videos by Maks Suski

As mentioned, Silent Barn has a new Bushwick location (603 Bushwick Ave) after being forced to move out of their 915 Wyckoff Ave location, and they opened the doors for the first time at the new spot on Sunday (12/30). The show was with Alan Watts, GDFX, Sugarm, and Good Willsmith. You can watch videos of the latter three artists, plus a tour/walkthrough video of the new venue, below. And if you'd like to help out, they're looking for volunteers.

Silent Barn has other upcoming shows including one on January 10 with Ed Askew, D. Charles Speer, Tamble Tamble, (of Guardian Alien) and Andy Boay (of Tonstartssbandht). The flyer for that show is below.

Continue reading "Silent Barn opened their new Bushwick location (videos of the first show); Ed Askew playing there soon"

Ed Askew's new self pic (via)

'60s folk survivor Ed Askew, who lives in NYC and has been playing here and recording a lot in recent years, will holding a residency at Zebulon every Monday in November. The shows happen on November 5 with Gary Higgins and Vaudville; November 12 with Yva Las Vegas, Supercute, and Pull My Daisy; November 19 with David Garland, Glenn Jones, and C Spencer Yeh; and November 26 with Federico Ughi Quartet, Federico Ughi/Tyler Evans Duo, and Hearsay & Hyperbole.

An Ed Askew song stream and all dates in list format are below.

Continue reading "Ed Askew in residency at Zebulon this November with many guests (Gary Higgins included)"

Kath Bloom

Cult folk singers Kath Bloom and Ed Askew, who have teamed up in the past, will again be joining forces for two shows together this October. The first happens on October 6 at Yale Botanical Gardens in New Haven and the second is in Brooklyn on October 7 at Pete's Candy Store with Tica Douglas and an open mic beforehand. No advance tickets for either show at the moment.

The very prolific Ed Askew released his most recent collection, Laughing in the Light, which he recorded this year in his home with pro-tools and an Alesis synth. You can stream that album below and purchase it for $7 at his bandcamp.

Meanwhile, Kath Bloom put out her first release since 2010's Thin Thin Line with the Here I Am EP in June via Mark Kozelek's Caldo Verde Records. You can download that EP on iTunes. She's also got another 2012 release planned called "Anything Can Go At Any Time." You can listen to the track of the same name HERE, and check out a list of all upcoming dates below.

Continue reading "Ed Askew and Kath Bloom have new releases out and upcoming shows together (dates)"

Ed Askew at MHOW in 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Fellow Drag City-signed, rediscovered psych-folk legends Gary Higgins and Ed Askew are teaming up for a show together in NYC on August 25 at Ding Dong Lounge (929 Columbus Ave) with Zach Cale and Legends of Neglect. This won't be the first time that Gary and Ed play a show at that venue together. It's the only announced date for both Gary Higgins and Ed Askew at the moment.

Ed Askew recently played a NYC show with Kath Bloom at Zebulon on June 10, and recorded his set, which he has since turned into a live album. You can download that live album for free at bandcamp or stream the whole thing below.

Continue reading "Ed Askew recorded a live album at Zebulon (download), playing Ding Dong Lounge with Gary Higgins"

by Andrew Sacher

Kath Bloom in NYC in 2011 (via)

Kath Bloom is something of a cult hero in folk circles. You might know her song "Come Here" which was used prominently in Richard Linklater's film Before Sunrise. (Crayon Fields covered the song as a b-side last year too.) Chapter Music, which is Crayon Fields' label, has been a champion of her for some time, reissuing much of her impossible-to-find '70s/'80s catalog, as well as new material, including 2008's Terror, her first official new album since 1984.

Last year, Chapter Music released Loving Takes This Course, a two-CD set that featured one disc of covers by the likes of Devendra Banhart, Bill Callahan and The Dodos, and a second disc of the original Kath Bloom songs that were covered on the first disc. Kath's brand new album, Thin Thin Line, which got an 8.0 on Pitchfork.

The above quote is taken from a post Bill wrote in 2010 when Kath Bloom had just released Thin Thin Line, her most recent solo album. Kath began a tour last night (6/5) in Burlington, VT which she'll be on for the rest of the month. That tour includes an East Coast leg which brings her to NYC on June 10 at Zebulon for a show with fellow cult folk singer Ed Askew along with Cave Country and Fancy That. That tour also includes a hometown show in New Haven, CT show and a few more East Coast dates before Kath heads to California to finish up the final leg of her tour.

I caught Kath on her 2011 fall tour and she's definitely worth seeing if you have the chance (especially on a shared bill with Ed Askew). Like Ed, she's a totally humble performer and her voice is in great shape. With just her delicate guitar and sorrow-filled voice, Kath has the ability to keep a room entirely quiet in a way that fans of Phil Elvrum should find appealing. Some live videos are below.

Speaking of Ed Askew, he's got another NYC show coming up this month at La Sala on June 25 with Ry Crane and Strawberry Hands.

A list of all dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Kath Bloom touring; playing Zebulon w/ Ed Askew (dates)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Fenster - Fantasy II (MP3)

Fenster

Berlin-based trio Fenster are making their U.S. debut tonight (3/5) at Cake Shop. The band's charming, minimalist debut, Bones, is out next week on Morr Music. It's Sunday Morning Coming Down music with a little Beirut grandiosity to it at times. You can download "Fantasy II" from it at the top of this post and stream a couple more tracks below.

In addition to tonight's show Fenster will play Pianos on Wednesday (3/7) with Doe Paoro, then head to SXSW and then on the other side will be back in NYC for shows at Ars Nova on March 29 and the Knitting Factory on April 4. All Fenster tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

Daytona

Tonight's show, as well as the Knitting Factory date in April are with Daytona, which features Jose Boyer who is also in Harlem and Hunter Simpson of Wild Yaks. The Brooklyn trio's rounded out by drummer Christopher Lauderdale. All three sing. You can stream their debut EP at the bottom of this post -- it's definitely different than either Harlem or Wild Yaks. (Plaintive but poppy indie rock.) In addition to the two dates with Fenster, Daytona are also playing Littlefield on March 21 (opening for Ed Askew), plus some out of town dates as well, all of which are below.

Continue reading "Fenster are here, playing NYC before & after SXSW, sometimes with Daytona (dates)"

Ed Askew @ MHOW in 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Black Bananas (formerly RTX) kick off their tour with Sleigh Bells tonight (2/16) in DC and hit NYC at Terminal 5 on Friday (2/17). That show is sold out but if you don't have tickets you can stream it live at 10:30 on Friday at the Bowery Presents YouTube page. Black Bananas' new album, Rad Times Xpress IV is out now on Drag City and you can watch the new video for its single "TV Trouble" along with a new tour diary video below.

Speaking of Drag City artists, psych/folk singer Ed Askew has three four upcoming NYC shows including two this week. He plays Union Pool TONIGHT (2/16) with Neal Morgan and Metal Mountains and Vaudeville Park on Friday (2/17) in Brooklyn with Neal Morgan and Jay Pluck. After a long break, he'll play another NYC show in May at Judson Church on May 8 in Manhattan. All dates are listed below.

In other Drag City news, a Drag City-signed special guest will appear at the upcoming Jim Jarmusch and Jozef Van Wissem show at LPR (3/5) with Matteah Baim. Any guesses?

All dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Ed Askew playing shows; Black Bananas kicking off tour w/ Sleigh Bells (NYC show will stream live) "

As previously mentioned, Mount Eerie arrives back in NYC this week. Tonight's show is at 285 Kent and looks like this:

Wednesday September 21st @ 285 KENT AVE
:: Mount Eerie
:::: Nicholas Krgovich
:::::: Ed Askew Band
| 285 KENT AVE |
285 Kent Ave @ South 1st | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L-Bedford, G-Metropolitan, JM-Marcy | 8pm | $12 | all ages

Buy your tickets at the door. Get there early to see psychedelic legend Ed Askew.

Tickets go on sale at noon for the Shins show that happens 9/25 at Bowery Ballroom.

Mount Eerie's next NYC show after tonight is 9/26 at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets are still on sale. All dates (including SUNY Purchase) HERE.

Tickets on sale at noon for the Arrested Development reunion.

Tickets go on sale at noon for EMA's headlining show at Bowery Ballroom, a CMJ showcase.

Tickets are on sale now for the BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are also on sale for the BrooklynVegan metal CMJ show on a boat.

Tickets went on on various presales for My Morning Jacket/Band of Horses today.

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

""Slit, my throat, Callahan!" So shouted one fan mid-set at Bowery. He was right. Bill Callahan killed everyone in that room." - Hammer to Nail

Ed Askew started things off with a set of songs sung with a raspy-yet-gentle voice over keyboard accompaniment.

Bill Callahan and his two bandmates took to the stage shortly afterwards... to play a set drawing heavily from Callahan's most recent post-Smog releases, Apocalypse and Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle.... The set also included many golden-oldies from classic Smog albums such as Supper and A River Ain't Too Much Love. -[Plastic Impossible]

Bill Callahan and folk legend Ed Askew hit Bowery Ballroom (7/12) and Music Hall of Wiliamsburg (7/11) this week as part of an ongoing tour headlined by the Smog mastermind. Pictures from the Music Hall show are in this post.

Bill Callahan, whose album Apocalypse dropped on Drag City earlier this year, will wrap up his current tour and ready for an appearance at the previously discussed Pickathon in Happy Valley, Oregon in early August. The "indie roots music festival" will take place over three days and will also feature appearances from Mavis Staples, Black Mountain, Lee Fields & The Expressions, Califone, and many others.

All tour dates, pictures from MHOW and some videos from Bowery below...

Continue reading "Bill Callahan & Ed Askew played Bowery Ballroom & MHOW (pics & video)"

by Andrew Sacher

Upon first discovering Ed Askew's music a few years ago, I never thought I'd be able to see him live, but thanks to all the much deserved attention the psychedelic legend is now getting due to Drag City, Ed shows are becoming more and more common. Getting the chance to see him for the first time at St. Cecilia's Church on Saturday (6/17) (one night after Atlas Sound played there) was a pleasent surprise to say the least.

Although I was expecting/hoping to see him solo with either a guitar or piano, he was accompanied by a much younger keyboard player and stuck to just vocals and harmonica. He stood off to the side next to a podium which held his lyric sheets while his keyboard player was stationed in the middle of the stage. Despite admitting the sheets were there because he doesn't remember all of the lyrics, his voice was totally in tact and his delivery was excellent, lyric sheets or not. The humble setup was appropriate for Askew, who delivered his quirky songs with an awareness that they were far from marketable. It's with a completely straight face that he delivers lines like:

"Beautiful Tom smiled at me on the bridge.
Later on I sat and smoked a joint with beautiful Tom.
Beautiful Tom smiled at me on the bridge.
Later on I sat and smoked a joint with beautiful beautiful Tom.
smiled at me on the bridge.
Later on I sat and smoked a joint with beautiful Tom.
Beautiful Tom smiled at me on the bridge.
Later on I sat and smoked a joint with beautiful beautiful Tom."

He humbly spoke between songs, saying things like, "This song is one of my more recent ones, well not actually that recent. It was recorded in 1984 on a harpiscord for an album called Imperfiction which was just released now on a label called Drag City." He seemed almost confused that the esteemed Chicago indie label would reissue his work. It's great that they did though, and even better that Ed is still performing and can expose his music to new generations who were far from existing when he released his incredible debut Ask the Unicorn in 1968.

Woods, whose lo-fi approach to folk may not exist without the influence of musicians like Ed, were the headliners of the show (though I left before their set).

You can catch Ed Askew again supporting his Drag City-labelmate Bill Callahan on a tour which hits Music Hall of Williamsburg on July 11 and Bowery Ballroom on July 12. Tickets for both NYC shows are still available.

--

Speaking of Drag City, Six Organs of Admittance is playing a NYC show at Mercury Lounge on August 12th. Tickets go on sale Friday at noon. No more Six Organs dates to report, but all Ed dates and a video of Ed playing in Philly last week, below...

Continue reading "Ed Askew played a church, Six Organs playing Merc"

by Andrew Sacher

Psychedelic folk legend Ed Askew reissued Imperfiction, initially pressed in 1984 on a small quantity of cassettes, on vinyl (and digitally) via Drag City on March 22. The album is Askew's second reissue and third overall. He released Ask the Unicorn in 1968 and quickly faded into obscurity. His 2nd album Little Eyes never got a proper release when it was recorded in 1970, but was reissued by De Stijl in 2003. Currently, Askew continues to record music and posts MP3 albums on his bandcamp. Listen to "Deep Water" off Imperfiction below.

Ed Askew will play a week of dates with The Black Swans in June. Their short East Coast trip starts with a hometown show at Bruar Falls on June 9. Askew also plays with Woods and Magik Markers as part of the Northside Festival on the day he gets back, June 17, at St. Cecilia's RC Church in Greenpoint. Tickets are still on sale.

As previously mentioned, Ed will also be opening for his label-mate Bill Callahan at five shows in July, Music Hall of Williamsburg on July 11 and Bowery Ballroom on July 12 included. Tickets for both NYC shows are still available.

All tour dates, "Deep Water" and the full album tracklist, below...

Continue reading "Ed Askew playing shows in support of 'Imperfiction'"

photos by Kellyann Petry

Woods @ Culture Shock

If you aren't making the trek up to B.O.M.B. Fest to see Woods over Memorial Day Weekend, no worries. Woods will be back as part of a month-long North American tour that kicks off in middle July. All dates are listed below.

But first, you can also catch Woods in June in a Brooklyn church as part of the Northside Festival. The previously announced show also now includes Ed Askew and Magik Markers on the bill and is still on sale (flyer below). On August 13th look for the band at Bowery Ballroom with Ducktails (mem Real Estate) and White Fence (their second recent show together). Tickets for the NYC show go on AmEx presale today at noon (5/18), and regular sale on Friday.

Woods are welcoming their new LP Sun and Shade via their own Woodsist imprint on June 14th. Look for it then or preorder it now. Stream new track "Pushing Onlys" below, and 7+minute psychedlic jam "Out of The Eye" at Pitchfork.

Like the Feelies, Woods recently played Culture Shock 2011 at SUNY Purchase. Pictures from that show and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Woods releasing 'Sun and Shade', annnounce summer tour, played Culture Shock (2 new songs, dates & pics)"

In their own words:

Northside Festival is thrilled to announce special series of shows in beautiful St. Cecilia's church in Greenpoint.

St. Cecilia's is one of the most beautiful and vital churches in Brooklyn. We are excited to be working with this community institution and proud to say that St. Cecilia's will be an important part of Northside.

There will be four shows taking place at the most spectacular venue imaginable.

And the shows are:

Continue reading "St. Cecilia's Church in Greenpoint will host Northside Festival shows (Atlas Sound, Woods & Eleanor included)"

How were the Will Oldham audiobook readings that book place in NYC yesterday?

Will's Drag City labelmate Ed Askew is performing at the Suffolk tonight (4/30). It's his only scheduled date (at the moment) before he hits the road in July with his Drag City labelmate Bill Callahan. Ed opens for Bill at both Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets for both shows are still on sale. All tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Will Oldham was here (he read), Ed Askew plays a show tonight (Saturday), touring w/ Bill Callahan (dates)"