DOWNLOAD: Gramercy Arms & Mascott - This Christmastime (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gramercy Arms - Looking at the Sun (w/ Sarah Silverman) (MP3)

Gramercy Arms is an ever (r)evolving collective band project of New York-based artists.

On [their new self-titled] record, Gramercy Arms comprises members of Guided By Voices, Luna, Joan as Police Woman, Dead Air and The Dambuilders, along with comic Sarah Silverman, [The] album is a summery blast of gorgeous power pop, heartfelt tales of love and loss and the city they call their home...

You can ownload the track Sarah Silverman contributed to, "Looking at the Sun", above along with a new Christmas song Gramercy Arms recorded with Mascott (which you may have heard on on the TV show Grey's Anatomy).

Gramercy Arms open for Nada Surf and Delta Spirit at tonight/Friday's sold out show at Bowery Ballroom. They also have a couple of shows scheduled in February with Marykate O'Neil, who is opening for Nada Surf this Monday at Maxwell's (also sold out). All dates below...

Continue reading "Gramercy Arms = NY Supergroup (Guided by Voices, Nada Surf, Joan Wasser, SARAH SILVERMAN?...) - shows & MP3s"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Doug Gillard's new album "Call From Restricted" is out now on iTunes. "Actual CD copies will follow and be available shortly" - maybe by January? That's when Doug and band will be playing at Pianos in Manhattan every Wednesday night (7, 14, 21 & 28). Doug's last NYC show was (I think) the one he played at Knitting Factory on October 25th (the BV free during-CMJ day party). More pictures from that below...

Continue reading "Doug Gillard (GBV)-a January Pianos residency, BV party pics "

Doug Gillard @ UCB w/ Dave Hill & Walter Schreifels (more by Tim Griffin)

As Klaus Kinski pointed out, Doug Gillard of Guided by Voices fame has two live shows scheduled for tonight (10/22)..

The first show is in Manhattan at 8 pm, next we go to Brooklyn for an 11:30 pm set!

CMJ Showcase 1:
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 8:00pm
Alphabet Lounge
104 Ave. C, Manhattan, NY
(with An American Chinese, Mumpsy, Kid Theodore)

Show 2 --
Surfrider Foundation show at SOUTHPAW
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
(with:SheKeepsBees , Matty Liot and the Big Up, Peculiar Gentlemen)

And as was confirmed just minutes ago, Doug Gillard will return to a CMJ-related stage to play a free show this Saturday October 25th at 1:45pm. The occasion is the BrooklynVegan party that Rival Schools are also playing upstairs three hours later (which will be the 2nd time Doug and Walter share a bill this month). Stay tuned for the whole lineup coming soon.

by Klaus Kinski

Moby, Phil, Ira & Dave

The next installment of the Dave Hill Explosion is happening at the UCB Theater on Thursday 10/16/08 at 9:30pm. Dave might want to consider moving the show to Burger King because it sure is gonna be a whopper*. His guests this week include Moby, Walter Schreifels (Gorilla Biscuits, Quicksand, Rival Schools) as well as guitar hero Doug Gillard (Guided By Voices, Richard Buckner, the Oranges Band, Cobra Verde). Add to the mix Dave's own comedy, performance, and videos, and you've got a show so overwhelming your health may be in jeopardy. And tickets are only $5.

Walter's band Rivals Schools recently reunited. They have sold-out gigs at Maxwell's (11/4) and Mercury Lounge (11/6). Stoked.

Doug was seen enjoying Robert Pollard's band The Boston Spaceships at the Highline Ballroom on 10/1. If you missed him there and end up missing the Explosion, fear not. You can see him and his full band at the Alphabet Lounge on 10/22 at 7:45pm and then later that night at Southpaw, also with a full band. The Southpaw show is billed as Reef Madness: The Surfrider Foundations NYC Annual Funraiser. They save our reefs. More info on that here

And in case you missed it, Moby appeared at a Rock & Rescue Benefit on October 6th at the Highline Ballroom. And in case you miss the Explosion, keep in mind that Moby's doing a DJ set at Le Royale on 10/22 as part of some CMJ Week party AND Moby's band The Little Death NYC is playing a different CMJ show at Public Assembly in Brooklyn on 10/23.

* so lame.

Video of Rufus Wainwright and Dick Cavett at a past Dave Hill Explosion below...

Continue reading "Dave Hill, Walter Schreifels, Doug Gillard, Moby"

by Klaus Kinski

The thing I like most about Robert Pollard is that even though I barely have the time, attention span, or finances to keep up with his ever-expanding, post-GBV projects, I know I am guaranteed a whale of a time at his live shows. Die-hard familiarity of his music is simply not essential to the enjoyment of one of his shows (though, comfortable shoes and beer kinda helps). The man is a personal deity of air-tight live entertainment. The Boston Spaceships gig at the Highline Ballroom on 10/1 was no deviation from a flawless track record of incredible Pollard experiences. They hit the stage pretty much right at 9:30pm and completely dominated. High kicks, mic swinging, hilarious yet often times unintelligable stage banter, a RIDICULOUSLY awesome rhythm section, and a crowd more than eager to drink, push, shove, pogo, and sweat all over each other made for a fun time. I had to leave the show earlier than I wanted to in order to check out another (really awful) show across town and this kills me as the Spaceships ended up doing two encores packed with classic GBV tracks. Besides some familiar die hard fans and friends, also spotted in the crowd were GBV alumni including guitarist Doug Gillard and drummer Kevin March (who you may have also seen here). A few more pics from the show below...

Continue reading "Robert Pollard's Boston Spaceships @ Highline Ballroom"

by Klaus Kinski

DOWNLOAD: Boston Spaceships - Go For the Exit (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Perhapst - "Quote" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Perhapst - Incense Cone (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Perhapst - Aren't You Glowing (MP3)

The last time Robert Pollard played a gig in NYC it was at the Bowery Ballroom on 11/13/2006. Partly because of a lack of funds and mostly because of sheer stupidity on my part, I missed that gig. Since then, Bob has been busy as hell releasing records, starting his own label (GBV Inc.), having a gallery show of his famous collages, getting ready to publish a book and, most recently, preparing to unleash his new band Boston Spaceships onto the scene with a record and a tour. Tickets for a 10/1/2008 Highline Ballroom gig go onsale Friday at noon.

The core members of Boston Spaceships include Pollard, Chris Slusarenko (Takeovers, Guided By Voices, Svelt, Sprinkler) and current Decemberists drummer John Moen (also Jicks, Elliott Smith, Dharma Bums..... more on him in a second). The band will joined by Jason Narducy (Bob Mould) and Tommy Keene for the tour. Their debut record Brown Submarine comes out on 9/9/2008 on GBV Inc.

Though you'll notice some subtle prog flourishes and acoustic strums, Brown Submarine is a pop punk album, made by and for kids who've worn out the grooves on their Cheap Trick, Alice Cooper, Wire and dBs records. While Pollard has stretched out post-GBV , experimenting on each of his diverse and unique solo records, Boston Spaceships rock hard, have fun and drink Miller Lite.

Drummer John Moen also fronts a band called Perhapst. Perhapst has a self-titled record out now which Moen plays most of the instruments on. Plus, on a couple of tracks he is joined by Stephen Malkmus - not singing though, just bass and guitar. For shows:

The [Perhapst] live band will consist of Chris Funk (guitar, bango, keyboards), John Moen (vocals/guitar), Eric Lovre (bass), and Jonathan Drews (drums). Drews is from Sunset Valley, Lovre from the Dharma Bums, and Funk from The Decemberists.

Perhapst don't have any upcoming dates. Neither do the Decemberists, but Boston Spaceships have a bunch. All of them, and the Brown Submarine tracklisting, below.....

Continue reading "Robert Pollard's Boston Spaceships & Perhapst - new albums, 2008 Tour Dates, MP3s & members of the Decemberists"

* Eamon Hamilton of British Sea Power performs solo tonight (saturday March 1st) at Galapagos w/ Titus Andronicus (and Crystal Stilts)

* Matthew Friedberger of Fiery Furnaces and Doug Gillard of Guided by Voices perform solo sets at Don Pedro's tonight w/ Times New Viking

* Dean & Britta of Luna are playing Bowery Ballroom tonight w/ Keren Ann

* Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth is playing Webster Hall tonight w/ Roky Erickson

* members of Arcade Fire are playing a free show in Ohio soon.

Continue reading "members of Luna, British Sea Power, Fiery Furnaces, Guided by Voices, Sonic Youth, Arcade Fire "

DOWNLOAD: Times New Viking - Drop-Out (MP3)

In addition to opening tonight (Feb 24) and tomorrow's Super Furry Animals shows at Bowery Ballroom, Times New Viking are playing a book release show in Brooklyn on March 1st. Check out the flyer above. Check out more tour dates, and more book parties, below....

Continue reading "Times New Viking - 2008 Tour Dates, 'Perfect From Now On'"

DOWNLOAD: Big Dipper - Shes Fetching (MP3)

$493??? Well, it is for charity, so that's good. For a more affordable donation, the David Kilgour autographed poster is still available for less than $50. David Kilgour plays Cake Shop tonight, tomorrow and the next day. Keep checking Merge's auctions through Christmas - they'll also be selling posters autographed by Robert Pollard, M. Ward, Oakley Hall, Spoon, The Rosebuds, Superchunk, Portastatic, and Destroyer. Or just screw charity, and check out Merge's holiday sale.

Robert Pollard is having an art show at Studio Dante in Manhattan in December. Listen to Spoon on NPR. Big Dipper is releasing an anthology. Polvo are reuniting for ATP. Every single Merge tour date, below...

Continue reading "signed Arcade Fire poster @ $493, Robert Pollard art"

in case you missed it everywhere else....

Continue reading "VIDEO: impromptu Guided By Voices reunion 2007"