James Chance @ LPR in 2010 (more by Greg Cristman)

New York Night Train is presenting the James Brown Dance Party at Zebulon this Saturday (8/13) with NY Night Train's DJ Jonathan Toubin and No Wave saxist James Chance. Starting at 11 PM, James Chance and his band, which includes Ivan Julian (Richard Hell and the Voidoids), Robert Aaron (B-52s, Blondie, Afrika Bambataa, Wu Tang Clan), Kim Clark (Defunkt and other jazz projects), and Richard Dworkin (James White and the Blacks, Alex Chilton). At midnight Jonathan Toubin and James Chance will spin "original vinyl recorded, produced, written, covered by, or otherwise related to James Brown." In the middle of that set, James Chance will play a short solo saxophone set over his own backing tracks and James Brown instrumentals. Jail Bait open the show. flyer below.

James also has a show coming up at Manhattan Inn.

Continue reading "James Chance & Jonathan Toubin Saturday"

Manhattan Inn Piano Bar & Restaurant (632 Manhattan Ave at Bedford Ave in Brooklyn) continues presenting free music all summmer. Upcoming shows include James Chance, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Aaron Pfenning, The Shivers, Only Son, Miguel Mendez & more. Full Summer 2011 schedule below...

Continue reading "free concerts @ Manhattan Inn (James Chance & many more)"

photos by Greg Cristman

The crowd was evenly split between old-timers who'd probably seen James Chance in the '70s, mostly middle-aged men with fedoras--and one woman who told the bouncer as she stepped out for a cigarette, "Remember this face, I've got a bingo-playing face"--and younger record geeks with black-rimmed glasses and just the right amount of stubble (permanently two-day old). Also at least one person with a Talk Normal t-shirt; I guess you could call Talk Normal no-wave-revival?

James Chance had on a white suit, sort of lounge singer-ish, and a David Lynchian pompadour. If you closed your eyes and listened to him sing, you wouldn't know whether it was 2010 or 1978. If you opened your eyes, it was almost like watching a ventriloquist throw his voice, seeing this 57-year-old man sing exactly the same way he did 30 years ago... They played "Contort Yourself," of course, and also sped-up covers of "Chain of Fools" and "Super Bad." -[Anastasia Friscia]

Lindstrom played the venue later that night. Jonathan Toubin DJ'd the James Chance show and the official afterparty at Don Hill's.

Though James Chance still gigs, the LPR show was the first for the reunited Contortions "in a decade." As previously listed, it was "the most complete lineup to ever re-unite - James Chance (thee James White himself - who needs no introduction), Pat Place (the ultimate no wave guitar heroine also of Bush Tetras etc), Don Christensen (super-drummer also of Raybeats, etc.), Jody Harris (another distinguished guitar legend who, also played with Lester Bangs, Raybeats, Golden Palominos, Richard Hell, John Zorn, and many more), Robert Aaron (not an original Contortion but this multi-instrumentalist is James' frequent collaborator - known not only for his avant-jazz solo records but his studio work with everybody from B-52s and Blodie and Chic and Afrika Bambataa and Wu Tang Clan), and, for the first time since the 1970s, Adele Bertei (who went on to form The Bloods then become a world-famous disco/dance music vocalist after leaving the Contortions in 1979)."

Five Dollar Priest supported, though Grasshopper (Mercury Rev) played guitar instead of Norm Westberg who Greg spotted in the audience. Other Five Dollar Priest members are/were Ron Ward (Speedball Baby),George Porfiris (Heroine Sheiks), and Patrick Holmes.

More pictures, and some videos (two by Punk Cast) from the show, below...

Continue reading "James Chance & the Contortions played LPR (pics & video) "

Sat, Nov 13 (early): West Village - Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleeker): the original CONTORTIONS reunion (no wave pioneers' first Manhattan show in many years!) w/Five Dollar Priest, Peter Agoston, and Mr. Jonathan Toubin, 7PM DOORS, 8PM SHOW, $15/$17

THE ORIGINAL CONTORTIONS are reuniting for their first Manhattan show in a decade! This is the most complete lineup to ever re-unite - James Chance (thee James White himself - who needs no introduction), Pat Place (the ultimate no wave guitar heroine also of Bush Tetras etc), Don Christensen (super-drummer also of Raybeats, etc.), Jody Harris (another distinguished guitar legend who, also played with Lester Bangs, Raybeats, Golden Palominos, Richard Hell, John Zorn, and many more), Robert Aaron (not an original Contortion but this multi-instrumentalist is James' frequent collaborator - known not only for his avant-jazz solo records but his studio work with everybody from B-52s and Blodie and Chic and Afrika Bambataa and Wu Tang Clan), and, for the first time since the 1970s, Adele Bertei (who went on to form The Bloods then become a world-famous disco/dance music vocalist after leaving the Contortions in 1979). A stellar aggregation! Also, get there early (8pm) to catch Five Dollar Priest a skronky swamp blues super-group featuring Ron Ward (Speedball Baby), Grasshopper (Mercury Rev), George Porfiris (Heroine Sheiks), Patrick Holmes (downtown clarinet legend) - whose members have included Norman Westberg (Swans, Foetus, etc!) and Bob Bert (Pussy Galore, Sonic Youth, etc.) and regular guest are the likes of James Chance, Tami Lynn (that's right, the legendary soul diva!), and more. The Djs are Panache Booking's Peter Agoston and New York Night Train's own Mr. Jonathan Toubin. This is gonna be killer! Get you tickets now and, whatever you do, don't miss it!

then, follow The Contortions, Jonathan Toubin, and the rest of the cast to Don Hills!

Sat, Nov 13 (late): Soho: Don Hill's (511 Greenwich St) Contortions official afterparty w/DJ Jonathan Toubin, T.V. Baby and a very special surprise musical guest, 11pm, FREE

photos by Samantha Marble

"Subway problems, sweltering temperatures and long queues were all overcome by the hardy bunch of FNM fans who attended the third and final date of Faith No More's three-date East Coast mini-tour last night. The "surprise song" did not appear but consensus seemed to be that Faith No More again delivered a stunning set with old favourites like Worm and The Crab Song getting rare airings." [Faith No More 2.0]

This time, with James Chance as the musical opener, Faith No More again played a 20-song, 2-encore set (that this time included The Real Thing and Ben and ended with Stripsearch, and didn't start with Reunited). The whole setlist, along with more pictures from Monday's show (including one that is kind of NSFW), below...

Continue reading "Faith No More, Rahzel, James Chance & Neil Hamburger @ Williamsburg Waterfront - night 2 pics, video & setlist"

Funnyman Neil Hamburger, known for, among other things for his Poolside Chats, is opening all three Faith No More shows this weekend, including two at the Williamsburg Waterfront (known for, among other things being the new "Pool").

Each Brooklyn show also has a third opener. Rahzel opens Friday (I wonder if Mike Patton will perform with him) and James Chance opens Monday. According to Roddy Bottum, "Doors 530, James Chance maybe 6 or 630, Neil Hamburger at 7 or 730, FNM at 8. K?" An anonymous commenter wrote the same.

All Neil dates below...

Continue reading "Neil Hamburger, James Chance & Rahzel are opening for Faith No More (and playing other dates) "

by Andrew Frisicano

Sir Richard Bishop @ MHOW 2009 (more by Ryan Muir)

No Wave icon James Chance will be sitting behind the piano at Greenpoint/Williamsburg bar Manhattan Inn (a hangout recently described as "Pitchfork come to life") on Sunday, June 27th, from 8-11pm. He'll be playing "original piano compositions...for the first time ever solo on a grand piano" though that could hew closer to jazz standard than free jazz punk. Entry is free; you'll probably have to get there early to get a table (and order a few drinks).

Sort of in the same vein, worldly guitarist Sir Richard Bishop will be playing every Monday night in July (5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th) at Zebulon. Bishop brought his Freak Of Araby Ensemble to Music Hall of Williamsburg and Studio at Webster Hall on their tour last summer.

The James Chance flyer is below...

Continue reading "James Chance & Sir Richard Bishop playing intimate shows"

Gary Lucas

Lucas has played and collaborated with Leonard Bernstein, Captain Beefheart, Jeff Buckley, Chris Cornell, Lou Reed, John Cale, Nick Cave, David Johansen. He has also worked with Mary Margaret O'Hara, Onetwo, Peter Stampfel, Fred Schneider (B-52s), Bob Neuwirth, Geoff Muldaur, John Sebastian, John Zorn, Bryan Ferry, Patti Smith, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Matthew Sweet, DJ Spooky, Damo Suzuki, Iggy Pop, Dr. John, Allen Ginsberg, Graham Parker, The Dark Poets, Future Sound of London, Van Dyke Parks, Adrian Sherwood,Richard Barone, Bob Weir, Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule), Kristin Diable and many others. Jazz collaborations include Roswell Rudd, Steve Swallow, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, and Billy Bang. Some of these collaborations appear on his retrospective album Improve the Shining Hour, which also features his film and TV music for ABC News, 20/20 and Turning Point. He has produced albums for composer/saxophonists Tim Berne and Peter Gordon, and for the French avant-rock band Tanger. He co-wrote Joan Osborne's Grammy-nominated song "Spider Web" from her triple platinum album Relish.

Lucas co-wrote two of the songs, "Grace" and "Mojo Pin", from Jeff Buckley's popular and critically acclaimed album Grace. Early collaborations can also be heard on the recent Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas album Songs To No One, which charted internationally with worldwide sales approaching 100,000. [Wikipedia]

The show is the first in Dee Pop's returning monthly Freestyle Music Series. According to Dee Pop, who also plays in Radio I-Ching, "Freestyle does not mean Free Jazz. It means free of categories. It doesn't mean anything. It means everything.". The January 21st show will feature Brown Wing Overdrive, Sediment Club, and Mostly Others Do the Killing. The dates after that are February 25, March 25, and April 22 - all at Cake Shop. Check out an Uncle Monk video below...

Continue reading "Gary Lucas, Tommy Ramone, James Chance... tonight (the 1st edition of Freestyle Music Monthly @ Cake Shop)"

RSVP by 6pm for James Chance/Homosexuals party tonight!

Tonight's Secret Santo will feature not one, but two legendary figures in the history of subcultural music - James Chance and the Homosexuals - sharing a bill for the first time ever! And, as every week, this new rock'n'roll dance party also features DJ Jonathan Toubin, Go Go Dancer Anna Copacabanna and a live projectionist, this week, the inimitable Spencer Bewley. Tell yr friends - and RSVP anytime before 6pm Monday at: mailinglist@newyorknighttrain.com [New York Night Train]

Continue reading "James Chance and the Homosexuals @ Santos tonight"

Teenage Jesus & the Jerks were an influential New York City No Wave music group of 1976-79 fronted by Lydia Lunch and James Chance, who later left the band after some conflict about their direction.

Reputed to play ten-minute sets of thirty-second songs (though "The Closet" and "I woke up dreaming" extended to around three minutes and performances up to twenty), they sought to take music beyond what Lunch saw as the traditionalism of punk rock ("I thought punk was lousy Chuck Berry music amped up to play triple fast", she later commented). Their frenzied playing and Lunch's shrieked vocals gained them a renown quickly matching and even surpassing that of other No Wave bands such as DNA or the older Mars......The group has been cited as a significant influence on post-punk groups such as Sonic Youth. [Wikipedia]

2 shows: both on June 13th. $25 tickets are on sale. Videos below....

Continue reading "Teenage Jesus & the Jerks reuiniting for 2 NYC shows "