photos by PSquared Photography, words and additional photos by Fred Pessaro

Pharmakon / Prurient / Kid Millions / Kim Gordon

Sixteen bands that deal in ambient, drone, noise and power electronics converged on Knockdown Center in Queens last night (5/2) as part of the Drone Activity in Progress show. The multi-stage event, part of a massive May NYC takeover by Red Bull Music Academy, was housed in a giant warehouse/factory building somewhat-shaped like an "F," with three stages (Red Room, Grand Hall, and West Wing) located in separate areas. Most of the sets had minimal crossover to the other stages, set time staggering was well executed, but those that did overlap were obvious in reasons why: guitar drones vs thumping bass lines, etc. Soundbleed was shockingly minimal in each individual room.

That many bands is a lot to take in general, but personal highlights all seemed to come from the "Red Room" where I caught sets by Prurient, Pharmakon, Alberich and others, who each used keys, effects pedals, vocals, patch bays, and samples to create their versions of industrial-noise terror. Other highlights from the other stages (Grand Hall and West Wing) included guitar-noise from Body/Head (with Kim Gordon), guitar/ambient from KTL (with Stephen O'Malley), guitar qizardry from Mick Barr, Noveller and the spazzy/jawdropping Jim Sauter/Kid Millions.

Tonight's Red Bull Music Academy events are: Brian Eno's "77 Million Paintings" at 45 W. 32nd (sold out); Masters At Work w/ special guest and vibraphone legend Roy Ayers at Le Bain (which is free); and Knox, QuietDust, August Rosenbaum, and Jimi Nxir at Le Poisson Rouge which is also free.

In addition to this set, check out another set of pictures at InvisibleOranges. More photos from Drone Activity are below.

Continue reading "Drone Activity in Progress, part of RBMA, took over Knockdown Center last night (pics)"

Andy Stott/Lee "Scratch" Perry

As mentioned, tickets went on sale today for the previously announced Red Bull Music Academy events, which take over NYC from April 28 to May 31. And now that those are on sale, the rest of the lineup has been announced. In addition to the newly-added Flying Lotus show at Terminal 5, the Red Bull Music Academy events now also include...

A Bunker party with Andy Stott, Atom TM, Objekt, Octo Octa, Kloke, Smax, Bryan Kasenic, and Mike Servito at Public Assembly on May 4; Blondes, Mike Simonetti, Rudi Zygadlo, Astroboyz, CABAAL, Ale Hop, Yodashe, Harald Bjork, Alitrec, Mungo Park, Seretan, and Ada Kaleh at Cameo on May 6; and Le1f, Laurel Halo, Venus-X, and a secret guest at Glasslands on May 7.

Still more: Metro Area, Gerd Janson, and Bok Bok b2b L-Vis 1990 at 88 Palace on May 10; 'Drum Majors' with Mannie Fresh, Boi-1da, Young Chop, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Bangaldesh, DJ Mustard, and Drumma Boy at Knitting Factory on May 22; Afrika Bambaataa, Egyptian Lover, DJ Magic Mike, DJ Assault, DJ Funk, Scottie B, DJ Rashad & DJ Spinn, Big Freedia, Salva, Drop the Lime, and Branko & Krampfhaft at Santos on May 23; as well as Skream, Mala, and Plasitician & Hatcha on May 24 at Can Factory (232 3rd St in Brooklyn).

And even more: Oneohtrix Point Never, BIll Kouligas, Evian Christ, Kid Simpl, and ANNALOVE at Saint Vitus on May 26; Benji B, FaltyDL, Dorian Concept, Orquesta, and Somepoe at Sullivan Room on May 27; Pantha Du Prince & the Bell Laboratory with Louis Baker and Anya Kuts at West Park Church on May 28; a killer night of dub with legends Lee Perry & Adrian Sherwood, The Congos vs Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras, and the Raw Power Band, Peaking Lights In A Dub Style vs Future Times, and DJ Slow at Le Poisson Rouge on May 30.

Tickets for all events are on sale now.

These join the previously announced shows, talks, and other events with James Murphy, Brian Eno, Giorgio Moroder, Tony Visconti, Nile Rodgers, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Four Tet, A-Trak, Just Blaze, and more. Flyer with the updated, show-by-show lineup is below...

Continue reading "Red Bull Music Academy reveals full NYC lineup (Oneohtrix, Lee Perry, Andy Stott, Laurel Halo, Skream, Le1f, Young Chop, Big Freedia, Pantha Du Prince, Congos/Sun Araw, more)"

James Murphy on SS Coachella 2012 (more by Greg Cristman)

LCD Soundsystem/DFA Records man James Murphy is suing Tim Goldsworthy, who he formed DFA with in 2001, but who moved out of New York to the UK three years ago...

In a lawsuit, DFA accuses Goldsworthy of failing to perform services he was paid for, owing outstanding loans, improperly using the company credit card and making unauthorized withdrawals from its bank accounts.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Manhattan Civil Supreme Court, says that "attempts to amicably resolve this matter were rebuffed" by Goldsworthy. It also accuses the producer of "breach of contract" and "unjust enrichment."

Goldsworthy owes a total of $93,899, according to DFA. The label, which has a studio in Greenwich Village and boasts such acts as Holy Ghost!, also seeks punitive damages and legal fees. [DNA Info]

In related news, tickets for James Murphy's DFA Records 12th anniversary party with DJ sets from him, The Rapture, YACHT, Black DIce, Juan Maclean, and so many more, are on sale now. The event is one of many upcoming Red Bull Music Academy events happening in NYC. Other RBMA events are on sale too, including Brian Eno's "illustrated talk", Four Tet at Webster Hall, A-Trak, Just Blaze, and others at Roseland, Giorgio Moroder, and many more.

Brian Eno

The Red Bull Music Academy is coming to NYC from April 28 to May 31 which will include over 30 events ranging from live concerts and club nights to A/V installations, film screenings and public conversations with big names. Some of those names were recently announced. Details are not complete and tickets to all the shows below go on sale Monday, March 4 at 10 AM.

Perhaps most exciting of these events will be the NYC premiere of Brian Eno's audio-visual installation 77 Million Paintings which is generative software that creates morphing patterns and images. The installation, which be be at Cafe Rouge, will also features an "illustrated talk" on May 6.

James Murphy will head a nine-hour, multiroom show at Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn on May 29 as part of DFA's 12th Anniversary celebration. The event will feature 15 live acts and DJs from throughout the label's history. Look for a short documentary, 12 Years of DFA: Too Old To Be New, Too New To Be Classic, to premiere around the same time.

Also part of it will be Four Tet + friends at Webster Hall on May 8. Four Tet, who just released odds-n-sods album 0181 as a free download (stream it below) is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his landmark 2003 album, Rounds, this year with a deluxe resissue due out on Domino in May.

Still more. RBMA will also host the first NYC edition of London party Culture Clash on May 9. The "unique celebration of sound system culture" will feature sets by Max Glazer, A-Trak, Nick Catchdubs, Young Guru, Just Blaze, and Que Bajo?!.

There's also "Drone Activity in Progress" which will happen at the Knockdown Center on May 2, featuring Stephen O'Malley of Sunn O))), Prurient, Alan Licht, and Body/Head (aka Kim Gordon and Bill Nace).

Other events including electronic music legend Giorgio Moroder in his first NYC DJ appearance; a talk with Bowie producers Tony Visconti and Nile Rodgers (maybe Eno will swing by?); Ryuichi Sakamoto and more to be announced. More info on RBMA is here.

Continue reading "Brian Eno, Four Tet, James Murphy, Giorgio Moroder and more participating in NYC Red Bull Music Academy"

Body/Head

A lot has been written about Thurston Moore since Sonic Youth went on indefinite hiatus, his new project Chelsea Light Moving perhaps being the highest profile of the splinter projects. But his ex-wife Kim Gordon has been busy too, playing with Dinosaur Jr. at their You're Living All Over Me anniversary show at T5 and will perform at John Cale's Nico tribute at BAM next month.

Kim has also been exercising her experimental side, forming Body/Head with free noise guitarist Bill Nace. They released a single through Belgian label Ultra Eczema over the summer and you can check out live video of the duo below. Body/Head will play NYC at Union Pool on January 26 with Sightings and Jake Meginsky also on the bill. Tickets to that show just went on sale at noon today (12/18).

Chicagoans can also catch Kim in their city in March, at the Museum of Contemporary Art with White/Light.

Continue reading "Kim Gordon's new project Body/Head playing NYC in January"