Roger Miret w/ Agnostic Front at Power of the Riff 2012 (more by Greg Cristman)

We were just talking about Brooklyn's The So So Glos, who released their pop punk-y new album, Blowout, performed on Letterman, and are currently on tour with Titus Andronicus. That tour doesn't hit NYC (Titus plays a free NYC show in August though), but we said it probably wouldn't be long before The So So Glos announce their own NYC show. Well, they've just announced one and it happens right after that tour on May 26 at Knitting Factory with Heaven's Gate, Dinowalrus, and Trabajo. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (5/10) at 10 AM.

The So So Glos are also set to play a Northside show in the back room of Public Assembly on June 14 (only the front room will be closed) with Shapes and Le Rug. Tickets for that show are on sale now and Northside badges will also be accepted. Updated dates are listed below.

The Knitting Factory recently announced some other cool punk shows happening there soon too. Oregon Americana punks Larry and His Flask, who we wrote about when they released their Hobo's Lament EP and toured with Frank Turner, are releasing a new full length, By The Lamplight, on June 25 via Cascadian Records in the US and Frank Turner's Xtra Mile Records internationally. They'll support that album with a tour that ends on July 28 at Knitting Factory. Tickets for that show are on sale now. All dates are listed below.

Their pal Frank Turner meanwhile, will be on his own tour that hits NYC for two sold out MHOW shows in July. He just released a new video from his new album, Tape Deck Heart, which you can watch below.

Back to Knitting Factory shows: Agnostic Front frontman Roger Miret will bring his street punk band Roger Miret and the Disasters to Knitting Factory on August 24 with another Agnostic Front-related project, Stigma. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

As mentioned, Avail frontman Tim Barry will hit Knitting Factory on July 20 with Cory Branan and Des Ark. Tickets for that show are still available.

Other upcoming punk shows at Knitting Factory include power pop punks Cheap Girls (whose tour includes other NYC-area shows too) on May 17 (tickets) and post-hardcore rippers Coliseum on May 21 with the Dischord-signed Red Hare (mems. Bluetip, Dag Nasty, Swiz, Garden Variety, and more) (tickets).

All So So Glos and Larry and His Flask dates are listed, along with some videos, below...

Continue reading "So So Glos, Roger Miret & the Disasters, Larry & His Flask and more upcoming punk shows at Knitting Factory"

by Bill Pearis

Priests @ Death By Audio, Jan. 2012 (more by Ivey Haber)

DC trio Priests channel the spirit of punk and '90s riot grrrl with a fiery intensity thanks in no small part to charismatic singer Katie Alice Greer. Drummer Daniele Daniele and guitarist G.L. Jaguar keep things thrashibly danceable. They're catchy too. You can check out Priests' two releases below, including the "Radiation" 7" that came out in December.

Priests will be making the trip up from our nation's capital this weekend for a show in NYC at Silent Barn on Saturday (3/2) with Heaven's Gate and Guerilla Toss. All dates are listed below...

Continue reading "DC trio Priests released 7", playing NYC this weekend and other shows (dates, streams)"

by Andrew Sacher

Waxahatchee at Saint Vitus in 2012 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

Waxhatchee (aka Katie Crutchfield, formerly of PS Eliot) will release her sophomore album, Cerulean Salt, on March 5 via Don Giovanni, and you can stream the first single, "Peace and Quiet," below. The album sometimes features a fuller band approach than her mostly acoustic debut, American Weekend, and the recordings aren't as raw, but the songs are no less intimate.

Waxahatchee will be going on a tour this winter which includes two previously discussed NYC dates. One of those is the Don Giovanni showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on February 8 with Laura Stevenson and the Cans, Jeffrey Lewis, Lemuria, and Hilly Eye (tickets; and the other is Indie Pop Prom on February 28 at 285 Kent with The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Swearin' (Katie's sister Allison's band), Weed Hounds, and Potty Mouth (tickets). Both shows have great lineups and either would be a good place to see her.

In related news, Katie also plays in the band Great Thunder with her boyfriend Keith Spencer (who also plays bass in Swearin') and that band plays their first Brooklyn show TONIGHT (1/24) at Death by Audio with Heavens Gate, The Guts, and Marvin Berry & the New Sound.

A list of all Waxahatchee dates, the tour flyer and the "Peace and Quiet" stream below...

Continue reading "Waxahatchee announces new album and tour (dates, stream)"

Broolyn DIY house show space Dead Herring will be no more soon. They announced:

Hey everybody, we're very sad to announce that January is gonna be our last month at Dead Herring. They're raising the rent on us and we can't afford to live here anymore so we're moving on. We're super bummed but also very grateful to everyone who's ever performed here and hung out with us and made the last 6 years here so awesome. Rest assured, we're going out big and we have a ton shows lined up for January. Dead Herring is dead! Viva Dead Herring!

photos by Greg Cristman; words by Bill Pearis

Jeff Goldbloom / fish. @ Brooklyn Rock Lottery 3

The third annual Brooklyn Rock Lottery happened at Knitting Factory on Saturday (12/1). Musicians of varying styles and ages met at 10 AM and put their names in a hat and the five drummers picked their bandmates at random out of it. They then spent the day coming up with a name, writing original songs and practicing and made their stage debut that night. Proceeds from tickets and merch went to Hurricane Sandy relief. It was a lot of fun.

Even though the members were chosen at random, it seemed like the bands formed kind of naturally and had a cohesive sound. First up for the night was Jazz Karate, which featured Kenny Bernard (Ra Ra Riot), Franz Nicolay (ex Hold Steady / Against Me!), Pamela Martinez (Teletextile), Matt Singer, and Tom Blankenship (My Morning Jacket). With a harp and an accordion onstage, their music veered towards gypsy jazz and included a song about Tony Danza.

Next was Jeff Goldbloom whose members were Lua Rios (Gold Lake), Nick Sylvester (Mr. Dream), Noah Kardos-Fein (YVETTE), and Craig Lulada Pfunder (VHS or Beta). With a distinct sound -- heavy, shoegazy guitar epic-ry -- they were definitely the one group of the night that I'd actually want to see again. Good!

Then came the band I was most looking forward to, that had Yuck drummer Jonny Rogoff, Hospitality bassist Brian Betancourt, and Spanish Prisoners main man Leo Maymind, not to mention Dave Harrington from Nicholas Jaar's band and Gang Signs' Bryan Quackenbush. I was expecting melodic pop, but their name -- fish. -- shoulda been a giveaway. They played one 12-minute "jazz odyssey" type jam that showed just how good their collective musicianship was, but this has never been my thing.

Hardcore Lørd were next and it was almost entirely electronic, with tons of gear and lots of wires onstage. The band was Oliver Chapoy (Certain Creatures / ex Warm Ghost), Michael Sheffield (Sweet Bulbs / Heaven's Gate), Sara Lucas (Callers), and Christopher Puidokas (who toured with Blonde Redhead / The Silent Years). They took forever to set up but were probably my second favorite of the night, warm and ethereal.

The last band of the night was Nylon Guy and easily the most odds-n-sods, with Tyler Villard (Bezoar), Ian Young (touring saxophonist of M83), George Langford (Javelin), Jen Goma (People Get Ready / Sunny Day in Glasgow), and David Sheinkopf (The Subjects). No concessions were made to have a cohesive sound and everybody got to do their thing -- Villard doing a lot of hammer-on soloing, and Young smnoothing things out with his horn, and everyone else just kind of filling in the gaps. They did do a decent cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark," though.

ANIMAL New York were there too and got straight-off-the-board recordings of everybody except Nylon Guy. Check out streams of the other bands, as well as more pics from Brooklyn Rock Lottery 3, below.

Continue reading "members of My Morning Jacket, Yuck, Hospitality & more joined forces for Rock Lottery 3 (pics, streams)"

Brooklyn Night Bazaar 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

The Brooklyn Night Bazaar, a place to do your holiday shopping, eat and listen to music all at the same time, returns to its warehouse location (45 North 5th St.) in Williamsburg this winter, and is again hosting shows like they did last year (though BrooklynVegan is not involved this year).

The holiday bazaar is open on Friday and Saturday nights from November 23 to December 22, from 6pm to midnight. A lot of the music lineups are still TBA but confirmed bands so far include The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Black Dice, Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio, Ayshay (aka Fatima Al Qadiri), CFCF, Eternal Summers, MEN, and others. Everything is free to the public (except the food and other stuff people are selling there)

The current lineups and sponsors for each day, and much more info, below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Night Bazaar returns to Williamsburg, live music too"

Mount Eerie at Le Poisson Rouge in September (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Mount Eerie (aka Phil Elverum) is about to kick off a tour of Japan this week, and upon returning to the US, he'll play "2 full band shows out of nowhere in NYC" on November 28 at Le Poisson Rouge and November 29 at NYU's Kimmel's Eisner and Lubin Auditorium on the 4th floor (60 Washington Square South) with Heaven's Gate, These Days, and ADVAITA. No opener for the LPR show has been announced yet and tickets are on sale now. Admission for the NYU show is free to NYU students and $3 to the general public.

In late January, Mount Eerie will head to Australia (dates TBA), and then in February he'll do his first ever New Zealand tour. All dates are listed below.

Mount Eerie released two albums this year, Clear Moon and Ocean Roar. You can stream some tracks from both albums and check out a list of all dates below.

Continue reading "Mount Eerie playing 2 NYC shows in between Japan and Australia/New Zealand tours (dates)"

Hilly Eye at Cake Shop in June (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Brooklyn's Hilly Eye have a few shows coming up, including a couple this week during and around CMJ. As mentioned, they play the Life or Death showcase at 92YTribeca on Saturday (10/20) with DIIV, Maria Minerva, Mac DeMarco, Twerps, Starred, Kilo Kish, Slug Guts, Jozef Van Wissem, Sky Ferreira, and Dogbite. After that, they'll play an unofficial post-CMJ day party at 285 Kent on Sunday (10/21) with Blanche Blanche Blanche (who played Glasslands last month with Chris Cohen), Ireland bands Squarehead and So Cow, plus local bands Heaven's Gate, Ava Luna, and Butter the Children, and Massachusetts' Potty Mouth. The show runs from noon to 6 PM and there will be DJ sets by Grand Resort, Noah & Emily, and The Pelly Twins. The show is free to the public.

About a month later, Hilly Eye will play another local show at Saint Vitus on November 30 with their Don Giovanni labelmate Waxahatchee (aka Katie Crutchfield formerly of PS Eliot) and Corita. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Some song streams and videos are below.

Continue reading "Hilly Eye playing CMJ and post-CMJ shows (one with Blanche Blanche Blanche, one with Waxahatchee)"

by Bill Pearis

Woodsman 7" artwork

Brooklyn-via-Denver post-rock instrumentalists Woodsman play Bowery Ballroom tonight (10/12), opening for Marco Benevento. Tickets are still available. The band will also be around next week for CMJ, playing the unofficial Fire Talk showcase at Zebulon on 10/17 with Tjutuna, BBDDM, and Meadowlands (free); and another Fire Talk showcase at 252 Norman on 10/20 with Speculator, Tjutjuna, and Heaven's Gate. ($5, info here). All tour dates are listed below.

Woodsman are working on a new album as we speak but meanwhile are releasing a new single, "All Tangled Up," which is coming out as part of Lefse Records singles series. You can order the cassingle (!) of it here. In try before you buy spirit, we've got the premiere of the single's b-side, a droney/dreamy little number called "Sonic Tomb" that we invite you to stream below.

Continue reading "Woodsman releasing new single, on tour, playing NYC tonight and during CMJ (dates)"

Big Freedia at Santos in May (more by Chris La Putt)

Big Freedia has been on a tour that was supposed to come to NYC for a Rocks Off cruise in late August, but that show was cancelled due to weather. She's since announced that she'll return to NYC for a show on Halloween (10/31) at Brooklyn Bowl. Tickets for that show are available.

The Big Freedia show is one of many Halloween options in NYC, many of which we've already told you about (like Dita Von Teese who we also mentioned today). Some others that we haven't include the Halloween covers show at Death by Audio with Sleepies (as the Pixies), Mr. Dream (as ?), Acid Problem (as the Ramones), Heaven's Gate (as Joy Division), and more TBA; and the 'Monster Mash 7 Halloween Party' at Glasslands, which is being presented by New York Night Train (Jonathan Toubin's NYC dance party) and Alana Amram with DJ Naughty Panther. According to the event page, the "musical guests" are "Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Abba, 60s Girl Group, 90s Medley, The Cramps, New Order, and more." Tickets for that show are available. Any other good ones that we missed?

A list of all Big Freedia dates is below...

Continue reading "Big Freedia playing one of this year's many Halloween shows"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Total Slacker - Oblivion (Grimes cover) (M4A)

Total Slacker are about to head out on the road with Night Manager. Before they do, they'll play with Heaven's Gate and Turnip King at Cheap Storage in Brooklyn on June 2. Tonight (5/15), Total Slacker will DJ between sets at the Japanther/Night Manager/Wild Yaks/Eula show at the Studio at Webster Hall.

For the tour, Total Slacker have recorded a cover of Grimes' single "Oblivion" which we have for you, hot off the mixing desk (they finished it this afternoon) and free for you to download at the top of this post. Keeping the signature bass line intact, the band's version slowly builds to a post-punk crescendo that wouldn't have sounded out of place in fog machine filled dancefloor in 1981.

Additionally, Total Slacker have given us "Brain Slime," the a-side to the band's new single which is being released on Japanese label Sixteen Tambourines. The cover art for the single is below. The Brooklynites also have a UK split 7" with Friends due out this summer.

Total Slacker tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Total Slacker covered Grimes, going on tour w/ Night Manager"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Popfest Mix (ZIP)

Burning Hearts @ NYC Popfest 2009 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

It's NYC Popfest time again. Popfest happens Thursday - Sunday (May 17 - 20) at various venues around Manhattan and Brooklyn. You can still get 4-day Festival Passes ($50) that will get you into all the weekend's shows, or you can buy tickets to individual shows.

There's a couple quick ways to check out all that's going on: Popfest has put together a free downloadable mix (linked above) with all the bands playing this year; and I put together a Spotify playlist with a couple songs from all the Popfest bands that have songs available on the service. If that's not enough, here's a little more about what's ahead, and this post covers Thursday and Friday night's shows. Saturday and Sunday preview will be later this week.

THURSDAY, MAY 17 (CAKE SHOP)

Like usual, Popfest kicks off Thursday (5/17) at Cake Shop. Headliners are Finland's Burning Hearts who were last here for Popfest 2009. The band's new album, Extinctions, mixes shimmery synths, jangly guitars and cooing guitars. You can stream the whole album at the bottom of this post. Burning Hearts also play a free show at LES store Ivana Helsinki (251 Elizabeth St.) and the Rock Shop on Monday (5/21) as part of a post-Popfest hangover show with Vancouver's Sleuth, the Philippines' Outerhearts and Orca Team (more on them below),

Staying in the same part of the world, Swedish powerpop band Speedmarket Avenue are also playing Thursday night. It's been four years since the band released their last album but, but a recently posted new song on their website gives hope for new musical activity. Hopefully we'll get a preview of their new album this week.

The rest of the Thursday Cake Shop lineup is from New York: Dear Marje and The Marshmallows are in the classic Tiger Trap style cute indiepop vein; Heaven's Gate (ex-Sweet Bulbs) veer more shoegaze.

Orca Team

FRIDAY, MAY 18 (KNITTING FACTORY)

Friday night is at Knitting Factory with headliners Michigan's Saturday Looks Good to Me who haven't played NYC since the band dissolved in 2008. Main man Fred Thomas is promising a new album, so good to hear this will be more than just remember when.

For me the band I'm most excited to see Friday is Pacific Northwesterners Orca Team whose music is like a '50s dance party on a submarine with Tim Gane piloting. Their new album, Restraint, is out June 14 on the Happy Happy Birthday to Me label and is a little less specifically retro (and all the better for it). If you can't make it Friday night, Orca Team play two non-Popfest shows while here: a free show at XPO 929 (aka Party Expo) on Saturday (5/19) and they're also playing that 5/21 show at the Rock Shop with Burning Hearts and others.

Also playing Friday night are organ-fueled partiers Cola Jet Set from Barcelona, who sing in Spanish and maintain an impeccable wardrobe. The band also play a FREE show at Cake Shop tonight [5/15]).

Plus at Knit: Houston, TX's danceable and swooning Wild Moccasins; and the fuzzed-out sugarpop of Philadelphia's Catnaps.

As I said above, look for a preview of Saturday and Sunday's Popfest events later in the week. Meanwhile, the full NYC Popfest schedule (bands, set times, etc) is below.

Continue reading "NYC Popfest 2012 in preview (part 1): Burning Hearts, Orca Team, Speedmarket Avenue, Saturday Looks Good to Me & more"

by Bill Pearis

There are so many good shows happening tomorrow (2/16) this column could be renamed This Thursday in Indie. But I won't because that would be dumb. What about next week? And the week after? Thursday might be totally dead those weeks and then look what I'm stuck with.

But I digress. Basically everything covered below (apart from the daily picks section) is happening tomorrow. Such as Australia's Woollen Kits who are wrapping up a North American tour, pulling into Brooklyn for a show at Death By Audio. Not unlike fellow countrymen The Twerps (who play Mercury Lounge on 3/30), Woollen Kits play the kind of stripped down guitar rock that can be traced back through Flying Nun and K Recs, Jonathan Richman and the Velvet Underground. When guitarist Thomas Hardisty sings baritone, the band veers towards Beat Happening; when drummer Tom Ridgewell takes the mike, Woollen Kits are more Clean-like. The band just released their debut album on R.I.P Society records and it's quite good.

You can stream the single "Out of Whack" at the bottom of this post and watch its video. The DBA show is with Home Blitz, Harpoon Fever and Parquet Courts. The band have a few more shows before heading home to where it's currently warm, and all Woollen Kits dates are at the bottom of this post.

Slow Club

Also on Thursday (2/17)  is the return of Slow Club who play The Bell House. It's their first show in NYC since September when the duo's second album, Paradise, was released. The record expands greatly upon the folk-pop of their debut, Yeah, So, giving them a much bigger sound, perhaps due in part to producer Luke Smith (who was in short-lived but great mid-'00s band Clor). It still sounds like Slow Club, mind you: winsome, charming, joyous. You can stream the whole thing via Spotify if you haven't heard it yet.  The band are even more charming and joyous live.

The undercard for the Bell House show is pretty strong as well: Air Waves, who are back in Brooklyn where they belong after a stint in Austin, and Chalk & Numbers who I don't think have played live since last year's NYC Popfest.

Eleven Pond (in the '80s)

If the thought of something winsome, charming and joyous makes you want to puke, you might do better at Glasslands which is hosting the first show in 23 years by Eleven Pond. The Rochester, NY band's sole album, 1986's Bas Relief, is considered a lost classic by darkwave aficionados and was reissued a couple years ago by Dark Entries records. (You can stream it here.) Showing respect to their elders will be two bands from Wierd's roster:  Frank (Just Frank) and Plastic Flowers. Expect Glasslands' smoke machine to be turned to the Peter Murphy setting for this show.

Palomar

And finally, Palomar, who recently opened for Nada Surf at Bowery Ballroom, are having the record release party for their new album, Sense & Antisense, at Littlefield Thursday night. These three ladies and one dude have been together for over ten years, outlasting all sorts of other more hyped Brooklyn bands and scenes, putting out quality indie rock LP after quality indie rock LP. Their sticktoitiveness is as strong as their ability to write catchy tunes and harmonize.  Sense & Antisense, the band's fifth, is a keeper.

You can stream the LP on Spotify and purchase it directly from the band, either at their website or at tomorrow's show. Also playing are Jaabs (feat. Roman of the Oranges Band) and Art Con. The Wrens' Charles Bissell is also performing Palomar covers, so I'm told.

OK, that's the main stuff for me this week. There are some good non-Thursday shows this week and my other picks are listed day-by-day below.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15

It's a night of quality local bands at Pianos, with High Highs, Phonetag, Ski Lodge, and Field Mouse. That's a good show! (and if you miss it, High Highs also play Pianos on 2/29).

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16

Didn't I give you enough Thursday options above?

continued below...

Continue reading "Woollen Kits, Slow Club, Eleven Pond, Palomar, Natural Child & more in This Week in Indie"

The Babies @ Cake Shop - 2/6/2012 (more by Jessica Amaya)

285 Kent, the most difficult venue to keep track of in terms of who is playing, is hosting a show TONIGHT (Thursday, 2/9):

===| THURSDAY 2/9 @ 285 KENT AVE |====
:: Alex Bleeker and the Freaks
:::: the Babies
:::::: Darlings
:::::::: Life Size Maps --- ep release
:::::::::: Heaven's Gate
285 Kent Ave @ South 1st | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L-Bedford, G-Metropolitan, JM-Marcy | 8pm | $7-$10 sliding scale donation | all ages

Continue reading "Vivian Girls playing free Fashion Week event; The Babies are at 285 Kent tonight with Alex Bleeker"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Dive - Sometime (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Caged Animals - Teflon Heart (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Caged Animals - Girls on Medication (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Heaven's Gate - Weakness Worms (MP3)

Toys & Tiny Instruments

It's a fairly quiet post-ATP weekend, which is fine. And the big stuff (Jens Lekman, James Blake) is sold out. CMJ is coming up in less than two weeks, and I plan on taking it (fairly) easy until then. (More than anything else, I'm stoked for the Breaking Bad finale on Sunday!) But there is, as always, stuff going on that's worth your time and coin. So this week I'm just going to do an extended version of the day-by-day picks.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6

Anika at Glasslands.

Dive, the new band from Beach Fossils dude Cole Smith, is easily the hardest working group in Brooklyn right now. You can see them tonight at Death by Audio on a pretty stacked bill of locals. I've caught Dive a couple nights now and am really impressed with their energy -- dark and motorik (not totally unlike Captured Tracks labelmates Soft Moon) -- and Smith's ability to spin around and play in clothes six sizes too big for him.

Dive also plays tomorrow (10/7) at 285 Kent with Night Manager and ex-Sweetbulbs band Heaven's Gate (who have a new MP3 to download at the top of this post) and Friends.

The rest of the show is good too. Caged Animals is Vin of Soft Black's new band. There are MP3s above and you can read more about them here. The show is also a record release for Spanish Prisoners' new album, Gold Fools, which you can stream in its entirety at the bottom of this post.  It's been a while since I checked in with them... it's a really nice record, especialy the single "Rich Blood" which you can download for free from their Bandcamp. Also playing are Quiet Lights who might fill the void for lovely loud guitar pop left by Dirty on Purpose.

Over at Cake Shop are the Toys and Tiny Instruments Band who do not play live very often. It's exactly as it sounds, seven or eight folks playing songs on kazoos, melodicas, penny whistles, plastic guitars and other toys and tiny instruments. (Not unlike Pianosarus for those whose memories go back to '80s obscurities.) They are way better than you think they're going to be.

And at Public Assembly it's electronic psych rock pioneers Silver Apples who play with MNDR, Lemonade, Ital and Todd Pendu on DJ duty. Another worthy show.

continued below....

Continue reading "Dive, Caged Animals, Ladytron, Taste of the Seaport, Psychic Paramount & more in This Week in Indie"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Tammar - "The Last Line" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Tammar - "Young Jun" (MP3)

Bloomington, IN psych-poppers Tammar released their new album, Visits on September 20 via Suicide Squeeze. The album's got hints of the kind of psych-rock channelled by The Standells, though some more modern influences come through too, especially on the beachy "Summer Fun." Check out the video for "The Last Line" below, and grab the MP3 of that song and "Yung Jun" above.

The band will play a record release show in their hometown of Bloomington, IN this Saturday (10/1) and have a short run of NYC shows coming up at the end of October. They play Cameo Gallery on October 28 with Heaven's Gate, Pianos on October 29 with Gross Relations and Little Racer, and they open for Moonface at Bowery Ballroom on October 30. Tickets are on sale now for the Pianos show and are still available for the Bowery Ballroom show with Moonface. Check Cameo's site for updates on that show.

All dates and video below...

Continue reading "Tammar released 'Visits', schedule shows (MP3s & dates)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Big Troubles - "Misery" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Wild Beasts - "Loop the Loop" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Diehard - A VerySerious Man (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Diehard - Diehard (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cave - Adam Roberts (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dive - Sometime (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Heaven's Gate - Salome (MP3)

Welcome to the first day of Autumn! The air is crisp, it's a pleasure to be outside...which is where you'll be on your way to the many good show options this week. Where to start...

I guess I should mention R.E.M.'s decision to "call it a day." It's the right thing to do... but I sorta wish it'd happened 13 years ago. The post-Bill Berry records had their good songs, but it was never really R.E.M. to me. But their first decade, few bands were as important and influential. Hopefully they continue to make music on their own (Peter Buck's got like four other bands anyway), and cross our fingers that doesn't mean a Micheal Stipe solo album of "standards."

This leads nicely into this week's first real item:  Big Troubles' record release party tomorrow night (9/22) at Glasslands. Mitch Easter, who produced R.E.M.'s first two albums, was behind the boards for their new album, Romatic Comedy, which is out next week on Slumberland.

Those familiar with Big Troubles' sludgy, shoegazy debut album, Worry, might wonder if it's the same band this time. Working with Let's Active's Mitch Easter (who twiddled knobs on R.E.M.'s first two albums [and Pavement's Brighten the Corners), the band have cleaned up into a sparkling pop band. It's a dramatic transformation, not unlike the one Easter helped make happen with '90s shoegaze band Moose on their debut album, ...XYZ. With crazy catchy song after crazy catchy song, Romantic Comedy is a terrific album. You can download "Misery" at the top of this post.

The rest of the country will get to see them soon, as they're heading out on tour with their Slumberland labelmates The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (who headlined Bowery Ballroom this week) and then later with Real Estate who they play Bowery Ballroom with in November. All 2011 Big Troubles tour dates are at the bottom of this post, along with the video for their single "Sad Girls."

In addition to Big Troubles, their record release party also has  The Ice Choir and Cuffs playing as well, plus Ford & Lopatin on DJ duty.

Cuffs is the new band from former Pants Yell! frontman Andrew Churchman (one of Big Troubles is also in the band). They are at the same time more pure pop than PY! were and also more rockin'. They're good live.

Ice Choir

The Ice Choir is the new project from Kurt Feldman who plays drums for Pains of Being Pure at Heart and used to front The Depreciation Guild. It's funky synthpop that sounds an awful lot like...Scritti Politti?! It's true. Listen to the songs on Bandcamp and compare with this. I'm very curious to see what The Ice Choir will be like live. Will Kurt wear a while suit with giant shoulder pads? I hope so.

Wild Beasts

Wild Beasts are back, playing two nights at Music Hall of Williamsburg (Friday 9/23 and Saturday 9/24) with BOBBY opening both shows. The band's third album, Smother, has been a real grower for me and find myself going back to it a lot.  It's definitely a subtler album than Two Dancers  that shows the influence of Talk Talk and The Blue Nile in particular. It's a grower, as they say, and a worthy successor to 2009's best album. Check out "Loop the Loop" at the top of this post and there's a new video for "Bed of Nails" below.

Live, Wild Beasts are truly something to behold,  transcending their records every time (at least every time I've seen them). Sky Larkin's Katie Harkin is back again playing keyboards with the band on this go-round which is an added bonus for some of us. I haven't seen them tour this album yet, so I'm really looking forward to this weekend's shows. All Wild Beasts tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

-------

So Girls' new album, Father, Son, Holy Ghost debuted at #37 on the Billboard which is pretty impressive -- and also means they'll be playing much bigger places next time they roll through town. Their Bowery Ballroom shows this weekend are sold out, natch, but you can try and squeeze into Other Music tonight (9/21) for their free in-store.

Diehard

What else? '90s-rocking locals Diehard are set to release their debut album, The Times We Didn't Have Fun, next week and it's a ripper, full of big riffs, bigger choruses, oohs and ahhs, and hooks o' plenty. You can download two tracks from the album at the top of this post. You can listen to the whole shebang at their Bandcamp page.

The band are throwing a record release party this Friday (9/23) at Bruar Falls with likeminded pals Radical Dads, Shark? and Thunderclap also playing.

Cave @ Issue Project Room in 2010 (more by Greg Cristman)

Cave are here this weekend, playing Saturday, September 24 at soon-to-be-closed Live With Animals (with Amen Dunes, K-Holes & PC Worship), and then Sunday, September 25 at Cake Shop. All tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

As I wrote earlier this week, the band's new album  Neverendless finds finds them locking onto a groove and staying with it in the Neu!/Spacemen 3 tradition. You can download the "Adam Roberts" (the album's spaciest cut) at the top of this post and watch the video for the album's chugging, motoroik single, "WUJ," below.

Dive @ Shea Stadium

And finally, two bands I wrote about last week -- Dive and Heaven's Gate  (MP3s for both above) -- play again together tomorrow night (9/22) at 285 Kent, with Dustin Wong and Prussia. At the time, I hadn't seen either play live but remedied that last Friday at Shea Stadium. Both bands were very good, but different than I was expecting.

Heaven's Gate are much less shoegazy than their old band Sweetbulbs, with more of a blues-punk vibe (think Cramps or maybe JSBE or early YYYs). But their best songs still have some of that melodic swirl to them.

As for Dive, their recordings are very Beach Fossils-y (frontman Cole Smith is in the band). But live, Dive are a motorik dynamo, very Krautrock at times. There's a lot of flying hair, the band are whirling dervishes on stage. I was impressed. Dive are also playing Pianos earlier Thursday night (9PM) if you want to catch them there.

Here are some more picks, by day, not mentioned above:

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Cymbals Eat Guitars play Music Hall of Williamsburg. Their new album, Lenses Alien, is more '90s style indie rock guitar heroics, maybe a little more pop than their first. Hooray for Earth and Beige open.

Though if you're a '90s indie rock fan, you might instead be seeing Olivia Tremor Control and The Music Tapes at Le Poisson Rouge. OTC's Dusk at Cubist Castle remains a '90s classic. if you can't make it, NPR will be streaming it online.

Or if the '80s is more your thing, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are at Irving Plaza.

There's also the Hipster Puppies Cassette Release Party at Public Assembly. Music critic and frequent Twitter fighter Chris Weingarten is putting out a mix tape companion to his book which is based on his tumblr. Zs, Dinowalrus, Mountains and Burning Star Core all play sets. More info here.

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by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Hospitality - Friends of Friends (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dive - Sometime (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Heaven's Gate - Salome (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Unknown Mortal Orchestra - How Can U Luv Me (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Beat Connection - In the Water (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ski Lodge - I Would Die to Be (MP3)

Blouse

After a couple weeks with not a whole lot going on, we're back to jam-packed week of shows (at least in the TWII-verse). So let's get into it.

Portland trio Blouse are in town for two shows: Thursday (9/15) at Glasslands and then Friday (9/16) at Shea Stadium. After singles on Sub Pop and Captured Tracks, the band's debut is due out in November. You can stream the song "Videotapes" from it at the bottom of this post. The track has a nice melty quality to it that if I was listening on cassette I might think it was time to buy a new Walkman. I've liked everything I've heard from Blouse so far, as it hits my '80s sweet spot: icy synths, moody basslines, big choruses. I'm anxious to hear the whole record, and looking forward to seeing them play.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Both Blouse shows are appealing bills. The Glasslands show is headlined by Unknown Mortal Orchestra who are currently on tour with Toro Y Moi, a tour that hits NYC tonight (10/14) at Webster Hall. In addition to the Glasslands show tomorrow, UMO are also playing that Vice party tomorrow that is sure to be a scene. After that, UMO are basically on tour for the rest of the year with a pretty brutal schedule, daring America not to see them.

Also playing the Glasslands show are Hospitality (subbing for Woven Bones who had to bow out) who, you may have read, have signed with Merge. The label will be putting out their debut album in early 2012 and you can get an early taste at the top of this post -- the horn-filled "Friends of Friends." (The whole record is great.) I'm a big fan of this band and couldn't be more pleased to see them sign to a label I love.

Blouse is headlining the Shea Stadium show on Friday that is a pretty exciting lineup too, especially if you want to see a lot of new local bands. Dive is the new band from Beach Fossils guitarist/drummer Cole Smith (he was also in Darwin Deez) and the group's debut single, "Dive," is out soon on Captured Tracks and you can download it at the top of this post. It sounds a lot like Beach Fossils but it's catchy nonetheless.

Heaven's Gate

Also playing are Heaven's Gate which is the new band from a couple of the guys in the now defunct Sweet Bulbs. Like that band, Heaven's Gate are definitely on the shoegaze tip and also remind me a little of Bettie Serveert. Mind you, I've only heard two songs but both are quite good. (I was a big Sweet Bulbs fan too.) Download one of them, "Salome," at the top of this post.

Still more at Shea Stadium: Spacerock band Beige and Night Manager whose new 7" is pretty darn good.

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Sloan are in town. Did anyone go see them last night at The Bell House? They play Bowery Ballroom on Thursday (9/15) and Maxwell's on Friday (9/16). I've probably written enough about Sloan this year already, but needless to say these shows are highly recommended. And if you haven't grabbed the free Select Singles - 1992 - 2011 compilation yet, the download widget is at the bottom of this post.

Beat Connection

STRFKR (not to be confused with SBTRKT) are rolling though town this week, playing Knitting Factory on Friday (9/16). Despite the whole name-changing debacle (Starfucker --> Pyramid --> Starfucker --> STRFKR), the band's new album, Reptillians, isn't bad at all in a Flaming Lips/MGMT sort of way.

I'm a bigger fan of the opening act Beat Connection. This duo is from Seattle though listening to their debut, Surf Noir, from last year you might think they were Swedish -- Lo Fi FNK and, especially, Studio come to mind when you hear the Baeleric Beat influence that's all over the record. You can download single "In the Water" at the top of this post. I caught them at SXSW and thought they were pretty good though they could use a couple auxiliary members live.

Ski Lodge

Friday night (9/16) at Cake Shop is Ski Lodge which is the new band from Andrew Marr who used to be in the Clementines. There's an EP coming out on Dovecote Records and you can download a track from it, "I Would Die to Be," at the top of this post. There's a Beach Fossils approach to the arrangement of this song, but melodically it's more from the Smiths lineage of indiepop. The whole EP is good. I've never seen them live, but maybe Friday.

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And finally, classic postpunk band The Raincoats play Friday (9/16) at Warsaw with San Francisco's Grass Widow. More about that HERE.

A few more picks not mentioned above, by day, below...

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Japandroids are at Mercury Lounge tonight, road testing new material for their second album. Bass Drum of Death open. Sold out, but we're giving away a pair of tickets.

Grave Babies play with K Holes and Pop. 1280 at Cake Shop.

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