As rumored, Mission of Burma stopped by Maxwell's this Hanukkah to be one of Yo La Tengo's eight openers. A full review and set of pictures from last night's show is coming soon, but meanwhile let's figure out what we've got so far:

12/1 - M. Ward, Todd Barry, Nash Kato
12/2 - The Parting Gifts, Jim Gaffigan, members of The Feelies
12/3 - Jeff Tweedy, Eugene Mirman & Kid Congo Powers
12/4 - Syl Johnson, Jon Glaser, Peter Wolf & Ira's mom
12/5 - Mission of Burma & Wyatt Cenac
12/6 - ?
12/7 - ?? & Kurt Braunohler & Kristen Schaal & ??
12/8 - ?

Well, "Anonymous | December 2, 2010 9:31 AM" says that Amy Rigby and Wreckless Eric, who played Bowery Electric on November 12th, announced that they'd be at Monday's show "during their show near d.c." That comment was made four days ago. Since then Wreckless Eric made a surprise last minute appearance at Home Sweet Home Friday night. BUT, "Anonymous | December 6, 2010 11:10 AM" says "Tonight's opener is Mofongo, despite the apparent info that Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby would open. Perhaps Eric and Amy are the encore guests."

note that the proper spelling is: Mofungo

It should also be noted that Bonnie Prince Billy plays Town Hall Wedneday
(tickets are still on sale).

Last night's setlist is below...

Continue reading "Who has opened for Yo La Tengo so far? (Mission of Burma) Who still will? (Mofungo? Wreckless Eric?)"

Though lately Bonnie 'Prince' Billy has been performing as/with "Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & The Cairo Gang" (aka Will Oldham and guitarist Emmett Kelly) (like at Monster Island), the December 8th show at Town Hall in NYC that has appeared on Ticketmaster just lists "Bonnie Prince Billy". Oh, and it also lists $328.50 in fees! (thanks Kate and William!). All dates below...

Continue reading "Bonnie Prince Billy playing Town Hall (holy fees!)"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Guilty Simpson & Bumps - Drums (MP3)

A new Madvillain track, "Papermill," is online to stream and download. The Madlib's wirey '70s cop chase sample and top-form wordplay from DOOM are both good signs that the pair is putting in some serious effort to follow-up 2004's Madvillainy. The label writes that the song will be on the new album, which is still a work in progress.

The song is online as part of the Adult Swim singles series, which has been distributing tracks weekly. Madvillian was the second song, and there's already one from Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Matt Sweeney. On the way is music from Black Lips, Freddie Gibbs, Killer Mike, High on Fire, Cults and Washed Out.

To measure just how long the new Madvillain is taking in Madlib-years (remember, he already put out his own part 2 of their debut), consider the fact that Stones Throw gave the beatmaker his own label imprint, Madlib Invazion, in early '10, and that's now in the process of releasing one Madlib CD a month for 12 months. The most recent edition, Madlib Medicine Show #5: History Of The Loop Digga, 1990-2000, collects "Madlib's previously unreleased, made-for-cassette 90s work" under the Loop Digga name (and comes with a comic book to boot).

Madlib's "OJ Simpson" collaborator Guilty Simpson recently released a track with Bumps, the beatmaking trio of Tortoise drummers John McEntire, John Herndon and Dan Bitney. You can get that above. The OJ Simpson album is out now on Stones Throw.

Tortoise kick off a tour in June that brings them to NYC for a June 23rd show at Le Poisson Rouge as part of the Care Fusion Jazz Festival. Tickets are still on sale.

All Tortoise dates and some classic Madvillain videos are below...

Continue reading "updated Tortoise dates, new tracks from Madvillain, Adult Swim, Guilty Simpson, Bonnie Prince Billy & Bumps"

DOWNLOAD: Bonnie Prince Billy - Play, Guitar, Play (MP3)

photo by Shawn Brackbill

At the eight o'clock early show, [Bonnie "Prince"] Billy showed up in all-yellow in the darkened stony room, accompanied by collaborator Emmett Kelly of the Cairo Gang, who played guitar and carried high-pitched, sinuous harmonies. For the duration, our "Prince" performed sans microphone, or any instrument besides the occasional melodica, singing mournful ballads from his newly-released album, The Wonder Show of the World. It was transcendent. Oldham has the commanding presence of a stage actor; his movements are evocative, animated, and precise. A lot of the time last night, he looked like he was performing a monologue rather than singing a song. Meanwhile, the jam-packed crowd sat shoulder-to-shoulder on Monster Island's concrete floor, but, from what we could tell, the room was too busy being enthralled by Oldham to really mind.[Village Voice]

A song from the new record, The Wonder Show of the World, out now on Drag City, is re-posted above. Their tour, which stopped at New Orleans' famous Preservation Hall, has a few more West Coast shows left. Videos from the Monster Island gig ("I See a Darkness" as an encore, and more) are below...

Continue reading "Bonnie Prince Billy played Monster Island (videos)"

DOWNLOAD: Bonnie Prince Billy - Play, Guitar, Play (MP3)

Bonnie Prince Billy & the Cairo Gang will be in NYC to play three shows over two nights at Monster Island Basement. They play early and late shows on Thursday, April 1st, and one show on Friday, April 2nd. Lichens open all three.

Tickets for the shows won't be available online - only in person at Record Grouch Records/Old Made Vintage (open 11am-7pm daily; 441 Metropolitan Ave @ Meeker St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 908-246-1512) starting Tuesday, March 9th at 5pm.

Bonnie Prince Billy And The Cairo Gang are releasing a new record, The Wonder Show of the World, on March 23rd on Drag City (Mar. 22nd on Domino in the UK). The song "Play, Guitar, Play," above, a Conway Twitty cover, is a free preview that won't be on the ten-song album.

In related new, Will Oldham is a guest on the new Coliseum record.

BPB & The Cairo Gang put out a NFSW teaser for the record. That, all tour dates and venue info are below...

Continue reading "Bonnie Prince Billy & The Cairo Gang releasing an album, playing shows (including 3 @ Monster Island) "

by Andrew Frisicano

Matador announced that Fucked Up's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' charity single "should be available" from iTunes today (December 8th) (still waiting it is). As previously reported, the song is packed with guests, including Yo La Tengo, GZA, Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend), Bob Mould (Husker Du), Tegan & Sara, Andrew W.K., Kyp Malone (TV on the Radio), David Cross and Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene). In February, it'll be released as 7" single. The record is for charity, and you can read what Fucked Up singer Pink Eyes has to say about the causes, below. The band is also putting out a rarities compilation, Couple Tracks, in January and touring with Kurt Vile in Feb. (with 2 NYC area shows).

Another benefit record, Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox, is out today on Merge (in digital form, CDs come February 23rd). The proceeds go to New Zealand musician Chris Knox (Tall Dwarfs, Toy Love) who suffered a stroke last June. The two-disc collection is all covers of Knox's songs done by acts that include Yo La Tengo, Mountain Goats, Will Oldham, Stephin Merritt, Bill Callahan and...Jeff Mangum (doing "Sign The Dotted Line" by Tall Dwarfs). You can preview songs at Merge. The full track list below.

Don't forget, Bob Dylan's Christmas album is also for charity, benefiting Feeding America. His new video for "Little Drummer Boy" (animated and less jokey than "Must Be Santa") is below...

Continue reading "Jeff Mangum, Fucked Up, Bob Dylan, Bill Callahan, Will Oldham, Yo La Tengo & others release songs for charity"

Yeasayer @ MHOW 12/06 (more by Ryan Muir)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Ben Perowsky Quartet @ Barbes
* Drug Rug, Your Nature @ Union Pool
* Ida Maria, Franz Nicolay @ Maxwell's
* Tracy Bonham, Tony Scherr @ Joe's Pub
* De La Soul, Buckshot @ Nokia Theatre
* Rakim, DJ Souljah, U-God @ Highline Ballroom
* Tori Amos, One Eskimo @ Radio City Music Hall
* Necking, Piles, Work, Crime Novels @ Bruar Falls
* Prayertown, Edom, Martin Bisi, Queening @ Coco 66
* Yeasayer, Amazing Baby @ Pier 54/Hudson River Park
* Friendly Fires, The xx @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Mostly Other People Do the Killing, Afuche @ Zebulon
* CKY, Graveyard, ASG, Fall from Grace @ Gramercy Theatre
* Gliss, Purcane, Automatic Children, Lights On @ The Annex
* Children, Lullabye Arkestra, Violent Bullshit @ Glasslands
* Blondie, Pat Benatar, The Donnas @ Asser Levy/Seaside Park
* Bottle Up & Go, Royal Bangs, Calypso, Slim Twig @ Death By Audio
* Mike Bones, Amen Dunes, Virgin Forest, Up Died Sound @ The Cameo
* Canyons, Justin Miller & Jacques Renault @ Rocks Off Concert Cruises
* Nighthorse, Barracks, Engine Room, Tee Pee Recs special guest @ Pianos
* Holy Hail, Pacific Theater, Aerial East, Bird Love @ The Ghost Factory
* Beach Fossils, Blind Man's Colour, Small Black, The Tony Castles @ Cake Shop
* Out of Doors Fest w/ Snehasish Mozumder & Som, Jake Shimabukuro, The Derek Trucks Band @ Damrosch Park

Free outdoor music tonight includes Blondie, Pat Benatar and The Donnas at Asser Levy/Seaside Park in Coney Island, a Lincoln Center Out of Doors Fest show with Snehasish Mozumder & Som, Jake Shimabukuro and The Derek Trucks Band at Damrosch Park, and Yeasayer and Amazing Baby at Pier 54/Hudson River Park.

Rakim, DJ Souljah and U-God play Highline Ballroom, while De La Soul's Three Feet High And Rising anniversary tour comes to Nokia Theatre with a 10-piece band and Buckshot. A video of "Me Myself and I" on Arsenio Hall is below.

Canyons and Justin Miller & Jacques Renault appear at a People Don't Dance No More party aboard Rocks Off Concert Cruise. Canyons was last seen over the weekend at Central Park Summerstage.

Nighthorse plays with a Tee Pee Records special guest headliner at Pianos tonight.

Brits Friendly Fires and The xx play Music Hall of Williamsburg. Last night the show was at Le Poisson Rouge.

Ida Maria visits Maxwell's with Franz Nicolay (who plays Union Pool tomorrow). She'll be back in the NYC-area on September 16th with the Perez Hilton tour, which today added Semi Precious Weapons to the bill.

San Diego's Lights On have a series of NYC shows this weekend. One is a Saturday Union Hall show with Beach Fossils and Blind Man's Colour (who play tonight at Cake Shop). Catch Lights On tonight at The Annex with Gliss, Purcane and Automatic Children.

Two nights of Animal Collective in Prospect Park begin tomorrow.

Jazz combo Mostly Other People Do the Killing play at Zebulon tonight.

Ben Perowsky Quartet plays a CD release show at Barbes for his new disc, Esopus Opus, out on Skirl Records. That CD deals in largely-accordion-driven jazz. Tonight, Perowsky (drums) will be joined by "Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, The Melvins, Electric Masada) and Matt Mitchell on piano (member of Tim Berne's new sextet), and saxophonist/clarinetist Chris Speed."

Tori Amos nears the end of her Abnormally Attracted to Sin-supporting tour tonight at Radio City Music Hall.

"Next to nothing is known at the moment about "These Are My Twisted Words," the purported new Radiohead song that mysteriously appeared online last night. Unlike "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)," which Radiohead surprise-released almost exactly one week prior (hmmm), this one seems to have materialized on various illicit music hubs without any official announcement or acknowledgment from the band." [EW]

Radiohead's new mystery song "These Are My Twisted Words" is posted below, as is a clip of Bonnie "Prince" Billy on Tim & Eric's Music Express segment.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Fanfarlo - Luna (MP3)

London's Fanfarlo will play Mercury Lounge in NYC on September 21, their first NYC gig since CMJ last year. At the time, the band were recording their debut album in upstate New York with producer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol). That album, Reservoir, has since been released and it's quite the stunner if you ask me, full of swooning epics that fall somewhere between Belle & Sebastian and The Arcade Fire. The band self-released it in February, mainly available at at their shows and are currently selling 320 KBS downloads of it for one dollar via their website 'till July 4, one of the best bargains around. The download comes with four songs not on the CD version of the record. For a taster you can download "Luna" at the top of this post.

Fanfarlo's performance at Austin's Central Presbyterian Church made my Top Ten Shows at SxSW 2009, and I've seen them three times now. Alll were great. I'm hoping they'll add a couple more shows to their NYC visit in September, crossing my fingers for the Bell House -- that would be the perfect place for them I think. In the meantime, tickets for the Mercury Lounge show are on sale.

All announced tour dates and some videos, including one of the band covering Bonnie Prince Billy, after the jump....

Continue reading "Fanfarlo still selling their album for $1 - MP3 & tour dates"

Bonnie Prince Billy @ the Apollo Theater - May 21, 2009 (crespa´s)

"last nights bonnie 'prince' billy concert at the apollo was supreme. jim white on drums. emmett kelly on guitar. josh abrams on bass. cheyenne mize on violin and vocals. matt sweeney dueting on blood embrace." [here i am. there you are]

Bonnie Prince Billy concluded his two night, NYC run last night. More dates HERE. A shot from each of the NYC shows is above. Most of the Santos setlist is below...

Continue reading "Bonnie Prince Billy played Santos PH & the Apollo Theater "

Bonnie Prince Billy (by Eva Vermandel for WIRE)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Your Nature, Space Camp @ The Annex
* Jamie Saft w/ Kalashnikov @ Zebulon
* Green Day @ PC Richard & Son Theater
* La Otracina, Matta Llama @ The Stone
* St. Vincent, Pattern Is Movement @ Webster Hall
* Elvis Perkins in Dearland, The Woes @ The Bell House
* Alex Battles and the Whisky Rebellion @ Hill Country
* Antigama, Complete Failure, Mutant Supremacy @ Europa
* Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Lightning Dust @ Santos Party House
* Nick Krgovich, Katie Eastburn, To Bad Catholics @ Sycamore
* Psychedelic Horseshit, Little Girls, Sisters @ Union Pool
* Sean Bones, Greg Johnson, Kumail Nanjiani, The Antlers @ The Delancey
* Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers, Ford & Fitzroy, Overlord, Higgins @ Pianos
* Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard, Diane Cluck with Anders Griffen, Pepi Ginsberg @ Bowery Ballroom

Grizzly Bear are playing Letterman tonight.

Modest Mouse has a new video for a new song that they also just performed on Letterman. Both videos below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

DOWNLOAD: Bill Callahan - Eid Ma Clack Shaw (MP3)

I'm not sure whether Bonnie Prince Billy's May 21st show at the Apollo Theater has completely sold out yet or not, but a 2nd NYC show has been added, much farther downtown, at Santos Party House. Tickets for the the May 20th show are on sale now (thx Keith!). Lightning Dust opens.

BPB's new album, Beware, was released by Drag City on March 17th. The same label is releasing Bill Callahan's new album, Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle, on April 14th. Download "Eid Ma Clack Shaw" from that album, above.

Harlem Shakes @ Highline Ballroom (more by Ryan Muir)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* comedy @ 92YTribeca
* Ladyhawke @ Studio B
* Common Ground @ SOB's
* Allman Brothers @ Beacon
* Questlove @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Indigo Girls @ the Livng Room
* PJ Harvey & John Parish @ Irving Plaza
* The Prodigy & Busy P @ Roseland Ballroom
* Morrissey & The Courteeners @ Carnegie Hall
* Growing & Sian Alice Group @ Monster Island Basement
* Cotton Jones, Lost in Tree & Beau Jennings @ Union Hall
* Laurie Anderson, Moby (DJ) & others @ Santos Party House
* Friendly Fires, The Soft Pack & White Lies @ Bowery Ballroom
* pow wow!, Spanish Prisoners & Yoni Gordon & The Goods @ Maxwell's
* The Harlem Shakes, Suckers & Air Waves @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* The Drones, Youth Group, The Grates & other Australians @ The Bell House

Peggy Sue's MySpace still says they're playing Death By Audio tonight. Death By Audio's page does not.

Bonnie Prince Billy's video for his new song "I am Goodbye" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

SXSW Music is this week, and that usually means a slow music release week.

As with every Will Oldham release, I will be scurrying down to my local music store tomorrow morning to pick up his latest Bonnie Prince Billy album, Beware (and finally replace the annoying promo CD sent my way last month).

I plan to pick up the Nick Lowe greatest hits 2-CD release, Quiet Please: The New Best of Nick Lowe as well as Willie Nelson's Naked Willie tomorrow.

From what has already been sent my way, I can also recommend An Horse's Rearrange Beds, Black Joe Lewis's Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!, Sara Lov's Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming, White Lies' How to Lose My Life, and Wavves' Wavvves.

The week's reissues are highlighted by four Scott Walker remastered albums. Boy Child 67-70, Classics & Collectibles, Sings Jacques Brel and Tilt.

What new releases can you recommend? Have I left anything off the list?

Continue reading "Largehearted Boy's Interesting CD Releases This Week"

WHITE MAGIC NEW YORK SHOW FRIDAY FEB 27TH!!!
WHAT'S UP!? BEEEN A MINUTE...

WHITE MAGIC WILL PLAY NEW YORK THIS FRIDAY NIGHT - FEB 27TH @ 92Y (in Tribeca)! It's our fist BAND SHOW in the NY & the US, since 2007 (!!), so COME OUT!

SUPPORT FROM ERIC COPELAND (of BLACK DICE)
+
HIGHLIFE (sleepy doug shaw of WM project - first US show of new songs!)

If you quote code "WHMG" when buying tickets at the door, online, or by phone, there is a $3 discount from the regular $15 door price!

Doors are at 8pm

COME OUT NEW YORK!

Continue reading "White Magic back in NYC - 2009 Tour Dates (tonight included) "

Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens @ BAM (more by Ryan Muir)

Tickets are on sale (@ 10am) for the Bonnie Prince Billy show happening at the Apollo Theater.

Tickets are on sale (@ 10am) for both Flight of the Conchords shows happening at Radio City Music Hall.

Tickets are on sale (@ 10am) for the Lily Allen show happening at Roseland Ballroom.

Tickets are on sale for the Prodigy show happening at Roseland Ballroom.

The Musical Box is performing GENESIS' "A Trick of The Tail" at Nokia Theatre on May 9th and 10th. Tickets are on PRESALE (password = genesis)

Tickets are still on sale for the Neko Case shows happening at Nokia Theatre.

Thursday is playing the Nokia Theatre on March 4th. Tickets are on sale.

Menahan Street Band are opening for Sharon Jones at Nokia Theatre on February 13th. Tickets are still on sale.

Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens are opening for Sharon Jones at Nokia Theatre on February 14th. Tickets are still on sale.

Naomi Shelton also performs every Friday at the Fat Cat for $3.00.

Budos Band are playing (Le) Poisson Rouge on February 26th. Tickets are on sale.

Live Naomi Shelton video below...

Continue reading "Bonnie Prince Billy, Flight of the Conchords, Lily Allen, Prodigy, Sharon Jones, Naomi Shelton & other tickets "

Will Oldham as Icky in Wendy and Lucy

Kelly Reichardt's latest film, "Wendy and Lucy," is 80 minutes long -- it would fit inside Baz Luhrmann's "Australia" twice, with room to spare -- and does not contain a superfluous word or shot. Like "Old Joy" (2006), Ms. Reichardt's modest and critically beloved second feature, "Wendy and Lucy" takes place mainly outdoors and registers the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest with unostentatious affection. [NY Times]

When Will Oldham isn't acting, he's making usually-beautiful music - sometimes as Will Oldham, sometimes as Palace, and often as Bonnie Prince Billy. This week a new BPB song became available on iTunes and Amazon. It's a cover of the Yusuf Islam song "One Day At A Time". Consider the song a teaser for the full album of new material being released soon by Drag City & Domino...

On 16 March 2009 Bonnie 'Prince' Billy is to release his new, biggest and most ambitious album 'Beware' on Domino (in the UK).

Joining Bonny deep in the mix of Beware, the roll-call of top players include the band (Josh Abrams, Jennifer Hutt, Emmett Kelly and Michael Zerang) and special guests (Dee Alexander, Leroy Bach, Jim Becker, Robert Cruz, DV DeVincentis, Jon Langford, Greg Leisez, Rob Mazurek, Nicole Mitchell and Azita Youseffi)!

Speaking of live, Bonnie Prince Billy has a bunch of shows lined up for 2009 including the just added May 21st show at the legendary Apollo Theater. Tickets go on sale Friday February 6th at 10am.

Like-minded artists Cat Power and M Ward also have shows coming up at the Apollo which is celebrating its 75th anniversary of holding "Amateur Night". Ryan Adams, Antony, and Jenny Lewis all played shows there recently.

All BPB tour dates below...

Continue reading "Bonnie Prince Billy - a new cover now, a new album coming, 2009 Tour Dates (Apollo Theater) & Wendy & Lucy"

photos by Natasha Ryan

Walkman/Dodo

Walt Martin of The Walkmen's Top 10 of 2008
1. Thee Oh Sees, The Master Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In (astleface/Tomlab)
2. Thee Oh Sees, The Hounds of Foggy Notion (Castleface/Tomlab)
3. Thee Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees/The Intelligence Split EP (Mt. St. Mtn.)
4. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
5. The Howling Hex, Earthjunk (Drag City)
6. Bonnie "Prince" Billie, Lie Down in The Light (Drag City)
7. Beach House, Devotion (Carpark)
8. The Breeders, Mountain Battles (4AD)
9. Dirty Dancing Soundtrack (20th Anniversary Edition) (RCA)
10. Animal House Soundtrack (30th Anniversary Edition) (MCA)
(that list via Filter)

Continue reading "the Walkmen & the Dodos @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple - pics"

The video for Scout Niblett & Bonnie Prince Billy's song "Kiss" can be viewed below. Check it out. And check out Scout Niblett live tonight (May 1st) @ Knitting Factory, and tomorrow (May 2) @ Europa in Brooklyn. Both shows are with, and possibly further enhanced by, Holy Sons. Holy Sons is Grails' Emil Amos other band (and Emil now also happens to be the NEW DRUMMER OF OM).

In July, Scout Niblett is playing a bunch of shows with Daniel Johnston in Europe. All dates (and that video) below.....

Continue reading "Scout Niblett - 2008 Tour Dates (KF/Europa), Holy Sons"

01. Parenthetical Girls - If it's a time for Christmas (2:46)
02. Ween - Silent Night (1:40)
03. Andrew Dost (Anathallo) - Yeah, I Know, It's Christmastime (2:04)
04. The National Splits - Let's Wrap Each Other (2:15)
05. Louis Armstrong - Santa Claus Blues (2:51)
06. Scott Allen (Thunderbirds are Now) - Winters Wonderland (3:50)
07. The Knife - Christmas Reindeer (7:11)
08. Melt Banana - White Christmas (1:42)
09. Thick Pigeon - Jingle Bell Rock (1:30)
10. Steven Garvey - Dreidle, Dreidle, Dreidle (1:11)
11. nullsleep - silent night (2:25)
12. Wild Billy Childish & The Musicians of the British Empire - Santa Claus (3:26)
13. Holly Golightly - Christmas Tree's On Fire (2:54)
14. Deerhoof - xmas tree (2:30)
15. Palace Songs (Will Oldham) - Christmastime in the Mountains (1:30)
16. Woody Guthrie - Hanukkah Dance [Alternate Take] (1:24)

---

I know it's too early for this, but inspiration hit, so I went with it. Download, support the artists, enjoy, and happy holidays (Thanksgiving or whatever).

DOWNLOAD: Grizzly Bear - On a Neck, On a Spit (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fischerspooner - Megacolon (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Antony & The Johnsons - Cripple And The Starfish (MP3)

Ed Droste, Casey Spooner, Antony Hegarty

You probably heard: some writers are on strike. That means no new late night TV right now. That means Band of Horses didn't get to play Conan last night, Kanye West didn't get to play Letterman, and it means that Grizzly Bear don't get to play Conan tonight (Nov 6, 2007). They'll probably reschedule the performances, but Grizzly Bear misses out on a TV appearance that was going to synchronize perfectly with the release of their new EP. Friend (the latest addition to the 8.0 club) is out now. Order it from Insound to get a free limited edition silkscreen poster.

Speaking of Grizzly Bear, they performed at the Society of Ethical Culture in NYC on Saturday night (Nov 3, 2007) - part of the Wordless Music Series - to an audience that included Paul Simon (an artist that Grizzly Bear is known to cover, and who they did cover also that night). It was the same night that GB's "friend" Feist was playing right across town on Saturday Night Live. And speaking of SNL, that's another TV show that might not air this week if the writers don't get what they want. That means Amy Winehouse won't get to play it....or maybe she's not playing it already....I'm confused (she is definitely not playing the Woodies though - for "visa issues" related to the drug stuff).

Sigur Ros also has a new CD out today, and Sigur Ros also played the Wordless Music Series recently (October 5th to be exact). .

Grizzly Bear @ Wordless Music Series, NYC - NOV 3, 2007 (CRED)

As Ed pointed out early in the set, this show was an unofficial end of tour celebration of sorts, as the band had been on the road for most of the past year and a half. Usually when this is the case, the performance can go one of two ways. One option is that the band is so drained and sick and tired of playing the same songs that they launch into a sort of auto-pilot self parody (see the Strokes at the end of their "Room on Fire" tour). The preferable option, however, is that the combination of having become so technically in control of one's material coupled with the euphoria of playing a hometown show with the finish line in sight will make for something altogether different and spectacular. [read the rest @ Ear Farm]

Secondly, beautiful show not just the sigur ros part. And yes Sufjan was there. I was sitting right in back of him along with 2 of the guys from The National. They were all impatient and left right before Sigur Ros came on. Poor Sufjan was complaining he had to get out of there. Hard to blame him cause it was a sauna in there. Also there was Superwolf Matt or Chavez Matt however you like supporting his buddy Will. Great show and got to see Sigur Ros play the same amount of songs they are playing tomorrow night for umm lets see 35 dollars less. [Anonymous]

Nico Muhly @ Wordless Music Series, NYC - OCT 5, 2007 (CRED)

Grizzly Bear are playing one more NYC (mini) show before taking a break for a long time - it's tomorrow (Nov 7th) @ the Virgin Union Square Megastore in NYC (7pm, free).

And in case you missed it, the friends that appear on Grizzly Bear's new EP are Beirut, Dirty Projectors, CSS, Band of Horses, CSS and Deerhunter. Will Oldham is not one of Grizzly Bear's friends, but Will ("his buddy Will" in the review above) did also perform at that now-legendary "Wordless" show in October too...

Continue reading "Writers strike, Grizzly Bear, Wordless Music Series, stuff"