A still from 'Mistaken for Strangers'

The National, who'll headline the Barclays Center in June, are the subject of a new tour documentary, Mistaken for Strangers, which will make its premiere at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival (April 17 - 28). The film was directed by Tom Berninger, whose brother Matt is lead singer of The National. Here's the synopsis:

Adrift in life and fuelled by the desire to create, Tom Berninger accepts his brother's offer to come on The National tour as a roadie and decides to chronicle his experiences with the band. Although Tom starts off with dreams of making a rock documentary (you can watch the portaits he made on each of the band members), a different story emerges as tensions among the band members lead to unforeseen drama. Following the band from Berlin to Paris to Los Angeles to a 2010 Obama rally in Madison, Wisconsin, Mistaken for Strangers is not your typical road documentary.

Festival packages go on sale to AmEx cardholders on Monday (3/4), which is one day before the entire slate of films for Tribeca will be announced. Festival passes go on sale to the general public following Monday (3/11). Individual tickets will go on sale 4/9 for AmEx cardholders, 4/14 for downtown residents and 4/15 to the general public.

In related news, The National are co-headlining (with fun.) the Boston Calling Music Festival which goes down in Beantown on May 25 and 26. The fest also includes appearances by The Shins, Of Monsters & Men, Dirty Projectors, Andrew Bird and more. Tickets to Boston Calling go sale Friday, March 8 and the whole line-up is below.

Continue reading "The National (band & documentary) playing Tribeca Film Fest, headlining Boston Calling Music Festival"

by Andrew Sacher

Minus the Bear at Webster Hall in 2010 more by Matthew Eisman)

Back in the early 2000's, just before "emo" became a bad word, there was actually a bit of crossover between the emo and indie rock scenes. Some of those bands even faired well for a bit on indie rock machine Pitchfork, who awarded Cursive's Domestica an 8.0 and Minus the Bear's This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic EP an 8.6. Fans of that era are in luck, because Minus the Bear and Cursive just announced a tour together with support from Caspian, which hits the NYC area for shows on September 23 at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ and September 29 at Best Buy Theater. Tickets for both NYC area shows go on sale Friday (7/20) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (7/18) at 10 AM. All dates are listed below.

For Minus the Bear, the tour will be in support of their new album, Infinity Overhead, which is due out August 28 via Dangerbird. It's their second album for the label, following 2010's underrated OMNI. Check out a teaser video for the album which contains a minute-long song clip below.

Caspian will also be releasing a new album this year and it will be the first album for the previously instrumental post rockers to feature vocals. The album's called Waking Season and it's due out on their new home, Triple Crown Records. It was produced by Matt Bayles, who has also worked extensively with Minus the Bear. You can watch an album trailer below.

Cursive will also be in NYC even sooner for free show at House of Vans on August 16 with Titus Andronicus, Love As Laughter, and Joyce Manor.

After the leg with Caspian, MTB and Cursive head out on a run with Girl In A Coma. A list of all dates and those videos are below...

Continue reading "Minus the Bear, Cursive, and Caspian touring together (dates)"

by Andrew Sacher

La Dispute at the Acheron in 2010 (more by Andrew St. Clair)

La Dispute's album Wildlife was one of my favorite post-hardcore albums of 2011. You can stream it in its entirety below and pick up the album at the No Sleep webstore.

La Dispute will be going on a headlining tour of the US and Canada in support of it this spring. The tour will be supported by Sainthood Reps, All Get Out, and Balance and Composure. All dates and the tour flier are below.

The tour hits NYC on April 29 at Bowery Ballroom. Artist presale tickets are available now for all dates. Presale tickets come with a poster (pictured below) designed by the band's bassist, Adam Vass. Ticketmaster tickets for the Bowery show go on sale Friday (2/10) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (2/8) at noon.

In somewhat related news, La Dispute's friends Pianos Become The Teeth have a few upcoming shows including two in NYC. They open for post-rockers Caspian at The Studio at Webster Hall on February 24 with Tidal Arms and also open for Converge at MHOW on April 14 with Git Some. Tickets for the Studio show are on sale now and tickets for the MHOW show go on sale Friday (2/10) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (2/8) at noon.

All dates, album stream, flier, and poster below...

Continue reading "La Dispute announce tour dates; Pianos Become The Teeth opening for Converge & Caspian "

words by BBG, photos by Jen Maler

Caspian

[Caspian's]... volcanic live show belies its more delicate recorded work, but provided a welcome, if intense, contrast... The seismic sound shifts remained as intense as ever, underlining the band's dramatic yet solid foundation.

Caspian frontman Philip Jamieson has compared the group's songwriting process to "being swept up into a storm"; we'd say the live show has a similarly gripping effect. Prepare to find broken branches in your brain the morning after a Caspian event. - [Bostonist]

Pics of Caspian and Arms & Sleepers (our photographer missed both openers), and some recent video, is below....

Continue reading "Caspian & Arms & Sleepers played the Studio (pics) "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Caspian - "Ghosts of the Garden City" (MP3)

Caspian

Caspian is crescendo-ing their way through a US tour that placed them in Austin during SXSW, and will land the soaring post-rockers in NYC on April 15 at The Studio @ Webster Hall. Arms & Sleepers are along for the ride, and will team up with Sainthood Reps and Golden City for the date. Get yer tix.

Caspian is supporting 2009's Tertia, which the band initally gave away for free, and is now streaming in full. Download one of those tracks above.

Golden City's debut 10" on Magic Bullet Records was recorded by Ian Love who plays guitar in Rival Schools with Walter Schreifels. Look for Schreifels to make a solo appearance on May 5th at The Studio. Tickets are on sale. Meanwhile, Rival Schools is scheduled to play Union Pool on April 23rd, though tickets for that are now sold out.

Find Caspian dates in your area and some video below...

Continue reading "Caspian on tour, Walter Schreifels adds a show (dates) "

by Black Bubblegum

Caspian

Quiet. Crescendo. Shimmering guitar. Crunch and thunder. Decrescendo. Sounds like a simple formula for a post-rock band, but you'd be surprised at how many get it wrong. Caspian, a Massachusetts post-rock crew, knows that "epic" doesnt have to mean an album of five 16+ minute songs, and the crew have the melodies to prove it. The band recently dropped their new album Tertia on The Mylene Sheath, and are currently offering that long-player for FREE download here.

Caspian is currently touring North America and will hit The Studio @ Webster Hall on Aug 28th (FRIDAY) before jetting to Europe for an extremely ambitious set of dates. Both Arms & Sleepers and The American Dollar will get credit for the assist at The Studio, (tix for that shindig here).

All tour dates and a teaser video for the LP are below....

Continue reading "Caspian giving away album ++ 2009 Tour Dates (NYC Friday)"