Deerhoof in Boston in October (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

today in NYC
* Mos Def @ Blue Note
* Jesse Harris @ The Stone
* Gross Relations @ Bruar Falls
* Mike Birbiglia @ Joe's Pub
* Slavic Soul Party @ Barbes
* Gerald Kurdian @ The Stone
* Cowboy Junkies @ City Winery
* Tell Your Friends! @ Lolita Bar
* Slaughterhouse @ Highline Ballroom
* Petr Cancura's Down Home @ Barbes
* Gang of Four, Hollerado @ Webster Hall
* Favourite Sons, Mike Bones @ Union Pool
* Henry Rollins spoken word @ Joe's Pub
* the National @ the Studio @ Webster Hall
* Chris Thile, Michael Daves @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Miracles, Yvette, Adult Themes @ Death By Audio
* Malachi, The Dough Rollers, Dear Old Pals @ Zebulon
* Anni Rossi, Little Anchor, Deidre, Uncles @ Glasslands
* Deerhoof, Ben Butler & Mousepad, Buke and Gass @ Europa
* Doveman, Justin Bond, Beth Orton, The Poison Tree @ Le Poisson Rouge
* ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Takka Takka @ Littlefield
* Alina Simone, Wolff (McSweeney's Book Release Party for "Donald") @ Pianos
* Jon Glaser book release party w/ Paul Rudd, John Hodgman, more @ Bell House
* Jennifer O'Connor, Richard Baluyut, Kendall Meade, Charles Bissell of The Wrens @ The Rock Shop
* Dred Scott Trio, Twi The Humble Feather, Jon Darling, Dina RuDean, Night Shining, Utah Green, Rachel Brotman @ Rockwood Music Hall

Check out This Week in Indie for more.

Twi the Humble Feather return to the stage this evening, Tuesday, 2/8. Catch them at Rockwood Music Hall. They go on at 11pm on Stage 1, an hour after Chris Thile starts on Stage 2.

Twi also have a gig scheduled for March 31st at Joe's Pub with Brooklyn quintent Build who will be celebrating a CD release that night.

Speaking of Joe's Pub, Henry Rollins kicks off his 50th birthday celebrations at the NYC venue this evening. I thought tickets were totally sold out for all five night, but as of this writing they seem to be available for three of them.

Jennifer O'Connor's Rock Shop residency continues tonight. Charles Bissell will be there and this is what he wrote about it:

Charles will be playing a little differently solo (than the usual loop-happy set, hidden behind a veil of electronics and studio trickery), as part of the wonderful Jennifer O'Connor's new monthly "Tower of Song" series at the Rock Shop in Brooklyn on Tues. Feb. 8th. Also on this one are the equally estimable Richard Baluyut (of Versus) and Kendall Meade (of Mascott).

It's sort of a round-robin affair with all four onstage, each playing their songs in a row, maybe talking a bit about them etc...

Then there's a homework assignment for each performer to write a new song based on a theme (this Tower of Song's theme is an anti-Valentine's Day or anti-love song, mostly due the early Feb. show date).

Additionally, each will be covering one of the other's songs.

Yikes, Charles will probably be closer to a Tower of Unpreparedness and copying of the paper of the singer next to him.

Anni Rossi is at Glasslands. Alina Simone appears upstairs at Pianos.

Don't for get that Deerhoof's show has moved to Europa. Check out their new video for " Super Duper Rescue Heads" below....

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

Versus

The once extinguished but now active Versus is scheduled to play Mercury Lounge on February 19th, their lone East Coast date as part of a handful of US dates late next month. Tickets for Mercury Lounge go on sale at noon. The band released their first LP in ten years, On the Ones and Threes, via Merge Records in 2010.

You can also catch Versus's Richard Baluyut when he appears during Jennifer O'Connor's residency at Rock Shop on February 8th. Tickets are still available, and he'll be joined by Charles Bissell of The Wrens and Kendall Meade of Mascott.

Speaking of Charles Bissell, he is also on the bill of a Project Matters Benefit at Maxwell's in Hoboken on January 23rd with Cymbals Eat Guitars and Escape Directors. Tickets are on sale.

Versus is also on board for Noise Pop 2011 in San Francisco, CA. To be exact, they play Cafe Du Nord with their touring labelmates Telekinesis & The Love Language on February 23rd. The whole festival will take place at multiple venues from February 22-27 and will also feature appearances from Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service), Ted Leo (solo), The Concretes (who are touring), Waaves & Best Coast (who are touring together), How to Dress Well (who plays Brooklyn soon), No Age, Yo La Tengo, and many other favorites. The full slate of initially-announced bands is below, and you can get your badges now.

Full list of Noise Pop bands, some video and all Versus dates are below.

Continue reading "Versus playing shows, Cymbals Eat Guitars playing a benefit, Noise Pop initial lineup announced (Ben Gibbard & many more)"

Kaia Wilson & Jennifer O'Connor

Move over Palomar, it's singer-songwriter Jennifer O'Connor's turn to start bringing special guests like Charles Bissell to special residency shows at new Brooklyn venue the Rock Shop. Jennifer writes...

"I am going to be hosting and performing in a monthly songwriter's series called Tower of Song that will take place on the second Tuesday of every month in 2011.

Each month I will invite three other songwriter's to join me and we will get together at the Rock Shop and each play a handful of songs and talk about our songwriting processes a little bit and collaborate and maybe play a cover or two. I think it's going to make for a really interesting night of music, especially for those interested in the "song" as an art form and maybe learning about how different folks write. I, for one, am totally excited to see what comes from it."

The first "Tower of Song" show takes place this Tuesday, January 11th, with Chris Brokaw (Come, The New Year), Amy Bezunartea (Clint Michigan), and Tim Foljahn (Two Dollar Guitar, Cat Power) (tickets are on sale). February 8th's show will feature Charles Bissell (The Wrens), Kendall Meade (Mascott), and Richard Baluyut (Versus) (tickets are on sale).

Jennifer, as she explained above, will also be playing at each show. She is also working a new record which she hopes to "have out some time later this year." Flyers, and a video of Jennifer covering "Waterfalls" with Clint Assay, Andrew Singer and Amy Bezbelow at Joe's Pub on December 15th, below...

Continue reading "Jennifer O'Connor starting a monthly series @ the Rock Shop"

In their own words, "PALOMAR is playing a "benefits residency" every Tuesday [at the Rock Shop] from Nov 16-Dec 14, called 5 GREAT NIGHTS, 5 GREAT CAUSES. The band will play songs from their new, yet-to-be-released album, and have roped in some big names including Nada Surf, Charles and Kevin of The Wrens and many more." Other guests at the shows include Walter Schreifels, Todd Barry, Dave Hill, Eugene Mirman, and Robbers on High Street. Right now only $40 tickets are on sale. That gets you into all five shows. Individual show tickets will be on sale Friday.

Exact dates, full lineups, flyer, and more below...

Continue reading "Palomar playing benefit shows w/ very special guests (Nada Surf, Wrens members, Todd Barry, Walter Schreifels, more)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

I was expecting [Tim] Kasher to perform acoustic sans backup, but he played with a full band, complete with trumpet and violin--a very appropriate touch considering the often-dramatic content of his songs.

Musically the band sounded good, but it was Kasher's lyrics and unflinching delivery that got everyone's attention. If Raymond Carver played the guitar and were still alive his songs would sound something like Kasher's. When Kasher played "Strays", he ruefully sang, "Writers are selfish, Writers are Egotists; I'm afraid I'm as bad as it gets. I keep forgetting to censor the truth, that's why I better write some kind of love song for you."

Kasher lightened things up when he sang, "There Must be Something I've Lost" - A humorous but realistic take on becoming an adult. Kasher shouted, "I want to have sex with all my old girlfriends again. I swear it's just the familiarity I miss...Aw fuck it-it's just typical male conquest. You know, the world don't revolve around your prick. Just ask your old girlfriends." -[Death & Taxes]

Tim Kasher (Cursive/The Good Life) celebrated the release of his new LP The Game of Monogamy by playing The Rock Shop on 10/6 with support from Charles Bissell of the Wrens. Kasher also played a show at Other Music one day earlier and is on tour.

More pictures, including shots of the setlists (including most of Kasher's), below...

Continue reading "Tim Kasher & Charles Bissell played the Rock Shop (pics) "

DOWNLOAD: Bird of Youth - "Stop Staring" (MP3)

Roky w/ Okkervil River @ Webster Hall in May (more by Kurt Christensen)

Austin songwriter Roky Erickson will be touring again in November. That includes at least two NYC-area shows. Those happen November 10th at the Bell House (tickets on sale Friday at noon) and November 12th at Maxwell's (tickets also on sale Friday at noon). More dates, including Boston, TBA.

Roky's most recent set of shows and album included Okkervil River as his backing band. That won't be the case this time, but you can catch Okkervil frontman Will Sheff when he plays a solo show at the Living Room on Tuesday, August 10th. That show is part of Bird of Youth's Tuesday in August residency at the Living Room. Bird of Youth (the band led by BK musician Beth Wawerna)'s other guests include Charles Bissell of the Wrens and Timothy Bracy's Collection Agency (ex-Mendoza Line). They all, or most of them, also contribute to Bird of Youth's upcoming debut album (MP3 from that above). No advanced tickets. A flyer for the residency is below...

Continue reading "Roky Erickson schedules more shows, Will Sheff & others playing w/ Bird of Youth @ Living Room (Charles Bissell too)"

words & photos by Anna Scialli

AVC: Why the long gap between Meadowlands and this record [that is coming out in 2010]?

Charles Bissell: There's no easy answer, although part of it [is] we needed a break. The funny thing is, we toured all the time, had jobs, and did a couple weekends a month. The biggest thing I guess was the last record took so darn long to make and a lot of it was pretty boring stuff. A lot of it was how we work as a band and how we brought in songs. I vowed never to do that again--never to take four years [with a record]--but it took five years to ensure that would never happen. [Laughs.]

To celebrate the 20th year of the Wrens' music career, the New Jersey natives played three sold out shows Thursday (12/3) and Friday night (12/4). Each show's setlist had a different theme: Thursday's setlist was comprised by songs selected by fans via email, Friday's early show was the 2003 album, The Meadowlands, played from front to back, and Friday's late show was mostly new material.

Friday's first show drew a full crowd as early as 7:30 PM which is when Brooklyn-based Palomar took the stage. The quartet played fun, catchy pop songs that got the crowd moving. After a tight, enjoyable set Palomar wrapped up, joking that they needed to leave two hours for the Wrens: "one for each decade."

"Hi, we are the Wrens, and we're 20 years old," exclaimed Wrens vocalist and bassist, Kevin Whelan. The Wrens tore through the tracklist of the Meadowlands, occasionally making asides to talk about the significance of their band's longevity. Fan favorites such as "Happy" and "Everyone Chooses Sides" brought the crowd to their feet, yelling the words along. As per usual at their shows, the Wrens handed out drumsticks and invited fans on stage to play percussion along with "Boys, You Won't."

AVC: How did the Maxwell's Meadowlands shows come together?

Charles Bissell: It came about because it's our 20th anniversary this year. It was also Merge [Records]'s 20th anniversary, and they had a festival. People reunited, exhumed Lincoln's body, there was a papal visit. We felt like we were missing our own boat; not a lot of bands get there. If you only put out three records in 20 years, so be it! [Laughs.]

While the Wrens may be considered past their prime based on the sheer length of their career, their excitement and enthusiasm on stage proves the opposite. More pictures from the "Meadowlands" show below...

Continue reading "The Wrens played 'Meadowlands' & another two special shows @ Maxwell's in Hoboken - pics "

Nada Surf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (Jack Groetzinger)

There weren't a ton of shows going on in NYC last night (10/28), relatively speaking, but members/collaborators of most indie rock bands in existence were part of them. Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, husband of She of She & Him) played with Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo) at Webster Hall with John Roderick (The Long Winters) opening.

"Along with all 12 songs from the album, Farrar and Gibbard each sang a song from a different project, before finishing with a pair of covers. Gibbard sang a rootsy version of "Couches in Alleys," a tune he sang on a 2004 album by the Belgian electronic band Styrofoam. Farrar opted for a rousing take on "Voodoo Candle," from his 2001 solo debut, "Sebastopol." And the covers: Farrar handled lead vocals on a countrified rendition of Bob Dylan's "Absolutely Sweet Marie," and the pair closed the show with Gibbard singing lead on a shattering version of Tom Waits' "Old Shoes (and Picture Postcards)."" [listen, damnit]

Full setlist and some videos below. John Roderick plays again tonight at Union Hall.

Meanwhile in Brooklyn, Nada Surf (who played electric instead of acoustic as originally advertised) (and who played as Holly Miranda's backing band at Bowery Ballroom one night earlier) teamed up with Charles Bissell of the Wrens and They Might Be Giants for an indie rock benefit at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Videos below.

Over at BAM it was "The Long Count" featuring the we've-collaborated-with-everyone Dessner twins from the National in partnership with the Breeders-Deal twins who count a member of the Pixies among them. Joining them on stage was Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond, Sufjan Stevens, The Decemberists) and many other indie-friendly musicians, classical and otherwise. Everyone who wasn't playing at one of these shows, was probably in the audience of this one. Check out pics and our review HERE, and our interview with Bryce Dessner HERE, and then check the show out, if you haven't already, on Friday (Mischief Night) or Saturday (Halloween).

Continue reading "last night: 3 shows, but many indie rock members (Death Cab, Son Volt, Long Winters, Nada Surf, They Might Be Giants, Wrens, National, Pixies...)"

The Wrens @ Sasquatch Festival on 5/24 (more by Chris Graham)

In the fall of 2008, after a comprehensive proposal process with New York City, Neighbors Allied for Good Growth (NAG) and The People's Firehouse, Inc. (PFI), were awarded the rights to re-develop the former Engine Company 212 firehouse. Located at 134 Wythe Avenue, in the Northside section of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the firehouse will now become home to both NAG and The People's Firehouse. Both organizations have historically served with dedicated action and activism while continually shaping North Brooklyn to benefit the diverse and vibrant community.

The newly redesigned building will become the Northside Town Hall Community and Cultural Center, and so much more...

Charles Bissell of the Wrens, They Might Be Giants and Nada Surf (acoustic) will all turn out for "Raise the Roof," a benefit for the NTHCCC (as it will forever be known) at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday, October 28th. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 21st at noon.

This show is in addition to the shows They Might Be Giants have coming up at the Museum of Natural History and NYU.

At the end of July, the Wrens celebrated (or "noted with a website post") their 20th anniversary as a band. The full story on that, with a link to the commemorative t-shirt they made, is below...

Continue reading "Charles Bissell of the Wrens (who are 20), They Might Be Giants & Nada Surf (acoustic) playing a NTHCCC benefit"

It was only just now while at JagJaguwar's site looking at the new Bon Iver EP did I realize they were coming out with a 7" called Will Sheff Covers Charles Bissell, Charles Bissell Covers Will Sheff. Will and Charles played a show together last night at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and they'll play another one together, tonight/Friday, at Sound Fix.

Will Sheff - 2008 Tour Dates
Dec 10 - Other Music in-store, NY, NY (8pm)
Dec 11 - Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
Dec 12 - Sound Fix Records, Brooklyn, NY (8pm)

All dates below...

Continue reading "Will Sheff - updated 2008 Tour Dates (again) (Sound Fix)"

DOWNLOAD: AC Newman - There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Wrens - Surprise, Honeycomb (MP3)

Okkervil River (Will Sheff) @ Lollapalooza 2008 (more by Bao Nguyen)

Okkervil River's Will Sheff will be playing a solo show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on December 11th. Joining him on the bill is another great indie rock frontman, Charles Bissell of the Wrens, and Bird of Youth who are a Brooklyn band whose debut album (not out yet) was produced by Will (also, according to Wikipedia, "In college, Sheff originally wanted to be a filmmaker. He is currently dating Beth Wawerna of Bird of Youth"). Tickets for the Brooklyn show are on sale (at noon).

Bird of Youth also have another Brooklyn show coming up even sooner, with, ANOTHER indie rock frontman gone solo, The New Pornographers' AC Newman. That one is, as previously annnounced, at the Bell House on November 15th. Bird of Youth posted the info that, "rounding out the b.o.y. line-up for this show is: beth wawerna, clinton newman, johnny north, ira elliot and timothy bracy." Continuing with the frontman theme, you may recognize the name Timothy Bracy. He was the man behind the vocals in The Mendoza Line. And is Clinton Newman related to Carl (AC)?

The AC MP3 above is from AC's new album, Get Guilty, out January 20th on Matador.

There are two videos below. The first is Clinton, Timothy and Beth (aka a trio version of Bird of Youth) performing Okkervil River's "Pop Lie". The second is Will and AC performing Okkervil's "Lost Coastlines" (MP3 for the same song above too). Okkervil and everyone's tour dates down there too..

Continue reading "Will Sheff, Charles Bissell, Bird of Youth, Timothy Bracy, AC Newman & Clinton Newman - shows & videos"

The Capstan Shafts @ Stannard Church, Stannard VT, 10/6/07 (tasrepus)

"On October 6th, Dean Wells (aka the Capstan Shafts) played his first-ever live show at a tiny church in Stannard, Vermont." [Matt LeMay, PitchforkMedia.com]

I think The Capstan Shafts then visited NYC soon after to play a small CMJ-related show. I have no idea what the Jandek-like Dean Wells has been doing since. Probably writing music...

With over 17 releases since 1999 (self-released under his own Ladder The Xmas Monkey and through labels such as Asaurus and Yellow Mica), describing The Capstan Shafts as steadily prolific would be an understatement. However, until now, there has never been a properly distributed release, although word on Wells' deliriously prodigious recordings has been percolating in the indie pop underground and building momentum with each new release. The band has signed to Rainbow Quartz in 2007 to release a brand new 29-track LP, environ maiden. (Think early GBV meets Lou Barlow with a dash of the entire Elephant 6 collective.)
[from an October 2007 press release]

I do know what The Captain Shafts is doing tonight (Aug 28, 2008) though. He's playing a show at the Knitting Factory in NYC with the great Charles Bissell of the Wrens and Get Him Eat Him, WHO, is fronted by Captain Shafts fan and Pitchfork writer Matt LeMay.