photos by Tim Griffin

"I went to Pettyfest 2009 at Bowery Ballroom [Thursday] night, which was sick. Lots of drunk and stoned people shouting along to the hits and some great performers-- Nicole Atkins, Adam Green, Steve Schiltz, Antony Ellis, members of The Strokes and The Killers.

One of my favorite performances-- and this took me by surprise -- was the dude from Augustana singing "You Got Lucky." They're not a band I generally have a strong opinion about one way or another, but his voice was sick and he had a commanding presence-- like a subdued Mick Jagger with the wrist at the hips with a dash of Joe Cocker in the vocal tone." [EYTAN]

Jesse Malin, Hymns, Teenage Prayers, The Pierces, and members of Little Joy, Love as Laughter, Longwave (Steve) and Five O'clock Heroes (Anthony) were also among those who performed Tom Petty songs at the show. Most of the Killers were there. It was a night off on their current tour with Wolfmother (who used the evening to play a show at Bowery Electric right down the avenue). Kid Rock was there too (are you scared yet?), but didn't perform. He was in town to play a benefit at Terminal 5 one night earlier. More pictures and some pictures of the setlist below...

Continue reading "PettyFest @ Bowery Ballroom - setlist & pics (Adam Green, Strokes & Killers members, Nicole Atkins, Kid Rock, more)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Five O'Clock Heroes - NY Chinese Laundry (MP3)

I know the Five O'Clock Heroes, who play tonight (9/9) at Mercury Lounge, are deeply uncool in many circles. I'm not exactly sure why their brand of jaunty, Brit-influenced guitar pop inspires such derision -- apart from blind hatred of anything that was ever Ultragrrl-related. (They released a single through her Stolen Transmission label.) Risking my credibility and a deluge of angry comments I'm going to admit something. I think their new album, Speak Your Language, is really good. (A lot of you are probably unaware there was a new Five O'Clock Heroes album. Apart from iTunes, it's not available to buy in the U.S.) It may be out-of-step with the indie zeitgeist but, as I often say, the hooks are undeniable.

Most of the reviews I've read tend to compare them (unfavorably) to Elvis Costello and the Police, but the band Five O'Clock Heroes remind me of, this album at least, are a Swedish band from the '90s, Eggstone, who had a similar style of upbeat pop. You can really hear that in the horn-driven "NY Chinese Laundry," which is posted above and is probably the poppiest thing on the record and sticks in your head whether you want it to or not. The most notable song, however, is the single, "Who," a duet with British model Agyness Deyn. (The video is below.) All of Speak Your Language is in a similar vein, and if these two songs pique your interest, give Five O'Clock Heroes another chance.

Crystal Stilts @ EVR Fest Sunday (more by Chris La Putt)

Crystal Stilts gave one of the best performances at this past Sunday's East Village Radio Festival at South Street Seaport. Definitely the most packed at the small art gallery space that was the second stage, they were turning people away. I've written a bit about them before, but they really are one of my favorite local bands. Mixing twangy '50s rock n' roll, post punk and C-86 influences, they've come up with a very distinctive sound and style. And between singer JB Townsend's aloof stage presence and stand-up drummer (and former Vivian Girl) Frankie Rose, they've got the look too. Their full-length debut, Alight of Night, is due out on Slumberland on October 28 but until then, as mentioned before, there are no shortage of chances to see them in the NY, including this Thursday (9/11) at Le Poisson Rouge for a Emusic-currated bill that includes High Places, Detroit's one-man-synth-band, Deastro, and folky Michigan duo Breathe Owl Breathe. This is a pretty hard-to-pass-up show. All upcoming Crystal Stilts shows are listed below.

Neckbeard Telecaster, Magic Christian, tour dates and more below...

Continue reading "Five O'Clock Heroes, Crystal Stilts, Magic Christian, Neckbeard Telecaster & more in This Week in indie"