Forgetters at Knitting Factory in 2010 (more by Andrew St. Clair)

As mentioned, Brooklyn's Brain Cave Festival is returning this year and it begins TONIGHT (4/11), continuing through Sunday (4/14). Most shows happen at Europa, and there's also a free day show on Saturday at the Greenpointers.com Market. When we first posted the lineup, there was a "Surprise Special Guest TBA" listed for Saturday's show, and we've since learned that it's Forgetters, the currently project of Jawbreaker/Jets to Brazil frontman Blake Schwarzenbach, who released their self titled album in late 2012.

The Forgetters show is with Monogold, Clouder, and Quiet Loudly. Other bands playing other days of the festival include Peelander-Z, The Suzan, Eula, Cat Martino, Lemonade, and more. Tickets for individual nights and 4-day passes are still available. Updated lineup below.

Forgetters are also playing a Record Store Day (4/20) in-store at Generation Records with Swearin' (who have other local shows with Shellshag coming up), Doug Gillard (Guided by Voices, Nada Surf), and Livids (whose lineup includes New Bomb Turks singer Eric Davidson, and who just opened for The Hives). Blake Schwarzenbach will be DJing, along with Tom Scharpling and others.

Meanwhile, in other Brain Cave Festival related news, Lemonade have been added as an opener to the previously discussed John Talabot tour, including his NYC show on May 28 at Music Hall of Williamsburg with FIXED DJs JDH & Dave P. Tickets for that show are still available.

Meanwhile, catch Lemonade's True Panther labelmates Delorean in NYC TONIGHT (4/11) at 285 Kent. Tickets for tonight's show are still available.

All Lemonade dates are listed, along with the updated Brain Cave lineup, below...

Continue reading "Forgetters playing Brain Cave festival, RSD in-store w/ Doug Gillard, Swearin' & others; Lemonade opening for John Talabot"

Webster photos by Eric M. Townsend, Bowery photos by Bryan Bruchman

Nada Surf @ Webster Hall

Nada Surf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Chart Attack: What kind of relationship do you have with [your breakout 1996 single] "Popular" now?

Nada Surf's Matthew Caws: One new thing is it's starting to be a very long time ago. It never had been before. Our relationship with it is relatively simple: It's one of our earlier songs, it got us a lot of attention, it's funny - I still think it's really funny - but it doesn't always sit in the set list comfortably. Not only because it's goofier than everything else but also because the exterior perception of it is kind of loaded. I don't necessarily enjoy playing it at every show. I really like it at festivals, it kind of gets the crowd going.

But it's funny, we can't win. If we don't play it somewhere, somebody in the crowd is going to get huffy. But when we do play it, you'd be surprised at how many indier-than-thou audience members will be like Grumble grumble grumble! Why did you do that? or Don't remind me! or I wanted to hear something else. All in all my relationship with it is very positive, because it gave us an enormous jump-start. Had we not had that song we might've ended up on this kind of label like Barsuk that we really love eventually, it just would've been a different route. And we wouldn't have had the little leg-up of having our name be well known.

Continue reading "Nada Surf discuss relationship with 'Popular', played Webster Hall & Music Hall of Williamsburg (belated pics & setlists)"

alternate headline: GetHard with Tasteful Nudes

by Klaus Kinski

Back in January, I briefly mentioned the profoundly hilarious book A Bad Idea I Am About to Do by one of NYC's most brilliant performers Chris Gethard. I was so focused on all the other bullshit I was writing about in that article that my short, simple, brief mention of this masterpiece of a book was a profane oversight. Gethard is a phenomenal comedian and storyteller who also happens to have his own Manhattan cable access show every Wednesday night at 11:00pm. The show is absolutely crazy, insane, funny, irresistible, addictive and totally viewable LIVE online. Each week the show manages to feel somehow crazier and funnier. Sometimes Chris is in a great mood and the show is brilliant. Sometimes he's in a crummy mood and the show is brilliant. He's got a lot of help, care of his fabulous in-studio audience, but the dude carries that sucker to an unprecedented plateau of brilliance. But, the book... the book is one of the funniest, most well articulated canons of short (true) stories I've ever read. Even if you knew nothing about Chris, what he does, where he's coming from... if you read this book with absolutely no precedent or preconceptions about the author, you'd still laugh your eyebrows off. The stories are funny and even touching, but it's Gethard's agilities as an author that is most remarkable. I've said it before and I will say it again; I am nobody's shill. But when something is this good, this under-appreciated, this remarkably-not-in-the-hands-of-people-who-read-on-the-subway, I feel that it is my duty to make things right. Buy it. Unless you hate laughing. And good writing. Then f-off outta here.

In keeping with the concept of a bad idea someone (Chris) is about to do, Chris recently announced that he would be making his way from Los Angeles, California all the way to the 2012 Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee on foot. By June 7th. Without any money. Or places to stay. Or a phone. Or anything. This is a fan-propelled mission. It sets out to determine whether a person can get from point A to point B with just the help of his admirers and fans. Murder, starvation, molestation, exploitation, dehydration, masturbation(?) are all perils of a project this stupidly brilliant. The entire journey will be documented for your viewing pleasure. Want to help out? Check out the video below and allow Gethard do the 'splaining for me. There's tweetables and hashtags and cyberwhatnots for you to know about.

Oh, hey! Speaking of comedians I love who are also now published authors and are into Bonnaroo, I am sure you have by now done the right thing and pre-ordered Dave Hill's new tome Tasteful Nudes, right? Another absolutely hilarious and well executed book from another absolutely hilarious and well executed NYC based comedian. At the end of May, Dave will embark on a completely non-pretentious book tour that will make its way to The Bell House on Thursday May 24th (one night after Dave has a public conversation with Ira Glass in SoHo). This no holds barred event will have Mr. Dave Hill pulling out all the stops with appearances by John Hodgman, Janeane Garofalo, David Rakoff and music by Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices, Nada Surf) and TAB the Band. There may even be an appearance by Little Michael Jackson, a bunch of lowrider cars, live animals, and maybe even a dunking machine. All tour dates, which were too difficult for me to cut and paste into this article because my hands hurt, can be found here. Tickets for the Brooklyn show, which are a measly $10, are available now. Oh, and buy the book if you haven't already because maybe he'll sign it or throw it out a window at one of his apperances, depending on the vibes. Check Dave's awesome book related rock and roll video, as well as a video featuring him, Dick Cavett, and Malcolm Gladwell, below.

Continue reading "Chris Gethard walking to Bonnaroo; Dave Hill touring with book"

by Klaus Kinski

Blackout survivor Ted Leo in the rain (more by Chris La Putt)

You know, I've been bugging BV to put on a show with me since I became aware of just how much I missed helping put together our RoFL shows at Pianos. Doesn't it figure that when we finally get it happening mother nature sends along one of her most loathsome weather systems to go head and destroy my, our, dreams. Folks, it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that the BrooklynVegan and Klaus Kinski present Ted Leo, Doug Gillard, Broadcaster, and Dave Hill scheduled to take place at the Rock Shop on Saturday August 27th has been CANCELLED.

If you've been a good little pup and have been reading BrooklynVegan over the past coupla days, you'd know that shows all over the city this weekend are being cancelled. I was really hoping that we could hang in there. However, with the MTA closing down tomorrow at noon, and with the very real possibility that bridges and tunnels might also close, we've got no choice but to cancel the show. What's the point of having a show if people can't even get to it? And Broadcaster has to get to and from Providence. During a hurricane? What're you, some kind of a masochist?

Ideally we would like to reschedule this somewhere in the near future, with the same Dave Hill and the same bands performing. It is a pain in the ass to try and get so many schedule's to sync up, but I am tenacious and really hope we get a mulligan. Refund information to follow.

Other Ted Leo dates below...

Continue reading "our Ted Leo show @ the Rock Shop is cancelled too :("

by Klaus Kinski

Ted Leo @ BV-SXSW 2011 (more by Tim Griffin)

Back in 2008, BV and I used to put on shows at Pianos called Rock n ROFL. As the title implies, these shows featured legendary comedy line-ups curated by me followed by musical onslaughts curated by BV. The lead up to each and every one of those shows always stressed me the F out, but as the room would fill up and the shows got under way, all the stress would dissolve and turn into feelings of sheer joy. Our generous drink specials always helped. Although, when the Futureheads played I got a little anxious because I thought for sure the floor of the live room was about to collapse under our feet...

Dave Hill @ BV & KK Rock n ROFL in 2008 (more by Elizabeth Weinberg)

Anywhoozle, for whatever reason, the RoFL's ceased to be and that was ok because, well, life started to get pretty busy. But the other day I came across a poem called Around the Corner by a dude called Henson Towne. After a good cry I realized that, man, life is short and I miss the stress and relief that comes with putting on a show...

So it is with profound joy that I announce BrooklynVegan and Klaus Kinski Present happening at the Rock Shop on Saturday August 27th (8:00pm doors, 21+). The show will be hosted by the great and much loved comedian Dave Hill and feature sets by Rhode Island's own Broadcaster, Doug Gillard, and Ted Leo!

Full disclosure: my brother is in Broadcaster. But before you raise your pitchforks and head into the comments section to cry nepotism, be advised that my adoration of the band has nothing to do with the fact that my brother is in it. They are flat out, ass kickingly awesome. And you don't have to take my word for it; they recently won the Breakthrough Act of the Year award at this year's Providence Phoenix readers poll. The PEOPLE have spoken! They are even Ted Leo Approved! So don't dilly dally getting to the show. Get there early, have some booze, and experience the fury that is Broadcaster.

Doug Gillard @ BV-CMJ 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

And there is no hiding my adoration of the great Doug Gillard. This axe-wielding ex-GBV and ex-Cobra Verde (a band Dave Hill was also in) troubadour makes some of the best rock in the biz. Backed by a full band, he will blow the wig right off your head. And to cap things off, Klaus Favorite, BV favorite, and all around nicest guy in music, Ted Leo will horse around on stage for our listening pleasure.

I honestly could not be happier with the line-up we've cooked up. And I am beside myself that it will happen at the Rock Shop. The intimacy of the room and their kick ass sound-system is going to make for one helluvan evening. Hopefully we'll be able to finagle some sweet ass drink specials for those with the sense not to miss this most majestic evening. Friends, get your tickets before they sell out (on sale at 5pm).

All Ted Leo dates, this weekend in Camden, NJ included, below...

Continue reading "BV & KK Present Ted Leo, Doug Gillard, Broadcaster & Dave Hill @ The Rock Shop! (get your tix)"

by Klaus Kinski

Doug Gillard @ Irving Plaza NYE (more by Chris Gersbeck)

I got heavily obsessed with Guided By Voices after the demise of the "classic '93 - '96 line-up" which featured Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Kevin Fennell, and Greg Demos (a line-up that reunited in 2010 and has been blazing a sweaty, beer soaked trail across the US since) (this past weekend's Sasquatch Festival included).

I've now seen the classic line-up twice thanks to the reunion, but prior to that my live experience was always delivered by Robert Pollard, Nate Farley, Doug Gillard, Kevin March, Tim Tobias and, later on, Chris Slusarenko. I often had to be rolled out of those shows in a wheelbarrow, and memories of those shows are muddied and schizophrenic, but two things I always took away from a GBV experience was A) that I had had the time of my life and B) that lead guitarist Doug Gillard was, and is, easily one of the most agile guitar gods in rock 'n roll. I mean, forget about shredding and other wanky guitar-athleticism bullshit. What Doug brings to the table is a prodigal level of rock-solid, rock guitar purity and proficiency. Doug is an absolute master of his craft, and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone out there these days who can get such a thunderous onslaught from his Les Paul and his amps. So it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to find that your man Klaus has been following Doug's solo career with great interest and it is because of non-GBV-related Gillard news that I write to you fine people today.

On Saturday June 4th, Doug will be part of an ensemble of musicians paying tribute to Captain Beefheart at Bowery Poetry Club.

Gary Lucas (Beefheart alumni, Jeff Buckley), Nona Hendryx (Labelle, Talking Heads), Nina Persson (The Cardigans), Nathan Larson (Shudder To Think), Cynthia Sley (Bush Tetras), Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices), Eric Slick (Dr. Dog), & Weasel Walter (Behold The Arctopus), will be joined by musicians from the rock, jazz, metal, progressive, blues, experimental, & classical worlds to perform faithful and interpretive versions of songs from Beefheart's entire catalog, from his 1966 debut "Safe As Milk" to his final record "Ice Cream For Crow", released in 1982.

Besides the MS/Beefheart show, there are many more opportunities to catch Doug live. Speaking of beef, on Saturday June 11th, get your non-vegan ass to the Big Apple BBQ in Madison Square Park at 1:00pm on Saturday June 11th. While you're feasting on various forms of carrion with gristle and BBQ sauce dribbling from your lips (editor's note: Klaus!), the band Bambi Kino will be performing. Bambi Kino features Mark Rozzo (Maplewood), Ira Elliot (Nada Surf), Doug Gillard (Ex Guided By Voices), Erik Paparazzi (Cat Power) and were formed to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles' first concerts in Hamburg Germany. Back in those days, the Beatles were essentially a cover band themselves, and Bambi Kino's setlist is culled from the Beatles' set list from back in those days. So it's like a cover band covering a cover band who were doing their own versions of the whole blues thing. And it's free! More about who's playing the Big Apple BBQ, HERE.

You can also catch Doug when he goes on tour with Tommy Keene and Sally Crewe and the Sudden Moves. Doug recently wrote and recorded songs on Sally's upcoming 5-song EP "Transmit/Receive". Tommy is touring in support of his new LP, and Doug Gillard will have a new vinyl 7" he'll be promoting. The tour lands at the Rock Shop on September 10th, 2011. Complete tour dates below.

Oh, and before I forget... Doug is recording tons of guitar for the upcoming Nada Surf LP, which is due out in Fall of 2011. Look out for that as well as a tour in support of said LP. Nada Surf's Matthew Caws joined Doug on stage at Irving Plaza on New Years Eve when he opened for GBV.

Catch Guided By Voices, Wavves, and Surfer Blood during the Northside Festival on June 18th, yo.

Catch Bush Tetras (Cynthia Sley is also playing the Beefheart show) at Le Poisson Rouge on Friday, June 10th.

Gary Lucas's other upcoming shows include a July 3rd appearance at Iridium Jazz Club and a July 9th show at the Rubin Museum of Art.

Doug tour dates and the Beefheart flyer below...

Continue reading "Doug Gillard is doing stuff (Captain Beefheart show w/ Gary Lucas, Beatles band, Tommy Keene tour, Nada Surf LP)"

photos by Chris Gersbeck

I'm starting to think Bob Pollard is some sort of miracle of modern science; a man capable of extreme alcohol/tobacco consumption, yet somehow able to give a flawless vocal performance. "Anybody got a joint?" Pollard asked a few songs in (someone from the crowd did in fact pass him one). The 53 year-old singer was swigging off a bottle of tequila most of the night and was practically incoherent between songs, but was shockingly able to hit every note and land every high kick on his own two feet. All this in a nearly three-hour New Year's Eve set from his band Guided by Voices that stretched past 1AM at Irving Plaza.

Former Cobra Verde and Guided By Voices guitarist Doug Gillard opened the show with full band in tow. Gillard's backup group held their own with a great set of songs that I'm certain any GBV fan could appreciate. Nada Surf's Matthew Caws made a special appearance for one song, but the real highlight of the set came aftger Gillard subtly suggested someone else join him on stage for their last song. Of course, this was the cue for Pollard to sing the post-classic lineup song "I Am A Tree" (which Gillard wrote), and halfway through the song, Pollard did just that. I don't think I was alone in hoping/predicting this would happen as soon as it was announced Doug Gillard was opening this show, and I was ecstatic when it did.

When I saw Guided By Voices at Terminal 5 back in November, I was impressed by how tight they sounded, especially considering how ridiculously lo-fi the recordings of these songs in particular are. This performance was no different. And much like that show, Tobin Sprout was again given the spotlight to sing three of GBV's most classic songs penned by the guitarist: "A Good Flying Bird", "Awful Bliss" and "14 Cheerleader Coldfront". There's something about this lineup that just seems so right. Forget that these songs are among Guided By Voices' most memorable and popular throughout their prolific catalog, the five of them seem to have great admiration for each other. The crowd was a different story. I witnessed two scuffles break out on the floor during the set and before GBV came out there was one fan vocally upset that his girlfriend was talking to a group of guys ten feet ahead of him. I guess this is what happens when emotions and champagne run high...

But leave it to a band like Guided By Voices to play a New Year's Eve show and totally miss the countdown at midnight. Despite several warnings that they were going to stop at midnight, it became apparent towards the end of "Exit Flagger" that, yeah, it was now 2011. It was definitely funny, but something tells me there were a few people who were a little confused. Either way, the band played for over another hour, returning for three encores (48 songs total), and ending with the appropriate "Don't Stop Now". Hopefully if you're a GBV fan you made it out to one of these New York-area shows, but something tells me this is not the last we'll see of this lineup.

They also played Maxwell's in Hoboken one night earlier. Both setlists and more pictures from the NYC show, below...

Continue reading "Guided by Voices played Maxwell's & then Irving Plaza on New Years Eve (pics & setlists)"

Doug playing w/ Yo La Tengo, Hanukkah 2008 (more by Natasha Ryan)

Non-classic Guided By Voices member Doug Gillard will open for the classic lineup of Guided By Voices at Irving Plaza on New Years Eve. The show is sold out.

Mike Birbiglia & Michael Showalter @ Mirman Fest (more by David Andrako)

Mike Birbiglia, you know, the guy from the subway ads that has a book out, celebrates, well, that book, at Caroline's on Tuesday, November 2nd. Tickets are on sale.

Amazingly there are also still tickets left for Birbigs' November 22nd "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend" show at UCB. That's a Monday which is convenient because then you can stick around for Whiplash.

One week earlier, Nick Kroll does the pre-Whiplash show for only $5.00 which is cheaper than the shows he'll be practicing for.

The New York Comedy Festival presents "Louie: A Conversation with Louis C.K.", at the Paley Center this Wednesday, November 3rd. Tickets are on sale.

Louis plays Carnegie Hall one day later which is almost three months before Aziz Ansari plays Carnegie Hall with Eugene Mirman, but only two days before Aziz plays Beacon Theatre.

Who knows who will show up to play later that night, and the night after that, at UCB for two special non-Monday editions of Whiplash, aka "The Best of Whiplash."

Also Wednesday: "The world premiere of Dave Hill's Rock Shop with special guests PAT KIERNAN of NY1, MICHAEL SHOWALTER, and DOUG GILLARD (Guided By Voices/Nada Surf)!" I mean, I don't think you need to know more than that to immediately want to buy a ticket, but just in case:

Dave Hill's Rock Shop is a new comedy "talk" show which will hopefully happen the first Wednesday of each month at Park Slope's newest buzzworthy club, The Rock Shop. The show will run approximately an hour and will feature comedian/guitarist and Ohio native, Dave Hill hosting the shit out it. Dave Hill's Rock Shop will feature interviews with a famous or semi-famous or not so famous person, a famous or semi-famous or not so famous comedian, plus the focus of the show: Dave challenges a famous or semi-famous rock musician to a guitar duel (possibly to the death). The show is being produced by Caroline Creaghead (Tearing The Veil Of Maya / Eugene Mirman's Comedy Festival / The Rope Swing) and Jack McFadden (The Bell House / The Rock Shop booking guru) and is sure to have South Brooklyn peeps peeing in their seats (don't worry, we clean them, sorta).'

Our debut show will be on Wednesday, November 3 at 7:30pm and features Pat Kiernan of NY1, comedian Michael Showalter, and guitar hero Doug Gillard of Nada Surf & Guided By Voices. The show will cost $7 and you'll feel pretty good about getting your 7 dollars worth. There will be no refunds.

One of Dave Hill's bands, the one with Moby in it, plays Mercury Lounge on December 4th. 21+. No refunds.

PREVIOUSLY: Tim & Eric add a show, Eugene Mirman & Hannibal Buress every Sunday & other comedy stuff too

Mike Birbiglia was on Jimmy Kimmel last week. Video of his segment below...

Continue reading "Louis CK, Mike Birbiglia, Dave Hill, Pat Kiernan & other tickets "

Built to Spill @ Siren Fest 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

today in NYC
* Al Green @ BB King's
* Mat Maneri @ Barbes
* Bambi Kino @ Bowery Electric
* Kato Hideki @ The Stone
* Ray Anderson @ The Stone
* Cubic Zirconia, Chin Chin @ Union Pool
* Beige, Forest Magic, Contramano @ Pianos
* Riverboat Gamblers @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* The Hood Internet, Tanya Morgan @ Knitting Factory
* Marina and The Diamonds, Young The Giant @ Webster Hall
* The Beets, Backwords, Tatters and Rags, Brian @ Union Hall
* Chikita Violenta, A Great Big Pile Of Leaves @ Mercury Lounge
* Zach Williams, Thad Cockrell, Sarah Fullen @ Bowery Ballroom
* Larkin Grimm, Birds Fled From Me, Diane Cluck @ Knitting Factory
* ArpLine, Dinowalrus, Triangle Forest, Translations @ Death By Audio
* Party Police, Unnatural Helpers, Heavy Cream, The Young Things @ Cake Shop
* The Meters Experience (w/ Leo Nocentelli of The Meters) @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Franz Nicolay & Major General, Yula Be'eri, Eddie The Gun @ Highline Ballroom
* Amber and The Little Criminals, Atlantic/Pacific, The Wind-up @ Mercury Lounge
* Built To Spill & DJ Doug Martsch @ Rocks Off Concert Cruise (The Temptress)
* Order Of Ennead, Wormrot, Mobile Deathcamp, Skull Crusher @ Santos Party House
* Octavio Lafuentes, Bona to Vada, Jason Anderson, Moxie Block @ Pete's Candy Store
* Text of Light (Lee Ranaldo, Alan Licht, and Uli Krieger), Loud Objects @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Alaskas, Weekends, Noah's Ark Was A Spaceship, Human Resources, Philip Seymour Hoffman @ Shea Stadium
* Beach Fossils (DJ set), Apache Beat, Blood Orange, We Are All Romans @ Coco 66

Bambi Kino is a Beatles cover band featuring Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices, etc), Erik Paparazzi (who has played with Cat Power and others), Ira Elliot of Nada Surf, and Mark Rozzo of Maplewood. They recently played four consecutive shows in Hamburg, Germany beginning on August 17, performing the exact sets The Beatles performed in Hamburg exactly 50 years ago. Tonight they play Bowery Electric in NYC.

Arts & Crafts-signed Mexican band Chikita Violenta are here.

New Drums video for "Down by the Water", below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

Bill Goffrier, self-portrait

Bill Goffrier is playing The Rock Shop tonight, August 26th, with Doug Gillard and The Norfolk Downs. Bill Goffrier is the singer of Big Dipper, who split up in 1992, two years after the release of their fourth full length album Slam. He also played guitar in The Embarrassment prior to forming Big Dipper. Big Dipper reformed in 2008 and signed to Merge Records who compiled a 3-disc anthology of their work titled Supercluster: The Big Dipper Anthology and released it the same year. Since that release, Big Dipper recorded a new song titled Princess Warrior and posted it on their myspace in April 2009.

This past April (2010), Goffrier played a solo show in Lawrence, KS performing a mix of old Big Dipper and The Embarrassment songs, plus some new material. He told Lawrence Journal-World, "I've been writing a lot of songs for Big Dipper because we're working on a new CD. But we have three pretty prolific songwriters, so there's a lot of material to pick and choose from. Sometimes I'll say about a song I've got, 'This would be good for Big Dipper, but this one, clearly not.'" He also claims to have an existing offer to release a solo album. Videos from the Lawrence, KS show are below.

Tonight's show at The Rock Shop also features Doug Gillard and The Norfolk Downs. Doug Gillard, as we've pointed out numerous times, was a guitarist in Guided By Voices but is not part of the currently reunited "classic lineup." He also played in Death of Samantha, Gem, Cobra Verde, and various other bands. The Norfolk Downs are an acoustic duo featuring Dave Derby of Dambuilders, Brilliantine, and Gramercy Arms, and Kendall Meade of Mascott, Juicy, and Gramercy Arms.

Bill doesn't have any other shows scheduled that we know of. Those videos below..

Continue reading "Bill Goffrier played Kansas (videos), playing Brooklyn w/ Gillard & Derby (tonight) --- Big Dipper working on new album"

Guided by Voices classic lineup

Tickets are now were on AmEx presale (sold out) for the Guided by Voices show at Terminal 5. General sale start Friday at noon. The Philly show, happening one night earlier, is sold out.

All dates on the upcoming Guided by Voices tour will feature the "classic lineup" of the band. That means no Doug Gillard who you can catch instead, as Bill pointed out, at Bruar Falls on July 23rd. The Brooklyn show is his only upcoming date before he goes to Germany. His only scheduled show after he gets back happens at the Rock Shop on August 26th. That show is with The Norfolk Downs and Bill Goffrier (of Big Dipper & The Embarrassment). All Doug dates and a live video below...

Continue reading "Guide by Voices tickets, Doug Gillard tour dates "

"I am playing an early show solo set (no band) at Mercury Lounge in honor of pal Doug Keith's new CD release party there, Tues. March 30th at 7:30 PM.

Thrilled to be playing guitar in Nada Surf on some of their current tour dates. The NYC shows went well, and am also playing Philly, Boston, and Washington DC with them! I recorded on some tracks on their new LP of covers, " ifihadahifi " .

The guys and their crew and mgmt are just the best. Really!!!"
-Doug Gillard

Continue reading "Doug Gillard solo shows & more dates w/ Nada Surf"

words & photos by Kurt Christensen, additional photos by David Andrako

Nada Surf played the 2nd night of 3 full album shows at The Bell House on Friday night. On deck for the evening was "The Weight Is A Gift" followed by a set of covers and songs from their other albums.

John Roderick of The Long Winters opened the show. He definitely seemed to have the crowd more engaged than the opening set by Sondre Lerche the night before. Some were familiar with his music, but Roderick won over the rest of the crowd with his great in-between song banter. His humor was also on sale at the merch table, where he was selling a book of material culled from his twitter feed (@Johnroderick). Nada Surf joined him for the final song of his set.

Perhaps Matthew Caws was getting over his cold, or perhaps the Bell House provided a better atmosphere for the show, but Nada Surf seemed to have even more energy than they did the night before at Bowery Ballroom. Joined by John Roderick on background vocals, and Doug Gillard on guitar (also there the night before), as well as a rotating list of guests on keys, the band got the crowd bouncing for two long sets. During "Blankest Year" everyone shouted along, and a girl up front jumped on stage in her bra, waving her shirt before diving back into the crowd. That got the crowd going even more.

The second set, like the previous night, was a mix of old favorites and covers from their new all covers album. several songs were played again including Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence" and Bill Fox's "Electrocution". Oddly, they included no songs from "Let Go" (the album featured the night before at Bowery) despite shouts for songs from that album from the crowd. Nada Surf closed the show in the same fashion as the night before, with a cover of "I Fought The Law", this time joined by John Roderick, which brought it to another level.

They concluded their 3-night run at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday. At that show they performed "Lucky". Their tour next brings them to Toronto, but NYC is the only place they were scheduled to play full albums. More pictures from Friday with the setlist, below...

Continue reading "Nada Surf completed their 3 night run of NYC album shows - pics from the Bell House (where a shirtless girl ran on stage)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Octagon - Suicide Kings (MP3)

The Octagon

I wrote at length already about this week's Serena Maneesh shows. Now here are some other daily picks to take you through the weekend...

Continue reading "The Octagon, Free Energy & more in This Week in Indie "

DOWNLOAD: Inlets - Pictures of Trees (MP3)

Ladybug Transistor opening for Of Montreal at MHOW in April (more by Tim Griffin)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Surfer Blood @ Bruar Falls
* Sway, Lady Bright @ Bruar Falls
* Inlets & Glass Ghost @ Sycamore
* John Roberts & David Cross @ Comix
* The Silent League, Bear in Heaven @ Union Pool
* Geronimo, Pollution, Hex Machine @ Death By Audio
* Spindrift, The Electric Tickle Machine, Werewolves @ Cake Shop
* Effi Briest, Mahogany, Free Blood, The Tony Castles @ Glasslands
* Doug Gillard (ex-GBV), Get Help, Eastern Anchors, Dave Hill @ Maxwell's
* Cymbals Eat Guitars, These Are Powers, The Drums, Real Estate @ Brooklyn Bowl
* These United States, Motel Motel, Company of Thieves, Nick Howard @ Mercury Lounge
* Ladybug Transistor, Meeting Important People, Kevin Barker, Grand Salvo @ Union Hall

Geronimo, who in the midst of a short tour, join up with Pollution and Hex Machine at Death By Audio tonight.

Spindrift are in back on stage tonight at Cake Shop, playing a second show in NYC after supporting Hopewell last night at Union Pool. The band professes to be influenced by Carnival Music, Vampire Soundtracks, Norwegian Classical Folk Music, Swamp Blues (Lonesome Sundown), Outer Space, Henzig and ICE-T O.G. among other things, but I hear the gunslinger moments of Ennio Morricone on acid tabs. Electric Tickle Machine and Werewolves support. - Black Bubblegum

Comedian John Roberts kicks off his residency at Comix tonight alongside special guest David Cross. - Klaus Kinski

West Palm Beach, Florida's post punk beachcombers Surfer Blood play the last of their four NYC shows tonight at, appropriately enough, The Surf Bar Bruar Falls (it moved) in Williamsburg. I spaced and forgot to put them in TWII this week -- worth checking out. - Bill Pearis

Ex-Guided by Voices guitarist Doug Gillard plays an electric set at Maxwell's with Get Help and Eastern Anchors, plus comedy from Doug's sometimes-bandmate Dave Hill.

These United States just opened for Deer Tick and Dawes at the Bowery Ballroom. Tonight they headline a show at the Mercury Lounge with Motel Motel, Company of Thieves and Nick Howard.

Union Hall hosts E6 band Ladybug Transistor with Meeting Important People, Kevin Barker and Grand Salvo.

Insound's 10 year anniversary show comes to the Brooklyn Bowl, with a great lineup that includes Cymbals Eat Guitars, These Are Powers, The Drums and Real Estate. Real Estate, who go on first, at like 7:30 tonight, also played earlier this week at Vivian Girls' tour kick off at DBA. Two videos from their set are below...

New Peaches video for "Take You On" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

Doug Gillard @ Knitting Factory in 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Leo Kottke @ City Winery
* Pete Yorn @ Apple Store Soho
* The Roots @ Highline Ballroom
* Katzenjmmer @ Mercury Lounge
* Bachelorette, Pikelet @ Union Hall
* Miho Hatori (DJ) @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Chris Brokaw, Wussy, Doug Gillard @ Cake Shop
* Spanish Prisoners, Sleepy Ghosts @ Glasslands
* Jonathan Richman, Vic Chesnutt @ Bowery Ballroom
* Baby Gramps, Curtis Eller, Peter Stampfel @ Zebulon
* Michael Bates Quartet, Michael Blake Trio @ The Stone
* Indigo Girls, Matt Nathanson @ Central Park Summerstage
* Street Sweeper Social Club, Shinobia Ninja @ Gramercy Theatre
* Climax Golden Twins w/ Sublime Frequencies Film @ Issue Project Room
* Dead Science, Skeletons, From Bacteria To Boys, Charlie Looker @ Death By Audio
* Sessions w/ Devin Flynn/Gary Panter/Ross Goldstein, Mira Billote, Germs MIA, Taka Imamura (DJ) @ Santos

Indigo Girls are playing a ticketed benefit show at the Central Park Summerstage tonight. The money from that un-free gig will go toward supporting the Summerstage's free summer programming.

The Dead Science wrap up their two-day NYC visit with a show at Death By Audio. Local boys Skeletons, From Bacteria To Boys and Charlie Looker open.

Baby Gramps's 5-day NYC run ends tonight at Zebulon.

Jonathan Richman and Vic Chesnutt play the first of two shows they have scheduled at Bowery Ballroom tonight.

Richard Bishop played a pair of NYC shows last weekend (June 13th and 14th). Tonight, you can see a film by his brother, Sun City Girls collaborator and Sublime Frequencies label founder Alan Bishop at the Issue Project Room. That film, My Friend Rain, "an impressionistic collage of musical segments and tropical ambiance," was filmed on location in Southeast Asia from 2002 to 2007 by Alan and Robert Millis. Millis's band Climax Golden Twins will perform.

Doug Gillard of Guided By Voices opens up a three-band bill at the Cake Shop tonight. He also plays the Bell House on June 27th.

Naked Raygun are coming to NYC!

The Jesus Lizard are coming to NYC!

The Dessners are working on a Dark Was the Night movie, and a concert with a Pixie at BAM.

Malajube added a Mercury Lounge show to their schedule.

This Week In Metal.

Video of Bachelorette playing at Cake Shop last night, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

DOWNLOAD: Mannequin Men - Grapefruit (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mannequin Men - The Boys (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mannequin Men - Massage (new MP3)

Mannequin Men @ F Yeah Fest 2008 (more by Elizabeth Weinberg)

The Mannequin Men have been called a garage rock band, a "scuzz rock" band and a group of the "drunkest, snottiest, amp-blowing" guys in Chicago.

But lead singer and guitarist Kevin Richard doesn't use such technical terms to describe the Mannequin Men.

"I like to think we're just a rock 'n' roll band," Richard said [al.com]

The next night, Saturday, May 9th, the guys play at the Cake Shop with Doug Gillard (of Guided By Voices), Karl Blau, Painted Cakes, and Steve Shiffman and the Land of No. That show is part of the "Cake Shop Anniversary 4 Years / 4 (+1 to grow on) Wesome Saturdays."

Blau has other NYC dates on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday of this week as well. Doug Gillard, who recently played an in-store at Generation Records, is scheduled to play at the Charleston Friday, May 8th (tonight) on June 6th.

Mannequin Men's new disc, Lose Your Illusion, Too, is set to come out on June 9th on Flameshovel Records. One MP3 above is from that album. The other two are from the band's last, 2007's Fresh Rot.

All Mannequin Men and Doug Gillard tour dates, with NSFW album art from the forthcoming MM album below...

Continue reading "Mannequin Men - 2009 Tour Dates (2 NYC shows this weekend, 1 with Doug Gillard) "

John Vanderslice @ Pianos (more by Ryan Muir)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Allman Brothers @ Beacon
* Akron/Family @ New Museum
* Marianne Faithful @ City Winery
* Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg @ Maxwell's
* The Fleshtones & The A-Bones @ Southpaw
* Neil Halstead, Brian Bonz @ Union Hall
* The Weakends, Golden Triangle @ Don Pedro
* 88 Keys, Drink Up Buttercup @ The Delancey
* Deastro & Choir of Believers @ Bruar Falls
* Sewn Leather, Narwhalz, Sky Juice @ Silent Barn
* Midnight Masses, Wild Yaks, Anni Rossi @ Union Pool
* Obits, Lycaon Pictus, Browns, Rope @ The Bell House
* Sian Alice Group, Mountains, Lights, Zs @ 92YTribeca
* Titus Andronicus, Real Estate, Dinowalrus @ Market Hotel
* Anamanaguchi, Lionshare, Vulture Realty @ Death By Audio
* White Lies, Friendly Fires, The Soft Pack @ Bowery Ballroom
* Ellen Allien, Thomas Mueller, JDH & Dave P (FIXED) @ Studio B
* The Mountain Goats, John Vanderslice @ Society for Ethical Culture
* She Keeps Bees, The Love Story, The Naked Hearts, Whitetail @ Cake Shop
* The Gaslight Anthem, The Heartless Bastards, Good Old War @ Webster Hall
* Converge, Coliseum, Genghis Tron, Ceremony, Rise And Fall, Pulling Teeth @ Europa
* German Measles, The Beets, Ghost Town, Teenage Night War, Garbage Strike @ Dead Herring

Comedian Dave Hill's rock band Valley Lodge just completed a tour of Japan, Doug Gillard (ex-GBV) on guitar included. A video from their trip below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Doug Gillard (by Kyle Dean Reinford)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Louis CK @ Caroline's
* Annuals @ Bowery Ballroom
* Nightmares on Wax at MHOW
* Cold War Kids @ Mercury Lounge
* Andrew Bird & Dosh @ Carnegie Hall
* Doug Gillard, Mascott & The Octagon @ Pianos
* TK Webb and The Visions @ the Studio @ Webster Hall
* The Depreciation Guild & Black Diamond Bay @ Fontana's
* Kylesa, Tombs, Tournament, Black Anvil & The Brass @ The Charleston

Last chance to catch one of Doug Gillard's residency shows at Pianos tonight.

"Andrew Bird's Noble Beast (Fat Possum) has landed at #12 on the U.S. album chart, selling over 25,000 units in its opening week. The debut is the highest of the week for an independent label release and second only to Mariah Carey's Ballads. It is also the #1 seller of the week in Bird's hometown of Chicago."

Cold War Kids are also on Conan tonight.

Ben Kweller appeared the other night on Letterman. Video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

Doug Gillard playing with Yo La Tengo (more by Natasha Ryan)

Doug Gillard kicks off his previously-announced, month-long residency at Pianos in NYC tonight (1/7). Here's who else is on the bills:

Jan 7 - Regal Standard (Jason Narducy & Larry Schroeder acoustic) & Graham Smith (Kleenex Girl Wonder)
Jan 14 - Gramercy Arms & Abigail Warchild
Jan 21 - Unsacred Hearts & Arrows (Russ Fink)
Jan 28 - Mascott (Kendall Meade) & The Octagon

Graham Smith's band Gates of Heaven are playing Cake Shop on January 9th, Glasslands on January 27th, and Monkeytown on April 28th with Bowerbirds.

Doug Gillard's only other upcoming show is February 8th when he and band open for The Black Keys at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ.

More pictures of Doug playing a recent Hanukkah show with YLT, HERE.

photos by Natasha Ryan

As I write this, we're only hours away from sundown on Hanukkah night four, otherwise known as the fourth night in a row Yo La Tengo will play a show at Maxwell's in Hoboken. You already heard all about night two (12/22). The Magnetic Fields opened. Here are the rest of the pictures from that one...

Continue reading "Yo La Tengo, John Hodgman, Doug Gillard & Ira's mom @ Maxwell's in Hoboken (Hanukkah night 2) - pics"

Ira's mom @ Maxwell's in NJ - Dec 22, 2008 (by Liz Clayton) (via)

We actually have more pictures of last night's show coming, but in the meantime I can confirm that The Magnetic Fields did open Yo La Tengo's 2nd 2008 Hanukkah show at Maxwell's. Stephin Merritt also stuck around to sing again during the encore, John Hodgman was the comedian, and Doug Gillard and Ira's mom were the other singing special guests.

Tonight/Tuesday is night three (12/23), and I'm not sure we've figured out who the opener will definitely be yet. Do you know? Night one and two's setlists below...

Continue reading "Yo La Tengo Hanukkah continued, 2008 setlists so far"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Doug Gillard's new album "Call From Restricted" is out now on iTunes. "Actual CD copies will follow and be available shortly" - maybe by January? That's when Doug and band will be playing at Pianos in Manhattan every Wednesday night (7, 14, 21 & 28). Doug's last NYC show was (I think) the one he played at Knitting Factory on October 25th (the BV free during-CMJ day party). More pictures from that below...

Continue reading "Doug Gillard (GBV)-a January Pianos residency, BV party pics "

Doug Gillard @ UCB w/ Dave Hill & Walter Schreifels (more by Tim Griffin)

As Klaus Kinski pointed out, Doug Gillard of Guided by Voices fame has two live shows scheduled for tonight (10/22)..

The first show is in Manhattan at 8 pm, next we go to Brooklyn for an 11:30 pm set!

CMJ Showcase 1:
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 8:00pm
Alphabet Lounge
104 Ave. C, Manhattan, NY
(with An American Chinese, Mumpsy, Kid Theodore)

Show 2 --
Surfrider Foundation show at SOUTHPAW
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
(with:SheKeepsBees , Matty Liot and the Big Up, Peculiar Gentlemen)