LA Fest FYF Fest is celebrating 10 years this year, and will take over Los Angeles State Historic Park on August 24 & 25. Check out the massive lineup in the poster above, and in alphabetical order below...

Continue reading "FYF Fest 2013 Lineup (My Bloody Valentine included)"

Devendra Banhart @ MHOW, 2/8/2013 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

Mr. Banhart, who says he rarely listens to his earlier work, admits to a degree of progress on "Mala." "I don't think I'm getting better, quote unquote, as a singer or guitar player," he said. "But I'm more comfortable in this particular space. I get better at being a bad singer, so to speak."

In other words, Mr. Banhart is no longer especially freakish nor folksy, much like the other wider-ranging musicians with whom he's been linked. Yet they've all managed to stay true to their outlier roots while attaining a degree of musical adulthood. In pop that balance can be the freakiest, and most rewarding, trip of all. - [NY Times]

Continue reading "Devendra Banhart no longer a 'freak,' playing Town Hall and other tour dates"

photos by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Devendra Banhart @ MHOW - 2/7/13

Freak folk mainstay Devendra Banhart came to NYC last night (2/7) to open the second of two Swans shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg, rescheduled from October (when Hurricane Sandy's wrath cancelled it). Devendra was the original opener of both of Swans' NYC shows in October, including the one that wasn't cancelled. Like at that October show, Devendra played seated and by himself, and he sounded great last night. Pictures of his set are in this post, and pictures of Swans' set are HERE.

He opened his set by explaining how lucky he was for getting to open a show he was later going to watch. It was the first of many flattering things he said about Swans and bandleader Michael Gira (whose label, Young God, Devendra was once signed to). He mentioned that he "owes his life" to Gira and was honored to be playing with him. In the midst of all this banter, he actually pointed out that he tries not to talk too much, and then it happens anyway, but he was pretty personable the whole time and the crowd never minded. A lot of the people in front were mega fans, a few of which even flew in to see him (!), and the crowd was loving him the whole time. They were completely silent during the songs, and excitedly cheering and clapping otherwise.

A portion of his set (at least three songs) was sung in Spanish, possibly including his just-released single, "Mi Negrita," the third track to be revealed from his upcoming album, Mala, which is due out on March 12 via Nonesuch. The set also had some classic Devendra songs, including "Little Yellow Spider," which was requested by the crowd (and Devendra forgot some of the words part of the way through).

A stream of the new single, another Mala cut, "Never Seen Such Good Things," and more pictures from the MHOW show below...

Continue reading "Devendra Banhart sang in Spanish opening for Swans at Music Hall of Williamsburg, released "Mi Negrita" (pics, song stream)"

by Caroline Harrison

Swans @ MHOW, 2/6/2013

New York legends Swans played the first of two sold out shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg last night (2/6), supported by singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler. The shows replaced the ones that Hurricane Sandy so rudely postponed last October.

Nadler's melancholy set was a nice counterpoint to the Swans set to come. She played solo, finger-picking an acoustic guitar to accompany her airy soprano voice. Classifying Nadler as folk doesn't quite capture the depth and breadth of her influences. Her vocals sit somewhere between Joni Mitchell and Shara Worden. Her performance was subtle, almost economical, and it was a nice reminder that much of Swans' newer material does draw on folk influences, even if Swans' music comes in a more aggressive package.

There's something uniquely New York about Swans. They have the grit and fear of 1980s New York baked into their sound. Though their sound has morphed pretty widely over their long and complicated history, Swans retains the quintessential elements. Gira sneers and snarls his way through savage and abusive vocal patterns. He's equal parts front man and conductor, prone to now infamous tantrums when the band isn't meeting his expectations, but the Gira I saw last night was in a downright genial mood. He threw a towel at percussionist Thor Harris to get his attention, but that was the closest Gira came to cussing out anyone on stage.

The band played for just over two hours, incorporating a fair amount of new, unreleased material into their set. They were chest-crushingly loud, and I could feel waves of sound trying to use my abdominal cavity as an echo chamber. A little after midnight, when it seemed like the band could keep going for at least another half hour, Swans finished playing. Gira thanked the audience, and announced, "We are finished for the night. We appreciate your attention."

Swans play again tonight, this time supported by Devendra Banhart, the original opener for the October show. Bring earplugs.

Continue reading "Swans played Music Hall with Marissa Nadler (pics, review), play again tonight with Devendra Banhart"

Says the PR

On the heels of a highly successful, critically acclaimed sold-out 2012 festival, the Sasquatch! Music Festival unveils its 2013 lineup, which once again features 4 days of music. The festival, hailed as "a model of well-paced programming...in a four-day schedule as efficient and natural feeling as an expertly built algorithm" by NPR Music while Wired notes, "leave the landscape out of it and Sasquatch! has a lineup to kill for," runs May 24-27 (Memorial Day Weekend) at The
Gorge, the internationally acclaimed concert venue carved in the basalt cliffs high above the Columbia River Gorge in Quincy, WA.

Continue reading "Sasquatch! Music Festival 2013 lineup is here"

As mentioned, freak folk mainstay Devendra Banhart is releasing a new album, Mala, this year. He just revealed more details, including that it will come out on March 12 via Nonesuch, the tracklist (below), the cover art (pictured above), and the first single, "Für Hildegard von Bingen," which you can hear over at Pitchfork.

Devendra will be in NYC to open for Swans at Music Hall of Williamsburg on February 7 (sold out). Swans also play the same venue a day earlier (2/6) but no opener has been announced for that one yet. Tickets for that show are still available.

Tracklist below...

Continue reading "Devendra Banhart reveals album details and new song (listen)"

Swans at Bowery Ballroom in October (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

As mentioned, Swans will play Music Hall of Williamsburg on February 7 as a makeup date for their October 29 show, which was postponed due to Hurricane Sandy. When we first mentioned the show, it was unclear if Devendra Banhart, who was set to open the 10/29 show, was still on the bill but it has since been confirmed that Devendra will in fact be there. Tickets for that show are still available and any tickets purchased for 10/29 will be honored as well. If you had a ticket to their 10/28 Bowery Ballroom show, which wasn't cancelled, but couldn't make it because of Hurricane Sandy, Michael Gira is inviting you to send the band a facebook page and they'll help you out.

Swans have also added a second date happening at the same venue one day earlier (2/6). No opener is listed for this show at the moment. Tickets go on sale Wednesday (12/19) at noon.

A list of all dates and a stream of "The Seer," the massive title track to the even more massive album of the same name, below...

Continue reading "Swans add second NYC date; Devendra Banhart opening the previously announced show"

photos by PSquared Photography

YLT w/ Andrew Bird / the Jons / Titus @ Maxwell's, 12/14/2012

Titus Andronicus opened the night with a roar -- I always read about them as being a punk-rock group, and maybe they are in the old-fashioned (and my favorite) definition of that term as "indescribable." Patrick made the only mention from the stage of the night about Connecticut, which makes him stronger than me. A great set, closing with the breathtaking one-two of "Titus Andronicus Forever" and the seasonal favorite "Roadrunner"...

...If you spend any time around the three of us, sooner or later you'll hear one or everybody burst into "Acappella Ghostbusters," as made famous by Jon Glaser and Jon Benjamin's Soundtrackappella (or is it Soundtracappella -- I forgot to ask, but that's ok, they'd have given me two different answers). Ten years after Hanukkah 2002, we asked them if they agreed with us it was time for a return engagement. - [YLT]

As speculated and then expected, fellow New Jersyians Titus Andronicus made for one of the highest profile openers of the week, and Jons Benjamin and Glaser brought the funny.

The night's Charity was Waves for Water's Hurricane Sandy Relief Initiative and Ira Kaplan made the mix CD. Tonight's the last night of their Hanukkah run -- who will be the openers? UPDATE: Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake and Gaylord Fields open the final night.

Past nights included Barbara Manning, El-P, Real Estate, The Feelies, Sun Ra Arkestra, and the Raybeats.

More pictures from Night 7 are below, along with YLT's setlist.

Continue reading "Titus Andronicus, Devendra Banhart, Andrew Bird, Jon Benjamin and Jon Glaser helped Yo La Tengo celebrate Hanukkah night 7 at Maxwells (pics, setlist)"

by Bill Pearis

A still from 'The Existential Adventures of Tim Maia'

Tim Maia had a huge voice, with appetites to match. The voice made him one of Brazil's most popular singers for nearly 30 years, a pioneer in adapting American soul music to Brazilian tastes; the outsized cravings for drugs, alcohol and food derailed his career, killing him in 1998, just as he seemed to be getting back on track.

But now, nearly 15 years later, Maia's comeback seems to be complete: a musical about him has been one of the biggest hits of the last year in his hometown, Rio de Janeiro; a biopic is in the works; and his influence can be heard in contemporary Brazilian pop stars like Seu Jorge and Marcelo D2. - [NY Times]

Meanwhile, as mentioned, Lemonade are performing live Saturday night (12/15) at Glasslands, along with Rush Midnight, Star Eyes, Jubilee, with True Panther on DJ duty. It's a late show, doors at 11:30 PM, and tickets are still available. Lemonade and True Panther, don't forget to set your alarm on Sunday!

Flyer for the premiere party and Tim Maia album stream are below.

Continue reading "Devendra Banhart narrates TIm Maia film; Lemonade DJing its premiere in NYC this weekend"

Swans at Bowery Ballroom in October (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

As mentioned, Swans, who managed to play Bowery Ballroom on October 28, one of the few shows that actually happened that day in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, ended up having to postpone their Music Hall of Williamsburg show which would have happened a day later (10/29). They've just announced that the makeup date for that show will happen on February 7 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (12/7) at noon and all tickets purchased for the 10/29 date will also be honored. Otherwise refunds are available at the point of purchase.

Devendra Banhart was scheduled to play the original date (and he also played the Bowery Ballroom show that happened the day before), but he doesn't appear to be on the bill for the new one. He did, however, just announce that he'll release the followup to 2009's What Will We Be at some point (release date TBA) on his new label home, Nonesuch. The album's called Mala and it was produced by Devendra himself and his bandmate Noah Georgeson.

A live video of "Apostate" from The Seer live DVD and a list of all Swans dates are below.

Continue reading "Swans reschedule Music Hall of Williamsburg show; Devendra Banhart announces new album"

photos by Greg Cristman

Dirty Projectors / Real Estate @ St. Ann & the Holy Trinity, 11/17/2012

Without the rhythm section, [Dirty Projectors'] meticulous vocal work was overwhelming. The songs seemed less tightly wound, voices filling up the tall room in a wash, punctuated only by the peculiar, skewed twang of Longstreth's guitar playing. The band skipped hits "Stillness Is the Move" and "Gun Has No Trigger." Instead, Swing Lo Magellan cuts like "See What She Seeing" and "Impregnable Question" stood out thanks to slower, more delicate interpretations. For the band's last song, Longstreth revived the title track from his 2007 Black Flag covers project, Rise Above. The song's opening lyrics evoked the spirit of the Occupy movement: "Jealous cowards try to control/ They distort what we say/ Try and stop what we do/ When they can't do it themselves." [Rolling Stone]

More pictures from the benefit are below.

Continue reading "Dirty Projectors, Walkmen, Cass McCombs, Devendra Banhart, Vampire Weekend, Real Estate @ Occupy Sandy benefit (pics)"

Occupy Sandy is presenting a benefit show with acoustic performances by Real Estate, Vampire Weekend, Devendra Banhart, Cass McCombs, The Walkmen members Hamilton Leithauser, Walter Martin, and Peter Bauer, and Dirty Projectors members David Longstreth, Amber Coffman and Haley Dekle on Saturday (11/17) at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity (157 Montague St.) in Brooklyn Heights. It's a day show which runs from noon to 5 PM. Tickets are on sale (suggested donation of $30 minimum) now and all proceeds will go to Occupy Sandy who has been doing great work around the city since Hurricane Sandy.

The flyer is below...

Continue reading "Real Estate, Vampire Weekend, Cass McCombs, Walkmen, Dirty Projectors & more playing Occupy Sandy benefit (on sale)"

Devendra Banhart at Governors Ball 2012 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

A bunch of artists, including Miho Hatori's New Optimism, Devendra Banhart, Oorutaichi, Sahba Sizdahkhani, Dan Friel, and Mrs. Adam Schatz are getting together to play a Hurricane Sandy Relief benefit show in Brooklyn TONIGHT (11/1) at Public Assembly in the front room. In addition to those performances, there will also by DJ sets by Dapwell of Das Racist and Ghostdad of Win Win. There's a $5-$20 donation at the door for entry and all proceeds go to Renegade Sandy Relief, "a direct action relief initiative for the hardest hit victims of Hurricane Sandy," founded by iO Tillett Wright, Holly Miranda, and Lane Sanders (owner of The Drink).

Head over after our free screening of the Comedy at Knitting Factory.

Devendra Banhart was supposed to open for Swans at Music Hall of Williamsburg last month, but that show was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy and the venue is working to reschedule it but no new date has been announced yet.

The flyer for tonight's show is below...

Continue reading "Devendra Banhart, Miho Hatori, Dan Friel & others playing Renegade Sandy Relief benefit in Brooklyn tonight"

Swans at Bowery Ballroom last night (photo by Chris Clarke)

Looks like Swans couldn't hold off the apocalypse two nights in a row. Their Music Hall of Williamsburg show with Devendra Banhart, which was the only major show still on tonight, has now been postponed. A tweet from Music Hall of Williamsburg confirms, "Tonight's Swans show is not happening. We're working to reschedule it b4 we make an official announcement but we will be closed to tonight."

"Swans aren't canceling their Bowery show tonight. That's pretty badass, but it's sort of impossible to get around the city tonight. #refund?" - Dylan Treadwell

"Swans. Single handedly attempting to protect New York with a force-field of post-punk-noise from their Bowery Ballroom fortress. #Godspeed" - Wazu

"Of course Swans are still doing their NYC show in the face of imminent natural disaster. #Frankenstorm #Sandy" - @bloodandwires

Swans @ Bowery Ballroom - 10/28/12 (photo via Chris Clarke)

With almost everything else in NYC being cancelled, Swans, who already sound like the eye of the storm, decided to keep their Bowery Ballroom show on last night (10/28). Sandy hasn't really kicked into full effect yet, but with NYC public transportation shut down, many people were unable to get to the sold out show. Did you go?

Grimes would have played Music Hall of Williamsburg last night (where Swans are still set to play tonight), but her show was cancelled. She tweeted, "Swans is the only band that didnt cancel their show tonight despite the hurricane lol SOOO awesome." Swans band member Thor Harris also took to twitter, saying, "Swans are playing Bowery Ballroom in NYC to ring in the apocolypse. See you all in Hell."

The show was their first of two NYC shows with Devendra Banhart, and the second is scheduled to happen tonight POSTPONED. Most shows in NYC are already cancelled, but perhaps unexpectedly, this one is still on at the moment. Tickets are also still available... if you dare.

Some more Instagrams from the Bowery show are below.

Continue reading "Swans actually played Bowery Ballroom; their MHOW show is still on as of this post too (UPDATE: now postponed)"

photos by David Andrako

Father John Misty / Andrew WK & Matt Sweeney

Petty Fest returned to NYC last night (10/24) at Webster Hall for a night of Tom Petty covers with a huge lineup of contributors backed by The Cabin Down Below Band. Cyndi Lauper, Fred Armisen, John McEnroe and Alia Shawkat were surprise guests. Nicole Atkins, Nick Zinner, and Josh Lattanzi teamed up for "Mary Jane's Last Dance," Father John Misty (who also played his second of two sold out shows in NYC last night and will be back at Webster Hall in January) did "Learning To Fly" and "I Won't Back Down," Har Mar Superstar did "Don't Do Me Like That," Andrew WK & Matt Sweeney did "Listen To Her Heart," Albert Hammond Jr. did "I Need To Know" (Fab played the show too), Caveman (who just played our day party and team up with Albert for a show again this Friday) did "Don't Come Around Here," plus a whole lot more.

More pictures from the Jameson-sponsored benefit show (all money went to Sweet Relief), and the setlist, below...

Continue reading "Petty Fest pics & setlist (Andrew WK, Father John Misty, Har Mar Superstar, Nick Zinner, Albert Hammond, Cyndi Lauper, more)"

We haven't completely compared what was announced a month ago, to what the current lineup is, but this is who is playing Petty Fest at Webster Hall Wednesday (10/24):

The Cabin Down Below Band
With Special Guest Stars: Karen Elson, Justin Townes Earle, Father John Misty, Adam Green, Nicole Atkins, Jesse Malin, Sammy James Jr. of Mooney Suzuki, Cory Chisel & Adriel Denae, Steve Schiltz of Hurricane Bells, Ryan Miller of Guster, Har Mar Superstar, Devendra Banhart, Johnny T, Andrew W.K., Matt Sweeney, Danny Clinch & The Tangiers Blues Band, Justin Long, Petter Ericson Stakee of Alberta Cross, Delta Spirit, Caveman, Mikki James, Jody Porter of Fountains Of Wayne and many many more surprise guests!

100% of Ticket Proceeds To Benefit Sweet Relief Music Fund & The Musicians Cancer Fund

Brought To You By The Best Fest, Makers of Dylan Fest & Stones Fest
Artists and line-up subject to change without notice

Petty Fest is returning to NYC this year on October 24 at Webster Hall for "A Night To Celebrate Tom Petty." Many of the usual suspects are lined up for this one, like Nicole Atkins, Jesse Malin, Sammy James Jr. (of The Mooney Suzuki), and others. In addition to that, we've got some other interesting additions like Father John Misty, Devendra Banhart, Matt Sweeney (of Chavez, Zwan, and others), Caveman, and Har Mar Superstar, who played last year's Petty Fest, is returning as well. Tickets for the show go on sale Friday (9/28) at noon. All proceeds will benefit Sweet Relief Music Fund & The Musician's Cancer Fund.

Father John Misty will be bringing his tour with La SeraJeffertitti's Nile to NYC around the same time, hitting Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 23 and Bowery Ballroom the same day as Petty Fest (10/24). The Bowery Ballroom show is sold out but tickets for MHOW are still available.

Devendra Banhart will also be in NYC around that time to support Swans at Bowery Ballroom on October 28 and Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 29. Tickets for those two shows are still available. Swans also play Bowery Ballroom on October 10 with A Hawk and A Hacksaw, but that one's sold out. Devendra also recently said in an interview, "I finished a record. It's going to be put out by Nonesuch Records. And I didn't know that until today actually. It's kind of my dream label. So I'm really happy about that."

A video of Har Mar Superstar doing "Refugee" at last year's Petty Fest and this year's full lineup are below.

Continue reading "Petty Fest returning to NYC in 2012"

by Andrew Sacher

Swans at MHOW in 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

As mentioned, Swans, who released one of the best albums of the year with The Seer last week (8/28), will be kicking off an international tour in support of the album in Vancouver this week. That tour hits NYC for the previously discussed show at Bowery Ballroom on October 10 with A Hawk and a Hacksaw. Tickets for that show are still on sale but the weight of the album must finally have them heading towards selling out because Swans just added two more NYC shows. The new shows happen on October 28 at Bowery Ballroom and October 29 at Music Hall of Williamsburg and both will be supported by Devendra Banhart. Nice! Tickets for both of those shows go on sale Friday (9/7) at noon with an AmEx presale beginning Wednesday (9/5) at noon.

If you've yet to check out The Seer, give it a listen on Spotify or pick it up at the Young God webstore. Swans have 11 other full length albums under their belt since 1983 and when main man Michael Gira called The Seer "the culmination of every previous Swans album," he really meant it and it stands true. If pressed to compare, it's most similar in sound to 1996's post-rocky Soundtracks for the Blind, but really it is like no other Swans album to date. The Seer is just under two hours long, its title track is over a half hour long, and two others are roughly 20 minutes, but not a second of your time is wasted. It's the type of album that consumes you for the entire listen, and no justice is done to it by skipping songs.

It's as soaring and ominous as a Godspeed record, as dissonant as Sonic Youth (or more accurately, Glenn Branca, who mentored members of both groups), and as heavy as Neurosis, who have collaborated with Swans' Jarboe, who is back on board for this record. And one of the things that makes this record differ from the other greats of 2012 is that it is distinctly not 2012. It completely defies its time and anyone else's, and is destined to be mentioned in years to come as a classic next to the magnum opuses of Swans' sonic contemporaries.

A list of updated dates and a stream of a clip of "The Apostate" are below.

Continue reading "Swans add 2 NYC shows w/ Devendra Banhart to tour (updated dates)"

Sandro Perri

Toronto art pop musician Sandro Perri has a few dates scheduled to take place surrounding his appearance at this year's FYF Fest. They're a bit scattered at the moment so it looks like more might be revealed, but we know that one of them is a NYC show which happens on September 20 at Mercury Lounge. Tickets for that show are on sale now. All currently known dates are listed below.

Sandro Perri is also one of the many musicians being featured on the new Arthur Russell tribute album, This Is How We Walk on the Moon, that AIDS organization Red Hot (who are also responsible for Dark Was the Night, Red Hot + Rio and many other compilations) and Pitchfork are putting out. Sandro will join Robyn, Cut Copy, Hot Chip, Dan Boeckner, Twin Shadow, Washed Out, Laurel Halo, Sam Amidon, Devendra Banhart, Olof Arnalds, Jose Gonzalez, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, Chad VanGaalen, Glen Hansard, and many others for the album. The project is being funded on kickstarter. The Kickstarter video and a list of all participating artists is below.

Earlier this year, DFA put out a remix 12" of material from Sandro's 2011 LP, Impossible Spaces. The stream of Eluvium's remix of "Changes," a list of all currently known Sandro Perri dates, and the Arthur Russell tribute info are below.

Continue reading "Sandro Perri touring, featured on Arthur Russell tribute w/ Cut Copy, Hot Chip, Twin Shadow, Washed Out & more (dates)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Beck/Devendra Banhart at Governors Ball - 6/24/12

"But the real agenda of Sunday's Governors Ball was a day of crescendos. Separated from Saturday -- a day of computerized repetitions and volume control and equalizer tweaks -- Sunday was for bands building at their own pace. It might be the grunge surges of Cage the Elephant or the strategic crescendos of Explosions in the Sky, but it was hand-played and timed to human impulse. On Sunday, the cheers from the crowd showed how well real-time music-making still moves an audience. Guitars -- in Built to Spill, Cage the Elephant, Alberta Cross -- still grab people." [NY Times]

Continue reading "Governors Ball 2012 -- Day 2 pics (Beck, Explosions in the Sky, Built to Spill, Devendra Banhart, Cults & more)"

As mentioned, Governors Ball goes down in NYC this weekend on Randall's Island from June 23-24. You can check out the full schedule for both days HERE. The lineup includes a number of bands who haven't played NYC in a while, like Passion Pit, who have a new LP coming out which you've heard two songs from; Modest Mouse, who also play the Metallica-headlined Orion Music & More festival in Atlantic City this weekend, Beck, Devendra Banhart, and more.

Fiona Apple did play in NYC pretty recently, but those shows were her first in a while and were also small venues for her and sold out instantly. Fiona also just finally released her new album and it's great, which is all the more reason to catch her set this weekend. She also recently announced a ton of new dates and performed on Fallon with the Roots.

Other bands playing include Built to Spill, Explosions in the Sky, K.Flay (who also plays Glasslands on 7/13), James Muprhy & Pat Mahoney DJ Set, Cults, Phantogram, and still many more. In addition to the music, there will be some other activities like ping pong, beer pong, silent disco, lawn games (bocce ball, croquet, etc), and from looking at the weather forecast, probably the most important of them all: free water refill stations. Tickets for the festival are still available.

Shuttles to the festival from Brooklyn and Philly are sold out but regular ferry tickets ($25), and parking passes if you plan to drive are still available. If you are heading down there by car, subway, bike or foot, here are some directions from NYC, Long Island, Westchester, and Jersey. Once you've found your way there, this map should help you get around the festival grounds. Leave your nunchucks at home.

As posted last night, Modest Mouse are playing Governors Ball on Randall's Island during the weekend of June 23-24 (same weekend as Orion), but they are just one of many artists that are now announced, and listed, along with more information, below...

Continue reading "NYC fest Governors Ball announces 2012 lineup (Beck, Passion Pit, EITS, Built to Spill, Devendra Banhart, Cults & more)"

photos by Bao Nguyen

"Amazing time at the Garden. Still buzzed. Elvis was an officer and a gentleman. Thank you. Thankyouverymuch." - Julian Casablancas

As sort of hinted and then twitter-revealed right before the show, Elvis Costello (after he got done making a surprise appearance with the Secret Sisters at Irving Plaza), played a surprise opening set between opener Devendra Banhart and headliner the Strokes at Madison Square Garden last night (4/1). He only played three songs (starting with "Pump It Up"), but then he returned later to join the Strokes on stage for "Taken For a Fool" (that's Julian and Elvis together on stage in the picture above).

But this wasn't an Elvis show (he played his own show at Gramercy Theatre later in the night), it was about the Strokes. As Ms. Modern Age writes...

"I'll start with the end -- The very last song, in typical Strokes fashion, was "Take It Or Leave It" -- but this time singer Julian Casablancas took it upon himself to bring the music to the people - well, specifically to the people in the seated section stage left. Climbing up on the stage left speakers, and then grabbing onto the side railing, Julian positioned himself in the midst of the raised seated floor section, where upon everyone started grabbing on to him from behind.

At one point, Julian jumped down to the floor, and the barricade felt as if it were going to tip over -- terrifying me because that's where the handicapped folks were sitting. Luckily, Julian moved back up and further over into the crowd, bringing the rest of the song to the front section of the room, and a bit to stage right at the end, finally finishing on the stage."

Continue reading "The Strokes played MSG w/ surprise guest Elvis Costello (and opener Devendra Banhart) - pics, videos & setlist"

The Strokes (fan) @ SXSW (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

"The Strokes' guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr. has opened up about the drug rehab treatment he received while the band recorded their new album 'Angles'. Hammond Jr didn't name the specific type of drug he was being treated for, but called his ordeal "hardcore"..."I wasn't on any chemicals," he said. "It was hard - you have two good years of post-acute withdrawal. I was nervous and couldn't remember things. It's like having a stroke, no pun intended. You always do the crazy rock star thing, of course, but I'd rather be left with music from someone I admire than their funny stories of all the fucked-up shit they did." [NME]

Devendra Banhart & The Grogs were added at some point as an opener for the sold out Strokes show at Madison Square Garden happening this Friday night, April 1st (one night before LCD Soundsystem play the same venue).

Devendra is also featured in a new documentary called The Family Jams which documents his 2004 US tour with Joanna Newsom (who James Blake said he would not want to produce for) and Vetiver (In 2005 Devendra was quoted as saying that he preferred the term "The Family" to "freak folk"). The film will be screening at reRun in Brooklyn from April 8 through April 14. The film was directed by Brooklyn-based filmmaker and musician Kevin Barker, who has also performed with Devendra, Joanna, and Vetiver, among others. The film also features appearances and performances by Antony and the Johnsons, Espers, Meg Baird, The Pleased, and Linda Perhacs. Watch the trailer below.

The Strokes, who recently performed on SNL and Letterman, are continuing their late night television trend tonight on Jimmy Fallon (3/30).

UPDATE: Fallon video also below,,,

Watch a video from the Letterman performance below...

Continue reading "Devendra Banhart featured in 'Family Jams' documentary, opening MSG show for the Strokes (who play Fallon tonight)"