Entries tagged with: Dinowalrus
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Howler - I Told You Once (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fujiya & Miyagi - Ecstatic Dancer (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dinowalrus - What Now (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pre War - Out There (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Royal Baths - Darling Divine (MP3)
Howler
Welcome to the Stop SOPA edition of TWII. Do you know how hard it would be to do this column without free knowledge via the internet? It would be riddled with factual errors. More so!
Minneapolis underage upstarts Howler are in town playing a whole bunch of shows. The onslaught began last night with an in-store at Other Music (their album came out yesterday), and continues with: an early show tonight (January 18) with Happy People andTiberius, January 19 at Death By Audio with Grooms andClouder, January 20 at Cameo Gallery with St. Lucia, and January 21 at Pianos with Dear Lions, Cemeteries, and The Everymen.
As mentioned, Howler's debut album came out yesterday and is titled America Give Up which kind of feels like a "just try not to like us" dare. Their sound -- a little Strokes, a little Jesus and Mary Chain, a little West Coast garage -- is indeed easy to like, even if there isn't much "new" about it. But the band have no shortage of hooks and a good dose of hard-to-fake attitude. As previously mentioned, ou can stream the whole thing at NPR.
Most of the hype is coming from the UK press who are still enamored with the Vaccines (with whom Howler's toured). I like Howler better than them and am going to make an effort to catch one of their shows this week. You should too, surely you've got one night free this week?
Fujiya & Miyagi
Also in town this week are Fugiya & Miyagi, playing Glasslands on Thursday (1/19) and Mercury Lounge on Saturday (1/21, sold out). The band have a new single out, "Ecstatic Dancer," that you can download at the top of this post. It's the kind of slinky, glammy stomper you could imagine Goldfrapp doing but with David Best's whispery vocals. No album attached to it as far as I can tell so it seems the single supports the tour, not the other way around as usual.
The band are also on the Power, Corruption & Lies Covered CD that comes with the February issue of MOJO, where the entirety of cover stars New Order's second album is covered by the likes of Destroyer, S.C.U.M. and Errors. Fujiya & Miyagi contribute a fairly wrote version of Side Two opener "Your Silent Face." (Stream it below.) The band are a good time live and are equally adept at both Neu!-style motorik and funky Can rhythms as you may already know. My favorite song is still "Ankle Injuries" but I'm looking forward to seeing them tomorrow.
Thursday's Glasslands show is with Zambri, who really impressed me at Glasslands last month, Rarechild and The Golden Filter on DJ duties. For Saturday's show at Merc, openers are Aimes, Jangulaand Dinowalrus.
Dinowalrus
Dinowalrus' second album, Best Behavior, is due out March 6 on Old Flame records. If you haven't seen them in a while, the band dropped the dissonance in favor of a sound under the influenced of late '80s Manchester. While that means some danceable tracks, it also means atmospheric rockers like "What Now" which veers closer to The Chameleons or The Sound. You can download it at the top of this post.
Jonathan Wilson
If you're looking for something a little more mellow, man, perhaps you should check out onetime Eisley bassist Jonathan Wilson who is here for three shows this week. He's at Mercury Lounge tomorrow (1/19) for an early show and again on Friday (1/20) for a late show with Quilt), and then hits the Rock Shop on Saturday (1/ 21).
Jonathan Wilson's Gentle Spirit made its way onto many Best of 2011 lists, coming in at #4 on MOJO's year end coverage. Pazz n' Jop notsomuch, only three votes, which landed it in a 21-way tie for #372. Mind you, Wilson's music -- which recalls the heyday of early '70s Laurel Canyon -- is prime fodder for a magazine like MOJO that has a Beatle on the cover at least once a year, but Gentle Spirit is a genuinely gorgeous album that exudes a West Coast vibe even in the coldest New York winter. Spotify users can listen to the album here.
This is the only picture on Pre War's Facebook
And finally, for many in New York the phrase "pre war" is code for "not many electric outlets and no sink in the bathroom" but maybe that will change with Pre War the rock band who have dusted themselves off from the recently defunct Conversion Party. Like that band, Pre War traffic in catchy, big-chorused indie rock. Check out "Out There" at the top of this post and you can listen to more at the band's Tumblr.
You can catch Pre War live Thursday (1/19) at Cake Shop where they play with Grand Rapids, Plates of Cake, and Hunny.
That's the big stuff for this week. Day-by-day picks not covered above are below. Fight the power!
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18
Sharon Van Etten is at Mercury Lounge which if you don't have tickets, is sold out. She's got lots more shows coming up, though. Her new album, Tramp, is really good.
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by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Twin Sister - "Bad Street" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Your Youth - What Smarts (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Metronomy - "The Bay" (Clock Opera Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Class Actress - Keep You (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sonny and the Sunsets - I Wanna Do It (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sonny and the Sandwitches - Throw My Ashes from This Pier When I Die (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Night Beats - Puppet on a String (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Craft Spells - After The Moment (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Craft Spells - Party Talk (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gardens & Villa - Star Fire Power (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gardens & Villa - Star Fire Power (MP3)
Oh man it's another crazy week. Let's get into it. Tonight's free SummerScreen in McCarren Park tonight is pretty hard to pass up. Not only are they showing the John Hughes classic Ferris Beuller's Day Off (which is 25 years old this year!) but they got Twin Sister to play before it. In addition to performing lots of songs from their forthcoming album on Domino Records, Twin Sister will also be debuting the music video for their single, "Bad Street." You can download the MP3 of that at the top of this post.
Speaking of MP3s, we've also got one up there from Your Youth who are also playing SummerScreen tonight (6:45PM) and couldn't be more different from Twin Sister. "What Smarts" is a new track from the local duo who are kind of proto-grunge punk. Catchy stuff.
It would be really cool if, say, Your Youth covered "Beat City" by The Flowerpot Men and Twin Sister maybe did Dream Academy's "The Edge of Forever". (Why has Ferris Bueller never gotten a posthumous soundtrack release?) Probably won't happen but one can hope. In addition to the movie and the bands, there's loads of giveaways and such.
Metronomy
The show I am absolutely most excited about this week, without a doubt, is Metronomy who play Hudson River Rocks on Pier 54 on Thursday. Metronomy's third album, The English Riviera, just got nominated for the Mercury Prize (sure to lose to James Blake) and got its stateside release yesterday. As I wrote previously:
The new record retains Metronomy's slightly askew, claustrophobic sound while broadening its scope. There's glammy funk ("We Broke Free," the Roxy-ish "She Wants"), a guitar pop ("Everything Goes My Way," a duet with Roxanne Clifford of Veronica Falls), waltz-time ballads ("Trouble"), and more typical Metronomy-style twitchy disco ("The Bay," "Corrine."). It's also got one of the 2011's best singles, "The Look."It's definitely one of my favorite albums of the year. (Their last album, Nights Out, was my favorite album of 2008.) The vinyl version comes with the CD which is a trend I would like to see all labels doing. Highly recommended. Watching a few live performance clips , I'm glad to see they're still wearing stick-it-and-click-it lights on their shirts that was a highlight of their old stage show -- even though they're a proper band now (they didn't used to have a drummer).
Also playing the Pier 54 show is American Royalty and Class Actress whose debut album Rapproacher is out October 11 on Carpark. You can snag "Keep You" at the top of this post. Do get there early for openers American Royalty who came out from L.A. just for this show. I caught them at SXSW this year and they kept me entertained on Saturday evening when I was basically burned out on seeing live music. You can check out their hodgepodge electro sound via their Bandcamp page. And if you want to see them again, American Royalty play Lit on Saturday (7/30).
If you want to keep the party going on Thursday after Metronomy, head over to Glasslands for all your sissy bounce italodisco soulclap free booze needs. New Orleans Vockah Redu is like Big Freedia but with more choreography and a subscription to Vogue. (Check out the video at the bottom of this post.) They also play the PS1 warm-up on Saturday. Also playing is Portland's Miracles Club, who played PS1 last weekend. Jonathan Tobin is DJing, it's My Open Bar's 5th anniversary, it's a party.
Sonny
What else is going on this week? Sonny & the Sunsets are backfor the first time since October, playing Mercury Lounge on Friday (7/29) and Glasslands on Saturday (7/30). Have you checked out Sonny's new album, Hit After Hit? As I wrote previously:
Unlike last year's laid back and folky Too Young to Burn, the new album is more of a party --inspired by '60s pop and garage. Opening track "She Plays Yo-Yo with My Mind" cribs liberally from The Standells' "Dirty Water."Tourmates for this go-round are fellow Bay Area residents The Sandwitches who were described by Sunsets drummer/producer Kelley Stoltz thusly: "Imagine a 60's Girl-group is on tour and their van breaks down near a gothic castle high on the hill, Dario Argento invites them in to perform a concert for his tweaked actors in a big dark red room inside and, if the dream is right, it's the Sandwiches - they'd fit right in with those misfits and speak the same language. I'd like to be there to dance."At least a couple of the songs on Hit After Hit (including "I Wanna Do It") are reworked versions of songs written for Smith's 100 Records project which you might have caught at the late Cinders Gallery last summer. Embued with Smith's (and fellow Sunset Kelley Stoltz) encyclopedic knowledge of pop and his wry sense of humor, Hit After Hit's a great little record.
Sonny Smith put out a record with The Sandwitches last year, so I'd expect to hear those tracks at these shows. Check out one of them, the twangy, mournful "Throw My Ashes from This Pier When I Die" at the top of this post. I caught Sonny last year when he toured with Kelley Stoltz and it was a great show. Sonny doesn't get enough attention i don't think, so do try and make it to one of these shows.
The Night Beats
Seattle trio The Night Beats are currently on tour with The Black Lips opening for sold out shows at Bowery Ballroom on Friday (7/29) and Maxwell's on Saturday (7/30). But if you wanna catch them in a non-sold-out enviroment, free of the Black Lips, they play Sunday night (7/31) at Shea Stadium with Sweet Bulbs, Dinowalrus, Liquor Store, and Yvette.
The Night Beats' stomping debut is out now on Trouble in Mind. I caught the band at the label's party during SXSW:
I got there as Seattle trio Night Beats were just starting. Never heard them before, but really dug their psych-garage sounds, and they definitely looked the part. They ended their set with a cover of The Count Five's classic "Psychotic Reaction," giving their version a little swing which made it their own.Check out "Puppet on a String" from their TiM debut at the top of this post. The Shea Stadium show is solid, I like all the bands on the bill.
Craft Spells
Speaking of Seattle, Craft Spells are back in town, playing Mercury Lounge on Saturday (7/30) -- their first area show since playing here back in April. Live, they eschew the keyboards that are so abundant on their Captured Tracks album in favor of a guitar-oriented line-up which works just fine. (It's very Orange Juice.) They are young and enthusiastic and the songs are ridiculously catchy.
The band are on tour with Santa Barbara, CA's Gardens & Villa who are dreamy and synthy and danceable (kinda like Tony Castles). Their debut album just came out via Secretly Canadian and you can download two tracks from it at the top of this post. Also playing are local synthpop act Selebrities whose free downloadable EP evokes favorable comparisons to all sorts of '80s groups. You can download a free EP from Selebrities here.
Eternal Summers
And finally, don't forget about this Sunday's Beach Party at Beekman Beer Garden with Raveonettes and Eternal Summers. The Raveonettes new album, Raven in the Grave, is a slow burn compared to 2009's poppy In and Out of Control but no less enticing and I've always enjoyed them live. And Eternal Summers can do no wrong for me right now. This will be a very fun show, and likely the first where they might have to turn people away because of capacity so come early. Free!
Ok, that's the main stuff I'm highlighting this week but there are quite a few more recommended shows listed day-by-day below.
The Psychic Paramount @ Union Pool -- 7/26
Disappears @ Union Pool -- 7/26
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27
I had my mind blown twice at Union Pool last night: first by the smoke-machine fueled power of The Psychic Paramount (modern instrumental acid rock? Incredible!) and then by Disappears whose new material written with Steve Shelley is groovier, a little slower than their pedal-to-the-metal first albums but equally awesome. (More Neu!, less Stooges.) They play tonight at Cake Shop. Get up close and watch Disappear's bassist lay it down track after track.
There are so many shows tonight! But if you want to see three of the best bands in NYC right now, head to Mercury Lounge for North Highlands, ARMS and Hospitality. All three groups are holding onto new albums that I am dying to hear. Hospitality were incredible when they played my final Sound Bites show down at Fulton Stall Market two weeks ago.
Avi Buffalo test out new material for their second Sub Pop album at the Rock Shop tonight. With Nic Frietas.
Metronomy aren't the only Mercury Prize nominees in town this week. Anna Calvi plays tonight at Le Poisson Rouge.
Out at Bushwick's Brooklyn Fireproof, you can see The Gytters (who I wrote about last week) and Cake Shop house band Moonmen on the Moon, Man... along with Nighty Night and Beat People.
The Barr Brothers, who I really liked at M for Montreal last year, play Rockwood Music Hall tonight. They recently signed to Secret City, home of Patrick Watson & the Wooden Arms, Plants and Animals, Miracle Fortress, Basia Bulat and more.
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photos by Andrew St. Clair
Titus Andronicus @ MHOW
The pictures in this post come from Titus Andronicus's date with Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, 4/30. The show, with The Suzan and Dinowalrus, was the conclusion of a tour that took up most of March & April including a pair of appearances with The Pogues at Terminal 5.
The band is returning to Terminal 5 on June 7 with Okkervil River and Future Islands as part of their summer tour that kicks off on June 1st. Tickets for the NYC show are still on sale. Updated tour dates are listed below.
Since 4/30, Titus played Replacements covers as part of the "Our Band Could Be Your Life" show at Bowery Ballroom, and their very next show is this weekend as part of B.O.M.B. Fest.
Titus Andronicus side project Hilly Eye however, play a Permenant Wave Benefit for Planned Parenthood at Death By Audio tonight (5/25) with The Shondes, Crazy Pills, and Cojoba. As mentioned before, Hilly Eye is the project of Titus guitarist Amy Klein who you can see was wearing a Crass t-shirt at Music Hall in the pictures which continue below...
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Amor de Días - Bunhill Fields (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Damon & Naomi - "Walking Backwards" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Damon & Naomi - "Shadow Boxing" (M4A)
DOWNLOAD: BNLX - Burn the Boats (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: BNLX - Garbage Strike (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Beige - Folds (MP3)
Amor de Dias
This weekend is dominated, for me at least, by NYC Popfest but as I've already written an exhaustive (exhausting) post about that, so go read it and we'll discuss other shows here. There's lots more to cover anyway.
One thing, and this is Popfest related really, is that Amor de Días are here this weekend, playing Knitting Factory on Sunday (5/22) opening for Damon & Naomi. We've got a pair of tickets to give away to this show. Just send an email with your name to BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM with the subject line "Amor de Dias" and we'll pick a winner at random.
As you may know, the duo (Amor de Días) are Alisdair Maclean of The Clientele and Lupe Núñez-Fernández of Pipas, a group who played the first ever NYC Popfest back in 2007. I actually thought it was going to be Amor de Días in the "TBA" slot at the Thursday night Cake Shop show that turned out to be Pains of Being Pure at Heart. For this show to be happening at the same -- but not part of -- the 'Fest seems a little criminal.
MacLean and Núñez-Fernández formed Amor de Días back in 2008 and wrote and recorded whenever they had time, with help from current tourmates Damon & Naomi, indiepop legend (and master arranger) Louis Phillipe and Ladybug Transistor's Gary Olson. Their debut, The Street of the Love of Days, came out this week on Merge and is a lovely little album as you might imagine from the talent involved. Their styles and voices are a perfect match for one another and the arrangements are just perfect. Among the treats is a particularly nice version of The Clientele's "Harvest Time." You can download "Bunhill Fields" at the top of this post.
Damon & Naomi's new album, False Beats and True Hearts, is a really nice record too. And if it's still pouring out Sunday night, all the better. It's an evening of rainy day music.
BNLX
A much louder duo, also in town this weekend, are Minneapolis' BNLX, who play Pianos on Friday (5/20) and The Rock Shop on Saturday (5/21). I've written about them a couple times this year already and I do really dig their mix of rockin' tunes and corporate humor. I'll quote myself again:
Volume isn't just for punishment, though in the wrong hands it most certainly is. But sometimes you just can't achieve that clarity of sound, that particular strain of feedback, that shriiiiiiinnnnng you get from flicking the strings above the headnut, that tone...without cranking the amp. Ed Ackerson, a 20-year veteran guitar slinger of such Minneapolis bands as 27 Various and Polara, knows what he's doing. BNLX didn't just blow eardrums, they kinda blew minds...You can download two tracks from EP#5 at the top of this post, and I have a good feeling they'll have EP#6 at the merch table for the NYC shows. Also playing The Rock Shop show is Black Onassis, which is not the ex-drummer of Urge Overkill but a new group from former member(s) of Kasabian and Daylight for the Birds. Don't know much about them....for being just two of them and a laptop, they made quite a racket at the Rock Shop. Normally I'm one to complain about bands using canned backing instead of a real drummer, but vintage drum machine sounds -- right out of 1987, be it Jesus & Mary Chain or Age of Chance -- are kind of integral to what BNLX are doing. With a stroboscopic lightshow (what, no smoke machines?) you didn't really need anyone else.
More interesting is what's happening earlier that same evening at The Rock Shop: a tribute to Brian Eno's Here Come the Warm Jets featuring a cavalcade of indie rock talent. Here's the press release:
When Brian Eno's first solo record, Here Come the Warm Jets, came out in 1974 it turned heads. It continues to baffle great minds due to the sneaky way it overlays whimsical pop with the beginnings of Eno's whole philosophy of creativity and experimentation.Musicians performing include Travis Morrison (Dismemberment Plan), Hamish Kilgour (The Clean), Richard Baluyut (Versus), Rob Christiansen (Eggs), Amy Klein (Titus Andronicus), and Ben Trokan (Robbers On High Street).Indy music stalwart Rob Christinsen (Eggs, Grenadine, East Ghost West Ghost) and Rock Shop booker Jack McFadden team up to present this great curiosity of a recording LIVE with a melange of rockers and experimentalists.
"It sounds fantastic but one of the things that I tried to do with Warm Jets was to bring musicians together who would normally never play together and to play a music that they couldn't agree upon. The music would come from the chemistry. But of course, it was impossible to do. I couldn't expect any of the session people I worked with to go along with it. They literally fought." - Brian Eno, 1974.
In that spirit, fifteen singers and ten instrumentalists from all musical worlds team up to perform this masterpiece.
The evening will be emceed by walking/talking Brian Eno encyclopedia, WNYC's John Schaefer.
Of course the big tribute this weekend is Sunday's Our Concert Could Be Your Life which celebrates the 10th anniversary of Michael Azzerad's chronicle of the American indie rock scene in the '80s. The talent assembled paying tribute to the bands covered in the book is pretty amazing, and it's changed/expanded a bit since first announced:
- Nat Baldwin, David Longstreth and Brian McOmber play Black Flag
- Delicate Steve plays the Minutemen
- Citay plays Mission of Burma
- Ted Leo plays Minor Threat
- Grooms plays Husker Du
- Titus Andronicus plays the Replacements
- Tune-Yards plays Sonic Youth
- Callers plays Sonic Youth
- Dan Deacon plays the Butthole Surfers
- St. Vincent plays Big Black
- Wye Oak plays Dinosaur Jr
- Buke and Gass plays Fugazi
- White Hills plays Mudhoney
- Yellow Ostrich plays Beat Happening
[note: both Tune-Yards and Buke and Gass play a sold out show at MHOW one day earlier. Dan Deacon also plays more shows this week. Delicate Steve has a headlining show coming up soon at Brooklyn Bowl.]
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Cymbals Eat Guitars
And lastly, Cymbals Eat Guitars play their first show in a long time this Friday (5/20) at Glasslands. The band are finishing up their sophomore LP which is due out this fall ,so hopefully we'll get a preview of what's to come which they'll be playing in full at the show. The whole line-up is pretty good, with fellow '90s loving indie rockers Radical Dads (whose member Robbie just announced a new album for one of his other bands), Iranian transplants Yellow Dogs, and the psychedelic sounds of Mirror Mirror.
A few more picks, day by day, are below.
THURSDAY, MAY 19
It should be a fun night at Union Pool with neo baggy kids McDonalds, volatile and soul-bearing Wild Yaks, and The Surprisers.
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by Bill Pearis
French duo Jamaica, who were last in NYC during CMJ where they played shows like dance party FIXED and Fader Fort, have just kicked off an American tour. They played their first of three NYC shows last night at Knitting Factory with Via Audio and Miniboone. Anybody go? They play again tonight (4/15) at Mercury Lounge with Reptar and will get funky for the stroller set at Kidrockers Saturday afternoon (4/16) with Dinowalrus.
Jamaica's debut album -- produced by Justice's Xavier de Rosnay and Daft Punk's sound engineer, Peter Franco -- was released last fall overseas but just got a U.S. release this week, and received a shrugging 5.2 review (even lower than the new Vivian Girls) by Pitchfork today:
...and on the single "I Think I Like U 2", it seems like the big-name help came in handy. It's a song that's a little cheesy and way too excited, but in the way that really sharp, fun pop music can be without feeling too patronizing or dopey. As familiar sounding as it is (even the lyrics-- "She was never pretty, she was only young"-- feel like stolen goods), it works, plain and simple. If we give Jamaica the benefit of the doubt, everything else on No Problem is then, in some way, cut from the cloth of "I Think I Like U 2", and it's a sensible, if not unambitious, plan of attack. But not a single one of the resulting songs captures the same kind of ebullience and fluidity, instead opting for choppier structures that, in most cases, seem bent on keeping people off the discotheque floor.While the comparisons to other other popular French bands (all three of them) are apt and unavoidable, I think Jamaica are certainly fun in select doses. There's some songwriting smarts in there, they just need to find their own way. But no doubt kids will love them. All Jamaica tour dates, plus a couple videos, are below.
Continue reading "Jamaica is on tour, in NYC, playing Kidrockers, got a 5.2 today"
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Craft Spells - After The Moment (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Craft Spells - Party Talk (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Surf City - Crazy Rulers of the World (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bare Wires - Ready to Go (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bare Wires - Seeking Love (MP3)
Craft Spells
First up is Craft Spells who make their NYC debut tonight (4/8) at Music Hall of Williamsburg, opening for fellow Captured Tracks band Beach Fossils, plus Crinkles and an "Unannounced Special Guest" that might drum up some excitement if anyone could figure out who that might actually be. Craft Spells also play Saturday (4/9) at Glasslands with Cloud Nothings and the Sundelles, which is also a pretty solid lineup.
On record at least, Craft Spells is basically Justin Paul Vallesteros who made his debut album Idle Labor in his home. Vallesteros is making a go of it, having recently moved from Stockton, California to Seattle where he's turned Craft Spells into a quartet. Idle Labor is very much a bedroom pop album (and a very good one), clearly created by one guy who loves a lot of '80s music (OMD, Pale Fountains come to mind, as does New Order though mainly through the album art).
You can download two tracks from Idle Labor at the top of this post. But the Craft Spells live experience eschews the keyboards for a straight-up guitar pop sound that I'm told is a little more akin to Orange Juice. Which sounds pretty good too. We shall see.
Sebadoh
As you're reading this column, you're probably well aware that the '90s are totally back. Which means bands from that era are totally back too. Bands like Sebadoh whose classic albums Sebadoh III, Bubble and Scrape and Bakesale helped define the sound of "indie rock." (I tried in vein to find a clip of Lou [wearing a Joy Division t-shirt] talking at length about breakups on MTV's Sex in the '90s. Somebody get on this please.] And they're totally back -- in NYC -- this weekend, playing Bowery Ballroom on April 9th and 10th. It looks like the Sunday show still has tickets at the moment.
To be fair, Lou Barlow, Jason Lowenstein and Eric Gaffney started playing together again in 2007 but it seems a lot more interesting now, what with Yuck slyly cribbing their moves and all. Oupa -- Yuck singer Daniel Bloomberg's side project -- are supposed to open for Sebadoh Saturday, though it's not listed on the Bowery website now. For sure you'll get Richard Buckner, who's opening both nights.
BOAT
Keeping with the '90s indie rock vibe, don't forget Seattle's BOAT are playing Mercury Lounge tomorrow (4/9). It's a relatively early show -- BOAT are on at 9PM -- so you can go do something else after. They are super fun live, even when massive equipment failure threatens to derail them. BOAT persevere with good humor.
Surf City
One of the things you could do after BOAT is just stay at Mercury Lounge for the late show, featuring post-rockers Bardo Pond and New Zealand's Surf City. While they've never really broken up, Bardo Pond are best known for their late-'90s canon on Matador, full of lengthy spaced-out jams full of crashing waves of guitar noise and throbbing bass. The band's hazy groove sounds intact on last year's self-titled new album.
Surf City, meanwhile, are indebted to the classic Flying Nun sound, meaning a whole lot of the Clean, a good dose of The Jean Paul Sartre Experience, and maybe a little Bats for good measure. Their new-ish album is called Kudos and is loaded with catchy, noisy guitar pop, like "Crazy Rulers of the World," downloadable above. Coincidentally, Crazy Rulers of the World is also the title of my forthcoming coffee table book about novelty measuring sticks. Go figure.
Surf City also play Glasslands on Tuesday (4/12) with Darlings, Lingering Doubt, and Little Racer.
That's it for this week's This Week in Indie. A few more daily picks follow.
FRIDAY, APRIL 8
Boston power pop band Pretty & Nice play Spike Hill. These guys are solid.
The name is kind of horrible and I'm personally not crazy about the music but I'm told Gobble Gobble's live show is unforgettable which might be reason enough to go check them out at Glasslands tonight. With Headless Horsemen.
SATURDAY, APRIL 9
Dinowalrus, She Keeps Bees, Total Slacker, Gunfight, Quiet Loudly, Pet Ghost Project, Mussels, Data Dog, El Jezel, Nature Boy, Shark? and more play the Brain-Cave Festival at Shea Stadium. Starts at 2PM, $10.
SUNDAY, APRIL 10
Garagey power pop band Bare Wires are at Cake Shop on Sunday with Fergus and Geronimo. Bare Wires are great, go out and see 'em!
OK, that's it! Tour dates, video, and flyers are below.
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Datarock - Catcher in the Rye (MP3)
Norway's kitschy electro combo Datarock are back in the U.S. for a tour that starts with a March 7 stop at Santos and then winds its way down to SXSW. The band are also set to release "Catcher in the Rye" on March 21 which has been dubbed "The Most Extravagant Single in History." How extravagant is that exactly? Says the press release:
The single will come as a designer toy with a USB stick that features 110 tracks, 1500 photos taken at their shows in 33 countries, 20 music videos, and Never Say Die, a brand new hour-long concert film. The single will also be released as a digital 5 track EP. The USB features the EP, the new album Music For Synchronization, both of their previous albums with bonus tracks, the new Lost and Found b-sides and rarities compilation, 15 new instrumentals, and the 40 track remix album Mixed Up. The toy was created by Brian Flynn at Hybrid Design and San Francisco based pioneer company SUPER7.Is that really considered a single? Will it be The Most Expensive USB Drive in History? No word on what this thing will set you back yet. You can, however, download "Catcher in the Rye" (which sounds a little like Matthew Wilder's '80s hit "Break My Stride") at the top of this post and check out the video below.
The Santos show sounds pretty good, with Dinowalrus and The Suzan opening. All Datarock North American tour dates, some of which are with Dirty Ghosts, are below as well...
Continue reading "Datarock releasing USB thing, touring (dates, MP3, new video)"
Bear Hands @ Stratosphere Sound, CMJ 2010 (more by Diana Wong)
Head to Brooklyn Bowl today, Oscar Sunday (2/27), first for the free COLLECT-I-BOWL Record Show, and then for the next edition of "Local x Local" with a free show by Bear Hands.
Bear Hands also have a not-free show coming up at Knitting Factory on March 14th with Johnossi and Dinowalrus. They leave right afterwards for Austin where they'll play what the Cantora Records Showcase at the Victorian Room at the Driskill on 3/17 with Reptar, Computer Magic, Secret Music, Superhumanoids and Slam Donahue. They're probably playing other parties too, but they don't currently list them at their site.
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: MAKE OUT - I Don't Want Anybody That Wants Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Reading Rainbow - Wasting Time (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Savoir Adore - Loveliest Creature (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dinowalrus - Phone Home from the Edge (MP3)
Make Out
We are in full holiday swing so things are finally, thankfully slowing down. Nobody's really touring till the new year, making things easier for shopping, holiday parties, marathoning TV shows, whatever. So it'll be a short This Week in Indie, but not without things to see. This is New York after all.
The lead story this week was going to be ex-Beta Band frontman Steve Mason playing his first-ever solo shows in NYC, but his North American tour has been postponed "due to an almost complete lack of interest. We try again next year after SXSW!" There's interest, Steve, it's tough during the holidays. Do come back. If you haven't heard his new album, Boys Outside, it's definitely worth a listen.
So what else? Thursday night (12/16) is the live debut of MAKE OUT, which is the new band from Jesper Mortensen, who was the Junior in Danish duo Junior Senior. (Remember them?) He lives here now and new band -- fronted by Leah Hennessy -- is big dumb '70s-ish glitter-trash rock, and you can download Make Out's debut single, "I Don't Want Anybody That Wants Me," at the top of this post. Might be fun live? It's at Mercury Lounge.
Saturday (12/18) is the Rock Lottery event at Knitting Factory. I love these sort of instant art type things (anybody ever go see Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind?) and the cast of musicians who'll make up these ad-hoc bands is promising. Members of Golden Triangle, Liturgy, Oberhofer, Bear in Heaven, ARMS, Les Savvy Fav and many more will be grouped together at random, so the results will hopefully be interesting. And fun. Proceeds go to charity, so give a little. Tickets are on sale now.
Reading Rainbow
And lastly, I really love Reading Rainbow's new album, Prism Eyes, which is out on the HoZac label and will be on my Best LPs of 2010 list when I ever get around to finishing writing it. You can download "Wasting Time," one of my favorites off the album, at the top of this post. They are great live too, which you can find out for yourself Saturday (12/18) night at Death By Audio as part of an insanely good bill that includes current tourmates Coasting, plus The Babies, Big Troubles and new Captured Tracks signing, Widowspeak. All upcoming Reading Rainbow tour dates are at the bottom of this post.
Like I said, it's a short one this week. More daily picks of things not covered above:
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15
The Depreciation Guild have decided to call it quits, which is sad, but have a couple more shows left in them. The first is tonight at Glasslands. Check out the lovely animated video to their final single, "Blue Lily," at the bottom of this post.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16
SPIN and Free Williamsburg are throwing some sort of Holiday party tonight at Death By Audio with a performance by The Hundred in the Hands, who made my Best EPs of 2010 list. It's free (and free beer), you just need to RSVP.
Travis are still a going rock outfit, but here's your chance to see frontman Fran Healy play solo at Bowery Ballroom in support of his new album, Wreckorder.
And if you are looking to laugh, Coco66 hosts Supershow!. Tonight has ex-SNL Jenny Slate, who also voiced that charming Marcel the Shell short. (I hear they might debut a new Marcel the Shell short tonight. Maybe.) Also performing: Food Party composer Matt Fitzpatrick will play original holiday songs, and more. It's free.
continued below...
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....
by Bill Pearis
Yo La Tengo @ Pitchfork Fest 2009 (more by Joseph Xu)
What, it's Tuesday already? CMJ is here and I'm not really ready. Can we postpone for a week? No? All right. Here we go. Let's not go too crazy tonight (10/19), there's still four more days of this to come.
DAYTIME
Pretty much all the free daytime action happens on Ludlow St. today. Biggest among them is The Music Slut's party at Pianos, which features the dark synths of Brahms, the cheery synths of Hooray for Earth, plus Oberhofer (who play our day party on Friday), Young the Giant, Pearl and the Beard, and more. Party starts at noon, with the first band (Vancouver's Yukon Blonde) on at 1PM.
Moving down the street, Paper Garden Records has a showcase at The Living Room, with Denmark's Alcoholic Faith Mission, two bands from Toronto (Freedom or Death, Kidstreet), Emmanuel and the Fear, Motel Motel, Young Mammals and Saadi. First band is on at 1PM.
And then at Cake Shop, it's the Flower Booking/CapeShok party with Million Young, Sunglasses and Azalia Banks. This one starts a little later -- first band is on at 4PM.
And somewhere between day and night is the free New Zealand showcase at Le Poisson Rouge which starts at 5:45PM. I especially recommend you check out Lawrence Arabia, whose material ranges from delicate folk to ELO style orch-pop. Also playing: electropop artist Zowie, Kids of 88, Street Chant, Ruby Frost and Electric Wire Hustle. Did I mention it's free? You do need to RSVP if you don't have a badge.
NIGHTTIME
Big ticket shows for tonight: Yo La Tengo play for free at the official CMJ kickoff show at Brooklyn Bowl with Screaming Females (who play our showcase Thursday night) and DOM (who play our Friday day party); Former Afgan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli is at Bowery Ballroom with Craig Wedren; and Jenny and Johnny, Wild Nothing, Times New Viking, Happy Birthday and La Sera (Kickball Katy of Vivian Girls) at Irving Plaza;
If you wanna dance, you might want to head to Highline Ballroom for a night bands that sound like they could be on a Kitsune Maison compilation: the electro-soul sounds of Dan Black, Italo-disco lovers The Golden Filter, helium voiced Neon Hitch, Denver's The Chain Gang of 1974, and more.
UPDATE: "Chain Gang has dropped off tonight's show due to food poisoning. All other shows are set to occur as scheduled." (10/20 @ Maxwell's, 10/22 @ Cameo, 10/23 @ Santos)
For hip hop, it's Duck Down Music vs. Blacksmith at LPR.
And tonight at Cake Shop is your only chance this week to catch The Billy Nayer Show (11PM), the live band behind such cool sci-fi western musicals as The American Astronaut and last year's Stingray Sam. (Frontman Cory McAbee also directs and stars in them.) They're a one-of-a-kind, and playing as part of the Panache Booking showcase that also features Audacity, Dinowalrus, Onra, Janka Nabay, O'Death and Gary Wilson.
There's tons more shows, obviously. But that's what looks interesting to me. What are you going to see? Flyers and day party set times are below.
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Heavy Cream - Watusi (MP3)
Heavy Cream @ Death by Audio in July (more by Leia Jospe)
Nashville's Heavy Cream release their debut album, Danny, on JEFF the Brotherhood's Infinity Cat label August 24 and you can download the catchy, rockin' "Watusi" from it at the top of this post.
Around the same time, the band will be heading back to NYC for another round of shows. The first will be opening for the Detroit Cobras on the Rock's Off Concert Cruise on August 20. They'll then play Union Pool on Sept 1 (with Boogie Boarder), Cake Shop on Sept 2 (with Unnatural Helpers), The Meat Locker in Montclair on Sept 4, The Rock Shop on Sept 6 (with Dinowalrus and Pterodactyl), and Death by Audio again on Sept 7.
Heavy Cream were here just a few weeks ago -- maybe you saw them at Death by Audio? The band are playing some shows to and from NYC, and all those dates are listed below, along with the cover art for Danny...
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Eternal Summers - Able To (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Beach Fossils - Youth (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: North Highlands - Collarbone (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Regal Degal - I Saw the Smoke (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Common Loon - Dinosaur Vs. Early Man (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Natural Child - Dogbite (MP3)
Eternal Summers
Happy Tax Day! This week's column is jam-packed with cheap options for great shows if Uncle Sam left your bank accounts depleted. Let's get to it.
Duo Eternal Summers have been getting blog attention for about a year, and I'll admit I didn't listen at first due to their name, fearing they'd worsen my Beach Music Fatigue (BMF). But then I saw they were from Roanoke, Virgina and my interest was piqued. I grew up 90 minutes West of Roanoke which had the closest good record store to me (The Record Exchange, which closed in 2006).
Back then they didn't have a music scene outside of country and cover bands. (Though I did see Huey Lewis & the News at the Civic Center way back when.) Not sure how thriving it is now, but Eternal Summers have, in my book, put Roanoke on the map. (Their label, Chimney Sweep, shows that Southwest Virgina's doing well musically.) I'm glad I listened. Apart from their name, they don't really have a lot in common with the beach scene (be it Real Estate, Washed Out, Best Coast, etc). The guitars are a little more slashy, the vocals less bathed in reverb. Check out their song "Able To" at the top of this post, which is from their self-titled EP. If anything, to these ears they're more akin to the C-86 inspired pop of San Francisco's Brilliant Colors. There's a definite Anglo slant to their sound.
Eternal Summers have three shows in three days. Friday (4/16) is at Bruar Falls where they're part of a killer bill that includes Beach Fossils, Total Slacker, Air Waves, and Beachniks. They will also play Saturday (4/17) at Glasslands with The Beets, The Maine Coons, German Measles and Family Trees. And then on Sunday, Eternal Summers play Coco 66 with Marshmallows, Honey Dos, Beachniks, and The Maine Coons. Do check out one of these shows.
Natural Child
Natural Child play an awesome bill at Death By Audio Saturday including , Sisters, Boogie Boarder and Regal Degal.
The trio are Nashville neighbors, pals and labelmates of JEFF the Brotherhood, and play shambly, garagey party rock. I don't mean just that they're fun (and they are), but also that all of their songs are about some aspect of partying. Whether they bring the party to their live shows or not, I have yet to experience. But I'm ready to find out.
Natural Child also play Friday night (4/16) at Lulu's in Greenpoint with Liquor Store and Foster Care, and have dates in New Brunswick, NJ and Philly -- all 201o tour dates are below.
Beach Fossils
That Beach Fossils show Friday night is the only one they've got lined up for a month so you might want to head that way. (Plus the rest of the bands that night, all of which I endorse.) If you haven't seen them lately, or ever, Beach Fossils have really come into their own I think, not bad for a band that's barely been playing for year. They've worked out a distinctive sound -- almost no strumming, instead spinning interweaving lines of guitar and bass -- and are confident singers now too.
And they're a great live band too. None of the four members stay still longer than they have to, twirling around like tops, with mom-jean-wearing drummer Cole Smith doing as much dancing as banging on his instrument. They were fantastic opening for Love is All at Knitting Factory a few weeks back, video from which is below.
The band's self-titled debut is set for release May 25 on Captured Tracks and you can download the jangly "Youth" from the album at the top of this post. I've heard the whole thing and it will definitely make for great summer listening. After Friday, Beach Fossils' next local show is May 13 at Brooklyn Bowl with Midnight Masses.
Sisters
A little more on the Death by Audio show on Saturday (4/17). Sisters have finished their album for Death by Audio Records which should be out sooner than later. You can hear two of the album's tracks ("The Curse" and "Glue") on their MySpace, both of which I like a lot. Sisters also play tonight (4/15) at Brooklyn Bowl with Darlings. That's a pretty good show too.
The other band on the DBA bill is Regal Degal, who I caught last Friday at newish venue North Fourth. The trio is fronted by Josh da Costa who you may know as Dinowalrus' drummer. Regal Degal are less psych and more post-punky, drawing influence from post punk's darker side. (I hear a lot of Chairs Missing/154 era Wire in them.) The band doesn't have a MySpace, but they do have an infrequently updated blog. You can check out their song "I Saw the Smoke" at the top of this post, which they describe as sounding like "we're playing from within a beautiful porcelain toilet bowl. This is the result of spending a lot of time on an initial mix, then too much time listening back to it and not enjoying it enough, and then spending very little time on this more enjoyable and questionable mix."
Common Loon
This column is never-ending I know. Champagne, IL duo Common Loon have flown into town for two shows: tonight (4/15) at Union Hall and then Friday night (4/16) at Pianos. Both shows are with Tulsa, OK's Unwed Sailor. Common Loon's debut album, The Long Dream of Birds, came out last week on Hidden Agenda (home of The 1900s and Moonbabies) and it's recommended if you you like hazy 90s-ish indie like Oliva Tremor Control, Grandaddy and The Flaming Lips. You can check out their song "Dinosaur Vs. Early Man" at the top of this post.
Also playing tonight's Union Hall show is North Highlands who I've written about a few times already and were recently named one of the "8 NYC Bands You Need to Hear Now" by The L Magazine. You can hear them, in fact, right now by downloading their lovely track "Collarbone" at the top of this post. They are very good live and I think 2010 will be a big year for them.
In addition to tonight's show you've got two more chances to see them in the next week. They play Sunday (4/18) at Glasslands with Uninhabitable Mansions, Polite Sleeper, and North Carolina's Charming Youngsters. And then they play next Saturday (4/24) at Solar One with Cold Cave, fellow L Mag pick Oberhoffer and a "surprise headliner."
North Highlands
Speaking of L Magazine "8 NYC Bands" issue, Twin Sister play this Saturday at Los Hermanos Tortilleria in Bushwick. The show is being put on by blog Chocolate Bobka and also features Austin, TX's Pure Ecstasy and local band Weed Hounds. Go early (doors at 7pm) for free tacos (while supplies last which probably won't be very long). They've got good tacos (which are cheap even when not free). $7, BYOB. Twin Sister also open for the Morning Benders at Mercury Lounge on April 28 if you're going to that (sold out).
And finally, don't forget, Saturday (4/17) is Record Store Day and local shops participating include Other Music, Etherea, Academy Records Annex, Rebel Rebel, Sound Fix, and loads more. There's tons of cool exclusive releases coming out, and the RSD website has a handy, fairly comprehensive list of what is being released (PDF). Other Music has live performances by The Drums and Pains of Being Pure at Heart, plus indie celeb DJs. There's similar things going on at other stores too - like Generation Records, and we'll be posting more today and tomorrow.
Okay, that's enough for four days. Click through for tour dates, videos and lots and lots of flyers...
DOWNLOAD: Fang Island - Life Coach (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fang Island - Daisy (MP3)
402 Productions: When you guys initially assembled to form this dancegasmic-high-fiving band, what were the initial ideas; aside from the uplifting intensity that seems to lay the foundation for most of your corpus?Fang Island will be at Knitting Factory on Monday, April 5th for a headlining show with 8-bit band Anamanaguchi and Idolands (w/ members Of Daughters). Tickets are on sale.Fang Island: The band started off as an art project at school. It was a way of cutting classes, smoking weed, and still getting college credit. Then we realized that our musical collaboration was more important/enjoyable to us than learning lithography.
Fang Island then goes on tour with Red Sparowes this April and May - but their NYC-area shows are separate. Red Sparowes play with Doomriders at Mercury Lounge on April 13th and 14th, while Fang Island plays Maxwell's on April 13th with Dinowalrus. Maxwell's tickets are on sale.
The band was recently dubbed "Fastest Rising at SXSW" via compiled internet stats. Two songs off their euphoric self-titled debut, praised by Pitchfork two days before SXSW, are posted above. Videos for those same songs and all tour dates are below...
by BBG
DOWNLOAD: Saxon Shore - "This Place" (MP3)
Saxon Shore (photo by Geordy Peterson)
American post-rockers Saxon Shore hit back. It Doesn't Matter, the quintet's follow-up to 2005's The Exquisite Death of Saxon Shore is a welcome return to form for the band and their original leader Matthew Doty.Saxon Shore released their gorgeous Dave Fridmann-produced LP It Doesn't Really Matter last year. The song "This Place" from that album is available for download above. You can catch the band live (their only upcoming scheduled show) at the Knit on 2/5 as part of the Sounds Like Brooklyn Festival put on by BAM ("60+ shows. 15 venues. 2 weekends. Celebrating Brooklyn's best music and bands with shows throughout the borough.") American Dollar and The Abbasi Brothers open the NYC show. Tickets are on sale.Having gone through a long period of upheaval - be it line-up changes and relocations - the band spent four solid years as a unit before plucking up the courage to hit the Tarbox Road Studios Cabin out in Cassadega, New York.
Apt then, that the unearthing of It Doesn't Matter follows a line of melodic delicacy that recent post-rock efforts appear to have departed. Album opener "Nothing Changes" rocks gently into the onslaught of feedback drenched guitars while 'Bar Clearing Good Times' maintains an unexpected steadiness that other same-vein bands like Explosions In The Sky often make the habit of breaking from. -[Altsounds]
Les Savy Fav @ BAM - 1/29/10 (photo by Steven P. Marsh)
'Sounds like Brooklyn' kicked off last night (1/29) at BAM (the only venue hosting shows during this first weekend of the fest) with Les Savy Fav and Vivian Girls...
"To my surprise, [Les Savy Fav] played very tight rhythms that zagged all over the place but were not sloppy. I was reminded of times I had seen Modest Mouse, Built To Spill or The Flaming Lips, with the music being loose and jangly, yet deliberate and well-crafted at the same time. The band itself held my interest quite well, as they played the straight men to the antics of Harrington, who, instead of being a distraction, complemented the instruments rather well, reminding me at times of Jello Biafra with his voice and dialogue with the audience. Yes, he was a crazy looking fat dude running all over the stage and into the crowd, but his angry-goofy-gibberish song rants, energy, enthusiasm and sheer earnestness overcame my pre-judgment. At the start of LSF's set, Harrington dropped into the crowd beckoning people to stand, and it ended up being the right thing to do. Despite the opera house setting with assigned seating, it quickly became apparent that it would take a lot more than that to contain the force that is Les Savy Fav." [Qbertplaya]The fest continues tonight (1/30) at the same venue with a show by Rain Machine and Anti-Pop Consortium. Tickets are still available. The Antlers and Ra Ra Riot play the opera house venue on February 5th.
The full Sounds Like Brooklyn schedule, along with a Les Savy Fav video from last night, below...
Oh No Ono, Hooray For Earth, Field Music, Twin Sister, Javelin, Diehard & more in This Week in Indie
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Oh No Ono - Internet Warrior (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Oh No Ono - Helplessly Young (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hooray for Earth - Surrounded by Friends (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Field Music - Measure (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Twin Sister - Vampires with Dreaming Kids EP (Zip)
Oh No Ono
Denmark's Oh No Ono are in town this week for their first-ever NYC shows, the first of which was an in-store at Sound Fix last night. Anybody go? I'm seeing them tonight at Mercury Lounge, where they'll be playing with Bear in Heaven, ArpLine and Jaguar Club. Tomorrow they're at Union Hall with Depreciation Guild and Hooray for Earth. Oh No Ono's new album, Eggs, is impressively bonkers and almost impossible to describe succinctly. It's psychedelic, baroque, glammy, 70's AM, with some synth pop and the occasional church choir thrown in. And very catchy stuff too. Maybe they're the Sid and Marty Kroft version of Mew? Hear it for yourself -- there's two tracks at the top of this post. I can't wait to see how they pull all this off live.
Tonight's Mercury Lounge show is sold out, no surprise given they're playing with Bear in Heaven. Tomorrow's Union Hall show is just as solid though, with eight bit shoegazers The Depreciation Guild who will soon head off with Pains of Being Pure at Heart (Kurt Feldman's in both bands) for a tour of Japan. Also playing are Hooray for Earth, who neatly straddle the line between electronic pop and electrified rock. The sound is familiar and inviting yet I don't seem to be able to come up with any obvious comparisons to another band, which is a good thing. They've got a new EP, Momo, that is currently only available through Emusic (the latest in the Emusic Selects series) but I wouldn't be surprised if they were selling it at their merch table. It's definitely worth picking up. You can download the lead track, "Surrounded by Friends," at the top of this post.
Field Music
After cancelling their performance last-minute at Skippy's birthday party back in December, Field Music are back for their make-up date this Saturday (1/30) at the Bell House. If you bought tickets before, they're still valid. And if you haven't got tickets, they're still on sale. The Brewis brothers' new album, Field Music (Measure), is out February 16 and here's what I wrote last time:
...it's another knockout from the Brewis brothers, 20 tracks that further refine their distinctive mix of nervy new wave, prog, krautrock, tea party pop and whatever else they're into at the time. It's a Field Music album, no doubt about it, but it's less buttoned up, more rhythm heavy ("Let's Write a Book" shows that one of them's been listening to Can) and willing to give anything a try. If you've never seen Field Music live before, you should definitely come out, the Brewises are shit-hot musicians as well (David is an especially impressive drummer). There used to be a lot of switching instruments when they were a trio, but now as a four-piece I wonder if that'll still happen.It really is a great album, probably the best thing the Brewis have done together or apart. You can download "Measure" at the top of this post which is reminiscent of Peter Brewis' The Week That Was project from 2008. Additionally, Field Music have announced dates for a spring North American tour opening for The Clientele that includes a March 23 stop at Bowery Ballroom. All Field Music/Clientele tour dates are at the bottom of this post.
Twin Sister
Friday (1/29) at Bruar Falls is a band a lot of people seem to be talking about right now: Twin Sister. To me, there's a little '80s delay-pedal shimmery-ness to them (Cocteau Twins, Disintigration-era Cure), nods to '70s muted-fretboard soft rock soul, as well as a pastoral folk thing going on. Basically, dreamy and beautiful stuff. They also remind me a bit of Montreal's Luyas who, if they ever make it down this way, Twin Sister would make a perfect double bill. Thier EP from last year, Vampires with Dreaming Kids, is a free download from their website, which we link to at the top of this post. A new EP titled Color Your Life is due in March on Infinite Best Recordings. There's a video trailer for the EP at the bottom of this post.
Twin Sister have a bunch of shows coming up. In addition to Friday's Bruar Falls -- which is free, btw-- they're also playing Saturday (1/30) at the loft above Richie's Gym which is out by the Myrtle JMZ stop. Both those shows are being presented by busy blog Chocolate Bobka and also feature Austin's languid, reverby Pure Ecstasy. The Bruar show also has Family Portrait and Baltimore's Run DMT. Twin Sister have a bunch more shows lined up in February, including 2/25 at Cameo with Toro Y Moi. All dates are at the bottom of this post.
A few other weekend picks, videos and tour dates below...
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: The Big Pink - Velvet (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Big Pink - Dominoes (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pants Yell! - Cold Hands (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: JEFF the Brotherhood - Bone Jam (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: JEFF the Brotherhood - Heavy Damage (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sisters - Accolades (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sisters - Street Cars (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Coin Under Tongue - Junksmith (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dinowalrus - Electric Car, Gas Guitar (MP3)
Field Music
Slow week my ass! The next four or five days are positively packed with shows, at least from a TWII standpoint. No time for small talk, let's get into it.
Tonight/Thursday's the big birthday celebration for Skippy who books The Bell House and Union Hall. I wish I could throw a party for myself and get bands like Field Music (one of two American Performances in 2009) and Wye Oak to play it, not to mention a rare appearance by the mostly defunct '90s electropop band The Pulsars. Also, a band (or someone) called "Rumours" is on after Field Music play. Skippy has been tight-lipped about what this is, but my money is on some sort of all-star Fleetwood Mac cover band. (And if that's the case I'd bet you $20 it involves Carl Newman.) You're invited, too, to this "Improbable Birthday Concert" as tickets ($12, cheap!) are still available.
I've had the new Field Music album, Field Music (Measure), on repeat for the last couple days and it's another knockout from the Brewis brothers, 20 tracks that further refine their distinctive mix of baroque pop, nervy new wave, prog, krautrock and whatever else they're into at the time. It's a Field Music album, no doubt about it, but it's less buttoned up, more rhythm heavy ("Let's Write a Book" shows that one of them's been listening to Can) and willing to give anything a try. If you've never seen Field Music live before, you should definitely come out, the Brewises are shit-hot musicians as well (David is an especially impressive drummer). There used to be a lot of switching instruments when they were a trio, but now as a four-piece I wonder if that'll still happen. We'll see tonight
The Figgs
Long-running Upstate New York power pop band The Figgs are are in town for two shows (or three if you count Saturday night in Staten Island): tonight/Thursday (12/3) at Bruar Falls with the Nouvellas and Friday (12/4) at Cake Shop. Both shows are with Detroit's The Sights who open for The Queers at Maxwell's on Saturday (The Queers play Southpaw tonight).
The Figgs are a band who I've always liked but never closely followed. Luckily, my friend Steve, who writes a genuine photocopied fanzine The Reynolds Report (now also available in convenient blog form) is arguably the foremost Figgs authority (and you'd be a fool to argue with him on this subject), so I asked him to write a little guest paragraph for this week's TWII:
The Figgs have been creating great power pop for two decades now, with no signs of stopping any time soon. Steeped in the tradition of The Replacements, Cheap Trick and Elvis Costello, their annual Christmas shows are always a great time to catch them as the coming of winter seems to kick the trio's playing up just a notch. Look for them to break out songs from their upcoming album (due out in April), a choice Christmas cover or two, a wide selection from their nine albums and their brand new 45 "Casino Hayes." I'm pretty sure it's the best song about a gambling-addicted drummer (um, their own) ever.The Figgs rock, so go see them! All dates below.
There's a competition for the power pop dollar this weekend. If you're not going to the Figgs on Friday (12/4), it's probably because you're going to see Sloan at the Bell House. That's where I'll be. My love of these Canadians is no secret, and even when they've made a less-than-totally-awesome album they're always worth seeing in concert, one of my favorite live bands of the '00s. (I'm pretty sure I've seen them at least once a year since 2001.) They've got a new five-song digital-only EP, Hit & Run, which is pretty darn good. Chris Murphy contributes two tracks, including the excellent "Take it Upon Yourself," and the rest of the band each gets one. Tickets ($17.50) are still available. They play with fellow Torontonians, the lovely and talented trio Magneta Lane, and locals Deleted Scenes.
And wait there's more on Friday! Speaking of Canadian, maybe you happened across one of the 37 reports I recently filed from this year's M for Montreal festival. One of that city's more exciting underground bands, Red Mass, make their American debut at Live With Animals Gallery in Williamsburg (same address as Monster Island). Their brand-new EP on Montreal label Semprini is a nice chunk of psych-garage and they definitely put on a good show. The big question is how big a Mass will they be? I've seen them twice -- once there was 10 of them, the second time only four. Safe bet would be somewhere in between. (Canadians love a good excuse to come party in NYC.) If I wasn't already spoken for, I'd definitely being going to see them. Golden Triangle are also on the bill. Singer Choyce told me their might be a house party gig on Saturday too, so look out for that.
The Big Pink
Oh crap, there's still more. The Big Pink, who are making a stink in the UK, are on their first major tour of the U.S., stopping at Bowery Ballroom tonight (12/3) and Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow (12/4). Haven't seen them live, but their album A Brief History Of Love is a nice slice of electro-shoegaze that reminds a lot of 30-somethings of early-'90s band Chapterhouse. The anthemic, fist-pumper "Dominos" might not stand the test of time but as an of-the-moment signifier, it's one of 2009's more memorable indie singles. You can download it at the top of this post. I hope they use lots and lots of dry ice and strobes. Crystal Antlers and Von Haze open both shows.
Pants Yell! @ The Bell House on 11/14 (more by Tim Griffin)
If you missed them when they played the Slumberland 20 party at the Bell House a few weeks back, you can download the audio from that show, and you can catch Boston's Pants Yell! at Bruar Falls on Saturday night which might be the last time they ever play the NYC area as they've vowed to break up next year. They'd be going out on a good note if that holds true, as their new album on Slumberland, Received Pronunciation, is another charming slice of deceptively gentle guitar pop. Pants Yell! rock more live than you might expect, they're drummer in particular is kind of a beast on the kit. They also know their indie rock history, from the Pastels and Felt to the Aislers Set, Unrest and beyond. The cover art, complete with a faux Japanese Obi strip, was done by Unrest/Teenbeat/Air Miami/Flin Flon/Cotton Candy maestro Mark Robinson.
Also playing at Bruar Falls on Saturday: Fluffy Lumbers, The Surprisers and comedian Mike Albo. Should be a good night.
JEFF the Brotherhood @ Glenn Danzig's House in Nashville (more by Paul Birman)
BV faves JEFF the Brotherhood, who've had a pretty good 2009, are back in town for the zillionth time this year (seems like they're here as much as Nashville) but that's okay, you don't really tire of their awesome power. Have you heard their album, Heavy Days? It's great. I know I tend to like the cardigan pop, but riffs and grooves this intense can not be denied. And they are just the best live. The vinyl of Heavy Days just got a second pressing with a new back cover, and there's also a new single, "Heavy Damage," which you can pick up at the merch table. The play Saturday (12/5) at Bowery Ballroom opening for Ted Leo (sold out), and then again on Monday (12/7) at Mercury Lounge for what they say is their last show of '09.
The Monday show is solid as a rawk. (Did I just write that? I'm doing this super late at night.) Also on the bill are Death by Audio's Sisters (noise pop backed by a foreboding amp monolith) and Coin Under Tongue (old school riff-heavy hard rock), plus Dinowalrus (kitchen sink psych not unlike early Flaming Lips). Sure it's a Monday, you're tired, but this bill is like aura caffeine. Show's eight bucks and tickets are still available. It's a bit weird to have JEFF in town and not playing Death By Audio, but if they can tear up Pianos on a Thursday afternoon (as they did at the BV day party during CMJ), they can destroy Mercury on a Monday night.
Dinowalrus, fronted by Titus Andronicus guitarist Pete Feigenbaum, are also at Union Pool tonight (12/3) with Dan Friel and others.. The MP3 on top of this post is from their debut album "%" which comes out on Kanine in January.
The Besties
And finally, Brooklyn indiepop mainstays The Besties are calling it quits. I know, it's sad. Here it is in their words, straight from MySpace:
The Besties are officially done. As happens with many awesome relationships, stuff happens and things get hard, and so you end it and remain friends and all that junk. It's like that. We guess? Well, Kelly moved to Asheville, and Frank renewed his vows with the city of Boston. And other stuff. So there's that.Those two shows are Friday (12/4) at Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, NJ and then their last-ever performance will be Sunday (12/6) at Bruar Falls, which is made extra special because Bunnygrunt are coming in from St. Louis just to play this farewell show.Here's the good news! We are playing two last shows around NYC in December, and we plan on going out with a serious bang. So sell some CDs (keep the Lemonheads ones), bodily fluids or organs for plane ticket money, start hitchhiking, do whatever you need to do - let's party!
Like the Besties, I must now say goodbye. But just for this week. Flyers and applicable tour dates follow...
Dan Friel @ Cake Shop NYE 2008 (more by Lori Baily)
Parts & Labor have a short string of shows coming up: one in Massachusetts on December 5th, one in Connecticut on December 6th, then a free show at Brooklyn Bowl on Tuesday, December 8th with The Tony Castles. Flyer for the latter and more details below.
Before that, P&L member Dan Friel plays a solo set at Union Pool on December 3rd. Also on the bill are Knyfe Hyts 81, Dinowalrus and Electric Tickle Machine.
Another Parts & Labor affiliate, their former guitar player Sarah Lipstate (she left the band in July to focus on her solo project after being a member for only 14 months), who plays as Noveller, will perform at Bruar Falls on December 11th with Yellow Fever and Air Waves (who are also playing December 5th with Talk Normal, US Girls and Total Slackers at Secret Project Robot).
That's also another show for Austin's Yellow Fever, who are already lined up to play a December 12th show at Death By Audio with Vivian Girls. Yellow Fever's self-titled LP is available now through Wild World, a label run by Vivian Girls, and the show is a release party for that record. Happy Birthday is also on the bill. Yellow Fever also lists a TBA NYC show on December 13th.
Happy Birthday member Ruth Garbus plays a show with her sister Merrill Garbus at The Stone in December too.
As of now, it's the last scheduled Vivian Girls show for '09 before they tour the UK in January.
All tour dates and a poster for the Parts & Labor BK Bowl show are below...
DOWNLOAD: Future of the Left - Arming Eritrea (MP3)
Future of the Left in Halloween costumes
Freshkills and Dinowalrus open for Future of the Left at Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight (10/30). Tickets are still available to the show, and I have one pair to giveaway. Details on how to win them with all FotL tour dates, and a video they recorded for Fuel, below...
Continue reading "Future of the Left - updated tour dates (Brooklyn tonight)"
by Martin Longley
Er, well, I fucked up slightly. It's my first time at The Bowery Electric and I arrive at eleven, thinking that the gig's happening until midnite. By eleven-twenty, Heavy Trash have fully climaxed, and there's not going to be an encore, despite the crowd doing an extremely good job of baying out over the rockabilly/blues disco. Even so, the Heavy Trash experience is so densely intense that such a brief exposure almost feels equivalent to most other combos playing a full gig. The Electric's an impressively cave-like basement den, and Heavy Trash are completely dominating its intimate space. The gangly Jon Spencer is going for a Mexican Elvis look, testifying down on one knee, or down on the floor, or casting his blank gaze up to the ceiling.
Having witnessed his Blues Explosion several times over the years, this is my first exposure to Heavy Trash. It's a natural evolution back in time to rockabilly, and even rock'n'roll, but fed through the Spencer grater, amped up into a frothing frenzy. He's doing his extended band-introduction speech, but the Spencer mind's going blank and he's being fazed by familiar faces in the crowd-front. All of the band are providing sweet-toned backing vocals, magnifying the cabaret-irony vibrations. Spencer's strumming an electrified acoustic guitar, with Matt Verta-Ray handling the electric-twang soloing. Reverb soaks all, not least Spencer's hiccup-ing vocals. The drums and upright bass pick up their pace and there's a full re-launch into song as the Trash deliver their final frenetic surge. Fortunately, they're playing again at Santos Party House next Tuesday nite...
The Tuesday (10/20) show in question is the Panache/NY Night Train CMJ showcase that is happening on two floors of the venue. Flyer and set times below....
DOWNLOAD: Cale Parks - One at a Time (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Faunts - Feel.Love.Thinking.Of (Lemonade remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Faunts - Explain (Home Video version) (MP3)
Cale Parks @ Bowery Ballroom 2/4 (more by Leia Jospe)
Filter: What were the inspirations (both musical and non-musical) for your first EP, To Swift Mars?"One at a Time" off of Parks's new Polyvinyl EP is posted above. Check out the tracklist and album art below.Cale Parks: Musical inspirations include the Yamaha DX7 synth, Roland 707, and Roland 505 sounds, as well as albums by The Durutti Column, Harmonia, Cocteau Twins, Peter Gabriel and anything on the Sincerely Yours label.
Non-musical influences includes the ways in which we imagined a world of the future, The Lost Boys, The Neverending Story, and poverty.
F: Who are you touring with in the upcoming months?
CP: I'm touring with a fantastic band called Lemonade. I'm really, really excited for it. They're such a high energy group live that there may be some onstage jamming, yes. I look forward to the invitation.
F: As a classically trained musician, have you found it easier or more difficult to craft your music for fan acceptance?
CP: This is a difficult question to answer. I guess that some things have come easier, in terms of knowing what type of chords should go after each other, or what notes to put where, that type of thing, but the general vibe of the music is something people are either going to like or dislike. People like what they like, but in some cases they like what they think they should like.
As he said above, Parks will join electro-pop group Lemonade on a somewhat short tour that kicks off Tuesday, August 18th in NYC at Santos Party House. Also on the bill are Dinowalrus, Teengirl Fantasy, and JDH & Dave P of FIXED. Tickets are on sale.
Speaking of Santos, Animal Collective are DJing at the venue tonight, Aug 17, at a benefit for Cinema Nolita with sets from The Virgins and The Beets.
Lemonade recently remixed the title track of Faunts' 2009 album Feel.Love.Thinking.Of, which is posted above with another remix from BK's Home Video. Lemonade have a new music video directed by collective Weird Days, for their song "Big Weekend." That with all tour dates and Cale Parks EP info is below...
Continue reading "Cale Parks (new EP) & Lemonade (new video) touring (dates)"
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Little Girls - Tambourine (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Brunettes - Small Town Crew (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sharon Van Etten - For You (MP3)
Japandroids
With the weather today in NYC being just about perfect, I imagine the Seaport will be super packed for tonight's show with Pains of Being Pure at Heart (7/10), which will be their biggest hometown show yet. (Jay Reatard may not be there, though.) I don't think a year ago anybody, even those who've loved them from the start, would have thought TPOBPAH would have gotten as big as they have. Their minds have to be kind of blowing, but from what I can tell they're taking it in stride. The band are gearing up for a West Coast tour with Girls (most of TPOPBAH were at Girls' Mercury Lounge show two weeks ago) and then a bigger fall tour with Cymbals Eat Guitars and drummer Kurt's other band, The Depreciation Guild. Kurt has also been known to help out with gothy, atmospheric duo ZAZA who are also on tonight's Seaport Music Festival show.
But what to do after Seaport? Canadian duo (and Pitchfork Best New Music recipients) Japandroids are in town and while Saturday's show at Pianos is sold out, there's still tonight's show at Cameo Gallery in Williamsburg. I'm not 100% sold on the record, though every time a song comes up on shuffle I'm always like "oh who's this?" which makes me more than curious enough to check them out. That loud-and-anthemic quality of their music reminds me both of '80s STT bands like Husker Du or fIREHOSE, and the '90s Halifax scene (Thrush Hermit especially) and I have a feeling Japandroid's live show will put me over into the full-on "yes" category. Tonight's show also features fellow Canadians Little Girls who I wrote about a few weeks ago when they played Littlefield, and local noisemongers Dinowalrus who recently signed to Kanine.
"We just signed to Kanine to put our debut album called "%". it will come out in October.Cameo's a nice addition to North 6th St, and if you ever find yourself bored by a band there, you can always just stare at the giant hypnotizing psychedelic fiber optic Snuffleupagus head that hangs above the stage.
we already have two 7"s out. one was self-released, the other was a split 7" put out with Bachelor of Arts from Melbourne Australia on EXO (apache beat, slits, japanther)" - Dinowalrus
Japandroids are also playing the Siren Festival next weekend. They go on at 3:00 pm.
Jason Lytle
Over at Union Hall, former Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle plays, supporting his solo debut, Yours Truly, the Commuter. If he'd released it as a Grandaddy record I don't think anyone would've flinched, as it's more of the stoner spacerock about suburban ennui that is Lytle's forte. Maybe it's a little more acoustic based than Grandaddy were, but it's not like he's decided to do anything radically different here. That isn't a criticism per se, as he's really good at it. If you liked Grandaddy, you'll like this. It's a good record. Tonight's show is with The Albertans, who you may remember as one of The L Magazine's 8 NYC Bands You Need to Hear. Jason also plays Bowery Ballroom Saturday (7/11).
The Brunettes
New Zealand's charming Brunettes have been camped out in New York for a few weeks and I keep meaning to write about them and then I forget. They play tonight (7/10) at The Bell House and if you've never seen them before, here would be a good chance to rectify the situation. They are cute as a button and mix lush, Bacharachian pop and '60s girl group sounds with a bit of New Wave. I guess you could call them the Kiwi Bird and the Bee, but Brunettes have been doing it longer. They are very engaging live (maybe you saw them open for the Ting Tings at Union Hall last year?) and The Bell House seems like a nice place to see them. A new record is due out any time now, and they're heading out on a big North American tour soon, and those dates are at the bottom of this post. Also on the bill: Great Lakes, BV fave Sharon Van Etten and Animal Hands.
---
And then of course Sunday is the first of this year's Pool Parties, with what could be the loudest, noisiest of the summer: Mission of Burma, Fucked Up and Ponytail. While I'll miss the decayed allure of the McCarren Pool, the new location at the riverfront park has it's own appeal, and looks to be a pretty spectacular setting. No slip-n-slide I hear, but surely they'll come up with something else cool to replace it. Let's hope. And remember: no hand grenades, Krull stars, or cargo shorts. See you there.
Tour dates, flyers and videos after the jump....
by Andrew Frisicano
NY EYE & EAR FEST II - JULY 9 - 12, 2009!The fest is a part II to the December event of the same name. The Fest's four days of music kick off at the Knitting Factory on July 9th. The bands there include Grooms, Liturgy and Love Like Deloreans (to name a few) with headliners Nymph and Neg-Fi. The fest returns to the Knit on Friday, July 10th, for a show with Magik Markers, Child Abuse and more. In addition to the venue's two floors of music, its already-creepy basement will be turned into a "Video Art Installation and a 7-hour Continuous Drone Room."
4 DAYS - 3 VENUES - 2 BOROUGHS
Knitting Factory & 92Y Tribeca in Manhattan & Death By Audio in Brooklyn
Pendu presents: NY Eye & Ear Fest II ... a massive 4-day New Music and Arts Fete showcasing some of the most exciting bands, artists, and filmmakers currently living and working here in NYC. In addition, NYE&E assembles a Record Fair featuring NYC-based Record Labels and Vendors selling LPs, CDs, 7''s, cassettes, lathes, comics, zines, stickers, and art prints.
The Fest then switches to the 92YTribeca on Saturday for a concert and a free record fair. Also at 92Y will be a program called "Women of NYCinema," with films and music from Sarah Lipstate (aka Noveller), Liz Wendelbo, Rachel Blackwell and Dirty Churches. The vendors range from big names like Matador Records to the recently featured Journal of Popular Noise to notable jazz label ESP-Disk.
The fest's final, fourth day moves to Brooklyn for a closing party at Death by Audio. That lineup includes Murdertronics, Team Robespierre, Talibam!, Total Abuse and Drunkdriver.
Tickets for Thursday, Friday, and a variety of Saturday packages are available.
Separate from the festival, on Thursday, July 9th the 92YTribeca will screen filmmaker Brendan Toller's I Need That Record, a documentary about the problems facing record stores around the country. It will be the NYC premiere of the movie that was getting some attention already all the back on Record Store Day 2008. The movie includes interviews with Thurston Moore, Ian Mackaye, Mike Watt, Chris Frantz and more. Toller will be on hand for the showing. Tickets are on sale.
More details on the film (with video trailer) and the Ear and Eye Festival, below...
Sunday June 14th @ FORT TILDEN BEACHSchedule (subject to change) below...
:: FREE ALL AGES UNAMPLIFIED ACOUSTIC BBQ 2009
:: each year we throw an informal, quiet party in a beautiful public place, w/
:: many diverse musicians playing two or three songs w/ no amplification
:: this year, it's on Fort Tilden Beach in the Rockways! best beach in NYC! [Todd P]
Continue reading "Todd P's UNAMPLIFIED ACOUSTIC BBQ 2009 (at Fort Tilden)"
Shea Stadium, the new Brooklyn space that's hosting a Showpaper benefit with Fiasco, Dinowalrus and others on May 30th, is opening in full this weekend (May 22nd).
On Friday, May 22nd, Whack, Grocery Thief, and No One & the Somebodies play the venue. Then, Shea hosts a kick-off party on Sunday, May 24th with Golden Error, Pow Wow!, Bad Credit No Credit and Donner Party Picnic with the So So Glos DJing.
It turns out the venue is also rigged for live recording and has plans to release recorded shows on their website ("think Daytrotter with an audience").
Shea Stadium is a progressive art space that serves a dual purpose as both a recording studio and live music venue. Our deal is simple....bands are invited to come and use our space and our equipment free of charge to make a live recording of their set. During these live recording sessions our doors will be open to the public: all bands are encouraged to treat these sessions as a show and bring as many of their friends/fans as they like. A small cover charge at the door (we have to pay the bills right??) grants you admission to the entire night of sessions as everyone is welcome to stay for the duration of the evening's festivities. As both a studio and show space, our mission is to create a fun-loving environment that will bring out the best in all the bands who perform, as well as the audience.The new venue was started by producer Adam Reich, who is a childhood friend, and the producer of, The So So Glos, who are some of the people behind Market Hotel. It's one big DIY family.
More info on the venue, the kick-off-show flyer, and more below...
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