By Bill Pearis

At the end of 2011 Philadelphia's Reading Rainbow (who had recently expanded from duo to trio) changed their to Bleeding Rainbow, something I only realized when I saw them open for Cloud Nothings at the Studio at Webster Hall this last Thursday. (And I only caught the last song.) If you're wondering why they did this, they have an answer (via their Tumblr):

READING RAINBOW = BLEEDING RAINBOW
REASONS WE CHANGED OUR NAME FROM READING RAINBOW TO BLEEDING RAINBOW:

- We like the name Bleeding Rainbow better.

- It is trippy as shit.

- We didn't want to get a cease and desist letter from PBS.

- We were sick of being named after a children's t.v. show.

- We were sick of people fixating on it and making dumb jokes/comments about it. (even though it was our own damn fault.)

- Carrie Brownstein didn't like the name Reading Rainbow.

Bleeding Rainbow are gearing up to hit the road with Crocodiles, a tour that doesn't appear to be stopping in NYC. (Or Philadelphia for that matter.) They will however be playing Knitting Factory on Saturday, February 11, opening for Nashville's The Black Belles and Bleached. All upcoming Bleeding Rainbow tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

Continue reading "Reading Rainbow changed their name to Bleeding Rainbow, touring with Crocodiles after NYC show (dates)"

Dum Dum Girls (more by Tim Griffin)

Dum Dum Girls (#40 on Rough Trade's favorite albums of 2011) may have their New Year's planned in Australia, but not before the band hits a very-recently-announced show at Brooklyn Bowl on December 1st with DIVE and Xray Eyeballs. The band will also play Late Night with Jimmy Fallon that night (actually technically earlier that day). Tickets are still available OR you can roll the dice and try to win a MEGA prize pack featuring "EIGHT free tickets and two hours of free bowling & shoes for up to 8 people!". Details on how you can enter to win are below.

Maybe Dee Dee is sticking around town too, because the Dum Dum Girl is also scheduled to bless Brooklyn Bowl with a DJ set on 12/17 as part of a reunion show for Stylofone (mems Amazing Baby, MGMT and Standing Nudes). Tickets are still available. She is also playing solo acoustic at Glasslands that same night along with an acoustic Crocodiles set. Tickets are on sale.

In related "news" a video below shows Dee Dee gushing about The Cure's great Disintegration. The Cure did NOT play that LP at Beacon Theater as part of their three night stay over the weekend. They instead focused on earlier material. The setlist from their third Beacon Theater show and all DDG tour dates and some videos and the contest below...

Continue reading "Dum Dum Girls like the Cure, playing Fallon & Brooklyn Bowl this week (with EIGHT tickets AND free bowling)"

DOWNLOAD: Dum Dum Girls - "Coming Down" (MP3)

Dum Dum Girls at Bowery Ballroom in March (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Last month we announced that Dum Dum Girls are releasing Only In Dreams (named after the Weezer song?) and touring in support of the album this fall with Crocodiles and Royal Baths. They've since revealed the album cover and the lead single. The track is titled "Coming Down," which makes sense considering they were getting high earlier this year. Grab the MP3 above. Cover art below.

As mentioned, the tour hits NYC on October 21 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are now on sale. You can also catch them at Maxwell's on October 24. Tickets are on sale for that too.

You'll also have a chance to catch Dum Dum Girls' frontwoman Dee Dee play a solo set in NYC even sooner though, and for free at the Wavves show in East River Park (8/25 at 7pm).

Updated tour dates and album art below...

Continue reading "new Dum Dum Girls MP3, more dates (Dee Dee playing East River Park with Wavves)"

photos by Natasha Ryan

Dum Dum Girls in Toronto for NXNE

Dum Dum Girls are following the He Gets Me High EP which was released earlier this year with their second full length Only In Dreams. As opposed to their first full length, I Will Be, which was recorded at home, the new album was done in Josh Homme's (QOTSA) Pink Duck Studios with Richard Gottehrer (Blondie, Go-Go's) and Sune Rose Wager of The Raveonettes. The album drops September 27 via Sub Pop.

They'll go on an international tour in support of the album. That tour hits Bowery Ballroom on October 21 and Maxwell's on October 24. Both shows are opened by Crocodiles and Royal Baths. Colleen Green opens up some other dates on the tour too. Ticket info is not available yet but check ticketmaster for the Bowery show and ticketfly for Maxwell's.

Like Cults, Dum Dum Girls recently paid a visit to Toronto for the NXNE fest. A few more pictures from their set there and all tour dates and the new album tracklist, below...

Continue reading "Dum Dum Girls announce LP, tour w/ Crocodiles & Royal Baths -- (dates & some NXNE pics too)"

Dum Dum Girls at Bowery Ballroom (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Dum Dum Girls, Crocodiles, and Woven Bones will unplug and team up for an acoustic show in NYC on May 27th at Glasslands. Tickets are on sale.

The NYC date is one of two US dates for the Dum Dum Girls, who will also play B.O.M.B. Fest in Hartford, CT with Weezer, Best Coast, Health, Titus Andronicus, and many more over over two days (5/28 & 29). Tickets are still available.

Both Crocodiles (who just played MHoW ) and The Dum Dum Girls are also scheduled to play NXNE in Toronto, and eventually, Sled Island in Calgary. Both bands also appear on the recently-released "Flowers in the Dustbin" compilation. All Dum Dum Girls dates and some recent videos below...

Continue reading "Dum Dum Girls playing acoustic show w/ Crocodiles before B.O.M.B. Fest"

Evan Dando at The Bell House (more by Graeme Flegenheimer)

Evan Dando & The Lemonheads have a few random upcoming dates scheduled. The Lemonheads will share a bill with The Canon Logic on April 28th at Maxwell's in Hoboken. Tickets are still available. You can also catch Josh Lattanzi of The Lemonheads at Bowery Ballroom on May 26 & 27 as part of the Bob Dylan tribute that will also include members of the Strokes, Hold Steady, etc, etc.

All other upcoming Evan Dando dates are in other countries at the moment, including a June 16th Evan & Juliana Hatfield show in Toronto for the NXNE festival which, like Brooklyn's own multi-venue festival Northside, recently expanded its lineup. Some of the other bands playing are in the title of this post. The rest are listed below.

All Dando-related dates and some videos below too...

Continue reading "Lemonheads playing shows, NXNE expands lineup (includes Descendents, Stars, Devo, OFF!, Juliana Hatfield, more)"

Crocodiles at Mercury Lounge (more by Marcus Lauer)

After a European tour with White Lies (who recently cancelled their NYC show due to snow), Crocodiles will team up with The Fresh & Onlys & Young Prisms for a tour that includes a Brooklyn show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 4/23. Tickets go on AMEX presale Wednesday at noon (2/2) and then on regular sale Friday.

The Fresh & Onlys will also be at SXSW in March, and have a few other scattered dates scheduled before they hook up with the other two bands in April. Young Prisms meanwhile have a very busy schedule including a tour with The Radio Dept that has them back in NYC in February (though for one show, not two)

While we're on the subject of Crocodiles, Echo & The Bunnymen are performing the LP of the same name along with the Heaven Up Here LP on a North American tour this May. Tickets are still available for the NYC show at Irving Plaza.

Crocodiles (the band) were last here for CMJ, but had to cancel their tour right afterwards due to a death in the family. That family also belongs to Dee Dee of the Dum Dum Girls who also cancelled a tour at the same time and have since scheduled a new one too.

Tour dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Crocodiles, Fresh & Onlys & Young Prisms -- 2011 tour dates"

Pete's Candy Store photos by Amanda Hatfield, Crash Mansion photos by Jessica Amaya, Pianos & Mercury Lounge photos by Chris La Putt, words by Rachel Kowal

Oh Land @ Rebel NYC (more by David Andrako)

You've been following the CMJ adventures of multiple BV contributors for two weeks now, including the day by day reviews from Rachel Kowal. Before too much more time passes, here is the conclusion of Rachel's week (with the end of day four and all of day five), and assorted pictures from four other shows all rolled into one big post. Check it all out, below....

Continue reading "Rachel's CMJ 2010 recap conclusion w/ lots of pics (Lia Ices, Sarah Jaffe, Ume, Robbers on High Street, Buke & Gass, more) "

Dee Dee & a Crocodile @ Woodsist Fest 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

"SO SAD TO ANNOUNCE WE MUST CANCEL THE REMAINDER OF OUR SHOWS WITH THE VASELINES AS WELL AS OUR OWN. DEE DEE NEEDS TO GO HOME TO BE WITH HER FAMILY. SOMETIMES LIFE IS FUCKED UP. MUCH LOVE & RIP TO ARI UP & ANDY KOTOWICZ AS WELL." - Dum Dum Girls

It goes without saying that this news is related to the news that the Crocodiles have cancelled their tour too. Hopefully everything is ok for them both.

Crocodiles were scheduled to play Maxwell's Tuesday. Dum Dum Girls were supposed to headline Music Hall of Willamsburg on November 1st. Both bands were scheduled to play Fun Fun Fun Fest. All cancelled DDG dates below...

Continue reading "Dum Dum girls cancel tour too "

"Due to a serious family emergency Crocodiles [who were just here for CMJ] have had to cancel the remaining dates of their U.S. tour. The band would like to apologize for any inconvenience and they look forward to rescheduling these dates. Refunds will be available at point of purchase." UPDATE: Dum Dum Girls cancel tour too. Cancelled Crocodiles dates below...

Continue reading "Crocodiles cancel tour "

Matthew Dear @ MHOW in 2008 (more by Bao Nguyen)

As mentioned, Pitchfork will be hosting three days of shows at Brooklyn Bowl during, but-it-looks-like/probably completely unaffiliated with, CMJ this year (Thursday/Friday/Saturday CMJ week). "Brooklyn Bowl is located at 61 Wythe Avenue between N. 11th and N. 12th streets. The festival starts at 2 p.m. each day, with doors opening at 1 p.m. Tickets are $10, both in advance and day of the show." They're calling it the #OFFLINE Festival.

Based on the lineups and start time, it looks like each #OFFLINE day will be about a 12 hour show. No set times yet though, but the full lineups and ticket links are below...

Matthew Dear is one of the biggest names on the list (he plays Saturday), and it will be one of three CMJ week shows for Matthew. His first is Friday night at Webster Hall with Jamaica and Dominique Young Unique. His third is later on Saturday at Public Assembly for the FIXED/Making Time Party with Matthew Dear, Crocodiles, Holy Ghost!, Javelin, Gold Panda, Jamaica, and Kisses.

The FIXED/Making Time party starts after the BrooklynVegan party which is also happening at Public Assembly that same day. Just to be clear:

SATURDAY OCTOBER 23RD
* BrooklynVegan @ Public Assembly 12-6pm (free - more details TBA)
* FIXED/Making Time @ Public Assembly 9pm-late (tickets)
* Pitchfork @ Brooklyn Bowl 2pm-late (tickets)
* BrooklynVegan metal @ Union Pool 7pm-late ($5.00 or CMJ badge at the door)

We (BrooklynVegan) will also be at Public Assembly all day on Friday, October 22nd (details TBA), and at Music Hall of Williamsburg on the Thursday night.

All Matthew Dear tour dates (many of which we previously posted including a November show at MHoW), and the Pitchfork #OFFLINE Fest info, below...

Continue reading "Pitchfork announces #OFFLINE not-CMJ parties, Matthew Dear also playing Making Time & Girls & Boys parties (lineups) "

Dean & Britta played Galaxie 500 in August (more by Chris Gersbeck)

Dean Wareham Plays Galaxie 500 is already happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg in December. Turns out, Dean and friends (Britta, etc.) will be doing the same thing much sooner as part of CMJ. The new show takes place at Bowery Ballroom where they did the Galaxie 500 thing previously, one night after the same show at Rock Shop. Catch them at Bowery Ballroom again on Friday, October 22nd, on an eclectic bill with Crocodiles, Wakey! Wakey!, Brian Bonz & The Major Crimes, James Vincent McMorrow and Young Buffalo. Tickets are on sale now (you can also try and get in with your CMJ badge).

And actually, Dean & Britta do a "13 Most Beautiful...Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests" set earlier that same night (10/22) at NYU's Skirball Center. Tickets for that are up too. That makes at least two CMJ shows for Dean and Britta who were part of our own CMJ show at Bowery Ballroom in 2007.

For Crocodiles this gig comes a few days before they kick off a tour with Golden Triangle at Maxwell's.

Recent live videos are below...

Continue reading "Dean & Britta playing two CMJ shows, one as Galaxie 500 w/ Crocodiles (dates) "

photos by Marcus Lauer

Crocodiles are ready to be criticized. The San Diego group takes much of its aesthetic -- black leather, bubblegum melodies, violent guitar effects -- from the Jesus and Mary Chain, and playing shows like the one it did Wednesday night at New York City's Mercury Lounge, the group does the squalling neo-neo-'60s-pop thing without apology.

"Go home and berate us anonymously on BrooklynVegan," lead singer Brandon Welchez said late in the set, name-checking a website known for its colorful reader comments, presupposing a few haters had snuck in among fans of the band. "I know some of you motherf---ers are going to. Do it -- please!"

...The Crocs played just eight songs, many of which came from their recently released sophomore effort, 'Sleep Forever.' During the fuzz tsunami that preceded 'Mirrors,' keyboardist Robin Eisenberg seemed to mimic the organ riff from Del Shannon's 1961 hit 'Runaway,' which the Crocs' DJ, decked out in rocker threads similar to theirs, had played earlier in the evening.-[Spinner]

If you missed it, Crocodiles will be back to play Maxwell's on October 26th. The show is the kick-off date for a tour the west coast band is going on with Golden Triangle and Dirty Beaches. The tour leads up to Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin on November 7th (which Crocodiles are playing, but not their tour-mates). No NYC dates listed at the moment, but maybe they'll add one before Maxwell's (which happens 3 days after CMJ ends) (Golden Triangle will be playing some CMJ shows).

All dates & more pictures from Mercury Lounge (and the place to comment), below...

Continue reading "Crocodiles played Glasslands & Mercury Lounge w/ Candy Claws (pics), touring w/ Golden Triangle (dates) "

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Crocodiles - Sleep Forever (MP3)

photo by Alex Kacha

Back in June, we got the title-track/single from Crocodiles's forthcoming LP, Sleep Forever, due September 14th on Fat Possum. That's re-posted above, and with the release approaching, the band has booked a series of shows, including a New York date, set for Wednesday, September 22nd at Mercury Lounge. Tickets are on sale.

They also have a number of West Coast gigs preceding NYC, mainly around their L.A. homebase (where they have two free shows at the Echo). They'll be making visits to Chicago, Mexico, and, in the fall, the UK.

The record - part flower power, part roadhouse - clocks in at just over 35 minutes, and between eight-songs that means a lot of fuzzed-out krauty interludes. Live, the band's lead duo - Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell - will play as a five-piece band, with drummer Alianna Kalaba, bassist Marco Gonzalez and keyboardist Robin Eisenberg filling out the group.

Their acid-trip video for "Sleep Forever" and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Crocodiles touring in support of new album (dates, MP3, video) "

DOWNLOAD: Crocodiles - Sleep Forever (MP3)

the Crocodiles, a Dum Dum Girl & Santa...

Crocodiles will be geting ready to release their new album, Sleep Forever, while on tour with Dum Dum Girls this summer along the West Coast. The LP will be out September 14th on Fat Possum. The above title-track will be released as a 7" before that, on August 17th with (double?) b-side "Groove Is in the Heart/California Girls." The album was produced by Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford (whose also worked on albums by Arctic Monkeys, Peaches and Klaxons). Live, the group has expanded into a five-piece, with drummer Alianna Kalaba, bassist Marco Gonzalez and keyboardist Robin Eisenberg.

After their tour with Crocodiles, Dum Dum Girls hit the road with Vampire Weekend and Beach House on an August/September tour that includes three nights at Radio City. Tickets are still on sale for those.

Dum Dum Girls now also have a headlining show of their own the night after the Radio City run set for Saturday, September 18th at Knitting Factory. Philly's garage duo Reading Rainbow open. Tickets are on sale.

Dum Dum Girls member Frankie Rose has a show coming with The Outs up as part of the Northside Festival on June 26th... which is odd because that is when Dum Dum Girls are in Washington... All tour dates below...

Continue reading "another Dum Dum Girls show & a free Crocodiles MP3"

DOWNLOAD: Dum Dum Girls - D.A.L. (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dum Dum Girls - Jail La La (MP3)

Dum Dum Girls @ SXSW 2010 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Dum Dum Girls are touring with their very good friends Crocodiles in June and July along the West Coast (Dum Dum frontwoman Dee Dee is married to Brandon from Crocs, who played as part of the band at their first show in 2009 and on their LP).

After that, Dum Dum Girls go on tour with Beach House and Vampire Weekend beginning in the end of August. That includes the three-night Radio City run. Both bands open on all three days from September 15th-September 17th. Tickets for all of those are still on sale. All dates listed below.

Beach House's summer shows also include another NYC gig - Prospect Park with the National on July 27th (that is currently sold out).

You can download two Dum Dum Girls songs - (via their label Sub Pop, "the first, 'Bhang, Bhang, I'm a Burnout,' is the second song from their Sub Pop debut, I Will Be...the second is 'Pay for Me,' which was previously only available on their Record Store Day split with Male Bonding") - here. You can download two more above.

Dum Dum Girls playing "Bhang Bhang" live, other videos, plus all Dum Dum Girls & Beach House tour dates (including the stops on DDG's current European tour), are below...

Continue reading "Dum Dum Girls & Beach House opening for Vampire Weekend, playing other shows - 2010 dates & MP3s "

photos by Oren Loloi

The Horrors and Crocodiles played a September 17th show at Bowery Ballroom. The Horrors also performed at a fashion week party while they were here. If you missed them, both bands will be back within a month - their tour together ends with an October 16th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets are still on sale.

The Horrors' (post-Crocs) tour used to include a show at Maxwell's on October 17th, but that show has been canceled due to a newly-scheduled trip to Mexico that has the band playing in Guadalajara on October 18th.

The Hoboken venue now has Art Brut as that night's band. It's one of several NYC-area shows on Art Brut's tour. Tickets for the show are on sale.

Crocodiles shared a guitarist with Dum Dum Girls at their Woodsist Fest live debut, but that lineup doesn't look to be permanent. Dum Dum Girls' CMJ appearance and their late October shows with The King Khan & BBQ Show conflict with Crocodiles' upcoming European tour.

Updated tour dates for both the Horrors and Crocodiles and more pictures from Bowery Ballroom, below...

Continue reading "The Horrors & Crocodiles played Bowery Ballroom (pics), not playing Maxwell's (canceled due to Mexico)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Dream Diary - Bird in My Garden (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Big Troubles - Drastic and Difficult (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ty Segall - It #1 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fanfarlo - Finish Line (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fanfarlo - I'm a Pilot (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fanfarlo - Luna (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Jeremy Warmsley - If He Breaks Your Heart (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Slaraffenland - Meet and Greet (Mp3)
DOWNLOAD: Slaraffenland - Open Your Eyes (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Horrors - Sea Within a Sea (MP3)

Ty Segall's drummer @ Cake Shop (more by Tim Griffin)

I realize we're all concerned about This Week Next Year in Indie, what with this Pavement stuff, but there are actually good shows in the next few days too, so let's get down to it.

Ty Segall is back in town, playing three area shows before heading down to Memphis for next weekend's Gonerfest. If you haven't picked up his new album, Lemons (which is on Goner Records), you really should -- I think it's one of the year's better slabs of garage. And by all means see him live. He (and his band) were great when they played Cake Shop back in June. You can catch him Friday (9/18) night at Death by Audio (as part of this Maze installation which I have yet to see, and where they recently "chopped some of the walls in half [to help] with the viewing".), Sunday night (9/20) at Mercury Lounge with Golden Triangle, and Monday (9/21) at Maxwell's.

All dates on this current tour are with fellow San Franciscans The Mantles whose self-titled debut is just out on Siltbreeze. Every time I think I've heard all the SF bands doing psych-garage, here comes another and they all seem to put their own stamp on it. The Mantles are a little more on the tuneful, paisley side of things -- think Lyres, Mouse & the Traps or even The Turtles -- that the scream through a distorted mic kind of thing, so they make for a good "similar but different" match to Ty's grittier style.

Dream Diary

It's Rosh Hashanah this weekend and the folks at Silent Barn are throwing a party Saturday night in celebration of it: "The party is to celebrate 5770 and will have a Jewish theme but non-Jews are definitely welcome... and encouraged to attend. Gonna be a party and a blast!" Headlining are Dream Diary, who I caught last week at Bruar Falls and thought were really good. Dream Diaryplay what I'd call classic indiepop: jangly guitars, fey vocals, with a love of both sunny melodies and rainy day minor chords. Think The Pastels, Orange Peels, or Trembling Blue Stars. You can check out an MP3 of "Bird in My Garden" at the top of this post, and there's video from the Bruar Falls show below. Also playing: duo Big Troubles who are also Fluffy Lumbers' backing band (if that means anything to you), and The Kezners. Plus: apples and honey!

Fanfarlo

We are in the midst of The Bell House's First Anniversary, which early in the week saw shows from OK Go, Fountains of Wayne and Rhett Miller, and is now ankle deep in the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival. The last day of this weeklong celebration (Tuesday, 9/22), however, is the one I'm most excited about: Fanfarlo. It's one of two dates they're playing in NYC, they also are at Bowery Ballroom on Monday (9/21). I'm a longtime champion of these guys and it's great to see them playing two of my favorite venues in the city -- a big move up from the 40 or so people in attendance at Fat Baby during CMJ 2008. Their debut, Resevoir, has been available digitally for some time (they were even selling it for a dollar for a while there) is finally getting a proper release on Atlantic in October. It's one of my favorites of the year, but I think Fanfarlo are even better in concert where their sweeping anthemicism really comes alive. The Finest Kiss caught the first show of their U.S. tour in Seattle:

Fanfarlo get compared to Arcade Fire quite a lot, but where Arcade Fire are all about pomp and bombast, Fanfarlo soften the corners coming across as a warmer friendlier band. They can sound big, but they also know how to do quiet. They all seem to be able to play multiple instruments, and apparently get tired of playing the same thing all the time based on all the switching off they did, and that restlessness spread to audience during the encore, when the band brought out hollow plastic whistling tubes and handed them out to various audience members for the song Ghost. It was just about perfect (except for ducking a few times) with the whistling forming and eerie bed of sound over which the band played. Like the stage set up, it was just another example of the band making a big impact with tiny props. It was a Monday night, but Chop Suey was pretty full for a UK band touring the US with no album out yet. The majority of the people there must have been fans, because after the encore the audience demanded another song. The house music and lights were coming on but everyone persisted and the band obliged. I rarely see a genuine encore, but this indeed was one, and the band were a little taken aback. They weren't sure that they even knew another song that they could play, but they pulled out the A-side to their second single "You Are One Of The Few Outsiders Who Really Understands Us." It may be the poppiest song they have, and just like the rush of the opening "I'm a Pilot" this put a smile on everyone's face. In a lot of ways a gig is like a salesman making a sale, it's all about the presentation, and Fanfarlo have got it down, visually and sonically.

Jeremy Warmsley

Helping fill out Fanfarlo's sound on this American tour (he's playing as a member of their band) is London musician Jeremy Warmsley who travels in the same circles as Noah & the Whale, Lightspeed Champion, Emmy the Great, Slow Club, the Wave Pictures and the rest of London's new folk scene, much of which was documented last year on his online show Welcome To Our TV Show. (You can watch an episode below.) His debut album from last year, How We Became, has yet to be released in America but it's well worth seeking out, a nice mix of acoustics, electronics and well-crafted songs. While here with Fanfarlo, he's doing his own solo show (which is also his NYC debut) on Wednesday (9/23) at Pianos. He's performing solo acoustic, but maybe some of the Fanfarlo folks will still be around to help him out? We'll see. He's good. You can download his single "If He Breaks Your Heart" at the top of this post.

Slaraffenland

If I wasn't going to the Fanfarlo show at Bell House I would probably be at Union Pool to see Denmark's Slaraffenland, their only NYC date of their current U.S. tour, most of which was spent opening for Akron/Family. Their new album, We're on Your Side, came out this week and while it's a little more straightforward than 2007's weird, wonderful Private Cinema, it's no less lovely. You can download two tracks from it at the top of this post. And I wholeheartedly recommend seeing them live. I wrote this about their show last year at Knitting Factory: "Live, Slaraffenland are pretty fascinating to watch, as all the members sing and play at least two instruments... often within the same song. The guitarist played the oboe; the percussionist played a variety of woodwinds; the bassist also played flute; and the keyboardist / sampler was often seen with a trombone. There is a lot of live sampling going on in their show -- many songs started with everyone playing horns which would become a backing loop -- so live percussion blended with canned bits. Very little of their music follows pop conventions, but there is melody and beauty if you stop waiting for the chorus and just let the music wash over you." You can also watch their Takeaway show further down this post.

If you're looking for things to do tonight, I can recommend three shows. At Glasslands (9/17), it's Savoir Adore, Drink Up Buttercup, The Art of Shooting, and Candles of Paradise. Savoir Adore, who I've plugged many times before here on this site, are a great live band and I really like their debut, In the Wooded Forrest which is out this week on CD and vinyl. (They're giving away three tracks from it at their website.) I've also written about Drink Up Buttercup more than once, and the band have just signed to Yep Roc who will release their debut album early next year. In the meantime, you can download the A-side of their new single "Even Think" from YepRoc's website after giving them your email address.

There's also The Horrors at Bowery Ballroom. They didn't win the Mercury Prize (no surprise) but as I've said before, their new album Primary Colours is pretty great. I'll quote myself: "Mind you, I'm prone to like things that owe to '80s post punk and goth, as well as '90s shoegaze, but they transcend the influences I think. Like My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, some of the sounds on the record make you wonder if your stereo is melting. In a good way." Opening are Crocodiles who do a good JAMC / Spacemen 3 impersonation that works, I think, because they've got the attitude and snarl to back it up. Or maybe it's the sunglasses. If you miss them, both bands will be back in October.

And at Union Hall tonight (9/17) are We Are Ivy League, Americans who do wispy Brit indiepop just about perfectly. They got most of their press from being part of another band who wrote the Snakes on a Plane theme song, but I think their album from last year stands on its own. They've been mostly quiet since releasing it. It might be worth going to the show just to find out what's going on with them these days.

That's it for this week (and a bit of next). Flyers, videos, and tour dates follow...

Continue reading "Fanfarlo, Jeremy Warmsley, Ty Segall, Dream Diary, Slaraffenland, Horrors & more in This Week in Indie"

NIN @ Jones Beach (more by Zach Dilgard)

Getting right to the point, we're going to play a handful of shows in NYC, Chicago and LA starting August 22nd. They will be informal affairs in medium to small venues with longer set-lists, possible special guests, cool openers and other surprises. Upon reflection, the NIN/JA tour felt like we had to rush through sets due to a limited allotted set length and many shows were in daylight - it just didn't feel right to end NIN that way. An offer to headline V-Fest in Toronto (being announced soon) set the idea in motion to play some FUN shows to end this up with. If we can get it together we'll film these shows, too.

In NYC we'll be playing Bowery Ballroom, Webster Hall and Terminal 5. In Chicago, the Aragon Ballroom. In LA we'll be at The Wiltern, The Henry Fonda, The Palladium and The Echoplex. These should be cool, unusual and unique shows and I hope you come out - this is it.

So far, The Horrors will be joining us for some shows in NYC, Mew will be with us at other shows in NYC, Chicago and LA, and perhaps more.
Details and ticket info will be announced shortly, so check back.

Thanks,
Trent

Morrissey did something similar, but it was Bowery Ballroom, Webster Hall, and Carnegie Hall (and Wellmont Theater). Though he just did it to promote a record, not to quit touring. Green Day also just did the Bowery/Webster Hall thing.

Dum Dum Girls @ Woodsist Fest - July 4, 2009 (bajapuntos)

The two-day Woodsist & Captured Tracks Festival happened in Brooklyn on Friday (7/3) and Saturday (7/4). Both days were supposed to take place at 979 Broadway Backyard, but Friday was moved to the very hot Market Hotel due to the threat of rain. Pictures of both days coming soon, but first here is video Bill took on Saturday during the first-ever performance by Dum Dum Girls.

Dum Dum Girls is really just one person - Dee Dee.... aka Kristin Gundred from Grand Ole Party who is married to Brandon Welchez of Crocodiles who she released a duet with (video below) and who was one of the members of the Dum Dum Girls band at Woodsist. The other two members of the band were Mike Sniper of Blank Dogs and Frankie Rose of Crystal Stilts (and a former Vivian Girl)...

Continue reading "Woodsist Fest happened - Dum Dum girls (Grand Ole Party + Crocodiles + Blank Dogs + Frankie Rose) debuted - video "

Crocodiles @ Mercury Lounge (more by BB)

A slightly bizarre scene played itself out at the Firebird [Wednesday night], where Thunderkid, Crocodiles and Spelling Bee were set to play a show. Thunderkid opened, and a crowd of 30 or so people had gathered by the time California's Crocodiles were set to perform. For those unfamiliar, the band's a duo, and its beats are pre-programmed. And so a bit after 10:30 p.m., the pair slapped on sunglasses, the backing tracks started, and all systems seemed a go.

Just as quickly, Crocodiles stopped and said that apparently it would have to play acoustic tonight. In fact, the duo seemed really upset at the sound. I heard them say that it sounded "like a boombox" (exactly what that meant was unclear) while RFT writer/pal Todd McKenzie reported hearing them upset about "Fisher Price shit" sound. The Firebird's sound guy (who I didn't know off-hand) went up onstage and tried to fix things, but to no avail. After a short amount of time, the band moved its stuff offstage, and didn't play. [Riverfront Times]

Their shows in NYC this past weekend were much more successful. All tour dates HERE.

by Black Bubblegum

With two guitars, two pairs of sunglasses, and a drum machine, Crocodiles took the stages of Mercury Lounge on a Saturday evening June 20th, part of a bill that also included Arpline (fka The Kiss Off) and Big Bang TV.

Next up for the band: a UK tour in early July before the duo heads back out to their native west coast for a few dates with Pens & Graffiti Island and the San Diego Street Scene... all before going on tour with The Horrors in September and October. That means Crocodiles are back in NYC on Thursday, September 17th for a show at Bowery Ballroom, and then again at the end of the Horrors tour to play Friday, October 16th at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Crocodiles are NOT playing the Saturday, October 17th show at Maxwell's. Tickets for both the Bowery and MHOW shows are on sale. Maxwell's (sans Crocodiles) is on sale too.

Crocodiles released Summer of Hate earlier this year and are prepping to release a split 7" with Dum Dum Girls, Pens, & Graffiti Island on Art Fag Records.

All tour dates & more pictures from Mercury Lounge below...

Continue reading "Crocodiles played Merc (pics), touring w/ The Horrors (dates)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Amazing Baby - Smoke Bros (MP3)

Amazing Baby

"I actually miss the days when you just wrote about Amazing Baby in eeevery post." - BV commenter Eric Serpa | June 4, 2009 4:59 PM

Do they have questionable taste when it comes to fashion, their album covers and music videos? Maybe, but I don't think you can accuse Amazing Baby of the same, musically, or jumping on any bandwagons. Rewild is psychedelic without being being retro, danceable at times, heavy, glammy, catchy as hell and full of inventive arrangements and production. It rocks and swoons and sounds great loud. And they don't sound like any single other band out there. You can download "Smoke Bros" (which reminds me of Shriekback a little bit) at the top of this post. And you can stream the whole album at their MySpace.

Lightspeed Champion

Still reading? Phoenix's openers at tomorrow's (6/18) Music Hall of Williamsburg is Lightspeed Champion. That show is beyond sold-out, but tonight (6/17), he's playing a warm up show at Mercury Lounge, which will be his first in a long time. Dev has become a Brooklyn resident in the last year, which is where he also recorded his still-untitled second solo album (due in Oct.) with help from the Spacecamp boys who will also be his backing band at both shows. As a fan of last year's underrated Falling Off the Lavendar Bridge, I'm anxious to hear Dev's new material. Tickets are still available.

Spacecamp are also playing a set of their own at Mercury Lounge, opening the night, though you'd think it would've made more sense for them to play next-to-last and just have Dev come out and join them for a seamless transition, but I am a blogger not a stage manager. The band now have a full-time keyboardist in the mix which has made them a bit funkier (clavinet tends to do that). You can can get an idea of that in the footage Joly shot from Spacecamp's Annex show two weeks ago (below). In between Spacecamp and Lightspeed are Apache Beat and New Orleans' Hurray for the Riff Raff.

Nobunny

The show I'm most looking forward to this week, though, is this Friday (6/19) at Bruar Falls: Nobunny, Hunx and His Punx, German Measels, Baby Shakes and The Beets. I wrote about Nobunny the last time he was through town, having just caught him at SXSW, and his shows are fun and creepy all at the same time. (It's that mask.) If you haven't heard his debut, Love Visions, it's a lot of fun if you like bare-bones Ramones style punky pop. He recently put out a cassette-only album, Raw Romance, of demos and outtakes that was also pretty good -- it's sold out but maybe he'll have copies on tour with him. Nobunny also plays an all-ages show at Death by Audio two nights later (6/21).

The whole evening at Bruar Falls sounds like fun. Hunx and His Punx look and sound like they lept out of a John Waters movie and judging by their music videos I can only hope they bring that level of camp to their live show. Hunx has a new single out, "Teardrops on My Telephone," on Jay Reatard's Shattered label (also home to Nobunny). You can see the video for that song below. Hunx is playing a bunch of shows and parties this week, and all his dates are at the bottom of this post.

Also: the girl group punk of Baby Shakes; German Measels' fake mustache pop; and The Beets who seem to play every four days but I've enjoyed every show I've seen of theirs (including two previous at Bruar Falls).

Other shows of note: there's a TWII-approved line-up at Glasslands on tonight (6/17): Sisters, My Teenage Stride, and Knight School. All the bands are good, but if you haven't seen Sisters yet, you should really rectify that as soon as possible. On of my all time favorite new local bands of the moment.

Crocodiles are back in town, playing Union Pool on Thursday (6/18) and Mercury Lounge on Saturday (6/20). I don't care what Pitchfork says, I think their album is pretty good and they were fun at Pianos earlier this year.

And it wouldn't be a proper TWII column without mentioning this year's Twee as Fuck party at Cake Shop. TaF is a monthy party in London, as well as a fanzine and label, and they bring it over here in June. I went to last year's moderately-attended event which featured Afternoon Naps, Bears, and Pains at Being Pure at Heart who are headlining again this year though it's an understatement to say that things have changed for them. Not that they don't totally deserve it, but it still boggles my mind that the Pains have become a big as they have. TPOBPAH just announced a fall tour and those dates are below. Their next NYC show after Cake Shop is at South Street Seaport (home of tonight's Jon Spencer Blues Explosion Show).

With a lineup that also includes their Slumberland labelmates Crystal Stilts and Cause Co-Motion, as well as London's Hatcham Social, this is gonna be one super-packed, sweaty night at Cake Shop. Advance tickets are sold out, but there are a few available at the door if you get there early. Doors are at 7pm.

That's it for this week. Flyers, videos, and tour dates are after the jump....

Continue reading "Amazing Baby, Nobunny, Hunx & His Punx, Lightspeed Champion, TPOBPAH & more in This Week In Indie "

"STREET SCENE, one of the nation's longest running music festivals, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with two full days of music Friday, August 28 and Saturday, August 29. The Black Eyed Peas, M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, Modest Mouse, The Dead Weather and Cake are among the more than 35 acts that will bring the streets of downtown San Diego's East Village neighborhood alive with music and entertainment from 4:00 PM to midnight daily. The venue site will include Tailgate Park (adjacent to Petco Park) in the heart of East Village, incorporating 14th Street as the main thoroughfare and bordered by Imperial Avenue to J Street."

Continue reading "San Diego's Street Scene Festival announces 2009 lineup"

Tickets are still on sale for the July 16th Dead Weather show at Terminal 5. Tickets are on presale and AmEx presale for the July 17th Dead Weather show at the same venue.

The Hip Hop Legends Series continues at BB King's on June 17th. Tickets are on sale for a show that will feature performances by Naughty By Nature, Nice & Smooth, Black Moon, Smif-N-Wesson, MC Lyte, Raekwon, Show Biz & AG, Lord Finesse, Das Efx and DJ's Funkmaster Flex & Chuck Chillout. Almost everyone on this bill also has shows coming up that are either free in a NYC park, part of the Brooklyn hip hop festival, or at Southpaw.

KRS One DJ Kool Herc (and friends) are playing Santos Party House on May 30th. Tickets are on sale. KRS One has a free show coming up too.

The Cult will perform "Love" in its entirety at Terminal 5 in NYC on September 11th. Tickets are on AmEx presale.

Vieux Farka Toure, son of Ali Farka, is playing Highline Ballroom on June 20th. Tickets are on sale.

The Roots keep adding shows at Highline Ballroom. Tickets are on sale for dates as far out as November.

Dredg and RX Bandits are touring and playing Irving Plaza on July 30th (tickets) and Bowery Ballroom on July 31st (tickets)

The Kiss Off changed their name to Arpline, and they're also on the bill with Crocodiles at Mercury Lounge on June 20th. Tickets are now on sale. Crocodiles' video for 'Neon Jesus' below...

Continue reading "Dead Weather, Vieux Farka Toure, The Cult, Raekwon, KRS One, The Roots, Dredg & other tickets"