Shoving as many people on stage as possible is all the rage. Here's a video by Jason Schupper of the infamous Beirut encore at Bowery Ballroom Sunday night....

Continue reading "VIDEO: Arcade Fire, Beirut + Final Fantasy on stage"

Everyone's around, and here's what happened at Bowery Ballroom Sunday (May 6, 2007) night: Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett) played first. Beirut came out to play with Final Fantasy for one song. Beirut played second. Final Fantasy played with Beirut for about half of their set. Four members of the Arcade Fire, Final Fantasy, and even more musicians who I didn't recognize, came out to play a song with Beirut during the encore. Sufjan Stevens, members of the National and Grizzly Bear were in the audience. Too bad Amy Winehouse didn't stop by. Great show....

Continue reading "Beirut, Arcade Fire & Final Fantasy @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC - pics"

Arcade Fire, David Bowie, & Final Fantasy @ Radio City Music Hall - 2005 (MORE)

CRAZY TIME
Highline Ballroom opened with Lou Reed. The David Bowie Highline Festival. Sunset Rubdown. Ted Leo. Blonde Redhead. Two Dan Deacon. Two Modest Mouse Man Man shows. Two Amy Winehouse. Two Daniel Johnston. Two Type O Negative. Three Patrick Wolf. Three Bjork & Konono. Three Arcade Fire & National. AND three Final Fantasy & Beirut. It's a big two weeks of shows going on right now in NYC.

BEIRUT & FINAL FANTASY NOW
Beirut's three sold out shows at Bowery Ballroom are this Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Final Fantasy (who, like Craig Wedren, Jake Shears, Kanye West, Antony, Ed Droste, and Elijah Wood, were spotted at Bjork last night) is opening all three shows. Coincidentally, Owen (Final Fantasy)'s sometimes-other band the Arcade Fire are playing two of those nights in NYC too.

Sun 06 - Beirut @ Bowery Ballroom,
Mon 07 - Beirut @ Bowery Ballroom, Arcade Fire @ United Place
Tue 08 - Beirut @ Bowery Ballroom, Arcade Fire @ United Palace, Bjork @ Apollo
Wed 09 - Arcade Fire @ Radio City

BEIRUT NEXT
Beirut is playing three more NYC shows in September at the Society For Ethical Culture in conjuction with the Wordless Music Series, except unlike last time Beirut showed up at a Wordless show, these shows WILL HAVE WORDS. Exact dates TBA, and whether these shows coincide with the next Beirut album release TBD.

Beirut is also putting out a single for Elephant Gun on 4AD in Europe on June 25th. It includes the songs 'Elephant Gun', 'Transatlantique' and 'Le Moribound' (a Jacques Brel cover, recorded live at Austin City Limits for KEXP).

Tour dates below...

Continue reading "Crazy time, 3 BEIRUT shows next week, 3 in September"

DOWNLOAD: The National - Fake Empire (MP3)

All three Beirut shows are sold out, and three of the four National shows are sold out. There are still tickets for the Tuesday National show, and tickets go on sale Wednesday for a fifth National show with The Philistines Jr opening (June 1st). Will Beirut try to catch up?

"Boxer", The National's new album, is out on May 22nd via Beggars Banquet (the new home of St. Vincent). MP3 from that National album above. More tour dates at the National's site. An MP3 of Beirut live at SXSW is here.

DOWNLOAD: Beirut live on KEXP during SXSW (MP3) (more)

"Despite significant sound problems, the crowd lurved Condon's every move, whether he was singing or playing either ukulele or trumpet (or maybe it was a cornet). He sang in French and in vibrato-filled English, covering Gulag Orkestar and Lon Gisland material." [Pitchfork]

Beirut @ Emo's, Austin, TX - Mar 14, 2007 (CRED)

I missed both Beirut shows @ SXSW, partly because there are three more chances coming up to see them in NYC. Currently in Los Angeles, the band needs some extras to star in a new video:

We are looking for people of all ages to be extras. The video shoot is on Wednesday, March 21st and the hours you will need to spend with us are between 4-8pm. Dancing and costume-wearing may well be involved. If you're interested and free on that date please email to jib0613@yahoo.com as soon as you can.

Previously
Beirut adds 3rd NYC (Bowery) show -- Final Fantasy

Beirut in Santa Fe - Oct 2006 (CRED)

I guess people didn't hold the prior cancellations against Beirut. Their two new Bowery Ballroom shows are selling so well that they decided to add a third....

Beirut, 2007
May 6 @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC (tickets) *
May 7 @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC (tickets) *
May 8 @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC (tickets tomorrow) *

* Final Fantasy (Owen) is opening all three shows which is sweet.

DOWNLOAD: Beirut - Postcards From Italy (you probably have this MP3)

Beirut @ McCarren Pool, Brooklyn (MORE)

Lets try this again. The following dates go on sale today @ Noon:

Beirut, 2007
May 6 @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC
May 7 @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC

And as previously announced, those going to Austin for SXSW will have the chance to see Beirut much sooner even - first at the Beggars showcase (Mar 14), and 2nd at a daytime Austin City Limits KEXP taping (Mar 16).

I'm also happy to report that Zach is currently doing well in his original home of New Mexico. In fact:

He's completely rested and working furiously on the next album. The band - minus trumpeter Kelly Pratt who is performing this year with Arcade Fire and is being replaced by his wife. Tracy Pratt - will be headed over to Albuquerque after SXSW to record their parts. Zach is borrowing the A Hawk and a Hacksaw studio/practice space while Jeremy and Heather spend the next six to nine months in Budapest, preparing for a big May UK tour with the Hun Hangar Ensemble. The whole new Beirut album is already in Zach's head, and about 50% recorded. It's very French.

Previously
* Beirut Lon Gisland CD out now
* Beirut cancels tour including 2 sold out Bowery shows

DOWNLOAD: Beirut - Elephant Gun (MP3 from new EP)

Not only is Beirut about to come out of hiding, check out the two-stage Beggars lineup happening at Emo's at SXSW this year:

Inside Room (Beggars):

• Voxtrot (playlouder)


• CALLA (Beggars Banquet)


• The Early Years (Beggars Banquet)


• Future Of The Left (too pure)


• iLiKETRAiNS (Beggars Banquet)

• Blonde Redhead


• The Mountain Goats


• Beirut


• Emma Pollock


• Wolf & Cub

In other Beirut news, Zach is currently holed up in New Mexico, resting, and working on a new album. The rest of the world is listening to his awesome EP that just came out called "Lon Gisland" (get it? Long Island):

You can buy it at Insound who have also announced a little SXSW party of their own:

Friday, March 16th-
Le Tigre, Death & Taxes Magazines, and Hot Freaks Present Insound SXSW w/

** Shout Out Out Out, Pelican, Walter Meego, Black Lips & Apes and Androids **

@ Club Deville- 900 Red River, Austin, TX.
Noon-6pm, $3 at door. Free beer & bbq.

PLUS, I don't think I ever mentioned that Mastodon and Okkervil River are also playing SXSW this year.

We already know there will be Satellite Party, The Good The Bad and The Queen, Willie Nelson (sort of), Amy Winehouse, Daniel Johnston, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and many others (and here and here).

Blonde Redhead is also touring.

And in other Voxtrot news, don't be surprised if you run into any one of them in NYC for the next couple of weeks. Like Jared, they're all here visiting.

**BONUS**: Beirut's McCarren Pool show was taped, and you can download it

ANDREW BIRD @ GOOD SHEPARD FAITH CHURCH, NYC | NOV 15, 2006 (CRED)

I was planning on attending the Andrew Bird / Hawk and a Hacksaw wordless show in NYC Wednesday night, but like Beirut I was too exhausted to make the trip. Sounds like it was good...

This was an amazing night. Bird seemed to channel his music in a way that I have never experience. He swayed, paced, tossed his head, and generally exuded joy throughout the entire concert. He made use of several live recording devices, which allowed him to layer his own music on top of more of his own music. Simply orchestrating this complicated bit of art was amazing enough on its own. Some of the songs he played were arrangements of his vocal versions, other were brand new. It was fantastic. [fuzzyblu]

First up was A Hawk and a Hacksaw, a violin/accordian duo who played music that sounded straight out of eastern Europe...which I suppose is inescapable with that perticular instrumentation. Halfway through their last song, a horn sounded in the back of the church (they held this event in a church btw) and suddenly Beirut...an eight-piece band comprised of guitar, drum, accordiant, clarinet, and trumpet, among other things...comes marching down the aisle to join the two performers in stunning orchestral madness.[cait]

The next Wordless Music Series show will most likely take place on January 24th, 2007. It hasn't been 100% confirmed yet, but Charles Spearin (Do Make Say Think, KC Accidental, Broken Social Scene) may be performing. The show after that is 100% confirmed and already on sale. That one features Explosions in the Sky.

Andrew Bird's next two shows are November 24th & 25th in Chicago at Logan Square Auditorium.

I know a lot of people have been wondering what happened to the upcoming Beirut shows that were cancelled last night. Here's the official word:

Continue reading "Beirut cancels tour including 2 sold out Bowery shows"

"Brooklyn's Beirut have signed to 4AD for an expanded re-release of The Gulag Orkestar (Ba Da Bing), their impressive debut record of Eastern-European-inspired waltzes and folk songs. Beirut, the solo project of Zach Condon, has grown to a full band, which includes strings, horns, ukeleles and even a hype man. The re-release will coincide with Beirut's first shows in the UK, opening for the equally-cinematic Calexico this fall. The European version will also include a new EP, titled Lon Gisland[sic]. Chouette will release the EP in limited vinyl." [CMJ]

4AD is part of the Beggars family of labels who, collectively, also recently signed Voxtrot, Serena Maneesh, Tapes 'n Tapes, The Ponys and another buzz band from NYC that I'm not allowed to announce yet. Beirut's deal with 4AD does NOT include North America where they will remain with Ba Da Bing.

Previously
Beirut @ McCarren Pool, Brooklyn, NYC | pics
An Interview with Zach Condon & Jason of Beirut

Beirut played a free show at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn yesterday (Aug 13, 2006). Not only did they sound great, their professionalism as a band continues to grow. Recently back from playing Moscow, everyone on stage seemed to have a much better grasp of their instruments (and the songs they're playing with them) than the last time I saw them at Northsix (which was infinitely better than their first show at Knitting Factory).

Continue reading "Beirut @ McCarren Pool, Brooklyn, NYC | pics"

Voxtrot kick off a UK tour this Saturday (August 12, 2006). We also already knew that they're playing two nights at Bowery in November, but now we know they're playing their hometown of Austin with Beirut (who just scored a big article in NY Magazine), and some shows in California & Chicago too. All dates below....

Continue reading "Voxtrot | 2006 UK/US Tour Dates (in Austin w/ Beirut)"

Well, that was quick. Beirut is headlining two nights in a row at Bowery Ballroom in NYC this Fall - November 21 and November 22 (thx jayLoose). Before November Beirut, are playing a free show at McCarren Pool and a much smaller Mercury Lounge show, and more shows all over the place. All dates below...

Continue reading "Beirut playing 2 nights @ Bowery | 2006 Tour Dates"

Bradley's Almanac saw Beirut in Cambridge, MA, and as usual he taped it and posted the MP3s.

Previously
An Interview with Zach Condon & Jason of Beirut

The new headliner is Voxtrot.

DOWNLOAD: Postcards From Italy (MP3)

Help me welcome interviewer Mike to BrooklynVegan. Mike set up this interview with Beirut's Zach Condon and Jason (guitar & keyboards) with the help of Ben from BadaBing Records (who we'd like to give special thanks).

BEIRUT @ NORTHSIX (more)

Mike "caught up with them (Beirut) the day after they played two shows at the Lily Pad in Cambridge (June 24, 2006). The venue was small and the line snaked around the block. They ended up playing two shows: one at 11:30 and another at 12:45." Mike, Zach and Jason "tried to grab some beers but lack of proper I.D.'s prevented that" so they "ended up grabbing a six pack and did the interview on a friends porch"...

BrooklynVegan Mike: How did you hook up with BaDaBing?

Zach: Jeremy lives in Albuquerque, which a lot of people don't know. The funny thing about us is that we both lived in Albuquerque and are from Albuquerque, and that's what our bios say about us…but neither of us played in Albuquerque, ever. The one show we did do, a friend of Jeremy's convinced him "Come on Jeremy, play a show in your hometown," so he did. They were looking around for people with similar musical aspirations and that's how they found me. Somebody heard that I was doing gypsy-related stuff as well and that's how we hooked up. I was doing karaoke to Gulag Orkestar stuff, basically. He heard it and liked it and eventually gave the CD to Ben [Goldberg, BaDaBing Records] and he agreed to do drums on it.

BrooklynVegan Mike: So how long has the album material been done, like the songs and whatnot?

Zach: About this time last year. About a month from a year, yeah.

BrooklynVegan Mike: How do you feel about people making Neutral Milk Hotel comparisons? Does that bother you?

Continue reading "An Interview with Zach Condon & Jason of Beirut"

I don't know why yet, but Beirut is no longer playing the 4th of July rooftop party. An equally buzzy headliner will be announced any second. I don't have refund info yet either. On July 29, Beirut are playing Moscow - yes - THE Moscow.

July 4, 2006 - on a Rooftop in Brooklyn
Live performances by::: Beirut, The Occasion, Rusty Santos, Damon McMahon, TK Webb, and Zachary Cale

Office Ops Rooftop
57 Thames St., Brooklyn - $15, 3pm till fireworks
Tickets can be purchased at ticketweb.com and at Other Music
Free Beujolais from 3-5pm

I was just telling someone last night that I'd be surprised if the Beirut show at Mercury Lounge wasn't moved to Bowery or something. Tix on sale.

Previously
Beirut @ Northsix, Brooklyn, NYC | pics

WOW, what a great, great show. I'm falling asleep, so help me out with some reviews in the comments (ten piece orchestra, forced encore, and Internet jokes included).

Continue reading "Beirut @ Northsix, Brooklyn, NYC | pics"

Ryspace taped the show and posted the MP3s.

Kelly Bruce reports, "On Saturday (June 17, 2006) Beirut played a free show at Soundfix Records in Brooklyn. It was super sweaty and packed, no A/C and full of people. They had to keep passing cups and bottle of water up from the bar between every song to keep everyone from passing out. Just a couple songs in the PA went out and they played a song without it before they got everything back up and running. The show was pretty much half new stuff (opened with a song called Zebra Safari and then Monster Island for example) and the other half from Gulag. Towards the end they turned off the house lights for a song just because it was so unbearably hot up front. I had wanted to make the show at Northsix on Tuesday but can't because of work. As hot as it was, everyone playing was super energetic and just made the show so much fun. They sounded great!"

Continue reading "Beirut @ Sound Fix Records, Brooklyn, NYC | pics by Kelly"

Beirut has a bunch of shows coming up....

BEIRUT 2006 TOUR DATES
June 8 - Joe's Pub - Snobbery was there
June 12 - Other Music instore (8pm, free)
June 17 - Sound Fix instore (8pm, free)
June 20 - Northsix, NYC (first headlining show w/ new full band | tix)
June 23 - TK Gallery, Northampton, MA
June 24 - lilypad, Cambridge, MA
July 21 - Bowery Ballroom, NYC (opening for Jens Lekman)
Aug 23 - Warehouse Next Door, Wash. DC
Aug 24 - Khyber, Philladelphia, PA (tix)
Aug 25 - Mercury Lounge, NYC

Previously
(they say) Beirut was great | more Tour Dates, full band
Beirut @ Knitting Factory, NYC | pics
And bloGOD said let there be Beirut | Tour Dates, MP3s, Album

I didn't get to Mercury Lounge in time to see Beirut's set before Sunset Rubdown, but when I did get there everyone was raving about how great it was, and how much he improved already - self-tuning eukalalies included. They also said the place was packed - possibly more packed than it was for Sunset Rubdown, and definitely WAY more packed than it was for Frog Eyes.

BEIRUT TOUR DATES
June 8th - Joe's Pub w/The Wiyos
June 20th - Northsix (full band, see below)
July 21st - Bowery Ballroom w/Jens Lekman

"While the currently-six-member band will be adeptly playing this coming Monday at Mercury Lounge (opening for Sunset Rubdown and Frog Eyes) and on June 8th at Joe's Pub with The Wiyos, on June 20th, Beirut will be in full bloom. Joining up with the band will be a new brass section, and Jeremy Barnes (Neutral Milk Hotel/A Hawk and A Hacksaw) and Heather Trost (A Hawk and a Hacksaw) whose contributions to the album itself are part of what makes it sound so amazing. This will also be Beirut's first proper headlining show, allowing Zach and the band to fully display a full, rounded live performance. You will also be able to hear them on 93.9 WNYC that day, when they play Soundcheck."

Previously
Beirut @ Knitting Factory, NYC | pics
And bloGOD said let there be Beirut | Tour Dates, MP3s, Album

I couldn't resist showing up to Beirut's first NYC show at Knitting Factory last night (May 10, 2006). I wasn't alone...

Beirut's bio reads, "Live, he’s used to pushing play on some recordings and marching around onstage with a trumpet. But, for the first time, he’s assembling a band to recreate the melodies in his head live." This show was the nineteen year old frontman's second with a band (the band included Bryan Devendorf of the National on drums). Before this he's only ever played in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and a handful of shows at this year's SXSW festival.

Hasn't played many shows, first one in NYC, new band, young....I wasn't expecting a show as beautiful as the songs - and it wasn't. The potential was there though. Crackers United describes it nicely: "The first couple songs of the set didn’t really translate that well on stage due to some first show jitters and trouble getting the ukulele’s tuned and to come over the PA correctly. Throughout the set Condon was busy swapping between his ukelele, trumpet, and vocals. It wasn’t until toward the end of the set, that it seemed like they got things working for them.........Condon already has an excellent album under his belt and I’m sure the live show isn’t too far behind."

Continue reading "Beirut @ Knitting Factory, NYC | pics"