Beach Fossils @ Mercury Lounge in 2011 (more by Diana Wong)

Widowspeak, in case you missed the post we updated, have a show coming up at Glasslands with Mac DeMarco (who opens for Beach Fossils at Music Hall of Williamsburg), but first you can catch them with Dum Dum Girls at Maxwell's tonight (2/11).

And it turns out Music Hall of Williamsburg and SXSW (with Widowspeak) aren't Beach Fossils' only upcoming shows. Check out the flyer for tonight's free Fashon Week shindig at Tribeca Grand, below.

Continue reading "Beach Fossils play Tribeca Grand today; Widowspeak are in NJ"

DOWNLOAD: Beach Fossils - "Shallow" (MP3)

Captured Tracks signee Mac DeMarco, who has an upcoming Brooklyn show opening for labelmates Beach Fossils at MHOW on 3/2, just scheduled his own show, which will happen one day later at Glasslands (3/3). Tickets for that show are on sale now, and UPDATE: Widowspeak and Quilt are now listed as playing the show too. You can stream a Mac DeMarco track below.

Speaking of Beach Fossils, they're set to release the "Shallow" 7" b/w "Lessons" on February 21 via Captured Tracks. You can stream that track below and download it above.

Speaking of Captured Tracks, read about their big show at 285 Kent last week, HERE, and don't forget DIVE opens for Frankie Rose at Knitting Factory on 2/21.

Songs and dates, including the lineup of the Captured Tracks SXSW showcase, below...

Continue reading "another Mac DeMarco show (with Widowspeak & Quilt) & a new Beach Fossils track"

DOWNLOAD: Mac DeMarco - "Baby's Wearin Blue Jeans" (MP3)

Mac DeMarco

We recently mentioned the newest Captured Tracks signee Mac DeMarco is releasing his debut EP, Rock and Roll Night Club, on the label on March 20. It's since been announced that he will open for Captured Tracks labelmates Beach Fossils and their upcoming Music Hall of Williamsburg show on March 2. Tickets for the show are still available. No other Mac DeMarco dates to report at the moment.

Meanwhile, Beach Fossils side project Dive can be found opening for Violens and Chairlift at Bowery Ballroom on 1/23. Updated Chairlift and Dive tour dates are listed below.

And don't forget to catch the touring Blouse and other Captured Tracks bands at 285 Kent on 1/31.

If you haven't already, you can grab Mac's single "Baby's Wearin Blue Jeans," at the top of this post and stream it below...

Continue reading "Mac DeMarco opening for Beach Fossils; Dive opening for Chairlift (updated dates)"

Beach Fossils at Mercury Lounge in 2011 (more by Diana Wong)

Brooklyn's Beach Fossils just announced a hometown show which will take place on March 2 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets go on sale Friday (1/13) at noon with an AmEx presale underway now. There are no other dates to report at the moment, but stay tuned for "a new Beach Fossils 7" SOON as well as a new album in 2012."

Beach Fossils side project Dive has a Brooklyn show happening even sooner, this Saturday (1/14) at 285 Kent with Burning Star Core, Thee Source ov Fawnation, and Them, There. On Todd P's site, Dive is billed as playing a "weirdo set." More details on this show are below.

Dive also open for Frankie Rose at Knitting Factory on 2/21.

Details on the 'weirdo' Dive show and a Beach Fossils video below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils schedule a show, promising new album soon; Dive playing 'weirdo set' @ 285 Kent"

photos by Diana Wong

Chairlift @ Mercury Lounge

Chairlift played a sold-out Mercury Lounge last night (10/24) with Beach Fossils, just a couple of weeks after Chairlift played the Creators Project in DUMBO (picture sets one, two, and three), and not long after they opened some shows for James Blake (including Webster Hall). Chairlift have a few UK dates coming up soon. They're listed with more pictures from the Merc show below.

Beach Fossils also recently played 285 Kent with Beach Fossil sideproject (that is quickly becoming bigger than Beach Fossils?) Dive, Minks, and Heavenly Beat, and are also preparing to head out of the country for a stint of dates in Mexico. Dive meanwhile plays 285 Kent again on November 10th with North America and Hunter. BF dates are listed below.

Chaiflift recently posted new "videos" (streaming songs in video form) for the songs "Sidewalk Safari" and "Peculiar Paradise" from their forthcoming LP SOMETHING due on 1/24/12. Check that those out alongside all tour dates and more pictures from Mercury Lounge, below...

Continue reading "Chairlift & Beach Fossils played Mercury Lounge (pics)"

DOWNLOAD: Dive - "Sometime" (MP3)

photos by Erez Avissar

Last Friday (10/7) at 285 Kent saw the busy-body Brooklyn band Dive support Friends with Night Manager, Heaven's Gate, Kevinz Gate and DJ Cassie Ramone. If you missed the show, check out a live audio stream of Friends and Dive below and check out the pictures from the show in this post.

Dive recently posted a new track from their debut 7", the flip of the previously released "Sometime". Stream "Corvalis" below.

Dive will join with member Cole Smith's other project, Beach Fossils, for a show at 285 Kent TONIGHT (10/14) when they team with MINKS and Heavenly Beat. $10 gets you into this all ages jam.

Tonight (10/14) will see Cassie Romone at Music Hall of Williamsburg as a member of The Babies. They open for Yuck and Porcelain Raft. Monday (10/17) The Babies play at Bruar Falls with White Fence and three more bands TBA. $8 gets you into this 21+ event.

Audio streams from the show, the song stream of "Corvalis" and more pictures from 285 Kent are below.

Continue reading "Dive played 285 Kent w/ Friends, Heaven's Gate & more (pics), do again tonight w/ Beach Fossils, MINKS & more"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Big Troubles - "Misery" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Wild Beasts - "Loop the Loop" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Diehard - A VerySerious Man (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Diehard - Diehard (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cave - Adam Roberts (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dive - Sometime (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Heaven's Gate - Salome (MP3)

Welcome to the first day of Autumn! The air is crisp, it's a pleasure to be outside...which is where you'll be on your way to the many good show options this week. Where to start...

I guess I should mention R.E.M.'s decision to "call it a day." It's the right thing to do... but I sorta wish it'd happened 13 years ago. The post-Bill Berry records had their good songs, but it was never really R.E.M. to me. But their first decade, few bands were as important and influential. Hopefully they continue to make music on their own (Peter Buck's got like four other bands anyway), and cross our fingers that doesn't mean a Micheal Stipe solo album of "standards."

This leads nicely into this week's first real item:  Big Troubles' record release party tomorrow night (9/22) at Glasslands. Mitch Easter, who produced R.E.M.'s first two albums, was behind the boards for their new album, Romatic Comedy, which is out next week on Slumberland.

Those familiar with Big Troubles' sludgy, shoegazy debut album, Worry, might wonder if it's the same band this time. Working with Let's Active's Mitch Easter (who twiddled knobs on R.E.M.'s first two albums [and Pavement's Brighten the Corners), the band have cleaned up into a sparkling pop band. It's a dramatic transformation, not unlike the one Easter helped make happen with '90s shoegaze band Moose on their debut album, ...XYZ. With crazy catchy song after crazy catchy song, Romantic Comedy is a terrific album. You can download "Misery" at the top of this post.

The rest of the country will get to see them soon, as they're heading out on tour with their Slumberland labelmates The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (who headlined Bowery Ballroom this week) and then later with Real Estate who they play Bowery Ballroom with in November. All 2011 Big Troubles tour dates are at the bottom of this post, along with the video for their single "Sad Girls."

In addition to Big Troubles, their record release party also has  The Ice Choir and Cuffs playing as well, plus Ford & Lopatin on DJ duty.

Cuffs is the new band from former Pants Yell! frontman Andrew Churchman (one of Big Troubles is also in the band). They are at the same time more pure pop than PY! were and also more rockin'. They're good live.

Ice Choir

The Ice Choir is the new project from Kurt Feldman who plays drums for Pains of Being Pure at Heart and used to front The Depreciation Guild. It's funky synthpop that sounds an awful lot like...Scritti Politti?! It's true. Listen to the songs on Bandcamp and compare with this. I'm very curious to see what The Ice Choir will be like live. Will Kurt wear a while suit with giant shoulder pads? I hope so.

Wild Beasts

Wild Beasts are back, playing two nights at Music Hall of Williamsburg (Friday 9/23 and Saturday 9/24) with BOBBY opening both shows. The band's third album, Smother, has been a real grower for me and find myself going back to it a lot.  It's definitely a subtler album than Two Dancers  that shows the influence of Talk Talk and The Blue Nile in particular. It's a grower, as they say, and a worthy successor to 2009's best album. Check out "Loop the Loop" at the top of this post and there's a new video for "Bed of Nails" below.

Live, Wild Beasts are truly something to behold,  transcending their records every time (at least every time I've seen them). Sky Larkin's Katie Harkin is back again playing keyboards with the band on this go-round which is an added bonus for some of us. I haven't seen them tour this album yet, so I'm really looking forward to this weekend's shows. All Wild Beasts tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

-------

So Girls' new album, Father, Son, Holy Ghost debuted at #37 on the Billboard which is pretty impressive -- and also means they'll be playing much bigger places next time they roll through town. Their Bowery Ballroom shows this weekend are sold out, natch, but you can try and squeeze into Other Music tonight (9/21) for their free in-store.

Diehard

What else? '90s-rocking locals Diehard are set to release their debut album, The Times We Didn't Have Fun, next week and it's a ripper, full of big riffs, bigger choruses, oohs and ahhs, and hooks o' plenty. You can download two tracks from the album at the top of this post. You can listen to the whole shebang at their Bandcamp page.

The band are throwing a record release party this Friday (9/23) at Bruar Falls with likeminded pals Radical Dads, Shark? and Thunderclap also playing.

Cave @ Issue Project Room in 2010 (more by Greg Cristman)

Cave are here this weekend, playing Saturday, September 24 at soon-to-be-closed Live With Animals (with Amen Dunes, K-Holes & PC Worship), and then Sunday, September 25 at Cake Shop. All tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

As I wrote earlier this week, the band's new album  Neverendless finds finds them locking onto a groove and staying with it in the Neu!/Spacemen 3 tradition. You can download the "Adam Roberts" (the album's spaciest cut) at the top of this post and watch the video for the album's chugging, motoroik single, "WUJ," below.

Dive @ Shea Stadium

And finally, two bands I wrote about last week -- Dive and Heaven's Gate  (MP3s for both above) -- play again together tomorrow night (9/22) at 285 Kent, with Dustin Wong and Prussia. At the time, I hadn't seen either play live but remedied that last Friday at Shea Stadium. Both bands were very good, but different than I was expecting.

Heaven's Gate are much less shoegazy than their old band Sweetbulbs, with more of a blues-punk vibe (think Cramps or maybe JSBE or early YYYs). But their best songs still have some of that melodic swirl to them.

As for Dive, their recordings are very Beach Fossils-y (frontman Cole Smith is in the band). But live, Dive are a motorik dynamo, very Krautrock at times. There's a lot of flying hair, the band are whirling dervishes on stage. I was impressed. Dive are also playing Pianos earlier Thursday night (9PM) if you want to catch them there.

Here are some more picks, by day, not mentioned above:

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Cymbals Eat Guitars play Music Hall of Williamsburg. Their new album, Lenses Alien, is more '90s style indie rock guitar heroics, maybe a little more pop than their first. Hooray for Earth and Beige open.

Though if you're a '90s indie rock fan, you might instead be seeing Olivia Tremor Control and The Music Tapes at Le Poisson Rouge. OTC's Dusk at Cubist Castle remains a '90s classic. if you can't make it, NPR will be streaming it online.

Or if the '80s is more your thing, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are at Irving Plaza.

There's also the Hipster Puppies Cassette Release Party at Public Assembly. Music critic and frequent Twitter fighter Chris Weingarten is putting out a mix tape companion to his book which is based on his tumblr. Zs, Dinowalrus, Mountains and Burning Star Core all play sets. More info here.

continued below...

Continue reading "Big Troubles, Ice Choir, Wild Beasts, Girls, Diehard, Dive, Heaven's Gate & more in This Week in Indie"

Puro Instinct @ Pianos - 7/1/2011 (photo by Scott Lapatine)

Puro Instinct played Glasslands and then Mercury Lounge and then a third NYC show at Pianos Friday night (7/1). See them for a fourth time Saturday night at 285 Kent...

====| SATURDAY 7/2 @ 285 KENT AVE |====
:: Beach Fossils
:::: Puro Instinct ------- formerly Pearl Harbor
:::::: Big Troubles
:::::::: Regal Degal
| 285 KENT AVE |
285 Kent Ave @ South 1st | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L-Bedford, G-Metropolitan, JM-Marcy | 8pm | $10 | all ages

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Archers of Loaf - What Did You Expect? (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Art Brut - "Lost Weekend" (MP3)

Archers of Loaf @ Sasquach 2011 (more by Josh Darr)

This weekend marks the return of '90s indie legends Archers of Loaf who play Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday (6/25, sold out) and Webster Hall on Sunday (6.26, you can still get tickets). Opening both shows are Mr. Dream which is as perfect an opener as you could imagine.

I didn't care for their later records (or Eric Bachman's Crooked Fingers) but Archers of Loaf's 1993 debut, Icky Mettle, is an indie rock classic that stands tall alongside No Pocky for Kitty, Slanted & Enchanted, There's Nothing Wrong with Love and Sebadoh III. 1995's Vee Vee is pretty awesome too, and both records are getting the expanded reissue treatment from Merge Records in August. You can download "What Did You Expect?" (a 1994 7"-only release) at the top of this post.

Speaking of Mr. Dream, despite the Voice saying that the lineup was final, they added Mr. Dream today to the upcoming 4Knots Fest at South Street Seaport, and DJs and an indoor lounge too...

The Village Voice is excited to announce the addition of the 4Knots Indoor Lounge during the 4Knots Music Festival on Saturday, July 16, 2011. The lounge, located at 210 Front Street, will be open from 2PM till Midnight with free admission, 21+ only. DJ Sets will take place all day from: Yeasayer, Dan Deacon, Finger on the Pulse, PUNCHES, Brahms, and others TBD. Drink specials from Sailor Jerry and Bud Light will be available along with a PopChips photo booth, and much more.

The inaugural 4Knots Music Festival with also include live music on South Street Seaport Pier 17 from 1-8pm. The Black Angels, Titus Andronicus, Davila 666, Oberhofer, Eleanor Friedberger and Mr. Dream and are all scheduled to perform on the outdoor stage at the free, all day, all ages music festival.

While we're in the '90s milleiu, Mazes are here opening for White Denim on Saturday night (6/25) at Bowery Ballroom. I'll just quote myself here:

When you think Manchester, England you may think Stone Roses and The Smiths, but in the case of Mazes, it's more Sebadoh and Soul Asylum. Not unlike Yuck, this trio owe lots to '90s indie rock as can be heard on their debut album A Thousand Heys which came out in April.

And if you can't make it this weekend, Mazes return for a headlining show at Glasslands on Tuesday, July 5 where they'll play with Beige, Country Mice, and The Hairs.

Art Brut

What else? Art Brut are on tour and played Maxwell's last night and will be at Music Hall of Williamsburg Thursday (6/23). The band's new album, Brilliant! Tragic!, finds Eddie Argos taking it down a notch and almost singing. Almost. It's really more of a whispery type thing -- not unlike Jarvis Cocker -- and for the most part I think it works pretty well. I especially like the single, "Lost Weekend," which you can download at the top of this post. More than anything, I think the music is the best Art Brut have come up with since their debut. And the band remain a lot of fun to see live. Argos is the real deal.

Sic Alps

Sic Alps roll through town on Friday, playing Death By Audio with Spectre Folk and Weekends. As previously reported, founding member Matt Hartman -- who was half the band originally -- has left the group which is kind of weird Mike Donovan is carrying on with the name with Eric Baur and some kid named Ty Segall (who had briefly joined the band a couple years ago). Shouldn't they be called Sic Andes or something now?

Granted, Mike Donovan did most of the singing (and maybe wrote most of the songs) and I'm gonna bet this new version of the band is pretty awesome. Sic Alps most recent album, Napa Asylum, is another smoldering, thick stew of swamp garage. A lot of bands use the low-fi thing as a crutch, but Sic Alps have always used sludge like it's a member of the band. A new 7", perhaps the first fruits of this new line-up, is out in August.

Fulton Stall Market in 2010 (more by Chris La Putt)

And finally, a little shameless plugging. Sunday afternoon, June 26th, is the first of my four Sound Bites Series shows which take place at the Fullton Stall Market down at South Street Seaport. You can get your vegetables and jingle jangle indiepop all in one place. This Sunday the latter is provided by scene stalwarts My Teenage Stride. The fun (which includes me DJing before the band) starts at 2PM, and it's all free. Do come down and say hi.

This is the full Sunday show lineup:

JUNE 26: MY TEENAGE STRIDE
JULY 3: THE HAIRS
JULY 10: pow wow!
JULY 17: HOSPITALITY

Some additional daily picks follow:

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22

Iceage play a free show at Other Music today.

THURSDAY, JUNE 23

Black Dice's Eric Copeland, McDonalds and Regal Degal play Secret Project Robot. It's a record release party for both Copeland and McDonalds, so do check out the merch table. The Copeland record, Waco Taco Combo, is only a 500 copy pressing.

Dinosaur Jr. are at Terminal 5 performing their classic 1988 album Bug (that's the one with "Freak Scene") in its entirety. And probably some other songs as well. Many people will be going just to see Fucked Up, not to mention Off!.

Beach Fossils and Javelin play Santos Party House. It's a free show if you RSVP.

continued below....

Continue reading "Archers of Loaf, Mr. Dream, Art Brut, Mazes, Sic Alps, Iceage, Sundays @ The Seaport & more in This Week in Indie"

The second annual Hopscotch Festival will go down in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, across 12 different venues with over 135 bands, from September 8th through 10th. The lineup this year runs the gamut of independent music... from traditional indie staples (The Flaming Lips, Guided By Voices, Superchunk) to southern-inflected rock (Drive-By Truckers) to noise (Prurient) to hip hop (Beans) to garage (Jeff The Brotherhood) to funk (Budos Band) to metal (Krallice), and everywhere in between (Swans, Rhys Chatham, etc etc). Tickets are currently on sale. Full lineup is below.

Hopscotch happens almost three months after Guided By Voices play a Brooklyn Northside Festival show in McCarren Park (tickets) which is one day after Beirut plays a Northside Festival show on the same McCarren Park stage with... Sharon Van Etten (though she may have been accidentally announced at one point, they officially kept her placement on the bill under wraps until after Saturday's Music Hall of Williamsburg show). Tickets for Beirut/SVE are still on sale, and another opener will be added too.

Guided by Voices (whose Brooklyn show also has more openers coming) are also playing Pitchfork in July with Animal Collective whose Prospect Park show is now on AmEx presale.

Swans' upcoming NYC show is now on AmEx presale too.

Hopscotch lineup below...

Continue reading "Hopscotch Fest returns to Raleigh (2011 lineup announced), Sharon Van Etten officially added to Northside Fest"

by Rachel Kowal

Beach Fossils @ MHOW - April 8, 2011 (photo by Kemet Dugue)

The line outside Music Hall of Williamsburg Friday night extended farther down the block than I had ever seen it stretch, so far in fact, that like many people, I spent the entirety of Crinkles' set standing outside, waiting to get in. But by the time Craft Spells began to play, the room was packed, which proved to be a welcome treat for the wide-eyed openers.

"What the fuck are we doing here?!" lead singer Justin Vallestero asked incredulously as he stepped up to the mic. "We've never even been to the East coast before!" And with that, they launched into their set.

It's not hard to see why Craft Spells have been generating a fair amount of buzz recently. They exhibit the same kind of easy-going, sun-tinged rock that seems to be all the rage these days, and their candid enthusiasm and wild dancing are pretty charming. But for as bouncy as the music tends to be, Vallestero's steady baritone and the surprisingly mellow backing vocals help temper the band's sound and prevent it from becoming (gasp!) too twee for general consumption.

Following Craft Spells' energetic set, the drummer jumped out from behind his kit and snapped a photo of the audience before walking off stage. That will certainly be one for the scrap book.

The 'secret' special guest of the evening elicited a wide range of responses upon taking the stage. "Oh my God! It's The Drums!" exclaimed one guy excitedly to his unimpressed female companion. "How many opening bands are there?" another concert-goer asked in exasperation. Still others couldn't seem to get past lead singer Jonathan Pierce's little-kid-like appearance. ("That shirt is just atrocious. I think I had one like it when I was like 7 in 1993.") Between his clean-cut look and wild intensity onstage, Pierce resembles a manic Zack Morris on speed.

Say what you will about their shtick or their lyrics. The Drums have come a long way since I first saw them about two years ago, and the crowd responded enthusiastically to their frenzied performance. Even the guy behind me who had initially groaned at the sight of The Drums quickly admitted to his buddies that he was into them upon witnessing just a few minutes of their set.

Following a quick intermission, Beach Fossils kicked off their set with "What a Pleasure," which features a deceptively mellow intro before giving way to a rush of guitars and drums. (Watching bass player John Pena start to twitch as he geared up for the sudden shift was pretty amusing.)

Beach Fossils may not benefit from having such a distinctive front man in their midst, but their energy was anything but lacking. Though just four members strong, they made sure to take full advantage of the spacious stage by cavorting around with wild abandon. Incidentally, they also had no trouble getting the crowd to join in on their dancing. Throughout their set, random members from the audience would leap on stage and boogie down before being ushered back into the crowd by a bouncer. Soon to my disbelief (and at lead singer Dustin Payseur's suggestion), an indie kid mosh pit broke out near the foot of the stage, at which point the guy next to me leaned in. "You're writing that down, right? People are actually moshing to a band called Beach Fossils."

Absurdities aside, I was surprised by how polished Beach Fossils sounded, especially considering their inability to stay still for more than a few seconds.

After powering through their brief set, the boys from Beach Fossils came back for a quick one-song encore ("Youth"), during which time Korvette hastily put down his guitar and wildly leapt off stage for a quick round of crowd surfing before snatching up his guitar once again as the song died out.

--

Catch the Drums again tonight, 4/11, with Matthew Dear at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn (the show is now sold out). It's their last show before they head west to play Coachella.

A live Beach Fossils video from SXSW, and one of Craft Spells playing earlier this month in Seattle, below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils played MHOW w/ Craft Spells & The Drums (who play Knitting Factory tonight)"

DOWNLOAD: Asobi Seksu - Trails (Deerhoof remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Asobi Seksu - Perfectly Crystal (Beach Fossils/Spirit Animal remix) (MP3 premiere)

Asobi Seksu

Shoegazey rockers Asobi Seksu's new album Fluorescence was released via Polyvinyl in February. You'll notice at Polyvinyl's site that the download comes with four bonus tracks, three of which are remixes of the song "Trails", one of which is done by Deerhoof. Download that Deerhoof remix above if you don't already have it. Also grab the Beach Fossils remix version of "Perfectly Crystal" which is making its premiere in this post.

As previously mentioned, Asobi Seksu have a big headlining show coming up at Bowery Ballroom, and that show happens to be TONIGHT (4/7). Openers are Zaza and Consortium Musicum. Consortium Musicum are Greg Saunier of Deerhoof & Sean Lennon.

Asobi also recently announced some May dates with White Lies including a 5/24 show at Antone's in Austin where Asobi recently played SXSW for the fourth time. White Lies have good taste in openers. School of Seven Bells and Sun Airway open their upcoming Terminal 5 show.

And speaking of Beach Fossils, they have their own big show right around the corner. I'm talking about their Friday (4/8) headlining show at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Craft Spells, Crinkles, and "Unannounced Special Guest." Tickets are still on sale.

In related news, The Drums play a sold out show at Mercury Lounge tonight (4/7) and other upcoming shows too.

All Asobi & Beach Bossils tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils remixed Asobi Seksu (MP3 premiere), both play big shows this week w/ special guests (and other dates)"

by Anderew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Feelies - Should Be Gone (MP3)

Real Estate @ Hudson River Rocks in 2010 (more by Natasha Ryan)

As we've mentioned, R. Stevie Moore is hosting and performing at this year's Culture Shock at SUNY Purchase. The full lineup for the festival has been announced and is being headlined on Friday (4/15) by Cam'ron and on Saturday (4/16) by The Feelies. Other performers include A Place To Bury Strangers, Twin Sister, Beach Fossils, Screaming Females, Real Estate, Woods, Talk Normal, O'Death, Bomb the Music Industry! (performing Weezer's Blue Album), and others. The event isn't technically open to non-students. The full lineup is below.

Culture Shock is one of the few shows The Feelies are playing in support of their new album Here Before which drops April 12 via Bar/None. They also play The Bell House on May 13. Tickets are still on sale. Download the track "Should Be Gone" off the new album above.

Real Estate also has four other shows in the area coming up including April 23 at Colgate University, May 20 at The Bell House with Julian Lynch, Big Troubles and Family Portrait, May 21 at Maxwell's with Big Troubles, and they will appear at B.O.M.B. Fest at Western Connecticut State University on May 28.

Full CS lineup and a video below...

Continue reading "the Culture Shock 2011 lineup & other Real Estate dates too"

DOWNLOAD: Craft Spells - You Should Close the Door (MP3)

Beach Fossils at 285 Kent Ave (more by Jessica Amaya)

Beach Fossils have the new What a Pleasure EP due on March 8th via Captured Tracks (out on iTunes now), and the band is heading to SXSW in celebration. Shortly after that, they'll team up with their labelmates Craft Spells for a US tour that will kick off with two NY shows. The first is on April 7th at Stony Brook University. The next is at Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 8th. Tickets for the Brooklyn show go on AmEx presale Wednesday at noon (3/2), and regular sale on Friday. All dates are below.

Craft Spells

Seattle's Craft Spells' self-titled LP is due March 29th on Captured Tracks (update: grab an MP3 above), and the band can also be seen supporting Cloud Nothings at Glasslands on April 9th, one day after the Music Hall show (Beach Fossils take that night off). Tickets are on sale.

For Cloud Nothings, that Glasslands show is one date of a month+ tour that also includes SXSW, dates with Toro y Moi and a late show at Mercury Lounge on April 12th. Cloud Nothings' debut self-titled full length is out now on Carpark Records. Check out the video for "Should Have" below.

Speaking of Carpark Records, they recently signed Young Magic who have a 7" on Bandcamp, and who play Glasslands in Brooklyn with Wise Blood TONIGHT (3/1). Look for them at SXSW too.

All tour dates and videos below.

Continue reading "Beach Fossils touring w/ Craft Spells, Cloud Nothings touring too, Young Magic playing Glasslands (tonight) -- 2011 dates"

photos by Jessica Amaya

Crystal Stilts are welcoming their new LP In Love with Oblivion on 4/12 via Slumberland (it comes out in the UK one day earlier), and the band played their last local show until that release at 285 Kent Ave on Feb 18th with Beach Fossils, Widowspeak, and La Femme. Pictures from that gig are in this post.

The next time Crystal Stilts play in the neighborhood is to support Spectrum who is going on tour in April (all dates below). Crystal Stilts aren't on the whole tour, but they do open both NYC shows - the previously mentioned one at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 4/17 (tickets), and the show one day earlier at Le Poisson Rouge on 4/16 (tickets)

All Spectrum & CS tour dates, Crystal Stilts' new cover art, and more pictures from 285 Kent, below...

Continue reading "Crystal Stilts played 285 Kent w/ Beach Fossils & Widowspeak (pics), playing shows w/ Spectrum (tour dates)"

Beach Fossils @ Market Hotel in March (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

The Heavy @ Bowery Ballroom in January (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

today in NYC
* Ricardo Gallo @ The Stone
* Adam Kendall @ The Stone
* Hannibal Buress @ Knitting Factory
* Dog Days, DZ, Boveda @ Cake Shop
* The Ataris, Don't Panic @ Maxwell's
* Beach Fossils, MINKS @ Brooklyn Bowl (free)
* Grimes, Silly Kissers, Family Dynamics @ Glasslands
* The Heavy, Mayer Hawthorne, Childish Gambino @ Bowery Ballroom
* Erin Mckeown (Distillation 10th Anniversary Show) @ Highline Ballroom
* Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, Willy Mason @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Highlife, Images, Change Leopardon, Nat Roe / Oscar Castle Duo @ Silent Barn
* Widowspeak, Sweet Bulbs, MINKS, Total Slacker, Xray Eyeballs @ Death By Audio
* Bad Credit No Credit, Uzuhi, DJ Patrick Stickles, "secret guest" @ Shea Stadium
* The American Hardcore All-Ages Matinee w/ Urban Waste @ Knitting Factory
* Anni Rossi, Little Teeth, Miracles of Modern Science, Michael Jordyn & Greg @ Coco66

Tonight's Heavy/Mayer Hawthorne show was moved from Webster Hall to Bowery Ballroom.

Minks plays the free show at Brooklyn Bowl and the show at Death By Audio tonight.

Tonight's show at Shea Stadium features a "secret special guest" (and a DJ set by the singer of Titus Andronicus).

Speaking of Titus Andronicus, they are playing at least two shows during CMJ week (the Pitchfork fest and a SPIN party). We'll announce more details next week.

Who was the special guest at the Small Black show at Shea Stadium?

Speaking of CMJ, the BrooklynVegan official showcase is this Thurday! Tickets are still on sale.

Follow twitter.com/bvCMJ for a Twitter that is more focused on CMJ than @BrooklynVegan.

For more about Grimes and Silly Kissers, check out This Week in Indie. Watch a short documnetary about Grimes, by Emily Kai Bock, below....

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday? "

Matthew Dear @ MHOW in 2008 (more by Bao Nguyen)

As mentioned, Pitchfork will be hosting three days of shows at Brooklyn Bowl during, but-it-looks-like/probably completely unaffiliated with, CMJ this year (Thursday/Friday/Saturday CMJ week). "Brooklyn Bowl is located at 61 Wythe Avenue between N. 11th and N. 12th streets. The festival starts at 2 p.m. each day, with doors opening at 1 p.m. Tickets are $10, both in advance and day of the show." They're calling it the #OFFLINE Festival.

Based on the lineups and start time, it looks like each #OFFLINE day will be about a 12 hour show. No set times yet though, but the full lineups and ticket links are below...

Matthew Dear is one of the biggest names on the list (he plays Saturday), and it will be one of three CMJ week shows for Matthew. His first is Friday night at Webster Hall with Jamaica and Dominique Young Unique. His third is later on Saturday at Public Assembly for the FIXED/Making Time Party with Matthew Dear, Crocodiles, Holy Ghost!, Javelin, Gold Panda, Jamaica, and Kisses.

The FIXED/Making Time party starts after the BrooklynVegan party which is also happening at Public Assembly that same day. Just to be clear:

SATURDAY OCTOBER 23RD
* BrooklynVegan @ Public Assembly 12-6pm (free - more details TBA)
* FIXED/Making Time @ Public Assembly 9pm-late (tickets)
* Pitchfork @ Brooklyn Bowl 2pm-late (tickets)
* BrooklynVegan metal @ Union Pool 7pm-late ($5.00 or CMJ badge at the door)

We (BrooklynVegan) will also be at Public Assembly all day on Friday, October 22nd (details TBA), and at Music Hall of Williamsburg on the Thursday night.

All Matthew Dear tour dates (many of which we previously posted including a November show at MHoW), and the Pitchfork #OFFLINE Fest info, below...

Continue reading "Pitchfork announces #OFFLINE not-CMJ parties, Matthew Dear also playing Making Time & Girls & Boys parties (lineups) "

photos by Andrew Frisicano

Grass Widow

Grass Widow played the "Old Firehouse" aka "DCTV" in Manhattan last night, supporting Beach Fossils and flanked by Oberhofer & Ovens. The show was part of a SHOWPAPER "pop up gallery opening/closing", and as you can see in the pictures in this post, there was more going on than just music.

The show was one of two for the San Fran all-girl band with the second going down tonight (9/28) with The Babies (mems Vivian Girls, Woods, Bossy, Stupid Party), Ovens (again), Web Dating, and Red Romans at Monster Island at 8PM.

More pictures from last night's gig, though none of Ovens unfortunately, and some videos shot by (((unartig))), below...

Continue reading "Grass Widow, Beach Fossils & Oberhofer played an 'Old Firehouse' (pics & video) "

photos by Matthew Eisman

DOWNLOAD: Grass Widow - Fried Egg (MP3)

Grass Widow @ Prospect Park

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Monday September 27th @ OLD FIREHOUSE aka DCTV
:: "WHAT, NO HELLO?" - a SHOWPAPER pop up gallery opening/closing
:: curated by GABRIELLE SHAW
:: video by Alaina Stamatis, G Lucas Crane, Jesse Hlebo, & Sean Berman
:: sculpture by Olga Miasnikova
:: Beach Fossils
:::: Grass Widow
:::::: Oberhofer
:::::::: Ovens
| OLD FIREHOUSE | aka DCTV
87 Lafayette St @ White St | Chinatown, Manhattan
NQRW6JZ to Canal St | 7pm | all ages | $10

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Tuesday September 28th @ MONSTER ISLAND
:: the Babies ------ mems Vivian Girls, Woods, Bossy, Stupid Party
:::: Grass Widow
:::::: Ovens
:::::::: Web Dating
:::::::::: Red Romans
| MONSTER ISLAND |
128 River St @ Metropolitan Ave | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L-Bedford, G-Metropolitan, JM-Marcy | 8pm | all ages | $tba

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Continue reading "Grass Widow are back - updated dates & Prospect Park pics "

Beach Fossils @ South Street Seaport last Friday (more by Chris La Putt)

Captured Tracks confirm that Beach Fossils guitarist Sennott Burke has left the band. Sennott himself got in touch and told me, "I have nothing but love for the band and everyone in it. I just need to do my own thing." He added that, "If you are interested in playing guitar for Beach Fossils, get in touch via email beachfossils@gmail.com ASAP and be ready to leave Friday." Friday is the date of their Toledo, Ohio show.

This may or may not have something to do with a bass being lobbed into a river.

This news comes the same day that Vivian Girls & Best Coast announce new drummers.

Beach Fossils are scheduled to play Mercury Lounge with Small Black on Wednesday night (7/14, before Friday, before Toledo) (and the Bug Jar in Rochester tonight, even more before Toledo). It's unclear if these shows are affected at the moment (update: Sennott says, "Yeah, I'll be there, I'm going to finish this leg of tour and possibly longer, pending replacement."). All dates below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils guitarist leaves band (wanna replace him?)"

Two days after filling in at the Seaport, Beach Fossils were one of the bands who played Mishka's 4th of July bash at Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City. During the show, the Beach Fossils bassist was apparently frustrated with the sound (or was just trying to be rock n roll) and so decided to throw his bass guitar into the river. I guess he has some expendable income laying around (and isn't super worried about the environment). Video below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils threw a bass into the East River during Water Taxi Beach concert (video) "

photos by Chris La Putt

Beach Fossils

"Abercrombie & Fitch Co. said Friday that it closed a second store in New York due to a bed bug infestation.

The preppy teen clothing seller said it closed a Hollister store on Thursday in the SoHo neighborhood of New York. That location is expected to open at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

It closed a second location, an Abercrombie & Fitch store in the South Street Seaport, on Friday for the same reason." [Huffington Post]

The next free Seaport show will feature The Old 97's on the 4th of July...

"Texas on Tour is a high-tech, interactive, roadshow featuring virtual reality, green screen video and photography, interactive games and more. Texas on Tour transports the consumer to unique outdoor Texas experiences that are highly entertaining, educational and personalized - from a virtual reality kayaking trip through Texas waterways to a dome theater offering a glimpse of the seven diverse regions of Texas.

Visitors can "picture themselves in Texas" and stroll along a Texas beach through the use of green screen technology. Live performances from a variety of Texas musicians and entertainers will also be featured.

Don't miss the special LIVE performance by The Old 97s on July 4th at 7pm."

More pictures from the Beach Fossils and Woven Bones show below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils and Woven Bones (and bed bugs) at South Street Seaport (pics) +++ Old 97's play on the 4th of July"

Jennifer Moore, armed & dangerous (more by Tim Griffin)

We have some unfortunate news about our show tonight. Jennifer Moore of YellowFever was detained at the airport in Houston this morning. YellowFever played a gig last night in Houston and were scheduled to grab an early flight to New York City this morning. A sleep-deprived Jennifer (who works by day at Rudy's BBQ in Austin), forgot to take a chef's knife out of her carry on. Long story short, she was arrested at the airport and won't be able to make it to NYC. Jennifer has NO prior criminal record and we have been assured that the incident is a big misunderstanding. We wish her well as they sort out the details.

Not to worry, our evening will kick off at 6pm with a DJ set by Mike Wolf followed by Woven Bones and local favorite Beach Fossils.

Please join us for the kick-off to another great summer here at the Seaport.

And speaking of the Seaport, they're giving away a mix tape over at Insound that features many of the artists playing their series this summer (including YellowFever, or is it "Yellow Fever"?).

So that means Beach Fossils have yet another show. You may have caught them last night at Bruar Falls and they're also playing July 4th at Water Taxi Beach in LIC. More info on that party and the rest of their dates HERE.

Suckers in Prospect Park the other day (more by David Andrako)

Mishka, Etnies and something called SEEN (located at seenallover.com) are co-presenting a BBQ/party on Long Island City's Water Taxi Beach (dubbed "Red, White & Brews") this 4th of July. Confirmed music includes Suckers, Beach Fossils, The Death Set and Ninjasonik. There are also lots of DJs and they're promising a "Very Special End Of The Night Performance".

Add this one to the list of music events happening this 4th of July in NYC.

A flyer, more details on the party and all Beach Fossils dates are below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils, Suckers, DeathSet, Ninjasonik & many others playing Water Taxi Beach in LIC on 4th of July"

by Bill Pearis

The Feelies on 4th of July (more by Jason Bergman)

If you're not skipping town for an ocean view, there is no shortage of great music options this weekend.

Independence Day Weekend means The Feelies at Maxwells and tickets are still available for all three shows: Friday (7/02), Saturday (7/03), and Sunday (7/04). The excitement of their 2008 reunion might have faded a bit, but the music has not. The influence of these New Jersey legends can be heard all over releases from Woodsist and Underwater Peoples and their four albums are all worth owning. The first three -- Crazy Rhythms, The Good Earth and Only Life -- are back in print, the first two on vinyl.

If you've seen their Maxwell's shows before, you know they play epic sets, peppered with choice covers and extended instrumental sections. I hesitate to call it jamming, probably because I like when they do it,  but also because it's that interplay between Glen Mercer and Bill Million where The Feelies really come alive. As good as their records are if you haven't seen them live, you've never really heard The Feelies.

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The Seaport Music Festival has it's first show on Friday, a double-dose of Texas with Woven Bones and YellowFever. Yes, both bands were here recently (and Woven Bones play tonight, more on that in a minute) but there are several advantages to Friday's show. The Seaport is a great place to see a show, the setting spectacular, especially at sunset. You can drink where you please, it's generally chill, and, most importantly, it's free.

I also think Woven Bones' fuzz-driven scuzz rock is gonna sound amazing through a really big PA. I've only seen them in tiny clubs where the sound doesn't do them justice. What the band lacks in diversity of material, they make up for in being really good at that one thing they do and the louder the better. Seaport sound guy: turn it up.

I've seen YellowFever on big stages and small, and they pretty much are great wherever they are. I just wish they'd get around to writing and recording some new songs. "Making it" has never seemed to be a priority to these two, which is part of their charm, but can also be a bit maddening for fans. There is a new tour EP, according to their MySpace, so let's hope that's actually some fresh tunes. And the band are about to embark on a pretty big tour so maybe we're entering a new era of YellowFever productivity. All YF tourdates are at the bottom of this post.

In addition to the bands, the Lone Star state theme continues at the Seaport this weekend with something called Texas on Tour. They were setting up on Wednesday while I was down there for the last of the Sound Bites Lunchtime shows (yes I have worked with the Seaport folks so, you know, full disclosure) and it looks like some sort of Texas-themed traveling carnival, including a water ride for kids and one of those domed theaters. Yee haw?

MINKS live

This weekend also marks the debut of a new monthly party that Captured Tracks is putting on at Bruar Falls. The label is becoming a real contender with great debuts from Wild Nothing and Beach Fossils, as well as new signings like London's Veronica Falls, Spain's Aias, and locals MINKS who'll play Captured Tracks Night 001, as Saturday is being billed. No doubt MINKS' debut single, "Funeral Song," owes a bit to the Cure but, as I've said before, the band are much sunnier sounding live (despite all six members wearing black every time I've seen them). Take away the vocal effects on "Funeral Song" and add some female backing, as it does live, and the song moves over to early New Order territory. Compare and contrast the live and recorded versions -- video of the live version shot during the Northside Festival is at the bottom of this post.

Other songs, the names of which I don't know,  while still '80s-ish, are even more poppy, with nods to early records on Creation and Cherry Red. The one unreleased song I really like I shot video of back when they opened for Veronica Falls at Glasslands (also below), which reminds me a lot of Felt. MINKS  have played the same short set all three times I've seen them, but I like all six (five? seven?) songs they do and will be there a fourth time on Saturday.

In addition to MINKS, label domo Mike Sniper will be sharing the decks with Peggy from Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and there'll be a merch table with a wide variety of C/T releases, including a mix tape exclusive to this night. Entry is $5.

And if you can't see MINKS here, they play next Friday (7/9) at Monster Island Basement with fellow Captured Tracks band Wetdog (over from the UK), YellowFever and Larkin Grimm.

A few more shows, night by night:

THURSDAY, JULY 1

I mentioned above that Woven Bones are playing tonight. The show is at Bruar Falls and it's part of a killer line-up also featuring The Beets and Beach Fossils. Any one of those bands might be enough to get you to the show. All three, it's hard to pass up. Beach Fossils were great when they played with Wild Nothing a couple weeks back. If you haven't picked up their album on Captured Tracks, it's highly recommended.

Over at sister venue Cake Shop, Nobunny will be taking off most everything except that mask, which gets grosser looking every time I see them play. Does he ever wash that thing? Also playing are fellow Bay Area residents Apache who will also play Don Pedro's on Friday (7/2) and the Delancey on Saturday (7/3).

Knitting Factory is hosting another one of those Scion Garage shows, this time with Memphis legends The Oblivions who reformed last year. The show, which is free, is also RSVP'd out, unfortunately if this is the first you're hearing of it.

Big Troubles play Cameo Gallery. These guys are giant fans of '90s shoegaze and will talk your ear off about Revolver and Drop Nineteens if you let them. It comes through in their music which they do a great job of putting their own spin on that era's sonics. Their new 7" on Old English Spelling Bee is really good and look for their debut album sometime in the not too distant future. They're playing this night with a bunch of bands I've never heard of, including Slothbear (sludgepop), No Demons Here (K records style cassette hiss), and Gross Relations (whose Myspace songs sound pretty good).

continued below...

Continue reading "Feelies, YellowFever, Woven Bones, Beach Fossils, Captured Tracks shows, July 4th & more in This Week in Indie"