Please join us in thanking and celebrating the Rooftop and Sound Fix staff members, filmmakers, and musicians without whom this historical moment would not be possible! We'll be rebroadcasting Obama's inaugural speech as Sound Fix comedians serve up penetrating blow-by-blow political commentary. Drink specials as always! Venue: Sound Fix Lounge, Address: 110 Bedford Avenue (Williamsburg, Brooklyn), Directions: L to Bedford or G to Nassau, Admission: No Charge - Tuesday, January 20th, 2008, 8PM"

"This inauguration day, join (Le) Poisson Rouge in celebrating the historic inauguration of our 44th President with live sets that turn hip hop on its head with guitar-driven feedback, make the most of heavy metal soul, and see one of DC's own legendary punk rockers take the stage. The concert celebrating this historic event will feature live performances by Apollo Heights, 24-7 Spyz and HR (of Bad Brains)."

This next one is not Inauguration-themed, but it is also tonight (1/20). You've heard Thurston Moore say he likes them. Black Bubblegum likes them too. Black metal band Malkuth is playing Glasslands Gallery.

You can also get 'punk' at Market Hotel. Full list of tonight's NYC events coming shortly.

What else?

Continue reading "Langerado Fest, in Miami, in March - initial 2009 lineup"

"Some people say you crazy crazy..."... smoke something. watch the below...

Continue reading "HR interviews HR (VIDEO!) ++ Bad Brains tour dates"

photos by Tyler Nutter

"Cro-Mags (jam)" were great, and a huge hit, at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin on Sunday, November 9th. They played to a massive, enthusiastic crowd. Who knew there were so many hardcore fans, in Texas, and in Texas and willing to to go see bands at an outdoor festival? I'm sure it helped that the bill also included Bad Brains, not to mention Bouncing Souls, Integrity, and DOA.

As previously posted, the difference between Cro-Mags and Cro-Mags (jam) is that the "jam" version is John Joseph with a mostly new Cro-Mags band that doesn't include Harley Flanagan or Parris Mayhew. And, as previously mentioned, the "jam" band at Fun Fun Fun Fest consisted of an impressive lineup of hardcore alumni. They were John Joseph, AJ from Leeway on guitar, Craig Setari of Sick of it All on bass, and Mackie Jayson (one of Cro-Mags' past drummers and a former member of a million other bands, and currently in Madball) on drums. Collectively they ripped through at least 14 songs that mostly came from the Cro-Mags' 1986 debut album The Age of Quarrel and also included a cover of Wire's "12xU". Lots of people were going nuts. Lots of people knew all the words. Lots of people were slam-dancing, and I think there were more (and more experienced) stage-divers than during any other band's set at the fest.

John Joseph was on a roll with his between-song banter as well. He gave shout-outs to lots of other bands on the bill including Walter and Sammie of Rival Schools, and, of course, Bad Brains who John was also later seen watching from the stage. John also spoke about the government, about living with Ian Mackaye and Henry Rollins after he went AWOL from the military, asked what happened to punk and hardcore meaning something, said 9/11 was an inside job, and found it symbolic that the stage was clearly facing the lit-up Texas State Capitol building that happens to be located in Austin.

More pictures, the setlist, and some videos below...

Continue reading "Cro-Mags (Jam) @ Fun Fun Fun Fest, Austin - pics & setlist"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Every other band at Fun Fun Fun Fest over the weekend made it a point to give the fest's co-headliner Bad Brains a shout-out - a respect kind of thing. It makes sense. That's kind of what you do when you're sharing a bill with a band that helped paved the way for your own sound. That said, it was also really refreshing to hear one band take a slightly different approach. Leftover Crack's Stza also gave Bad Brains, or more specifically HR, lots of shout-outs. They were even positive shout-outs, but they were to call out HR's questionable politics/alleged-still homophobia. They were positive because they started with a speech about equality for all people, and were said in a way as to educate HR (if he was listening), AND Stza even announced his cell phone number in case HR wanted to give him a call. You can hear that last part in the first video below.

So, as pointed out, NYC's anarchist ska punk band Leftover Crack (who I had no idea were so popular because I honestly don't follow punk music that much) love everyone, EXCEPT, notoriously,...

...Oddly, the visit from detectives came just after cops arrested Leftover Crack lead singer Scott Sturgeon [also known as Stza Crack] on Friday for--no kidding--throwing donuts at the police during a demonstration outside the 9th Precinct in the East Village. Sturgeon says he was pissed off that the cops wouldn't let the band play their music at a reasonable volume.

In the complaint, Officer Richard Labore wrote that Sturgeon's antic "caused people to express alarm." Labore also wrote that Sturgeon was chanting "kill the police, kill the police."... [Village Voice, September 2008]

Continue reading "Leftover Crack calls out HR, police @ FFF Fest - pics & video "

Photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

If not obvious by the 2008 Fun Fun Fun Fest coverage so far, I was having the most fun (fun fun) over the weekend with all the punk, metal and hardcore on stages 3a and 3b (two connected stages to avoid long times between sets). Highlights and pictures from day one are HERE. Highlights of day two (9/9) were DOA, Frightened Rabbit, the ska punk, politics and crowd of Leftover Crack, Cro-Mags (jam) (John Joseph w/ one of Cro-Mags' past drummers, AJ from Leeway on guitar and Craig Setari of Sick of it All on bass), what I saw of St. Vincent and Black Angels, the vegan sausage pizza, and Bad Brains. I managed to catch a few songs of Islands who sounded great, but totally missed Spinto Band and Annuals. Also saw pieces of Kevin Seconds, Chuck Ragan, and Ben Nichols's solo-frontmen sets. Saw Black Joe Lewis and most of Trash Talk, but neither lived up to my expectations in the daytime festival setting. I went back and forth between the pre-headliner sets of Minus the Bear and Bouncing Souls, and ran over to watch one song of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah during a Bad Brains reggae segment. Despite the competition, CYHSY still pulled in a respectable sized crowd. The stages were far enough away in general, but I could also still hear Alec Ounsworth's unmistakable voice at times between Bad Brains songs depending on where I was standing (I watched Bad Brains from various areas throughout their set). Clipse were headlining on the stage farthest away from Bad Brains so I totally missed them, and Kool Keith, who played that same stage earlier. Bad Brains ended earlier than curfew which meant I got to run over and catch about 20 minutes of Tim and Eric which was a great way (laughing) to end the hectic two day fest.

One unfortunate aspect of the weekend was the dust. It was a problem at ACL this year too. Dry dirt and wind meant you were constantly breathing it in. A signifigant portion of the crowd was wearing bandanas or other gas mask-like things on their faces. I didn't, but I should have because I think it made me a little sick. More pictures from day two below...

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest 2008 - (some of) day two in photos "

by Ryan Barkan

Gogol Bordello @ Irving Plaza (more by Jefferson)

The second edition of this controversial new feature is back. "It's Not Selling Out Anymore" (or is it?)...

Aggressive racing game, Motorstorm, was one of the most successful titles for the Playstation 3 in 2007 (selling over three million copies world wide). It was only natural then, that Sony Computer Entertainment would get a sequel out in 2008. Enter Motorstorm: Pacific Rift. The game recently hit shelves in the US at end of October and in the UK this past week. The TV spot announcing the new game brilliantly matched Motorstorm's crazy, edgy style of racing on tracks in exotic locations with the "authentic energy" of Gogol Bordello's "Wonderlust King." Watch the video of the commercial below. Gogol Bordello tour dates are HERE.

While Gogol did not make the in-game soundrack, David Bowie, Clutch, Megadeth, The Hives, Simian Mobile Disco, Death From Above 1979, and more all made the cut. Eight of the forty-five songs are exclusive to the game including a remix by Diplo of Nirvana's "Swap Meet" *.

Speaking of exclusives, The Ramones' classic jam "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" was covered by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and singer Jemina Pearl (from the now defunct Be Your Own Pet). Their version exclusively premiered in this past week's episode of Gossip Girl. Love & Rockets made the episode too...though not as an exclusive.

Other Notable Licensing News:

On the tube, One Tree Hill had songs by Ra Ra Riot and Margot & the Nuclear So-So's; 90210 had Florence & The Machine, The Raconteurs, and The Bravery; Grey's Anatomy had The Bird And The Bee, Whitest Boy Alive, and Brett Dennon.

M83's "You, Appearing" provides a solemn background to a French commercial for Douleurs' "Pain Without Borders" commercial. Watch the video below. M83 is currently on a tour of the US (and in NYC this week).

Cadbury's new "Favourites" commercial features the song "Stars and Sons" by Canadian supergroup Broken Social Scene. Watch the video below. Pics from the band's recent show at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple can be seen HERE.

Supreme continues its love for musical collaborations with the announcement of a Bad Brains x Supreme collection. The line consists of a couple hoodies, a t-shirt, and two different styles of Vans shoes. Bad Brains have been busy lately playing shows in Austin, NYC and elsewhere.

Vans recently released its fourth Iron Maiden tribute shoe, this time featuring the artwork from the Powerslave album. The Sk8-Hi and slip on models are available at the vans online store as well as local distributors.

Videos below...

Continue reading "It's Not Selling Out Anymore -- This Week in Music Licensing"

Bad Brains FFF Fest, Waterloo Park, Austin, TX, Nov 9, 2008 - setlist

I'm not sure how much the Bad Brains stuck to the setlist because I'm stupid like that, but HR, dressed in a blue robe-like outfit, did keep pulling a copy out of his pocket to see what was coming up next throughout their headlining Fun Fun Fun Fest set on Sunday night. They definitely closed the pre-encore set with "Pay To Cum" (or "Pay to Come" as they spelled it on the set list) though. After that HR grabbed his bags (literally) and left the stage as the crowd yelled for one more. You can see all of that happen in the video below...

Continue reading "Bad Brains - Fun Fun Fun Fest setlist & 'Pay to Cum' video "

Photos by Tim Griffin, Words By Black Bubblegum

My night was planned. Rival Schools at Mercury. Thats it. Then Rival Schools done had to go and muck it up... announcing that they would open for Bad Brains that same night. So I craiglist-ed my tix, and Bad Brains (their second of two shows in a row at the same venue) it was (11/6/2008).

My evening started halfway through the Trouble Andrew set, and the crowd was having none of it. The pro-snowboarder's (mostly) skatepunk was NOT a hit with the overwhelmingly straight-ahead hardcore (with a dash of reggae, natch) fan base.

"Worst Black Flag ever," said the shirtless man.

It wasn't THAT bad. And as a matter of fact (guilty pleasure alert) I kind of dug the last song ("Drink?") which DID remind me alot of Black Flag's "TV Party" without all that pesky intensity/fun. What was the "decider" that turned me to the dark side? During the "Drink" song, a guy on stage dripping in gold chains and sporting an oversized skull mask "shotgunned" (or rather, attempted to) beer after beer through the mask.

Rival Schools were reliably great, and Irving Plaza was much more forgiving on Ian Love's guitar flourishes (my main complaint from Knitting Factory). Sticking to their setlist from my last two encounters with them (the BV Day Show at Knitting Factory and Syndicate's CMJ shindig), the boys kicked off their set with with "Travel By Telephone" and closed with "Used For Glue" and their cover of The Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?". The crowd was much easier on the hardcore veterans.

Bad Brains finally blasted off after 10:30. Clad in a sportcoat with some sort of body-armor underneath, HR walked calmly to the mic with hands together (in praise of Jah?), and ripped into "Attitude" from the self-titled ROIR record. The floor shook. Over the next hour, the band ran through other selections from the self-titled record ("Sailin' On", "Pay To Cum"), I Against I ("Re-Ignition", "Sacred Love") and even Quickness (Daryl began "Soul Craft" with the album's "verbal" intro), with the audience becoming absolutely unglued. In between the hardcore mayhem (and ensuing mosh-pit antics), Bad Brains slowed it up with reggae such as "I & I Survive"... adding delay to the drums, vox, and guitar tracks for that extra dubby feel.

But it wasn't all chocolate waterfalls and rainbows: The mix for Bad Brains was extremely muddy from my vantage point, favoring Daryl Jenifer's tremendously booming basslines instead of balancing with Dr. Know's ripping fretwork. HR mumbled through lyrics and was off at times. Their set was only one hour long, including the encore, "I Against I".

But for every ounce of criticism that I could possibly lay, postive energy was returned tenfold from the electric crowd, and I just could not help but be swept up in it too.

So what did I learn? A few things:
1) It is possible to take a picture while crowdsurfing (see below) (Tim Griffin take note)
2) Old hardcore dudes still mosh.
3) Bad Brains have still got it.
4) Daryl Jenifer is the coolest motherfucker on the planet.

More pictures, and partial setlists, below...

Continue reading "Bad Brains & Rival Schools @ Irving Plaza, NYC - pics"

Tad Kubler, by Chris La Putt (more)

In case you missed it in the Hold Steady post, Tad of the Hold Steady was wearing a "Barack Obama" Bad Brains shirt last night. The shirt is available at BarackBrains.com, though I doubt they'll be flying off the shelves now that Barack already won. Maybe?