Bowery Ballroom (more by Tracy Allison)

If a show is happening at NYC's famous Bowery Ballroom, it was booked by Bowery Presents talent buyer Johnny Beach (who started at the company booking Mercury Lounge). Johnny also keeps busy by co-booking Webster Hall, Terminal 5, Union Transfer in Philly, and other Bowery Presents-affiliated venues. The man books shows all day and is literally at one or more almost every single night. He told us what albums he listened to the most in 2012. Check out his list, and some related videos, below...

Continue reading "Johnny Beach from Bowery Presents: Top 10 Albums of 2012"

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"

by Andrew Sacher

SPIN have revealed their list of the top 50 albums of 2012. It continues SPIN's trend of giving love to crossover punk and metal (which they've been pretty consistent with since naming Fucked Up's David Comes to Life their top album of 2011) with the inclusion of Baroness, Torche, Pallbearer, Cloud Nothings, and Japandroids, but rather surprisingly excludes the SPIN Essential'd Ceremony - Zoo and The Men - Open Your Heart, in favor of popular blowouts by Taylor Swift, fun., and Nicki Minaj. The list also shares its #1 and #2 with the two highest Pitchfork-rated albums of the year. And no Grimes.

The list begins with the Kanye-cribbed disclaimer, "Most critics' taste levels ain't at our waist level. Ain't nobody fucking with our clique." Check out SPIN's Top 50 LPs of 2012 list below.

Continue reading "SPIN names their Top 50 Albums of 2012 (Frank Ocean is #1)"

UK music magazine Uncut put out their list of the top 75 albums of 2012. The top ten leans pretty heavy on long-running '60s/'70s survivors who put out new albums this year, but plenty of the list-topping regulars from newer acts are on there too, along with a few interesting surprises (Sun Araw, M Geddes Gengras & the Congos!). You can check out the full list below.

Continue reading "Uncut's Top 75 Albums of 2012"

Craig Finn w/ The Hold Steady in NYC in 2011 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Listen to the references he makes in his lyrics or read an interview with him and you know that Craig Finn (of The Hold Steady) has a wide range of taste, and that isn't lost on his list of the top ten records of 2012, which bounces from underground rapper El-P to folk legend Bill Fay to non-stop rockers Japandroids. Of the list, Craig says, "A lot of my friends made really great records this year. To keep myself sane, I've created a list of my top ten records by people I don't know personally. Compiled quickly, probably with some ommisions." You can check the whole thing out below.

Craig will be taking part of the Soundtrack Series in NYC at Le Poisson Rouge this Friday (11/30) along with Cynthia Kaplan, Jenny Rubin, Daniel Ralston, Steve Zimmer, and host Dana Rossi. The event description reads, "Five artists-writers, comics, actors and musicians-tell the stories they forever connect with songs from their past. There's the song, the story behind the song, and the story inspired by the song. We're the third one." Craig will be doing his on "I Will Dare" by the Replacements. Tickets for that are on sale now.

Meanwhile watch Craig on the Chris Gethard show TONIGHT (11/28).

As mentioned, The Hold Steady will play Wellmont Theatre on New Year's Eve with Lucero. Since we last spoke, comedian Kurt Braunohler has been added to that bill as well. Tickets for the show are still available.

Craig Finn's top 10 albums of 2012 list is below...

Continue reading "Craig Finn lists his top 10 albums of 2012, appearing at 'Soundtrack Series' at LPR (and New Year's Eve in NJ)"

Watch Pitchfork Paris below....

Continue reading "Pitchfork's Paris festival is happening, streaming online"

DIIV at Terminal 5 in July (more by Chris La Putt)

As mentioned, Japandroids will kick off the North American portion of their tour in November, which hits NYC on December 4 and 5 at Webster Hall. We already knew that Bleached will be supporting on the first leg, and Swearin' on the second, and it's now been revealed that the third portion, which includes both NYC shows, will be supported by DIIV. Tickets for both Webster Hall shows are still available. An updated list of dates is below.

You won't have to wait that long to catch DIIV in their hometown of NYC though (you never really have to wait very long to do that anyway), because as mentioned, they'll headline the Captured Tracks CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 18 with Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us, and Dignan Porch. Tickets for that show are still available.

Mac DeMarco has other CMJ shows scheduled too, including the Panache showcase at Public Assembly (10/19), the My Social List showcase at the Martin Room in Webster Hall (10/16), the post-CMJ show at Bowery Ballroom (10/21) with Wild Nothing and Merchandise, and the just announced free Hype Machine party at Brooklyn Bowl on October 18 with Hundred Waters (who also play these shows). That bill also includes a secret headliner, Hooray For Earth, Bloksberg, and DJ sets by Jensen Sportag and YVYNL. Hype Machine is also doing a party at the same venue one day earlier (10/17) with The Virgins, The Neighbourhood, Indians, a secret artist and DJ Goldroom. Both parties are free but RSVP is required.

The flier for the Hype Machine shows, a video, and a list of all dates are below.

Continue reading "DIIV opening on Japandroids tour; Mac DeMarco playing free CMJ show with Hundred Waters and more (dates)"

Japandroids at MHOW in June (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

As mentioned, Japandroids are going on an extensive fall tour which hits NYC on December 4 at Webster Hall. Tickets for that show are still available and the band have just added a second date happening at the same venue one day later (12/5). Tickets for the newly added show go on sale Friday (9/21) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (9/19) at noon. Still no word on who's opening either Webster Hall show, but Swearin' will be supporting the band for the two weeks leading up to those shows.

A list of updated dates and the video for "The House That Heaven Built" are below.

Continue reading "Japandroids add 2nd Webster Hall date to tour (updated dates)"

Japandroids at MHOW in June (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Japandroids, who have been supporting their great 2012 LP, Celebration Rock, on tour and were in NYC in June for sold out shows at Bowery Ballroom in MHOW, have announced a new leg of North American dates which brings their fist-raised rowdiness back to NYC for their largest headlining show here yet: Webster Hall on December 4. Tickets for that show are not on sale yet but check ticketmaster for updates.

Japandroids also just made a video for Celebration Rock single, "The House That Heaven Built," which was premiered on and produced by Pitchfork.tv. That video and a list of all dates are below.

Continue reading "Japandroids have a new video and tour, headlining Webster Hall (dates)"

Last month the 2012 Polaris Music Prize, which awards a Canadian album of recorded music each year, revealed their long list and this week the short list was revealed. Cadence Weapon, Cold Specks, Drake, Kathleen Edwards, Feist, Fucked Up, Grimes, Handsome Furs, Japandroids, and Yamantaka // Sonic Titan are the 10 artists vying for this year's Prize, which will be announced at a gala on September 24. Who's gonna win?

photos by Fred Pessaro // BBG

The 2012 Pitchfork Music Festival kicked off in Union Park on Friday (7/13) afternoon after heavy rain slightly delayed the opening of the gates. Rain continued to be a theme of the day, but it couldn't stop the fun. Local garage rock greats Outer Minds played the first set, and the first great set of the day, followed by Jana Hunter's Lower Dens across the park which was the first set streamed live. The webcast continues today, Sunday, with Ty Segall, Real Estate, Chavez, Vampire Weekend and more.

More recaps from the weekend coming. For now, here are the pictures from Friday. One set is on BV Chicago. Another is here on BrooklynVegan, and they continue below...

Continue reading "Pitchfork Fest 2012 pics (part 1) -- Feist, Purity Ring, Olivia Tremor Control, A$AP Rocky, Willis Earl Beal & much more"

After teasing folks with a few names here and there -- like Run DMC most recently -- Austin's annual Fun Fun Fun Fest (Nov 2 - 4) has revealed it's full line-up, including Public Image Ltd, De La Soul, Superchunk, Santigold, Refused, X peforming Los Angeles, and lots, lots more. 3-day passes go on sale at 10AM CST.

Full FFF Fest lineup is below.

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest full lineup (De La Soul, Refused, Fucked Up, Public Image Ltd, Santigold, Sharon Van Etten, Rakim, X, Converge, Japandroids & more)"

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo; words by Andrew Sacher

Japandroids at MHoW, 6/28/2012

"They always tell us in Brooklyn that people just do this," said singer Brian King of Japandroids with his arms folded at his chest, before the band began their set at Music Hall of Williamsburg last night (6/28, one night after they played Bowery Ballroom). "But I don't believe 'em, I think you guys are gonna prove 'em wrong." And he couldn't have been more right. Less than two seconds into opener, "The Boys Are Leaving Town," the entire crowd was moving, pushing each other, raising their fists, and shouting along.

Indie rock has had a tendency to look down upon this stuff -- rocking out, shoutalongs, high gain anthemic power chords -- but Japandroids simply don't give a fuck. Their new record is filled with rockisms (I mean it's called Celebration Rock for god's sake) that have little to do with recent trends in indie rock, and they're certainly not doing it to be ironic. They've got enough references to thunder, hell, and fire to make AC/DC proud, huge Springsteen-via-Replacements crashes, and the captured free spirits of youth with just enough anxiety looking towards the rest of life. And they bring all of this with them to the stage, performing with the genuine excitement of a band's first live show ever, and the ruthlessness of their last. Brian did often mention that touring wears them out, and that when you get towards the end of a tour (which they are) sometimes you just want to throw the towel in. He continued, saying when he sees reactions to their songs like the ones the band got at Music Hall of Williamsburg last night, it's what gives them the strength to give it their all every single night.

Japandroids' 14-song, encore-less set included every track off Celebration Rock, and was filled out with a bunch off their 2009 debut, Post-Nothing. There wasn't a song where the crowd failed to sing along, and even on the ones where less people seemed to know the words, there were plenty of "oh oh oh ohs" to join in. Before going into Celebration Rock opener, "The Nights of Wine and Roses," Brian told the crowd how The Dream Syndicate was the biggest influence on the new record, and that the song's title is an homage to their 1982 album, The Days of Wine and Roses. They followed that with another standout, the three-line singalong of "Wet Hair," and then "Evil's Sway," for which Brian acknowledged that "people on the internet" have said the song includes a part ripped from Tom Petty: "I'm not denying it... but that means we all know it, so you better sing along. If i look out and someone's not singing along to that part, I call bullshit."

As the set neared its end, they played the only slow song they've got, "Continuous Thunder,"which Brian almost seemed a bit apologetic about playing, but it would've taken a lot more than a slow song to sedate the crowd. Brian mentioned that that they play "Continuous Thunder" to save about 5 minutes of energy and give twice as much to the next song, which of course was "Young Hearts Spark Fire," undoubtedly the wildest moment of the show. They closed with their cover of The Gun Club's "For the Love of Ivy," which feels slightly out of place on Celebration Rock, but was a powerful closer to the night with frantic psychobilly blasts that ignited a dancing, pushing fury.

Cadence Weapon

The show opened with a solid opening set from rapper Cadence Weapon, who were introduced by Brian King. Though it could seem out of place for a rapper to be touring with Japandroids (though in 2012 it really doesn't, with all of the rap/indie crossover that's been happening), Cadence explained how much in common he's got with Japandroids. "1, There's 2 of us, 2 of them. 2, Canadian... nuff said. and 3. did you hear me scream in that last song? that was rock n roll style," he said in reference to the piercing screams on "Jukebox," off his recently released LP, Hope in Dirt City. Cadence does have a bit of that punk-rap thing going on too like Doomtree, Atmosphere, and Death Grips. His set was short but strong and included other standouts like "Loft Party," the Hope in Dirt City title track, and the Grimes-produced "88."

The Japandroids/Cadence Weapon tour continues in Philly tonight. More pictures and the setlist from the Brooklyn show are below...

Continue reading "Japandroids played Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Cadence Weapon (pics, review, setlist)"

Tokyo Police Club at House of Vans in 2011 (more by Andrew St. Clair)

today in NYC
* Big Apple BBQ
* Treble @ Joe's Pub
* ASSSSCAT 3000 @ UCB
* Rachel Lee @ Barbes
* Julian Lage @ The Stone
* Sasha Lazard @ Joe's Pub
* Jesse Harris @ The Stone
* Neil Diamond @ Jones Beach
* Stephanie Wrembel @ Barbes
* Lana Del Rey @ Irving Plaza
* The Fixx @ Knitting Factory
* Clark, Shigeto @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Bad Girlfriend @ The Manhattan Inn
* Hannibal Buress @ Knitting Factory
* Civil Twilight, Carousel @ Maxwell's
* Idle Warship @ Herbert Von King Park
* The Doc Marshalls, Benyaro @ Mercury Lounge
* Prairie Empire, Jo Schornikow @ Mercury Lounge
* Antisect, Morne, Perdition, Death First @ Europa
* Mutant Genes, Dozers, Bone, Monkey Junk @ Cake Shop
* Jon Sandler, Clinton Curtis, Mira Stroika @ City Winery
* Ed Askew, Kath Bloom, Cave Country, Fancy That @ Zebulon
* Tokyo Police Club, Hollerado, Team Spirit @ Bowery Ballroom
* Dan Neustadt plays The Strokes' 'Is This It' @ Le Poisson Rouge
* CSC Funk Band, People's Champs, Mitra Sumara @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Of The Opera, Coy Kids, Brett Gleason, The Alckemists @ Pianos
* The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger, Kurt Braunohler @ Galapagos Art Space
* Great Elk, Waking Lights, The Courtesy Tier, The Bailey Hounds @ Glasslands
* Iron Chic, Laura Stevenson & The Cans, Low Culture, Swearin' @ Death By Audio
* RYAT, Gemini Wolf, Something in Spanish, Altered Ego Collective @ Cameo Gallery
* Tough Shits, Andy Animal Band (with Anna Copacabana, Tommy Volume), Breedlove, Pretty Quick, Strange Haze, Ex Humans, Daddy Long Legs, GAMES, The Babyshakes @ Union Pool

Follow @BrooklynVegan on Twitter.
Follow @bvChicago for just Chicago stuff.
Also follow @bvAustin for just Austin stuff.

Be our friend on Facebook too, and BV Austin's friend on Facebook and BV Chicago's friend on Facebook.

Today is Joey Santiago and Kim Deal of the Pixies' birthday (and of course Kelley's birthday too).

Fiona Apple has a new video for "Every Single Night," the single off of her upcoming album. Check it out below.

Japandroids, who have a tour which hits NYC later this month, performed "Fire's Highway" and "The House that Heaven Built" on Fallon, the latter with help from The Roots guitarist "Captain" Kirk Douglas. Check out videos of those performances below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

Japandroids @ Hotel Vegan 2012 (more by Nate "Igor" Smith)

Japandroids have added more dates to their previously announced tour including a June 28th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. That's one day after their show at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets for the new show go on sale Friday at noon, though the AmEx presale happens two days earlier. Tickets for the Bowery show are still available too. Cadence Weapon opens both shows. Updated tour dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Japandroids add 2nd NYC show to tour (updated dates)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield & Tim Griffin; additional pictures by Nate "Igor" Smith

Frankie Rose & band @ Hotel Vegan (by Amanda Hatfield)

BrooklynVegan's Hotel Vegan, located at Austin venues Hotel Vegas & Volstead Lounge, began at noon back on Wednesday, 3/14/2012, on three stages. As "bob dylan wrote propaganda songs" points out:

"...it offered the perfect setting for seeing multiple bands within an intimate setting in a short amount of time. Sure it was a long walk down Sixth Street to get there, and it may not have been the most well kempt venue (I'll be honest, it was a shit-hole), but the three stage set-up provided for prime SXSW day party viewing. I had the pleasure of seeing Chelsea Wolfe, Japandroids, Frankie Rose, Deaf Heaven, and Japandroids all within the span of a couple hours. All of these bands were on my list of bands I wanted to see, and thanks to this venue, I was able to cross more bands off my list than past years"

Deafheaven @ Hotel Vegan (by Amanda Hatfield)

Like on Friday and all four days, we served complimentary HobNob Wines all day. On Wednesday we also proudly passed out Brooklyn Brewery beer and Sailor Jerry drinks.

Special thanks to our official backline providers Vox, Blackstar and Korg, and thank you to NadaMoo for supplying free vegan treats, and to Honest Tea for the tea.

More pictures from the entire SXSW Wednesday at Hotel Vegan, below....

Continue reading "#HotelVegan Day 1 pics (Future of the Left, Japandroids, Bear in Heaven, Frankie Rose, Maps & Atlases, Deafheaven, more) "

photos by Amanda Hatfield

DOWNLOAD: Japandroids - "Younger Us" (MP3)

Japandroids @ Hotel Vegan (BV-SXSW 2012)

Japandroids, who recently played Hotel Vegan in Austin during SXSW (pictures in this post), will welcome their new album, Celebration Rock this June via Polyvinyl. As mentioned, it includes a cover of The Gun Club's "For the Love of Ivy" and Japandroids' 2010 single "Younger Us," which you can download above or stream below. UPDATE: You can also listen to new track " The House That Heaven Built" at Soundcloud.

The duo are set to tour Europe, the US, and Canada this spring/summer in support of the new album. That tour hits NYC on June 27 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets for the NYC show go on sale Friday (3/30) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (3/28) at noon.

All dates, more pics and the song stream below...

Continue reading "Japandroids played Hotel Vegan (pics), announce tour (dates)"

As you know, BrooklynVegan is taking over ALL THREE STAGES at connecting Austin venues Hotel Vegas & Volstead for FOUR DAYS STRAIGHT this week, and it's all 100% FREE (no RSVP or badges either). There's a big outdoor stage, and smaller stages inside Hotel Vegas & Volstead. Collectively we're calling the four day long party "Hotel Vegan" (located at 1500 E. 6th St, Austin, TX).

We announced Thursday, Friday, and Saturday too. Here is Wednesday: Wednesday at Hotel Vegan (March 14, 2012)

Stage 1 (Hotel Vegas Outside)
12:00 PM - Devin
12:45 PM - Big Deal
1:30 PM - Pujol
2:15 PM - We are Augustines
2:50 PM - Sun Araw Band (live) + Matthewdavid (DJ Set)
3:45 PM - Frankie Rose
4:30 PM - Japandroids
5:15 PM - Bear in Heaven

Stage 2 (Hotel Vegas Inside) (BBG Stage)
12:10 PM - Freshkills
12:50 PM - White Ring
1:35 PM - The Coathangers
2:20 PM - Razika
3:05 PM - Chelsea Wolfe
3:50 PM - Deafheaven
4:35 PM - Bleached
5:20 PM - Future Of The Left

Stage 3 (Volstead) (BV Chicago stage)
12:00 PM - Minor Characters
12:35 PM - Gypsyblood
01:15 PM - FIELDED
02:00 PM - White Mystery
02:45 PM - Maps & Atlases
03:30 PM - The-Drum
04:15 PM - Flosstradamus
05:00 PM - JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound

And in addition to the completely free lineup of 24 bands playing on THREE stages, we will also have complimentary drinks courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery (while supplies laset) and 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. Arlo's great Vegan Food truck, located right next door, will be at all four days of Hotel Vegan selling food.

Special thanks to all of our partners and sponsors for making this party possible - including Vox, Blackstar and Korg, our official backline partners. And special thanks to Tim Griffin for making our Hotel Vegan flyer.

--

This just one of four full days at Hotel Vegan. Thursday lineup HERE. Saturday lineup HERE. Friday lineup HERE.

We also have THREE official showcases (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday), and a Saturday metal day party at Lovejoys, AND a just-announced bridge show.

photos by Tim Griffin

DOWNLOAD: Japandroids - "Younger Us" (MP3)

Japandroids @ the Mohawk

The Japandroids/Bass Drum of Death tour (which didn't list BDoD on the NYC show when the tour was first announced) hits Mercury Lounge in NYC tonight (9/14). It's sold out, but we have a pair of tickets you can win today. Details on how to do that, with all tour dates, and more pictures from the sold out show that happened inside at Mohawk in Austin on 9/8, below...

Continue reading "Japandroids & Bass Drum of Death on tour, play Merc tonight (win tix!), played Mohawk in Austin (pics)"

photos by Nathanael Turner

Descendents

Punk rock long ago transcended class, age, gender and ethnicity to become a signifier not necessarily of outward rebellion but of the symbolic, crazy-on-the-inside variety. That sense of internal defiance continues to permeate the entire underground and has become a secret handshake that united not only the artists who made traditional-ish punk rock over the course of 10 hours of the FYF -- the Descendents, No Age, Off! among them -- but from a wildly divergent cast of in-yer-face artists including beat makers Nosaj Thing and Dan Deacon, the deeply sensual, self-referential house music of New York's Chromatics and Glass Candy, and the catchy, arena-aspirant bands like Broken Social Scene.

"It's a punk rock festival. That means we're going to play ... in the wrong key," declared Guided by Voices singer Robert Pollard during his band's sturdy, hook-infused rock set featuring acrobatic kicks, monster choruses and a sexy girl delivering between-song lighted cigarettes to guitarist Mitch Mitchell.

But Pollard missed the point. As anyone who roamed downtown's Los Angeles State Historic Park on Saturday could see, punk no longer means inept, either on a musical or festival level. It means being inspired and maybe a little irrational, like festival founders Sean Carlson, Phil Hoelting and Keith Morris. It means realizing strengths and weaknesses. It means pushing at the edges like L.A.-based instrumental Nosaj Thing, who fused the deep, penetrating bass of dubstep with touches of skewed Aphex Twin breakbeat rhythms to create architecturally sophisticated sound structures as solid as they were abrasive. Or it means setting up gear in the crowd like electronic/serialist/rhythmatist Deacon to make sounds so driving and strobing that the level of crowd surfing reached Nirvana-like proportions. [LA Times]

Continue reading "more pics from FYF Fest 2011 (Descendents, Broken Social Scene, No Age, Girls, Japandroids & more)"

DOWNLOAD: Mister Heavenly - "Pineapple Girl" (MP3)

Descendents at FFFFest (more by Tim Griffin)

Much like last year, FYF Fest 2011 is poppin' off with some incredible bands, many of whom recently reunited. This year the LA fest will host a coveted Descendents appearance, a Death From Above 1979 show, Guided By Voices, another Kid Dynamite reunion, The Dead Milkmen, Explosions in the Sky, the return of The Weakerthans and many, many notable others. Full lineup is below. The show goes down at 1st and Main in downtown Los Angeles on September 3rd. Tickets are on sale.

Future Islands plays FYF Fest and plays Death By Audio in Brooklyn TONIGHT (6/28).

For Kid Dynamite, which features members of Lifetime, Paint it Black and None More Black, the reunion is their first since re-emerging for This is Hardcore last year with Ink & Dagger. The band called it quits in 2000 and reunited in 2005 at CBGB and some other times too. I hope they schedule another NYC show, but it's just LA for now.

This is Hardcore THIS YEAR features an appearance from Ressurection, which also featured Dan Yemin on guitar. Tickets for This is Hardcore 2011, taking place in Philly's Starlight Ballroom, is mostly sold-out, with tickets for the Sunday show still available.

The Descendents appearance at FYFest is one of several dates scheduled for the reunited band, NYC's Roseland, Chicago Riot Fest, and Philly's Riot Fest included. Tickets are still available for the 9/23 Roseland show.

Mister Heavenly will hit the road for a string of dates on the West Coast leading up to FYF Fest. Check out their full tour schedule below, and look for their new LP Out of Love on 8/16 via Sub Pop. Check out "Pineapple Girl" from that record above.

The Death From Above 1979 appearance is one of several slated for the band in the coming months, including a 7/22 appearance at Williamsburg Waterfront. Tickets are still available OR, you can try your hand by winning a pair at our Facebook. The full set of DFA1979 dates are below.

The Weakerthans have a few other dates slated for Europe and Canada in the coming months. Hopefully they add more US dates too. All dates for now are listed below.

A few bands on the FYFest lineup (namely, Cults, Off!, and No Age) will also appear in NYC at the House of Vans this summer, and for FREE. The FYF-presented House of Vans series of shows starts this Thursday (6/30). You just have to RSVP to get in (and maybe get there early).

All Weakerthans, DFA1979, and Mister Heavenly dates, some video, and the full FYF Fest lineup is below.

Continue reading "FYF Fest in LA, This is Hardcore in Philly, Future Islands in BK, Mister Heavenly on tour, a DFA1979 contest & more"

photos by Tim Griffin

Bass Drum of Death @ Austin Psych Fest

We've announced that Japandroids are playing Hopscotch Fest and Pygmalion Music Festival. It's since been revealed that these two festival appearances are part of a larger North American tour that Japandroids are going on with with Bass Drum of Death. The tour stops by New York at Mercury Lounge on September 14. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (6/10) at noon (though note that Mercury Lounge does not list Bass Drum on the bill).

The Mercury show is currently one of the very few on the tour that doesn't list Bass Drum of Death (or anyone for that matter) as an opener. However, BDOD play the Manhattan venue two other times this summer, and two Brooklyn shows too. They open the previously discussed Hanni El Khatib show at Mercury Lounge on 6/24 (tickets) and for Hanni again at Glasslands the next night (6/25) (tickets). The Brooklyn show also has Heavenly Blows and Web Dating on the bill.

BDOD then play Mercury again on July 22 with WU LYF (tickets) and Knitting Factory the next night (7/23) with WU LYF, Young Magic and Dapwell (Das Racist member DJ set) (tickets).

Bass Drum of Death's new LP, GB City, is out now via Fat Possum. Check out the band's recent video for "Get Found", along with more dates and a belated set of pictures of the band at Austin Psych Fest last month, below...

Continue reading "Japandroids touring w/ Bass Drum of Death who played Psych Fest (pics) & are playing w/ Wu Lyf (dates)"

by BBG

Joan of Arc in 2008 (more by Leia Jospe)

After dates on their current southwestern tour and a forthcoming UK tour come to an end, Joan of Arc will kick off another leg of dates in Pontiac, MI with Implodes heading toward the East Coast before looping back to a tour-ending show in St. Louis. NYC will get an appearance on that journey at Mercury Lounge on August 10th. Tickets are currently on AmEx presale and go on regular sale at noon on Friday (5/20)

Mike Kinsella of Joan of Arc/Cap'n Jazz will bring his side/solo/other project Owen to one upcoming date in Champaign, IL in September at the Pygmalion Music Festival. There Owen will share a stage with Cut Copy, Explosions in the Sky, Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, Asobi Seksu, Japandroids, and the reunited Braid. So far no other dates Braid dates have emerged, but we'll be on the look out.

Implodes released their new LP Black Earth via Kranky in April. Check out the shoegaze-y burner "Marker" streaming below alongside alll tour dates and some video.

Continue reading "Joan of Arc touring w/ Implodes (dates), Owen playing Pygmalion Music Festival w/ the reunited Braid (and others)"

The second annual Hopscotch Festival will go down in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, across 12 different venues with over 135 bands, from September 8th through 10th. The lineup this year runs the gamut of independent music... from traditional indie staples (The Flaming Lips, Guided By Voices, Superchunk) to southern-inflected rock (Drive-By Truckers) to noise (Prurient) to hip hop (Beans) to garage (Jeff The Brotherhood) to funk (Budos Band) to metal (Krallice), and everywhere in between (Swans, Rhys Chatham, etc etc). Tickets are currently on sale. Full lineup is below.

Hopscotch happens almost three months after Guided By Voices play a Brooklyn Northside Festival show in McCarren Park (tickets) which is one day after Beirut plays a Northside Festival show on the same McCarren Park stage with... Sharon Van Etten (though she may have been accidentally announced at one point, they officially kept her placement on the bill under wraps until after Saturday's Music Hall of Williamsburg show). Tickets for Beirut/SVE are still on sale, and another opener will be added too.

Guided by Voices (whose Brooklyn show also has more openers coming) are also playing Pitchfork in July with Animal Collective whose Prospect Park show is now on AmEx presale.

Swans' upcoming NYC show is now on AmEx presale too.

Hopscotch lineup below...

Continue reading "Hopscotch Fest returns to Raleigh (2011 lineup announced), Sharon Van Etten officially added to Northside Fest"

by BBG

Villains at Europa (more here)

Joe Preston and his solo project Thrones returns to NYC tonight (10/13), as part of a larger tour with Christian Mistress. The duo will team up with Villains to tear down Acheron at 9pm (a joint BrooklynVegan & Todd P production). $10 gets you in.

In other news, though Joe Preston hasn't recently logged any time at the studio, he has a an LP on the way from when he served time as a member of Earth:

A Bureaucratic Desire for Extra Capsular Extraction contains the entire 1990 Smegma Studios sessions which are the debut recordings from Earth. Previously available scattered via the Extra Capsular Extraction EP and Sunn Amps and Smashed Guitars CD, ...[this] collection contains every note from the infamous first Earth recording sessions. Earth was founded by Dylan Carlson circa 1989 and in this infancy stage contained several different members including: Slim Moon (Kill Rock Stars label), Joe Preston (Thrones, Melvins, Sunn 0))), High on Fire etc..) and even Dylan's close friend Kurt Kobain.

Tonight's show is one of many Todd P and BrooklynVegan presented shows in the next few days. Thursday will see Todd P present Silk Flowers and CNTRL TOP (mem These Are Powers) along with an art exhibition, prints and film at Elizabeth Foundation For The Arts (323 W 39th St #3 @ 9th Ave in Manhattan) starting at 6PM. Friday (10/15) Todd P will bring Lightning Bolt, Dan Deacon Ensemble, special guests Otouto and the last NYC appearance from Casiotone for The Painfully Alone to the Ridgewood Masonic Temple. Advance tickets may still be available at Desert Island Books (540 Metropolitan Ave).

Desert Island Books also has your $10 tickets (while they last) for the Todd P-presented A Place to Bury Strangers, Japanadroids, Justin Wong, and Grooms show happening at Death By Audio on 10/26. Ticketfly has your tickets for the Japandroids show at Maxwell's.

BrooklynVegan will present a pair of shows at Union Pool: Rosetta, Constants, and Cleanteeth (doors at 9) on Friday (10/15) and Saturday (10/16) means The Gates of Slumber, Hour of 13, and Disma (doors at 9).

Speaking of tickets, want to win tickets to Thrones, Lightning Bolt, Rosetta, or The Gates of Slumber? I have a pair of tickets available for giveaway for EACH. Details on how to win, as well as some videos are at the bottom of this post... (And this concludes the first ever post to incorporate both The Gates of Slumber AND Dan Deacon).

Continue reading "Thrones tonight, Earth, Japandoids tickets, a Dan Deacon contest, Silk Flowers & other upcoming shows & stuff"