photos by Chris La Putt

Sleigh Bells' Reign of Terror has begun, first with a show at Terminal 5 on February 17th with Black Bananas and Wet Witch (that was streamed online) and then with a Saturday Night Live appearance the next night. Pictures and videos from both NYC events are in this post.

Reign of Terror is the band's latest LP which hit store shelves this week (2/21). You can check out some live videos of some of the tracks below along with video from their Saturday Night Live appearance, which the Washington Post called "lousy". Judge their tunes for yourself at the New York Times.

Jack White plays SNL next weekend, and then the Shins the week after that.

Pictures from T5, live videos from the stream & SNL, and more tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Sleigh Bells played Terminal 5 & SNL (pics, video)"

Ed Askew @ MHOW in 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Black Bananas (formerly RTX) kick off their tour with Sleigh Bells tonight (2/16) in DC and hit NYC at Terminal 5 on Friday (2/17). That show is sold out but if you don't have tickets you can stream it live at 10:30 on Friday at the Bowery Presents YouTube page. Black Bananas' new album, Rad Times Xpress IV is out now on Drag City and you can watch the new video for its single "TV Trouble" along with a new tour diary video below.

Speaking of Drag City artists, psych/folk singer Ed Askew has three four upcoming NYC shows including two this week. He plays Union Pool TONIGHT (2/16) with Neal Morgan and Metal Mountains and Vaudeville Park on Friday (2/17) in Brooklyn with Neal Morgan and Jay Pluck. After a long break, he'll play another NYC show in May at Judson Church on May 8 in Manhattan. All dates are listed below.

In other Drag City news, a Drag City-signed special guest will appear at the upcoming Jim Jarmusch and Jozef Van Wissem show at LPR (3/5) with Matteah Baim. Any guesses?

All dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Ed Askew playing shows; Black Bananas kicking off tour w/ Sleigh Bells (NYC show will stream live) "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Black Bananas - "Rad Times" (MP3)

Black Bananas

Jennifer Herrema soldiered on with RTX following the demise of Royal Trux on 2001. Now RTX has evolved into Black Bananas, who are welcoming their debut LP Rad Times Xpress IV via Drag City on 1/31. Art below.

Here's how Black Bananas was described in a recent press release:

"Black Bananas is set for the next all-inclusive rock and roll crusade, the one that includes even and especially all the shit you don't like, woven into all the shit you can't live without. This has been the name of Jennifer's game from day one; she owns the blueprints and if you don't know by now, don't even bother to Google it, cuz understanding is an investment not an action. Jennifer Herrema is not schizophrenic nor does she don many hats. She is simply a singer and simultaneously, a pioneer of comprehensive non-exclusive opposition rock, and Black Bananas is the latest addition to the oeuvre."

Black Bananas will celebrate Rad Times Express IV with an LA release party, followed by a string of dates supporting Sleigh Bells. Those dates include the now-sold-out Terminal 5 on February 17th. Full tour schedule, the album art and that album teaser below.

Continue reading "RTX are now Black Bananas, releasing LP, touring w/ Sleigh Bells (dates & MP3)"