photos by Amanda Hatfield

Deer Tick @ Webster Hall

Deer Tick hit Webster Hall last night (11/20) with Guards and Thomas Hardy (of Dead Confederate). it was the last date on a larger tour that kicked off in October and hit Reggie's in Chicago along the way, and it was probably the largest headlining show on that tour (and definitely much bigger than Death By Audio). Here are some pictures from Webster Hall, though none of the destruction (aka broken instruments) that ended the two hour show (Deer Tick is always good for ending things in style).

Two days earlier, the same lineup hit Ithaca where someone wrote...

Deer Tick's set was not as much a performance as much as it was a time for both fans and players to come together and enjoy each other's company through their love for music. Deer Tick was not playing and singing for us; they were playing and singing with us. This could not be articulated as accurately as when McCauley led a sing-along on opening number "The Bump," wailing "I suggest you move/We're full-grown men/We act like kids." This youthful playfulness that the band set forth from the get-go marked what would become an evening of a shared joy between the band and the crowd. But as much as both the musicians and the fans seemed to be enjoying themselves, the band may have overstayed their welcome. Even with a set that clocked in at over two hours in length including Deer Tick's set, some solo tunes from McCauley, and new material with a freshly formed supergroup featuring McCauley and opening acts Thomas Hardy and the Guards, the boys of Deer Tick seemed to have enjoyed themselves a little too much....
-[Cornell Daily Sun]

When the Webster Hall show was first announced, I'm pretty sure Virgin Forest were listed as opener. I'm not sure what happened there, but today another Virgin Forest show was announced and it's happening at Glasslands on 12/7 and Ian O'Neil of Deer Tick is opening. Tickets are on sale.

More pictures from Webster Hall and a video of the Deer Tick/Guards/Thomas Hardy supergroup (see above), below...

Continue reading "Deer Tick, Guards & Thomas Hardy played Webster Hall (pics), Ian O'Neil playing Glasslands w/ Virgin Forest"

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo

Misteur Valaire @ BV Day Party

Casiokids @ The Parish

Deer Tick @ Terrorbird Media Day Party

Catching up a bit. Here's what Dominick saw in Austin on Saturday, March 19, 2011....

Continue reading "SXSW 2011 Day 4 pics"

DOWNLOAD: Middle Brother - Middle Brother (MP3)

Middle Brother over Corndawg (more by Tim Griffin)

As the "Middle Brother" release date of March 1st approaches, the band have released the title-track from their self-titled debut album. Grab the MP3 for the first time above, or listen to the song in the band's new iPhone app. Pre-order the album via Partisan Records.

Middle Brother (the band) is comprised of the unmistakable three voices of Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, John McCauley of Deer Tick, and Matthew Vasquez of Delta Spirit, but in "Middle Brother" (the song) you'll also recognize the voice of Jonny Corndawg who also helped them write the tune.

Middle Brother kick off their first-ever tour on March 2nd in Washington DC. That's the tour that will include FULL SETS by Middle Brother AND Deer Tick AND Dawes on almost all March dates including on March 5th at Music Hall of Williamsburg and March 6th at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets to both of those shows are still on sale.

Jonny Corndawg (pictured above) will be on the tour and performing at all Middle Brother shows, though he'll only be playing full opening sets at the newly-added April California shows (list below). After California, Corndawg heads back to NYC in time to finish off another Brooklyn residency - last time it was at Union Pool, this time it's at Brooklyn Bowl (April 4, 11, 18 & 25).

Middle Brother's March run ends at SXSW in March. There the band play the previously-mentioned Ground Control Touring showcase at Auditorium Shores on March 19th, and they will play a BrooklynVegan day party one day earlier - March 18th & Swan Dive/Barabarella. BrooklynVegan (we) have teamed up with Partisan Records and Knitting Factory for a free, afternoon, 3-stage event. It will be Middle Brother's only day party, and Deer Tick are on the bill too. The rest of the lineup and more details TBA. Stay tuned.

Back to NYC for a second, this related show is also happening:

VIRGIN FOREST (4/5ths of phosphorescent)
IAN P. O'NEIL (deer tick)
VIO/MIRÉ
and DJ DAVID LETTERMAN
Sunday Feb 20th @ Legion Bar
790 Metropolitan Ave. At Humboldt Wburg, BK, $5 / 8pm

Continue reading "new Middle Brother MP3 & updated tour dates, new Delta Spirit video, another Jonny Corndawg residency, SXSW & more"

John & Ian & barrels of wine

After a rousing opening set by duo The Shivers, Deer Tick frontman John McCauley and Deer Tick guitarist Ian O'Neil (who also used to be in Titus Andronicus) took turns playing completely solo and with each other at their show at City Winery in NYC last night (1/19). In front of an over-packed house, they each used their voices and guitars as instruments, and sometimes John sat down at the piano. Speaking of sitting down, that's what most of the crowd was doing, at their tables where food, beer, and especially wine were flowing. Others were standing around the edges of the spacious venue because there weren't any seats left.

The setlist was heavy on Deer Tick classics that I was especially happy to hear stripped down, included brand new unrecorded songs (often the ones Ian sang), Middle Brother songs (including the song "Middle Brother" with assistance from special guest and audience member Jonny Corndawg who helped write the song), a Replacements cover, and a John Prine cover. They closed with a festive cover of Buddy Holly's "Oh Boy." The only dissapointment was that John had a piano at his disposal and he didn't use it to play "Christ Jesus."

The merch table had Jonny Corndawg-created Beavis & Butthead (John & Ian) airbrushed shirts for sale, and the venue was selling limited edition bottles of City Winery-made John McCauley 'petit shiraz' wine (pictures below).

One night earlier, as I hinted they might, both John and Ian showed up and played sets at the final night of Corndawg's Union Pool residency in Brooklyn.

Go catch John and Ian on tour with each other now, catch Corndawg out on tour with Dawes, and see Middle Brother when they tour with Deer Tick and Dawes in March (tickets are still on sale for both NYC shows). Everyone's dates are listed HERE.

More pictures and some videos from City Winery, and videos from Union Pool too, below...

Continue reading "John McCauley & Ian O'Neil (and Jonny Corndawg) played City Winery (and Union Pool) "

DOWNLOAD: Deer Tick - Christmas All Summer Long (MP3)

What better than a Deer Tick Christmas tune? How about two Deer Tick Christmas tunes? Grab "Christmas All Summer Long" from Deer Tick's new two track holiday EP "Holy Shit, It's Christmas!...", which is out digitally now, and get the whole EP for free with any Deer Tick purchase at PartisanRecords.com. There is no physical release at the moment, but they say anything's possible in the future.

The full set of dates of that previously-mentioned solo tour (City Winery included), which will actually be "Deer Tick's frontman, John McCauley, along with guitarist / vocalist Ian O'Neil [performing] songs from [The Black Dirt Sessions] in smaller rooms, as well as older Deer Tick songs, cover tunes and songs from McCauley's other project, Middle Brother (formerly MG&V)."Formerly MG&V? I missed that news until now.

Dates below...

Continue reading "a Deer Tick Christmas EP (MP3), updated John & Ian solo dates"