The "Washington DC, Nairobi, USA, Kenya" band Extra Golden released their third record, Thank You Very Quickly via Thrill Jockey in March. They were scheduled to open for Ted Leo on Pier 54 in NYC over the summer, but their set got cut due to rain. Tonight (9/23), they're back in town to perform (inside) at the new Knitting Factory in Brooklyn with Antimagic and Grandchildren. All dates below...

Continue reading "Extra Golden is back in NYC again & on tour "

photos by Chris La Putt

"Wow - thanks to everyone who stuck it out - I was a little disombobulated, and I'm truly sorry the R4 & XtraGolden didn't play... ...but we all made the best of it, right? Thanks again for braving it with us!" - Ted Leo

Hundreds of people braved the rain to see Ted Leo & the Pharamacists play a tight set with no set list on Pier 54 in NYC (part of the RiverRocks summer series). After a slight delay and the cancellation of both openers (Radio 4 and Extra Golden), Ted and band played for about an hour and 20 minutes of relatively rain-free music. They went on around 7:50. The above picture was taken around 6:30. To quote a friend, "all in all another memorable night in the eight year saga of Ted vs the Environment. Ted and his diehard fans always win." More pictures and some video below...

Continue reading "Ted Leo & the Pharmacists @ Pier 54 in NYC in the rain - pics "

Ted Leo writes...

THURSDAY - JULY 23, 2009 - ANNUAL FREE OUTDOOR NYC SHOW @ PIER 54 - RAIN OR SHINE?

It IS, as I said on Twitter, "complicated." My understanding is that it's a call that kind of has to be made on the spot if it's storming - basically, they try to do everything they can to make as much of a show as can happen happen. So if it's raining hard, they might just wait a while to see if it lets up, etc., but if it's only threatening, even if it's threats are extremely frightening, they won't call it off unless there's danger (REALLY bad rain or too much lightening).
As you may or may not know, we've snatched victory from the jaws of the most intense potential defeat with these things a few times before, including being pretty much the only musical event to actually HAPPEN during the blackout a few years ago, and skating in the rain with the kids (I couldn't find a picture of that, so I gave you Jesus riding a dinosaur instead) while we waited to know if we were canceled or not another year, etc., so you can count on us to try and make the best of it, no matter what happens...
I hope that helps!
And in the words of Sweet Sugar Slam, woo-woot!!

Woah - scratch that - FOUND ONE! Thanks to Hope for sending it... [Ted Leo]

6 p.m. - doors
7 p.m. - Radio 4
7:45 p.m. - Extra Golden
8:30 - Ted Leo & the Pharmacists

Continue reading "Ted Leo's free NYC show tonight @ Pier 54 -- rain or shine?"

"STREET SCENE, one of the nation's longest running music festivals, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with two full days of music Friday, August 28 and Saturday, August 29. The Black Eyed Peas, M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, Modest Mouse, The Dead Weather and Cake are among the more than 35 acts that will bring the streets of downtown San Diego's East Village neighborhood alive with music and entertainment from 4:00 PM to midnight daily. The venue site will include Tailgate Park (adjacent to Petco Park) in the heart of East Village, incorporating 14th Street as the main thoroughfare and bordered by Imperial Avenue to J Street."

Continue reading "San Diego's Street Scene Festival announces 2009 lineup"

Yeasayer in the woods (via their recording blog)

"Three of the best established indie bands in the New York City music scene - two relatively newcomers, Matt & Kim and Yeasayer, and one perennial favorite Ted Leo & The Pharmacists -- are scheduled to headline the 11th annual RiverRocks music series of free outdoor concerts at Hudson River Park's Pier 54 this summer.

With the Hudson River and the setting sun as the backdrop of its Pier 54 stage (at 14th Street), RiverRocks kicks off its three-date series Thursday, July 9 featuring Brooklyn's Matt & Kim with the Chicago-based electronic team Flosstradamus opening the evening....

RiverRocks is Hudson River Park's signature concert series staged on the Pier 54 waterfront adjacent to New York City's Meatpacking District (at 14th Street). Gates open at 6 p.m. for all RiverRocks shows, which are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Continue reading "Hudson RiverRocks' 2009 lineup - Yeasayer, Ted Leo, Matt & Kim, Radio 4, Extra Golden (3 free NYC shows!)"

Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival is taking place this year August 28th-30th at Golden Gate Park. Tickets for the fest go on Visa presale Wednesday, April 15th at 1pm ET, and general sale Sunday, April 19th at 1pm ET.

Like last year, the San Francisco fest shares a headliner with NJ's All Points West. In 2008, it was Radiohead. In 2009, it's the Beastie Boys.

Also on the schedule for the fest is the Dead Weather, Jack White's new band. Dead Weather plays its first show tonight (April 14th) at the Bowery Ballroom.

M.I.A., Ween, TVOTR, Mastodon, Os Mutantes, Extra Golden, Tom Jones, and many others are also playing. Full Outside Lands line-up and poster below....

Continue reading "Outside Lands 2009 festival lineup, Dead Weather tonight"

words & photos & by Jacob Blickenstaff

New Africa Live presented a concert at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC on Saturday (4/11). The show featured a short film by Nikyatu Jusu, a solo acoustic set from Meta Dia and a full set from Thrill Jockey artists Extra Golden (who are on tour).

Unfortunately I missed the film, but the opening set from Senegal to Brooklyn transplant Meta provided a warm introduction to the evening. Normally seen with his full band, the Cornerstones, Meta played solo accompanying himself on a slightly mistuned guitar. He operated in a stripped down musical space easily comparable to Marley's "Redemption Song" : roots reggae delivered with a rich and engaging voice.

Headliners Extra Golden took the stage quickly afterwards, ripping straight in to their highly charged Kenyan/Afrobeat/sometimes rock creations. To break down the sound: 2 guitars (Ian Eagleson house left) in an interweaving dual lead with Alex Minoff who occasionally employed slide, bassist (not listed on the album) clawing bubbly arpeggiate figures, drummer Onyango Wuod Omari attacking the toms and hi-hat with octopus-like dexterity (sometimes taking lead vocal from the drummers chair) and Onyango Jogwari, vocalist, as the energy center of the proceedings.

Speaking of energy, there was initially some disconnect between the band and audience - LPR was set up in goth-cabaret mode with tables, chairs and food runners a-running. Extra Golden was rocking off-the hook and Onyago Jagwari, with a longing to connect, encouraged a mini seating rebellion several times which was finally successful for the last 2 songs.

More pictures below...

Continue reading "Extra Golden & Meta @ Le Poisson Rouge, NYC - pics"

The 39th annual Bumbershoot: Seattle's Music & Arts Festival, Presented by Samsung Mobile announces a small portion of the 2009 lineup. The 3-day urban event takes place Labor Day Weekend (September 5 - 7). The Festival stretches across the 74-acre Seattle Center, located beneath the city's iconic Space Needle, and programs 20 indoor and unique outdoor venues. This progressive Festival features a diverse array of arts including live music, comedy, theatre, dance, film, urban crafts, and literary and visual arts.

Continue reading "Bumbershoot announces partial 2009 lineup & ticket info"

DOWNLOAD: Extra Golden - Obama (MP3)

Extra Golden @ Knitting Factory in 2008 (more by Lori Baily)

"Extra Golden are not only set to release their THIRD long-player Thank You Very Quickly on March 10th, but are also getting ready to tour extensively in support of the new album. In March the band will be joining up with Baaba Maal and Oliver Mtukudzi on the fifth installment of the prestigious African Soul Rebels tour in the UK. After a brief rest they'll make their way across the ocean to play an East Coast tour and are expected to hit the West Coast in May (keep an eye out for those dates). All of this comes after a very successful 2008 on the road. Having graced the stages of Pitchfork, Roskilde, Lincoln Center and even appearing on the UK's "Culture Show", Extra Golden's grooves are tighter than ever and ready to set the dance floor ablaze. "

Continue reading "Extra Golden - new album, 2009 Tour Dates"

DOWNLOAD: Wallpaper - Evrytm We Do It (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Trifonic - Sooner or Later (featuring Christina Courtin) (MP3)

Extra Golden @ Damrosch Park, 8/20/08 (more by heartonastick)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* FREE STUFF
* comedy @ UCB
* comedy @ Sound Fix
* Huey Lewis in Coney Island
* Insound 20 event @ Fontana's
* Oxford Collapse @ Glasslands
* Agnostic Front @ Knitting Factory
* Dean & Britta @ the Zipper Factory
* Hedwig tribute show at Highline Ballroom
* Jennifer O'Connor & Dump @ Mercury Lounge
* Suzanne Vega & Christina Courtin @ Masonic Temple
* Jon Natchez & Kelly Pratt (Beirut, etc) @ The Stone

Wallpaper (the heavy-on-the vocoder we-are-like-Chromeo dance track above) are playing Hiro Ballroom with LA Riots.

The Trifonic track (the other electro MP3 up there) has its moments. Other moments I don't know about. Anyway, I put it there because it's kind of interesting and features vocals by NYC artist Christina Courtin, who, is opening for Suzanne Vega tonight.

Jennifer O'Connor's new video (a song off her now-out new Matador album) below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's Going on Thursday?"

photos by heartonastick

Gétatchèw Mèkurya with The Ex @ Damrosch Park, 8/20/08

More pics from last night's show below.....

Continue reading "Gétatchèw Mèkurya, The Ex, Mahmoud Ahmed, Alèmayèhu Eshèté & The Either/Orchestra played NYC - pics"

On the bill, Holland's legendary avant-punks the Ex, playing live as an expanded 10-piece and joined for the first time in NYC by Ethiopian saxophonist Gétatchèw Mèkurya. If you need even more dazzling news, Lincoln Center added two amazing East African/American collaborations to the bill: Either/Orchestra with Mahmoud Ahmed and Alèmayèhu Eshèté, plus Extra Golden. Thanks to the New York State Music Fund grant that enabled WFMU bring in the Ex and Getatchew, we've also been beefing up not only the forthcoming Free Music Archive, but also have obtained some new equipment to augment the station, and that's been resulting in some more great live broadcasts. So this week, we couldn't be happier to announce that this event now will be going out on WFMU's radio and webstreams as well! If you can't make it to the Park (no advance free tickets this time, so we recommend getting there as early as you can), you can tune in at home and be transported via our mini-Addis-on-the-Hudson on August 20th. [WFMU]

Continue reading "Gétatchèw Mèkurya & the Ex tonight, on the radio, in video"

photos by Lori Baily

Live, the fusionish nature of the music become apparent very quickly. The benga influence is indeed obvious, with the group's three guitarists playing catchy melodies in syncopated, danceable rhythms. But the rock came through aggressively as well, with fuzzed-out guitar solos (and even a heavy dose of wah-wah in the latter half of "Obama") making numerous appearances. Maybe this just betrays my cultural bias, but these moments when the rock influences were clearest, such as strident distorted guitar lines dissolving elegantly back into staccato benga melodies, were easily my favorite parts of the show. [Washington City Paper]

Sunday, August 3 at 2 - 9pm
American Express Roots Music Series
AFRICAN GUITAR FESTIVAL

Our annual all-day festival of food, clothing crafts, and music from across the continent features a stellar lineup, led by Zimbabwe's deeply soulful national treasure OLIVER MTUKUDZI and heirs to the Malian music throne HABIB KOITÉ & BAMADA and DABY TOURÉ. YOSSI FINE's funk-infused pan African approach and EXTRA GOLDEN, who combine traditional Kenyan Benga with indie rock, complete our most eclectic African festival ever.

2:30pm Extra Golden
3:30pm Yossi Fine & Afrikan Bass
4:40pm Daby Touré
6:00pm Habib Koité & Bamada
7:30pm Oliver Mtukudzi & Black Spirits

Continue reading "Extra Golden played KF (pics), African Guitar Fest is Sunday"

Extra Golden @ the 2008 Pitchfork Festival (more by Joseph Juechao Xu)

"I'm sending a special thanks," sings Extra Golden's Opiyo Bilongo on the band's song "Obama," which you could consider an audio thank-you note to the senator from Illinois. For Extra Golden, the support, and the gratitude, are of a distinctly personal bent.

Bilongo, Onyango Wuod Omari, and Onyango Jagwasi, the Ken-yan members of the group, probably would never have gotten to tour the United States without Barack Obama's help.

In 2006, the band ... was scheduled to play a world-music festival in Chicago. But the Kenyans had run into some difficulty with the Department of Homeland Security and were in danger of missing their first chance to play for an American audience.

"A woman named Jenna Pilat from Obama's office - she went into the office at midnight so that she would be there when the embassy in Nairobi opened," remembers guitarist Alex Minoff. "She got on the phone with them, and we were on the phone with our guys, and we were all in touch with each other. And about five hours later those guys walked out of the embassy with their visas, and went home, got their bags, and went to the airport."
[The Boston Globe]

DOWNLOAD: Icy Demons - Miami Ice (MP3)

Icy Demons @ 2008 Pitchfork Festival (more by Joseph Juechao Xu)

Icy Demons is an experimental music project started by Bablicon's Griffin Rodriguez (credited as Blue Hawaii) and Man Man / Need New Body's Christopher Powell (Pow Pow). A project of various Chicago musicians, they have released three albums, Fight Back! on the Elephant 6-associated label Cloud Recordings. Tears of a Clone on the Eastern Developments Music, and in 2007 Miami Ice on Easel (Japan release only). [Wiki]

Continue reading "Icy Demons - MP3, 2008 Tour Dates (tonight)"

photos by Joseph Juechao Xu

Boris

dancing in the mud

and much more....

Continue reading "a set of pictures from the 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival "

DOWNLOAD: Extra Golden - Obama (MP3)

Extra Golden is a band that started as an inter-continental collaboration between Kenyan and American musicians. The music they've developed over two albums is of a style all their own, an innovative combination of east African benga guitar pop and American . This will be the band's second US tour, and their first time visiting much of the country, including the south and west coast. Their latest album Hera Ma Nono was released last fall...

When WFMU was first presented with the ability to put on some free NYC concerts via the New York State Music Fund grant, the obvious first notion was "who would we like to see in NYC that has never played before?" So we wound up the ball and sent the pitch over to Lincoln Center's Bill Bragin: how about Holland's greatest punk exports the Ex coming over (which they have in the past on many occasions), but this time bringing over some of their great international musician friends? The ones only Europe usually gets to see (or Ethiopia, if you happen to be there when the Ex make their fabled stops). We passed contacts to Lincoln Center, Terrie Ex got in touch with his fellow travelers, and then the ball was knocked outta the park in a severe way. The result? Lincoln Center's Out of Doors series in collaboration with WFMU's grant giving you all the chance to see the US debut of a major international collaboration for free at Lincoln Center/Damrosch Park Bandshell on West 62nd Street at Amsterdam in Manhattan, Wednesday, August 20th from 6-10 PM. Yes, free. No advance ticketing. On the bill:

The Ex with Gétatchèw Mèkurya (renowned Ethiopian saxophone legend), and if that weren't enough, Lincoln Center added two amazing East African/American collaborations to the bill: Either/Orchestra with Mahmoud Ahmed and Alèmayèhu Eshèté, plus Extra Golden. [WFMU]

Continue reading "Extra Golden - 2008 tour dates, free shows, The Ex & WFMU"

DOWNLOAD: Extra Golden - Obama (MP3)

Warning: "World Music" contained in the MP3 above

Obama" is Extra Golden's song of praise for the Senator from Illinois and everyone else who helped them unite in the US last fall for a debut tour and the recording of this album, the follow up to their debut, Ok-Oyot System. Such songs of praise are benga tradition.

"Ok-Oyot System" loosely translated as "It's Not Easy", and that was definitely the case when Extra Golden's Kenyan members sought visas to enter the US last fall. It was largely thanks to help from Obama and his office that Opiyo Bilongo and Onyango Wuod Omari were able at the very last minute to get their visas and make their first trip outside of east Africa.

Continue reading "A song about Obama by Extra Golden"