Bleached @ Bowery Ballroom in April (more by Amanda Hatfield)

As mentioned, Bleached, who were here last month, will be back in NYC as one of the many bands and artists recently added to Northside Festival's 2013 lineup. Their show happens at Knitting Factory on June 13 and while no other bands on the bill have been announced yet, tickets are on sale.

They've got a few other dates lined up for the summmer, mostly on the West Coast, and all tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Bleached playing shows this summer (Northside Fest + more)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Bleached / Hunters / Ex Cops @ Bowery Ballroom, 4/23/2013

Bleached have played NYC a bunch in their short career, but last night (4/23) was their first here with a full album under their collective belt. That would be the very catchy Ride Your Heart, which came out via Dead Oceans earlier this month. The Clavin sisters hit most of that platter during their economical Bowery set. They are also brave/confident, allowing scene-stealers Hunters along for the ride. Ex Cops, who've been with Bleached for much of their North American trek, opened the night.

More pictures from last night's Bowery show are below...

Continue reading "Bleached, Hunters & Ex Cops played Bowery Ballroom (pics)"

Bleached on the Gorburger Show

Gorburger @ a BrooklynVegan SXSW party (more by Amanda Hatfield)

We were excited to recently meet alien talk show host Gorburger in the flesh (if that's what you call it), when he and the rest of the cast of The Gorburger Show stopped by our BrooklynVegan SXSW 2013 Wednesday day party to pose with and eat a few fans dipped in vegan queso. We're also happy and honored to be debuting the latest episode of the Gorburger show featuring BV-SXSW-2012 vets Bleached who stopped by the Japanese news network that Gorburger invaded for an interview with the host and a performance of their song, "Next Stop," from their recently released album, Ride Your Heart. Watch below!

It's the 16th episode of Gorburger's The Warner Sound YouTube show, which previously featured artists like Tegan & Sara, Dum Dum Girls, and Flaming Lip Wayne Coyne. Wayne's episode can also be watched below.

Bleached are on tour with Hunters and then Ex Cops, and that tour brings them to NYC for a show on April 23 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets for that show are still available. All dates along with the Gorburger video, below...

Continue reading "Bleached on tour, hung out with Gorburger (video & dates)"

Hunters @ Dead Herring's final show (more by Ebru Yildiz)

BV faves Hunters have signed with big indie Mom + Pop, where they're now labelmates with Andrew Bird, Wavves, Polica, Metric and more. The label will release the band's debut album this summer. Congratulations!

Before that, Hunters are going on tour, first with Bleached -- including the NYC stop on April 23 at Bowery Ballroom with Ex Cops as well (tickets) -- and then with JEFF the Brotherhood. No NYC stop for the latter combo, but JEFF do have two shows at Mercury Lounge in May (tickets).

All Hunters tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Hunters sign to Mom + Pop, touring with Bleached, then JEFF the Brotherhood (dates)"

You've maybe already heard Bleached's "Next Stop," which is the first single from the band's forthcoming debut LP. (Due April 2 via Dead Oceans.) Well now you can watch the video which the band debuted today. The clip, directed by Lana Kim, shows principal members Jennifer and Jesse Clavin in a more glamorous light than you may have seen before. Check it out below.

Don't forget Bleached play Bowery Ballroom on April 23 with Hunters and Ex Cops. Tickets are still available for that show.

by Bill Pearis

Los Angeles residents Darian Zahedi and Jon Safley began working together as The Refelctions about a year ago, adding bassist Brady Wills to the fold a little while later and have released two singles this far, "Summer Days" and "Disconnected," which are both shimmering, keyboard-kissed pop with a little post-punk drive in there too. The band, who conclude their February residency at LA's The Satellite on Sunday (2/24), are finishing up work on their debut album, Limerence, though Safley is about to be busy playing drums with Bleached on their upcoming tour.

Meanwhile, The Reflections have handed "Disconnected" over to their pals Gardens & Villa to remix. Taking out the driving rhythm section and replacing it with fat synths and a loping beat gives the song an entirely different vibe. It's a great remix and some might argue it makes for a much more distinctive track. Feel free to compare and contrast, we've got the premiere of the remix (and streams of the original singles) below.

Continue reading "LA band The Reflections working on debut album, got remixed by Gardens & Villa (stream)"

by Bill Pearis

still from Ex Cops' "Separator" video

Brooklyn's Ex Cops just released a new video for "Separator" which can be found on the band's debut album, True Hallucinations, out now via Other Music Recording Company. Locals may notice that a portion of the video was shot at Williamsburg bar Tender Trap (where that dancer is a weekend fixture). You can check it out below.

The band, who play Kidrockers at Brooklyn Bowl this Sunday (2/10) with Hospitality, are set to head out on a short headlining tour that kicks off in NYC with an early show at Mercury Lounge on February 15 and tickets are still available. Ex Cops have also been picked as openers on Bleached's upcoming tour, including the April 23 stop in Manhattan at Bowery Ballroom that also has Hunters on the bill. Tickets are still available.

All tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "Ex Cops made a new video, playing shows and opening for Bleached tour (dates)"

Bleached's debut album, Ride Your Heart, will be out April 2 via Dead Oceans. That's the cover art above. You can stream the album's single "Next Stop" below and, like just about everything else we've heard from Jennifer and Jessie Clavin so far, it's pretty damn catchy.

Bleached will be in Austin for SXSW, then hitting Santa Ana, California for Burgerama II which will be followed by a proper North American tour, inlcudinga NYC show at Bowery Ballroom on April 23 with Hunters. Tickets to that show go on AmEx presale today (1/30) at noon with the regular on-sale happening Friday (2/1) at noon.

All Bleached tour dates, plus that single stream, are listed below.

Continue reading "Bleached releasing debut album in April (stream a track), going on tour (dates)"

Frightened Rabbit @ T5, Nov. 2010 (more by Lionel Bergeron)

SXSW has just announced another round of bands for the 2013 edition of the annual music festival that will happen March 12 - 17. This brings the total current number of acts to around 1300. Someome of the highlights include Vampire Weekend, Frightened Rabbit, The Thermals, Black Lips, Camera Obscura, Merchandise, Bleached, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Eagles of Death Metal, Parenthetical Girls, Indians, Night Beds, IO Echo, KEN Mode, Prince Paul, Pure Bathing Culture, Sepalcure, UK motorik post-punks TOY, Finnish instrumentalists K-X-P, Toronto's Moon King, UK indie rockers Splashh (not Brooklyn Splash with one "h") and loads more. Head to BV Austin for the whole Round 3 list.

Los Angeles' punky, poppy Bleached (Jennifer and Jessica Clavin, formerly of Mika Miko) have just signed to Dead Oceans and the label will release the band's debut album sometime next year. The record was produced by Darker My Love's Rob Barbato and Jennifer Clavin told SPIN that the album will be more than more of what we've heard before:

What we really wanted to do was explore. We've been doing this since we were teenagers and we have a certain sound on our last three seven-inches, but we wanted to show some variety. This new record has songs you'll be familiar with, but there are also things that will be a surprise. It's just really fun.

Speaking of Dead Oceans, some of Bleached's new labelmates have shows coming up. A Place to Bury Strangers will play 285 Kent on Saturday (12/1) as part of a Hurricane Sandy relief benefit with Liturgy, Total Slacker and Royal Baths.

Bear in Heaven play Music Hall of Williamsburg on December 5 with Small Black and Eraas. Tickets are still available and part of the proceeds from that show will go to Sandy relief too, as will part of the bar at the afterparty which happens next door at Public Assembly.

Sun Airway, who were last through town with M83, play Glasslands on December 7 with Historics. Advance tickets are still available.

And newish Dead Oceans signee Night Beds, who released their first 7" for the label a couple months ago, have a show coming up at Pianos on December 11 with Snowmine and St. Claire. Tickets are still available.

Hunx as Gayracula

All things considered, we hope you had a Happy Halloween. You already saw what John Vanderslice and Freelance Whales dressed up as, and Dum Dum Girls' nun costumes (Crocodiles in there too). We also already posted Deap Vally, Those Darlins & the Mountain Goats in Halloween attire, and you saw Vampire Weekend all decked out for Kimmel. Here's a whole bunch more. That's Hunx and a punx above. See the rest (sort of NSFW), below...

Continue reading "more pics of Bands in their Halloween Costumes -- (Wayne Coyne, Kickball Katy, Dirty Projectors, Hunx & more)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield and Chris La Putt; words by Bill Pearis

Archers of Loaf / Crocodiles / the scene at 4Knots 2012

Even though the fire that broke out on the deck at the South Street Seaport Mall was certainly the most memorable act of the day, the Village Voice 4Knots Festival was a fine time at South Street Seaport, loaded with good performances amid the smoke and oppressive humidity. There was a big crowd for this second year of the fest, much bigger than last year, and though there wasn't a headliner the size of, say, Steve Malkmus or M.I.A. or Spoon (like they had at Siren in years past), that seemed by design in these post-Drake years. I like every band that played the main stage.

Well, I don't know anything about the first two bands who played the main stage -- The Smiling Lies and Fast Years -- who played before I got there at 1PM and seemed to be on by contractual obligation. Nick Waterhouse made a good, friendly primer for the day with his vintage, baritone sax-fueled '60s soul and R&B, looking dapper in a white oxford shirt that had to have been hot on stage. I prefer him in a tiny sweaty club to a big outdoor fest (I can say that about most bands) but he had the sweaty part down.

Bleached were up next and while we've yet to get an album from these girls, the crowd seemed to know most of their set of hook-laden poppy, punky, curled-lip songs. Hospitality were up next -- almost exactly a year ago they played to about 60 people at the Fulton Stall Market across the street from the Seaport, and they've come a long way since. Most of the crowd was bobbing along to much of their Merge debut... at least till the fire cut their set short.

After the smoke cleared it was Crocodiles whose new album Endless Flowers finds them branching out of strict JAMC love into brighter, poppier corners. They were probably the most animated band of the day with Brandon Welchez definitely playing up the rock frontman gig to the hilt. Crocodiles also inspired the only crowd surfing I saw on Saturday (but I might have missed some).

Speaking of animated, The Drums were up next. Once known for their Bring It On as an indie rock band, tambourine-tossing fabulousness, they are now a real live rock band with little in the way of backing tracks. While I think their most recent album was pretty good, and they sounded tight, they are a little on the subdued side live these days, or at least have been the last two times I've seen them. I think I liked them better live when they mostly pretended to play their instruments.

I was wondering if a lot of the crowd might leave after The Drums' set but, nope, everyone stuck around for recently-reformed '90s indie rock royalty Archers of Loaf. I'll admit I was never the biggest fan -- that was my college roommate, who seemed to get mail-order daily from TeenBeet, Merge and Simple Machines while I scoured import racks for Ride and Blur EPs -- but I certainly absorbed a lot through osmosis and the hit-filled set ("Web in Front," "Wrong," "Plumb") was even recognizable to this casual Archers listener. My friend Chris, a giant Archers fan, dubbed their performance "awesome."

Meanwhile on the Skipper's stage, we got mischievous Montreal band Doldrums, the twangy retro rock of Devin, punk-ish rockers Team Spirit (featuring Ayad of Passion Pit) and Delicate Steve whose set was also cut short due to the fire. And the afterparty went down in Beekman Beer Garden where things got wild during Black Lips' set.

More pictures from 4Knots are below...

Continue reading "4knots Festival in pics (Archers of Loaf, The Drums, Crocodiles, Bleached, Hospitality, Nick Waterhouse and more)"

As you know, Siren Fest replacement 4Knots goes down at South Street Seaport this Saturday. Here are the times:

Main Stage
12:15 p.m.: The Smiling Lies
12:30 p.m.: The Fast Years
1:30 p.m.: Nick Waterhouse
2:30 p.m.: Bleached
3:30 p.m.: Hospitality
4:30 p.m.: Crocodiles
5:30 p.m.: The Drums
6:30 p.m.: Archers of Loaf

Skippers Stage
1:00 p.m.: Doldrums
2:00 p.m.: Devin
3:00 p.m.: Team Spirit
4:00 p.m.: Delicate Steve

Afterparty at Beekman Beer Garden (not free)
7:00 p.m.: doors
?:?? p.m.: DJ Jonathan Toubin
?:?? p.m.: Kid Congo Powers + The Pink Monkey Birds
?:?? p.m.: The Black Lips

Nick Waterhouse also has some other shows coming up.

Continue reading "free 4Knots Music Festival is Saturday (set times)"

photos by David Andrako

Bleached on the Bruise Cruise - 6/16/12

With the backdrop of a beautiful day on Lake Ontario, the M for Montreal Bruise Cruise set sail on the afternoon of June 16th, the third day of the NXNE festival in Toronto. Featuring appearances from headliners Bleached, Mac DeMarco (who also played on Thursday), Teenanger, Hooded Fang, and back-in-action NYC DJ Jonathan Toubin. Pictures from the cruise are below.

If you missed it, check out pictures from Thursday's shows HERE as well as a set from Friday HERE.

Continue reading "Bleached, Mac DeMarco, Teenanger, Hooded Fang and Jonathan Toubin played the Bruise Cruise at NXNE (pics)"

photos by David Andrako

Mac DeMarco

DeMarco and his two accompanying guitarists often literally drop a knee to the floor and continue to play on during their live set, which on a couple of occasions resulted in not really being able to play at all if they lost their balance. If there's one thing these guys have mastered though, it's how to keep an audience intrigued. DeMarco's recorded music is good, but his live performance is another experience entirely...

...Irony and parody are alive and well at NXNE, particularly in the form of an ironically bad (but in a way, hilariously good) guitar solo by the above-mentioned guitarist in Mac DeMarco's set. To make an Ironic Guitar Solo work, you just have to furiously play the same out-of-tune note for a few 10-second intervals, pluck a couple of atonal chords, and then grin at the confused concertgoers gathered before you. Gets a laugh every time (from me, anyway). [National Post]

Continue reading "NXNE Thursday in pics (Mac Demarco, Bleached, Grass Widow, The Black Belles and more)"

Archers of Loaf at Bowery Ballroom in April (more by Joe McCabe)

We finally posted those Archers of Loaf Bowery Ballroom pictures yesterday, and then today this happens:

The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper, is thrilled to announce the Archers Of Loaf added to this year's The 4Knots Music Festival at the South Street Seaport, Piers 16 & 17 on Saturday, July 14, 2012 from 1:00 - 8:00 PM. Team Spirit, Doldrums and Devin will also join the bill, featuring The Drums, Crocodiles, Hospitality, Bleached and Nick Waterhouse. More artists to be announced.

The 4Knots Music Festival will expand this year to include Piers 16 and 17 with a second outdoor side stage confirmed. Expanding to Pier 16 will allow the 4Knots Music Festival to include more performers.

And speaking of Nick Waterhouse, he just played Mercury Lounge, but unlike as previously reported, will not be back to play Dekalb Market. 4Knots is his next NYC show.

Other free shows coming up at South Street Seaport are listed HERE. No official word on whether they'll be another 4Knots pre-show like there was with Ted Leo last year (but stay tuned).

The Drums at Hotel Vegan day party March 2012 (more by Tim Griffin)

The Village Voice has announced the initial line-up of its 4Knots Festival which happens July 14 at South St. Seaport. Headliners for the free show are The Drums, with Crocodiles (which we already knew), Hospitality, Bleached and Nick Waterhouse being the others. Unlike last year, there will be a second stage as well on neighboring Pier 16 (Pier 17 is where the Seaport Music Festival Happens). Stay tuned for the rest of the line-up.

If you're curious about Nick Waterhouse, the retrofied R&B bandleader plays a late show at Mercury Lounge this Saturday (5/19) and you can download a live album too.

Off! @ NXNE 2011 (more by Natasha Ryan)

The most memorable thing that happened the year I visited Toronto for NXNE was Iggy Pop & The Stooges playing their big, outdoor, free, no-ticket-or-badge-required show downtown at Yonge-Dundas Square. Last year the Descendents did it. This year they've landed the Flaming Lips which should be an amazing spectacle. And:

NXNE Music has confirmed that Bad Religion, Raekwon & Ghostface Killah and Matthew Good will headline free shows at Yonge-Dundas Square (YDS) throughout the seven-day festival. The NXNE Music line-up also includes performances at YDS and in the clubs by Of Montreal, No Use For A Name, Purity Ring, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Death Grips, The Men, Bleached, Good Riddance, METZ, Ceremony, Plants & Animals, The Death Set, The Sadies & Andre Williams, Oberhofer, Reigning Sound, Action Bronson, 2:54, Yamantaka/ /Sonic Titan, The Hundred in The Hands, Rival Schools, Killer Mike, Young Magic, Hayes Carll, Friends, Hollerado, Bran Van 3000, The Black Belles, Doldrums, Odonis Odonis, Mac DeMarco, Bass Drum of Death, Porcelain Raft, Exitmusic, Violens, Grass Widow, Eight and a Half, DZ Deathrays, Jonathan Toubin, Art vs. Science, B L A C K I E, The Nils and Ivan Julian (ex-Richard Hell & The Voidoids).

This year's fest takes place at multiple venues across Toronto from June 11-17, 2012. Tickets are on sale.

Last year BrooklynVegan co-hosted a boat party with M For Montreal and Bruise Cruise.

photos by Amanda Hatfield & Tim Griffin; additional pictures by Nate "Igor" Smith

Frankie Rose & band @ Hotel Vegan (by Amanda Hatfield)

BrooklynVegan's Hotel Vegan, located at Austin venues Hotel Vegas & Volstead Lounge, began at noon back on Wednesday, 3/14/2012, on three stages. As "bob dylan wrote propaganda songs" points out:

"...it offered the perfect setting for seeing multiple bands within an intimate setting in a short amount of time. Sure it was a long walk down Sixth Street to get there, and it may not have been the most well kempt venue (I'll be honest, it was a shit-hole), but the three stage set-up provided for prime SXSW day party viewing. I had the pleasure of seeing Chelsea Wolfe, Japandroids, Frankie Rose, Deaf Heaven, and Japandroids all within the span of a couple hours. All of these bands were on my list of bands I wanted to see, and thanks to this venue, I was able to cross more bands off my list than past years"

Deafheaven @ Hotel Vegan (by Amanda Hatfield)

Like on Friday and all four days, we served complimentary HobNob Wines all day. On Wednesday we also proudly passed out Brooklyn Brewery beer and Sailor Jerry drinks.

Special thanks to our official backline providers Vox, Blackstar and Korg, and thank you to NadaMoo for supplying free vegan treats, and to Honest Tea for the tea.

More pictures from the entire SXSW Wednesday at Hotel Vegan, below....

Continue reading "#HotelVegan Day 1 pics (Future of the Left, Japandroids, Bear in Heaven, Frankie Rose, Maps & Atlases, Deafheaven, more) "

As you know, BrooklynVegan is taking over ALL THREE STAGES at connecting Austin venues Hotel Vegas & Volstead for FOUR DAYS STRAIGHT this week, and it's all 100% FREE (no RSVP or badges either). There's a big outdoor stage, and smaller stages inside Hotel Vegas & Volstead. Collectively we're calling the four day long party "Hotel Vegan" (located at 1500 E. 6th St, Austin, TX).

We announced Thursday, Friday, and Saturday too. Here is Wednesday: Wednesday at Hotel Vegan (March 14, 2012)

Stage 1 (Hotel Vegas Outside)
12:00 PM - Devin
12:45 PM - Big Deal
1:30 PM - Pujol
2:15 PM - We are Augustines
2:50 PM - Sun Araw Band (live) + Matthewdavid (DJ Set)
3:45 PM - Frankie Rose
4:30 PM - Japandroids
5:15 PM - Bear in Heaven

Stage 2 (Hotel Vegas Inside) (BBG Stage)
12:10 PM - Freshkills
12:50 PM - White Ring
1:35 PM - The Coathangers
2:20 PM - Razika
3:05 PM - Chelsea Wolfe
3:50 PM - Deafheaven
4:35 PM - Bleached
5:20 PM - Future Of The Left

Stage 3 (Volstead) (BV Chicago stage)
12:00 PM - Minor Characters
12:35 PM - Gypsyblood
01:15 PM - FIELDED
02:00 PM - White Mystery
02:45 PM - Maps & Atlases
03:30 PM - The-Drum
04:15 PM - Flosstradamus
05:00 PM - JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound

And in addition to the completely free lineup of 24 bands playing on THREE stages, we will also have complimentary drinks courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery (while supplies laset) and HobNob Wines, the official wine parter of our entire week of FREE PARTIES at Hotel Vegan (check out HobNob's Facebook page for free music downloads), and a hosted bar courtesy of Sailor Jerry

We will also have FREE VEGAN TREATS courtesy of NadaMoo! and FREE Honest Tea. Arlo's great Vegan Food truck, located right next door, will be at all four days of Hotel Vegan selling food.

Special thanks to all of our partners and sponsors for making this party possible - including Vox, Blackstar and Korg, our official backline partners. And special thanks to Tim Griffin for making our Hotel Vegan flyer.

--

This just one of four full days at Hotel Vegan. Thursday lineup HERE. Saturday lineup HERE. Friday lineup HERE.

We also have THREE official showcases (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday), and a Saturday metal day party at Lovejoys, AND a just-announced bridge show.

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Bleached @ Knitting Factory

We missed the first opener Habibi, but Bleeding Rainbow (formerly Reading Rainbow), Jack White's friends The Black Belles, and their tour-mates Bleached (ex Mika Miko) at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on Saturday night (2/11). Here are some pictures.

Now in Chicago, The Black Belles will peform at an Anti-Valentine's event before their show with Bleached at Empty Bottle. The two bands then part ways and Bleached hits the road with Veronica Falls who also played NYC over the weekend.

More pictures from Knitting Factory below...

Continue reading "Bleached, the Black Belles & Bleeding Rainbow played Knitting Factory (pics)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Cate Le Bon - Puts Me to Work (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ed Vallance - Crystaline (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Old Monk - Warm Moustache (MP3)

Veronica Falls

Veronica Falls are back for what is, by far, their biggest NYC show to date: they play Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday. The band's debut was my #2 Album of 2011:

"Found Love in a Graveyard" made my Favorite Tracks of 2009 list and have been waiting a full-length ever since. The band does not disappoint. There's not a dud in Veronica Falls' 36 minute running time. New songs are equals to early singles which appear here in newly recorded versions that might actually improve on the originals. This is haunted pop, a brisk October breeze that calls for a nice cardigan.

Bleached at BV CMJ 2012 (more by Chris La Putt)

After the MHoW show, Bleached will also be part of the Veronica Falls/Brilliant Colors tour. (Dates at the bottom of this post.) The band are currently on the road with The Black Belles, a tour that rolls into town onSaturday (2/11) at Knitting Factory that also has Bleeding Rainbow (formerly Reading Rainbow) and Habibi on the bill. I caught Bleached at the BrooklynVegan day party during CMJ last year and thought they were a lot of fun in a Runaways kind of way. Good snarly attitude and big hooks. Maybe you caught them last week opening for Smith Westerns at Webster Hall?

Habibi

It's worth showing up early for Habibi, whose debut single (streamable below) is a cool, understated take on '60s girl group sounds. You can stream it below.

--
Cate Le Bon

As excited as I am to see Veronica Falls on Thursday (2/9) , I might be slightly more pumped to catch Cate Le Bon's early set at Mercury Lounge that same night. (She also plays Maxwell's on Friday [2/10] as part of her tour) I've been pretty enamoured with the Welsh singer's new album, Cyrk, that came out a few weeks ago. The spare, detached vibe is a little like the Velvet Underground or Electrelane or Stereolab, but there's a hint of pastoral psychedelia in there too. (Shades of Welsh indie royalty Gorky's Zygotic Mynci). The record is loaded with wonderful little touches that reveal themselves with repeated listens. It's a fantastic album.

You can download single "Puts Me to Work" at the top of this post and stream Cyrk at Spotify. Cate has played New York a few times, usually solo, but for this tour she's got her band with her which should be pretty special. Both shows are with local band Pigeons.

Ed Vallance - 'Volcano'

What else is going on? London born, Brooklyn-based singer Ed Vallance released his second album, Volcano, this week and plays a record release show tonight (2/8) at Pianos. The record is dramatic turn from the indie folk of his debut. I bet he still writes his songs on acoustic guitar, but the approach to the arrangements and production are definitely have definitely taken a pop approach this time. While this sort of stuff isn't in vogue so much these days (it's got a distinct early '00s post-Radiohead vibe) it's quite lovely nonetheless. You can download the single "Crystaline" at the top of this post and stream the album at Spotify.

In addition to tonight's show at Pianos, an early show with Pursesnatchersopening, Ed's doing a month-long residency at the Ace Hotel, playing every Sunday in February.

Jeremy Jay

And finally, K Records artist Jeremy Jay is in town this week, playing Glasslands tonight (2/8) and Cake Shop tomorrow (2/9). Jeremy's most recent album is Dream Diary, which came out about a year ago. Like most of his work, it's minimal folk rock with a strong '80s influence. He's an engaging live performer, and tonight's Glasslands show is a stacked bill with Boston psych-folk band Quilt, quality locals Slowdance and Backwords. The Cake Shop show is with Sapphire Mansions and a couple TBDs. (Cake Shop's website isn't especially updated these days.) Jeremy lives in London these days, so go see him while he's here -- all tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

That's the big stuff this week. Some more day by day picks, of things not already covered, are below.

Old Monk

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8

The second week of Old Monk's Cake Shop residency is tonight. These guys are good! Tonight's with Haybaby, elctro-rockers Year of the Tiger and Code Name Viper.

continued below...

Continue reading "Veronica Falls, Bleached, Habibi, Cate Le Bon, Ed Vallance, Jeremy Jay, Ida & more in This Week in Indie"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Chicago band The Smith Westerns headlined the final date on their tour with Porcelain Raft and Bleached on Saturday 2/4 in Milwaukee, four days after the band hit Webster Hall on 1/31. Pictures from the NYC date are in this post.

Porcelain Raft blogged their way through the US tour and will head to Europe for a string of dates, presumably blogging on the way. Check out a recent video for "Unless You Speak From Your Heart" by the band below.

If you missed Bleached, make sure and check them out at Knitting Factory on Saturday (2/11) with their tour-mates Black Belles. Tickets are still available for the show which also features the recently-renamed Bleeding Rainbow and Habibi.

All tour dates, that video and more more pictures from Webster Hall are below...

Continue reading "Smith Westerns played Webster Hall w/ Porcelain Raft & Bleached (pics)"

Portlandia Tour in Chicago on Wednesday (more by James Richard IV)

today in NYC
* Bell @ Zebulon
* Twig Harper @ The Stone
* Shit Yeah Girl @ Party Xpo
* Crooked Disco @ The Cove
* Salamander Wool @ The Stone
* Robert Earl Keen @ Irving Plaza
* Daniel Kitson @ St Ann's Warehouse
* Califone, Gem Club @ Littlefield
* Alejandro Escovedo @ City Winery
* Wildlife, Sleep City @ Mercury Lounge
* Portlandia @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* James Maddock @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Jeff Mangum @ Brooklyn Academy of Music
* Jonathan Wilson, Quilt @ Mercury Lounge
* Shark?, The Never Evers @ The Grand Victory
* Howler, St. Lucia, Fast Years @ Cameo Gallery
* Caveman, Au Palais, Heaven @ Bowery Ballroom
* Portugal. The Man, Sam Champion @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Gordon Voidwell, Work Drugs, Sunglasses @ Glasslands
* Umphrey's McGee, The London Souls @ Best Buy Theater
* Brain Slug, Crazy Spirit, CREEM, Goosebumps @ 538 Johnson
* Ferocious Fucking Teeth, We Ride, EULA, GDFX @ Don Pedro
* Morbid Saint, Deceased, Carcinogen, Midnite Hellion @ Europa
* Gangstagrass, Friend Roulette, The Bicycle Boys, Lou-is @ Pianos
* Thomas Von Party, Brendon Moeller, James Friedman @ Le Bain
* Prince Language, Escort (DJ set), Darshan Jesrani @ Cameo Gallery
* BELLS>, Six Acre Lake, Kleenex Girl Wonder, Argos @ The Rock Shop
* Ozomatli (American Songbook series) @ Lincoln Center's Allen Room
* The Bunker, Marcel Fengler, Mike Servito, Spinoza @ Public Assembly
* Knyfe Hyts, PC Worship, Buck Gooter, BEEEF, Hair Jail @ Death By Audio
* Brodinski, Gesaffelstein, Destructo, Alex English, rekLES @ Webster Hall
* Zeds Dead, Porter Robinson, AraabMuzik, Bassjackers, Codes @ Terminal 5
* Agitator, Hymen Holocaust, Mongrel Bitch, Devestation Wagon @ The Acheron
* All Pigs Must Die, Seven Sisters of Sleep, Low Places, Grudges @ The Acheron
* Rusty Lazer, Nicky Da B, Shane Shane, DJ Nita, Dirtyfinger @ Santos Party House
* Jonathan Kane's February, Talibam!, MV Carbon, Tony Conrad @ Issue Project Room
* He's My Brother She's My Sister, Henry Wolfe, Lily & The Parlour Tricks @ Knitting Factory
* Samuel Valentine (DJ), Patrick Layrite (DJ), Ole Koretsky (DJ), DJ W. Jeremy @ White Noise
* MK Groove Orchestra, Conversations with Enemies, Zac Taylor, Christina LaRocca @ Spike Hill
* Ava Luna, Total Slacker, Caged Animals, Osekre and The Lucky Bastards, DJ Keili @ Shea Stadium
* Madball, Maximum Penalty, Dead End Path, Suburban Scum, The Last Stand @ Gramercy Theater
* The Toys & Tiny Instruments Band, Hannah Vs. The Many, Haley Bowery Band, Boy Girl Party @ Cake Shop
* Huerco S., LF Wind, Innergaze, Slava, Terekke, Rezzie (DJ set), Blondes (DJ set), Jan Woo (DJ set) @ 285 Kent Ave
* Dirty Projectors (DJ set), Skinny Friedman, Import/Export (One Step Beyond) @ American Museum of Natural History
* New Wilderness, Rocco Katastrophe, Invitation to a Beheading, Balls to the Walls, and DJs Nolita Selector El Ozito @ Public Assembly

Check out Evilive.

Check out This Week in Indie.

Jeff Mangum continues his three night run at BAM tonight. Bid on tickets for Saturday (1/21).

You saw 8 year old Juliet doing hardocre. Now watch "deathmetal daughter" below...

Bleached, who have dates coming up, recently made a video for their single, "Searching Through the Past." Check it out below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Bleached at BV CMJ (more by Chris La Putt)

As mentioned, Bleached will be touring the US and Canada in early 2012. That tour includes the previously mentioned Webster Hall show (1/31) with Smith Westerns and Porcelain Raft (tickets), and now includes another NYC show at Knitting Factory on February 11 with the Black Belles who you might remember are the band Jack White brought on Colbert. Tickets are not on sale yet but check ticketfly for updates. All dates are listed below.

A number of their dates are also with Veronica Falls, who headline MHOW on 2/9. When we first mentioned that show, no opener had been announced, but it's since been revealed that Brilliant Colors will open. Tickets are still available.

Bleached released the "Searching Through the Past" 7" on December 6 via Suicide Squeeze. You can download that song HERE, and stream the b-side, "Electric Chair," at Bleached's tumblr.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Bleached released a 7", announced dates w/ the Black Belles"