Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire at Southpaw 2/9 (via)

Action Bronson at Southpaw 2/9 (via)

Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire and Action Bronson shared a bill at Southpaw last night (2/9) with support from Soul Kahn and Kyle Rapps, and included special guest Illustrate. They were joined on stage by El-P, Despot, and Kool AD & Heems of Das Racist, who are all featured on eXquire's "Huzzah" remix (where was Danny Brown?!). Action Bronson has a show tonight in Austin, where he will return in March for SXSW.

Last night's show was one of the last at Southpaw, which is closing this month. Their website lists shows happening through February 19, including M.A.K.U. Soundsystem and I Jah Bones TONIGHT (2/10). Tickets for tonight' show are available. There's also a huge show presented by iHeart Dilla taking place on February 15, billed as "One Song: A Forever Fresh Farewell to Southpaw," with Nitty Scott, Illustrate (who was a guest at last night's show), Warren Britt, Jesse Abraham, Top $ Raz, MC Eleven, Tanya Morgan, and many others. The flier for this show with all the performers listed is below.

Continue reading "El-P & others joined Exquire & Action Bronson @ Southpaw (which is closing in 10 days)"

words & photos by BBG

Hopefully, there weren't masses that headed to DUMBO on Saturday (10/15) expecting a few Mozz-a-repa stands, a sausage & pepper cart, and a dealer selling his collection of "tobacco" pipes while looking for the live music. The Creators Project had much more to offer. It celebrated the different facets of creativity within art, music, and theater while showcasing live music alongside interactive sculpture to create a wholly different "festival" environment.

The musical portion was limited to two live stages and a third "DJ" stage which also housed a few exhibits. One live stage was located under an archway beneath the Manhattan Bridge. The other was in the "Tobacco Warehouse", a brick structure that has also hosted the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. The shows were free, though you needed to RSVP (and even then you needed a confirmation that you were accepted).

I kicked off my afternoon at the Tobacco Warehouse stage with Teen Daze whose laptop knob-twiddling didn't make for much of a live event. After a few songs I moved on to my first band of the day, Brooklyn's Chairlift. Caroline Polachek is the clear focus of the band's sound, with her vocals pushed to the front and the electronic-pop complementing her lilting voice. Their sunny and simple compositions were sugar-y, well executed and a good way to ease into the day, but not particularly memorable. The next performance would bring about an abrupt change.

John Maus

No one outcrazys John Maus. After the crew cleared the stage of seemingly every piece of gear, the very unassuming Maus came on to plug his Roland SP-404 sampler into the DI and his microphone into an echo pedal. With the hit of his sampler, Maus kicked off his set by bouncing left and right and jumping around. Veins bulged in his neck and face as he began to scream, sing, whimper and all but cry into his microphone during his vocal parts. Even if I had no interest in his recorded material (which I do, and tons of it), I would, as I'm sure any passerby would, still find the maniacal John Maus live (almost freak) show absolutely enthralling. Catch him again this week at 285 Kent.

After 3+ songs from Clams Casino on the laptop which was about as exciting as it sounds (dramatic key-stroke!), A$AP Rocky opened his set by explaining that people are saying he is the "biggest thing to hip hop since the Wu-Tang Clan". I'd like to meet these people. Regardless of how over/correctly hyped A$AP is, he and his crew (which included an appearance from Spaceghostpurrp) were particularly high energy - stage-diving, inciting mosh-pits, and hopping around on stage. The crowd didn't move with the same enthusiasm though. Despite calls for more participation, the crew didn't ignite similar energy in the crowd.

After a visit to see Four Tet (another knob-twiddling set), I cruised over to see Bradford Cox do a one-man Atlas Sound. I prefer Atlas Sound in full band mode to Bradford solo, but his set was fresh change to the mostly electronic vibe of the day. Cox's voice coupled with the Bridge backdrop and the Manhattan skyline was particularly impressive.

Company Flow

Up next was Company Flow, my main motivation for being there since I missed their recent reunion shows at ATP and Santos Party House.

It had been around 14 years since I saw Company Flow on tour with Organized Konfusion, the former celebrating their seminal Funcrusher Plus and the latter promoting what may be their final effort, The Equinox. That summer in 1997, Co-Flow sounded so alien to everything else in the era; primitive, noisy beats made with crude synths and harsh scratches were complemented by abstract and double-time rhymes. Lead by a white redhead-ed MC (a rarity in the era), Company Flow was truly unique in their time.

Company Flow were massive to me in that certain, early-backpacker Rawkus era, the blast-off point for El-P's noisy and dystopian blueprint at Definitive Jux. So it pains me to say that the primitive Company Flow sound hasn't aged so well live; El-P still has a good stage presence as always, but unfortunately the rawness of the tracks just now come across as simplistic in comparison to his sleeker production. It was good to see the crew though, and with Pharoahe Monch in tow, much like that night in DC in 1997.

After Co-Flow, I caught a bit of Florence & The Machine before calling it an evening meaning I also missed the abbreviated Justice DJ set. Though cops shut down Jusice early and a vocal minority of DUMBO residents complained about the takeover of their neighborhood streets, the complaints were minor leagues compared to the impressive spectacle that descended on art galleries, parks, storefronts, and even an archway underneath the Manhattan Bridge.

We're splitting this into multiple parts, so stay tuned for the rest. Meanwhile, more pictures of everything I saw, below...

Continue reading "Creators Project in DUMBO in pics & review -- part 1 (Company Flow, John Maus, A$AP Rocky, Chairlift & more)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Public Enemy

STEREOGUM: What appealed to you about getting involved with All Tomorrow's Parties?

GEOFF BARROW: I just like that, for the most part, you wouldn't want to be there if you aren't actually into the music. It's not like Coachella where there are loads of girls walking around in bikinis and stuff like that. It's basically people enjoying what is often some really indulgent music. For us, it's like a Charlie in the Chocolate Factory moment. You win the golden ticket and you get to see how the candy is made. You get to choose the bands that play with you, which is just ... amazing. It's like, wow, yes, please.

STEREOGUM: Who in particular are you most excited about seeing?

GEOFF BARROW: We've been really lucky over the years. We've done three of these ATP festivals and it's always such a good experience. I'm always, always, always very into watching Public Enemy. Also, Ultramagnetic MCs because they are just mental and so important to hip hop. I'll also be watching Swans ... with earplugs. I want to watch everything. I want to watch as much as I possibly can.

Jeff Mangum played his second of three Asbury Park sets on Sunday (10/2), though like his Friday show, we don't have pictures of his set (he doesn't like pictures). We do have pictures of a lot of other sets from Sunday though, and they continue, along with shots of the general Asbury Park scenery (the conclusion of our ATP NJ 2011 coverage), below...

Continue reading "I'll Be Your Mirror 2011 -- pics from ATP Sunday (Public Enemy, Company Flow, Thee Silver Mt. Zion, Deerhoof, Earth & more)"

Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire

"Shortcuts" is a new party being thrown by Heems of Das Racist, Dean Bein of True Panther Sounds, and Despot at Santos Party House. The first edition goes down on September 8 with Spaceghostpurrp, ASAP Rocky, Das Racist (DJ), and Venus X & $hayne (Ghe20 G0th1k). Tickets are on sale now and the flier is below.

LA Weekly recently spoke to 19 year old Miami rapper/producer Spaceghostpurrp, who plays the Shortcuts party. He talked about how he's friends with Kreayshawn, Syd tha Kyd playing his song "Suck a Dick" at a show, and how people need to stop comparing him to Tyler, the Creator and Lil B (even though he fucks with the Based movement). You can listen to the track "Suck a Dick" below.

In related news, Mishka, the store/label who put out material by Das Racist, Stalley, and more recently Main Attrakionz, will release Brooklyn rapper Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire's debut album Lost In Translation on September 11 as a free download. The album will feature production by El-P (who also contributed production to the new Das Racist album), Necro, Esoteric, BoweryBeats, Constrobuz and Charli Brown Beatz. Check out Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire's excellent (and slightly NSFW) video for "Huzzah" with the full new album tracklist below.

Continue reading "Spaceghostpurrp & ASAP Rocky playing new Santos party, Mishka releasing free Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire album"

by BBG

Company Flow at Santos (more by Brook Bobbins)

WOW. As El-P confirmed, Company Flow will return AGAIN on the Sunday (10/2) of ATP's I'll Be Your Mirror in NJ. Other additions to the Asbury Fest's already-great lineup are Public Enemy who will their classic Fear of a Black Planet LP in full on Sunday, and Thought Forms, who are on Portishead's whole tour, on Saturday. Full updated lineup is below, and tickets are still available in different formations.

In other news, El-P recently released a new track for Adult Swim, following up with an uncensored version for "Drones Over Brooklyn".

Some videos and the current ATP lineup below.

Continue reading "Company Flow & Public Enemy added to Asbury Park ATP"

photos by Brook Bobbins, words by BBG

Company Flow @ Santos

Brooklyn MC El-P has released a new "censored mix" of a new song, "Drones Over Brooklyn" for Adult Swim. No word on if the track, currently downloadable below or via the Adult Swim site, will appear on El-P's new LP Cancer for Cure due on Fat Possum next year. El-P is now labelmates with Mellowhype, Yuck, The Smith Westerns, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, AA Bondy and many more.

El-P (and collaborator Trent Reznor) also recently provided the soundtrack to a gang of methheads in Jessie Pinkman's apartment on AMC's Breaking Bad, as the sound of smoking blue rocks were drowned out by "Flyentology" from I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.

El-P was supposed to play Terminal 5 with the Streets tonight (8/12), but it was cancelled. However, he and his former crew, Company Flow, reunited at Santos Party House on July 16th with fellow unsung NYC crew The Juggaknots. The sold-out show featured full sets from both, as well as a collaboration between Breezy Brewin of Juggaknots and Company Flow to perform the classic Indelible MC's track "The Fire In Which You Burn". Belated pictures from Santos and "Drones over Brooklyn" below.

Continue reading "El-P signs to Fat Possum, released a new song for Adult Swim, played in Company Flow @ Santos (pics)"

The Rapture at FYFest (more by Rachel Carr)

The Rapture have released an Emperor Machine Remix Edit of "How Deep Is Your Love?" via the Adult Swim Singles Program (which recently released songs by Best Coast, The Tallest Man On Earth, Mastodon, How To Dress Well, Ford & Lopatin, and Active Child). Listen to the song below now. Download it Wednesday (7/20) along with all the other tracks released so far. Look for upcoming songs from Clams Casino, JJ feat. Ne-Yo, El-P, and Cerebral Ballzy in the coming weeks.

The Rapture play Music Hall Of Williamsburg on 8/20 before they head across the pond to the EU. The show is sold-out. All dates are also listed below.

Continue reading "Adult Swim Singles continues w/ a Rapture remix (listen)"

"pretty sure this thai food just gave me the plague." -El-P

As you may have noticed (it happened a few weeks ago I think), The Streets cancelled his forthcoming appearance with El-P at Terminal 5. The show was billed as The Streets' "last ever North American show". Whether that means the end of The Streets live for this continent remains to be seen, but we'll keep you posted.

Another bum-out was that the T5 shows was twitter favorite El-P's only current date while he crafts his forthcoming LP. That hasn't changed (so far), but bad news turned to good news when El-P posted the above picture last week with the caption of "stay tuned, nyc".

Well, stay tuned no longer, as Company Flow will reunite at NYC's Santos Party House on July 16th, and tickets are on sale. The show makes TWO upcoming appearances for Company Flow who will also appear at ATP in the UK a few days after Santos.

Company Flow will bring along with them Fondle 'Em faves/Indelible MCs co-conspirators The Juggaknots (!), as well as "many old friends and special guests still to be announced!!!!". Now we just need Siah & Yeshua DapoED and MF Doom on the bill, and my 1996 dreams will be fulfilled. Juggaknots released the classic Clear Blue Skies LP via Fondle 'Em Records in the 90s, an essential piece of underground hip hop from that era.
In other El-P news, the MC recent collaborated with artist Travis Millard who is responsible for the recent Megapuss art and blessed El-P's Weareallgointoburninhellmegamixx2. Check out the video (with some killer El-P instrumentals) that promotes Millard's art show at Fecal Face Dot Gallery in San Francisco below.

Continue reading "Company Flow reunion show happening @ Santos w/ The Juggaknots! (though El-P & the Streets are not playing T5)"

The Streets

"It's obvious. I've been doing it for 10 years and I've always tried to do something different with each album," he says. "Some [of my work has] been amazingly received and some of it hasn't been, and I've run out of new avenues.

"As uninteresting as the Streets is to talk about, the most interesting element of anything is its death, so if you're going to talk about the Streets, ending the Streets is probably a good thing to talk about," he continues, ceding the point that there might yet be some purpose to our interview, which is only two minutes old. "But it's not interesting really. I haven't really got anything more to do." -[says Mike Skinner to The Guardian on why The Streets is ending]

Meanwhile El-P is keeping busy. He recently said, "sorry i've been absent. making one of those 'albums' i've heard so much about. some major announcements coming soon." No word on a release date, but he also Tweeted that, "my album, the Killer Mike album and the STEPSON are all in the works. enjoy the break from me while you can, music."

STEPSON is a new collaboration between El-P and Nick Diamonds, aka Nicholas Thorburn, of Islands/Unicorns/Mister Heavenly fame.

Full Streets album stream below...

Continue reading "The Streets released a 'final' LP, playing 'only' US show @ T5 w/ El-P (who is collaborating w/ Nick Diamonds as Stepson)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Central Services - Forever Frozen In Television Time EP (Zip file of MP3s)
DOWNLOAD: El-P - "Whores: The Movie" (Mediafire link)
DOWNLOAD: El-P - ""Meanstreak" (In 3 Parts) (Mediafire link)
DOWNLOAD: El-P - "Instrumental 6" (Zip file of MP3s)
DOWNLOAD: El-P - "East River Float" (Zip file of MP3s)

Camu Tao (born Tero Smith, June 6, 1977 - May 25, 2008) was an American rapper and producer who was signed to the Definitive Jux label. He was a part of the duo S.A. Smash with fellow rapper Metro, a part of the rap group Weathermen, and the Central Services production team with El-P. Smith was also a member of the music collective Cardboard City... He was also part of Columbus, Ohio's MHz crew with Copywrite, RJD2, Jakki Tha MotaMouth & Tage Proto, and with Cage, half of The Nighthawks...

Smith died on May 25, 2008, after a two-year battle with lung cancer. At the time of his death, he was working on a song he produced for Cage's I Never Knew You EP as well as his first solo album for Definitive Jux.

El-P has a new release of his own as well, the instrumental Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3 LP out on August 3rd. If you're a fan of El-P's signature blend of hip hop, IDM, and futurism, its a must. Pick up a copy of the LP via Gold Dust and snag copies of the first two volumes of Weareallgoingtoburninhell (previously tour only) for free. Check out the tracks "Whores: The Movie" and "Meanstreak" (In 3 Parts) from Vol 3 and a pair of tracks from previous volumes above.

Dig on more preview material from Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3 video trailer, as well as tons of other great vids below...

Continue reading "Def Jux releasing Camu Tao's posthumous debut, giving away EPs & new El-P tracks too"

Day 1 photos by Weekly Dig, Wolf Parade photos by Kate Gardiner

Panda Bear @ Pitchfork Fest Saturday evening (Suckafreemike)

"Dear panda bear: you're playing a music festival, not an art installation." - Etan

"The only explanation for Panda Bear's set at the Pitchfork Music Festival is that it's a practical joke on people who are not on drugs." - lifeinzembla

"Panda Bear killed it. set was almost exclusively new stuff. pushing the art to the next level." - Luke Tipton

Panda Bear @ Pitchfork Fest Saturday evening (iissaaacc)

More pictures from the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival, below...

Continue reading "mixed reactions to Panda Bear & more pictures from the 2010 Pitchfork Festival (Days 1 & 2)"

photos by Kate Gardiner

"And Yawnfork continues." - Jim DeRogatis

Robyn dominated Friday @ the Pitchfork Festival

"Who knew the best performer of the day would be a blonde bombshell spinning Euro-disco? Robyn -- another Swede and a former child star who's fought hard to regain her own artistic control -- came out throwing punches in the air when she wasn't doing that elbows-high, shoulder-leaning dance all '80s female singers used to do. Fiesty, sexy, spunky, Robyn opened with the virtues of being a "Fembot," assured us that love hurts "With Every Heartbeat" and sang flawlessly through new single "Dancing on My Own" in front of a band dressed in all white, twiddling knobs and pounding synth-pad drums. The latter really exploded at the end of "Cobrastyle," with Robyn showing some kick-box dancing. Her Pink-ish pluck reached its zenith in "Don't F---ing Tell Me What to Do," during which she led some kind of aerobics class (sporting a totally Pat Benatar green beret, too). And she was the crowd favorite. Go figure." [Chicago Sun Times]

This post comes five hours into Day Two of the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival (which is streaming online). Tonight's remaining acts are Wolf Parade, Panda Bear, and LCD Soundsystem. More pictures and a few videos from most of what came prior, below....

Continue reading "Pitchfork Fest 2010 - Day 1 & most of Day 2 (pictures & video) "

Modest Mouse @ Terminal 5 in March 2009 (more by Chris La Putt)

Modest Mouse will join Faith No More and Nas & Damian Marley (tickets) as one of the acts set to play at Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn this summer. Their Friday, July 23rd show will be ticketed/non-free (like the others mentioned). Tickets go on sale Friday at noon (which is when the just-added Faith no More show goes on sale too).

Modest Mouse's Brooklyn show is a week after they play the Pitchfork Festival which recently updated its lineup. New acts playing the Chicago fest include Big Boi, Major Lazer, Neon Indian, Beach House, Free Energy, Local Natives, Robyn & more. Check that out in full below. Single day tickets are still on sale.

UPDATE: Modest Mouse's Brooklyn show is one day after they play one in NJ.

Modest Mouse will be reissuing their third album, The Moon & Antarctica, on vinyl for its 10th anniversary, on Record Store Day - this Saturday, April 17th. "The album features restored original artwork and replicates the infinite lock groove found in the original vinyl pressings of 2000. The new vinyl reissue includes a download card for the album." All dates the the P4K Fest lineup, below...

Continue reading "Modest Mouse playing Williamsburg Waterfront, the Pitchfork Festival (updated full lineup) & other tour dates"

The Pitchfork Music Festival celebrates its 5th anniversary this year at Union Park in Chicago. It runs from Friday July 16th - Sunday July 18th. Three-day passes are now sold out, but you can still get single-day passes on Ticketweb.

The Updated Lineup is below:

Continue reading "Pitchfork Festival updates lineup (Broken Social Scene, Jon Spencer, Panda Bear, Girls, El-P & more) "

Def Jux's Camu Tao (RIP)

Dear Inter-web, fans, friends and JUX family,

People keep asking me what's up with JUX. There's been some talk, there have been some rumors. Some half true, some way off. Reports of our demise have been mildly exaggerated. Here's what it really all boils down to:

Continue reading "El-P gives the official word on DEF JUX ("hiatus")"

by Klaus Kinski

As a young mullet-headed headbanger growing up in the pre-internet late 80's and early 90's Cape Cod, my only resource for expanding my metal horizons was Metal Maniacs. Sure, I enjoyed the titans of that era (Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden, etc) but what I craved was the most vile, lightning fast death metal in the world. Thanks to Metal Maniacs, I was exposed to the likes of Deicide, Napalm Death, Carcass, Entombed, Morbid Angel, Repulsion, Gorguts, Cathedral, Morgoth, and many many more. The one album from that era that immediately blew my mind, and has stayed an important part of my life, is Godflesh's Streetcleaner. To this day the bassy-death-rattle-feedback intro for the lead-off track "Like Rats" still gets me amped.

For the past 19 years I've been avidly following the brains behind Godflesh, Justin K. Broadrick, and his incredibly diverse career. Starting in 1982 with band called Final, a project that is still creating music to this day, Broadrick has released dozens of records and EPs under a variety of pseudonyms and monikers. He's remixed boat loads of tunes by other bands and has dabbled in many different genres including industrial, grindcore, and hip hop. With his latest project Greymachine (listen to a stream here) and many more projects on the horizon, it seemed like a great time for BV to catch up with Justin and discuss his past, present, and future.

Continue reading "an interview with Justin K. Broadrick"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Ryan Muir

Steve Albini in Shellac

"We're taking a bath, but I don't care," Barry Hogan told [Sasha Frere-Jones]. We were standing in the makeshift production office for the All Tomorrow's Parties festival, at Kutsher's, a resort in the Catskills.

Kutsher's, where Muhammad Ali trained and a thousand schticks were born, was once the jewel of the Borscht Belt. The main venue at Kutsher's, the Stardust Ballroom, has a capacity of 2,800. But Hogan seemed largely unbothered that only 1,800 tickets to ATP had sold. It is 2009, after all.

Considering the bad coffee situation and the fun that I had the day before, Sufjan was spot on. Clad in tie-dye that the band had purchased at the general store at Kutsher's, the five piece were delicate, light and lilting. Sufjan's bright banjo strums and songs, like the sunny "Sister", resonated so well in the Stardust Ballroom. The Seven Swans album was an excellent choice for a wake-up set on the second day of the three day upstate NY festival (Saturday, September 12, 2009).

After Sufjan, I wandered over to catch a crew of young Aussies named Bridezilla. Though their name is a touch offputting, guitarist/vocalist Holiday Sidewinder has a sexy and breathy coo that recalled PJ Harvey and their her cocktail-dress-ed crew were a surprise and a delight.

Grouper were next, and as a fan of 2008's Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill, I was eager to check out Liz Harris's ambient soundscapes. Playing to a projection of an ocean at night, the stage show wasn't much visually but the tides of noise was otherworldly.

Conversely, Black Dice in the same room was a psychedelic mindfuck. Blasts of tribal noise beats nodded heads and shook them in equal measure.

As a fan of Bradford Cox, it was great to see him pull a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning with Atlas Sound. Rolling solo with guitar, harmonica, and some backing tracks, Cox was engaging both in song and with between song banter. I would regrettably end up missing Deerhunter's set a few hours later. Drowned in Sound was there though:

Bradford Cox is a picture of serenity as he swaps his shirt for a more tasteful number and leads Deerhunter into their Saturday night set. He announces that this will be their last performance for some time, causing the band to roll out the hits in quick-fast fashion. They gallop through 'Cryptograms' and 'Nothing Ever Happened', the positively herculean double guitar sound feeling unstoppable and a sense of jubilation ricocheting between the walls as people succumb to these great big shining pop songs. The closing 'Calvary Scars' is a slab of beautiful kraut-pop, with Lockett Pundt's metallic Tim Gane-esque strum leading the way, face-painted kids jerking their bodies back and forth, and Cox looking genuinely sad that this will be the last time these songs will be wrung from his fingers and throat for a while.

Sleepy Sun were line checking when I got back to the second stage, with vocalist Rachael Williams checking her levels in the monitor

"Check. Check. I. Hi. Me. You. All of you. Us. Getting nervous."

If they had nerves, the band channeled them into positive energy. Sleepy Sun's influences fit right in with their hometown, San Francisco, as the band dabble in a psychedelic California sound with some krautrock-y elements. I was most struck by their fantastic drummer Brian Tice as well as vocalist Williams, who ripped out a solo that had the crowd shouting and applauding. Wayne Coyne watched the band from stage left, clearly impressed.

After an elongated line check, El-P came on and with a four-piece band (Chin Chin) and hypeman (Mighty Quinn) to the sound of "Tasmanian Space Coaster". I have a soft spot for El-Producto's Blade Runner beats and post-apocalyptic rhyme styles, and it was great to see a Hip Hop artist who actually puts an emphasis on his live show. As a matter of fact, El-P put a little too much of himself out there, almost falling off the stage after pogo-ing around during "Smithereens". Careful dude... we need a follow-up to I'll Sleep When You're Dead.

I hadn't seen Akron/Family since the then more acoustic-centric band played Tonic many years ago (with Hamid Drake?) and it was refreshing to see their energy were still in place. Against a backdrop of a tie-dyed American flag, the band played a rousing and ripping set. It's good to see that the loss of Ryan Vanderhoof to a Buddhist center hasn't slowed them a bit.

Autolux had the discordant riffs, feedback squalls, and a 90s alt punk sound to hit all of the right influences (Joy Division, Sonic Youth, etc), but unfortunately didn't really distinguish themselves from their influences. Autolux isn't offensive by any means, just not compelling or distinctive, and I find it a touch disappointing that guitarist Greg Edwards was a member of Failure (a band that I dug).

Dead Meadow and their fuzzy freakout psych blues were riffing on Stage Two towards the end of the Autolux set, but by half way in, the crowd had diminished considerably due to Shallac on the main. For shame, as the trio played a ripping set!

continued below...

Continue reading "ATP NY 2009 - Day 2 pics & review (Atlas Sound, Deerhunter, El-P, Boss Hog, Shellac, Animal Collective, Dead Meadow...) "

All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP) is happy to announce its return to Kutsher's Country Club in Monticello, New York for the 2nd annual ATP New York festival. The event will be held Sept 11-13, 2009. Last year's festival, co-curated by My Bloody Valentine, was a critical and cultural success with rave reviews from media and fans. This year's Fest will be co-curated by The Flaming Lips.

Recently added were Crystal Castles, Super Furry Animals, Boris performing Feedbacker, Low Lows and "Oneida presents the Ocropolis" - where Oneida will transport the impetus, spirit and community of their multidisciplinary studio/performance space, The Ocropolis, to ATP for a full day of improvisation, collaboration, and recording, combined with the astounding Mighty Robot Visuals light crew. Other announced acts include Boredoms continuing their BOADRUM series, performing with 9 drummers on stage. Deerhoof will perform with special visuals by Martha Colburn. Caribou will perform as Caribou Vibration Ensemble, with a 4 piece horn section, 4 drummers and a choir and guests that include Kieran Hebden (Four Tet/Fridge/Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid), Koushik (Stones Throw Records), John Schmersal (Enon, Brainiac), Kathryn Bint (One Little Plane), Ahmed Gallab (Sinkane), Marshall Allen (Sun Ra Arkestra) and more.

Circulatory System, was added in the last announcement, and have since revealed an entire tour. Dead Meadow play ATP on Saturday and will perform on a boat in NYC that same week. The Feelies have a Brooklyn show scheduled. Super Furry Animals play NYC and NJ in addition to ATP. The list of related shows goes on...

Unfortunately missing from the ATP NY schedule is Nick Cave - not that he was ever supposed to be there, but in addition to being very involved with ATP in general, he was recently confirmed to be only a short car ride away just one day after the festival ends. Full 2009 lineup below...

Continue reading "ATP NY final 2009 lineup -- Bob Mould (now official), Eugene Mirman, Menomena, Hopewell & more (but not Nick Cave) "

Sufjan Stevens w/ Clogs @ BAM in February (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

We are extremely excited to announce the addition of Sufjan Stevens to the ATP-curated Saturday lineup. Stevens, who will be releasing Run Rabbit Run (a re-arrangement of his 2001 album Enjoy Your Rabbit) in October, has not played a US show in over two years, and this is sure to be a special performance. [ATP NY]

Sufjan will be joined on the Saturday bill by new additions Shellac, Circulatory System and Grouper (who we previously announced).

On the Sunday, the Flaming Lips-curated bill has added Crystal Castles, who has been touring North America and Europe. They're also on the schedule for All Points West on August 1st.

Other Sunday additions are Super Furry Animals (who are also playing Maxwell's and Highline Ballroom), Boris, Low Lows and Oneida, the latter of which will perform a special set, described below...

"Oneida presents the Ocropolis" - where Oneida will transport the impetus, spirit and community of their multidisciplinary studio/performance space, The Ocropolis, to ATP for a full day of improvisation, collaboration, and recording, combined with the astounding Mighty Robot Visuals light crew.

Continue reading "ATP NY adds Sufjan Stevens, Boris, Shellac, Crystal Castles & more - full updated lineup"

Boss Hog @ Maxwell's (more by Tim Griffin)

Friday will feature a first New York show in a long time by The Jesus Lizard and newly announced, ATP favourites Iron and Wine. They will join the Don't Look Back shows also taking place on Friday: The Feelies performing Crazy Rhythms, New York's finest Suicide performing their first LP, Dirty Three performing Ocean Songs and The Drones performing Wait Long By The River... The evening will be rounded off with the Comedy Stage hosted and curated by the one and only David Cross.

Saturday is curated by ATP and is headlined by Animal Collective and an exclusive performance by Panda Bear. Other confirmed acts include the newly announced Boss Hog, Deerhunter and Bridezilla, plus the previously announced Melvins, Black Dice, Dead Meadow, Autolux, EL-P, Akron Family, Antipop Consortium, Atlas Sound and the hotly tipped Sleepy Sun.

Sunday is curated by the outlandish Flaming Lips. Every act that plays will perform an exclusive special show, bespoke for this event. First up are the Boredoms who will continue their BOREDRUM [BOADRUM?] series, performing with 9 drummers on stage. No Age will perform a whole LP by Husker Du including special guest vocalist [um... Bob Mould?]. Deerhoof will perform with special visuals by Martha Colburn. Caribou will perform as Caribou Vibration Ensemble, with a 4 piece horn section, 4 drummers and a choir and guests that include Kieran Hebden (Four Tet/Fridge/Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid), Koushik (Stones Throw Records), John Schmersal (Enon, Brainiac), Kathryn Bint (One Little Plane), Ahmed Gallab (Sinkane) and more. Finally Stardeath and White Dwarfs also join the line-up, with lots more to be announced!

Continue reading "ATP NY 2009 adds more acts & crazy stuff w/ Boredoms, Iron & Wine, Boss Hog, Deerhunter, No Age & more..."

JESUS LIZARD, MELVINS, EL-P AND MORE FOR ATP NY! DAY TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Today we're pleased to announce the second group of announcements for our second ATP New York festival which runs from 11th-13th September 2009 and is co-curated by The Flaming Lips. The first event received widespread rave reviews and the second is shaping up to be just as good.

On Friday 11th September, joining the previously announced Dirty Three performing Ocean Songs, Suicide performing their legendary first LP and David Cross curating a comedy stage, we have:

THE JESUS LIZARD - their first New York show in many many years
THE DRONES - performing Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of The Enemies Will Float By

On Saturday 12th September, joining the previously announced Animal Collective, Panda Bear, Black Dice, Antipop Consortium, Autolux and Atlas Sound we have:

MELVINS
EL-P
DEAD MEADOW
AKRON FAMILY
SLEEPY SUN

We will be announcing some of the bands that THE FLAMING LIPS, our Sunday headliners, have announced in the near future.

Tickets are on sale now for $235 with or without accommodation at an extra cost.

We are also placing on sale today a VERY limited amount of day passes
for this festival. Friday day passes cost $75, Saturday and Sunday
passes cost $95 per day. These are on sale now and due to high demand
are not expected to be available for very long.

CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS! (thx Jason!)

Melvins are also performing some shows in May, where, unlike at ATP, they'll be playing their album Houdini from start to finish.

The Drones, coming all the way from Australia, will also be here in the States this month. Unlike at ATP though, they won't be performing an album from start to finish this time around.

I wonder who the Flaming Lips will add. As some have already pointed out, we know it won't be Arcade Fire.

Sleepy Sun is an ATP Recordings-signed band from San Francisco who are also playing SXSW. Check out a video below...

Continue reading "The Jesus Lizard, Melvins, Dead Meadow & others added to ATP NY!! -- limited day passes on sale NOW"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Cage - "Nothing Left To Say" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cage - "Shoot Frank" (MP3)

Cage announced a new LP AND a new EP, both due in the first half of 2009. First up, Chris Palko aka the artist formerly known as Cage Kennylz will drop a "seven song mega-single/EP of exclusive bonus material entitled the I Never Knew You EP" for FREE via AdultSwim/Definitive Jux. Details to come, but look for it "sometime within next two months".

Cage's new LP, his first since 2005's critically acclaimed Hell's Winter, is due on June 30th via Definitive Jux. It's called Depart From Me and is executive produced by Sean Martin, recently ex-Hatebreed who also produced 9 of 14 total tracks with the rest of the production handled by El-P, Aesop Rock, and the late great Camu Tao. Check out the El-P produced "Nothing Left To Say" available for download above.

In other Chris Palko news, Cage recently shot a video for "I Never Knew You" in LA, directed by "close personal friend" and fellow Cardboard City member Shia LaBeouf, his directorial debut. Mr Transformers and Cage are also working on a "full-length feature film based on the rapper's young life starring Labeouf":

Palko was born in Würzburg, Germany... [and] lived there until the age of four when [his father Bill] Murray was dishonorably discharged for selling and using heroin... Murray would often force Palko to pull homemade tourniquets around his arm as he injected heroin. At the age of eight, Palko's father was arrested during a standoff with state troopers after threatening his family with a shotgun. Palko was kicked out of high school, [and] began using LSD, mescaline, cannabis and alcohol...

Palko was arrested several times for drug possession and fighting in the streets. When he faced jail time for violating probation, his mother convinced the judge that he was mentally unstable, and he was sent to the Stony Lodge psychiatric hospital for a two week evaluation. He eventually ended up staying in the hospital for eighteen months, where he was a part of a small group used to test fluoxetine. After being misdiagnosed and placed on the drug, he became suicidal and made several attempts to kill himself, including hanging himself with his shoelaces and saving his lithium dose for a month before ingesting all of them at once. -[Wiki]

Cage is scheduled to play SXSW at the Biz3 showcase at Club DeVille on March 20th with These Are Powers, Kid Sister, Lady Sovereign, Chin Chin, Hollywood Holt, Thunderheist, Asher Roth, and Amanda Blank. No other dates at the moment.

Cage, Chauncey, Shia LaBeouf, glue and the late Camu Tao eating breakfast, and other videos, below...

Continue reading "Cage - new records, MP3s, Shia LaBeouf & SXSW"

DOWNLOAD: F*ck The Facts - "The Storm" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: F*ck The Facts - "Absence & Despite" (MP3)

Aesop Rock & El-P @ McCarren Pool (more by Jason Bergman)

today in NYC
* FREE STUFF
* Howlies @ Mercury Lounge
* R Stevie Moore @ Cake Shop
* a benefit @ Santos Party House
* Les Paul and his trio @ Iridium Jazz Club
* Jim Campilongo Electric Trio @ The Living Room
* Billy Bob Thornton (makes music) @ Highline Ballroom
* The Walkmen, The Muslims & Frances @ Bowery Ballroom
* The Faint, Anti-Pop Consortium & Shy Child @ Terminal 5
* Fuck the Facts, From a Harlots Mouth & Psyopus @ Knitting Factory

I would get excited about the 'Hedwig & The Angry Inch 10th Anniversary Celebration' happening at Highline Ballroom on Thursday, but it's just a tribute show.

Anti-Pop Consortium keep the reunion going with a performance before the Faint at Terminal 5 tonight.

R. Stevie Moore plays Cake Shop tonight and also opens both of the upcoming (rescheduled) NYC Dr. Dog shows.

Video of Aesop Rock & El=P performing at McCarren Pool below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

photos by Jason Bergman

One more free Sunday 'Pool Party' show to go. More pictures from this Sunday (August 17, 2008), below...

Continue reading "Aesop Rock (and El-P), Chin Chin & Panther @ McCarren Pool "

Dizzee Rascal @ Webster Hall, NYC - May 10, 2008 (Jason Bergman/BaebleMusic)

Dizzee Rascal played with El-P at Webster Hall on May 10th.

"People sayin', 'Oh, I can't understand his accent, I can't tell what he's sayin'. You don't need to know what the fuck I'm sayin'," barked Dizzee Rascal Saturday night in New York. It's true -- with Dizzee Rascal, it really doesn't matter. The London MC held forth at Webster Hall, three shows into his first U.S. tour behind Maths + English, his nearly year-old album that only saw a Stateside release last month. [Rolling Stone]

Continue reading "Dizzee Rascal played Webster Hall, next = Highline Ballroom"