Gorillaz at MSG in 2010

As mentioned, the 2013 Lincoln Center Festival is taking place this July. Tickets to all shows in the festival go on sale today (4/8).

The shows include Monkey: Journey to the West, created by theater director Chen Shi-Zheng teamed up with Gorillaz members Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, which runs for the entire span of the festival from July 6-28. It also includes SInead O'Connor: The Gospel Sessions at Alice Tully Hull's Starr Theatre from July 26-27, and Zorn@60 in celebration of John Zorn's 60th birthday at Alice Tully Hall on July 18 and 20.

The festival also features the US premiere of Karlheinz Stockhausen's Michaels Reise Um Die Erde with German ensemble musikFabrik on July 18 and 20 at Avery Fisher Hall, and Mongolia's Hanggai Band at Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse on July 16, and still more. Full program schedule HERE.

Monkey: Journey to the West

Damon Albarn has never had a problem proving his versatility. The Blur frontman's side projects have encompassed everything from cult animators to African drummers, so it seems apt that his latest attempt at a cross-cultural balancing act culminates in a teetering tableau of spinning dishes.

Monkey: Journey to the West features music by Albarn with designs by Gorillaz collaborator Jamie Hewlett, and was conceived and directed by the Chinese opera specialist Chen Shi-Zheng. Co-commissioned by the Manchester International Festival, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and the Staatsoper Berlin, it's a high-octane, 90-minute rock'n'roll circus, performed in Mandarin and featuring over 50 Chinese acrobats, martial arts experts and a team of tiny contortionists so pliable they could have flown over as cabin luggage. - [The Guardian, June 2007}

Monkey: Journey to the West, created by Chen Shi-Zheng, Damon Albarn, and Jamie Hewlett will open the 2013 Lincoln Center Festival. It will have 27 performances running from July 6 - 28, which is also the span of the Festival.

The Festival also includes Sinéad O'Connor: The Gospel Sessions where the Irish singer explores the American gospel soul. That happens at Alice Tully Hall's Starr Theatre on July 26 - 27.

There's also Zorn@60, which celebrates John Zorn's 60th birthday with two concerts at Alice Tully Hall on July 18 and 20. The first night (7/18) features a female vocal quintet performing Zorn's Song of Song and his latest mystery play, The Holy Visions.The second night (7/20) features Zorn's complete string quartets performed together for the very first time.

Also at the Festival: the U.S. premiere of Karlheinz Stockhausen's Michaels Reise Um Die Erde which features German contemporary music ensemble musikFabrik (July 18 & 20 at Avery Fisher Hall); and Mongolia's Hanggai Band at Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse on July 16.

Full program schedule and dates are here. Tickets to all Lincoln Center Festival performances are currently on sale for Friends of Lincoln Center, and the general on-sale happens April 8.

photos by Chris La Putt

Kimbra @ Mercury Lounge

Like Rostam, Best Coast & Kid Cudi did in 2010, and more recently Gorillaz, James Murphy and Andre 3000, Mark Foster, Kimbra and A-Trak have teamed up, on Converse's tab, to create a new song as part of the shoe company's "3 Artists 1 Song" program. Says a press release:

"I had such a good time diving into the creative process working with two incredible artists to create a sound that is uniquely our own," said Mark Foster of Foster The People. "This project has given me a new found appreciation for the power of collaboration which is something that Converse really understands."

"Warrior" is a new genre-bending collaboration that weaves together Mark Foster, Kimbra and A-Trak's individual musical styles to create 4 minutes of pop perfection. Recorded at Converse Rubber Tracks studios in Brooklyn, NY and remotely while on tour, "Warrior" blends the best parts of each artist's contributions and personalities for the latest Converse Three Artists. One Song collaboration.

The song and video won't be available on Converse's website until April 5th, so we don't know how perfect that pop really is yet, but you can watch the video for the Gorillaz/LCD/Outkast collaboration below.

Last night (3/26), one night after she played with Gotye at Terminal 5, and one night before she plays with Gotye at Webster Hall (tonight), as part of a tour that continues to Coachella, the just-turned-22-today (the crowd sang her Happy Birthday) New Zealander Kimbra headlined her own early show at Mercury Lounge in NYC. An excited 'According 2 G' was there, and says, "She's going to be HUGE!.... One of the songs she performed tonight was 'Plain Gold Ring,' a Nina Simone cover and this girl can SANG, as they say. Wow! She blew the roof off Mercury Lounge and the crowd erupted in screams when the song was finished." Here are some pictures and a video from the small NYC show. More below...

Continue reading "Kimbra played Mercury Lounge (pics), teamed w/ A-Trak & Foster the People dude for Converse song (like James Murphy/Outkast/Gorillaz did)"

And the nominees for "Album of the Year" are:

* The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
* Recovery by Eminem
* Need You Now by Lady Antebellum
* The Fame Monster by Lady Gaga
* Teenage Dream by Katy Perry

Crazy.

Also funny: Mumford & Sons are up for Best New Artist against Justin Bieber (and Drake, Florence & The Machine, and Esperanza Spalding)

Robyn is up for Best Dance Recording against Lady Gaga (and Goldfrapp, La Roux, and Rihanna).

Arcade Fire are also nominated for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals against Muse, Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, and... Jeff Beck & Joss Stone.

The Black Keys also landed in the "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" along with... Dave Matthews.

The Black Keys and Mumford & Sons and Kings of Leon and Muse are also all in the "Best Rock Song" category.

"Best Alternative Album" category:

* The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
* Infinite Arms by Band Of Horses
* Brothers by The Black Keys
* Broken Bells by Broken Bells
* Contra by Vampire Weekend

So they give that to Arcade Fire, since Lady Gaga will probably get Album of the Year, or maybe Arcade Fire will just get screwed and they'll give it to someone on a major.

Other names that got nominated: Cee-Lo, Janelle Monae, Big Boi, John Legend & The Roots, Jay-Z, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Flight of the Conchords, Devendra Banhart (for "Best Recording Package"), Oh No Ono (ditto), Anais Mitchell (ditto), Danger Mouse, Gorillaz, and Carol Burnett. Full list at the Grammys site.

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Bibi Tanga - "Be Africa" (Dave Sitek Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Little Dragon - Blinking Pigs (MP3)

Little Dragon @ Le Poisson Rouge in 2009 (more by Matthew Taplinger)

Little Dragon announced an early 2011 US tour promoting the release of their upcoming third full length album. The tour makes two stops in New York at Music Hall of Williamsburg on January 20 and Bowery Ballroom on January 21. Tickets are on sale. No openers mentioned yet.

Little Dragon are currently on an international tour (Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand) supporting the Gorillaz, whose most recent album Plastic Beach features Little Dragon on two tracks; "Empire Ants" and "To Binge." LD vocalist Yukimi Nagano also performs both songs live with the band (you may have seen her do it at MSG or on Letterman).

Speaking of Gorillaz, Damon Albarn has announced not only an upcoming Gorillaz album, but two other albums as well. According to an interview with Stuff, Albarn has plans for a second album by The Good, The Bad, & The Queen, and for an album by a new band he's a part of. The new band features Tony Allen (also of The Good, The Bad, & The Queen), Flea, and some of Albarn's "favourite African musicians will be involved also."

Stuff also asked Albarn if Blur, who released a DVD documentary this year, have any plans for a world tour or new album. Albarn responded, "There won't be another world tour for me - for anything - for five to six years; it would seem unlikely. I have a young daughter and it's just not feasible, it's too long away from home. This has been great, but it's too much after a while and so, no, there won't be any tours for me for a while, I should think."

Albarn has also been recording a new Gorillaz album on tour with his iPad. He told NME "I've made it on an iPad - I hope I'll be making the first record on an iPad," he said. "I fell in love with my iPad as soon as I got it, so I've made a completely different kind of record." Albarn wants to release the album "before Christmas."

Gorillaz recorded a new single "Doncamatic" with British R&B singer Daley which will be officially released on November 22 in three formats. The CD version also includes a Joker remix of the song, the iTunes EP adds the third track "Album Mix Tape," and the 7 inch single is "Doncamatic" with the Paul Harris remix of "Empire Ants" on side B. All three formats are currently available for pre-order. There's also a video for the song. You can watch it below.

Little Dragon also recently collaborated with Dave Sitek on one of the tracks off this year's Maximum Balloon release. Sitek more recently remixed the track "Be Africa" by France's Bibi Tanga . It has nothing to do with anything really, but it's being offered as a free download, so grab that mp3 above.

The Gorillaz video and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "new Damon Albarn albums & a Gorillaz video, his iPad, Little Dragon tour dates & Dave Sitek too"

The night before the MSG show, Gorillaz and guests played a 45 minute set at the Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC. Watch the whole thing below...

Continue reading "Gorillaz played 45 minutes 'Live on Letterman' (video)"

photos by Bao Nguyen

"If anyone tells you the Gorillaz show at MSG on Friday was anything less than incredible, they're lying to you. Some bands you wish to see in their earlier stages, but now is the time to see Gorillaz. They have never been better, and there's no guarantee they can top this. This is their prime time, and the brilliance of their collaborative musical geniuses was amplified in concert. Not only did we see Damon Albarn in flesh - a personal idol - but he was accompanied by the incredible artists that were featured on Plastic Beach: Mos Def, Lou Reed, Bobby Womack, De La Soul, Little Dragon, members of The Clash, etc. Co-creator of Gorillaz, visual man Jamie Hewlett also peeped out from backstage to say hello - to whom Damon planted a big ol' kiss. The entire show was almost too epic to be true... You know when all your favorite superheroes get together and form a league? That is what this was. And this 'league' leader, frontman Damon Albarn, was clearly having the time of his life. He was constantly dancing, jumping around, running around the stage, hugging people - never keeping still unless he was playing the piano. Reminded us of his good old Blur days, sigh. They played almost all of their latest album and included old time favorites like "Clint Eastwood" and "Feel Good Inc."" [morningafterpills]

After launching their tour in Boston, Gorillaz and N.E.R.D. played the giant NYC room that is Madison Square Garden on Friday night (10/8). As the quote above points out, there were many special guests in the house, some of whom are on the whole tour and some who just stopped by for the New York show (like Jay-Z though he was just there to watch).

More pictures, some videos and the full show setlist, below...

Continue reading "Gorillaz played MSG w/ N.E.R.D., Lou Reed, Mos Def & many other special guests (pics & setlist) "

by BBG

N.E.R.D. in Times Square (photo by Matt Kole)


Gorillaz play Boston on Wednesday (10/6) to kick off of the US leg of the Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour, hitting MSG two days later. Tickets are still available. The live band, led by Damon Albarn, will also be joined by a killer lineup up special guests including De La Soul, Little Dragon, Bobby Womack, as well as Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of The Clash. AND, to quote the legendary Onyx, "buh-buh-buh-wait-gets worse!", as N.E.R.D. will join Gorillaz as opener on all dates.

Opening with "Hot N Fun" and ending with "Lap Dance", N*E*R*D* played a three-song pop-up "show" on 9/23 in Times Square as part of a Honda promotion. A pic from that appearance is above and video from that show (as well as all tour dates) are below.

Continue reading "Gorillaz kicking off tour w/ N.E.R.D. & special guests"

Announced back in July, it's now less than a month before Gorillaz head out on their Escape to Plastic Beach tour of large venues including Madison Square Garden in NYC on October 8th. Tickets are still on sale now, and a list of updated tour dates (including October 10th in Camden) is below.

Want to go to MSG for free? I also have FIVE pairs of tickets you can win, and one grand prize Flip Video Camera VIP package that includes the following:

-Limited Edition Gorillaz Flip Video Camera
-Specially Designed Gorillaz Concert Shirt
-Collectible Tour Poster (numbered, limited)
-Official Gorillaz Tour Laminate (just for show)
-Exclusive Gorillaz Sticker Set

Minus the guaranteed seat assignment, this is the "Flip Video Package" that is also available for sale ($350 a pop for the MSG show). Instructions on how to enter the contest along with a picture of the VIP package and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "updated Gorillaz tour dates (WIN MSG tix & VIP package)"

Tickets for the Gorillaz show at Madison Square Garden are now on Sub Division (fan club) presale. They go on more public presales Thursday (8/5) from 10 AM until 5PM. Passwords include "HEBEACH" and "flute". Public sale begins Friday at 10am. The best seats cost $125 each!

Speaking of MSG, tickets for Arcade Fire/Spoon/Owen Pallett TONIGHT (8/4) are back on sale and tickets for Thursday (8/5) are still available.

Arcade Fire covered Jay Reatard Monday night at the Mann Center in Philly. Video below...

Continue reading "Gorillaz MSG tickets on presale, Arcade Fire tix (back) on sale (maybe they'll cover Jay Reatard again) (video)"

Dark Night of The Soul, the Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse album with visuals by David Lynch, is currently on display at Morrison Hotel Gallery in NYC in the form of "An exhibit consisting of 50 photographs by David Lynch. Music by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse."...

"Hand-signed by Lynch, each photograph is $3500 and can be purchased together with its set or separately. A companion book carrying the same name features Lynch's photographs and comes with a blank CD-R. A 48-page limited edition run of 5,000 copies was released in 2009. Lynch's art, along with a 9-minute behind-the-scenes video of the two-day making-of the pictures accompanies the downloadable album via iTunes." [WSJ]

You have until August 3rd to check it out.

Two major label, Danger Mouse-related, indie rock star collaborative side-like projects are touring this fall, but not together. They both play NYC shows within days of each other.

As previously mentioned, Broken Bells are playing Terminal 5 on October 11th. Tickets are on sale. That date is one of four that James Mercer and Brian Burton will play that month. All dates are listed below..

As previously also mentioned, Gorillaz are playing Madison Square Garden on Ocotober 8th. That show goes on sale August 6th and is part of a larger tour that is now fully announced. All dates below...

Continue reading "Gorillaz announce tour dates, Broken Bells playing shows too ++ Dark Night of the Soul @ Morrison Gallery now "

Gorillaz @ Coachella (more by Rachel Carr)

"With blown minds still reeling from a record-breaking one-off headline appearance at this year's Coachella festival, Gorillaz have confirmed that their worldwide "Escape To Plastic Beach" tour will begin in North America with a 20 date stretch commencing October 3 at Montreal's Bell Centre and including the band's first ever performance at Madison Square Garden on October 8."

Press release continued, with tour trailer video, below...

Continue reading "Gorillaz will tour North America this year, play MSG (presale) "

...and those new dates are now on presale

"JERUSALEM (JTA) -- In more apparent fallout from Israel's interception of a Gaza-bond flotilla, the American alternative rock band the Pixies canceled a scheduled concert in Israel.

The band was scheduled to perform Wednesday in Tel Aviv in its first concert in Israel.

"The decision was not reached easily, and we all know well the Israeli fans have been waiting for this visit for far too long," read a message received Sunday by the concert's producers in Israel from the band's management, according to reports.

"We'd like to extend our deepest apologies to the fans, but events beyond all our control have conspired against us. We can only hope for better days, in which we will finally present the long awaited visit of the Pixies in Israel."

Two other groups, Klaxons and the Gorillaz, canceled their scheduled performances in Israel following the deaths of nine activists during clashes with Israeli Navy commandos during the boarding of one of the flotilla's ships early on May 31.

The cancellations come less than a month following the cancellation of British rocker Elvis Costello, who was making a political protest. Costello called the cancellation of his scheduled June 30 and 31 concerts "a matter of instinct and conscience."" [JTA]

Pixies won't be heading to Israel, but they will continue touring in 2010 with more "Doolittle" shows now scheduled through the end of September. There were four NYC Doolittle shows in November of 2009. The closest show to NYC at the moment is Philly in September of 2010, and those tickets, like all the new dates, are on presale now ("All pre-sale ticket purchases include a download of the live recording from the show, delivered to the purchasing fan via email the day after the show*. Pre-sale prices are all-in, and are less than total cost of tickets at public outlets. This fan-only presale ends at 11:59 pm on Friday, June 11. All tickets can be claimed at WILL CALL, unless otherwise noted.). All dates and a widget that will get you a free live EP right now, below...

Continue reading "Pixies cancel Israel shows, add more Doolittle dates in the US "

photos by Rachel Carr

Devo

"An aggregate 225,000 people bought tickets to see a [Coachella] roster headlined by Jay-Z, Muse and Gorillaz during the April 16-18 event at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio.

The previous attendance record was set in 2007, when the headliners included a reunited Rage Against the Machine. Final figures are still being tallied, but AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips said the gross will exceed $20 million.

Phillips said the future looked bleak for AEG Live's nascent All Points West festival, which took place in 2008 and 2009 across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, N.J.

"We're probably going to kill it," said Phillips. "As beautiful as (the site) is, it's very hard to get New Yorkers to cross that river. All Points West is an experiment that just didn't work." [Reuters]

The 2010 edition of Coachella actually began excactly one week ago today, and we already posted full picture sets from: DAY ONE, DAY TWO and DAY THREE. Now here is one last group that contains unposted outtakes from all three...

Continue reading "more photos from Coachella, more confirmation that All Points West is not happening"

Gorillaz @ Coachella (more by Rachel Carr)

Videos from last night's episode of Colbert, below...

Continue reading "Gorillaz stopped by the Colbert Report (videos) "

Hot Chip @ Highline Ballroom in Feb (more by Vincent Cornelli)

tonight in NYC
* Lesley Gore @ Joe's Pub
* Hot Chip, The xx @ Terminal 5
* Questlove (DJ) @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Dosh, White Hinterland @ Union Hall
* Fixed w/ Javelin @ Santos Party House
* Quasi, Let's Wrestle, Blair @ Bowery Ballroom
* Harlem, Girls At Dawn (early) @ Mercury Lounge
* Owen Pallett, Extra Life, The Luyas @ Webster Hall
* Ribbons, Literature, NT, Brian, The Hairs @ Bruar Falls
* Jonathan Moritz trio, Leo Carrillo, Baby Copperhead @ Zebulon
* The Wayward, Vaz, Pfisters, Twin Stumps @ The Charleston
* Chris Brokaw & Geoff Farina @ Knitting Factory Front Bar
* The Church (30th anniversary acoustic show) @ City Winery
* Municipal Waste, Toxic Holocaust @ Knitting Factory Brooklyn
* Adult Themes, Stethoscopes, Lost Boy, Liquor Store @ Coco 66
* We Are Country Mice, Thomas Function, White Wires @ Cake Shop
* The Morning Benders, Miniature Tigers (late) @ Mercury Lounge
* Jamie & Romy xx (DJ), Finger on the Pulse @ (le) Poisson Rouge
* Diehard, Ghost Ghost, Cat Tent, Digit Dealer, Beacon @ Matchless
* Pterodactyl, Weekends, X-Ray Eyeballs, Coasting, Birthdays @ Don Pedro
* Gang Gang Dance, Light Asylum, Prince Rama @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* MATA Festival w/ L'Arsenale and Argento Chamber Ensemble @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Hussle Club, My Gold Mask, Rafter, C-mon & Kypski, DJ Free Magic @ Public Assembly Loft
* Nude Beach, Supergoose, Hair Rocket, Bananas Symphony, Hermit Thrushes, Hosannas, Doomstar @ Glasslands

Los Campesinos' show at Irving Plaza that was to happen tonight has been moved to Monday, April 26th.

The Crystal Stilts/1990s/Tanks Amigo show at The Bell House won't happen tonight either. That's been moved to April 30th.

Gorillaz are on Colbert tonight.

Broken Social Scene are on Letterman.

The Luyas continued their NYC run by opening for Owen Pallett at Webster Hall tonight.

Gang Gang Dance headline Music Hall tonight then open for Hot Chip at Terminal 5 tomorrow.

The xx open for Hot Chip at Terminal 5 tonight and then DJ at Le Poisson Rouge.

There's a Toxic Holocaust afterparty at the Charleston tonight. Earlier in the evening they play Knitting Factory with Municipal Waste.

Earlier and in the front room at Knitting Factory is a free show.

Tonight's Morning Benders show at Mercury Lounge is the first of many in the area that the band have scheduled.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday? (Earth Day)"

photos by Rachel Carr, words by Daiana Feuer

Gorillaz Clash

The third and final round of the Coachella Music & Arts Festival was funky, and not just because the port-a-potties reeked. Keeping a loose theme every day (see Friday & Saturday), Sunday focused on relentless rhythm and groovy basslines. The absolute golden moment belonged to Yo La Tengo's blistering final song. Rhythm that revels in repetition + guitar that tries to destroy itself = wee mind blown. Sometimes the moodiest things are the most uplifting.

Thom Yorke brought his dancing shoes, his favorite Flea, and Nigel Godrich. His band Atoms For Peace played almost every song off The Eraser, many of which featured strong world rhythm sections. When Yorke didn't have a guitar in hand, he danced, whirled, and punched the air like he was rehearsing a scene from Fame. We wanted a high kick, but it didn't arrive. King Khan & The Shrines, on the other hand, featured legs flying all over the place, DJ Lance Rock and Yo Gabba Gabba characters, burning money, as well as a visit from the police-who crept on stage to snap pictures. Probably the first time Khan runs into cops and doesn't leave wearing cuffs. Sunny Day Real Estate had the audience offering bids to buy property, and Phoenix had people choking on dinner as they tried to dance and eat at the same time.

King Khan Gabba Gabba

Not every Julian Casablancas song captivated, but his band delightfully binged on rhythms. Each musician had a personal backbeat player supporting each fill. The drummer plus his sidekick especially sounded great. Matt & Kim's ebullient smiles inspired chaos in the audience, as usual. Mayer Hawthorne and the County revived Motown soulful brassiness and covered Biz Markie's "Just a Friend." The Big Pink played some new songs from next year's album, reaching out for Depeche Mode with a drummer in a pink bathing suit. Electro sweet popper Little Boots forgot her pants as well, wearing a sparkly shirt and knickers, and played with the lasers on stage. Charlotte Gainsbourg inaugurated her "first tour, first everything" with a feminine "Candy-O" sensibility, sometimes in French. Florence & the Machine rounds out the great lady performances of the day, and brought on Nathan Willett of Cold War Kids.

All clad in white, France's DJ ego-powers Club 75 demonstrated the ability to cooperate together with just a few elbows thrown. Cassius, Justice, Busy P, and DJ Mehdi still use CD's (so old school), and took turns passing on the headphones between them and finishing each other's remix sentences, trading places at each station. Backstage security bobbed along while staying tough. When it was their turn, Rusko turned the Sahara tent into a mechazoid robot battle and Orbital live-produced virtual reality anthems for Satan wearing Matrix miner lights around their heads. Infected Mushroom instructed on the benefits of "Becoming Insane" flanked by two mushrooms with red eyes.

The Middle East should not be confused with The Soft Pack, formerly The Muslims. The former may be from Australia but it sounds like a back porch band from Woodstock, and the latter offers a "Parasite" infestation that's as pure as sunshine and a neat drum set up that packs a giant tom punch. What appears as regular rock on headphones reveals its brilliance when experienced live. One of the strangest live moments of the festival belongs to Sly Stone, who played four hours late and on the wrong stage. He bitched, he slurred, he cursed, lay down, walked off, stopped songs and good grief, made a total mess of himself. But that's rock and roll.

Sly Stone made history look unable to get past its youthful drug phase, but Jonsi, Pavement, and Spoon come from a music scene that did a little bit less cocaine. Jonsi repped the awesomeness of Sigur Rós and great hats. Steve Patterson of White Rabbits joined Britt Daniels and the rest of Spoon to add percussion on "I Turn My Camera On". Spoon's tour-mate Bradford Cox (who played earlier in the day in Deerhunter) also joined Spoon on stage, like he did on their recent Kimmel appearance. Pavement ran through the hits during one of their first U.S. shows since reuniting. "That's the 90's in a nutshell," said Stephen Malkmus after the angsty "Unfair"...

"...Pavement, the iconic slacker band of the '90s, who took the main stage against what turned out to be one of the fest's chief attractions, the finally wildly popular French dance-rock band Phoenix, who wowed possibly the biggest crowd of the entire fest ... while Pavement played to a field half-full of true believers rather than the massive throngs many expected, and thought the band deserved.

No matter, though. Pavement still delivered a set that vindicated the group of prior crimes -- namely a Coachella performance near the end of their career so notoriously bad, many in attendance point to it as the moment the band decided to break up.

This night, however, they were tight, they were loud, and they sounded large on that vast field -- an odd statement, given the fact that in their heyday they were far more known for being introspectively small rather than arena-ready..." [The OC Register]

Virtual Snoop Dogg introduced the Gorillaz set, but Blur's Damon Albarn appeared in the flesh, with a few special guests including Paul Simonon, Mick Jones, De La Soul-who kicked their own old school jams earlier in the day-and Little Dragon's Yukimi. One unique rhythm transcended the next, showing the mutability of hip hop and dance music. And then that was it, suddenly. The festival ended and tens of thousands of people started wondering where they left their car keys...

Radiohead Peppers For Peace

Daiana's Weekend Top 10:
1. Yo La Tengo's last song
2. Little Dragon's Yukimi
3. Gossip leading a revolution
4. Thom Yorke dancing to African rhythms
5. PiL giving a history lesson
6. Sly Stone wigging out
7. Bouncing penises + fat people in undies (Die Antwoord + Major Lazer)
8. Devo putting on the hats that ushered in modern pop culture for "Whip It"
9. John Waters corrupting many young minds
10. The Gorrilaz lyric: "Super fast jellyfish going super fast. You can't even see him but you wanna eat him."

--

Owen Pallett, Local Natives, Miike Snow, and Yann Tiersen also played the fest Sunday. Gary Numan was among those who couldn't. Reviews & pictures from Day One, HERE and Day Two, HERE. Setlists (Thom Yorke and Pavement), pictures, and videos from Day Three, below...

Continue reading "Coachella 2010 - Day Three in pics, video & review (the Thom Yorke & Pavement setlists included) "

Plastic Beach the new album from Gorillaz, will be released by Virgin on March 9, 2010.

The album is preceded by first single Stylo (featuring Mos Def and Bobby Womack) which will receive its radio broadcast premiere [this week] and will be available for download on January 26.

Confirming "Stylo," Murdoc Niccals twittered, "A leak! A leak! Plastic Beach has sprung a leak! One of those Russian pirates has put a bullet hole in my island! My single's leaked! STYLO!"

Five years on from the release of Demon Days, Murdoc Niccals and co. return with Plastic Beach. The band have taken up residence, recording on a secret floating island deep in the South Pacific, a Plastic Beach HQ, made up of the detritus, debris and washed up remnants of humanity. This Plastic Beach is the furthest point from any landmass on Earth; the most deserted spot on the planet.

The world's biggest animated band, Gorillaz formed in 1998, and have since sold 12 million copies over two albums Gorillaz (2000) andDemon Days (2005). They have hit number 1 in more than a dozen countries and picked up awards including Grammys, Novellos, VMAs and EMAs.

The Gorillaz' return will be marked by a headline appearance at this year's Coachella festival. The Sunday April 18 performance will be the first Gorillaz live spectacle on U.S. soil since the awe-inspiring Demon Days Live run in April 2006 at New York's Apollo Theater.

Coachella tickets are on sale (at 10am PST). Plastic Beach tracklist below...

Continue reading "new Gorillaz album info +++ Coachella tickets (on sale)"

Wow...Public Image Ltd, The Specials, Grizzly Bear, Passion Pit, Echo and the Bunnymen, Grace Jones, Fever Ray, Devo, Hot Chip, Phoenix, Orbital, Spoon, Sly and the Family Stone, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sunny Day Real Estate, Yo La Tengo, Mew, Camera Obscura, Gil Scott-Heron, The xx, John Waters, Dillinger Escape Plan, Deer Tick, Gary Numan... Full Coachella 2010 lineup below....

Continue reading "2010 Coachella line up announced (Faith No More, Pavement, Muse, Gorillaz, Thom Yorke, Jay-Z, LCD Soundystem, ???)"

by BBG

Dan Auerbach, Jim Jones, Mos Def, Patrick Carney, and Damon Dash

Just in time for the holidays and to remind the hip hop listmakers that The Ecstatic was/is the truth, the two-time Grammy nominated Mos Def has scheduled a show on 12/20 at Highline Ballroom. Tickets, though not cheap, are on sale.

Mos Def was also recently announced as a contributor to the new Gorillaz record, along with a host of notables

The third Gorillaz album will feature one newly announced GPS voice, two iconic frontmen of the '60s and '70s, and more, lending to a contributing line-up as eclectic as the one heard on 2005's Demon Days.
The GPS voice, Snoop Dogg, plus Lou Reed of The Velvet Underground and Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, will be heard alongside Mos Def, Bobby Womack, The Horrors and the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra in Plastic Beach, out 2010.

Mos Def is also part of another notable crew, Blakroc, a project featuring The Black Keys as a backing band for a crew of killer MCs!

The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have wanted to make a hip-hop album since they were teenagers....
"All the blues music I liked was super simple and stripped down. All the hip-hop I liked was super simple and stripped down," says Auerbach. "We always heard that connection."
The Black Keys' first demo reflected their hip-hop tastes. It featured drum loops and samples, which their first record label later told them to scrap. Years later, following recent praise for their minimalist, bluesy jams, The Black Keys have finally recorded a hip-hop album. Their collaborative ensemble is called BlakRoc.
"What makes this special is the guys' sensibility of hip-hop," [Pharoahe Monch] says. "The drum loop-like timing and patterns make a groove that is easy to rhyme to and to write over."-[NPR]

The self-titled, Damon Dash-presented BlakRoc LP is out now and also features Q-Tip, ODB, RZA, Raekwon, and Jim Jones among others.

Raekwon is on tour now and also has a NYC show coming up.

The Capo Jim Jones and Mos Def, along with the Black Keys, (BlakRoc) played Letterman last night (12/8) - the same night that Jawbox was burnin' Fallon to the ground. It was also rumored that the group might play a secret show at new venue Under 100 (in the basement of Damon Dash's building) later that night, but though Mos Def was there hanging out (again), he and the group didn't actually play (pictures from that event coming later).

Dig on the live Blakroc video from Letterman, the official video for the same song, as well as more videos from Mos, below...

Continue reading "Mos Def on new Gorillaz album, playing Highline, in Blakroc w/ Black Keys & Jim Jones (video from Letterman last night) "

Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett stated in an interview with CBC News on 17 September 2008 that they will be doing another Gorillaz album. Hewlett says that from their work on Monkey, "we just learned more about what we do, musically and artistically. That's a great place to come at when we come to another Gorillaz album. It doesn't have to be animation and music." Hewlett also expressed annoyance at having to draw the band members again, "I'm so fucking bored of drawing those characters. But then we had a moment where we had a new angle on it... I'm gonna adapt them." In a later interview Hewlett said, "they'll be the same characters, but a little bit older and told in a different way." An article by the Toronto Star stated that the duo hope to begin work on the album in January 2009. Albarn also said that he wants "to work with an incredibly eclectic, surprising cast of people." On January 14, 2009, Damon Albarn made an appearance as a guest DJ on BBC Radio 1, premiering demos of new Gorillaz songs.

Thighs Wide Shut is streaming the three new tracks.

In related news, Damon's other band, Blur, is also keeping busy again.

Making his Lincoln Center Festival debut former Blur frontman Damon Albarn, is joined by a host of diverse musicians from the UK, Africa, and the United States, for The Honest Jon's Revue, a musical "chop up" (Nigerian slang for "feast"). Albarn, co-founder of the virtual band Gorillaz, has gathered musiciansfrom his label, Honest Jon's, named in tribute to the landmark London record shop of the same name thathas been selling rare and obscure music to discerning buyers for 30 years. Under Albarn's musical stewardship, a wonderfully eclectic group of musicians--the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Simone White and Malians Kokanko Sata, Afel Bocoum and Lobi Traore--will play together and separately, for one show only on Saturday, July 12, in Avery Fisher Hall

Tickets are on sale (thx Bao). More details below....

Continue reading "Damon Albarn & the Honest Jon's Revue is happening @ Lincoln Center in NYC --- tickets on sale"

DOWNLOAD: Surkin - Hoes Get Down (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gorillaz - El Manana (TTC Remix, prod. by Para One) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Para One - Midnight Swim (Surkin Drowning Mix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bobmo - Legally Dead for 4'31 (YOUSENDIT MP3)

Crystal Castles @ Mercury Lounge, NYC - Mar 26, 2008 (Ryan Muir / Metromix)

Digitalism @ Webster Hall, NYC - Mar 22, 2008 (Madaes)

We're in the last week of March dance madness. Despite it seeming like every good deejay is down in Miami for WMC the line-up in New York this weekend is surprisingly awesome.

Thursday night (March 27) New York's Cut celebrate their 3-year anniversary bringing French electro label Institubes here to host the Paris Terror Club at Studio B. Cut has done a lot over the past 3 years to bring some of the top dance music talent to New York. You can check out a short video about them and what they do here.

Last August's Paris Terror Club party at Studio B was great. Thursday's should be no different as Para One and Surkin are back again with the addition of label-mate Bobmo.

Para One is a great producer out of France. He got people moving with his album 'Epiphanie' in 2006, specifically with the smash hit ' Dundun-Dun'. He's done production for French rap act TTC in the meantime, as well crafted a beautiful soundtrack (a great departure from his dancefloor jams) for the French film 'La Naisssance Des Pieuvres'. No stranger to manipulating beats, expect a clean set full of knob-twisting from Para One that will leave you with no option but to get down.

Surkin and Bobmo are two very young, successful deejays out of France. At ages 22 and 17, each of them has already produced some great tracks. Bobmo recently followed up last year's 'Let's Go Bobmo EP' (featuring the B-more/electro hit 'To the Bobmobile') with his '3000% Yes EP' which has more of an electro-ravey feel (be sure to check out the great track 'Legally Dead for 4'31'). Surkin's 'Ghetto Obsession' and 'Radio Fireworks', as well as his countless remixes have been devastating dancefloors over the past year. In the meantime he's been working on his follow-up, the 'Next of Kin EP' due out on Institubes shortly. The cover art features a black knight printed on a silver foil pattern, designed by Gaspirator who you might know better as Gaspard Auge (the moustached half of Justice). The EP features equally impressive tracks:

A1 White Knight Two
A2 Kid Gloves
B1 Next Of Kin (as heard in Justice's XMAS mix)
B2 Next Of Kin (Todd Edwards' re-kindled Mix)

$10 advance tickets available here, $15 tickets at the door, AND.....we have three pairs of tickets to give away courtesy of Cut & Finger on the Pulse (who are coordinating this contest and who are celebrating a birthday of their own this weekend). To win a pair of tickets, be one of the first 3 people to email them now (subject: cut).

More events, flyers, & whatnot, below.....

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (03/27/08)"

* Gnarls Barkley - the biggest band in the world - track HERE & new album info HERE

* Gorillaz /TTC track HERE

* Danger Mouse / Black Keys album info HERE

* Also, there's that track of Of Montreal covering M.I.A., and an interview with M.I.A. on KarmaIoopTV.

"Confirmed for April 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater, DEMON DAYS LIVE will feature the guest musicians from GORILLAZ' Demon Days recreating "Feel Good Inc.," "DARE" and the album's other classics live onstage.

Confirmed guest performers joining Demon Days producer/Gorillaz collaborator Damon Albarn in bringing each and every track to life will include De La Soul, Ike Turner, Bootie Brown of the Pharcyde, Neneh Cherry, Happy Mondays' Shaun Ryder, UK rapper Roots Manuva, with others to be announced.

Tickets for DEMON DAYS LIVE will go on sale Friday March 10 at 11 a.m. EST through Ticketmaster."

AND A FUTURE TOUR
"DEMON DAYS LIVE is not to be confused with the unprecedented live holographic tour the Gorillaz team and animation house Passion Pictures are currently producing for 2007-2008. The live Gorillaz shows will be a unique cross between live performance and a theme park experience, with the band fully present onstage, rendered in 3 eye-popping dimensions. Crucially, the show will evolve over the life of the tour, like any live performance, will feature stellar guests from Demon Days, and will ultimately bring the unique visual identity created by Jamie Hewlett to a live audience."

Previously
Gorillaz - Live At Manchester | MP3s