When most artists release a Best Of collection, they usually throw in a new song. Occasional Broken Social Scene cohort Jason Collett has taken this a step further by packaging a retrospective (Essential Cuts) with a brand new album, the previously mentioned Reckon which came out a couple weeks ago via Arts & Crafts. Both show off Collett's well-honed songwriting chops and you can stream both in full below.

Jason is currently on tour and will be in NYC on Wednesday (10/10) to play Joe's Pub. Tickets are still availaiable, but if you'd like to go for free we're giving a pair away. Details on how to enter are below, along with the album streams and all remaining tour dates.

Continue reading "stream Jason Collett's new album and best-of; he's in NYC this week (win tix!)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

The strong double bill that can be abbreviated as TVOTR/BSS hit WW in Brooklyn last night (9/8). More pictures from the show and both setlists, below...

Continue reading "TV on the Radio & Broken Social Scene played Williamsburg Waterfront (pics & setlists)"

photos by Nathanael Turner

Descendents

Punk rock long ago transcended class, age, gender and ethnicity to become a signifier not necessarily of outward rebellion but of the symbolic, crazy-on-the-inside variety. That sense of internal defiance continues to permeate the entire underground and has become a secret handshake that united not only the artists who made traditional-ish punk rock over the course of 10 hours of the FYF -- the Descendents, No Age, Off! among them -- but from a wildly divergent cast of in-yer-face artists including beat makers Nosaj Thing and Dan Deacon, the deeply sensual, self-referential house music of New York's Chromatics and Glass Candy, and the catchy, arena-aspirant bands like Broken Social Scene.

"It's a punk rock festival. That means we're going to play ... in the wrong key," declared Guided by Voices singer Robert Pollard during his band's sturdy, hook-infused rock set featuring acrobatic kicks, monster choruses and a sexy girl delivering between-song lighted cigarettes to guitarist Mitch Mitchell.

But Pollard missed the point. As anyone who roamed downtown's Los Angeles State Historic Park on Saturday could see, punk no longer means inept, either on a musical or festival level. It means being inspired and maybe a little irrational, like festival founders Sean Carlson, Phil Hoelting and Keith Morris. It means realizing strengths and weaknesses. It means pushing at the edges like L.A.-based instrumental Nosaj Thing, who fused the deep, penetrating bass of dubstep with touches of skewed Aphex Twin breakbeat rhythms to create architecturally sophisticated sound structures as solid as they were abrasive. Or it means setting up gear in the crowd like electronic/serialist/rhythmatist Deacon to make sounds so driving and strobing that the level of crowd surfing reached Nirvana-like proportions. [LA Times]

You saw the Future Islands shots. Here are some more of a bunch of the acts that played FYF Fest in LA on Saturday (9/3). No Dead Milkmen, Kid Dynamite or Guided By Voices, but a bunch of other stuff below...

Continue reading "more pics from FYF Fest 2011 (Descendents, Broken Social Scene, No Age, Girls, Japandroids & more)"

DOWNLOAD: Mister Heavenly - "Pineapple Girl" (MP3)

Descendents at FFFFest (more by Tim Griffin)

Much like last year, FYF Fest 2011 is poppin' off with some incredible bands, many of whom recently reunited. This year the LA fest will host a coveted Descendents appearance, a Death From Above 1979 show, Guided By Voices, another Kid Dynamite reunion, The Dead Milkmen, Explosions in the Sky, the return of The Weakerthans and many, many notable others. Full lineup is below. The show goes down at 1st and Main in downtown Los Angeles on September 3rd. Tickets are on sale.

Future Islands plays FYF Fest and plays Death By Audio in Brooklyn TONIGHT (6/28).

For Kid Dynamite, which features members of Lifetime, Paint it Black and None More Black, the reunion is their first since re-emerging for This is Hardcore last year with Ink & Dagger. The band called it quits in 2000 and reunited in 2005 at CBGB and some other times too. I hope they schedule another NYC show, but it's just LA for now.

This is Hardcore THIS YEAR features an appearance from Ressurection, which also featured Dan Yemin on guitar. Tickets for This is Hardcore 2011, taking place in Philly's Starlight Ballroom, is mostly sold-out, with tickets for the Sunday show still available.

The Descendents appearance at FYFest is one of several dates scheduled for the reunited band, NYC's Roseland, Chicago Riot Fest, and Philly's Riot Fest included. Tickets are still available for the 9/23 Roseland show.

Mister Heavenly will hit the road for a string of dates on the West Coast leading up to FYF Fest. Check out their full tour schedule below, and look for their new LP Out of Love on 8/16 via Sub Pop. Check out "Pineapple Girl" from that record above.

The Death From Above 1979 appearance is one of several slated for the band in the coming months, including a 7/22 appearance at Williamsburg Waterfront. Tickets are still available OR, you can try your hand by winning a pair at our Facebook. The full set of DFA1979 dates are below.

The Weakerthans have a few other dates slated for Europe and Canada in the coming months. Hopefully they add more US dates too. All dates for now are listed below.

A few bands on the FYFest lineup (namely, Cults, Off!, and No Age) will also appear in NYC at the House of Vans this summer, and for FREE. The FYF-presented House of Vans series of shows starts this Thursday (6/30). You just have to RSVP to get in (and maybe get there early).

All Weakerthans, DFA1979, and Mister Heavenly dates, some video, and the full FYF Fest lineup is below.

Continue reading "FYF Fest in LA, This is Hardcore in Philly, Future Islands in BK, Mister Heavenly on tour, a DFA1979 contest & more"

People at Williamsburg Waterfront last year (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

This summer's Williamsburg Waterfront concert season begins this weekend with a free show on Saturday (6/11) (5:30pm doors). For what it's worth, that show is Coheed and Cambria, Adrian Belew Power Trio and Tigers Jaw, but it is free. It's also one of three currently announced free shows (there will be five free shows total, one of which will be classical music). The other two announced free events are Eugene Mirman and Pretty Good Friends (Patton Oswalt will be one of those friends!) and special musical guests They Might Be Giants on July 29, and a children's show with Moey's Music Party and Story Pirates (who recently hosted a benefit) on June 19 at noon.

Ticketed shows include Death From Above 1979, Death Cab for Cutie, Sonic Youth, Bright Eyes, Thievery Corporation (with Dam-Funk & Master Blazter and Raphael Saadiq opening), TV on the Radio, Fleet Foxes and more. Check out the full lineup with openers listed below...

Continue reading "Williamsburg Waterfront opens this weekend, here is the full updated summer schedule"

Tinariwen will release a new album called Tassili on August 30 via Anti- Records (pictured above). The album was recorded entirely acoustic with contributions from Tunde Adebimpe & Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and Nels Cline of Wilco (who plays a show with Marc Ribot at LPR on June 15th).

Tinariwen will head out on a short North American tour in July which will hit the Winnipeg Folk Festival and the previously mentioned Highline Ballroom on July 20. Tickets are still on sale for that NYC show.

Tinariwen also play the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival on July 21 at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds in Trumansburg, NY (which runs from July 21-24). There they share a bill with Donna the Buffalo, Court Yard Hounds, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Balkan Beat Box, Sammy Kershaw, Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited, John Brown's Body, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, and many others.

For Seun Kuti, the Trumansburg date is one day after he plays a free show at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Seun recently sent out an updated list of tour dates too, and a new video you can watch below.

Tinariwen collaborators TV on the Radio also recently expanded their upcoming tour dates, many of which are with Broken Social Scene who they play with at the Williamsburg Waterfront They also have a new video, as does BSS

The videos with all Seun & Tinariwen & TVOTR dates, below...

Continue reading "new Tinariwen LP & dates, Trumansburg Grassrooots Fest, Seun Kuti, Nels Cline, Marc Ribot & TV on the Radio too"

The Dodos @ Terminal 5 in 2010 (more by Greg Cristman)

today in NYC
* Sketchfest @ UCB
* Brain Cloud @ Barbes
* The Quavers @ Barbes
* Keir Neuringer @ Sycamore
* Questlove @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Margaret Lancaster @ The Stone
* Ma'am, Resistor, Cholo @ Union Hall
* The Stooges Brass Band @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Andrea Marcovicci, Jeff Harnar @ Town Hall
* The Cloud Room, Washington @ Mercury Lounge
* The Dodos, Gauntlet Hair @ Bowery Ballroom
* Brian Seymour, Alessi's Ark @ The Living Room
* Cults, Guards, Writer @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Pillars and Tongues, Fazer, Daniel Higgs @ Zebulon
* DJ Quik, BFUNK, D-Money, Medefi @ Knitting Factory
* Alina Simone w/ guest Amanda Palmer @ Joe's Pub
* Bedouin Soundclash, Echo Movement @ Mercury Lounge
* Sean Bones, Yellowbirds, Hospitality @ Cameo Gallery
* Omegas, Burning Love, Dry Spell, DBCR @ The Acheron
* Ed Askew, The Black Swans, Zachary Cale @ Bruar Falls
* Zeelab, IKTUS Percussion Quartet @ Issue Project Room
* Heresy of the Human Spirit, Paul Metzger @ Other Music
* Chris Mills, Bird of Youth, Niall Connolly @ The Rock Shop
* Ikebe Shakedown, Bio Ritmo, Colin Brown Band @ Southpaw
* Peewonder-z, Ken South Rock, Blackcherry @ Death By Audio
* Brian Wilson (re-imagines Gershwin) @ The Wellmont Theatre
* Radical Dads, EULA, Gross Relations, Electric People @ Cake Shop
* Flower Orgy, The Hairs, Chains of Love, Teen Witch @ Shea Stadium
* Cowboy Mouth, Jonathan Batiste, Sharon Little @ Highline Ballroom
* big crazy free show in Central Park that Blondie (Debbie) is playing!
* Hop Along, Dead Ringer, Dangerous Ponies, Brick Mower @ Silent Barn
* Super Hi-Fi, The Young Things, Wormburner, Ume, House Bat @ Pianos
* Dayglo Abortions, Verbal Abuse, 80HXC, Sexual Suicide, Runny @ Europa
* Steven Gosling, David Shively (The Music of Andrew Byrne) @ The Stone
* The Dead Exs, Golden Animals, The Fieros, Only Living Boy @ Bowery Electric
* Jay and The Birds, The Brew, My Pet Dragon, Matt Schofield @ Rockwood Music Hall
* B.T. Express, Rhythm Revue with Felix Hernandez @ Betsy Head Memorial Playground
* Tombs, A Storm of Light, PanzerBastard, Bastard Sapling @ The Studio
* In One Wind, The Building, Names of War, Pony of Good Tidings, Gym, Dear @ Littlefield
* Talib Kweli (DJ), Jamie Biden (DJ), Game Rebellion (LIVE), Amanda Diva (DJ), Ahficionados (DJ) @ Public Assembly

'This Week in Indie' coming soon.

Tonight's Figurines show at Mercury Lounge has been moved to August 18 and their 6/11 show at Knitting Factory to August 17. All tickets will be honored. Refunds available at point of purchase.

Jonny and Apex Manor @ Le Poisson Rouge @ is cancelled, though you can catch Apex Manor tomorrow.

Chris Bathgate plays with Apex Manor at the Rock Shop tomorrow. Chris Mills plays the Rock Shop tonight. Chris Garneu just played The Bell House with Keren Ann. Too many Chris's.

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe @ Brooklyn Bowl is cancelled.

John Grant at Joe's Pub tonight is cancelled.

TONIGHT AT OTHER MUSIC:

HERESY OF THE FREE SPIRIT & PAUL METZGER: TONIGHT, THURSDAY, JUNE 9 @ 8:30PM
Featuring Dutch lutenist Jozef Van Wissem and Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalists Robbie Lee and Che Chen, Heresy of the Free Spirit plays Van Wissem's arrangements of lute compositions and improvisations that draw on early music, folk traditions, modern composition and noise. This special performance will be in support of the trio's new LP A Prayer for Light and Van Wissem's new solo album The Joy That Never Ends, followed by a set from Paul Metzger, whose singular brand of solo banjo music is equally influenced by American primitive, Indian raga, and Middle Eastern tonality.

---

DJ Quik plays his first of two Knitting Factory shows tonight. He's also got a new video for the song "Nobody" ft. Suga Free and Ty$. Check it out below.

Bonnaroo has begun, but it doesn't start streaming until Friday.

Bon Iver's new album is streaming now though.

BrooklynVegan presents Tombs & A Storm of Light at The Studio tonight. Flyer below...

Broken Social Scene have a new video for "Sweetest Kill." Check it out below.

Joe Jackson played "Steppin' Out" on Fallon last night with The Roots. Watch the video below.

Death Cab For Cutie played "You Are A Tourist" on Conan last night. Watch the video below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

Broken Social Scene @ Coachella 2011 (more by David Andrako)

Broken Social Scene have a few live dates scheduled this summer, and it's just been revealed to us that one of those shows will be at Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn on Thursday, September 8th. That is in fact the same date TV On the Radio is playing the outdoor venue. BSS are opening the show. Tickets go on sale Friday at noon.

Broken Social Scene were also announced on the lineup of Austin City Limits early this morning, and they'll also be making an appearance at Bumbershoot in Seattle on September 4th. The latter hasn't actually announced its full lineup yet, but so far they've also revealed:

Wiz Khalifa, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Minus the Bear, Little Dragon, Broken Social Scene, The Kills, The Lonely Forest, Mavis Staples, Fitz and the Tantrums, Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs, Leon Russell, The Presidents of the United States of America, Urge Overkill, Over The Rhine, Toro Y Moi, Atari Teenage Riot, NoMeansNo....

The full lineup is coming in June. Stay tuned. And speaking of Toro Y Moi, he just announced a big NYC show that goes on sale Friday too. Speaking of Urge Overkill, they play NYC TONIGHT (5/17).

All BSS dates below...

Continue reading "Broken Social Scene opening for TVOTR on Sept 8, playing ACL, the partially-announced Bumbershoot (and other dates)"

The 10th Anniversary ACL Festival line-up is on the books. Stevie Wonder, Arcade Fire, Kanye West, Coldplay, My Morning Jacket, Fleet Foxes, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Nas & Damian "Jr Gong" Marley and Cee Lo top the bill of the over 130 bands. Bright Eyes, Social Distortion, Empire of the Sun, Santigold, Pretty Lights, TV On The Radio, Skrillex, Big Boi and Randy Newman are also on tap to rock September 16-18.

3-Day passes are sold out. 1-Day passes go on sale at 10am. Full lineup below...

Continue reading "Austin City Limits 2011 festival lineup is here, tickets on sale"

photos by David Andrako

Big Audio Dynamite

As you know, Arcade Fire played a light-up beach ball-filled headlining show on Saturday, and Odd Future made their presence known to crowd members, security and those watching Lil B, but other exciting stuff, like the reunited Big Audio Dynamite killing it (and bringing some to tears), happened too. The only unfortunate part of BAD's set was that Wire, who people keep reporting was "underattended," were on at the same time. Wire was also up against the very popular Mumford & Sons who played before Animal Collective who played before Arcade Fire.

Animal Collective got their usual mixed reaction thanks in part to their usual choice of playing whatever they want no matter how big the crowd and who's on before and after them. Anonymous | April 17, 2011 6:32 AM said, "fuck animal collective. people went to the festival to have fun [,not] to have images of cum projected for an hour while the boring drones. they had the deadest crowd i've seen on the main stage so far." Anonymous | April 17, 2011 8:25 AM basically agrees and said, "AC should have never been allowed on that stage in that time slot. The worst." Anonymous | April 17, 2011 1:33 PM says, "guys AC just sucks, this ain't no new mystery.... it's almost as if they try extra hard just to be that terrible and make the crowd feel like a bunch of tools for giving them money... They're prob just a social experiment by banksy anyway." But Anonymous | April 17, 2011 3:22 PM asks, "so AC sucks for trying to make innovative, artistically rewarding music instead of god-awful corporate college-rock like arcade fire? every song is like, the same four chords played over and over and over again."

Mumford & Sons went on after Bright Eyes who went on after Broken Social Scene who went on after Erykah Badu aka Erica Abi Wright aka Loretta Brown aka Annie aka Analog Girl in the Digital World aka Medulla Oblongata, etc. (she was great despite technical difficulties).

Erykah Badu

Neko Case helped make the New Pornographers shine under hot sun. Empire of the Suns won best costumes of the day. Phoenix New Times says...

"Also, I suppose yesterday was the "Fuck Arizona" day at Coachella -- Jenny & Johnny, Bright Eyes and One Day as a Lion all had sets during the day. I actually saw someone wearing a Sound Strike t-shirt on Friday. Wearing that shirt to a music festival is doing about as much as de la Rocha and Oberst are collectively doing to combat SB 1070."

The third and final day of Coachella 2011 is underway and streaming on the internet as I type this. Our pictures from Friday are HERE. Check out more pictures from Saturday, below...

Continue reading "Coachella 2011 Day 2 in pics (Big Audio Dynamite, BSS, Animal Collective, Erykah Badu, Bright Eyes, Mumford & Sons, more)"

BSS in Central Park (more by Matthew Eisman)

As you know, Broken Social Scene play Terminal 5 on January 18th with Here We Go Magic. Tickets are still available for all of you procrastinators, but for all of you agoraphobics (and people who just can't make it for one reason or another like maybe you don't even lve in NY) I have some great news. The entire show will be streamed live at 9PM EST, on the Bowery Presents Youtube channel.

The show is one of two upcoming dates for Here We Go Magic, who have also scheduled a secret show in Philadelphia, PA at an undisclosed location on 1/22 with NIGHTLANDS, Ape School, and Norwegian Arms. Keep your eyes on the Facebook invite.

In other Arts & Crafts-related news, Chilly Gonzales is scheduled to play Joes's Pub in NYC tomorrow (1/14), a one off for the composer/songwriter and his only current tour date. Tickets are still available. Chilly was in residence at the same NYC venue during February of last year.

Chilly Gonzales recently released a new video for "You Can Dance" from his 2010 LP Ivory Tower. That video and others, as well as all tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Broken Social Scene Terminal 5 show will be streaming online, Chilly Gonzales will be playing Joe's Pub"

Beach House @ Prospect Park (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Kevin Drew's Favorite Albums of 2010 (via)

The National, High Violet (4AD)
Here We Go Magic, Pigeons (SECRETLY CANADIAN)
Beach House, Teen Dream (SUB POP)
Big Boi, Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty (PURPLE RIBBON/DEF JAM)
Owen Pallett, Heartland (DOMINO)
Brian McBride, The Effective Disconnect (KRANKY)
Bishop Morocco, Bishop Morocco (HAND DRAWN DRACULA)
Four Tet, There Is Love in You (DOMINO)
Matthew Dear, Black City (GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL)
Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir, Like a Ship… (Without a Sail) [reissue] (LIGHT IN THE ATTIC)

Beach House also made Pitchfork's Top 10.

Kevin Drew's band Broken Social Scene is touring soon and playing Terminal 5. Big Boi has a show coming up at Terminal 5 too. Beach House have two shows coming up at Webster Hall as part of a short tour, and they played Conan last night (12/20). Video below...

Continue reading "Kevin Drew likes Beach House who played Conan last night"

Broken Social Scene have released a new video for "Texico Bitches" from their latest LP Forgiveness Rock Record. Check it out below. The announcement comes with a fresh batch of US dates that include the previously discussed NYC show at Terminal 5 on 1/18. Tickets go on fan presale for all the new shows via GalleryAC on Wednesday (12/15). The NYC show goes on AMEX Presale Wednesday too, and regular sale on Friday 12/17 at noon.

All BSS dates, a stream of the Star Slinger remix for "Texico Bitches", and the video is below.

Continue reading "updated BSS tour dates, presale info & Texico Bitches video"

Broken Social Scene at Central Park (more by Matthew Eisman)

Canada's Indie All-Star team, aka Broken Social Scene have dates scheduled throughout their home country this month, and will head south of the border to play NYC's Terminal 5 on January 18th. Tickets for the NYC show go on AMEX presale on 12/15 at noon and regular sale two days later. All tour dates are listed below, and so far they also include a February show in New Orleans (many more TBA?).

Feist joined Broken Social Scene Thursday night at Sound Academy in Toronto - not to sing one of her BSS songs, but to play a particularly rockin' version of her own song "I Feel It All". Video of that performance is below. They played the same song, but (according to a posted setlist) without her, at the same venue Friday night. Both setlists are below.

Speaking of Feist, she is the subject of a new documentary called Look at What the Light Did Now:

"The documentary is a backstage pass into Feist's creative process, the story of how The Reminder got made, of the oceans that were crossed, the places that were seen, and the people whose talents made it resonate. Follow Feist and her supporting cast through an impressionistic array of flickering scenery, echoing stadiums, puppet workshops, the red carpet, a crumbling French mansion, definitive concert performances and uncommonly candid interviews. Itself a part of the creative mosaic it portrays, Look At What The Light Did Now illuminates the synergy of collaboration, art as magnifying glass, and the power of trust."

Look at What the Light Did Now is on DVD now with accompanying CD. Among the many friends of Feist you'll see in the movie is Chilly Gonzales who you may have caught Saturday night at 'The Concert Hall' with Peaches. If not, you have a second chance when "Peaches Chris Superstar" hits Music Hall of Williamsburg Sunday night.

The film This Movie is Broken that (heavily) features BSS is also out now on DVD, in Canada, or via the band. The trailer for that movie is below too...

Continue reading "Broken Social Scene coming back to NYC, Feist DVD out now, both just played together in Toronto (video & dates)"

Yo La Tengo @ the Bell House in September (more by David Andrako)

All eight Yo La Tengo Hanukkah shows are sold out, and frankly, even catching a free Yo La Tengo show during CMJ can't compensate for missing one of those shows, so I won't pretend this is good news for those that got shut out of Maxwell's, but this is good news nonetheless. Yo La Tengo will play a free Mog-sponsored CMJ opening night show at Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday, October 19th (M.I.A. style). And it gets better. Screaming Females, also from NJ, will open the free Brooklyn bowling alley show. It kicks off at 8pm (doors at 6).... and UPDATE: Dom is playing it too!

Don't want to wait in line to maybe catch Screaming Females for free when you can guarantee your way in the door to see the same band two nights later? Want to see them twice? Hate bowling alleys? Don't go out on Tuesdays? You're in luck, because as previously-mentioned, Screaming Females are also playing the official BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 21st with the stellar lineup of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Blow, Yuck, and Young Man. Some tickets are still available (and we'll be letting in a whole bunch of people with CMJ badges).

Yo La Tengo recently got back from Vegas where they helped Matador celebrate 21 years in legendary fashion, but before that they took part in a Brooklyn show that may be remembered as a legendary show for alternative NYC comedy (though not necessarily for nice reasons).

In November, City Slang is having a 20th birthday party in Berlin. Yo La Tengo are playing that anniversary celebration too. Full lineup, including The Notwist playing "Neon Golden" from start to finish, below...

Continue reading "Yo La Tengo playing a free NYC show w/ Screaming Females, 20 Years of City Slang in Berlin"

photos by Matthew Eisman

Drew & Canning at Central Park's Rumsey Playfield

The Polaris Music Prize ceremony is happening tonight, Monday, 9/20, at 8pm EST. Canadians can watch the event on Much, and satellite radio subscribers can listen live on channel 86. Maybe short list nominee Broken Social Scene will tune in to see if they win. They have tonight off from their current North American tour (which resumes Tuesday at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA).

That tour landed at Rumsey Playfield aka Central Park Summerstage in NYC on Saturday night (September 18th). The Sea & Cake opened for and some of its members played with the Canadian Collective which featured the base crew of Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Justin Peroff, Charles Spearin, Andrew Whiteman, Lisa Lobsinger, along with horns and others (no Amy, Emily, or Feist)...

Kevin Drew announced at the outset that the band was going to just play for two hours, and he was true to his words. Aside from occasional pauses to introduce songs or various band members (and to send several of them crowd-surfing into the audience), the group went through one song after another. As expected, there was an emphasis on its latest album, Spring's "Forgiveness Rock Record," but BSS played many of its well-known tunes, including "7/4 (Shoreline)," "Fire Eyed Boy," "Superconnected," "Looks Just Like the Sun," and "Lover's Spit."-[Podcastparty]

Full setlist, some videos, and more pictures below...

Continue reading "Broken Social Scene played Summerstage w/ The Sea & Cake (pics, video, setlist) "

DOWNLOAD: Broken Social Scene - "All To All" (DJ Mom Jeans Remix)

The Sea & Cake

The Sea & Cake will support Broken Social Scene on their upcoming trek that will see them at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park on 9/18 (tickets). The tour pairing makes perfect sense considering Sam Prekop's (The Sea & Cake) contributions on the recent BSS record, and his new LP Old Punch Card due on 9/7 via Thrill Jockey. A recent press release also states that there is a "rumored to be a split 7" between the two bands in the works". Hmm, rumors in a press release? Look for more details on that 7" soon.

In other BSS news, the band is releasing a series of remixes for their song "All To All". So far contributions from Sebastian Grainger, DJ Mom Jeans, Jojoflores, and Skeet Skeet have emerged, with more due every week. Download one contribution above, and the rest at the remix site. The video for "All To All" (the original) is viewable below.

NYC is looking like Arts & Crafts showcasing ground for the next few days, as TONIGHT (9/1) the previously discussed The Wooden Birds / Dan Mangan tour will hit The Rock Shop (the shows was moved from Union Hall), tagging Mercury Lounge two days later (tickets).

Thursday (9/2) will see recent Mexican A&C signees Chikita Violenta play Mercury Lounge with A Great Big Pile of Leaves (tickets) as part of a larger tour that includes non-NYC dates with A&C-in-Canada labelmates Ra Ra Riot (who play NYCx4 in Sept) and Built To Spill (who play NYC Thursday).

Chikita Violenta is prepping to release their forthcoming LP for A&C, TRE3S, due in early 2011. The album was recorded in Canada with former Broken Social Scene producer Dave Newfeld. An MP3 is being given away at their site.

Last but not least, Chilly Gonzales (who will be in NYC soon with Peaches) is busy helping Feist with her new album. Feist and Gonzales both appear on Jamie Lidell's new album. Chilly's new album, Ivory Tower, is out September 14th.

All tour dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Arts & Crafts superpost: Chikita Violenta (from Mexico), Dan Mangan & Wooden Birds (also here), Sea & the Cake w/ BSS who have remixes (touring), Sam Prekop, Feist & more"

Day 1 photos by Weekly Dig, Wolf Parade photos by Kate Gardiner

Panda Bear @ Pitchfork Fest Saturday evening (Suckafreemike)

"Dear panda bear: you're playing a music festival, not an art installation." - Etan

"The only explanation for Panda Bear's set at the Pitchfork Music Festival is that it's a practical joke on people who are not on drugs." - lifeinzembla

"Panda Bear was nice but wayyyy too low key for a festival crowd" - Carleton Atwater

"hey i'm watching online and panda bear sounds amazing!!" - Nicole H

"Bet this new Panda Bear stuff sounds great on headphones but it's not really festival music" - Joe Colly

"Panda Bear mixing footage on the screen of a little girl jumping up and down and a Great White Shark eating a cow...weird" - Anthony Adamowicz

"Really Panda Bear?!! No "Comfy in Nautica" or "Bros??" Lame." - Michael Roche

"Panda Bear just put 20000 people to sleep at @pitchfork2010. No joke." - angelabosworth

"Panda Bear killed it. set was almost exclusively new stuff. pushing the art to the next level." - Luke Tipton

Panda Bear @ Pitchfork Fest Saturday evening (iissaaacc)

More pictures from the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival, below...

Continue reading "mixed reactions to Panda Bear & more pictures from the 2010 Pitchfork Festival (Days 1 & 2)"

photos by Kate Gardiner

"And Yawnfork continues." - Jim DeRogatis

Robyn dominated Friday @ the Pitchfork Festival

"Who knew the best performer of the day would be a blonde bombshell spinning Euro-disco? Robyn -- another Swede and a former child star who's fought hard to regain her own artistic control -- came out throwing punches in the air when she wasn't doing that elbows-high, shoulder-leaning dance all '80s female singers used to do. Fiesty, sexy, spunky, Robyn opened with the virtues of being a "Fembot," assured us that love hurts "With Every Heartbeat" and sang flawlessly through new single "Dancing on My Own" in front of a band dressed in all white, twiddling knobs and pounding synth-pad drums. The latter really exploded at the end of "Cobrastyle," with Robyn showing some kick-box dancing. Her Pink-ish pluck reached its zenith in "Don't F---ing Tell Me What to Do," during which she led some kind of aerobics class (sporting a totally Pat Benatar green beret, too). And she was the crowd favorite. Go figure." [Chicago Sun Times]

Robyn is now on tour with Kelis (that tour includes three NYC shows).

This post comes five hours into Day Two of the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival (which is streaming online). Tonight's remaining acts are Wolf Parade, Panda Bear, and LCD Soundsystem. More pictures and a few videos from most of what came prior, below....

Continue reading "Pitchfork Fest 2010 - Day 1 & most of Day 2 (pictures & video) "

The Besnard Lakes @ Bowery Ballroom in March (more by Andrew St Clair)

The short list for the 2010 Polaris Prize has been announced. The ten nominees are below...

Continue reading "2010 Polaris Music Prize short list announced (includes Caribou who will DJ Glasslands after the Governors Island show) "

"With a horn section behind the already several-member group, Broken Social Scene began with 'World Sick' off their new album Forgiveness Rock Record and then 'Stars And Sons,' the latter with fans clapping repeatedly on cue as six guitarists jammed out the conclusion.

However, from there things got bigger and better, with Metric's James Shaw and Pavement's Scott Kannberg helping out on the danceable 'Texico Bitches.' Then Feist made her way onstage for '7/4 (Shoreline),' dancing around the stage when not sharing vocal duties with Drew.

The only problem perhaps with the set - aside from Drew irked that his guitar pedals weren't working - was how it seemed to peak halfway through. Following the plodding, precious ballad 'Sweetest Kill,' both Feist and Metric's Emily Haines appeared for 'Sentimental X's,' which had the crowd onside from the start." [Toronto Sun]

Sebastien Grainger (DFA1979) and John McEntire (Tortoise/Sea and Cake) also joined BSS on stage on Saturday, June 19th, on Toronto's Olympic Island. The full lineup for the 2010 edition of the annual Toronto Island Concert, which wasn't officially part of NXNE (but which did let in 250 badges) looked like this:

1:15 PM Toronto Revue (The Beauties, Flash Lightnin', Zeus)
2:45PM Timber Timbre
4:00PM Beach House
5:15PM Band of Horses
6:45PM Broken Social Scene
9:00PM Pavement

I left my downtown hotel in a cab at 3pm, and though the ferry station was only a ten minute drive away, I didn't actually get to the stage area until around around 4:45. I heard Beach House as I walked up, but I never actually saw them. I wasn't worried about catching Timber Timbre because I saw them the night before in a club (more on that later), and I knew I wasn't getting there by 1:00 (after being out till 4am at NXNE shows the night before) so I didn't even try.

The weather on Saturday in Toronto was hot and beautiful and Band of Horses (who played Grand Central Station in NYC one night earlier) (and the Williamsburg Waterfront in NYC one night later) sounded great as they played out to the thousands of people who were either watching them... or waiting on line for something. Lines were definitely a problem on the island. You usually had to wait a long time for food, bathrooms and most frustratingly to many, beer.

Then came Broken Social Scene and they were in top form - it was my favorite time ever seeing them. In fact, though I've seen the band more times than I can remember over the past six years, I was never 100% comfortable with their live show before. That changed on the island. Maybe it was because they were in their hometown of Toronto with all their friends (though sadly no Jason Collett or Amy Milan who are both on tour). Feist and Emily Haines together on stage contributed strongly to the specialness (par for the course for Toronto), and Lisa Lobsinger no longer feels like the new girl.

Full setlist (and lots more pictures and some videos) below.

As painful as it was to leave while BSS was playing their last song (aka I didn't stay for Pavement), I made the decision that I was going to catch The Stooges who played a competing show at Young Dundas Square at 9:30. My trip off the island was much quicker than my trip on. I got a ferry immediately and then a cab immediately and I was 40 minutes early for Iggy. I even caught the last ten minutes of The Raveonettes who played before the Stooges on the outdoor stage which was in the middle of a Times Square-like area of town. It was a complete madhouse (a free show in the middle of town open to anyone... with Iggy Pop), but more on that later.

Andrew Frisicano was with me on the island. He missed Band of Horses but stayed for Pavement. His post on the headliner is coming later. More about BSS and Band of Horses, with a ton of pictures and some videos and both setlists, below...

Continue reading "Broken Social Scene (w/ Feist & Emily Haines) & Band of Horses opened for Pavement @ Toronto's Olympic Island - pics, video, setlists"

Damian Abraham & child @ NXNE - 6/17/2010

After working all day in a hotel room on Thursday, I headed out into for my first-ever taste of both NXNE and Toronto music clubs. I've been to the city once before, but that was a very long time ago.

Things were kicking off at 6pm on the outdoor stage set up at Young Dundas Square. Locals will tell you that its Toronto's Times Square, but after being there I'd say its more like Union Square (in shape and size anyway). That said, I don't know what it normally looks like there, but for NXNE they turned the whole paved center of the square into a festival site complete with sponsored booths (free sample of flavored water anyone? Would you like to learn more about Sirius XM radio?) and a huge stage that anyone is free to check out (Iggy Pop plays there on Saturday).

Entry to any other NXNE venue will cost you. A festival badge, which you could purchase in Young Dudas Square, costs $50 and gets you into everything capacity permitting (though we never had a problem once). It's like CMJ and SXSW - there are NXNE shows in all the Toronto clubs.

We got to Young Dudas in time for Free Energy's set, and for the speeches that came before them. The first was by the man himself, Damian "Pink Eyes" Abraham from Fucked Up, aka the mayor of Toronto (he was the first of three Fucked Up members I spotted over the course of the evening). He, and a lady friend whose name I didn't catch, introduced the band and Michael Chan, the Minister of Tourism & Culture, who gave a nice little speech before the bands began.

More pictures and commentary below...

Continue reading "NXNE 2010 in pics - part 1 (Free Energy, Young Galaxy, more)"

Band of Horses @ SXSW (more by Bryan Bruchman)

Band of Horses play this Sunday at Williamsburg Waterfront with Grizzly Bear and Karen Elson. That's sold out. On Saturday, Band of Horses are playing as part of Broken Social Scene's Toronto Island concert along with Pavement, Beach House, Timber Timbre and others. That show is now part of NXNE, and they'll be letting in 250 badgeholders from the fest. Tickets are still on sale.

And Friday (6/18), Band of Horses will be playing a free AOL-sponsored show at an as-of-now-secret location in Manhattan at 6:30pm (which means Band of Horses are playing NYC, then Toronto, then NYC again this weekend). The Manhattan location is expected to be revealed Thursday at noon. We'll of course post it as soon as it is. The band so far tweeted a map of midtown (which has Radio City in the center of it) so the show might be somewhere in that area or not (presumably not South Street Seaport). The tweeted pic is below.

The free show is following in the pattern of what AOL did at SXSW for their secret/surprise parking garage show with Broken Bells and a different band each day that March week.

Broken Social Scene's concert-scored film This Movie Is Broken, directed by Bruce McDonald and soundtracked with footage from BSS's Toronto Island show in 2009, is screening on Thursday (6/17) at 92YTribeca (it's a fictional story, part of which takes place at the show, with music and clips from the gig throughout). That screening is sold out, but "a limited number of tickets for sold out events may be available one hour before curtain." Broken Social Scene play NYC's Rumsey Playfield in September.

The trailer for that film, the above-mentioned BoH pic and some videos below...

Continue reading "Band of Horses playing free AOL show in NYC Friday, Toronto Island w/ BSS Saturday & the Waterfront Sunday"

photos by Chris Graham

"At the sold-out Sasquatch, bands holding down the headliner spots haven't necessarily turned out to be the biggest draws. Sure, My Morning Jacket played to a mostly packed house on Saturday, and Massive Attack was overwhelmingly solid on Sunday despite a not-so-full amphitheater floor, but the band drawing the most populous, most stoked, most deserved gathering was unquestionably Vampire Weekend." [SPIN]

Pictures of Vampire Weekend, My Morning Jacket, and the rest of Day One of this year's Sasquatch Festival (which just went down over Memorial Day Weekend), below...

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2010 Day 1 in pics (My Morning Jacket, Hold Steady, Broken Social Scene, Vampire Weekend, Miike Snow & more) "

photos by Bao Nguyen

One night after they appeared at Webster Hall, Broken Social Scene played a show at the smaller Music Hall of Williamsburg over in Brooklyn with their Arts & Crafts label-mates Zeus...

"...Saturdays show was the best I've seen them. There's always a sense of discovery with seeing a band for the first time. It's overwhelming, exciting and you become a fan for life. On the hand, location, setlist and performance is what really prevails when you think of memorable concert experiences. With BSS, they've added a handful of fantastic songs from their recent release Forgiveness Rock Record. Texico Bitches, art House Director and Meet Me in the Basement all get the FTW! label..." [Music Snobbery]

The pictures in this post (and the setlist) are from that Saturday night show.

The band's next NYC show will hold more people than Webster Hall and Music Hall combined. It takes place at Central Park Summerstage aka Rumsey Playfield on September 18th (tickets). If you want a more intimate experience head up to Toad's Place in New Haven, CT where they play two days after that, or Theatre of the Living Arts in Philly where they're appearing on September 14th. Those are a few of many tour dates they just announced. All of those, with more pictures from the Brooklyn show, below...

Continue reading "Broken Social Scene played Music Hall of Williamsburg (pics & setlist), announce more tour dates "