photos by Jessica Amaya

Hospitality / Ex Cops @ Kidrockers, 2/10/2013

Braving the slush, families headed to Brooklyn Bowl on Sunday (2/10) for Kidrockers featuring Hospitality and Ex Cops. As you can see, fans rushed the stage during Hospilaty's set, which is okay as it was encouraged. Hosts Seth Herzog and Craig Baldo kept the kids entertained between sets.

Hospitality don't have any other upcoming dates, but Ex Cops are playing an early show on Friday (2/15) at Mercury Lounge with Ski Lodge (tickets) and, after SXSW, will head out on tour with Bleached, including an NYC stop at Bowery Ballroom on April 23. Tickets are still available.

More pictures from Sunday's Kidrockers show are below.

Continue reading "Hospitality & Ex Cops played Kidrockers @ Brooklyn Bowl (pics)"

photos by Maryanne Ventrice

Caveman / Har Mar Superstar @ Kidrockers, 1/27/2013

As mentioned, Caveman have a new album on the way via Fat Possum on April 2. What better audience to test out some new tracks than a bunch of half-pints? That's just what they did when Caveman played Kidrockers at Brooklyn Bowl on January 27, an afternoon show that also included a set from Har Mar Superstar along with hosts Craig Baldo and Jordan Carlos. Pictures are in this post.

Adults can next catch Caveman in NYC at Webster Hall, and at other places around the country.

Kidrockers', whose show before this was with DIIV and Widowspeak, next event is this Sunday (2/10) at Brooklyn Bowl with Hospitality and Ex Cops. Tickets are on sale now.

More pictures of Caveman and Har Mar Superstar are below.

Continue reading "Caveman and Har Mar Superstar played Kidrockers @ Brooklyn Bowl (pics)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: BLURRY BITTERS - A CAKE SHOP BEST OF 2012 MIXTAPE (MP3)

Eddy Current Suppression Ring @ Cake Shop, June 2010 (more by Diana Wong)

One of the biggest, most genuine music fans I know is Andy from Ludlow Street indie rock club Cake Shop. He's an indefatigable listener and always turns me onto new stuff. Here we've got his "best of 2012 and live from cakeshop and recorded" which is topped by Parquet Courts' fantastic debut album, Light Up Gold. You can check out the full list of "21 AMAZING EXPERIENCES" below.

Andy is also a great maker of mixes, and I stil put in one he made for the Cake Shop/Slumberland 2009 SXSW showcase from time to time. Over at the Cake Shop blog, he posted a 2012 mix loaded with great stuff that you can download above and see the tracklist below. Highly recommend. Cake Shop had a successful Pledge Music campaign this year, signed a new 10-year lease, survived the Great Sandy Blackout, and I can't wait to see more bands there in 2013 (like maybe Obits on January 19) and beyond.

Andy from Cake Shop's Best of 2012 list and mixtape tracklist are below...

Continue reading "Andy Bodor from Cake Shop's "21 AMAZING EXPERIENCES" of 2012, plus a year-end mixtape"

by Bill Pearis

Hospitality @ Brooklyn Bowl, 8/31/2012 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

While I haven't revealed by Favorite Albums of 2012 list yet, I'll let it slip that Hospitality's eponymous debut album is pretty high up there. If you've yet to hear it's many guitar pop pleasures, you can stream it below. Wondering what the band have listened to the most in 2012? They've offered up their Top 10 of 2012 which you can peruse below. It's actually nine new albums and then the last slot goes to Led Zeppelin which singer Amber Papini admits she's been gorging on ever since Hurricane Sandy.

Sandy caused the band's headlining show at Bowery Ballroom to be postponed and the make-up date is right around the corner on January 10 with TEEN and Household. Tickets are still available and we're also giving away a pair.

Meanwhile, Hospitality next show after that will be as part of the Kidrockers series at Brooklyn Bowl, happening Sunday, February 10 at 11 AM. Tickets are $8 and on sale now -- kids 2 and under get in free. It's all ages on Sundays at Brooklyn Bowl till 6PM when it becomes 21+ like the rest of the week.

Kidrockers have announced a few other 2013 shows as well: Caveman (who just announced a big tour, including Webster Hall on 4/10) play on January 27 (tix); and Hooray for Earth play on February 3 (tix, they also play Knitting Factory next month). There is also the previously-announced DIIV show on January 13 (they play an "adult" show at BB that same night).

Hospitality's list of Top 10 LPs of 2012 is below.

Continue reading "Hospitality list their Top 10 LPs of 2012, playing Brooklyn Bowl for Kidrockers (as are Caveman and Hooray for Earth)"

Hospitality at Brooklyn Bowl, 8/31/2012 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Much like the Etsy's store, tech mag WIRED has a pop-up store during the holiday season (its eighth year) and theirs is located at 534 Broadway at Price St. in SoHo. In addition to featuring loads of the latest gear and gadgets, the WIRED store is also hosting events and live music. Tonight (12/6), Hospitality will play a free show and the event, which includes "beer, beverages, & light bites," goes from 7 - 10 PM. You do need to RSVP. As an extra incentive to get there early, the first 100 people through the door get a free "Moxie showerhead from KOHLER that streams music right into your shower." The WIRED store has a few other events but, apart from a "DIY workshop" on Saturday (12/8) they are all listed as "invite only" with no other details. Seems Scroogish to us.

If you can't swing by the WIRED store tonight, don't forget Hospitality will play Bowery Ballroom on January 10 with Household and tickets are still available. We're also giving a pair away and details are below, along with a stream of their new single, "Monkey."

Continue reading "WIRED pop-up store in NYC hosting free events, Hospitality play tonight"

by Andrew Sacher

More of the big 2012 year-end lists have been rolling in, with NPR and SPIN recently revealing theirs, and now Rolling Stone have unleashed theirs. Similarly to Uncut, the expected albums from older artists are there, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Dr. John, and the number one slot going to Bruuuuuuuuuuuce. It's got huge albums like Mumford and Sons, Taylor Swift, and fun., as well as the token high ranking indie album (Japandroids at #9), the token washed up band who was once classic (Green Day), things you knew you'd see on Rolling Stone's list like Jack White and Alabama Shakes, and... Grimes!

You can read the whole list below...

Continue reading "Rolling Stone's Top 50 Albums of 2012"

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)"

Please welcome the third annual Rock Lottery to Knitting Factory on December 1st:

The premise is simple, but effective. Twenty-five hand picked musicians meet at 10:00AM at the evenings performance venue. These volunteers are organized into five groups through a lottery-based chance selection. The five separate groups are then released to practice at different locations. The musicians have twelve hours to create a band name and three to five songs (with a one cover-song limit). The groups will then perform what they have created that evening in front of a waiting audience.

2012 lineup for Rock Lottery and video from previous events are below.

Continue reading "Members of My Morning Jacket, Against Me!, Hospitality and more participating in third-annual "Rock Lottery""

Hospitality at Brooklyn Bowl, August 2012 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Though copies have surfaced on the road in the days prior, Hospitality released a new 7" via Merge on 10/30 featuring a pair of new jams in "Monkey" (streamable below) and "The Drift". Though the band was forced to cancel an outing at Bowery Ballroom on 11/2 due to some jerk named Sandy, the band is ready to go with another date in its stead: January 10th at Bowery Ballroom with TEEN. TIckets are still available for the show, or you can use the ticket you already had for the cancelled show, or roll the dice and try to win a pair along with said 7". Details on how are below.

Hospitality is scheduled to lay low until that Bowery date, but you can still catch TEEN in Brooklyn at Knitting Factory on 12/15 with Guards (tickets). Until then, dig on some streams while entering the contest below....

Continue reading "Hospitality / TEEN reschedule Bowery Ballroom show; Win tickets and a new Hospitality 7""

Future of the Left at HotelVegan in March (more by Tim Griffin)

MS MR at BV-CMJ in October (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Though things are certainly getting a little better, much of NYC is still devastated by Hurricane Sandy (like Staten Island and Coney Island). Lots of people still don't have power and transportation is limited. Here's the list of shows that are and aren't happening in town tonight (11/2/2012).

The Grouplove show at Terminal 5, which MS MR opens is still on for tonight, but due to complications caused by Hurricane Sandy, the show will no longer be livestreamed on the Bowery Presents YouTube page.

The Hospitality and TEEN show at Bowery Ballroom tonight has been postponed due to lack of power. A new date TBA.

Crooked Fingers and John Vanderslice at The Bell House is happening.

Grass Widow, Royal Baths & Habibi at 285 Kent is happening.

For those with bored kids (as in real kids, not, like "the kids") in Williamsburg, Brooklyn Bowl is having a Family Day as we speak, with free brownies for bowlers.

At 6 PM, Brooklyn Bowl goes back to being 21+ with Particle playing at 8 PM and a late night dance-a-thon featuring The Fort Knox Five and the Funk Hunters starting at 11:30 PM.

Over at Cameo you can see strong>Apollo Heights, Backwords, and Fan-Tan. $10, more info here.

Tonight's Chris Isaak show at Beacon Theater has been postponed to November 11. All tickets will be honored.

The Sonar Fest Tour with Die Antwoord, Azari and III, and others was scheduled to hit Roseland Ballroom tonight, but that show has been cancelled.

Meanwhile, Andrew Jackson Jihad, Future of the Left, and Jeff Rosenstock (of Bomb the Music Industry) were supposed to play Le Poisson Rouge tonight, but that show has been moved to Europa. Tickets are available.

LPR, still without power, also cancelled tonight's Draleta Music presents: "Picking Up the Pieces" show.

Tragedy (the tribute band) at Merury Lounge has been rescheduled for 1/5. Hollis Brown at Mercury Lounge will have a "new date soon."

Lincoln Center says "Friday's White Light Festival performance of The Spirit of the Body is postponed. New York Philharmonic, Lincoln Center Theater, Chamber Music Society, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Film Society, and Metropolitan Opera performances will go on as scheduled. For further information, please contact the presenting organization. The David Rubenstein Atrium and New York Public Library are open."

The Adam Green and Binki Shapiro show at Maxwell's has been cancelled due to no electricity at the venue. Adam and Binki are still supposed to play Le Poisson Rouge on Monday (11/5).

Highline Ballroom had to cancel both of their shows tonight. The early show, David Choi and Clara C has been postponed to Sunday (11/4), and the late show, Maya Jane Coles, has been relocated to SRB Brooklyn (177 2nd Ave).

Our Miami Connection screenings are postponed.

The Bloody Beetroots show at Webster Hall has been cancelled.

The STS9 shows at Best Buy Theater for tonight and tomorrow both appear to still be on.

The Pearl Jam/Joseph Arthur side project RNDM show at Music Hall of Williamsburg is still on for tonight. David Garza opens all dates on the tour.

Union Hall is open for Hoots & Hellmouth.

Cultfever, Blonds, and Kenji Urada play Glasslands tonight before Bear In Heaven and Small Black DJ a Hurricane Sandy benefit at the venue.

Your 33 Black Angels and The Archive play Zebulon.

The Smashing Pumpkins show at Susquehanna Bank Center would have happened tonight, but that show was one of the shows the band was forced to postpone.

UCB Chelsea is open but UCB East is still closed.

Fontana's opened with a generator last night (just as a bar, no show) and probably will do the same tonight.

Rockwood Music Hall is closed, and says "All tickets for tonight's Jaymay show will be honored at one of her upcoming two shows (11/9 or 11/16). Alternatively refunds are available by contacting MusicToday customer service at tix@musictoday.com or 1-800-594-TIXX (8499)."

Pianos is still closed, so no Luke Rathborne, Mon Khemer, Little Rader or Chris Bathgate, but Pianos promises they will open as soon as power goes on.

Cake Shop is still closed.
The Living Room is closed.
Joe's Pub is closed.
Santos Party House is closed.
Sunshine Cinema is closed.

more updates to this post coming...

If you're at home., watch the telethon with Bruce Springsteen and many others.

Aerosmith still played the 'Today Show' this morning and Steven Tyler dropped the F-bomb. Video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What is & isn't going on Friday? (Andrew Jackson Jihad/Future of the Left moved, Die Antwoord cancelled, Hospitality & Chris Isaak postponed & more)"

The Jesus and Mary Chain at Osheaga 2012 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

today in NYC
* The Moving Sounds Festival
* Questlove @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Pistol Annies @ Terminal 5
* Suzanne Thorpe @ The Stone
* Hunter/Gatherers @ The Stone
* Field Report @ Union Pool
* CMA Songwriter Series @ Joe's Pub
* PG Six, Ember Schrag @ Zebulon
* Amon Tobin, Holy Other @ Welmont Theatre
* Scott Kettner's Orgy in Rhythm @ Barbes
* B. Fleischmann @ Knitting Factory Brooklyn
* Bennio Qwerty, Cosmonaut @ Glasslands
* Samo Soundboy, Jim-e Stack @ Glasslands
* Kansas, King's X, That 1 Guy @ Best Buy Theatre
* preview show @ Original Music Workshop
* Turbo Fruits, Roomrunner @ Mercury Lounge
* Paperdoll, The New Velvet @ Mercury Lounge
* Com Truise, Lusine, Michna (DJ) @ Art Directors Club
* Alberta Cross, The Ludlow Thieves @ Bowery Ballroom
* Ex Cops, Alia and Zoe sing jazz, James Levy @ Cameo
* Maximo Park, Zambri, Stagnant Pools @ Webster Hall
* William Elliot Whitmore, Samantha Crain @ City Winery
* Why?, Doseone, Serengeti @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* WIN WIN, Steel Phantoms, Behavior, Beast Patrol @ Pianos
* Catbirds, Rain Machine, Cathy @ Knitting Factory Brooklyn
* Philip Jeck & Ted Riederer, Ken Montgomery @ Issue Project Room
* Desert Sharks, King Prom, Wet Nurse, Magnetic Island @ Cake Shop
* N Jetty M, Aaron Maine, Cameron Wisch, Celestial Shore @ Big Snow
* Hard Bodies, Money Now, Nice Purse, Hard Nips @ Shea Stadium
* Wax Poetic, Hess Is More, Love Trio, Clark Gayton @ (le) poisson rouge
* Eugene Mirman, Todd Barry, Jon Glaser, John Mulaney @ The Bell House
* Janeane Garofalo, Justin Silver, Christian Finnegan @ Eastville Comedy Club
* The Jesus and Mary Chain, Psychic Paramount, The Vandelles @ Irving Plaza
* Roulette Celebrates One Year in Brooklyn - Anthony Braxton "Two Ensembles (NYC) 2012

Tonight is the first of two nights The Jesus & Mary Chain will be playing at Irving Plaza. Be sure to get there early for openers (and BV-faves) The Psychic Paramount. Tickets are still available. Check out the video for JAMC's 1990 single "Head On" below.

The fifth-annual Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival starts tonight at The Bell House with a stacked (and sold out) bill featuring Todd Barry, John Mulaney, Jon Glaser, and TBA special guests!

Follow @BrooklynVegan on Twitter.
Follow @bvChicago for just Chicago stuff.
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Be our friend on Facebook too, and BV Austin's friend on Facebook and BV Chicago's friend on Facebook.

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A short film collaboration between Doveman and Tom Kalin is screening at BAM tonight. as part of "Tom Kalin Shorts Program". You can also watch the short film called "From Silence" (NSFW), below...

Hospitality, who'll play Bowery Ballroom in November, just made a revved-up video for their song "8th Avenue" and you can watch that below.

Mission of Burma also have a new video, theirs being the track "Semi-Pseudo-Sort-of Plan" and you can watch that below.

Check out the new vintage porn filled video from Icky Blossoms, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo

Hospitality at Brooklyn Bowl - 8/31/12

As mentioned, Brooklyn bands Hospitality and TEEN are kicking off a tour together this month. That tour doesn't come to NYC but right after it ends, Hospitality will play Bowery Ballroom on November 2. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (9/7) at noon.

TEEN isn't listed on that bill (at least not at the moment), but as discussed, they'll play NYC TONIGHT (9/5) at Glasslands with Acrylics, Bizi Gara, and Fabric (tickets) and will open for Ariel Pink at Webster Hall on September 14 with BODYGUARD (tickets).

Hospitality just played a free show at Brooklyn Bowl last Friday (8/31) with ARMS. They played a new song at that show, which you can watch a video of, plus check out more pictures from the show, and a list of updated Hospitality dates below.

Continue reading "Hospitality played Brooklyn Bowl, adds Bowery Ballroom show to tour (pics, video & updated dates)"

West Coast janglers Craft Spells are heading East next month to play Cincinatti's Midpoint Music Festival (September 27 - 29) which also features the likes of Grizzly Bear, The Walkmen, Dirty Projectors, Sleigh Bells and many more. Tickets for the fest are still available and the whole line-up is at the bottom of this post.

Before the festival, Craft Spells will be in NYC for a show at Glasslands on September 24 with new new romantics Ice Choir. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

You can stream Craft Spells' new-ish EP, Gallery, plus check out the whole Midpoint Music Fest line-up, below.

Continue reading "Craft Spells playing NYC before Midpoint Music Festival (2012 line-up)"

Tickets for the Os Mutantes shows at LPR went on sale today at noon.

Tickets for the Junip show at LPR went on sale today at noon.

Tickets for the Perfume Genius and Dusted show at LPR go on sale Monday (8/6) at 10 AM. Tickets for their MHOW show go on sale Friday, August 10 at noon.

Jozef Van Wissem and Noveller are playing Le Poisson Rouge on September 10. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Tickets for the Mono shows at LPR and Glasslands are on sale now.

Tickets for the Mount Eerie show at LPR are on sale now.

Tickets are still available for John Talabot (DJ) and Jamie xx's LPR show on Saturday (8/4). Tickets are also still available for John Talabot's live show at the same venue, which happens on September 27.

Langhorne Slim plays Brooklyn Bowl on October 25. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

The Circa Survive tour which Touche Amore is supporting on, has been expanded and now includes a second NYC area show, which happens on October 27 at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ. Tickets for that show went on sale today at noon.

Missy Higgins, one day before she opens for Gotye in Camden, three days after she opens for him at Radio City, and one day after Gotye plays Williamsburg Park (which she does not open), plays her own NYC show at The Bell House on September 28 with Butterfly Boucher. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Those Darlins (who recently opened for Best Coast) and Heavy Cream play Glasslands on October 26. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

As mentioned, Sonny & the Sunsets are touring with Magic Trick and hitting NYC for three area shows this month. We're giving away a pair of tickets for the Maxwell's show (8/15). Details on how to enter are below.

Hospitality are playing Brooklyn Bowl on August 31. It's FREE with RSVP or $5 at the door. The show is right in the middle of a tour that Hospitality is going on with TEEN.

Sonny & the Sunsets contest details are below.

Continue reading "tickets on sale: Os Mutantes, Junip, Perfume Genius, Noveller, Missy Higgins, Those Darlins, Hospitality, Sonny and the Sunsets, Langhorne Slim & more"

The Treasure Island Music Festival returns to San Francisco on October 13 and 14, featuring an impressive line-up including The xx, M83, Joanna Newsom, Grimes, Public Enemy, SBTRKT, Divine Fits (who just played their first-ever show last night), Ty Segall, The War on Drugs, Youth Lagoon Toro y Moi, Best Coast and more. Tickets are on sale now in both individual day or 2-day packages.

The full Treasure Island Fest line-up is below.

Continue reading "Treasure Island Music Festival 2012 line-up (M83, The xx, Joanna Newsom, SBTRKT, Divine Fits, Public Enemy & more)"

DOWNLOAD: TEEN - Rumblette Mixtape (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: TEEN - Electric (MP3)

As mentioned before, Brooklyn band TEEN will release their debut album via Carpark on August 28. A second track from the album, "Electric," has now been made available to download which you can do above. The band have also put together a "Rumbelette Mixtape" that features Pavement and Rickie Lee Jones covers, as well as pairing themselves with Aphex Twin and Outkast. You can download that above or stream it below.

The band just played a couple NYC shows (anybody go see them at Union Pool?) and their next local show is a record release party for their debut on September 5 at Glasslands with Acrylics and Bizi Gara. Tickets are on sale now.

TEEN will then open for Ariel Pink at Webster Hall on September 14 and then head out on tour with Hospitality (no New York shows though). All tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "TEEN released free mixtape (download), playing record release show at Glasslands; going on tour with Hospitality"

photos by Amanda Hatfield and Chris La Putt; words by Bill Pearis

Archers of Loaf / Crocodiles / the scene at 4Knots 2012

Even though the fire that broke out on the deck at the South Street Seaport Mall was certainly the most memorable act of the day, the Village Voice 4Knots Festival was a fine time at South Street Seaport, loaded with good performances amid the smoke and oppressive humidity. There was a big crowd for this second year of the fest, much bigger than last year, and though there wasn't a headliner the size of, say, Steve Malkmus or M.I.A. or Spoon (like they had at Siren in years past), that seemed by design in these post-Drake years. I like every band that played the main stage.

Well, I don't know anything about the first two bands who played the main stage -- The Smiling Lies and Fast Years -- who played before I got there at 1PM and seemed to be on by contractual obligation. Nick Waterhouse made a good, friendly primer for the day with his vintage, baritone sax-fueled '60s soul and R&B, looking dapper in a white oxford shirt that had to have been hot on stage. I prefer him in a tiny sweaty club to a big outdoor fest (I can say that about most bands) but he had the sweaty part down.

Bleached were up next and while we've yet to get an album from these girls, the crowd seemed to know most of their set of hook-laden poppy, punky, curled-lip songs. Hospitality were up next -- almost exactly a year ago they played to about 60 people at the Fulton Stall Market across the street from the Seaport, and they've come a long way since. Most of the crowd was bobbing along to much of their Merge debut... at least till the fire cut their set short.

After the smoke cleared it was Crocodiles whose new album Endless Flowers finds them branching out of strict JAMC love into brighter, poppier corners. They were probably the most animated band of the day with Brandon Welchez definitely playing up the rock frontman gig to the hilt. Crocodiles also inspired the only crowd surfing I saw on Saturday (but I might have missed some).

Speaking of animated, The Drums were up next. Once known for their Bring It On as an indie rock band, tambourine-tossing fabulousness, they are now a real live rock band with little in the way of backing tracks. While I think their most recent album was pretty good, and they sounded tight, they are a little on the subdued side live these days, or at least have been the last two times I've seen them. I think I liked them better live when they mostly pretended to play their instruments.

I was wondering if a lot of the crowd might leave after The Drums' set but, nope, everyone stuck around for recently-reformed '90s indie rock royalty Archers of Loaf. I'll admit I was never the biggest fan -- that was my college roommate, who seemed to get mail-order daily from TeenBeet, Merge and Simple Machines while I scoured import racks for Ride and Blur EPs -- but I certainly absorbed a lot through osmosis and the hit-filled set ("Web in Front," "Wrong," "Plumb") was even recognizable to this casual Archers listener. My friend Chris, a giant Archers fan, dubbed their performance "awesome."

Meanwhile on the Skipper's stage, we got mischievous Montreal band Doldrums, the twangy retro rock of Devin, punk-ish rockers Team Spirit (featuring Ayad of Passion Pit) and Delicate Steve whose set was also cut short due to the fire. And the afterparty went down in Beekman Beer Garden where things got wild during Black Lips' set.

More pictures from 4Knots are below...

Continue reading "4knots Festival in pics (Archers of Loaf, The Drums, Crocodiles, Bleached, Hospitality, Nick Waterhouse and more)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield and Chris La Putt; words by Bill Pearis

As you may have heard, there was a big fire at the Pier 17 mall at South Street Seaport during the 4Knots Festival which broke out around 4PM, right in the middle of Hospitality's set. I was in the crowd watching the band and left about 3/4 of the way through to meet some friends on the VIP/press boat The Peking which is docked on the other side of the stage. Walking up the gangplank, I noticed everyone on the boat seemed to be gathered on the side, looking over at the Skipper's stage. My initial thought was "wow, Delicate Steve (who was playing or about to play) is more popular than I thought" but then I saw the smoke, which was emanating from the lower outside deck on the Southeast corner of the mall.

Then there were flames, and the smoke turned black. The flames got bigger. Hospitality were still playing, and didn't know anything was going on until someone came up and stopped them. Though you could hear the sirens wailing, the Shark boat was first on the scene using its hose to try and douse the flames which were now reaching the second floor deck. I thought for sure 4Knots would be canceled at this point. Then the FDNY boats arrived (it was a three alarm fire), and had most of the flames out quickly, except for the vending machine (a 'dippin dots' type ice cream thing) which would not go out and seemed to all of us watching to be the cause of the fire.

After about a half hour, things cooled down, and though that vending machine was still smoking (it took almost two hours to get it all out) the music resumed. Actually, Delicate Steve started playing what seemed to be improv jams to soundtrack the action which was under control at that point. Turns out it was an electrical fire:

Fire officials say the blaze that engulfed part of a building in New York City's South Street Seaport was caused by faulty electrical wiring.

Fire marshals also were looking Sunday into whether there was any structural damage from Saturday's blaze in the tourist-friendly historic neighborhood.

The fire started under Pier 17 on the East River. It covered about 100 square feet. Big plumes of black smoke wafted over the Manhattan skyline.

Fire Department spokesman Jim Long said the blaze "could have been a disaster." The pier was teeming with hundreds of visitors. But no one was hurt, and firefighters doused the flames in less than two hours. [AP]

Needless to say, the fire was extremely well documented, as dozens of photographers were there for the fest and of course hundreds more were there with their smart phones out. More of our photos and some videos are below.

Continue reading "South Street Seaport Mall caught fire during 4Knots Music Fest (pics & video)"

As you know, Siren Fest replacement 4Knots goes down at South Street Seaport this Saturday. Here are the times:

Main Stage
12:15 p.m.: The Smiling Lies
12:30 p.m.: The Fast Years
1:30 p.m.: Nick Waterhouse
2:30 p.m.: Bleached
3:30 p.m.: Hospitality
4:30 p.m.: Crocodiles
5:30 p.m.: The Drums
6:30 p.m.: Archers of Loaf

Skippers Stage
1:00 p.m.: Doldrums
2:00 p.m.: Devin
3:00 p.m.: Team Spirit
4:00 p.m.: Delicate Steve

Afterparty at Beekman Beer Garden (not free)
7:00 p.m.: doors
?:?? p.m.: DJ Jonathan Toubin
?:?? p.m.: Kid Congo Powers + The Pink Monkey Birds
?:?? p.m.: The Black Lips

Nick Waterhouse also has some other shows coming up.

Continue reading "free 4Knots Music Festival is Saturday (set times)"

photos by Chris Graham and Rae Graham

Bon Iver/The Walkmen, variations on a theme at Sasquatch - 5/27/12

Experiencing live music at The Gorge is a powerful and emotional experience. It may seem unlikely, however, that The Gorge has the power to break even the most emotionally strong person down to tears. When Bon Iver performed "Skinny Love" on Sunday night, tears were not a rare sight. In fact, they were pretty common. Sasquatch! fosters an environment that will change the way you listen to music. Your favorite songs will never sound the same. New songs will become life-changing memories. [Oregon Daily Emerald]

Pictures of Friday (5/25) are here and Saturday (5/26) are here and here. And...more Sasquatch pictures to come.

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2012 in pics - the rest of Day 3 (Bon Iver, Zola Jesus, The Walkmen, Little Dragon, Hospitality and more)"

Tune-Yards at an ACL taping (more by Tim Griffin)

today in NYC
* Trio S @ The Stone
* Opera on Tap @ Barbes
* Imani Uzuri @ Joe's Pub
* Sasha Dobson @ The Stone
* Bill Carney's Jug Addicts @ Barbes
* Xylos, Ms Mr, Ninifabi @ Glasslands
* Never Sleep Alone (NSA) @ Joe's Pub
* Nass Gnawa, Hiro Kone (DJ) @ Zebulon
* Radiohead, Caribou @ Prudential Center
* The Stooges Brass Band @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Juju from The Beatnuts (DJ) @ The Grand Victory
* Psychedelic Furs @ Landmark on Main Street
* Jokers of The Scene, Tezeo, DJ JDH @ Glasslands
* Battle of the Boroughs (Manhattan) @ The Greene Space
* Human Highlight Reel, Lost Coves, KNTRLR @ The Gutter
* Wild Yaks, Las Ardillas, Hector's Pets @ The Rock Shop
* The Senate, Stone Cold Fox, Ula Ruth @ Knitting Factory
* Kiss It Goodbye, Tiger Flowers, Fashion Week @ Acheron
* OBN IIIs, Twin Guns, The Omens, Foster Care @ Cake Shop
* Andrew Rose Gregory, Land of Leland, Icewater @ Union Hall
* Porcelain Raft, Firehorse, Jane Jane Pollock @ Mercury Lounge
* Cooper (Performing Weezer's "Blue Album") @ Mercury Lounge
* Tune-Yards, Micachu & The Shapes, Delicate Steve @ Terminal 5
* Freelance Whales, Lucius, Spanish Prisoners @ Bowery Ballroom
* Electric People, Tender Lion, Mammox, Drunk Monk @ XPO 929
* Monica Lionheart, Rana Santacruz, Contramano @ Cameo Gallery
* Woodsman, Dustin Wong, Jovontaes, Herbcraft @ Big Snow Buffalo Lodge
* ZEBU!, Real Life Time Machines, Omnivore, Inky Jack @ Death By Audio
* Menage A Twang, Doll Parts, Gentleman Callers, Woodpecker @ The Bell House
* Darmstadt 2012: Pauline Oliveros 80th Birthday Celebration @ Issue Project Room
* Don't Upset The Bear, Melissa and Paul, Gypsy Wig, Big Wilson River @ Maxwell's
* Murphy's Law, Runny, The Last Stand, Agitator, Tribal Force, No Dice @ Saint Vitus
* Leda (formerly Amy Klein and the Blue Star Band), Play/Start, noon:30 @ Union Pool
* Seasick Mama, Young Midnight, Love Skills, Sean Glass (DJ), Nicole Atkins (DJ) at Cameo
* Autre Ne Veut, Co La, Beige, Physical Therapy (DJ set), Peter Fonda (DJ set) @ Shea Stadium
* Galactic, Corey Glover (Living Colour) & Corey Henry (Rebirth Brass Band), special guests Skerik & Mike Dillon, The Dead Kenny G's @ Brooklyn Bowl

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Check out a few videos below including a Black Keys video for "Gold on the Ceiling" directed by Harmony Korine (for real), a tour video with X-Ray Eyeballs and Hospitality performing "The Birthday" at a restaurant quipment depot in Manhattan.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Archers of Loaf at Bowery Ballroom in April (more by Joe McCabe)

We finally posted those Archers of Loaf Bowery Ballroom pictures yesterday, and then today this happens:

The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper, is thrilled to announce the Archers Of Loaf added to this year's The 4Knots Music Festival at the South Street Seaport, Piers 16 & 17 on Saturday, July 14, 2012 from 1:00 - 8:00 PM. Team Spirit, Doldrums and Devin will also join the bill, featuring The Drums, Crocodiles, Hospitality, Bleached and Nick Waterhouse. More artists to be announced.

The 4Knots Music Festival will expand this year to include Piers 16 and 17 with a second outdoor side stage confirmed. Expanding to Pier 16 will allow the 4Knots Music Festival to include more performers.

And speaking of Nick Waterhouse, he just played Mercury Lounge, but unlike as previously reported, will not be back to play Dekalb Market. 4Knots is his next NYC show.

Other free shows coming up at South Street Seaport are listed HERE. No official word on whether they'll be another 4Knots pre-show like there was with Ted Leo last year (but stay tuned).

The Drums at Hotel Vegan day party March 2012 (more by Tim Griffin)

The Village Voice has announced the initial line-up of its 4Knots Festival which happens July 14 at South St. Seaport. Headliners for the free show are The Drums, with Crocodiles (which we already knew), Hospitality, Bleached and Nick Waterhouse being the others. Unlike last year, there will be a second stage as well on neighboring Pier 16 (Pier 17 is where the Seaport Music Festival Happens). Stay tuned for the rest of the line-up.

If you're curious about Nick Waterhouse, the retrofied R&B bandleader plays a late show at Mercury Lounge this Saturday (5/19) and you can download a live album too.

the flyer (with most of the bands playing on it)

BrooklynVegan is proud to team up with M for Montreal again for a FREE Day Party in Austin on Thursday, March 15th from noon-7pm at Hotel Vegan (one of BrooklynVegan's FOUR DAYS in the venue located at 1500 E. 6th St.).

I'll let this full three-stage lineup speak for itself...

Stage 1 (Hotel Vegas Outside)
12:00 Of Monsters & Men
12:45 Glen Hansard (of Swell Season & the Frames)
1:30 We Are Serenades (formerly Serenades, mem. Shout Out Louds)
2:15 Hospitality
3:00 Korallreven (mem. of the Radio Dept)
3:45 Fanfarlo
4:30 The Drums
5:15 The Wedding Present
6:15 This Will Destroy You

Stage 2 (Hotel Vegas Inside)
12:00 Half Moon Run
12:45 Thus:Owls
1:30 Cold Specks
2:15 Cymbals Eat Guitars
3:00 The Velvet Teen
3:45 Yellow Ostrich
4:30 The Jealous Sound
5:15 Parlovr

Stage 3 (Volstead) (BV Austin stage)
12:15 Love Inks
1:00 Feathers
1:45 Gashcat
2:30 Ringo Deathstarr
3:15 Silent Diane
4:00 The Young
5:00 Ume

In addition to the completely free lineup of 24 bands playing on THREE stages, we will also have complimentary drinks courtesy of HobNob Wines, the official wine parter of our entire week of FREE PARTIES at Hotel Vegan (check out HobNob's Facebook page for free music downloads), and a hosted bar courtesy of Sailor Jerry

We will also have FREE VEGAN TREATS courtesy of NadaMoo! and FREE Honest Tea. AND Supercuts will have a team of stylists on-site the entire day providing FREE haircuts and styling!

Special thanks to all of our partners and sponsors for making this party possible - including Vox, Blackstar and Korg, our official backline partners, as well as ASCAP, HobNob Wines, NadaMoo!, Sailor Jerry and M for Montreal! And special thanks to GBH Design for making our awesome flyer!

--

This is the first full day at Hotel Vegan announced. 2/3 of the Wednesday lineup is HERE. Friday and Saturday coming shortly.

We also have THREE official showcases (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday), and a Saturday metal day party at Lovejoys,

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Hospitality @ Public Assembly for BV-CMJ in October 2011

Hospitality's tour with Tennis hits Bowery Ballroom for a sold out NYC show tonight (3/3). If you don't have tickets, you can still buy one for the show happening Monday night at Music Hall of Williamsburg (3/5), and you can catch Hospitality (without Tennis) for FREE in New Haven, CT at Bar on Wednesday (3/7).

You can also catch Hospitality for free at the BrooklynVegan day party happening March 15th at Hotel Vegas in Austin, part of our four day 'Hotel Vegan' extravaganza during SXSW. Stay tuned for more details including the full lineup for that.

Maybe you caught Hospitality for free when they played the Friday BrooklynVegan day party at Public Assembly during CMJ this year. Here are some pictures from that Brooklyn performance. More of them, with all tour dates (stint with Eleanor Friedberger included), below...

Continue reading "Hospitality on tour w/ Tennis, playing free show in CT, playing BV-SXSW 2012, played BV-CMJ 2011 (pics & dates)"