Buke & Gass at MHOW in May (more by Amanda Hatfield)

We forgot a show in our recent roundup of Wilco-related happenings.

Jad Abumrad of Radiolab is hosting Radiolab Concerts: Curious Sounds on Saturday (6/18) at the NYU Skirball Center. The event will feature Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche (Wilco), Buke & Gass, and a "special mystery performer" (anyone know who it is?). Abumrad will discuss music and sound with the guests, in addition to a performance by each one. Tickets are on sale now and you can save $5 by using the code "radiolab." Flyer below.

As previously mentioned, John Stirratt and Pat Sansone of Wilco play a show at the Living Room the same day as Glenn's show, and Nels Cline plays a show at Blue Note the night before, late the night before, after midnight actually (so also technically Saturday). That's a lot of Wilco in NYC on Saturday.

For Buke & Gass the NYU show happens right before they leave for a tour of Europe. While over there they'll play at least one show with their Metallica-collaborating friend Lou Reed who plays as part of a free show in Prospect Park tonight (6/16). Buke & Gass play a free show in Prospect Park in August with Ra Ra Riot and Delicate Steve. All of their dates below...

Continue reading "Glenn Kotche playing a show w/ Buke & Gass (and secret guest), that's a lot of Wilco in NYC this weekend"

"The 2011 Solid Sound lineup thus far: Wilco (Fri. & Sat.), the Levon Helm Band, Thurston Moore, Syl Johnson & the Sweet Divines, Here We Go Magic, Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy, Pillow Wand (Nels Cline/Thurston Moore duo), Handsome Family, Liam Finn, Sic Alps, JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Glenn Kotche, Pronto, the Autumn Defense, Comedy Cabaret curated by John Hodgman featuring Wyatt Cenac, Eugene Mirman & Morgan Murphy, plus the return of the Story Pirates -- all at the largest contemporary art museum in the country with the backdrop of the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts."

Glenn Kotche's Top 10 albums of 2009 (via)
1. Califone - All My Friends Are Funeral Singers
2. Jim O'Rourke - The Visitor
3. Alex Cline - Continuation
4. John Luther Adams - The Place We Began
5. Tortoise - Beacons of Ancestorship
6. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
7. Frank Rosaly - Milkwork
8. Nels Cline - Coward
9. Bobb Bruno - Dreamt On EP
10. Chris Corsano - Another Dull Dawn

by Andrew Frisicano

GVSU New Music Ensemble...

In 2007, Michigan's Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble recorded a stellar version of Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians, which they performed that year at the Bang on a Can Marathon (which ran 27 hours). Members of the group traveled to NYC to join in the Kronos Quartet-led performance of Terry Riley's In C last April at Carnegie Hall. Now, GVSU New Music Ensemble has put together their own recording of the classic composition, and they've invited 16 musicians and composers to remix the piece for a 2-CD set, In C Remixed, that comes out November 17th on Innova (the digital version came out Oct. 27th).

The remixers, who include Glenn Kotche, Nico Muhly, BoaC cofounder David Lang, and DJ Spooky (whose BAM Next Wave show happens the first week in December), all have a lot to say about In C and have come up with some diverse, left-field takes on the piece. They run the gamut from the straightforward electronic-music path to glitch-pop and twisted orchestral turns.

The GVSU New Music Ensemble will be in NYC to perform the piece live at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Sunday, November 8th. Joining them will be two album contributors, Dennis DeSantis and R. Luke DuBois, who'll do a remix of the performance live (and add video). Also on the bill are Slow Boys (fellow In C remixers Michael Lowenstern on bass clarinet and Todd Reynolds on violin). Tickets are on sale.

A video preview of the album and its full tracklist with contibutors are below...

Continue reading "'In C Remixed' - on CD & live @ LPR this Sunday"

"Let's see how long it takes BV to mention that Phil Collins will never drum again." - Anonymous

In the UK press today, there appeared some articles about Phil's physical state, with some slightly misleading headlines. Here, in Phil's own words, are how he describes his situation:

"There isn't any drama regarding my 'disability' and playing drums.
Somehow during the last Genesis tour I dislocated some vertebrae in my upper neck and that affected my hands. After a successful operation on my neck, my hands still can't function normally.

"Maybe in a year or so it will change, but for now it is impossible for me to play drums or piano. I am not in any 'distressed' state, stuff happens in life."

Phil [Collins]

Selway, who sings on the album, is currently in the process of recording the as-yet untitled record in his band's Oxfordshire studio.

He enlisted the services of Wilco members Glenn Kotche and Pat Sansone to play on the project, and multi-instrumentalist solo artist Lisa Germano and bass player Sebastian Steinberg have also contributed.

Continue reading "Radiohead's Phil Selway to release solo album while Phil Collins is recovering so he can hopefully drum again"

photos by Ryan Muir

Was Jeff Tweedy on edge last night at McCarren Pool (August 13, 2008)? Did he not like the crowd? I ask because of a few jabs he took during their approximately 2.5 hour mesmerizing (yes, I have a huge crush on them) set. I think he gave me a complex.

There was the "something is missing tonight" comment which after an awkward pause turned out to be about a gong that was on stage at their Cambridge Tanglewood show the night before. Jeff missed the gong, so drummer Glenn Kotche then did his best to recreate the sound of it.

Then there was the part when Jeff said something like, "Matrix [guitar tech] has heard that song we just played a lot of times, and he says we never played it that well. At least that's what I think Matrix meant when he said 'I cant wait to get out of here'. Just Kidding. He said he loved it". I can't remember the exact quote, but it was weird.

Jeff also criticized us for clapping the wrong beat to one song (which was pretty funny actually - not that the other stuff he said wasn't...) - he called the Brooklyn crowd 'free thinkers' - the term his father used for Bob Dylan (who played a show in a different section of Brooklyn one night earlier). Later Jeff told us to scream on his command because it made him feel powerful and helps him affirm what he is doing with his life (or something like that).

And last but not least there was the comment that definitely had only one meaning. That was the one when Jeff straight up dissed Brooklyn for not clapping in unison. He said something like, "Are you all too cool to clap?! Would it be better if we add the "Love Will Tear Us Apart" drum beat to it?!"" I realize Jeff is a comedian, but now there is also one person I know that considers him a mortal enemy for that one. Also, I mean, did he look at the crowd? It wasn't exactly a 'Pool Party'. This Brooklyn McCarren Pool show was definitely filled with the kind of (mostly male) people who like Wilco more than they like Joy Division (at least that's the generalization I'm going to make).

Great, packed show. Great setlist. 'Total Pros' is a good way to describe Wilco. It's also the name of Wilco's backing 3-piece horn/clarinet section that they had on tour and at this show with them. Jeff said Wilco would be back when they finished their next record. I can't wait for them to come back, and for the new record which I hope utilizes the full power of guitarist Nels Cline and drummer Glenn Kotche this time. They're working on the new album in between all this touring (that also included recent stops at the Baltimore Virgin Fest and Lollapalooza). (insert McCarren Car Pool jokes here). The Brooklyn setlist, and more of Ryan's beautiful pics below....

Continue reading "Wilco @ McCarren Pool, Brooklyn, NYC - pics & setlist"

NYU Program Board presents The National with Phosphorescent & Maps and Atlases

Thurs, Feb 28, 2008 at Kimmel Center, 8pm
$8 for NYU students, $10 for public

On sale now to NYU ID holders at Ticket Central;
limit 2 advance per ID.

Other upcoming NYC-area shows include June 14th w/ REM & Modest Mouse @ Jones Beach, June 19th w/ the same bands in NYC, and two shows Bryce Dessner is playing with Wilco's Glenn Kotche at the Kitchen in March. All tour dates below....

Continue reading "THE NATIONAL are playing NYU, Bryce is playing The Kitchen w/ Glenn Kotche, BAM, REM, other 2008 Tour Dates"

Glenn Kotche opened for Andrew, Deer Tick opened for John

Andrew Bird @ Beacon Theatre, NYC - Nov 30, 2007 (CRED)

How were the shows?

The Mountain Goats announced a new album. Deer Tick has more shows coming up.