Bumbershoot is returning to Seattle this year from August 31 to September 2 at Seattle Center. This year's lineup was just announced, and it includes Death Cab for Cutie performing Transatlanticism (in case The Postal Service reuniting wasn't enough Ben Gibbard nostalgia for you), Kendrick Lamar, MGMT, The Breeders, The Zombies, Alt-J, Deerhunter, Baroness, Crystal Castles, Gary Numan, Joey Bada$$, Eric Burdon, Bob Mould, David Bazan, Charli XCX, Redd Kross, The Men and more.

Tickets (3-day passes, 2-day passes, and single day tickets) for the festival are on sale now.

Full lineup below...

Continue reading "Bumbershoot 2013 lineup & tix (Death Cab for Cutie, MGMT, Kendrick Lamar, Breeders, Zombies, Alt-J, Deerhunter & more)"

by Andrew Sacher

Diamond Rings in the Moog Sound Lab

The Moog Sound Lab is a video series where bands and artists are invited to perform in the Moog Music factory in Asheville, North Carolina. With an arsenal of Moog equipment at their disposal, the musicians offer radically new takes on their material.

The first in the series, which has been premiering here at BrooklynVegan, was Toro y Moi, followed by Washed Out, then Zola Jesus, and here's Diamond Rings doing a new rendition of "Runaway Love" from his 2012 album, Free Dimensional. The guitars on the the Moog Sound Lab version are a bit less post-punky than the original, and the song's further embellished by the plucking sound of the Little Phatty and the three Minimoog Voyager Rack Mounts triggered by a Trap Kat for the drums. Watch the video, along with more details on the equipment used and a couple other pictures from the session, below...

Continue reading "watch Diamond Rings play "Runaway Love" in the Moog Sound Lab"

Hot Chip at Prospect Park in 2012 (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

Astralwerks Records was founded in NYC in 1993 as a primarily electronic arm of Caronline Records. When they hit it big in the late '90s with Chemical Brothers, Air and Fatboy Slim band, Astralwerks became one of the biggest indie labels in the country. They've since been picked up by Universal Music Group and have expanded into other genres but they do maintain a focus on the electronic. To celebrate their 20th anniversary this year, Astralwerks will release a limited edition box set, Astralwerks: Music in 20/20, on Record Store Day (4/20). The compilation features previously unreleased or rare tracks from Hot Chip, Air, Diamond Rings, Kraftwerk, Kings of Convenience, Doves and others plus previously released tracks by The Chemical Brothers, The Beta Band, Fatboy Slim, Cassius, Basement Jaxx, Royksopp, a Four Tet remix of Sia and more. Check out the full tracklist and trailer video for the compilation below.

Hot Chip are on the festival circuit this spring/summer -- including Coachella, Primavera Sound, Osheaga, Lollapalooza, and others -- and as mentioned, they're stopping in NYC for a show at Roseland Ballroom on Tuesday (4/9) before Coachella. Tuesday's show is with The Crystal Ark (DJ set) and Tanlines. Tickets for that are still available. All dates are listed below.

Meanwhile, TONIGHT (4/8) at Le Poisson Rouge, Hot Chip side project The 2 Bears (aka Joe Goddard and Raf Rundell), who are also playing and touring around Coachella, play a a show with Ladies Night. Tickets for tonight's show are still available. All dates are listed below.

Tanlines, who open the Roseland show, are also playing Coachella and have other dates coming up including shows with Passion Pit and Vampire Weekend, but not Passion Pit's NJ show with Phoenix or Vampire Weekend's Roseland show.

All Tanlines, Hot Chip, and 2 Bears dates are listed, along with the Astralwerks album tracklist and trailer, below...

Continue reading "Hot Chip are here, featured on Astralwerks' RSD compilation w/ Air, Diamond Rings, Kraftwerk & more (updated dates)"

photos by Sarah Frankie Linder

Polyphonic Spree/Thermals/Diamond Rings

The Main was packed for our Friday SXSWS day party (3/15). That includes the the actual stage, as all 23 members of The Polyphonic Spree on hand to headline. The Spree's joyous set ended with their cover of Nirvana's "Lithium" that had the whole place singing. Diamond Rings -- who now count Miracle Fortress/Think About Life's Graham Van Pelt as a touring memeber -- tore the place up too with one of the most fun sets on our stage this week. So did The Thermals, for that matter. The Main also saw sets from UK neo-postpunk act TOY, Swedish pop vets Shout Out Louds, Akron/Family, and Montreal's Half Moon Run. The Jr. stage was curated by our loud brethren at Invisible Oranges (and Heavy Dicks) and will have pics of that carnage soon. Meanwhile, dig into more of Friday's action from The Main below.

In addition to the music, Onkyo was there, sampling their new headphones which hit stores next month. mophie maker of invaluable iPhone chargers, were giving away discount cards good at their pop-up shop which was set up right across the street on Red River.We were also serving complimentary Jameson, and Zico coconut water, free vegan queso and chips from Food For Lovers, and free vegan breakfast tacos from Pink Avocado. We also had BrooklynVegan t-shirts for the first 50 people in the door, thanks to American Apparel. Also thanks to our other sponsors, M for Montreal, Korg, Vox, Blackstar, Creative Recreation, Signazon, ASCAP, MailChimp and Redigi.

Today (3/16) is the final free BV SXSW day party at The Main and The Jr. The fun starts at noon CDT and The Main stage is co-presented by our friends at Pianos and features Unknown Mortal Orchestra, A Place to Bury Strangers, Austra, Foxygen, Palma Violets, Autre Ne Veut and Empress of. The Jr stage has King Tuff, Dodrums, MS MR, The Orwells, Peace (UK), Feathers, White Lung, and TEEN. That is a pretty amazing line-up if we do say so ourselves.

And tonight is the offical BrooklynVegan/Invisible Oranges SXSW showcase with KEN Mode (who replace Pinkish Black), Homewrecker, Full of Hell, Mutilation Rights, John Baizley, and Pallbearer. If you're in Austin, come on down!

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan SXSW Friday day party in pics (Polyphonic Spree, Thermals, Diamond Rings, Akron/Family + more)"

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark have shared the first single from their forthcoming album, English Electric. "Metroland" is a sparkling piece of synthpop that is very OMD, but doesn't sound like they're trying to rewrite their old hits. (Something 2010's The History of Modern, enjoyable as it is, was less successful at.) You can watch the nostalgia-tinged animated video below, and the album is out April 9.

As mentioned, OMD will be touring for the album with Diamond Rings. The West Coast gets them in April, with Midwest and East Coast this summer including NYC at Terminal 5 on July 17 and tickets are still available. All tour dates are below.

Continue reading "watch "Metroland," the first video from OMD's new album"

Osheaga Festival is returning to Montreal's Parc Jean-Drapeau from August 2-4. This year's lineup includes The Cure, Mumford and Sons, Phoenix, New Order, Vampire Weekend, Kendrick Lamar, Hot Chip, Alt-J, Beach House, Explosions in the Sky, Big Boi, Baauer, Father John Misty, Disclosure, Frightened Rabbit, Angel Haze, Jessie Ware, DIIV, Guards, and many more.

3-Day passes go on sale Friday (3/15) at noon. There are still over 20 artists TBA, but you can browse the complete initial lineup below...

Continue reading "Osheaga Festival 2013 lineup & tickets (The Cure, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend, Kendrick Lamar, New Order and more)"

As you know, BrooklynVegan is returning to Austin for SXSW this year and throwing four days of day parties at The Main & The Jr aka 603 Red River Street at the corner of 6th aka the old Emo's location. Those happen Wed (3/13), Thurs, Fri and Saturday (3/16). All shows are 100% FREE with RSVP.

We announced Saturday and Thursday, and now HERE IS FRIDAY...

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan free SXSW 2013 Friday day party lineup (Polyphonic Spree, Thermals, Akron/Family, Shout Out Louds, Diamond Rings, TOY, Half Moon Run & more)"

Diamond Rings , who was here back in December, will open for synthpop pioneers OMD on their forthcoming tour, which includes a stop in NYC on July 17 at Terminal 5. Tickets are still available.

The Toronto musician will also be in Austin next week for SXSW, including the BrooklynVegan Day party on Friday (3/15) in the old Emo's space. If you've never seen Diamond Rings and his band live, you can check out video of them performing "Runaway Love" from last year's Free Dimensional, below.

All tour dates -- including SXSW appearances -- are listed below.

Continue reading "Diamond Rings opening on OMD tour, playing SXSW including a BrooklynVegan day party (dates)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

"Saw fantastic show by @diamondrings tonight at Bowery Ballroom; hung out a bit afterwards. He's the real deal, people; check out his music." - Eric Hegedus

Diamond Rings released their exciting, uber-pop new album, Free Dimensional, this past October and kicked off a tour soon after which came to NYC for a show at Bowery Ballroom last night (12/4). Gold Fields, who played the Diamond Rings album listening party at Knitting Factory during CMJ, opened this show as well. Diamond Rings played mostly off of the new album but also included some cuts from his debut like "Wait & See," "All Yr Songs," and "Something Else." Pictures from the show (including one of the setlist) are in this post.

More below.

Continue reading "Diamond Rings played Bowery Ballroom with Gold Fields (pics, setlist)"

Cat Power at Central Park Summerstage in 2009 (more by Chris La Putt)

today in NYC
* Tim Eriksen @ Barbes
* Barnaby Bright @ Joe's Pub
* Diamond Terrifer @ Zebulon
* Louis CK @ New York City Center
* Antibalas, Ted Leo @ World Financial Center
* Cherub, Glitter Freeze @ The Rock Shop
* Jenny Besetzt, Rifle Recoil @ Cake Shop
* The Cabin Down Below Band @ Webster Hall
* Buddy Guy, Quinn Sullivan @ BB King's
* Flobots, Astronautalis @ Highline Ballroom
* Ex-Cops, Historics, Young Boys @ Glasslands
* Damien Jurado, Psychic Twin @ Mercury Lounge
* Naomi Watanabe/Daniel Jodocy Duo @ The Stone
* El Ten Eleven, Michna, Beacon @ Bowery Ballroom
* Double King, Careful, Tica Douglas @ Cameo Gallery
* Old 97's, Salim Nourallah, Rhett Miller @ Webster Hall
* Miike Snow, Niki & the Dove @ The Wellmont Theatre
* Sinkane, Zongo Junction, Pegasus Warning @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Counting Crows, Tender Mercies, Mean Creek @ The Capitol Theatre
* Cat Power, Willis Earl Beal, Xray Eyeballs @ Hammerstein Ballroom
* Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons on Broadway @ Broadway Theatre
* Margot and The Nuclear So & So's, Gentleman Caller @ Mercury Lounge
* Father John Misty, La Sera, Jeffertitti's Nile @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Oddisee, Tanya Morgan, Mr. Mag, Gotham Green, The Doppelgangaz @ Public Assembly

Follow @BrooklynVegan on Twitter.
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Be our friend on Facebook too, and BV Austin's friend on Facebook and BV Chicago's friend on Facebook.

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Action Bronson made a video for his new single, "The Symbol." Check it out below.

Aesop Rock made a video for "Homemade Mummy." Check it out below.

Diamond Rings made a video for "Runaway Love." Check it out below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

Diamond Rings at Webster Hall in September (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Diamond Rings will release his new album, Free Dimensional, next week (10/23) via Astralwerks/Secret City, but you can stream the whole thing now, a week ahead of its release, below via Hype Machine.

As mentioned, Diamond Rings will be supporting the album with a tour that hits NYC on December 4 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets for that show are still available. There will also be a free listening party for the album in NYC at the Distiller Promo CMJ showcase at Knitting Factory on October 19 with Delicate Steve, Slowdance, Gold Fields, and a screening of Soul of America.

Listen to Free Dimensional below.

Continue reading "Diamond Rings streaming new LP, listening party during CMJ"

via @jakerocksoff

We already posted lots of posts today. Here's some more, and some reminders too...

With the opening of the Barclays Center (follow @BrooklynVegan on Twitter for some scenes from the chaos), both New York and Time Out ponder the changing landscape of Brooklyn in this week's issues.

Speaking of the new venue, Lady Gaga's MSG (2/22) & Barclays Center (3/6) shows sold out today, so she added one more at each venue. The new dates are 2/23 @ MSG and 3/7 @ Barclays. Both go on sale Friday, October 5th at 10am.

Other NYC shows that went on sale today include JEFF the Brotherhood, Field Report, Diamond Rings, Anais Mitchell, Kelly Hogan, Callers and Petty Fest.

And regarding that Staten Island politician talking shit about her, Lady Gaga thanked him.

As mentioned, Soundgarden is releasing a new album, their first in 15 years, on 11/13. Now you can hear the first song which is streaming at the bottom of this post.

In other bands who were good in the '90s Barclays Center news and, Smashing Pumpkins warmed up for their arena tour with an intimate, two-and-a-half-hour show at Stubb's in Austin last night. The tour hits the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Halloween.

Listen to the title track from Bad Brains' forthcoming new album.

Apple knows its maps app sucks.

Trevor Dunn, who is currently on tour as a member of Melvins Lite, took to his tour diary to comment on Green Day frontman BIlie Joe Armstrong's recent freakout: "That guy's main problem is that he doesn't realize that he is Justin Bieber."

Do you love the blown-out, pixelated artork on MIA albums? You may want to buy here coffee table book then.

On a somewhat similar publishing tip, Diplo "and photographer Shane McCauley are launching the zine series Blow Your Head. Each volume will explore a different country and musical genre.

Tour diaries are hot these days. (Have you read ours with Kelly Pratt whose touring with David Byrne and St. Vincent)? Diamond Rings and Stars writing about their adventures on the road for The Huffington Post. Those adventures included a show at Webster Hall this week.

Winter is coming for everyone, it seems. Neko Case tweeted today: "Dude. I'm just gonna admit to being balls-deep in Game of Thrones on CD."

While on the subject of rock star confessions, a recent quote from Pete Townshend: "What I remember of the size of Mick Jagger's penis - I remember it as being huge and extremely tasty."

If you need more, maybe you'd like to read some Phil Collins erotic fan fiction?

Speaking of St. Vincent, today is Annie Clark's 30th birthday. Happy Birthday, Annie! We always liked this picture of her, by Chris La Putt, from her days as a member of the Polyphonic Spree:

Catch St Vincent and David Byrne in Williamsburg Park on Saturday. How was their second Beacon show? Check out pictures from the first (also by Chris La Putt).

It's also Les Claypool of Primus' birthday, who turn 49. Catch Primus on tour this fall.

Not that surprising, but awesome -Austin just became the first Texas city to endorse marriage equality.

Austin music venue Scoot Inn, a popular place to be during SXSW, has a new owner.

Kreayshawn's new album flopped.

Mumford & Sons' new album probably won't.

more stuff below...

Continue reading "ALSO: new Soundgarden & Bad Brains songs; MIA art book; Diplo's new zine; Phil Collins erotic fan fiction; Apple maps & more"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Stars / Diamond Rings at Webster Hall, 9/22/2012

Stars played twice in NYC on Saturday (9/22), playing an "early" show (meaning done at the usual time) at a sold-out Webster Hall followed by a later show that night at Mercury Lounge with Savoir Adore. Both shows, and the rest of their current tour, are in support of Stars' fine new album, The North.

The tour with Diamond Rings, who joined them at Webster Hall with California Wives, stretches till late November, at which point Stars will hop the pond to play a string of dates in the EU. Diamond Rings, meanwhile, will continue to tour North America with a headlining show at Bowery Ballroom on December 4 in support of his new album, Free Dimensional. Tickets to that show go on sale Friday (9/28) with a AmEx presale happening Wednesday (9/26).

All Stars and Diamond Rings tour dates and more pictures from Webster Hall are below.

Continue reading "Stars played Webster Hall with Diamond Rings who will play Bowery Ballroom in December (pics, dates)"

by Andrew Sacher

Diamond Rings at Webster Hall in 2011 (more by Chris La Putt)

Diamond Rings, the synth pop project of John O'Regan, will release his sophomore LP, Free Dimensional, on October 23 via Secret City. The album was produced by Damian Taylor (Bjork, Austra). You can watch the video for the album's first single, "I'm Just Me" and a teaser video for the album below. A Yelle remix of the single is available in exchange for your email address here.

Like fellow new waver Twin Shadow did on his recently released sophomore LP, Diamond Rings is favoring much bigger and more polished production for this one, and and can definitely no longer be referred to as bedroom pop. That's not necessarily a bad thing though -- check the song out for yourself and let us know what you think.

Diamond Rings will be heading out as a support act for fellow Canadians Stars on their upcoming tour, which hits NYC on September 22 at Webster Hall. Tickets for that show are still available, and they include a download of the new Stars album. California Wives is on the tour as well.

Stars have also just revealed another new track off of their upcoming LP, The North, called "Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It" which you can stream below.

That stream, a list of all dates, and the Diamond Rings videos are below...

Continue reading "Diamond Rings releasing new LP, touring w/ Stars, who have a new song (dates, videos & streams)"

After teasing folks with a few names here and there -- like Run DMC most recently -- Austin's annual Fun Fun Fun Fest (Nov 2 - 4) has revealed it's full line-up, including Public Image Ltd, De La Soul, Superchunk, Santigold, Refused, X peforming Los Angeles, and lots, lots more. 3-day passes go on sale at 10AM CST.

Full FFF Fest lineup is below.

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest full lineup (De La Soul, Refused, Fucked Up, Public Image Ltd, Santigold, Sharon Van Etten, Rakim, X, Converge, Japandroids & more)"

Schoolboy Q last night @ Summerstage (more by Chris La Putt)

today in NYC
* Balkan Tales @ Barbes
* Dapplegray @ The Stone
* Silver Apples @ BAM
* Simon Amstell @ SWEET
* Kat Edmonson @ Joe's Pub
* Slavic Soul Party @ Barbes
* Deviant Septet @ The Stone
* Radiolab Live: In the Dark @ BAM
* Anna Ternheim @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Marc Ribot Trio @ Village Vanguard
* moe. @ Beekman Beer Garden
* Portland Cello Project @ City Winery
* Silver Apples @ Brooklyn Academy of Music
* Crosby, Stills and Nash @ Wellmont Theatre
* Beat Culture, Psychobuildings, Diavel @ Cameo
* Radiolab Live w/ Demetri Martin & Thao Nguyen @ BAM
* Dave Hill, Rachel Dratch, Michael Kupperman @ Housing Works
* Comic Book Club Live w/ Kurt Braunohler, Amanda Palmer @ Fontana's
* Suzanne Vega, Gabriel Kahane @ Rockefeller Park
* Jesse Boykins III @ Apple Store West 14th Street
* Grooms, Numerators, Noon, Neighbors @ Death By Audio
* Donora, Teammate, Starlight Girls, Bluejay @ Glasslands
* HITS, Hussle Club, Slam Donahue, Pompeya @ Mercury Lounge
* The Bottom Dollars, The Nuclears, The Hollows @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Municipal Waste, 3 Inches of Blood, Black Tusk @ Santos Party House
* Childish Gambino, Danny Brown, Schoolboy Q @ Prospect Park Bandshell
* Emily's Army, House Boat, Mixtapes, Lipstick Homicide, City Mouse @ Knitting Factory
* Diamond Terrifier presents Max Alper, Irene Moon, David Shapiro, Eric Beach/Evan Lipson, DJ Dutch E. Germ @ Zebulon
* Workmen's Circle Yiddishfest w/ Klexmatics, SoCalles & more @ Central Park Summerstage

WNYC/NPR show Radiolab has taken its show on the road, performing "Radiolab: Live in the Dark" around the country and has returned to NYC for a two-night stint at BAM tonight (6/26) and tomorrow (6/27). In addition to hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the BAM shows -- like a few of the dates on this tour -- include Demetri Martin and Thao Ngyen. Both shows are sold out (but where there's a will there's a way). "Radiolab: Live in the Dark" comes to Philadelphia on Friday and there's a Chicago date in September.

(In addition to her appearances as part of Radiolab, Thao Ngyen is playing a free show at The Satellite in L.A. on July 13.)

While on the subject of BAM, Silver Apples' Simeon Coxe performs tonight in BAMcinemaFEST Lounge immediately after the screening (and Q&A) of Radio Unnamable.

Meanwhile, Thao Ngyen collaborators and tourmates the Portland Cello Project play the Hudson Square Music Festival's kickoff event tonight (6/26) which is free and open to the public. The PCP played Housing Works Bookstore last night.

Speaking of Housing Works, Dave Hill is there tonight talking up his new book Tasteful Nudes with help from Rachel Dratch and Michael Kupperman.

Speaking of summer NYC series', Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing series kicks off tonight (6/26) with The Nelson Riddie Orchestra, and continues through July 14.

Follow @BrooklynVegan on Twitter.
Follow @bvChicago for just Chicago stuff.
Also follow @bvAustin for just Austin stuff.

Be our friend on Facebook too, and BV Austin's friend on Facebook and BV Chicago's friend on Facebook.

Tickets are still available for tonight's Danny Brown & Schoolboy Q & Childish Gambino show in Prospect Park. We're also giving away pairs both on the site and on Facebook.

Jens Lekman, who's playing Terminal 5 in October, just released the video for his single "Erica America" and you can watch it below.

Diamond Rings, not to be confused with Diamond Rugs who played Letterman last night, has a new video you can watch below...

Alabama Shakes, who played Summerstage with Diamond Rugs, was on Fallon last night. Video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

DOWNLOAD: Diamond Rugs - Christmas In A Chinese Restaurant (MP3)

Deer Tick @ SXSW 2011 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Another NYC New Year's Eve option: Deer Tick, J. Roddy Walston and the Business, Dead Confederate, and Virgin Forest are taking over Brooklyn Bowl on December 31, 2011. $45 tickets are on sale now for what is sure to be a very drunken welcome to 2012. For $15 more you can also get a ticket to see Lucero who plays one night earlier at the same venue.

Meanwhile, as previously mentioned, Virgin Forest and Deer Tick's Ian O'Neil play a show at Glasslands this Wednesday night (12/7). Deer Tick only have one other show scheduled and it's in Albany.

Deer Tick also just released a new video for "Main Street" today, full of explosions and urination (which you won't find in the censored version). You can watch it in all its uncensored glory below.

Diamond Rugs, the Deer Tick related project that John McCauley also sings for, and which contains a member of Los Lobos (who are also playing New Year's Eve in NYC), released their first track today too - the Christmas song that maybe you heard Deer Tick perform live at Death By Audio. Download that above. Stream it below...

Continue reading "Deer Tick pees in new video, playing Brooklyn Bowl on New Year's Eve ++++ Diamond Rugs release Christmas song (MP3)"

The Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival will take place across five venues (all of which are on N. 6th St in Williamsburg) this year, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Public Assembly, The Cove, Cameo, and Zablozki's from November 11 - 12. The lineup includes Four Tet (DJ set), Diamond Rings, Matthew Dear, Reggie Watts, Kingdom, Nguzunguzu, Daedelus, and more (with more TBA). Tickets are on sale now. The currently announced lineup is listed below.

Reggie Watts meanwhile plays NYU's Skirball Center tonight (10/23) and will appear as a guest at The Talent Show at Littlefield on October 26th.

Diamond Rings is releasing a limited edition 7" to accompany the European release of his debut LP Special Affections. The 7" features album track "You & Me" and a cover of Teenage Fanclub's "Mellow Doubt." You can stream that cover below.

Matthew Dear also plays Moogfest which takes place in Asheville, NC not long before BEMF.

Lineup and song stream below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival 2011 -- 2 days @ 5 venues (lineup)"

photos by Vincent Cornelli & Chris La Putt

Twin Shadow @ Webster Hall (by Vincent Cornelli)

Twin Shadow headlined Webster Hall on Friday, 10/7 tour-mate Diamond Rings. It was the last night of a tour that one night earlier hit the Paradise Rock Club in Boston...

Accompanied by fellow genre-straddler Twin Shadow, O'Regan (of Diamond Rings) went out with a synthy bang at his 2nd to last show on the 'Clean Cuts' tour. He covered every inch available to him, dancing--and even rapping- on all four corners of the stage.

...he paired his 80's infused dance moves with impressively baritone vocals to provide the audience with the best possible idea of what it is to be Diamond Rings.

"Diamonds are multi-faceted and precious, but also the hardest rocks out there," O'Regan said. "I can cut you if you're not careful."

This contrasting quality seems to be representative of his musical identity as a whole. From his deep voice against catchy synth-beats to his colorful makeup against his pale skin, O'Regan's music is full of clean collisions.

...Diamond Rings' eccentric style has been compared to that of David Bowie and even Lady Gaga. At the show, he was dressed in a graphic t-shirt, a white leather jacket, a chain necklace, and a pale face of makeup. O'Regan said that he uses fashion as a way to express himself and connect with the world.

"People listen with their eyes," he stated. "It's naïve to imagine that image isn't a big part of being a musician in the modern world." -[BU Quad]

If you missed Webster Hall, then hopefully you live in either the Dominican Republic, Nova Scotia, or Asheville, NC. Twin Shadow has dates in all three in the coming weeks, with the latter going down at Moog Fest 2011. Tickets are still available.

More pictures from Webster Hall are below...

Continue reading "Twin Shadow @ Diamond Rings played Webster Hall (pics)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Suuns - Arena (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: PS I Love You - Leftovers (w/ Diamond Rings) (MP3)

Suuns @ The Rock Shop in January (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

It's Canadian two-fer at Mercury lounge tonight (10/7) with Montreal's Suuns and Kingston, Ontario's PS I Love You. It's a late show after a Robbers on High Street record release party (Suuns doors are 10:15PM) and tickets are still available (a Nirvana tribute band also plays a free show after them, at the same venue - doors at 1am for that one). Both bands play Boston tomorrow night. All dates are listed below.

Suuns have a new 12" single, "Bambi/Red," coming out November 15 on Secretly Canadian and you can stream both sides at the bottom of this post. Says the band:

With a couple weeks off this summer in Montreal, we thought we'd take a crack at a few new songs. Stark and futuristic, these are extended jams that may or may not materialize as condensed versions of themselves on records to come. Open air textures, repetition and exploration were the name of the game for us on this one, and the finished product is a refined mining of the ideas that came out. "Bambi" is a creepy story of love lost and found, while "Red Song" is just that: a song about color.

As for PS I Love You, the band just released Figure it Out, a compilation of early singles, covers (Madonna, Rush) and other leftover tracks like their colaboration with Diamond Rings, "Leftovers," which you can download above. Diamond Rings, by the way, opens for Twin Shadow at Webster Hall tonight -- maybe he'll zip on over after his set to play with PS I Love You? We'll see.

The stream of the new Suuns 12" is below, along with tour dates.

Continue reading "Suuns & PS I Love You are here (Diamond Rings too), both with new releases (MP3s & dates)"

Braids (Raphaelle) @ Bowery in April (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

today in NYC
* Jonas Mekas @ Zebulon
* Dave Mason @ City Winery
* Slavic Soul Party @ Barbes
* Taku Unami @ The Stone
* Tell Your Friends @ Lolita Bar
* Umphrey's McGee @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Twin Shadow, Diamond Rings @ Maxwell's
* Marc Peloquin w/ David Del Tredici 2 Barbes
* The Body, Bruce Lamont, Man's Gin, Iron Tides @ Saint Vitus
* The Dearloves, Balun, Vs. Antelope, The Library @ Glasslands
* Braids, Painted Palms, Blue Hawaii, Noveller @ Mercury Lounge
* David Barnes, Richard Kamerman, Graham Stephenson @ The Stone
* Les Savy Fav, Oberhofer, Chron Turbine @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Slam Donahue, Late Guest At The Party, Easy Over, Ponyhof @ Cameo Gallery
* Spirit Animal, Shoney Lamar & The Equal Rights, Manner, Street Smells @ Pianos
* Soft Spot, Phonetag, Dive (mem of Beach Fossils), Alex Drewchin @ Death By Audio
* Kyle Rapps, Y-Love & Diwon, Rasheed Chappell, Silent Knight, Aaron Cohen @ Southpaw

Blue Hawaii is Raphaelle from Braids. Blue Hawaii open for Braids tonight at Mercury Lounge. Tickets are still available.

Diamond Rings open Twin Shadow tonight at Maxwell's. The show is sold out, but tickets are still on sale for the same lineup at Webster Hall in October.

Diamond Rings made this nice acoustic video in a hotel (sponsored by a hotel) for Pitchfork TV. Check it out below....

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

Diamond Rings at Europa in June (more by Diana Wong)

As mentioned, My Brightest Diamond opens the first (8/2) of two Sufjan Steven shows at Prospect Park in August. Historically, this is an excellent match-up and her set should suit the show perfectly. Unfortunately, it is sold out. Sufjan's second show (8/3) now has an opener too though, and the addition suits Sufjan's new neon coated electronica (and diamond fetish) pretty well. It's Diamond Rings. Tickets for that show are still available, and we have a pair you can win. Details below.

The website "After Elton" asked Diamond Rings aka John O to describe his fanbase. This is what he said:

"It's really diverse. Short of bugging your own friends to come out and see you, after that it's out of my hands by and large who comes to my show. I can only make the music I want to make, and present the image that I feel represents me and hope that the right people get it. Not that there's wrong people. People who come to my shows are all over the place. Kids in high school, 20 something downtown folks like me, people my parents' age, which is really cool. It's all over the place. I'm trying to reach as many people as I can. I want to try and make the music and put on the kind of show that allows anyone to feel like they can come and express themselves and be themselves and be safe and have fun. I would be really worried if I had a demographic niche and everyone were the same that comes to my show."

Continue reading "Diamond Rings opening for Sufjan (win tix) --- updated dates"

DOWNLOAD: PS I Love You - "Leftovers" (Feat. Diamond Rings) (MP3)

PS I Love You at SXSW 2011 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

PS I Love You are releasing Figure It Out, a collection of previously released singles and EPs. The compilation includes the track "Leftovers," which was recorded with Diamond Rings. Grab that above. The album drops August 30 via Paper Bag Records.

Diamond Rings was recently here for the Northside Fest and is going on tour with Twin Shadow. Diamond Rings toured and performed with PS I Love You not long before that.

PS I Love You will be touring extensively this fall and summer, and will play NYC on October 7 at Mercury Lounge with fellow Canadian badasses Suuns who also play other dates on the tour. Check ticketmaster for tickets to be on sale soon. PS I Love You are also scheduled to play a CMJ show in Brooklyn on October 20.

All tour dates and album artwork and tracklist below...

Continue reading "PS I Love You releasing comp, going on tour w/ Suuns (dates & an MP3 featuring Diamond Rings)"

photos by Diana Wong

DOWNLOAD: Junior Boys - "A Truly Happy Ending" (Diamond Rings Remix) (MP3)

Diamond Rings @ Europa

Speaking of Diamond Rings, they've been announced as the opener on the previously discussed Twin Shadow tour which hits Maxwell's on September 6 and Webster Hall on October 7. Tickets go on sale Thursday (6/23) at 9 PM for the Maxwell's show and Friday (6/24) at noon for the Webster Hall show.

Diamond Rings, who recently signed to Astralwerks, re-released his debut Special Affections on the label today (6/21). In light of the reissue, the album is currently streaming on Spinner.

Diamond Rings also keeps busy making remixes. We just posted one he did for Handsome Furs. Above you can grab a new one he did for Junior Boys.

Diamond Rings just played a Northside Festival show on Sunday with Porcelain Raft and Bell. Pictures from that show continue, with all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Diamond Rings played Europa w/ Bell & Porcelain Raft (pics), remixed Junior Boys (MP3), touring w/ Twin Shadow (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: Handsome Furs - "What About Us" (Diamond Rings Remix) (MP3)

Spencer with Wolf Parade at Sasquatch 2011 (more by Josh Darr)

Spencer Krug will take his Moonface project on a previously announced tour which kicks off in July and runs through early August. As mentioned, the tour hits NYC on July 20 at Mercury Lounge. Tickets are still available. If you miss him the first time around, Moonface will return to NYC on August 13 at Glasslands. No opener has been announced for either show yet. Tickets for the Glasslands show are also on sale now.. UPDATE: Moonface is NOT playing Glasslands, and never was.

Handsome Furs' new album Sound Kapital comes out June 28 via Sub Pop. It's streaming now on KCRW. Its first single "What About Us" was remixed by fellow Canadian Diamond Rings. Grab the MP3 above.

Handsome Furs dates HERE. Updated Moonface tour dates below...

Continue reading "Moonface adds date, Diamond Rings remixed Handsome Furs"