Iggy Pop, Billy Bragg, Perry Farrell, Don Was, Wayne Kramer, Tom Morello, Little Steven & friends @ the Nokia Theatre last night (edenpictures)

tonight in NYC
* Corn Mo @ Sputnik
* Tribeca Film Festival
* Lady Gaga @ Terminal 5
* Ben & Vesper @ Sycamore
* Bamboozle 2009 @ Giants Stadium
* Fires of Rome @ Tribeca Grand Hotel
* Buraka Som Sistema @ Bowery Ballroom
* Superpitcher, JDH & Dave P (FIXED) @ Studio B
* Look & Listen Festival @ Gary Snyder/Project Space
* Hexa, Air Waves, Jared Micah and Hats @ Glasslands
* The Kills, The Horrors, Magic Wands @ Webster Hall
* Bell Denmark, Grey Gersten, Shahzad Ismaily @ The Stone
* Kurt Vile, Gary War, Sightings, Drunkdriver @ Silent Barn
* Bloody Panda, Pontiak, Ocean, Microkingdom @ Death By Audio
* Bat For Lashes, Lewis & Clarke @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* King Khan & The Shrines, Mark Sultan, Golden Triangle @ Maxwell's
* Trevor Dunn's Madlove, Thurston Moore/Daniel Carter/Ryan Sawyer Trio, Pink Noise @ Union Pool

Iggy Pop (as pictured above) played the Road Recovery Benefit last night. Video below..

A video ad/interview with Bell Orchestre below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

by Andrew Frisicano

Bell Orchestre @ BAM (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Starting in April, Bell Orchestre (featuring members of Arcade Fire) will tour its native Canada, followed by US dates that include a NYC show at Le Poisson Rouge on April 30th with The Havels and Colin Stetson. Tickets are on sale now.

Bell Orchestre member Pietro Amato, touring North America now with three-piece instrumental project Torngat, will play with that band at the same venue on April 2nd. (Tickets are still on sale.)

Bell Orchestre just released its sophomore full-length, As Seen Through Windows, on March 10th on Arts & Crafts...

As on their previous album, Bell Orchestre's music is essentially cinematic. Though it has features of minimalism and occasionally seems completely rootless, the group's too impatient, too modern to spin meaning out of extended repetition. Their music's evocative and romantic, casually taking advantage of modern tools in the service of the creation of their potent soundscapes. So As Seen Through Windows will likely continue to solidify Bell Orchestre's reputation for making interesting and occasionally challenging instrumental music that not enough people have heard. It shouldn't be too hard to change the last part. [PopMatters]

Continue reading "Bell Orchestre - 2009 Tour Dates (LPR), LP out now "

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

"Shuffle Mode," the Brooklyn Philharmonic program on Thursday night [2/26] at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, put the orchestra on an equal footing with two indie-rock bands: Clogs, from Brooklyn, and Bell Orchestre, from Montreal. Both are connected to better-known indie-rock bands: two members of Clogs are in the National, and two members of Bell Orchestre are in Arcade Fire.

More to the point, both include conservatory-trained musicians writing what's essentially chamber music, using the same pool of ideas as nominally classical contemporary composers: Minimalist repetition, elements of traditional music and a rediscovery of melody. [NY Times]

Continue reading "Clogs, Bell Orchestre, the Brooklyn Philharmonic (and Sufjan Stevens & Shara Worden) @ BAM (Shuffle Mode) - pics"

by Andrew Frisicano

Montreal instrumental trio Torngat will play a Thursday, April 2nd, NYC date at (Le) Poisson Rouge (tix, $10) to promote its new record La Petite Nicole, out March 10 on Alien8 Recordings. The dreamy, keyboard-driven follow-up to 2007's You Could Be is described as "a grittier, propulsive sounding record that more closely resembles the band's live sound..."

La Petite Nicole offers forays into dub-heavy elements of post rock as well hints of kraut rock and the occasional miniature freak-outs....One gets the feeling that the band is creating music for yet-to-be-made films...

All Torngat tour dates, and a video from last year, below...

Continue reading "Torngat releasing an album, playing NYC, SXSW, other dates"

The National @ Fun Fun Fun Fest (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

...the charity compilation that Aaron & Bryce produced for the Red Hot Organization, "Dark Was The Night", will be released this coming Tuesday, February 17th!!! (February 16th outside the US). Please help us support Red Hot's effort to raise money and awareness to combat the HIV / AIDS epidemic and go out and buy yourself a copy next week. It is well worth the money and you'll be contributing to an important cause. The record features 31 exclusive tracks and will be released digitally, as a double CD and triply vinly LP! You can learn more about the project and stream songs here.

For a NYC show, check out Bell Orchestre and Clogs when they share a bill on February 26th at BAM in Brooklyn. Clogs features National members Bryce, Padma, and Aaron "along with special guest vocalists". The National have lots of talented friends who can sing here in NYC. Who knows who they'll bring along. Tickets for that show are now 20% off if you use promo code 9826 when ordering tickets by phone at 718.636.4100 or online.

For an actual National show in NYC, stay tuned for more announcements and keep your fingers crossed for a fantastic lineup at Radio City Music Hall in the name of the above-mentioned Dark Was the Night compilation.

All dates below...

Continue reading "The National announce tour dates, Clogs tix now 20% off"

Clogs @ Tonic - November 7, 2005 (more)

Bell Orchestre @ Tonic - November 7, 2005 (more)

Clogs (featuring members of The National) and Bell Orchestre (featuring members of Arcade Fire) went on a short tour together back in 2005. Since then there hasn't been a ton going on with the two higher-art indie-rock side projects, which makes sense, since both the Arcade Fire and The National have been keeping more than busy. That should change a bit in 2009 though, when not only are both groups releasing new albums, but they will also both share a NYC stage once again - this time with the added bonus of Michael Christie and the Brooklyn Philharmonic.

Shuffle Mode
Thu, Feb 26, 2009 at 8pm

Michael Christie, conductor

Shuffle Mode will bring a critically acclaimed independent artist to the mainstage in an exiting new concert format. Using seeming contradictory musical languages to create a dialogue, Michael Christie and the orchestra will team up with a sensational guest artist in a concert accessing a broad variety of sounds and styles. The guest artist is currently TBA.

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Tickets: $15, 30, 40, $50

Continue reading "Clogs & Bell Orchestre - new albums & a show @ BAM"

by Montreal's BrooklynVegan Mike

DOWNLOAD: The Luyas - Play Dead (MP3)

The Luyas are one of my favorite bands in Montreal. Their music, a collaboration of guitar, drums, melodica, and french horn, reminds me of that classic early 90's college rock sound, but turned on its head - an intoxicating combination of unsettling and comforting.

And what would a Montreal band be without other bands to take up their time? The members of the Luyas comprise some of the best and exciting music in this city, with Jessie Stein also pulling duty in Miracle Fortress and Adam and the Amethysts, and Stefan Schneider and Pietro Amato playing in Bell Orchestre with Pietro also pulling duty for Torngat.

We spoke with frontwoman Jessie Stein about the formation of the band, their sound, and skinny dipping.

Continue reading "a spotlight on The Luyas (from Montreal)"

by BrooklynVegan Mike

DOWNLOAD: Torngat - You Could Be (MP3)

Torngat was a real discovery highlight for me at this past Pop Montreal. The instrumental trio modestly refer to themselves as "French horn, keyboards, and drums" on their myspace, but their brilliant and unique songs weave compelling melodies that are all encompassing and welcoming, proving the axiom "the whole is greater then the sum of it's parts." The group features Pietro Amato who moonlights in Arcade Fire side project Bell Orchestre, sometimes plays with the Arcade Fire and Islands, and is in one of my favorite Montreal bands The Luyas. Patrick Watson is among those whom Torngat can call a collaborator.

You may have caught Torngat when they opened for Mum at the Wordless Music Series show in NYC on November 9th. If not, you can always listen to the whole show courtesy of WNYC. Torngat's next trip to the United States is for SXSW this March. Check out a video and more tour dates below...

Continue reading "Torngat - from Montreal, SXSW, MP3, video, WNYC stream"

Castle Clinton

I've been unofficially compiling a list of NYC summer concerts right here. Today River to River made their first official announcement. This post has some of the shows I didn't have on my list.

Castle Clinton seems to be doing a lot more shows this year than usual, and they're all awesome. In additon to Shearwater, Drive By Truckers, The Flatlanders, and Ron Sexsmith, we've also got these two amazing free shows....

Castle Clinton
Sat 06/02 - Roky Erikson & The Explosives (playing 2 sold out NYC shows in April)
Thu 07/26 - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (just plain awesome)

The big Battery Park show is July 4th with New Pornographers and Midlake, but then check these out:

Battery Park
Wed 06/13 - Booker T. & the MGs with guest Sharon Jones (more awesome + SJ)
Wed 07/11 - Spoon (maybe why they're not playing NYC in April)
Wed 07/18 - Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra (African awesomeness)

World Financial Center
Tue 06/26 - The Living Room – A Songwriters' Night starring Martha Wainwright, Chris Thile, Ari Hest, Jim Campilongo and more

The Seaport team is always in tune with our indie needs. This year I'm even a little involved...

South Street Seaport
Fri 06/01 - Animal Collective & Danielson
Sat 06/16 - Target Children's Day & Fireworks w/ Brooklyn Philharmonic
Fri 07/06 - Fujiya & Miyagi
Fri 07/13 - Menomena (in conjunction w/ Brooklyn Vegan & Citysol)
Fri 07/20 - Rock Plaza Central
Fri 08/03 - A Night of Billie Holiday Remixed and Reimagined
Fri 08/31 - Battles

More shows to be announced soon, and the full press release below.....

Continue reading "initial (official) 2007 NYC River to River Festival lineup"

Belle Orchestre and Clogs are will play together again in NYC at Bowery Ballroom on January 22, 2006. Tickets on sale Wed at noon.

Previously
Clogs @ Tonic, NYC | pics
Download a Bell Orchestre & Clogs show | MP3s
Bell Orchestre @ Tonic, NYC | pics
Clogs & Bell Orchestre in LA Weekly

EMILY HAINES IS SEXY (not actually related to this post)

In reaction to Information Leafblower's list of top American bands, I Heart Music brings us the 33 hottest bands in Canada. Not fair....

a) Picking bands for a list would of been so much easier had I The Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Wolf Parade and The New Pornographers to choose from.
b) I like the term "hottest" better than "top"

I wonder how similar a list of the 'hottest North American Bands' would be to a list of the 'hottest Canadian bands'. I wonder if any American bands besides Sufjan Stevens would make a list of the hottest bands from anywhere.

I'm glad to see Magneta Lane made the list. I bet Islands gets a better score next year. Where's The Most Serene Republic?

Previously
Islands (Unicorns) playing NYC | Tix
The Most Serene Republic remixes Stars | MP3
Bell Orchestre @ Tonic, NYC | pics
The Arcade Fire in Union Square Video | Cure Cover
Broken Social Scene Tour Reviews | NYC Dates Added
Wolf Parade @ Northsix, Brooklyn, NY | pics

Two days after they played a free show at Sound Fix in Brooklyn, Clogs opened for Bell Orchestre @ Tonic in Manhattan (November 7, 2005).

Wes describes it nicely, "The Clogs, a side project of The National were mellow and dreamy with viola/violin/mandolin player Padma Newsome (wasn't that Natalie Portman's character in Star Wars?) taking up most of the spot light with spectacular and intense command of his instruments. I sat down on Tonic's concrete floor and was taken away for most of the show. The standard instrumentation was bassoon, drums/steel drum, guitar and violin/viola. Recommended for those who enjoy sophisticated, calm instrumental music."

Hear it for yourself.

Continue reading "Clogs @ Tonic, NYC | pics"

Bradley's Almanac recorded and posted the entire Clogs / Bell Orchestre show in Boston Friday night. Go Download it.

Previously
Bell Orchestre @ Tonic, NYC | pics
Clogs (members of the National) | MP3

"Muted brass moans and trades fanfare, static crashes, the guitars ring, and slowly it begins to come together. The structure is modest at first, but as sweat pours in, the project's scope reveals itself. Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light is colossal. The payload of six years' determination, the debut album from Bell Orchestre (French pronunciation: 'or-kest') gives orchestral post-rock the update it has desperately needed since Godspeed You Black Emperor! reached the genre's creative apex with their classic Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven five years ago." [Pitchfork]

Bell Orchestre played Tonic in NYC Monday night (November 7, 2005).

I don't think you can talk about Bell Orchestre without mentioning that they share two members with The Arcade Fire. I think it's worth comparing the two groups musically too. Add keyboards, vocals, helmets, crazy hooks, and some violence to Bell Orchestre, and you should end up pretty close to The Arcade Fire's slow songs. It helps that the very dynamic Richard Parry is one of the shared members. Maybe I haven't listened close enough yet, but the Belle Orchestre album seems like background music. Live they made me want to dance.

Continue reading "Bell Orchestre @ Tonic, NYC | pics"

Art Brut, Okkervil River, Charles Bissel, The Hold Steady, Thunderbirds are Now, Clogs, Bell Orchestre, DFA 1979, Patti Smith, Cyndi Lauper, New Buffalo, Test Icicles, Xiu Xiu, Broadcast, Ris Paul Ric, The Sharp Things, Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice, The Black Keys, Andrew Bird, Brazilian Girls, Beans, Bauhaus, and Alan Astor are just some of the artists playing shows in NYC this week.

Bumpershine points out that the previously reported Bell Orchestre show at Mercury Lounge is now at Tonic on November 7th. On November 5th they're also playing a free show at Soundfix Records in Brooklyn. All tour dates at their site.

Previously
Sound Team played after Bell Orchestre @ Summerstage
Bell Orchestre | CMJ 2005

Bell Orchestre play Mercury Lounge in NYC on November 5, 2005. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Bell Orchestre Tour Dates"

As Pitchfork pointed out today in their "recommended" 7.8 review of "Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light," Bell Orchestre is an Arcade Fire side project. "Bell Orchestre, led by the Arcade Fire's Richard Reed Parry, sparks memories of critically maligned early-decade instrumentalists Ghosts & Vodka and Telegraph Melts-- bands derided, in part, for their lack of distortion."

* Some amazing pics of Final Fantasy and Bell Orchestre (you see 1 above)
* Chromewaves has a review and pics of a Belle Orchestre / Arcade Fire show from a year ago.
* Stereogum posted about BO recently too.

DOWNLOAD (WMA Files)
Synching
Rajasthan
Tower or Bowl

The album is not currently available in the U.S. (though it has an Aug. 22 release date...I think...someone feel free to comment specifics...thx)

Bell Orchestre open for Arcade Fire at Summerstage in NYC during CMJ on 09/15/2005 (7pm). All tour dates with Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade at their site.