Computer Magic @ Bowery Ballroom, 9/8/12 (more by Erik Erikson)

The Aputumpu Festival is a musical showcase featuring more than two dozen rising Brooklyn-based bands comprising the backbone of the burgeoning Brooklyn music scene.

For New York City, Aputumpu is a celebration of the best new talent in the city, an amalgam of creative and artistic forces which seem to be as much a part of the air as the weather. In a city overflowing with musical talent, these bands rise above with distinctive sounds and unforgettable performances.

The Brooklyn music-centric Aputumpu Festival (started by the video blog of the same name) is back and the three-day fest happens at five venues in Brooklyn and Manhattan, beginning tonight (3/28) at Cameo for a night of indie electronics, featuring live sets from Dickpic, Psychic Twin, Vensaire, Silent Drape Runners, Stranger Cat, St Lenox and Brother Tiger, with a DJ set by Chrome Canyon.

Friday (3/29) is the big night for Aputumpu with a folk/world show at Joe's Pub with Azania, Derrick N. Ashong & Soulfege and more; Computer Magic, Friend Roulette and more at Studio at Webster Hall; and both stages at Public Assembly, with EDM in the front (Rubber Ross, iBeat, more), and punk in the back room (KNTRLR, Religious Girls, Cinema Cinema, more).

The festival closes out on Saturday (3/30) at Ran Tea House, with Eula, Speedy Ortiz, Bambara and more.

Aputumpu Festival passes are $30 and tickets to individual shows are $10. Passes and tickest to Cameo, Public Assembly and Ran Tea House can be purchased here, Joe's Pub tickets are here and Studio @ Webster Hall here.

Festival flyer and full line-ups for all Aputumpu shows below...

Continue reading "NYC's Aputumpu Festival starts tonight (Computer Magic, Eula, KNTRLR, Dickpic, Speedy Ortiz & more)"

photos by PSquared Photography; words by Bill Pearis

BEAK> @ Bowery Ballroom, 2/10/2013

"This is a b-side to a single that none of you have ever heard," was Geoff Barrow's introduction to "Kenn," which is the flip to last year's "Mono" 7". He then added, "Ok, maybe one of you have. Hi, mom."

Barrow (better known for his other band, Portishead) was in a jovial mood last night (2/10) at Bowery Ballroom, spending most of the time behind the drumkit with his band, BEAK>, joking with the crowd between songs, or when his kickdrum pedal broke in the middle of "Wolfstan II," probably the most rocking song of the band's terrific set. A mix of Krautrock and post-punk influences, BEAK> are not breaking any new ground, but the band (including bassist Billy Fuller, and keyboardist/guitarist Matt Williams) are such accomplished musicians and possessors of good taste, it doesn't matter. And as a trio that feed off each other, with scratchy 16mm projections behind them, they are totally badass.

Openers last night were BEAK>'s Stones Throw labelmates Chrome Canyon. While on record it is just Morgan Z, live Chrome Canyon is a full band who bring its early-'80s synth vision to life. It's a very narrow focus -- somewhere around 1982, between Jan Hammer, Wendy Carlos, the themes to Knight Rider and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy miniseries -- but they do it very well. And Morgan Z (last night dressed in some sort of shiny silver shirt Brian Eno might've worn in 1975) works a theremin with more conviction than anyone I've ever seen.

BEAK>, who DJ'd at the ACE Hotel on Saturday (anyone go?) are now off to the West Coast for a couple shows. Picturess from Chrome Canyon's set, and more from BEAK> (including one of the setlist), below...

Continue reading "BEAK> played Bowery Ballroom w/ Chrome Canyon (pics, setlist)"

by Bill Pearis

BEAK> @ ATPNY 2011 (more by Dana [distortion] Yavin)

As mentioned before, Geoff Barrow of Portishead's other group -- motorik postpunk trio BEAK> -- are over from Bristol, UK for a few shows on both coasts, hitting Bowery Ballroom on Sunday (2/10) with openers Chrome Canyon. Tickets for that show are still available. Saturday night (2/9), the three BEAK>s, Geoff Barrow, Billy Fuller, and Matt Williams will be DJing all night (well, 10 PM - 2 AM) in the lobby at ACE Hotel, which is free. Barrow doesn't DJ much anymore which is certainly a good excuse to brave the blizzard that is supposedly gonna hit us.

If you haven't heard Beak's terrific 2012 album, BEAK>>, you can stream it below, along with the video for non-LP single, "Mono." Updated US tour dates are listed below as well.

Continue reading "BEAK> are here, DJing ACE Hotel (Geoff Barrow included) before Bowery Ballroom show"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: METZ - Wet Blanket (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: METZ - Headache (MP3)

METZ at Metro, August 2012 (more by Grant MacAllister)

Toronto's sonic sandblasters METZ are in NYC for CMJ and will play four times while here, including the free BV day party on Friday (10/19) at Public Assembly. METZ play the front room at 3 PM, shortly after Deap Vally and Murals. We swear we'll post the whole line-up soon!

METZ's ripper of a debut album came out last week on Sub Pop and is highly recommended. You can download "Wet Blanket" and "Headache" above and you stream the whole album and watch the just-released video for "Wet Blanket" below.

METZ's additional CMJ shows include the official Oh My Rockness CMJ showcase on Tuesday (10/19) at Cameo that also features Chrome Canyon (who just played 285 Kent), Roomrunner, Moon King, Mood Rings, and Heavenly Beat. OMR, which is celebrating its eighth birthday, is throwing a CMJ Kickoff party tonight (10/15) at Pianos. METZ then plays Thursday (10/18) at Knitting Factory for the Sub Pop showcase; and the Pitchfork showcase at Villain on Friday night (10/19).

If you can't make the CMJ week shows, METZ will be back in November for two more NYC shows. All dates are listed below, along with the new video, album stream and show flyers.

Continue reading "METZ released debut album, new video & are in NYC for CMJ including BV day party on Friday (updated dates, streams)"

Brooklyn producer Chrome Canyon (aka Morgan Z) released his debut album, Elemental Themes, this week (10/9) via Stones Throw. You can stream the album in its entirety below. Chrome Canyon will play a record release show for the album tonight (10/12) at 285 Kent with labelmate Peanut Butter Wolf. The bill also includes Dj sets by Gavin Russom (DFA), Veronica Vasicka (Minimal Wave), and Airbird (Software). Doors are at 8 PM and admission is $12 for this all ages show. The flyer is below.

Chrome Canyon is not to be confused with Chrome Cranks, who play Mercury Lounge (10/13) one day later with Star and Dagger. Tickets are still available for that show.

The Chrome Canynon album stream and flyer for tonight's show are below.

Continue reading "Chrome Canyon released debut LP (stream it), celebrating at 285 Kent tonight w/ Peanut Butter Wolf & friends"

by Andrew Sacher

Four Tet at Creators Project in 2011 (more by Ryan Barkan)

NYC producer FaltyDL plans to release a new album, Hardcourage, at some point in the near future, but before that he'll release a single for the track, "Straight & Arrow," on November 13 via Ninja Tune. The single will be backed by remixes by Four Tet, Gold Panda, MikeQ, and Divoli S'vere. Check out the original over at Pitchfork and stream the Four Tet remix below. The psychedelic cover art is below too.

Four Tet will be heading over to the US later this month to play Moogfest on October 27 in Asheville, NC. He'll stop in NYC right before that to DJ a Red Bull Music Academy presented show on October 26 at Autumn Bowl (67 West St) in Brooklyn with a killer lineup of Jamie xx (whose band The xx will be playing the Bronx's Paradise Theater earlier that night) and Floating Points (who we profiled HERE). Speaking of sure-to-be-insane DJ parties happening on October 26, Neon Indian and Chrome Canyon are DJing Cameo that night (tickets are on sale now). Decisions, decisions...

Four Tet released his most recent album, Pink, this past August via his own Text label, which compiled a few of his vinyl only singles that came out over the past year. It's a more subdued album than its predecessor (2010's There Is Love In You) but just as heady and the shining moments we've come to expect from Four Tet continue to show up, just in different ways. Highly recommended listen. You can stream some of its tracks below.

In related news, Dan Snaith (aka Caribou and fka Manitoba) has a release coming out under another moniker, Daphni. That album, titled JIAOLONG (pronounced "jow-long"), comes out October 16 via Merge but can be streamed ahead of its release at Resident Advisor.

A list of all Four Tet dates and song streams, along with the FaltyDL cover art, are below.

Continue reading "Four Tet remixed FaltyDL, playing NYC w/ Jamie xx and Floating Points before Moogfest ++ more related news"

Nite Jewel at Governors Island in 2010 (more by Chris La Putt)

Krautrock Classics New York is presenting a show at Le Poisson Rouge on August 23 with Nite Jewel and Stones Throw artist Peanut Butter Wolf performing Kraftwerk's 1981 LP, Computer World, like they did in LA last month. The show will be with special guests Chrome Canyon and DJ Scott Mou. Tickets for the show are on sale now.

For Nite Jewel, the show is one of a few US dates she'll be playing this summer which also includes Montauk's The Surf Lodge on August 25 (where Dirty Projectors, Real Estate, and The Drums recently played shows), FYF Fest and MusicFestNW. She's also part of the recently announced Fun Fun Fun Fest lineup.

Nite Jewel recently made a video for "Clive" off her 2012 LP, One Second of Love. You can watch that video below, along with a list of all dates...

Continue reading "Nite Jewel has a new video, performing Kraftwerk's 'Computer World' in NYC w/ Peanut Butter Wolf, playing other shows too"