photos by PSquared Photography

Iron & Wine at the Capitol Theatre - 5/19/13

Iron & Wine is currently on a tour with the Secret Sisters in support of his new album, Ghost on Ghost, which hit NYC last week (5/14) at Beacon Theater and then circled back to the area for a Port Chester show at the Capitol Theater this past Sunday (5/19). Pictures of the latter are in this post.

For the tour, Sam Beam is being backed by a 13-piece band, and also takes some time out of his sets to do some solo acoustic material. Both NYC-area shows saw him playing the bulk of Ghost on Ghost in addition to a good amount of earlier material, but he had some surprises thrown in there too, including his cover of The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" at the Cap show.

More pictures from the Cap and setlists/videos from both shows below...

Continue reading "Iron & Wine played the Capitol Theatre & Beacon Theatre (pics, videos, setlists)"

Iron & Wine aka Sam Beam recently released Ghost on Ghost, his fifth album which is also his Nonesuch Records debut. Iron & Wine are out supporting that release on a tour with the Secret Sisters that brings them to a sold out Beacon Theater in NYC tonight (5/14) and a not-sold-out-yet Capitol Theater in Port Chester on 5/19. That tour was also just expanded to include more North American cities in September. Check out the full list of dates below, along with videos from the band's recent appearances on Conan and Fallon...

Continue reading "Iron & Wine is here, released 'Ghost on Ghost', expanded tour, played Conan & Fallon (video & dates)"

Iron and Wine at Terminal 5 in 2011 (more by David Andrako)

As mentioned, Iron and Wine is releasing his fifth album, Ghost on Ghost, on April 16 via Nonesuch. He just announced that he'll be supporting that album with a tour with The Secret Sisters which hits the NYC area on May 14 at Beacon Theatre and May 19 at Capitol Theatre. Tickets for the Beacon Theatre show go on sale Friday (2/22) at 11 AM with a presale starting Thursday (2/21) at 11 AM, and tickets for the Capitol Theatre show are not on sale yet, but you can check ticketfly for updates.

A list of all dates and a stream of Ghost on Ghost single, "Lovers' Revolution," below...

Continue reading "Iron and Wine announces 2013 tour (dates)"

by Bill Pearis

Sam Beam returns with Ghost on Ghost, his fifth Iron & Wine album and first for Nonesuch. It hits shelves on April 16. The record was produced by longtime collaborator Brian Deck and if "Lover's Revolution," the first released track from it, is any indication it will be a jazzy, horn-filled affair. You can stream that track and check out album art and track list below.

Continue reading "Iron & Wine announced new LP (artwork, track list, stream)"

The Newport Festivals Foundation continues to celebrate the festival's historic past by featuring emerging young artists alongside some of folk music's most venerable names. This year's festival features: My Morning Jacket, Jackson Browne, Conor Oberst, Iron & Wine, Patty Griffin, Guthrie Family Reunion, Dawes, The Head & The Heart, Deer Tick, Punch Brothers, City & Colour, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The Tallest Man on Earth, tUnE-yArDs, Tom Morello, Trampled by Turtles, Gary Clark, Jr., Alabama Shakes, Blind Pilot, Of Monsters and Men, original music from: Jay Farrar; Will Johnson; Anders Parker; & Yim Yames set to the lyrics of Woody Guthrie, Sharon Van Etten, First Aid Kit, Sara Watkins, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Brown Bird, Jonny Corndawg, Jonathan Wilson, Spirit Family Reunion, Deep Dark Woods, Carl Broemel, Ben Sollee, Robert Ellis, Frank Fairfield, The Apache Relay, Spider John Koerner & His Rag Tag Boys, Joel Rafael, Joe Fletcher & The Wrong Reasons, Elizabeth Mitchell, honeyhoney, Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, The Kossoy Sisters, The Berklee City Music Choir and very special guests to be announced.

photos by David Andrako

"Iron & wine at T5 was incredible, duh. Full band serves him well. Also, 3 from Woman King!" -davidsankey

Iron & Wine return to Terminal 5 TONIGHT (10/13), after blessing the venue with Low last night as part of their two-night stay. The Low Anthem will do warm 'em duties tonight and tickets are still available for all of you procrastinators. Pictures from last night are in this post.

No word on if Marketa Irglova will join Iron & Wine like she did last night, but we'll let you know if that changes. You CAN catch her at her confirmed appearance on 11/30 at Bowery Ballroom though. Tickets are still available.

More pictures from night one are below.

Continue reading "Iron & Wine played Terminal 5 w/ Low & special guest Marketa Irglova (pics)"

Iron & Wine at MFNW (more by Autumn Andel)

Though this is strictly conjecture, I am guessing that Sam Beam (no relation to Jim) is currently in the air over the Atlantic Ocean, returning to the US from a date in the UK. His first stop on American soil will be NYC where he will front Iron & Wine for the next two nights (10/12 and 10/13) at Terminal 5. As previously mentioned, he plays with a pair of "Low" bands (Low open 10/12 and The Low Anthem open 10/13). Tickets for both 10/12 and 10/13 are still available, and we have a way you can win your way in.

Feeling lucky? We have one Iron & Wine/Low MEGA-prize pack for for someone wanting to go to the 10/12 show! Head below for your chance to win two tickets to the 10/12 show, a poster commemorating the event, 12" vinyl AND a t-shirt from EACH band, and a scarf (for real)!

All tour dates and videos down there too...

Continue reading "Iron & Wine arrive shortly, win a prize pack that includes tix to the Wednesday show with Low"

photos by Autumn Andel

Shabazz Palaces / The Horrors

The Horrors took matters to another level of performance.. [utilizing] brooding electric grooves and jeering melodies. Forget the spidery androgynous demeanor and spazzy mannerisms - these guys bring it when it comes to live performance, pure and simple. Their new album is a solid piece of work, a considerable triumph over their previous and an exciting sampling of their continuing creative evolution.

The band opened with the first song off new album Skying, called "Changing The Rain," fearlessly putting their newest foot forward in a challenge to those hung up on the band's earlier sounds. We took the evolution in stride, however, as the British quintet delivered a solid performance that continually dipped into new material, finally concluding around the midnight hour with the new 80s throwback "Moving Further Away". [Crave Online]

MFNW Day 2 pics HERE and HERE. Day 1 HERE. More pictures from day three, including shots of Marketa Irglova, Iron & Wine, Shabazz Palaces, and The Horrors, are below.

Continue reading "MFNW Day 3 in pics (The Horrors, Shabazz Palaces, Marketa Irglova & Iron & Wine)"

Low at Radio City in April (more by WInnie Cheung)

Openers have been announced for the Iron and Wine shows at Terminal 5 in October. The first night (8/12) will be opened by their former Sub Pop labelmates Low (who seem to be continuing their trend of opening for huge bands who came after them) and the second night (8/13) by the similarly named but entirely different sounding The Low Anthem who also just announced a big tour. Tickets for both T5 shows are on sale.

Speaking of low bands, Lower Dens are on tour with Cass McCombs and play Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday. Tickets are still on sale and we're giving away some at our facebook.

All Low & Low Anthem tour dates (none together) below...

Continue reading "Low & Low Anthem both touring, both opening for Iron & Wine"

photos by Louie Abellera

Iron & Wine in Chicago on June 6th

Iron and Wine have been pretty busy after the release of their major label debut Kiss Each Other Clean back in January. They kicked off the year with a tour that hit Radio City, have hit a bunch of festivals, and have more coming including ACL and MusicfestNW, in addition to other international summer shows. There's no evidence they'll keep this up and do a full fall tour, but it doesn't seem entirely out of the question considering they've just announced two NYC dates (and a show in Toronto).

Iron & Wine will play NYC's Terminal 5 on October 12 and 13. Tickets for both NYC shows go on sale Friday (7/15) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (7/13) at noon. No openers have been announced for the shows yet.

Back on June 6th, Iron & Wine played a free show as part of the Downtown Sound Summer Music Series in Chicago. A set of pictures and the setlist from that show are in this post. More of the pics along with all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Iron & Wine announce dates (2 T5 shows + pics from Chicago)"

Here is the initial lineup for Willamette Week's MusicfestNW, scheduled for Sept. 7-11, 2011 in Portland, Oregon, and it's pretty great. The multi-venue fest includes big outdoor performances by Band of Horses (Sunday, Sept. 11), Explosions in the Sky (Saturday, Sept. 10), and Iron & Wine (Friday, Sept. 9), in addition to shows with everyone from Archers of Loaf to Big Freedia to Butthole Surfers to Neurosis. Tickets go on sale Friday, June 3rd. Check out the full list below...

Continue reading "MusicfestNW 2011 -- dates & initial lineup"

The 10th Anniversary ACL Festival line-up is on the books. Stevie Wonder, Arcade Fire, Kanye West, Coldplay, My Morning Jacket, Fleet Foxes, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Nas & Damian "Jr Gong" Marley and Cee Lo top the bill of the over 130 bands. Bright Eyes, Social Distortion, Empire of the Sun, Santigold, Pretty Lights, TV On The Radio, Skrillex, Big Boi and Randy Newman are also on tap to rock September 16-18.

Continue reading "Austin City Limits 2011 festival lineup is here, tickets on sale"

Bonnaroo (June 9-12 in Manchester Tennessee) has announced the 2011 lineup (slightly early), and like the rumored Lollapalooza lineup, Eminem is among the headliners. Bonnaroo also has Grammy winners Arcade Fire and the Black Keys, in addition to Lil Wayne, Mumford & Sons, the Strokes, The Decemberists, Florence & the Machine, Girl Talk, Beirut (haven't seen them in a while), and many more. Full list below...

Continue reading "Bonnaroo 2011 lineup is here"

Big names and regulars aside, there are a few bands I want to highlight on the just-announced Sasquatch lineup: Wolf Parade ("indefinite hiatus" rumors be damned), The Flaming Lips (performing "The Soft Bulletin"), Death From Above 1979 (now three reunion shows total), Guided By Voices (they're not done yet), and... Archers of Loaf (!). The full lineup of the fest that goes down in Gorge, Washington in May (Memorial Day Weekend), is below...

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2011 lineup announced (Archers of Loaf, Guided By Voices, Wolf Parade, DFA 1979 & "The Soft Bulletin" included)"

"saw iron & wine at radio city last night. show was amazing. it was an electric rock show with a huge band. sam pulled it off." - travis johnson

Radio City Music Hall, moments before Iron & Wine (by Chris Shiflett)

"Iron and Wine kind of blew it last night. When an artist goes for a sound more or less the polar opposite of the one that made them famous, they better bring their A game. Sufjan did it last year, sadly Iron and Wine did not. Bloozy sax rock is not where its at man. 75 minute sets at a sold out Radio City at 50 a ticket aint too great either. That said, some of the new stuff was great, and the Trapeze encore was wonderful." [Anonymous | January 30, 2011 1:25 PM]

Continue reading "Iron & Wine played Radio City Music Hall (setlist & video)"

Iron & Wine @ Regina Folk Fest 2009 (more by Chris Graham)

today in NYC
* Tony Green @ Barbes
* Ralph Alessi @ The Stone
* Toshi Reagon @ Joe's Pub
* DJ Spinna's birthday @ Santos
* Chiddy Bang @ Irving Plaza
* Nasheet Waits @ The Stone
* Las Rubias Del Norte @ Barbes
* Kneebody, Daedelus @ Southpaw
* Regal Degal, Beige @ Cameo Gallery
* Makane Kouyate's Denbaya @ Barbes
* Daniel Kitson @ St. Ann's Warehouse
* Sarah Jarosz @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Callers, Nat Baldwin, Teen @ Union Pool
* The Muffs, Paul Collins' Beat @ Maxwell's
* Classixx, James Friedman @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Terry Riley, Gyan Riley @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars @ Zebulon
* Baby Dayliner, The Beatards @ Mercury Lounge
* Noveller, Bell, Grooms, Sundelles @ Bruar Falls
* Soft Black, Drunk Tigers, Shaker Pegs @ Death By Audio
* Iron & Wine, Edie Brickell @ Radio City Music Hall
* Mission of Burma, Buke and Gass @ The Bell House
* Dickey Betts & Great Southern @ The Concert Hall
* The Lisps, Mountains, Car On The Moon @ The Rock Shop
* The Dismemberment Plan, Poor But Sexy @ Webster Hall
* Robert Plant, North Mississippi Allstars @ Beacon Theatre
* Myra Melford, Brandon Ross, Stomu Takeishi @ 92YTribeca
* Zoso (Led Zeppelin cover band) @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Richard Lloyd, The Waldos, The Mess Around @ Don Pedros
* Mirror Mirror, Zambri, Autre Ne Veut, Laurel Halo @ Pianos
* Trigger Effect, Crows Vs. Vultures, Left Alive @ The Acheron
* No Mor Musik, The Rat Bastard Experience @ Issue * Project Room
* Real Estate, Andy Rourke of the Smiths (DJ Set), Art Con @ Union Hall
* Rioux, Beast Make Bomb, Web Dating, Ducky @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* Controlled Bleeding, PC Worship, Hubble, Clients Not Friends @ Cake Shop
* Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley @ Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank)
* Eye Of The Tiger, Big Daddy Project, The Orion Experience @ Knitting Factory
* Blanks 77, Violent Society, Radio Exiles, Combat Crisis, Sped @ Santos Party House
* Black Taxi, Deadbeat Darling, The Frontier Brothers, My Pet Dragon @ Bowery Ballroom
* Beach Fossils, A Place To Bury Strangers, Caveman, Guards, Arms, Dreamers of the Ghetto @ Glasslands
* Unstoppable Death Machines, Lionshare, Reality War, Nine 11 Thesaurus, Filthy Savage, Ritz Riot @ Silent Barn
* Team Robespierre, Personality Crisis, Shapes, Life Size Maps, Viva Mayday, Sister Helen, Jake Harms and The Nelsonvillains @ Shea Stadium
* deVries, Plastic Crimewave Sound, The High Dials, Bipolaroid, 28 Degrees Taurus, The Runaway Suns, Weird Owl, Brooklyn Raga Association @ Party Xpo (Brooklyn PsychFest 2)

More details on Brooklyn Psychfest are below.

Zoso, a Led Zeppelin tribute band, is playing Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight.

The real Robert Plant is playing Beacon Theatre.

Big night at CT's Mohegan Sun with competing Aziz Ansari & Michael Winslow shows in the same venue!

Iron & Wine headline Radio City Music Hall tonight. Video of their appaarance on Conan from earlier in the week is below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

DOWNLOAD: Iron & Wine - Tree By the River (new MP3)

Iron & Wine @ Greenespace on 1/5 (more by Aaron Epstein)

Friday, January 28, 2011
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm - Live from SoHo: Iron and Wine
Iron and Wine's Sam Beam has become one of today's greatest musical storytellers, crafting meticulous tales full of forlorn love, religious imagery, and wistful dreams. Join us at the Apple Store for this very special live show by Iron&Wine as they perform tracks from the newly released album, "Kiss Each Other Clean." For guaranteed admission, stop by to pick up a wristband starting Thursday, January 27, at 9:00 a.m.
[Apple Store SoHo]

Meanwhile, those with a TV can check out Iron & Wine on Conan tonight (1/24), and those who either live in California or have an internet connection, can partake in a free show at Amoeba Records in Hollywood.

Iron & Wine (AKA Sam Beam and band) perform live at Amoeba Music Hollywood in celebration of the new album, Kiss Each Other Clean, out 1/25 on Warner Bros. This very special show will also be streamed live on amoeba.com for those who can't be there!

Fans can pre-purchase the new album starting at 5pm on 1/24 and receive a limited-edition Iron & Wine "Live at Amoeba" poster (while they last). Signing after the performance is limited to the first 100 purchasers.

Iron & Wine play live at The Wiltern January 25 & 26.

Iron & Wine's 1/25 Wiltern show is with Laura Marling whose only other upcoming show is in NYC on 1/30. Iron & Wine's 1/26 Wiltern show is with The Low Anthem who also head out on the road with Iron & Wine in April, but not before playing Bowery Ballroom in March. Updated Iron & Wine tour dates (many more North American shows since we last spoke) and updated dates for Cold War Kids and Low Anthem too, below...

Continue reading "Iron & Wine on Conan & streaming from Amoeba Records, add free Apple Store show -- updated dates & Cold War Kids too"

photos by Aaron Epstein

Iron & Wine @ Greenespace

"The [Mercury Lounge] gig felt like a loose rehearsal, with Beam taking gaps to figure out which guitar he'd use. "It's nice to play new songs, but it's nerve-wracking," he admitted at one point. "You never know what's going to happen, and we don't exactly practice."

Wearing a charcoal blazer over a sweater and sporting a large, bushy beard, Beam still looks like the film professor at the University of Miami he once was (he now lives in Austin, Texas with his five daughters). Strapping on his acoustic guitar, backed by a seven-piece band, he kicked off with the new "Tree By the River," a nostalgic, heavy-strumming ode to a high school sweetheart with vocal harmonies.

"A lot of people I talk to say it has an AM Gold feel to it," Beam tells Rolling Stone of the track. "They remember hearing in their parents' car growing up, and I love that music."-[Rolling Stone]

Iron & Wine's surprise appearance at the Greene Space, as well as the two appearances the following day, were to promote the new LP Kiss Each Other Clean (out January 25th via Warner Brothers) which was played in its entirety at Greene Space, and if you missed it, you can watch the entire Greene Space show at NPR's site.

For more public shows, catch Iron & Wine on tour later this month.

More pictures from Greene Space, as well as video from Jimmy Fallon (note the introduction of Iron & Wine by the "golden voice" of Ted Williams.), below...

Continue reading "Iron & Wine played Greene Space, Fallon and Mercury Lounge (pics & video)"

Iron & Wine is playing a completely private and intimate show at Mecury Lounge in NYC on Thursday, 1/6, at 7:15pm (they'll also appear on Jimmy Fallon's show the same night). That's tomorrow, aka one day after they play the show at the Greene Space which is being streamed online (tonight).

I don't think there's any way to publicly get tickets (Iron & Wine's upcoming show at Radio City Music Hall is not sold out), BUT I have two pairs to give away. For a chance at winning them, be 21+ and email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Iron & Wine at Mercury Lounge). Include your first and last name, and to make this one a bit more challenging: a) you must enter by 5PM EST today, AND b) you must correctly name a band who played both Mercury Lounge and Radio City in 2010 (hint: we posted pictures from both shows from at least one of the bands who did). Good luck. Two winners will be picked at random from the correct entries.

Iron & Wine were just revealed as the mystery band playing The Greene Space (44 Charlton at Varick) in NYC as part of NPR's "First Listen" series, TONIGHT (1/5). Not only that, but Sam Beam and band will be playing the new Iron & Wine album, "Kiss Each Other Clean," in its entirety. It's out January 25. Tickets for the show are on sale UPDATE: Sold out. UPDATE 2: On sale again (keep trying). If you don't get one in time, or you can't be there, you can also watch the webcast hosted by John Schaefer of Soundcheck.

Iron & Wine support the new album on a proper tour starting later this month with shows in LA and at Radio City Music Hall in NYC.

Aretha Franklin & wine

Aretha Franklin has been ordered by doctors to cancel all personal appearances for the next six months, including her scheduled December concert at the Fox Theatre.

The news comes days after the 68-year-old Detroit star was hospitalized for several days at Sinai-Grace for undisclosed reasons. She'd been forced to cancel shows last week in Missouri and Virginia.

"Doctors' orders have required her to cancel all concert and personal appearances through May 2011," publicist Tracey Jordan told the Free Press this morning.

A statement from the singer's camp said Franklin "sends her sincerest apologies to her loyal followers and colleagues for the canceled shows. [Detroit Free Press]

And speaking of artists who recently cancelled a NYC-area show, and then scheduled a new one at Radio City Music Hall, Interpol's Radio City show goes on AmEx & WRXP presale on Thursday at 9am, and then on general sale Friday at noon.

Iron & Wine's Radio City show is on AmEx presale now, and goes on general sale Friday at 11am.

Iron & Wine at ATP NY 2009 (more by Ryan Muir)

Iron & Wine kick off a US tour on Saturday (11/13) with a show in St Louis at The Pageant. It's a short trip that will be followed by a two month break. Post-break, Samuel Beam and band will play two big US album release shows before heading to Europe for a tour. Those two 2011 US shows are January 26th at The Wiltern in LA with the Low Anthem, and January 29th at Radio City Music Hall with Edie Brickell. Tickets for the NYC show go on AMEX presale Wednesday, 11/10, at 11am, and then go on regular sale Friday at 11am.

Iron & Wine's new LP, Kiss Each Other Clean, will be released on January 25th (one day before the LA show) via Warner Brothers (and 4AD in Europe, Japan, and Australia). And,

Kiss Each Other Clean's opening track, "Walking Far From Home," will be released on 12" vinyl and as a CD single that is sold exclusively through independent retailers in conjunction with "Back to Black Friday" on November 26th, in which independent record stores will be the only source for several exclusive new releases across the country.

The Iron and Wine single will also be available digitally on 11/30. In addition, 4AD will release two of those songs as a 7" on 1/17/11. Check out the teaser trailer and tracklist for the LP, as well as all tour dates below...

Continue reading "Iron & Wine releasing new LP, 'Back to Black Friday' single, playing shows (including one at Radio City Music Hall)"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Ryan Muir

Panda Bear

Friday, September 11th - Stage 1:
3.15pm-4.15pm : The Drones performing Wait Long By The River...
4.45pm-5.30pm : The Feelies performing Crazy Rhythms
6.00pm-7.00pm : Dirty Three performing Ocean Songs
7.30pm-8.30pm : Suicide performing Suicide (First LP)
9.00pm-9.45pm : Panda Bear
10.15pm-11.15pm : Iron & Wine
11.45pm-1.00am : The Jesus Lizard

Friday, September 11th - Stage 2:
9.00pm-9.30pm : Jon Glaser & Jon Benjamin
9.45pm-10.15pm : Derrick Brown & The Navy Gravy
10.30pm-11.00pm : Eugene Mirman
11.15pm-11.45pm : David Cross

As a veteran of multiple music festivals, I think that most feel very familiar... borderline generic even. ATP is an animal all its own. There is an energy that is positive, creative and palpable. Musicians wander about the grounds, checking out the bands. The sound system is killer. It's like an indie summer camp complete with a poorly functioning shower.

We arrived early enough to catch the first part of The Drones whose current tour also had them at The Bell House in Brooklyn two days earlier.

"I hope you like bronchitis, 'cause that's what all you're getting" the guitarist said while pointing toward the front row of the audience.

Bronchitis or no, the band's angular and sometimes atonal pop was immediate and fun despite anyone's poor health.

The Feelies

The Feelies followed with Crazy Rhythms indeed, alternating between jingle bells, timbale, shaker, maracas, hanging lead pipe as well as a satellite floor tom and snare drum. It was great to see those songs come alive. See them in Brooklyn on Sunday night.

Dirty Three was four, as Nick Cave sat in the tickle the ivories. Nick played a backseat role, no singing, none of his songs... For all intensive purposes he was John Q. Pianoplayer. Ocean Songs is a very affecting record, and their engaging post-rock-y compositions swelled and collapsed with emotion. Just don't call them emo.

"I'd like to set the record straight for Pitchfork and those guys... we did not invent emo. Blame it on some other cunts," Warren Ellis quipped between songs.

During songs, Ellis hopped around on one leg while playing his violin, sashaying to melodies and punctuating key moments with jump-kicks. Dude has ups, especially in a suit. Those in NYC have another chance to catch the band Sunday at Bowery Ballroom.

Suicide followed, and I am definitely a fan of their first LP. In the Stardust Ballroom, a ski-goggled Martin Rev banged away at his Triton producing compelling keyboard squelches and 200 BPM kick drum assaults, while Alan Vega barked lyrics from his music stand like an ornery old man. It was very loud. Fun for a while, but I couldn't watch the entire set.

Panda Bear's loopy harmonious bliss is something that I enjoyed on the Person Pitch LP, but was not looking forward to in a live setting. Nevertheless, I checked out Noah Lennox's knob-twisting live set which contained backlit projections. It's hard to pull off a one man show effectively, especially if there is limited crowd interaction. Noah's other band headlines Saturday night (tonight) of the festival.

Iron & Wine was solo acoustic, and Sam Beam engaged the crowd fully. I caught a few songs until leaving catch some of David Cross's set before The Jesus Lizard.

Kicking off with "Puss" and heading into "Gladiator" and "Seasick", The Jesus Lizard attacked the stage with their trademark screechy guitar lines and high frequency bass lines. Duane Denison, David Wm. Sims, and Mac McNeilly were tight as hell and the band roared through their classics to an extremely enthusiastic crowd all while David Yow acted like a buffoon.

Either I'm showing my age, or he his, but I used to find David Yow and his antics menacing. That's not to say he was anything less than riveting. He performed 1/3 of the show from the crowd (surfing or otherwise). When on stage, Yow mock-jerked himself off, hula-danced, slap-boxed the microphone stand, pointed at women while crotch-thrusting, and wished the audience a.... "Happy 9/11".

By the way, if you're wondering who IS responsible for emo. David Yow has the answer.

"That's Slint's fault"

---

The Jesus Lizard pictures are HERE. The Dirty Three pictures are HERE. The rest of the pictures (which also include comedians not mentioned above) are below...

Continue reading "ATP NY 2009 - Day 1 in pics & review (David Cross, massages, Iron & Wine, Kutscher's, Suicide & more)"

photos by Chris Graham and Rae Holtsbaum

Basia Bulat on stage w/ Plants & Animals

"I'm not really sure what it is about this little folk festival in the city on the prairie, but they really have something special going on, and it's been going on for the past 40 years. It was my honour to host the very eclectic opening Friday night under cloudy but dry skies in downtown Regina."
[Grant Lawrence, CBC Radio 3 on Day 1]

Continue reading "the 2009 Regina Folk Festival in pics & reviews"

photos by Jim Brueckner

"Half a century ago, Pete Seeger helped found the Newport Folk Festival, a weekend notorious for its dichotomies- Rhode Island high society and scrappy folk singers, old time traditions and new sounds, social rebellion and responsible activism. At this year's 50th anniversary, the festival came full circle for Seeger and other Newport regulars.

In addition to appearing and performing for the umpteenth time, Seeger was honored with an all out stage show courtesy of indie rockers the Decemberists. With frontman Colin Meloy narrating and guitarist Chris Funk playing the part of Seeger, plus Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) as Bob Dylan, the crew reenacted an infamous scene from the 1965 festival: the moment when Bob Dylan "went electric." According to Rolling Stone, while Funk was miming a frazzled Seeger attempting to unplug Dylan's raucous reinvention, Meloy quipped, "This was back in the day when the PA system was fueled entirely by burning wood. Pete was back there cutting the wood, and he became so overwhelmed with emotion that his hatchet almost slipped and severed the power cables."

Seeger knew the sketch was all in good fun and soon joined the Decemberists on stage for a sing-a-long. Gillian Welch, Fleet Foxes, and even Seeger's grandson Tao joined in on the jam. The 90-year-old legend even cranked out a solo or two. After all, as festival promoter George Wein said Saturday, "Pete Seeger is the Newport Folk Festival."" [American Songwriter]

Continue reading "Newport Folk Fest 50 - Day 1 pics, video, audio (Pete Seeger, Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, Shara Worden as Dylan & more)"