Noncerts #1 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

After a successful first show in February co-headlined by Hamilton and Gene with the help of David Dondero, an all-star house band and performer/noncert-creator Dave Godowsky (ex-John Shade), charity concert series NONCERTS will return to Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn on April 29th, and the main lineup is: Elvis Perkins, Martha Wainwright, and Jesse Harris (who also has a bunch of collaborative shows scheduled at LPR).

Dave Godowsky will also again perform a couple songs and play in the house band which features an all-star line up of NYC musicians: Pico Alt, CJ Camerieri, Jesse Harris, Dave Godowsky, Clarice Jensen, Ben Lester, Eivind Opsvik, Caleb Burhans, Christina Courtin, and Doug Wieselman. The venue, Cameo Art Gallery, is hidden in the back of the Lovin' Cup Café at 93 North 6th Street in Williamsburg. As I've been told, "just follow the signs for the restrooms and you'll find it (not a joke)."

Tickets are $20 and on sale now. 100% of the proceeds go towards getting pianos in every Brooklyn public school. Check out some videos from last time, below...

Continue reading "Noncerts #2 lineup announcement (and videos of Gene Ween & Hamilton Leithauser from the first one)"

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo

"Gene Ween closed the night with a set that boasted numerous Ween songs as well as a cover of Fiddler on the Roof's "If I Were a Rich Man" that featured the house group's string section. In addition to the show's house band, Ween's set featured accompaniment from longtime Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz." [jambands.com]

First of all, sorry for the delay in this post - I was originally waiting for some video (coming soon!), and then I just fell behind. Second of all, the first-ever edition of Noncerts back on February 20th was a magical night of music at Cameo in Brooklyn with special sets by Gene Ween, Hamilton Leithauser, David Dondero, and Dave Godowsky, not to mention the 10-piece rotating house band full of acclaimed musicians who have played with everyone from Jay-Z to Bon Iver to Yo-Yo Ma. Plus, all proceeds form the show are being given to music funding at public schools in Brooklyn.

Stay tuned for video and audio, and for the lineup of the next Noncert (date TBA), but for now check out the full setlist and more pictures from the first one, below...

Continue reading "Noncerts #1 pics & setlist (Gene Ween, Hamilton Leithauser, David Dondero, Dave Godowsky & more)"

"Noncerts is a charity-based concert series in Brooklyn, NY. The idea is to bring together some of the finest musicians in the area to back-up prominent songwriters, putting established artists in a unique musical environment while encouraging community and collaboration."

BrooklynVegan is proud to be on board as co-presenter of this new series conceived by Dave Godowsky who is also performing at the inaugural event on February 20th at Cameo Gallery alongside David Dondero, Gene Ween, and Hamilton Leithauser of the Walkmen! Those great men will be backed by an unbelievable house band comprised of Pico Alt, CJ Camerieri, Dave Godowsky, Jesse Harris, Marika Hughes, Lev "Ljova" Zhurbin, Ben Lester, Eivind Opsvik, Jenny Scheinman, and Doug Wieselman! It will be a special night, with all the money going to charity, and tickets are on sale now.

Stay tuned for more future Noncerts announcements. More Walkmen tour dates HERE.

Continue reading "introducing NONCERTS (tickets on sale now for Gene Ween & Hamilton Leithauser show at Cameo)"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Vernon & Shade

John Shade, who made his live debut at the BV/BP Haiti benefit at Music Hall of Williamsburg that Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) also played, recorded his debut album at Bon Iver's studio in Wisconsin late last year. Early this year, Shade recorded another version of the record (with string quartet) - it was produced by Paul Kolderie (Pixies, Radiohead, Hole, Dinosaur Jr, Warron Zevon, etc). Paul offered to make the record after coming to a John Shade gig in Boston. We posted an MP3 from that session in our announcement of John Shade's next (and 2nd) NYC show which happens (with string quartet) at Mercury Lounge tonight (Monday, 4/12). John also plays Lizard Lounge in Cambridge on Wednesday (4/14).

Justin Vernon and John Shade sat down (in front of their respective computers) and had an IM chat about various topics including John's new record, movies, books, and sometimes I'm not sure what. That conversation, and more (never-before-seen) pictures from the Haiti benefit, below...

Continue reading "John Shade in conversation with Justin Vernon"

DOWNLOAD: John Shade - Here I Am (MP3)

John Shade @ MHOW in Jan (more by Paul Birman)

John Shade, project of songwriter Dave Godowsky, made his live debut at the BrooklynVegan/Bowery Presents Haiti relief benefit at Music Hall of Williamsburg in January. His 2nd NYC show will take place at Mercury Lounge on Monday, April 12th.

John Shade's new song "Here I Am" (downloadable above) was arranged by Zack Hickman (Josh Ritter's bassist) who will be playing bass with Shade at the NYC gig. The Neave Quartet (a string quartet) will also be part of his band like they were when he performed four shows recently in Boston and one in Maine. Sean Greenhalgh of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah will be on drums. Tickets for the NYC show are on sale (Soft Landing and Actualities are also on the bill).

Shade's debut, All You Love Is Need, is available as a name-your-price download. As Shade pointed out on stage at Music Hall in January, that price can be free if you want, or as he writes...

If you'd like to pay for the album (and help defray recording costs...) enter any amount from $0.01 to $1,000,000.

Or just enter $0.00! But if you do that, you have to promise to rave to your friends about how amazing the album is.

John's only other upcoming date is an April 14th show in Cambridge, Mass. A video of his live debut (which featured Justin Vernon on drums) is posted below...

Continue reading "John Shade schedules a NYC show (with full band & string quartet) + an MP3, his free album, and one more date"

photos by Paul Birman

"Thanks to everyone who came to the BV Haiti benefit last night. You made it really special." - St. Vincent

"St. Vincent and Justin Vernon performing together was easily one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen/heard." - Steph Lo

Wyatt Cenac was funny. Then came Britt Daniel (of Spoon) with White Rabbits frontman Stephen Patterson. They had such a good time on stage together, you can tell they were buds. Janeane Garofalo came next - she has the smartest humor and is a strong rooted New Yorker. Made a ton of jokes about the L train and hipsters which the crowd took very warmly to. Gosh she's tiny. St Vincent went on and sounded like the lovely thing she is. Someone yelled while she was setting up 'show us your bush'????', In which she replied, 'that is the strangest thing someone has ever said to me...on or off stage'. Adorable. Following her was Zach Galifianakis who everyone was undeniably waiting for. It really looked like he just rolled out of bed, picked up some papers from a table and walked on stage totally winging his whole act...hilarious. Alas came Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver). His voice sounded just as amazing it does on record. The room was at its most quiet during "Flume". Unreal. He was the last act but did say something about a special guest - I heard it was Megafaun/My Brightest Diamond (had to leave early), which I imagine rounded out the benefit nicely. Really awesome that these guys all came together"...
[Stadiums & Shrines]

Thanks for that partial recap S&S. You should have gotten there earlier and stayed later though!

The night opened with a great debut set by singer-songwriter John Shade (previously Dave Godowsky) who brought out Justin Vernon on drums for two songs. Before and after John, and between every set of the night, came comedy by our two able hosts: Bobby Tisdale and Leo Allen. St Vincent's set included a National and a Nico cover. Justin covered John Prine. Britt Daniel did three songs, which was one less than he played at Sound Fix a few hours earlier.

And yep, the special guest after/during Justin's set was in fact Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) who (after headlining Bowery Ballroom one night earlier) played two jaw dropping numbers - one with Colin Stetson on his most-insane giant saxophone, and a cover of Prince's "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore".

But it didn't end there. A supergroup called Songer Singwriter featuring Annie, Justin, drummer, and Brad from Megafaun came back to close the night off right with a set of four more covers. Neil Young's "Harvest Moon", Tom Petty's "Face in the Crowd" (with Brad on lead), Dolly Parton's "Jolene", and Annie Lennox's "Why". Each of those final covers was better than the next. To quote one of my tweets, "To quote my friend, 'Sounds like sonic youth playing a dolly parton song. Sick!' and now Annie Lennox Why! Full room Bon Iver singalong".

We ran almost non-stop for 3.5 hours straight (8-11:30), and raised over $20,000. I'm still waiting for an exact number. More pictures (one of two sets we have) and some videos from the show, below....

Continue reading "Britt Daniel, Justin Vernon, St Vincent, Zach Galifianakis, Janeane Garofalo & others raised money for Haiti @ MHOW - pics & video "

I am very happy to announce....

A Night of Comedy and Music to Benefit Haiti
Presented By Bowery Presents and BrooklynVegan
With short sets by:
Zach Galifianakis, Britt Daniel (of Spoon), Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), St. Vincent, Janeane Garofalo, Wyatt Cenac (of the Daily Show), the live debut of John Shade (ex Dave Godowsky) & possibly more TBA (stay tuned)

Venue: Music Hall of Williamsburg
Date: Sat 1/23 (AKA IN LESS THAN TWO DAYS)
Notes: 18+, Doors 6:30 PM / Show 8:00 PM

Tickets (on sale Friday at noon) are only going to be $35 in advance, and $40 at the door if there are any left. A more expensive VIP option will be available so we can raise as much money as possible. 100% of the proceeds will be split between an orphanage in Haiti (that Zach chose) and the Red Cross.

Note: this show is not to be confused North 6th for Haiti (1/27 @ MHOW) which will also be announced any second (and is already on Ticketmaster)

---

We were lucky to get Justin Vernon who was in town just long enough after tonight's appearance (1/21) for the NY Guitar Festival.

Spoon was also in town tonight for a show, and Britt Daniel will be playing a show at Sound Fix that same day at 7pm (1/23).

Zach Galifianakis speaks to Natalie Portman in the video below...

Continue reading "Haiti benefit SATURDAY NIGHT (Zach Galifianakis, Britt Daniel, Justin Vernon, St Vincent, Janeane Garofalo & more) "

photos by Chris La Putt

Happy Holidays! I take on more than I can handle. That results in a lot of unposted content. In the name of catching up, while also taking it easy during this final week of the year, here's some of that lost material.

Dave Godowsky played the free BrooklynVegan & Bowery Presents show at Pianos On October 24th. More pictures from his set below...

Continue reading "Dave Godowsky @ Pianos in NYC (BV CMJ) - pics "

photos by Chris La Putt

DOWNLOAD: Bowerbirds - Northern Lights (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bowerbirds - Beneath Your Tree (MP3)

Bowerbirds @ Bowery Ballroom

Bowerbirds played two sold out shows in NYC this weekend. Friday night it was opening for Elvis Perkins at Dearland at Bowery Ballroom (12/4). Dave Godowsky opened. The pictures here are from that show. Elvis Perkins went on to play Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday night (pictures and review coming soon), but without the Bowerbirds who instead played a packed Union Pool in the same neighborhood (with Sharon Van Etten).

Bowerbirds have a few more shows this year, and then a whole bunch in January and February. The two MP3s above are from their 2009 album Upper Air, released by Dead Oceans in July. All dates, a video of them playing a "Tiny Desk Concert" for NPR, and more pictures from Bowery Ballroom (with their setlist) below...

Continue reading "Bowerbirds played Bowery Ballroom w/ Elvis Perkins & Dave Godowsky (pics) & Union Pool, touring more in 2010 (dates) "

words and photos by Jake Forney

The line-up was Dave Godowsky, Say Hi, followed by David Bazan.

The bassist of Say Hi played keys and guitar in Bazan's band. Say Hi's lead vocalist and guitarist played guitar with Bazan. Bazan played bass. When asked why he was playing bass this tour, he said he just felt like playing bass. They had a practice where he only played tambourine and sang, which he said was fun, but he ultimately decided to play bass on the tour.

The set was heavy with songs from the new album, Curse Your Branches. However, he played old favorites like "Magazine", "I Do", and a Headphones song "I Never Wanted You". He played an encore, which he said is something he normally doesn't do, but he "felt like playing some more fucking music." The encore consisted of him on guitar, alone except for Say Hi's bassist, who was onstage just to harmonize. He played "Priests and Paramedics", a cover of Dylan's "The Man In Me", and closed with "Harmless Sparks". The rest of the band returned to the stage at the end of this song to provide harmonies.

--

David Bazan & Say Hi are still on tour. The NYC show was last Sunday (10/18). Opener Dave Godowsky has since played a set at the BrooklynVegan / Bowery Prsents show upstairs at Pianos on Saturday (10/24). More pictures from Bowery below...

Continue reading "David Bazan, Say Hi & Dave Godowsky @ Bowery Ballroom in NYC - pics "

DOWNLOAD: The Wheel - Whimper and Wail (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Surf City - Records of a Flagpole Skater (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Surf City - Kudos (MP3)

Dent May

Sharon Van Etten

Cymbals Eat Guitars @ Brooklyn Bowl in August (more by Oren Loloi)

By the time Saturday, October 24th gets here, six BrooklynVegan shows will have come and gone. The first is on Tuesday. Then there are two on Thursday (night and day), and three on Friday (day, night, and night). Finally, the seventh and final BV party of CMJ 2009 (which is not technically part of CMJ) is happening Saturday at Pianos, and the 2-stage lineup is:

DOWNSTAIRS @ Pianos on the afternoon of 10/24/2009

1:15 Surf City
2:00 The Moondoggies (Hardly Art)
2:45 Local Natives
3:30 Still Life Still
4:15 Deastro
5:00 Cymbals Eat Guitars

UPSTAIRS @ Pianos on the afternoon of 10/24/2009

1:00 Dave Godowsky
1:45 Sharon Van Etten
2:30 The Smith Westerns
3:15 Pete & The Pirates
4:00 JBM
4:45 Dent May
5:30 Nathaniel Rateliff and The Wheel

Those times are all P.M. It's an afternoon show and it's 100% free. Come hang out.

Not only is this show 100% free, there will be free Miller beer (High Life and Lite) and free Vitamin Water (first come, first served). Same free stuff at all three BrooklynVegan day parties this year (Thursday @ Pianos, Friday @ Fontana's, and Saturday @ Pianos aka this party). Flyer for this party, which was put together in conjunction with Bowery Presents who wanted the same space on the same day (Double Booked!), below.

We talked about Surf City who are from New Zealand, and a bunch about Pete & The Pirates from the UK.

For the Moondoggies, this is one of only two CMJ-time shows. Their other is the official Sub Pop / Hardly Art showcase at Mercury Lounge.

Two bands on this bill are playing two BV parties. LA's Local Natives are also in the loft. Denver's The Wheel are also Tuesday night at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Still Life Still are that band that new Arts & Crafts band that just came through town. You know Dent May from the roster of Animal Collective's label Paw Tracks.

Dave Godowsky and Sharon Van Etten are both singer-songwriters making their second appearances at BV parties in the upstairs room of Pianos. You may have caught Dave when he opened for Dave Bazan at Bowery Ballroom on Sunday night. You may remember Sharon's voice from the new Antlers record (The Antlers are another band playing the BV show at MHOW).

Ghostly International artist Deastro has a tour coming up with Max Tundra in 2010. Don't wait that long to see him.

The Smith Westerns. You remember them. JBM too. And Cymbals Eat Guitars. Maybe another band TBA (probably). I'm too tired to keep writing. Flyer below!

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan & Bowery Presents were Double Booked! ...........(free Saturday day party during CMJ 2009 @ Pianos)"

DOWNLOAD: A.A. Bondy - I Can See the Pines Are Dancing (MP3)

AA Bondy is on tour and in town Wednesday night (September 9th) for a show at Mercury Lounge with Tim Easton (New West Records), Willy Mason (Astralwerks) and Dave Godowsky (yahtzees). Tickets for that are still on sale.

AA's new record, When The Devil's Loose, came out September 1st on Fat Possum. A new MP3 from that, "I Can See the Pines Are Dancing," is posted above.

You may know that Bondy (a.k.a. Scott Bondy) used to play with the band Verbena, which he started with high school friends Les Nuby (guitar, and later drums) and Duquette Johnston (bass). I recently found out that Les' new band is Vulture Whale, who recently came to NYC for a set of shows at the end of August...

"Live the band is amiable and capable. McDonald, through some unfortunate staging [at Pianos], wound up off to the side in the shadows. There were gestures and faces made; his lines' character and cleverness were intact, unemphasized. Lead guitarist Lester Nuby (late of Verbana, where I think he was the drummer?) has chops, boys and ladies, though the guy manning the boards hid him in the mix for the first couple numbers. (Backing vocals were sort of off all night and overwhelmed the lead.) They don't jam, thankfully, though "That's Cold" got teased out and the climactic "Land It" (from their first self-titled album) is designed to be pounded at.

Band got through all but two songs from the superior second record but folks in the crowd responded more to the earlier material. (They also played "Rearranged," maybe one other?) Vulture Whale was the first of four bands Saturday night (after headlining Maxwell's?), there were a decent amount of people there for that. Room wasn't thick with accents or anything, but if, like the band suggested, many were expat Alabamans, they can only be accused of knowing better." [Heartonastick]

A video of Wes from Vulture Whale performing and talking on Birmingham's WCFT, with all AA Bondy & Tim Easton tour dates, below...

Continue reading "AA Bondy connected to Vulture Whale (via Verbena), on tour (NYC tonight) w/ a new album (MP3)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Delta Spirit played to a sold out crowd at Bowery Ballroom in NYC on Saturday night (2/21). Throughout the set they were joined on stage by friends and guests, members of opening bands Other Lives and Dawes included.

One day earlier, Daytrotter released a new live session...

"The San Diego-based group doesn't necessarily need the monetary support as it's been selling out venues left and right, touring with the splendid support acts of Dawes and Other Lives, but Delta Spirit could literally be considered America and it makes the kind of music that the country should want to support more and be prouder of than an automobile manufacturing company based in the Motor City. It's got the heart and soul of a Motown and a passionate passion for everything that it puts to tape, for everyone it reduces to blubbering, awestruck chills when it's seen live and in person. It, they (these five guys) deserve everything and more, simply for the way that they make a person rethink what they knew or understood about electricity." [Daytrotter]

Go to Daytrotter to download the session which includes a great AA Bondy cover. More pictures from Bowery Ballroom, including a shot of the setlist, below...

Continue reading "Delta Spirit played Bowery Ballroom (pics), recorded for Daytrotter (MP3s) (AA Bondy cover included)"

92YTribeca (200 Hudson Street, New York, NY) is hosting two music shows tonight (1/24). The first is at 8PM, is free, and will feature a rare performance by Boston's Dave Godowsky. The second is at 8:30, a benefit for Showpaper, and is being brought to Manhattan by none other than Brooklyn's Todd P (and Manhattan's Less Artists More Condos, and Showpaper, and everyone else involved in promoting it). Asa Ransom, The Muggabears, Sigmund Droid, and Nymph are all playing the $10/all-ages bill.

Also coming up at the new downtown venue:
Jan 30 - Gogol Bordello: Non Stop / NYC Premier Party
Feb 06 - These Are Powers, Bird Names
Feb 17 - Medeski Martin & Wood
Feb 21 - Todd P Presents: Telepathe, Teengirl Fantasy, Hawnay Troof, Silk Flowers
Feb 27 - White Magic

Gogol Bordello Non-Stop documentary trailer below...

Continue reading "Todd P enters Manhattan, Dave Godowsky, Gogol Bordello the movie & other NYC shows coming to 92YTribeca"

In the spirit of the season, I put some tracks up on my myspace of the soon to be rereleased Ballads of Living and Dying (on limited edition vinyl on Mexican summer) which remains to this day my spookiest record to date.

On this blog, I put up two new home recordings. Still I have to eagerly wait to put the tracks from Little Hells out there. The first is called "So long theresa," a song written by a friend of mine, Dave Godowsky. I saw him play it at Toad, this bar in Cambridge, MA, and was blown away by it. In addition to his solo work, he is also Izzy in the riotous Guns and Roses cover band Mr. Brownstone. I love his songs and this recording is still a work in progress. I'm just happy he let me cover it.

The second song I wrote 10 years ago and the recording is still a work in progress as well. It was the first song I liked that I wrote. "August Rose Gently" [Marissa Nadler]

The above "creepy halloween photo" of Marissa was taken by James Reed at the Old American Can Factory.

Dave Godowsky performs at Toad again this Sunday, November 2nd. Mr. Brownstone has a show coming up with Satanicide at Irving Plaza on November 28th. Marissa Nadler's last NYC show was during CMJ. Her next two non-NYC shows are listed below...

Continue reading "Marissa Nadler posts new & cover songs for Halloween"

Takka Takka, Dave Godowsky & Kaiju @ Pianos (BV CMJ) Oct 20, 2007 (CRED)

Characters from Kaiju Big Battel were on hand at two of the three BrooklynVegan day parties during CMJ this year. You already saw a photo featuring the bouncer at the Friday R Bar party (where Yeasayer & Black Kids & many others played). Now this post is full of pictures that were taken the next day at Pianos - some featuring members of Takka Takka, and two with (their friend) singer-songwriter Dave Godowsky (who played upstairs at noon at that party).

Kaiju Big Battel play Warsaw in Brooklyn tonight! (Nov 9, 2007). Dave Godowsky plays Mercury Lounge on Sunday. Why is Dave in town? Because his other band plays Bowery Ballroom on Saturday.

Kaiju Big Battel are also featured in the new Bloc Party video. That video, and more photos (including one with Jaime of Islands), below....

Continue reading "Kaiju Big Battel, BV CMJ, tonight & Bloc Party"

DOWNLOAD: Dave Godowsky - Lullaby (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dave Godowsky - Alcohol (MP3)

See you at Pianos. Limited open bar while it lasts. Free show. Flyer below...

Continue reading "The King Left & Dave Godowsky are on @ noon!"