Brooklyn's My Best Fiend are set to release their debut LP, In Ghostlike Fading, next week (2/21) via Warp, though you can buy it now on iTunes.

They last played when they opened for The Hundred in the Hands at Glasslands late last month (1/27). How was that show? CMJ said their set was "one of the most impressive performances" of the night.

They've got another NYC show coming up at Le Poisson Rouge on March 1 with TEEN and No Ordinary Monkeys (DJ). Tickets for that show are on sale now. More detais to be announced soon, including SXSW.

My Best Fiend's new album features guest vocals from Shannon Funchess of Light Asylum, who just announced an album, tour, and LPR show too.

And speaking of Warp, Squarepusher plays Webster Hall on March 15th, BrooklynVegan is proud to present the NYC debut of Kwes at Glasslands on March 10th, and !!! have a bunch of dates coming up including an April run with Shabazz Palaces. That tour doesn't hit NYC, though the two artists play Philly together right after Shabazz Palaces plays two NYC shows.

All !!! tour dates and a stream of My Best Fiend's "Cracking Eggs" below...

Continue reading "My Best Fiend schedules dates; !!! touring w/ Shabazz Palaces"

photos by Bryan Bruchman

new Friends @ Mercury Lounge

Advance tickets are now available for the previously discussed !!! show at 285 Kent Ave on 12/11, a Showpaper benefit also featuring an appearance from Friends and a DJ set from MNDR. Tickets are also available in person at Other Music and Co-op 87. In addition, tickets are still available for the previously discussed 12/12 Maxwell's date.

Friends recently played Mercury Lounge on 11/19 with Ganglians as part of the pair's dates together. The remainder of their tour schedule and more pictures from Mercury Lounge are below...

Continue reading "Friends played Merc w/ Ganglians (pics), playing 285 Kent w/ !!! (tickets now on sale)"

!!! at Sasquatch (more by Josh Darr)


Dance-punk band !!! is back for a trio of NYC-area shows annointed the "Punk Dog" tour in middle-December. The dates, as seen in the Black-Flag/Misfits inspired flyer below will include Dec 11 at 285 Kent Ave and Dec 12th at Maxwell's (tickets). The 285 Kent Show will be a Showpaper benefit and $10 gets you in (more artists and possibly advanced tickets TBA).

All dates, tour flyer and a recent video for "Most Certain Sure", below...

Continue reading "!!! schedule CT, NY & NJ shows (dates)"

The above pictures is a screen shot from the Virgin Freefest lineup announcement video that they posted to YouTube. The girl behind the words exclaims, "James Murphy solo!" as she reads her piece of the September 10th free MD festival lineup. The full lineup, video, poster and press release is below...

Continue reading "Virgin FreeFest announces 2011 lineup (includes "James Murphy solo" and many more)"

DOWNLOAD: !!! chkchkchk CABIN FEVER mix (MP3)

!!! at Sasquatch 2011 (more by Josh Darr)

!!! have a few upcoming shows and festival appearances this summer, including Outside Lands in San Francisco. They'll play an NYC show in Brooklyn on September 9 at The Bell House with openers TBA. Tickets are on sale now.

The band recently made a mixtape of "some tunes we've been digging" I don't have tracklist, but you can download that above and listen to it below too.

All tour dates, and the Nicasso video (if you missed it), are also below...

Continue reading "!!! adds Brooklyn show --- updated tour dates, free mixtape"

Omar Souleyman @ Purchase Fall Fest 2011 (more by Kellyann Petry)

today in NYC
* Evillive
* It Is It @ Pianos
* ASSSSCAT 3000 @ UCB
* Beth Anderson @ The Stone
* Mary Jane Leach @ The Stone
* Justin Vivian Bond @ Joe's Pub
* Figment Festival @ Governors Island
* Renegade Craft Fair @ McCarren Park
* Brian Wilson @ Highline Ballroom
* Joseph Arthur @ The Living Room
* Hannibal Buress @ Knitting Factory
* TSOL, Shot Baker @ Santos Party House
* The Toasters @ Rocks Off Concert Cruise
* Matt Holman's Diversion Ensemble @ Barbes
* Madeleine Peyroux, Shane Theriot @ Barbes
* Geraldine Eguiluz's Albedo Quartet @ Barbes
* Don Mcglashan, Field Theory @ The Rock Shop
* Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Sloan Wainwright Band, Suzzy Roche @ City Winery
* Knockin Boots, Natural Child, Gardens @ Death By Audio
* Christina Courtin, Brooklyn Rider @ Le Poisson Rouge
* New Kids on the Block, The Backstreet Boys @ Izod Center
* Paul Metzger, Jozef Van Wissem, C. Spencer Yeh @ Zebulon
* Brooklyn Folk Fest @ Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition
* The Goddamn Rattlesnake, Graverobbers, The Waivers @ Union Pool
* In Buenos Aires, Spook Houses, Jefferson High, Bad Sound @ Cake Shop
* Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Big Frank & The Healers @ Maxwell's
* R. Stevie Moore, Jonny Corndawg, Tropical Ooze, Lost Boy @ The Bell House
* Omar Souleyman, BDG of Gang Gang Dance (DJ set) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Hounds Below, Cowboy & Indian, Tyburn Saints, Dearloves @ Mercury Lounge
* Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Those Darlins, Doug Wamble (Big Apple BBQ) @ Madison Square Park
* GDFX (Greg Fox of Liturgy), ODO (Forma), Ancient Ocean, Atlantean Ruins (Evan of La Otracina solo) @ Coco66
* YO!, Phony People, D.O.M.E., The Great American Novel, Ph1l Of The Future, Bloodbath @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* The True Warriors, The Band Droidz & an all-star punk-reggae band featuring Vivien Goldman, Felice Rosser, Honeychild Coleman, Dee Pop, Sherleen Clark, Dunia Best, Barbara Gogan and more @ Public Assembly

The Tony Awards are tonight.

Nic Offer of !!! is now... Nicasso, The Wonderful. Check out the video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

photos by Josh Darr

Wilco / Guided By Voices

"Wilco never makes the second record twice, which makes it doubly remarkable that so many of them are tremendous. As formidable as frontman Jeff Tweedy's catalog is, the sonically inventive rock band really stands out on stage -- the place where extreme technical skill meets the chemistry and rousing showmanship of passionate rock veterans. Of course, it helps that the group has the luxury of drawing highlights from seven very different records when it performs. To see Wilco on stage is to hear the best of the best."

And with this post, our 2011 Sasquatch basically concludes. Previous posts contain The Decembersts, Noah and the Whale, Rebecca Gates, Day 3 pictures, Archers of Loaf, Day 2 pictures, and more Day 2 pics with Day 1 too. The rest of the pictures from Day 4, below...

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2011 - the rest of Day 4 in pics (Wilco, Guided by Voices, Sharon Jones, Deerhunter, Chromeo & more)"

The Outside Lands Festival, which runs from 8/12 - 8/14 in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, released their 2011 lineup in April (and now it's May, so consider this a catch up post). Tickets are on sale.

This year's fest will appearances from The Shins, Muse, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys, Phish (two sets), !!!, Erykah Badu, Big Audio Dynamite (who played Coachella and are also playing Lollapalooza), Girl Talk and many more. The full lineup is below.

Continue reading "Outside Lands 2011 lineup"

photos by David Andrako

Here are a few things that happened on Coachella Day 1:

• it was hot.
• lots of celebrities, like Coachella regular Danny Devito, were walking around
• The Black Keys, Kings of Leon and the Chemical Brothers were the big headlining acts of the day (all on the main Coachella Stage)
• people wore funny outfits, and sometimes NSFW outfits.
• people sinned.
• Lauryn Hill started late, but not too late (aka she still got to play).
• Cee Lo showed up very late, apologized, but acted mad he had to play a short set. He used that anger to give his set-closing hit "Fuck You" context.
• Odd Future predictably drew a huge crowd, and were joined by Pharell.
• Odd Future's set resulted in a possible broken nose (again)
• There were 20 arrests
• Paul McCartney was there, and along with Usher, stood on stage during Afrojack's set.
• YACHT played
• Many other people played, and lots of other stuff happened too, as you can see in the pictures below...

What were your highlights of Coachella Day One? Are you there or watching the stream?

Photographer David Andrako managed to catch 18 acts and other random stuff in between on Friday. His pictures from the whole day continue below...

Continue reading "Coachella 2011 Day 1 in pics (Chemical Brothers, Black Keys, Robyn, Interpol, Cee Lo, Crystal Castles, Sleigh Bells & more)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield and Timothy Griffin

Adventure (by Tim)

Braids (by Tim)

Braids and Adventure are on tour with Toro y Moi now. The three bands play sold out shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg and Bowery Ballroom on Sunday (4/10) and Monday (4/11).

As discussed and/or pictured HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE, we threw a free, three stage party with M For Montreal at Swan Dive and Barbarella in Austin on Saturday, March 19, 2011.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, to all the bands who played and to Ramesh for DJing. Sorry to Bass Drum of Death for not getting to play due to some confusion. Thanks to the cast of Workaholics for stopping by and for doing some hosting (catch their show on Comedy Central now!). Thanks also to Izzoz, Sensible Portions, Honest Tea, VegAustin, Raw Revolution, NadaMoo, Firefly Vodka, Line 6, Korg, Vox, Blackstar, Nudie Jeans, and ASCAP. Thanks to everyone else that helped and to anyone I forgot.

A whole bunch more pictures from the whole day are below...

Continue reading "BV/M For Montreal Austin Day Party in pics (Braids, Adventure, Owen Pallett, Little Scream & many more)"

by Bill Pearis

Pete & the Pirates @ SXSW Convention Center

Wednedsay, Thursday, Friday, and now Saturday...

"This is the weirdest gig we've ever played. I feel like we're in Las Vegas and you are all eating dinner." Pete & the Pirates singer Thom Sanders was remarking on the weirdness of playing the Dot Com Day Stage at 1PM in the Austin Convention Center. Folding chairs were set up near the stage, there were couches around the periphery, more the kind of place where some CEO reveals annual earnings than hearing some sprightly indie pop.

Yet Pete & the Pirates made it work, 'cause they're so damn good. (The bloody mary I was drinking probably also helped.) They charmed the pants off the room. We got a smattering of songs from their first album, and a few from One Thousand Pictures which is due out in May. This was a great way to start my final day of SXSW.

From there it was off to our final day party of the week, which we were throwing with our friends at the M for Montreal festival. The line-up was pretty sick, if I do say, with !!!, Weekend, Austra, Braids, PS I Love You, Braids, Trail of Dead, Owen Pallet and more. The weather had cooled off a bit making both the outside stage at Barbarella and Swan Dive more comfortable than Friday and it was a great afternoon of music. Highlights for me: Versus, who I'd seen the night before, a kick-ass set from !!! who I don't think I've seen play in three years, an abbreviated but great Suuns, and another killer set from Weekend. (Look for an interview with Weekend soon.) I wish I'd gotten there in time to see Montreal's quirky, funky Misteur Valaire who I heard were the perfect lead-in to !!! (editor's note: they were!).

continued below...

Continue reading "Bill's Week in Austin (Day 4 - Pete & the Pirates & more)"

photos by Timothy Griffin

Darwin Deez @ Emo's (BV/Feed the Beat Day Party)

!!!, Darwin Deez, and NYU student band EMEFE will play NYU's E&L Auditorium at the Kimmel Center on March 31 as part of a benefit called "Dance Against Cancer", a joint effort from NYU's Program Board, IRHC and the American Cancer Society to as raise money for cancer research. Tickets are currently available for NYU students, and will go on sale to the general public on the day of the show at at 556 LaGuardia Place, but we also have two pairs we're giving away for anyone. Contest details below.

Das Racist will also be at NYU in the near future, as the crew will take on the same space on April 5th with Wallpaper and Small Black. The show is for NYU students only and closed to the public, but NYU students can bring one non-NYU guest... so make some calls to your homies. Oh, and we also have two pairs of tickets to giveaway for this too. Contest details below.

Das Racist were just down at SXSW where they played a bunch of shows and, like Odd Future, conducted an interview with Nardwuar. That video is below.

Darwin Deez played a coordinated dance-tastic set at our Wednesday day party at Emo's. Some pictures from that set are in this post and continue below...

!!! played three Austin shows including the BrooklynVegan/M for Montreal party on 3/19 at Barbarella. Another couple pictures from their set are in this post too, and also below...

Continue reading "Das Racist, Darwin Deez & !!! playing NYU (win tickets), played SXSW (pics & a Nardwuar video)"

words & photos by Chris Gersbeck

!!! @ the BrooklynVegan/MFM Day Party Saturday

By the time Saturday rolled around in Austin, I was admittedly starting to tire of the massive crowd that had been occupying 6th Street since I arrived on Tuesday. That didn't stop me from hitting up as much live music as I could in that final day though. Thanks to an insane amount of free day parties, this was a relatively easy task, albeit an exhausting one.

To start things off, Jonny Corndawg (who has a Brooklyn Bowl residency coming up) was playing a Fiji Water-sponsored, artist-only brunch in the upstairs of Barbarella where the BrooklynVegan/M For Montreal Day party was happpening downstairs (with !!!, Trail of Dead & more). Though I've seen Corndawg several times before, it goes without saying that he's an entertaining performer/songwriter, and his intimate set was well received by the early morning brunch-eating fans.

After that I jetted downstairs to the outside Barbarella stage to catch one of the weirder performances I'd seen all week. Misteur Valaire, a five piece Canadian dance-punk outfit energetically jumped around stage, switching instruments on nearly every song, and often breaking out into choreographed dance sequences. To say it was odd is an understatement, but nonetheless I had a smile on my face the entire time. It was also a great way to embrace us for the crazy dance party that ensued when !!! (chk-chk-chk) took the stage next.

Nic Offer, easily the greatest short-shorts wearing frontman in indie rock, made no hesitation in getting the increasingly packed outdoor crowd dancing for !!!'s set. Though he did express his dismay of there being a couch on the dance floor (yes, for some reason there was a couch in the middle of the dance floor), Offer used it as a prop to jump into the middle of the crowd several times. And their tribute to the late Nate Dogg, a cover of "Get Up", was a great way to conclude their set.

Up next on the Barbarella outdoor stage was Austin's own Trail of Dead, who initially suffered from sound/equipment problems, but eventually got it together to play a pulverizing set to the still packed outdoor stage. Though short in length, it was in no way short on enthusiasm, and Trail of Dead blasted through their set as they flung themselves around on stage. Bassist Autry Fulbright III even broke a bass string towards the end of their ecstatic concluding song, a feat I've rarely seen accomplished.

After an ill-fated trip to the free Mess With Texas party where I hoped to catch the Dead Milkmen and Odd Future (the location was so dusty and packed it was unbearable), I was able to make it into the official Red Ryder SXSW showcase at the Central Presbyterian Church on 8th Street in time to witness a jaw dropping performance from Sharon Van Etten.

Sharon Van Etten @ the Red Ryder SXSW showcase

Van Etten was one of the more talked about performers of the entire SXSW festival, and I couldn't have been happier to catch her set after missing her at the BrooklynVegan showcase earlier in the week. The church made for absolutely breathtaking acoustics. Members of Wye Oak and TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone watched from the balcony. I cannot stress it enough, do not miss her upcoming show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 16th.

Portland, Oregon super-sized group Typhoon followed Sharon Van Etten, and though that may have been the problem, it was also a reminder that often less is more. Not to say they didn't put on a heartfelt performance, or that the massive church setting wasn't perfect for their big, full sound, but their enthusiasm at times came off as a bit much. Though if you're a fan of the Polyphonic Spree or We're From Barcelona, Typhoon is likely right up your alley.

After catching them at the Bowery Ballroom the week prior, I was definitely excited to see the Rural Alberta Advantage again. They didn't disappoint. Stating that they played the same venue at SXSW in 2009, keyboardist Amy Cole expressed a slight feeling of déjà vu, but said they were happy to be performing in such a space for a second time. What was apparently a repeat of that '09 performance, the band returned for an encore of a stripped down performance of their song "Good Night" surrounded by the crowd, completely un-mic'd and unplugged. It was an entrancing and honest moment from the Canadian band, and a perfect way to end a long, long week of live music where I also caught sets by The Kills and Atlas Sound.

Pictures from everything mentioned above, below...

Continue reading "!!!, Trail of Dead, Misteur Valaire, Sharon Van Etten, TRAA, Corndawg, Atlas Sound & more (Chris G' SXSW recap & pics)"

If you've been following along, you know that this is finally the NINTH and FINAL BrooklynVegan SXSW 2011 show announcement! This one happens on Saturday, March 19th in Austin, at both Swan Dive and Barbarella (they connect). It runs from noon-6pm and is 100% free. We are doing it with our friends from M For Montreal and it looks like this:

STAGE 1 (SWAN DIVE)
12:00 PM New Moods
01:00 PM Oh Land
2:00 PM Austra
3:00 PM Little Scream
4:00 PM Owen Pallett
5:00 PM Braids

STAGE 2 (Barbarella main stage)
12:00 PM Baths
1:00 PM Misteur Valaire
2:00 PM !!!
3:00 PM Trail of Dead
4:00 PM Mount Kimbie
5:00 PM Daedelus
HOSTED BY: the cast of Workaholics
DJs: Ramesh (of Voxtrot) & 70's Bush

STAGE 3 (Barbarella small stage)
12:00 PM Bass Drum of Death
12:45 PM Adventure
1:30 PM Versus
2:30 PM Malajube
3:15 PM Suuns
4:00 PM Weekend
5:00 PM PS I Love You

And this party will also have:

• FREE vegan Izzoz breakfast tacos while supplies last!
• lots of FREE snacks courtesy of Sensible Portions!
• a lot of FREE Honest Tea!
• FREE Raw Revolution bars to eat.
• FREE vegan ice cream from NadaMoo
• FREE Firefly Vodka cocktails all day (while supplies last.)
• more FREE DRINKS TBA.

• Our official microphone sponsor Line 6.
• and our backline sponsors Korg, Vox & Blackstar.
• our sponsor Nudie Jeans.
• and to ASCAP for sponsoring too.

To celebrate the BrooklynVegan + M for Montreal party, Nudie Jeans is also giving away 5 pairs of jeans (one pair for each day leading up to the party). For your chance to win, friend Nudie Jeans on facebook and send an email titled BROOKLYN VEGAN to nudie@wantagencyinc.com. For those at the party, we'll also be raffling off more Nudie Jeans you can win while you're there.

We're also happy to announce that, for the second year in a row, we'll be partnering with our friends at VegAustin to host a vegan bake sale for charity at the party. All proceeds will be donated to Compassion Over Killing.

Check out the flyer and stuff below...

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan & M For Montreal Free Saturday Austin Day Party lineup (3 stages @ Barbarella & Swan Dive)"

TV on The Radio at Roots Picnic 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Tickets are still available for TV On The Radio's date with Radio City Music Hall on 4/13, and since we last spoke the band announce many more tour dates. They kick things off on 4/8 in Philly and all dates are listed below.

Those heading to Austin this month don't need to wait as long. Spin has announced their annual SXSW party (that Hole played last year) and the lineup includes TV on the Radio, The Kills, OMD, The Vaccines, OFF!, and the Smith Westerns on the main stage, with MNDR, Young the Giant, Dom, Electric Child, and 28 North holding down the indoor stage. Skrillex, Wolfgang Gartner, Designer Drugs, and Anika man the 1's and 2's. It happens 12:30 - 6PM at Stubb's on Friday, 3/18 (about a block away from the TBA BrooklynVegan party happening that day - stay tuned!)

OFF! probably wont be off too much during SXSW. The Keith Morris-led band, in addition to the Spin party, the Pitchfork #OFFLINE party, and an official showcase, are also playing other shows including the just-announced MWTX fest (formerly Mess With Texas)! The free show goes down on 3/19 at The East Side Drive Inn (where Pitchfork's #OFFLINE festival will be the two days prior) and will feature appearances from The Dead Milkmen, Odd Future, !!!, Surfer Blood, The Dodos, Deer Tick, and many others. The full lineup so far is below. (and there's also BrooklynVegan parties this day, but MWTX runs much later, so you can do both!) (stay tuned for more about that).

Off! hits the road with Trash Talk soon after SXSW, and play Santos Party House on 3/26 (tickets are still on sale).

This now makes three shows total for the Dead Milkmen who also have shows coming up in Brooklyn and Chicago.

All TVOTR tour dates, the MWTX lineup (thus far) and the flyer is below.

Continue reading "TVOTR playing SXSW & touring, Dead Milkmen playing MWTX"

Bonnaroo (June 9-12 in Manchester Tennessee) has announced the 2011 lineup (slightly early), and like the rumored Lollapalooza lineup, Eminem is among the headliners. Bonnaroo also has Grammy winners Arcade Fire and the Black Keys, in addition to Lil Wayne, Mumford & Sons, the Strokes, The Decemberists, Florence & the Machine, Girl Talk, Beirut (haven't seen them in a while), and many more. Full list below...

Continue reading "Bonnaroo 2011 lineup is here"

Big names and regulars aside, there are a few bands I want to highlight on the just-announced Sasquatch lineup: Wolf Parade ("indefinite hiatus" rumors be damned), The Flaming Lips (performing "The Soft Bulletin"), Death From Above 1979 (now three reunion shows total), Guided By Voices (they're not done yet), and... Archers of Loaf (!). The full lineup of the fest that goes down in Gorge, Washington in May (Memorial Day Weekend), is below...

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2011 lineup announced (Archers of Loaf, Guided By Voices, Wolf Parade, DFA 1979 & "The Soft Bulletin" included)"

words by Andrew Frisicano, photos by Chris Juarez & Rachel Carr

Local Natives & the crowd @ FYF Fest Saturday

Yesterday was FYF Fest. We know all the problems... The lines... And are addressing them now. In no way are we sleeping on these problems. The bands were amazing and the turn out was unreal. I'm speechless. -Sean Carlson & FYF Fest

The day's short sets kept you wanting more from nearly every act, many of whom played for a half hour or 35 minutes (which expanded in 5 minute increments up to an hour for the headliners). That made for tough decisions between overlapping sets. Ted Leo and band blew through their 45 minutes, and Titus Andronicus could've continued for another 35 at least with the momentum from their Monitor songs. Those two, along with Screaming Females, were part of what Ted Leo termed the "New Jersey Takeover" - three punk bands with Garden State roots who all played great sets at the fest.

Ariel Pink

Los Angeles represented with a number of notable hometown acts. Growlers, in grey facepaint, brought an earthy, ramshackle sound and lots of friends. Best Coast, Abe Vigoda, Local Natives and Ariel Pink also repped their hometown - the latter two with mezmerizing late afternoon sets.

Other acts brought some nice surprises. A chorus of kids, costumed as zombie versions of dead historical figures, backed Dead Man's Bones' Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields. The Blow introduced some of her new songs written for an unnamed celebrity (and played recognizable earlier songs too, including one "written with Sting...when [she] was 7"). And Big Freedia, the fest's only act with any trace of hip-hop, shocked the crowd with a short pre-headerliner dose of "Azz Everywhere."

Big Freedia

There was plenty of garage rock (Thee Oh Sees brought the man responsible for their cover art, William Keihn, to play tambourine), punk and metal. A reunited Sleep, in New York this week, grinded away, as !!! had people shaking their ass on the sister stage. On the fest's third stage, hardcore band 7 Seconds reminisced about their first time in LA almost 30 years ago and lead a spirited circle pit. Add to those bands, breezy folk from AA Bondy, the jams of Warpaint and Delorean to name a few.

If FYF's organizers are a bit defensive above, it may be with good reason: the few critical organizational errors were fairly memorable. A long line at will call (an hour would be a short estimate) kept many waiting in the 90 degree sun while the first bands of the day (Magic Kids, Let's Wrestle and The Goat) could be heard starting in the distance. Water inside was also an issue, with limited access to free drinking water and bottled water at $4 (which, according to Noah Lennox, ran out).

By the end of the night, the two final acts - The Rapture and Panda Bear - set up on competing stages. Panda Bear aka Noah Lennox interspersed his dreamy lullabies with patches of noise and dissonance while videos and images that could be described only as "trippy" played behind him; I think your response to the set depended largely on your state of mind after the long day: exhausted or ready for a patience-testing string of songs and sounds. He and The Rapture provided, alternately, a place to dance or doze.

--

Unsane also played a rare runion set at the festival where Off! shared a bill with Lower Dens. School of Seven Bells, Davila 666, Cults and Ceremony were there too.

Read what Noah thought about his own set, HERE. More pictures from the entire day, below...

Continue reading "FYF Fest 2010 in pics & review "

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Maserati - "Pyramid Of The Moon" (MP3 EDIT)

Maserati 2009

Shrinebuilder and Maserati have very little in common, musically speaking. One relies on bluesy/sludgy riffage and post-metal roar, while the other is more concerned with muscling you out on the dancefloor. Yet both have absolutely incendiary live shows and now, both have killer songs called "Pyramid Of The Moon".

I've been a long-time fan of Maserati's spacey kraut-rock dancefloor-FONK and I'm excited for new material which will come soon in the form of a limited-edition 12" for "Pyramid Of The Moon". The song, and alternate version of the title track from the band's forthcoming album (!) Pyramid of The Sun, is available in edited form, for the first time, above, and will appear in all its extended nine-plus-minute glory along with a remix by The Field on the 12". Preorder it.

The new LP will include some of the final recordings of Jerry Fuchs, whose untimely passing left the band and the Brooklyn music community shaken. The LP, mixed with Justin Van Der Volgen (!!!, Out Hud, TBD) and Temporary Residence Limited founder Jeremy deVine (Sonna), includes collaborations with Steve Moore (Zombi) and will hit store shelves on 11/9. Make sure and check that out, it definitely cooks.

And speaking of !!!, openers have been announced for their upcoming 2-night run at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Fol Chen and Midnight Magic open the 11/6 show. Onra and Pattern is Movement play support on 11/7. Tickets (including the 2-day pass) are still on sale.

Continue reading "Maserati MP3 from 'Pyramid of the Sun', Chk Chk Chk openers "

photos by Tear-n Tan & Natalia Moena

Lee Fields / Darren Mabee

Lee Fields was probably the first act to ever perform at a Jelly Pool Party that promised the crowd his autograph after the show if they bought a CD, and that's part of the reason to love him. He's an old school genuine performer, now living in a land of modern day hipsters, at least that was the case on Sunday where he shared a bill with Future Islands, the Strange Boys and !!!.

Lee's soulful set included may of the great songs off his new album, "My World", including the title track, "Money is King", and "Ladies". The latter was one of many songs where Lee asked for crowd participation, and the rained-on crowd usually obliged. Many, including Darren Mabee, showed off their dance moves. Most at least swayed their arms back and forth in the air. For Lee, and some of his large backing band, it was their second big Brooklyn appearance in a short amount of time. The first was at Sharon Jones's headlining gig in Prospect Park.

Future Islands and the Strange Boys opened the free show for those that got there early enough. !!! headlined for those that stuck around around. More pictures from the whole day, below...

Continue reading "Lee Fields, Strange Boys, Future Islands & Chk Chk Chk played the Williamsburg Waterfront Pool Party (pics) "

photos by Tear-n Tan

Nic Offer of !!! (chk chk chk) @ Williamsburg Waterfront

"You were near the front at chk chk chk today, dancing all silly with your friends.
I was in a white t shirt and jeans, to your left. Thought we made eye contact a couple times.

Just wanted to say: you're a cutie."
[pink and stripes brunette at !!! - m4w (waterfront)]

Last we spoke, Chk Chk Chk announced plans to return to Brooklyn (their favorite place to play because they can say "What's up Brooklyn?!") in October to play one show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Ends up that's TWO shows at the Williamsburg venue. The dates are October 6th and 7th, and tickets go on sale Friday at noon (like they do for the BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase happening at the same venue in the same month). They'll also be selling a $40 2-day pass which will save you $4+fees if you want to go both nights.

No openers have been announced for the Brooklyn shows, though maybe Light Asylum will open like they did when LCD Soundystem played that venue earlier in the year.

!!! also played a secret warm-up show Saturday night at Union Pool where they reportedly played six songs.

All the rest of the !!! tour dates are HERE. More pictures and some videos from the Pool Party, below...

Continue reading "!!! played a Pool Party (pics), playing TWO shows @ MHOW"

by BBG

Nic Offer and friends at Highline Ballroom (more by Ryan Muir)

!!! play the free Pool Party show on Sunday (8/15) with support from Lee Fields and the Expressions, The Strange Boys, and Future Islands, and yet that it somehow not enough; the funk-punk troupe is ALREADY itching to get back to Brooklyn (that's good news). Along with a veritable shit ton of US dates that kick off in early September, the band will play another NYC show on October 6th just down the street from the waterfront at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Ticket info is forthcoming.

The dates follow the release (Aug 23) of the band's new LP, Strange Weather, Isn't It?, their first since the Myth Takes LP from 2007. The album's first track, "AM/FM" recently surfaced as a limited 12" single, and is featured in the Black Dice-directed video below. A second, and more recent track from that LP, "The Most Certain Sure", is streaming below.

In related news, some of the final recordings from ex-!!! drummer Jerry Fuchs (RIP) will surface on the new Maserati LP, Pyramid Of The Sun, due on November 9th, 2010 via Temporary Residence Limited.

The sudden, tragic and unexpected passing of drummer Jerry Fuchs not only forever changed the lives of those that knew and loved him (a number that stretches into the tens of thousands by all accounts), but it immediately halted progress on a new Maserati album for which they had already begun recording. As one of Fuchs' final recordings, the band labored over its completion for the better part of a year. Afforded the utmost care and attention to detail, Pyramid of the Sun stands firmly as a celebration of Fuchs' legacy, and a testament to the ever-increasing brilliance of Maserati.

Mixed with Justin Van Der Volgen (!!!, Out Hud) and Temporary Residence founder Jeremy deVine (Sonna), Pyramid includes two collaborations with friend and tourmate Steve Moore (Zombi)... Closing the album is the bittersweet "Bye M'Friend, Goodbye," a motorik summer punk jam that splits the difference between Wipers and Neu! and carries the bittersweet distinction of being one of the band's finest songs, and the final track written and recorded with Fuchs.

!!! dates, new track & video, below...

Continue reading "!!! expand tour (dates), add another Brooklyn show, stream new song (album out soon) ++ new Maserati LP coming too"

by Andrew Frisicano

For what might be the strangest pairings of any Pool Parties this summer, on August 15th the Waterfront will host slinky disco !!!, vintage soul Lee Fields and the Expressions, froggy blues The Strange Boys and synth-rock Future Islands.

For the headliner, !!!, the date is currently their only NYC show. The group will head out on a lengthy tour of North America and Europe starting in September. Those shows are in support of their new album, Strange Weather, Isn't It?, due August 24th on Warp (that's the icy cover above).

!!! has gone through a few line-up changes since the release of Myth Takes and now consists of frontman Nic Offer, guitarist Mario Andreoni, horn player/keyboardist Daniel Gorman, and saxophonist/percussionist Allan Wilson. Vocalist Shannon Funchess (of Light Asylum) and drummer Paul Quattrone (of Modey Lemon) round out the live lineup.

Continue reading "!!! - new album, song, video & 2010 Tour Dates"

@ a 2009 Pool Party (more by Tim Griffin)

I don't know what Veoba is either. The press release explains it though...

For the past 4 years, JELLY has hosted over 200,000 people for what has become one of the most groundbreaking FREE concert series in New York. Summer Sundays in Brooklyn have become synonymous with The Pool Parties and in the series' 5th Anniversary year, Pool Parties promises not to disappoint.

This year, The Pool Parties are again on the Williamsburg Waterfront for 7 dates from July 11th--August 29th. Due to scheduling conflicts, our August 1st date will be moved to a "Block Party" in and around Brooklyn Bowl making it 8 total "FREE Pool Party Sundays".

In celebrating our 5th Year Anniversary, JELLY also would like to give a big thanks to Senator Chuck Schumer and Phillip Goldfeder from the Senator's office for all of their support ensuring JELLY'S return to the Williamsburg Waterfront. JELLY owners Alexander Kane and Sarah Hooper state that, "It has been a long hard road this year to bring this series back to Williamsburg and it 100% could not have been done without Senator Schumer's efforts. "

The Pool Parties will be co-presented by VEOBA, an online resource for artists, managers, and record labels. Based in Chicago, but with global reach, VEOBA provides the music community with select services to progress and maintain their livelihood. VEOBA launched in May 2010 as a collective made up of music industry veterans, writers, managers, artists, and cartoon characters. From co-founder Jay Parkin, "More often than not, musicians rely on others to take their careers to the next level. We're here for those who care enough to do it themselves." Sharing Jelly's values of creativity and innovation, the people at VEOBA are thrilled to be involved in this summer's production. Parkin concludes, "For the independent and the like- minded, VEOBA facilitates the next step."

JELLY as well wants to give a shout out to all of their partners this summer from the new faces to old friends. Special thanks to AllSaints and Vans. As well as Amp Energy, vitaminwater®, SESAC, ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water, ZYNC from American Express^(SM), Spin Magazine, KEXP, and Main Drag. Along with OSA sponsors: Time Out New York, Brooklyn Brewery, and Heineken.

Now onto our official Pool Parties 5th Year Anniversary lineup! Check back soon for surprise guests we cant announce yet, the official DJ lineup for The Pool Parties 2010, and more fun things that are SURE to make the 5th Year Anniversary series one you will never forget!

The Official After-Pool Parties, presented by Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, will be held at Brooklyn Bowl following every Sunday's Pool Party!

The only difference between the leaked lineup and the official lineup is the addition of another "SECRET SPECIAL GUEST" and the listing of some curators. You can see the full list of confirmed free shows, below...

Continue reading "Jelly & Veoba confirm Williamsburg Waterfront 'Pool Party' lineups ('Secret Special Guests', Brooklyn Bowl afterparties)"

DOWNLOAD: That Ghost - The Red Bow (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Odawas - Harmless Lover's Discourse (MP3)

The Baths...

We've been very busy around putting together live shows in our spare non-blogging moments. It's especially obvious today as we continue to announce show after show - SXSW day parties, official showcases & a pre-SXSW show in NYC included. Next up, and even sooner....

BrooklynVegan will be hosting a happy hour event at this year's Noise Pop 2010 (in San Francisco from February 23rd to March 1st) on Saturday, February 27th at Benders Bar (806 South Van Ness Ave). For this show we decided to go with three local San Francisco Bay Area bands who we've been curious to check out and who were not already playing any other shows at the festival. The result: Odawas, The Baths and That Ghost. The three bands will play the free afternoon show on 2/27 from 4-7pm (21+) (thanks to Panache for their help with the booking!).

Odawas...

Odawas are a hazy folk-garage band on Jagjaguwar - their "Harmless Lover's Discourse" off last year's The Blue Depths is above.

The Baths do Kinks-style rock that gets both dirty and acoustic; they're appropriately touring with Thee Oh Sees this March (both bands will be at SXSW and MtyMx).

That Ghost, one Ryan Schmale who hails from Sonoma County, CA (north of SF), hides his vocals behind a wall of fog. His tune "The Red Bow" is above; other material from him is available from Twosyllable Records.

All three bands, like Noise Pop, are local to the San Francisco Bay Area. Yes, even Odawas...

MOKB: How is California treating you? Have you noticed any difference in the way that people respond to your music there, in comparison to your time spent in Chicago and/or Bloomington?

Michael Tapscott of Odawas: It's been fantastic here. There seems to be a lot of local support for what we are doing, and an abundance of supportive, creative people around. We left good friends in Chicago at our jobs and in musical friends, but we never quite caught on there. It was a transitional year when we were there anyway. Bloomington is a paradise. I miss it everyday. But when we left, it was time to go.

Will you be there? We also have a bunch of free tickets to giveaway to other Noise Pop shows. Details on those contests, videos and all Baths tour dates are below...

Continue reading "The Baths, Odawas & That Ghost playing BV Happy Hour @ Noise Pop - full schedule, MP3s, contests, tour dates & more"