Nouvelle Vague in Dublin 2008 (voss)

French cover band Nouvelle Vague will be playing a show at NYC's Irving Plaza on Wednesday, June 17th. It's the group's only US date on its list of upcoming shows so far. Tickets are on sale.

The band's last LP was 2006's Bande à Part, which, "like their eponymous first album, is a collection of Bossa Nova cover versions of 1980s New Wave tracks." [Wikipedia]

Though there's no 100% official word on a new record from the band, info is scattered about regarding a new album called NV3 which may be coming out on June 3rd which is not long before the Irving Plaza show. Apparently...

Nouvelle Vague reaches the point where a song, although already perfectly rendered in its original version, can still become a completely different one, to the extent that sometimes the public doubts whether it is a "cover" or not.

Nouvelle Vague's approach is so unusual that some of the original authors accepted to participate in the recording of the "NV3" cover of their own songs.

This is the statement of this 3rd album.

We never hear of any artists singing on covers which dissemble so much from the song their originally wrote nearly 30 years ago, or even covering their own song.

There are a variety of musical tones proposed by Nouvelle Vague on this third album such as Bluegrass, Country, Folk, Americana, Pop...

And the loop is looped when we hear on a "Nouvelle Vague" cover the voice of Martin Gore (Depeche Mode), Ian McCullough (Echo and The Bunnymen), Barry Adamson (Magazine), Terry Hall (The Specials), Samy Birnbach (Minimal Comact) or Chris Bailey (The Saints)...

Continue reading "Nouvelle Vague playing NYC, releasing NV3 (more covers, but with original singers too?) "

Following last year's inaugural event, festival producers began work immediately on resolving concerns expressed by fans in attendance. They have worked closely with their partners at NJ Transit to improve light-rail service and capacity. As an added value for 2009, festival goers who choose to travel to the site utilizing the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line can ride for free throughout the weekend with their ALL POINTS WEST festival ticket. Additionally, based on the popularity of the ferry as a mode of transportation from lower Manhattan to Liberty State Park, the frequency and size of the ferryboats will increase at a reduced price for festival attendees.... The producers have also worked with their partners at Liberty State Park to improve the fan experience in the beer gardens. This year's areas will be larger, have shorter lines, and feature shade tents, views of the stages and food concessions...

More details on the items above will be posted at the apwfestival.com. The entire lineup (it's good!) and ticket info, below...

Continue reading "All Point West - 2009 festival dates & lineup (Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beastie Boys, Coldplay)"

Meat Puppets @ ATP NY 2008 (more by Abbey Braden)

Stubb's in Austin is like Roseland Ballroom in NYC, except it's outdoors, it's conveniently located downtown near all the other venues, and you actually want to go see shows there (in my experience anyway). A lot of the "big" SXSW shows happen there. Last year Stubb's hosted R.E.M. and Motorhead. Metallica is still rumored to be playing there on the Friday night (which may or may not be the same show Jane's Addiction is or isn't playing). It's where the Decemberists will play their new album for the first time on that Wednesday, and it's where Andrew Bird is playing on the Thursday. PJ Harvey plays there that Saturday.

Each Stubb's bill has up to seven artists, and I think more than any other venue, they put together some... interesting combinations. Gomez is playing before Andrew Bird who is playing before Ben Harper. PJ Harvey and John Parrish are opening for... The Indigo Girls who are opening for... Third Eye Blind. AND, last but not least, The Meat Puppets are playing after... KATY PERRY. View the whole schedule, as it currently stands, at SXSW's site.

There are a couple of other big bands playing SXSW this year that I wanted to mention. The first is New York Dolls - they're playing Friday March 20th at 12:30 AM at Smokin' Music. The second is Echo and the Bunnymen - the UK band that recently headlined Radio City Music Hall have THREE official showcases scheduled in Austin, and they're scheduled to play the annual SPIN party at the 2500 (approx)-capacity Stubb's on Friday, March 20th, in the afternoon. Glasvegas, Passion Pit, Hot Leg (Justin Hawkins from the Darkness), Black Lips, and Cut Off Your Hands are also on SPIN's (invite only) bill.

Hot Leg also plays an official showcase Saturday night at Emo's Annex.
Videos below...

Full SXSW schedule at SXSW's site.
Lots more SXSW coverage right here at BrooklynVegan.

Continue reading "Katy Perry vs. Meat Puppets -- Stubb's -- New York Dolls, Echo & the Bunnymen, Hot Leg and other SXSW stuff"

photos by Zach Dilgard

"Ocean Rain" yielded the alt-radio staples "Silver," and "The Killing Moon," but it also was the band's most cohesive album, with a watery, deep-blue feeling on every track.

Moody and opulent, the music of Echo & the Bunnymen made its way into American dance clubs and onto college radio stations. From 1978 to 1989, McCulloch's melancholy vocals and Will Sergeant's bright, chiming guitar were ably backed by bassist Les Pattinson and drummer Pete De Freitas. The band did not enjoy the commercial success of U2 or The Cure, but Echo & the Bunnymen influenced many other bands, in scenes such as Manchester in the '90s.

De Freitas died in a motorcycle crash in 1989. The band broke up, McCulloch went solo; the band continued without him, then Mac came back.

Echo & the Bunnymen decided to perform "Ocean Rain" in concert as a way to reflect on the band's early days. The band played an acclaimed show at Royal Albert Hall in 1983, so McCulloch was happy to return. [APP]

Despite visa issues, Glasvegas ended up making it to our country on time to play their opening set. They play another NYC show on Wednesday for which tickets just went back on sale.

Bill thought "bunnymen at radio city was a Wow, especially 'Ocean Rain' itself. Worth it.". Anonymous agreed that, "Echo were awesome", but said "Glasvegas weren't. Their drummer was terrible and the signer didn't seemed like he cared." Another anonymous said, "first set at Echo was spotty at best.. The Cutter, Back of Love were highlights but People are Strange and that awful new song felt out of place. The Ocean Rain set was REALLY fantastic.. and the pictures of the band at their peak was a nice touch... At sea again...."

More pictures from last night below...

Continue reading "Echo & the Bunnymen & Glasvegas @ Radio City, NYC - pics"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Blackstrap - Repulsion (MP3)

The biggest event of the week, at least in some circles, is Echo & the Bunnymen's show at Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday (10/1) where they will be playing their classic 1984 album, Ocean Rain, in full with a 16 piece orchestra. The idea of hearing "The Killing Moon," "Silver" and the gorgeous title track in their proper string-swept glory is pretty enticing, as is witnessing the album's weirder moments, like "Thorn of Crowns" and "The Yo-Yo Man," which they probably haven't played in 20 years.

This is the second of three Ocean Rain concerts the band are doing, and at the September 12 Royal Albert Hall show they broke the night into two sections: opening with a 12-song set of hits ("The Cutter," "Lips Like Sugar," "Villiers Terrace," etc) and then a short break before getting into main event. I imagine we'll see a similar (if not exact same) set on Wednesday. Good tickets, which aren't exactly cheap during these wintry economic times, are still available.

Added value: openers Glasvegas (who I've written about before) for which, thanks to some some visa issues, may be their first American show and whose album is currently in the UK Top 20. They're also playing a sold-out show at Mercury Lounge on Saturday (10/4) and a few more U.S. show as well.

The other big event this week, in my mind, is Stereolab's three-night stint at The Filmore at Irving Plaza. Tim, Laetitia, et al are supporting what I think is their best album in a decade -- the tight, bouncy, poppy Chemical Chords. I've seen a handful of Stereolab over the last 15 years (most recently Town Hall in 2006) and they've always been good but I'm hoping these will be especially memorable, especially coming off such a stong album. And though Chemical Chords is short and punchy, you can still expect some 10-minute one-chord jams. It is Stereolab after all.

All three nights feature different openers: Thursday is Atlas Sound and Van Allen Belt (tix); Friday has Anti Pop Consortium (tix) ; and Saturday is Monade and Le Loup (tix).

Tuesday night I'll be at the Bird and the Bee at the Spiegeltent.

Blackstrap

And finally, looking ahead a couple weeks, Sweden's Blackstrap are heading to the U.S. for a short American tour, including some CMJ dates. Mixing shoegaze and straight-up rock, Blackstrap fit somewhere between Serena Maneesh and Soundtrack of Our Lives on the Swedish sonic landscape. Blackstrap have flown a bit under the radar compared to other Swedish bands of the moment, but their new album, Steal My Horses and Run, is out now on TeePee Records (where they fit quite comfortably beside labelmates The Warlocks and The Brian Jonestown Massacre). It's one of the better produced rock records I've heard in a while and really makes we wish I still had a car. Blackstrap are great crank-it-up driving music. They're also one of these bands that when you hear the record you just know they're going to be good live.

All tour dates and videos below....

Continue reading "Blackstrap, Stereolab, Echo & the Bunnymen, Glasvegas and more in this Week in Indie"

(Willie Nelson at) Radio City Music Hall (more by Fresh Bread)

Glasvegas or not, Echo & the Bunnymen will be performing 'Ocean Rain' at Radio City Music Hall this Wednesday and it looks like they recently released some good seats on Ticketmaster (thx Klaus).

by Bill Pearis

In other not-till-October news, Echo & the Bunnymen's Ocean Rain show at Radio City Music Hall is coming up sooner than it seems -- October 1 -- and tickets are still available. As much as I LOVE that album, I must admit I haven't pulled the trigger on tickets just yet, though I'm sure I will. Just the idea of hearing "The Killing Moon" and "Silver" with a full orchestra is exciting.

Opening for that show are one of the UK's most-talked (praise and derision) bands of the year, Glasvegas, who former Creation records honcho Alan McGee called "the sound of young Scotland, and the most exciting thing I've heard since the Jesus and Mary Chain in the 80s." Of course he said the same thing about Heavy Stereo and other bands we don't remember, but the Glasvegas hype train hasn't derailed yet. McGee's hyperbolic statement notwithstanding, his comparison to the Mary Chain makes sense. They take a '50s greaser rock n' roll (including doo-wop-y ballads) and covering it in a layer of guitar effects and white noise that's nearly as thick as singer James Allen's nearly impenetrable Glasgow accent. (They've also got a standup drummer, just like Bobby Gilespie, except theirs is a girl.) I have to admit I like them, though the name makes me cringe.

In addition to the Bunnymen show, Glasvegas are doing a short East Coast tour, including a stop at Mercury Lounge on October 4. (Tickets are on sale). All dates and a video below...

Continue reading "Glasvegas - 2008 Tour Dates (Echo & The Bunnymen, Merc)"

Tickets are on sale for two Vetiver/Phosphorescent shows in NYC.

Jakob Dylan is playing Blender Theater on June 10th. Tickets are on sale (@10am).

Tickets are now finally on sale (and not on presale) for the Echo & The Bunnymen show at Radio City Music Hall.

NOFX are playing a bunch of shows.

The Futureheads are playing Bowery Ballroom.

Sloan is touring and playing 2 NYC shows that are still on sale.

A second presale starts this morning for the Echo & The Bunnymen show at Radio City Music Hall (password=band).

Presale now (password = porcupine). More info HERE.

with an orchestra....

Echo & The Bunnymen are making a triumphant live return to Radio City New York on 1st October 2008. The band will be performing the classic Ocean Rain album with orchestra as part of the band's 30th anniversary. Bunnymen.com has got exclusive rights for a week of pre sale tickets just for the website users. A week later the tickets will be announced to the general public. Bunnymen.com will have a live link on the website from 26TH April (the link will be live from 9AM EDT), a password will be required to access the advance ticket purchase link, to receive this password you must be signed up for the Bunnymen.com newsletter.

Continue reading "Echo & the Bunnymen performing 'Ocean Rain' @ Radio City "