LPR review by Showtrotta

Jamie Lidell @ Warp's 20th Anniversary @ Le Poisson Rouge - September 5, 2009

Following a great first day at Electric Zoo, I somehow found the energy to head to Le Poisson Rouge to see Jamie Lidell who was performing in one of the many celebrations for Warp's 20th Anniversary (9/5). While Jamie was alone, without any of his bandmates that typically make up the live Jamie Lidell experience, simply armed with a couple of laptops, a mixing board, and some other items indiscernible from the crowd's side of his table of gear...he put on an excellent show. While the set was stripped down, without all the bells and whistles that come with a live band, the solo set-up allowed Jamie's talent, both musically and as a true entertainer and showman shine through.

He opened with the track "What Is It This Time?" off of Multiply before turning to the table of gear which he was behind for much of the set. While I'm not sure if he was playing specific older tracks with which I am not familiar, or if much of it was improvised/experimental, Jamie poured over the equipment, beatboxing, recording and looping vocal snippets, only to sing over and loop them again, tweaking nearly every sound that emerged from behind that table. While more abstract, experimental pieces can sometimes be a bit too out there for a listener of an artist's more everyday fare, the intensity and passion with which Jamie performed, combined with everything sounding amazing, made the show engaging regardless. He sang a few more songs including "When I Come Back Around" and "Music Will Not Last" the latter of which he dedicated to Warp, which he spoke of fondly multiple times during his set. The set finished with a slowed down, much more electronic-oriented version of "Another Day", the perfect ending to a show that combined elements of Jamie Lidell's style both past and present.

Battles, Chk Chk Chk, Flying Lotus and Pivot played the Warp20 show that took place one night earlier at Terminal 5.

Jamie Lidell is from England and resides in Berlin, but this month he might be staying in NYC because there are now two more chances to catch him here before September is over.

We've long followed the collaboration between Jamie and his Canadian friends Feist and Gonzales (and Mocky), but we don't hear much about Gonzales here in the U.S.A. That should change soon. On September 22nd, Arts & Crafts is re-releasing Gonzales's Solo Piano album "as a special deluxe edition- It comes complete with a DVD bonus disc, featuring the documentary 'From Major To Minor' as well as various other entertaining visual complements." One day later, Gonzales kicks off a four day North American tour in LA. From there he goes to NYC for TWO September 25th shows (early and late) at Joe's Pub. Jamie Lidell will be at both of them, and tickets are on sale.

Gonzales may be best known as the producer of Feist's Let It Die and The Reminder. Feist is known lately for playing 'special guest', and her last such appearance just took place at a NYC show on September 10th. So who knows, maybe she'll be there too - the Joe's listing does read that Gonzales will be "Accompanied for each show by unexpected (or expected) guests from the gang".

In related news, Gonzales recently launched a sitcom, filmed in Paris, "Superproducer", and entered the Guinness Book of World Records for longest solo performance - over 27 hours (in June). A picture of him with his award and all dates below...

Continue reading "Gonzales re-releasing Solo Piano, touring, playing Joe's Pub (twice) w/ Jamie Lidell who played Warp20 (review)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Princeton - Calypso Gold (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Wild Beasts - All the Kings Men (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sondre Lerche - Good Luck (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Marmoset - Peach Cobbler (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Marmoset - Florist Fired (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Marmoset - Winter (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Marmoset - Lemon Meringue Live (Zip)

Wild Beasts @ Joe's Pub, Tuesday night - 9/8/09

Even without All Tomorrow's Parties, this week is bananas with quality shows, so much so I'm dividing this week's column into two parts. (Which means more tomorrow.) I caught Wild Beasts' New York debut last night (9/8) at Joe's Pub and they were fantastic, wowing pretty much everyone in the room. I wrote over at Sound Bites...

Wild Beasts' magic is in the interplay between the four members, and it's best just to think of them as one slithering unit. Vocals trade lines between Flemming and Thorpe like twins, and the guitar lines snake around one another, bass pulses and ebbs, while drummer Chris Talbot (the band's secret weapon) gives most songs a tribal feel -- lots of toms, not so much cymbals. Nobody stood still for a second, bassists-guitarists-singers Hayden Thorpe and Tom Flemming swinging and swaying, hooting and howling. A bit more "rock" than the versions on new album Two Dancers (Talbot plays a little more four-on-the-floor live) but if it's subtleties are missing, it's made up in a mesmerizing group performance.

Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, Tuesday night - 9/8/09

After Wild Beasts, I bolted back to Williamsburg for the "soft opening" of the new Knitting Factory space which will get baptized officially tonight (9/9) by Tim Harrington and the rest of Les Savvy Fav. No bands last night, just drinks and a looksee around the place. It's nice. The Knitting Factory folks have completely transformed the Luna Lounge space which suffered from being one giant space with nowhere to go if you wanted to escape the noise. They smartly divided the space in half, with a bar room up front and the performance space in back. The front bar room has a number of booths and a nook where a small band could play. The actual bar is set against the wall that divides it from the performance space which is where the double-layer of super-thick soundproof glass windows are, so you can still see the bands play even if you'd rather be talking to friends. They'll pipe in a monitor feed to the bar room so you can still hear the bands, just at a much lower volume.

Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, Tuesday night - 9/8/09

The elongated Knitting Factory performance space looks to be about the same capacity as Mercury Lounge, with what looks to me like a slightly smaller stage than when it was Luna Lounge. There's a bar stage right so you don't have to go to the other room for a drink. The floor slopes down slightly from the sides of the room, like the world's gentlest half-pipe so the shorter among us might want to stay to the sides for a better view. There was no band playing last night, so I can't say how it sounds, but stage lighting looked really nice and they have built-in smoke machines for when Blacklist or Cold Cave play. It's a nice space and I'm anxious to actually see a band play there. Tonight will definitely be a trial by fire with Les Savy Fav, and the place should have a bit of that lived-in feel after they get done. Tomorrow night (9/10) is Boss Hog and Shilpa Ray, and Friday has Seattle's The Spits and Austin's Woven Bones, two bands who might just put those smoke machines to use. More on them tomorrow in TWII Pt2. More upcoming shows mentioned HERE. More pictures inside the new venue at Gothamist.

Sondre Lerche @ Bowery Ballroom, Tuesday night - 9/8/09 (more by Tim Griffin)

Just a couple other reminders of shows I've mentioned before. Sondre Lerche played Bowery Ballroom last night (9/8), which was a record release party of sorts for his very entertaining sixth album, Heartbeat Radio. He does it again tonight, this time in his neighborhood at Music Hall of Williamsburg. You should be able to get tickets at the door. As I said last week, he's a funny, entertaining performer with lots of between-song stories.

Princeton

Princeton play Union Hall tonight (9/9) which is kind of a record release party for their full-length debut, Cocoon of Love. It's not actually out till Sept 29 but you can get it via iTunes as of yesterday. It's a really nice bit of harmony-laden chamber pop (you can stream the whole thing at Spinner), with shades of Belle & Sebastian and Magnetic Fields. You can download the album's "Calypso Gold" at the top of this post. They're pretty good live too. After tonight's Union Hall show, Princeton head out on tour with Ra Ra Riot. All tour dates are below.

Maromoset

And Indianapolis' Marmoset hit town today for their first of two shows. Tonight (9/9) it's Cake Shop and Thursday is Bruar Falls. If you like your indie rock heavily influenced by the likes of early Creation records, Syd Barrett, and Swell Maps while being filtered through some sort of off-kilter David Lynch sensibility, well you probably already know and like Marmoset. In reviewing their 2007 album Florist Fired, Pitchfork wrote "Marmoset's previous full-length, 2001's 13-song, 33-minute exercise in Anglophilic indie Record in Red, quietly ranks among the best albums released by Secretly Canadian." Marmoset's brand-new album, Tea Tornado, is more of the same. And that's a good thing.

Tomorrow in TWII Pt2: Kings of Convenience, Super Furry Animals, The Intelligence, Woven Bones, The Spits and more.

Tour dates and appropriate video after the jump...

Continue reading "Wild Beasts (played Joe's, 2 more to go), Knitting Factory (opens tonight), Princeton & more in This Week in Indie"

photos by Lori Baily

DOWNLOAD: Larkin Grimm - Pigeon Food (2005 MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Larkin Grimm - Secret Eye (2006 MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Larkin Grimm - Ride That Cyclone (2008 MP3)

"Larkin Grimm (born September 18, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Memphis, Tennessee.

She was born into a spiritual commune/cult called 'The Holy Order of MANS'. Her father is a fiddler of German, Afro-Caribbean, and Sinti descent, and her mother is a hippie folk-singer of English, French, and Cree descent. After her parents left the cult, they relocated to Dahlonega, Georgia, where she grew up. She won a scholarship to study at Yale where she painted and sculpted. At 20 years old she dropped out of Yale, and moved to Alaska, where she hiked and began to experiment with singing. She later was convinced by a friend to return to Yale, where she began to record 'Harpoon', which was inspired by a love affair at that time. She then moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where she has since produced another album called 'The Last Tree'. Larkin's third album 'Parplar' was released October 2008." [Wikipedia]

Parplar was released by Michael Gira's Young God Records in October 2008. Sample tracks from all three of her albums are available for free above. Check 'em out.

Larkin often gigs around own with Michael or her Young Gold labelmates. On September 3rd, she played Glasslands with Extra Life, Zs and Liturgy. The pictures in this post are from that show.

Coming up, she's playing September 11th in Boston and Sept. 12th in NYC - the latter of which will be at the new Knitting Factory Brooklyn (set to open on Sept. 9th with Les Savy Fav). There she plays with circus rock bands Mucca Pazza and Beat Circus. She's also at Santos' Musicka Mystica Maxima Fest on September 21st and 22nd. Finally, she is scheduled to play the Happy Ending Music and Reading Series at Joe's Pub on October 7th.

All dates and more pictures from the Glasslands show, below...

Continue reading "Larkin Grimm - Glasslands pics, MP3s & 2009 tour dates"

Peter Bjorn & John @ MSG on 8/4 (more by Tim Griffin)

Peter, Bjorn and John are still on their Depeche Mode-supporting tour that brought the band to NYC for two large shows at Madison Square Garden, and two smaller ones at Cake Shop and Rockwood Music Hall. When they return again, they have now confirmed that it will be during their promised November tour with El Perro Del Mar, and that it will be at Terminal 5 on November 10th. Tickets go on presale today (Aug 12) at 11am. General sale starts Friday, August 14th at noon. All dates below.

One day before that gig, on November 9th, El Perro Del Mar will play a headlining show at Joe's Pub. Tickets are now on sale.

A video of PB&J at Rockwood (doing a super-subdued version of "Amsterdam") and clips of El Perro Del Mar are below...

Continue reading "Peter Bjorn & John & El Perro Del Mar dates (T5 & Joe's Pub)"

King Khan & the Shrines @ Sasquatch 2009 (more by Chris Graham)

The Almighty Defenders CD, out September 22nd on Vice, brings together the Black Lips, King Khan and Mark Sultan. The latter two make up King Khan & the BBQ Show, which is the band that'll be playing Brooklyn's Bell House this Halloween (its an early show - 7:30pm doors / over by 10:30pm) (there's a TBA late show at the same venue). Prizes for best costume. As you can see above, King Khan already has some ideas in mind. Tickets are on sale now.

Can't make it Halloween? King Khan and BBQ are also playing Bowery Ballroom one night earlier (10/30). Ticket info TBA. Full tour dates are still forthcoming, but there are a few more below (including November 1st in Philly). They'll be touring in support of the new King Khan & the BBQ Show album, Invisible Girl, out November 3rd on In the Red.

Another Halloween NYC gig happening in Brooklyn is the Mount Eerie metal show at the Market Hotel. His tourmates, No Kids and Tara Jane O'Neil, will also be his backing band for a set that promises "2 drummers, some gongs and a wall of amps." Liturgy is one of the bands on the bill. Another will be Malkuth. That tour formerly had a TBA for another NYC show. That will happen (with No Kids & TJO playing sets too) on Sunday, November 1st at (Le) Poisson Rouge. Tickets for that Manhattan show (which does not include Liturgy or Malkuth) are on sale (Market Hotel doesn't have advanced tickets).

The LPR show is put on by Wordless Music, who has a bunch of big shows coming up (not the least Rhys Chatham's A Crimson Grail on Saturday). There's also Warp20NYC, the Wordless series at Columbia's Miller Theatre, Deefhoof and Why?.

The Market Hotel show is curated by Brandon Stosuy - music writer and organizer of Show No Mercy (that Black Bubblegum co-curated this past Sunday). Tonight (August 5th) Brandon will be be presenting from his "in-progress oral history of American black metal [briefly excerpted at Believer] joined by Matt Luem for "Joe's Pub's Happy Ending Reading & Music Series. Also at the event will be "Rachel Cohen reading from her book A Chance Meeting: Intertwined Lives of American Writers and Artists. And Lawrence Weschler reading from his work on the visual artists David Hockney and Robert Irwin. And Colin Stetson delivering an opening invocation on saxophone. And Buke & Gass playing a short set of clear voiced yet fuzzed out pop experiments on homemade instruments." Tickets are still on sale.

Videos, new KK&BBQ album tracklist and tour dates from King Khan & the BBQ Show, below...

Continue reading "King Khan & BBQ Show's new album, tour dates, NYC shows, Halloween in Brooklyn, Malkuth, Mt Eerie, Joe's Pub & stuff "

El Perro Del Mar @ Bowery Ballroom (more by Bao Nguyen)

Sweden-based El Perro Del Mar, known informally as Sarah Assbring, is set to release her third full-length album Love Is Not Pop (The Control Group) on October 20, 2009. Following the album release, El Perro Del Mar will be supporting Peter Bjorn and John on their North American tour in November. Further details on those dates are to come.

El Perro Del Mar has confirmed a pair of headlining shows for NYC and LA in November. One of those will be at Joe's Pub on November 9th. No ticket info yet. All dates below.

The first two singles off EPDM's new record (which came out in April in Sweden) are currently streaming on her Myspace. Two are also embedded in videos below.

Album art, tracklist, a note from Sarah about the record, two sample tracks and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "El Perro Del Mar - new album coming, upcoming shows include Joe's Pub & an unannounced Peter Bjorn & John tour"

photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

The legendary Lee Fields

"NPR Music and WBGO boldly attempt to go where few have gone before: Deep soul, indie funk and polyglot jazz share a stage and a bill. We bring you three very different, very large bands, recorded live from Joe's Pub in New York City. Lee Fields And The Expressions headline the night of music, with The Phenomenal Handclap Band and Fight the Big Bull." [NPR]

Continue reading "Lee Fields & The Expressions, The Phenomenal Handclap Band & Fight the Big Bull @ Joe's Pub in NYC - pics & stream"

Shudder To Think @ Webster Hall, Oct 2008 (more by Tim Griffin)

In the fall of 2008, ten years after the band's breakup, ...Shudder To Think embarked on a limited number of tour dates during which the band delivered some of the most compelling and potent shows of their career... The best of the band's live shows can be found on Shudder To Think's new album Live From Home to be released via Team Love on September 15.

Team Love, the NYC-based label that was co-founded by Conor Oberst (and who are releasing the new Shudder album) are also the people that released Craig's 2005 solo album.

Live From Home cover art and full track-listing, along with a message from Craig about the album, is below..

Continue reading "Shudder to Think releasing live album, playing Bowery Ballroom ++ Craig Wedren playing Joe's Pub w/ ACME"

DOWNLOAD: Lee Fields & the Expressions - Ladies (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lee Fields & the Expressions - Love Comes and Goes (MP3)

Lee Fields buttons (on sale now)

Soul crooner Lee Fields's new LP, My World, is out now on Truth and Soul Records. Fields and his band the Expressions, made up of Dap Kings, Budos Band and Antibalas members, celebrated that disc with a CD release show at Southpaw on Friday, June 5th. Two songs from that record are posted above.

Coming up, he'll be at Joe's Pub on Tuesday, July 21st with The Phenomenal Handclap Band (who just put out an album of their own) and Fight the Big Bull. Tickets are on sale. Fight the Big Bull, an ethnic folk-inspired jazz band, is also playing an early set that same night with Sex Mob. Tickets to that are on sale too, and you can get a two-ticket package by phone.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band also have a show coming up at Le Poisson Rouge.

Fields was recently sampled by J. Cole, "Jay-Z's first and only signing to his newly formed label, Roc Nation." The mix tape with that on it, titled The Warm Up, is streaming on Vibe (RIP).

A video of Lee doing "Love Comes and Goes" at that Southpaw show, with more vids, below...

Continue reading "Lee Fields playing Joe's Pub w/ Handclap Band & stuff "

Cass McCombs doesn't know how many more winters he may be able to spend in Chicago. He told me that he just can't stomach the icy cold temperatures during the cruelest and most drawn out season that the Midwest always buckles under, no matter how prepared we all are for its impending beat down. We all become either become ninnies and turn hermitic come late January/early February or we get aggressively perturbed and grouchy, grumbling about it all - the weather from Siberian hell. It all seems so strange because McCombs - one of America's finest songwriting talents, who deserves many more dollars to his name - does icy and desolate so well. [Daytrotter]

The Walkmen perform at the Guggenheim on Friday, August 14th with High Places, and then at a free Central Park Summerstage show two days later (August 16th) with Dinosaur Jr.

Cass McCombs plays a show at Joe's Pub on Monday, July 27th with Mike Bones. Tickets to that are on sale. Then he performs at Brooklyn's Union Hall on Saturday, August 1st with Jennifer O'Connor. Tickets are on sale.

McCombs's new album, Catacombs, comes out July 7th (in North America) on Domino Records. The video for its first single, "Dreams Come True Girl," which features Karen Black (Nashville, The Great Gatsby, more), is posted below. Album art and track list, with all tour dates, are also below...

Continue reading "Cass McCombs - new album & tour dates (Joes Pub, etc..)"

DOWNLOAD: Loney Dear - Airport Surroundings (MP3)

Asobi Seksu @ Irving Plaza / Loney Dear @ MHOW (more by Leia Jospe

Music Hall of Williamsburg show on May 5th was Loney Dear's last NYC visit. Asobi Seksu's last NYC show was at the same venue on June 13th, as part of the Northside Festival. This fall, the two bands will go out on a three-week North American tour together.

The tour includes NYC-area shows at Maxwell's on October 15th and at the Bowery Ballroom on October 16th. Tickets to the Bowery show go on AmEx presale today (June 24th) at noon. General sale Friday, June 26th at noon. Tickets to the Maxwell's show are on sale now.

Before the tour, Asobi Seksu will play a handful of September shows. One gig will be a "special acoustic performance" at Joe's Pub on Wednesday, September 16th. Tickets to that are on sale now.

Polyvinyl, the label of both acts, is releasing an Asobi Seksu limited edition 10", Transparence, on August 25th. Artwork and track listing for that are below. Loney Dear's latest record, Dear John, also on Polyvinyl, came out earlier this year. The lead track off the record, "Airport Surroundings," is posted above, with a video for it, with all dates, below...

Continue reading "Asobi Seksu & Loney Dear - 2009 tour dates (Joe's Pub, etc)"

words & photos by Chris La Putt

Of all the the other Swedes Anna Ternheim (who actually now lives in the East Village) has accompanied on tour, none sounded just like her, and yet, numerous reviews abound comparing her to them. Much like indie rock cannot be pigeonholed into one neighborhood in Brooklyn, Swedish singers cannot all sing like Abba.

Monday night's sold-out show at the intimate and mostly-seated Joe's Pub marked Ms. Ternheim's last American show for the summer. A few days earlier she opened for Kristin Hersh at the Bell House in Brooklyn. In July she heads out to tour her native country's festivals to promote the release of her upcoming album "Leaving on a Mayday" produced by none other than Björn Yttling (of Peter, Björn, and John). All dates below.

Suffused with dark and disquieting lyrics, Ternheim sings of love lost and death. It seemed apt for a rainy Monday in a rather lonesome city. On stage with Anna and her guitar was a chorus of three girls, and additional male band members playing various instruments. More pictures from the show, along with an official video of Anna accompanied by Björn on piano for her latest single "You Are My Everything", below..

Continue reading "Anna Ternheim played Joe's Pub (pics) + new video w/ Bjorn"

Pete Yorn has added to his two-month North American summer tour a show at NJ's Wellmont Theatre on Friday, July 24th (tickets on sale Friday, June 19th at noon). The previously announced NYC dates are July 28th and 29th at Webster Hall.

The singer also added a last-minute CD release show at the much smaller Joe's Pub on Thursday, June 18th to mark the release of his latest disc, Back and Fourth, though that is sold out.

If you missed tickets to that (and have time to wait in line), you can still catch Yorn playing at the Apple Store in Soho tomorrow (June 16th) at 7pm. First come, first served.

In addition to that new album, Yorn will also be releasing a CD with Scarlett Johansson in September.

A video of Yorn covering The Smith's "Ask" at Joe's Pub in 2006, below...

Continue reading "Pete Yorn adds shows (Wellmont, Joe's Pub, the Apple store) "

photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

Naomi Shelton has been performing for nearly 40 years, but this is her first full-length album. What Have You Done My Brother? showcases her classic gospel style -- timeless, guileless and seemingly effortless -- and is the culmination of her years spent singing in church and New York City soul clubs.

Shelton's voice goes from honey-smooth to gritty and back again. The harmonies of the '60s girl group-esque Gospel Queens affirm and provide a constant over which Shelton is free to improvise. Each track openly speaks of God, but the lyrics could arguably be seen as metaphorical and applicable to anyone. [Chart Attack]

Continue reading "Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens @ Joe's Pub, NYC - pics"

"Madison Square is probably best known around the world for lending its name to Madison Square Garden, which was a sports arena located just northeast of the park until 1925. The current Madison Square Garden, the fourth such building, is not in the area. Notable buildings around Madison Square include the Flatiron Building, the Met Life Tower, and the New York Life Building. A new exclusive luxury high-rise condominium tower, "One Madison Park", will rival the Met Life Tower in height." [Wikipedia]

Its opening show on June 17th will be "A Wainwright Family Concert" with Loudon Wainwright III, Sloan Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche all sharing the bill.

Kicking off the 2009 season with a real "family affair," this triple bill features three uniquely talented voices of the highly acclaimed Wainwright family. Loudon Wainwright III headlines with his trademark self-effacing wit and broad humor. Sloan Wainwright, Loudon's sister, is known for a musical style blending pop, folk, jazz and blues. Lucy Wainwright Roche, Loudon's daughter, opens the show with her own bittersweet songwriting style, reminiscent of Joni Mitchell and Patty Griffith.

We also just posted a whole bunch of other free shows taking place in NYC parks this summer, and you can browse our Free Shows tag for even more than that.

Full Madison Square Park Oval schedule + directions, and all Wainwright dates, below...

Continue reading "Madison Square Park - 2009 free show schedule ++ other Wainwright (Loudon, Lucy & Sloan) tour dates"

Bob Mould two nights ago @ Joe's Pub (more by Jacob Blickenstaff)

Last night (4/9), while some were enjoying (or not enjoying) a Passover Seder, others caught Bob Mould at his second of two shows at Joe's Pub. Anonymous wrote,

Unfortunately it was not an ideal venue tonight.
It could have been, but the atmosphere just wasn't the way most BM solo shows usually are.
Still not bad, and the audience was with him, but people were eating dinner....that's an ideal venue for Bob Mould?? I don't think so.

Paper Magazine held their "Beautiful People Party" at Hiro Ballroom last night. Past musical guests at the annual get together have included Antony and Joanna Newsom (whose music is now featured in a bra commercial). This year it was Paper cover-girl Katy Perry who was already in town playing multiple nights at Irving Plaza and humping bananas.

Speaking of humping bananas, Chris Cornell played two shows at Webster Hall this week. In the YouTube video below you can see that he.... shaved his guitar player's head on stage while they were playing at one of them.

Also featured in Paper's new "Beautiful People" issue is comedian Aziz Ansari who co-stars with Amy Poehler in the TV show Parks and Recreation which premiered last night. Did you catch it? What did you think?

Lissy Trullie was featured in last year's "Beautiful People" issue. Last night she played Union Hall with US Royalty (who play the Studio at Webster Hall tonight).

New Ditmas Park/Flatbush venue Sycamore hosted its third-ever live show last night. Check out the schedule for what they have coming up.

The Books paid a somewhat rare visit to NYC. The band, noted one showgoer, "debuted some sweet new tunes." Those'd be from the group's forthcoming record, which, according to the Columbia Spectator, is due next year. The Spectator also noted the lack of promotion for the show - which according to the Books' Twitter sold out less than a day before it happened. One student, on the minimal on-campus promotion, said, "I had no way of knowing they were playing at Columbia...I found out about the concert on a random music blog that I was casually browsing -- I don't even remember which site it was."

As NYC's summer concert lineup comes together, two shows were added to calendar yesterday - Casiokids at South Street Seaport and Shilpa Ray at Castle Clinton (as part of a Sly Stone tribute concert). Shilpa played Death by Audio last night. Look for more summer-show announcements today (in addition to Simian Mobile Disco at the Williamsburg Waterfront).

UK band Pet Shop Boys almost became Rescue Shelter Boys.

What did you do last night?

Continue reading "What did you do last night?"

words by by Martin Longley, photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

Even though singer/guitarist Bob Mould's two shows at Joe's Pub are sold-out, this joint didn't oversell its tickets, and there was still plenty of room to breathe, even back at the bar area at the first performance last night (April 8). The show started promptly, working against a strict curfew and Bob loaded with a prolific songbook to churn through. It was the day after the release of Life And Times, a swift follow-up to last year's District Line, and Mould was concentrating on its contents, as well as celebrating the 20th anniversary of his solo debut Workbook.

Mould's songs are melodic, but act almost as a suite of layered-tone pieces, rarely pausing in-between each short number, and constructed out of jangled chords and vaulting vocals, building up his distinctive wall of sound. He's remarkable not so much as a tunesmith, but as a generator of unlimited energy, commitment and expressiveness, concerned with texture, drive and cumulative impact.

Normally, artist evolution is praiseworthy, and don't we just hate folks who endlessly bay out for their fave songs from two decades back [?], but it can't be avoided that Mould feels like a teaser when it comes to the fully electrified guitar. Clearly, his fans are begging for the feedback surge of those Hüsker Dü days, myself included. His spangling, highly amplified acoustic axe is fine for the epic sweep of his material, but when he snatches up the electric guitar in the final third of the set, there's a definite sense of pent-up release, as the distortion rips out in a scaly peeling of burnt skin. Mould proffers a tease-taster of this earlier on, as he trips an effects button on his acoustic for a brief overload solo. Strangely, the first guitar mini freak-out of the nite comes courtesy of sideman Jason Narducy, who also plays bass for much for the duration.

It turns out that the onstage drumkit is there for the next band, at the 9.30pm set, but its presence inadvertently becomes a part of the evening's tantalization. All through the set we're wondering if a sticks-being is going to pounce onstage and unleash some propulsive thunder. Mould introduces "I'm Sorry, Baby, But You Can't Stand In My Light Any More" as the best song he's written in 15 years, but it has to be said that the set's highlights couldn't help being two of its oldest works: "I Apologize" and "Makes No Sense At All". Next time he's in New York, probably October, Mould is promising to bring out a fully-rocking all-electric combo.

The second of two shows at Joe's Pub is tonight (April 9th). More pictures from last night, including one of the setlist, below...

Continue reading "Bob Mould @ Joe's Pub in NYC (night 1) - pics & setlist"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "June" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion performing Steve Reich's "Drumming, Part Three" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "Melody Competition" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "Fast" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "Go" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "March" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "Work Slow Life" (MP3)

Brooklyn percussion quartet So Percussion is playing Joe's Pub tonight (3/12). For the program, I would expect a mix of the group's repertoire, which encompases original compositions, 20th century "classics," and various new works and collaborations. The band mixed those sources at a Glasslands CMJ gig last fall - opening with original works that included a piece played on household objects and a snare and live-radio composition, and closing with the Reich piece "Drumming" (excerpt above).

Last year, So Percussion opened for Dan Deacon and Dirty Projectors at Brookly Masonic Temple on December 11th. The group's members (Eric Beach, Josh Quillen, Adam Sliwinski, and Jason Treuting) also play as part of the ensemble Signal, which performed Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians at LPR last September.

The group's other upcoming NYC dates include a Wednesday, 25th show at The Players' Theatre (Tickets available here). The program for that evening will feature a collaboration with itsnotyouitsme, performing a composition by So's own Jason Treuting, "16 Words." The two groups share NYCs New Amsterdam Records - which hosts the Shhh Productions imprint label, a So Percussion side-project. They will also play a Saturday, March 28 show at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (Tickets available here).

All tour dates and two videos from 2006's Amid the Noise, available through Cantaloupe Records, below...

Continue reading "So Percussion - a bunch of upcoming shows, MP3's & videos"

"The Happy Ending Music and Reading Series, chosen by New York Magazine and NY Press as the best reading series in NYC, and singled out by the New York Times Magazine for helping to "Keep downtown alive," features the most interesting storytellers, writers, musicians, raconteurs and personalities, and requires the readers to take one public risk, while the musicians, who perform two short sets with their original, lyric-driven music, are required to play one cover song and try to get the audience to sing along."

Glen appears at Carnegie Hall for the R.E.M. tribute exactly one week later.

According to MySpace, The Swell Season "are currently in the studio with Joe, Colm and Rob of The Frames, Graham Hopkins and other special guests working on their next album, with hopes of finishing it up and having it released later this year."

SMH reports,

And what about Hansard and Irglova? Once is a love story and it has such a persuasive documentary feel about it that surely the love that develops between the two of them has to be more than just an on-screen illusion.

"It did become a real relationship," Hansard admits. "I think it was just a very natural part of what we were doing together. We had made the film. We had gone through so much with the Oscar. Of course, we fell into each other's arms. It was a very necessary part of our friendship but I think we both concluded that that wasn't what we really wanted to do. So we're not together now. We are just really good friends."

The work they do together, which started with the film Once and continued with the album The Swell Season, has continued. Now the duo has recorded a new album that they are considering releasing independently.

"I am trying to keep the simple philosophy that the Frames have always had," Hansard says. "I don't want to start signing to a major label when I am 38. Right now I am trying to figure out the best deal for us."

Continue reading "Glen Hansard playing Joe's Pub & Carnegie Hall "

words and photos by Toby Tenenbaum

Doveman played each of the nine songs from the Footloose soundtrack from start to finish. Each version was delicately stripped down and re-crafted to appeal to the contemporary audience that had braved the freezing cold to cram tightly into Joe's Pub in NYC last night (2/4).

The set was introduced by Thomas Bartlett's childhood friend and cover artist Gabriel Greenberg during which he recounted the discovery of the Footloose cassette among his late sister's possessions. This discovery led to Greenberg's suggestion that Bartlett undertake the reworking. He explained to the audience how Bartlett's reinvention of the 80's cult classic now allows him the opportunity to connect with his late sister.

Doveman were accompanied by a projector screen which showed an assortment of video clips from the movies Footloose and Flashdance (among others). Bartlett joked that he had never seen Footloose and wasnt sure of where each clip came from. He also joked that his next project was in fact going to be Flashdance.

The set was rounded off by four additional Doveman tracks. The four-person, multi-instrumental band included Dawn Landes.

More pictures below...

Continue reading "Doveman played Footloose @ Joe's Pub in NYC - pics"

2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Workbook, and also the release of Bob Mould's latest album, Life And Times, set for an April 7th street date. Produced and mixed by Mould in his current hometown of Washington D.C., the album is filled with Mould's experiences in relation to friends, lovers, the world at large and himself. It is honest and personal, his voice breaking on "Bad Blood Better," the electronic twitches of earlier work reappearing under signature blazing guitars on "MM17." Mould appraises the perils of easy self-distraction on "Wasted World" and is not afraid to get explicit on "Argos." The emotional and musical centerpiece of the record, "I'm Sorry Baby, But You Can't Stand In My Light Anymore," is an unflinching look at the sorrow and regret that comes at the end of love.

Continue reading "Bob Mould - new album & 2009 Tour Dates (2 x Joes Pub)"

DOWNLOAD: Lucy Wainwright Roche - Bridge (MP3)

Loudon & Lucy (by Peter Adams)

upcoming @ Joe's Pub in NYC
Jan 2 - Lucy Wainwright Roche *
Jan 7 - Happy Ending Music and Reading Series +

* I'm told Lucy's dad Loudon will also be there to join her for at least one song
+ featuring Richard Price & Matthew Caws (of Nada Surf) (thx Matt)

DOWNLOAD: Doveman - Honey (MP3)

Doveman pointing (more by Chris La Putt)

As previously posted, Doveman is playing a show at The Stone in NYC tonight, Tuesday December 16th.

He'll be joined by the entire Doveman band, featuring Sam Amidon, Dougie Bowne, Peter Ecklund and Doug Wieselman. This is the first time the entire band has played together since recording With My Left Hand I Raise The Dead.

Doveman's band was the first place I knew Sam Amidon from, but I almost forget that when I see Sam's name now. Now I think of Sam first and foremost for his own work which he'll also be playing when he and Doveman go on a tour of Europe with David Thomas Broughton this January.

And when they get back, it's one more Doveman show for NYC, but this Doveman show will be unlike any other Doveman show because at this Doveman show, Doveman will be performing his version of the Footloose soundtrack. Tickets are on sale. All dates below...

Continue reading "Doveman - 2008/09 Tour Dates (tonight, Europe w/ Sam Amidon, Footloose @ Joe's Pub) "

DOWNLOAD: John Doe - Heartless (MP3)

X have three holiday shows lined up for the end of this year in California. According to a flyer for the LA show, it is once again the full original lineup and "All your favorite X & holiday tunes".

And though there aren't any future, full band, east coast dates on X's calendar, "acoustic duo" Exene Cervenka and John Doe have two shows lined up in NYC in January of 2009. The first is January 10th at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. The show is seated, Justin Townes Earle is opening, and tickets are on sale at noon. The second is one day later at the much smaller Joe's Pub, but with no opener (and probably a drink minimum if you want a seat) - tickets are on sale now. All dates below...

Continue reading "X - west coast holiday shows, Brooklyn & Joe's Pub"

Bebel Gilberto performs for the second night in a row at BAM tonight/Friday, and a late show was just added at Joe's Pub on December 9th. Tickets for that are now on sale.