by Fred Pessaro // BBG

this is where the DFA anniversary is happening

NYCers might be familiar with the infamous commercials for the spectacular Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn, with the proprieters finishing off the commercial by yelling "WE MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE" at the top of their lungs. I've always thought that the venue -- which is truly fantastic in the textbook definition of the word -- might make an interesting space for a musical event. It has before, including being the home of the world-music oriented Golden Fest.

Apparently I was not alone. We've mentioned it, but never fully given it the attention it deserves. As part of the massive Red Bull Music Academy takeover of NYC next month, DFA Records will make their dreams come true by hosting their 12th anniversary of party at the dazzling space on May 25, featuring a veritable army of the DFA crew including DJs and live sets from James Murphy, The Rapture, Black Dice (live set), Juan Maclean, Pat Mahoney, The Crystal Ark (live set), YACHT (live set), Sh*t Robot (live set), Planningtorock (live set), Prinzhorn Dance School (live set, their US debut), Still Going, Nancy Whang, Tim Sweeney, Larry Gus, Dan Bodan and Marcus Marr. There are bound to be some surprises in store as well and seems likely to be a very memorable night.

Tickets are still available, but reportedly "dangerously close to selling out."

Tickets are also still available for the RBMA talk with James Murphy at NYU. Browse RBMA's full lineup for more amazing events.

DFA-related videos and those classic Grand Prospect Hall commercials are below.

Continue reading "Brooklyn's amazing Grand Prospect Hall will host DFA's 12th Anniversary party (James Murphy, YACHT & loads more)"

Juan Maclean @ PS1 Warm Up, Aug. 2011 (more by Erez Avissar)

The Juan Maclean is releasing his first new single in some time, a track called "You Are My Destiny" which features vocals from frequent collaborator Nancy Whang. You can stream it below, and it's out April 1.

As mentioned, Juan Maclean will be DJing at Williamsburg megaclub Output on April 4 with fellow DFA cohort Tim Sweeny, as well as Dan Wender (tickets), which is one of a string of dates he's got over the next couple months. He'll also be DJing DFA's big 12th Anniversary party at Grand Prospect Hall on May 25, part of the Red Bull Music Academy in NYC, which also features James Murphy, Whang, Sweeny, Pat Mahoney and more on the decks and live sets from Shit Robot, Yacht, Planningtorock, The Crystal Ark, Larry Gus, and Dan Bodan. Tickets are still available.

Prinzhorn Dance School

That show also marks the U.S. live debut of UK duo Prinzhorn Dance School whose most recent album, Clay Class, came out last year on DFA and was one of 2012's more underheard albums. The band's super-minimal, jagged sound is like a cross between Gang of Four and Young Marble Giants. So far the DFA party is their only North American date, but it seems an awfully long way to come to just do one show. You can check out a few PDS videos below.

Continue reading "Juan Maclean releasing new single (stream); Prinzhorn Dance School making U.S. live debut at DFA 12th anniversary party"

DJ Shadow at Brooklyn Bowl in 2012 (more by Robert Altman)

As mentioned, there's a weekly Thursday party called INPUT at new Williamsburg dance club Output (74 Wythe Ave by N. 12th St.) which has already had some good shows, and has another this week (3/21) with Bok Bok, Kingdom, Girl Unit, L-Vis 1990, MikeQ, Rizzla, and Kelela. They've just recently announced their April parties, and those are looking pretty good too.

On April 4, they've got DFA DJs Juan MacLean and Tim Sweeney, along with Dan Wender. Tickets for that one are on sale now.

Then on April 11, DJ Shadow will take over the venue for an All Basses Covered DJ set. Tickets are on sale.

The last announced INPUT party for April at the moment (they haven't announced a 4/25 show) is on April 18 with Ben UFO, Pearson Sound, and Pangaea. Tickets are on sale. And if you haven't already, check out Ben UFO's Fabriclive.67 mix.

And probably the biggest show to be announced at Output yet happens on August 1 when SBTRKT (who has headlined Terminal 5) DJs there. Tickets for that one are on sale now.

Listen to "Ghost" from Kilo Kish's mixtape which features production from SBTRKT below...

Continue reading "SBTRKT, DJ Shadow, Juan MacLean, Ben UFO & more DJing parties at Output"

Holy Ghost! rang in the new year in NYC at Brooklyn Bowl with Midnight Magic, and afterwards their DFA labelmate Juan Maclean DJed an afterparty at the same venue. If you missed him spinning that night, he's sure to DJ many more NYC parties in 2013 (like Le Bain on January 20), and he also just announced a show for The Juan Maclean which goes down on February 21 at Le Poisson Rouge with Sumsun. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

A list of all dates and a stream of a recent Juan Maclean DFA Radiomix below...

Continue reading "Juan Maclean played after Holy Ghost! at Brooklyn Bowl, playing more shows (dates)"

Love it or loathe it, New Year's Eve is coming. Here are some of this year's NYC concert options, of which there are many.

One of the biggest shows of the night is Coldplay and Jay-Z at Barclays Center. If you've seen pictures of Coldplay's tour this year, you know they have this bluetooth controlled, light-up wristbands that (no matter how you feel about their music) makes for a spectacular interactive experience. And certainly Jay-Z will throw a good party at his own house.

Jay-Z's pal Kanye West is doing a three-night run in Atlantic City right before NYE (12/28-30) at Revel. Tickets for those shows are still available.

Another hip hop option includes Nas at Radio City Music Hall that also features Elle Varner. Tickets are still available.

Azealia Banks is playing a black tie party on top of The Standard Hotel (aka Boom Boom Room). More info is at the facebook event. You can RSVP for tickets ($250 minimum) by emailing unifiedpromo@unifiedpromo.com.

Also in the biggest NYE show race there is also Phish's sold-out night at MSG, part of a four night run at the venue.

If jam bands are your thing, you might also want to catch The Disco Biscuits, who kick off their four-night run at Best Buy Theater tonight (12/26) and then play NYE at The Theatre at MSG (tickets).

Another jammy option is Gov't Mule's two-night run at Beacon Theatre (12/30-31). Tickets for both nights are on sale.

If you're more into dancing, RJD2 will be DJing at Gramercy Theater with Com Truise and Chrome Sparks; and Moby and many others will be DJing at an as-yet undisclosed location (tickets).

Pretty Lights is also doing two sold nights at Roseland Ballroom (12/30-31). Another dance option that you might want to avoid is Afrojack is playing two nights on Pier 94 (12/30-31), but it's worth mentioning that if you get there early on night 1, you can catch opening sets by Diplo and Rusko. Night 2 (aka NYE) is sold out but night 1 is still on sale.

Brooklyn dance party The Bunker is throwing an event at the 70 N 6 St loft (above Public Assembly) with John Roberts, Mike Parker, Bryan Kasenic, and Mike Servito. Tickets for that party are on sale now.

Downstairs at the actual Public Assembly, Gaze 4 Daze is throwing two queer parties. Room 1 has DJ sets by Rizzla, Sebastian, and D'Hana, along with Emcee Ryann Supamakenzi and host Cherlyn. In room 2, they've got MIchael Magnan, Amber Valentine, Telfar, Mursi Layne, host Helen Harris, and live performances by House of Ladosha, Cakes Da Killa, and Abdu Ali. $10 at the door gets you into both parties.

Brooklyn warehouse party group Rubulad is presenting "Party-Go-Round" in three separate secret Bushwick locations near the Jefferson L stop. There will be live music by Friend Roulette, Not Waving but Drowning, Viva, and more; dance parties with music by DJ Shakey, Ol' Stark, DJ Mojo, $mall ¢hange and more; a puppet show, a midnight champagne toast, and more. Admission is $20, the events start at 9 PM, and there will be a party bus to navigate between the three locations.

Matthew Dear and Superpitcher are at Le Bain (tix); Ian Pooley, Pat Mahoney and more at Cameo; Onra, Nick Catchdubs, and Samo Sound Boy are at Williamsburg's Villian (tickets).

Holy Ghost! and Midnight Magic are at Brooklyn Bowl (sold out) and after that, Holy Ghost!'s DFA labelmate Juan Maclean will DJ an afterparty at the same venue (tickets).

Chris Keating of Yeasayer is DJing a BangOn!NYC-presented party at a secret warehouse location in Williamsburg near the Montrose L stop with Felix Cartal, Chordashian, Alex English, Sean Glass, and many others. There will also be live music by Carousel, Suntalk, and more TBA, art installations, an inflatable obstacle course, food trucks, and more. Tickets (more info at that link) are on sale and RSVP is open. Location will be revealed with the purchase of tickets or an RSVP.

If you'd rather dance to classic soul and R&B, there's New York Night Train Annual Dusk Till Dawn New Year's Ball at Home Sweet Home featuring a live performance from Kid Congo and the K-Holes, plus Jonathan Toubin and a crew of DJs.

For the indie rock inclined, you could go see Titus Andronicus at Glasslands which is a pretty small venue for them these days. While So So Glos were originally on the bill for this, they have since dropped off. Dapwell, formerly of Das Racist, is your MC for the evening and tickets are still available.

Right next door at 285 Kent, Florida's (awesomely) mopey Merchandise will visit,  plus Blanche Blanche Blanche, Tonstartssbandht and "speciial guests" (note the two ii's is "speciial") will surely be a wild night. Dive in, tickets ($20) are on sale now.

After that, DJ Rashad, DJ Manny, Sasha Go Hard, and others will play an afterparty at 285 Kent (tickets).

Psychic Ills and Herb Craft are playing Saint Vitus. Tickets for that show are on sale.

Also happening in Williamsburg, They Might be Giants play a sold-out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (one of three shows there that week; Reverend Vince Anderson and His Love Choir will be at Union Pool (free); and at Knitting Factory it's a night of cabaret hosted by the great Murray Hill (tix).

More indie rock: Blonde Redhead and Beach Fossils are at Irving Plaza. Tickets are still available and you can also win a pair from us.

Swimming Cities and Gowanus Ballroom (55 9th St) are presenting The First Party Ever: Primal Reset for the Year Zero with dance parties by Barney Iller, DJ Shakey, and DJ Tinseltown; live music at midnight by Stumblebum Brass Band; an open bar from 11:30-12:30; visuals; "Serret's patented coal fire hot tub time machine"; "Live birth of the antichrist, according to Doctor Adventure"; and more. $15 tickets are on sale now (or $20 at the door, cash only) and all proceeds go to recovery at Serret Metal Works and the "BOATEL" art hotel project in Far Rockaway that were damaged during Hurricane Sandy.

Meanwhile across the Hudson, The Hold Steady will ring in 2013 with Lucero at The Wellmont Theatre in NJ. Tickets are still available.

Before that, Lucero will do a two-night run at Brooklyn Bowl (12/28-29) with Nude Beach supporting on night 1 and Hollis Brown on night 2. Tickets for night 1, night 2, or both are still available.

Amanda Palmer will be at Terminal 5, playing Prince's Purple Rain in its entirety which will surely be a spectacle. She'll play a set of originals too. Tickets are still available.

If you'd like to party like it's 1929, Spirit Family Reunion are bringing the old time religion to Pianos. Tickets are still available, includes a champagne toast.

More rootsy options include The Punch Brothers and Michael Daves at Bowery Ballroom (sold out); and The Felice Brothers, Yellowbirds, and Mail the Horse at Mercury Lounge (sold out).

The Felice Brothers also play Maxwell's (12/30) a day earlier (sold out), and on New Year's Eve, the Hoboken venue will host "Maxwell's Rockin' & Rollin' Ass Kickin' New Year's Eve Dance Party feat. The Two Giants: Todd-O-Phonic Todd & Mono-O-Phonic Matt Porter." They get their name from being big San Francisco Giants fans, and they'll be spinning "some of the greatest soul, r'n'b, garage, rock'n'rol etc" all night. Admission is totally free, no cover.

My Morning Jacket is doing a sold out pre-New Year's Eve three-night run (12/27-29) at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester.

After that, Capitol Theatre will host Steve Miller Band on 12/30 (tickets) and funky METERS with Dumpstaphunk on NYE (tickets).

For some old school punk, Manitoba (the project of Dictators frontman Dick Manitoba) and Sylvain Sylvain (of New York Dolls) will play Bowery Electric with The A-Bones and Daddy Long Legs. Tickets for that show are on sale.

To keep the party going the next day, head to SOB's for Questlove's holiday party.

Whatever you end up doing, be safe!.

What did we miss?

Heading to Austin? We have a list of shows happening there too. Update: And Chicago too.

Continue reading "A guide to New Year's Eve shows and parties in NYC"

UPDATE: This post was mostly about Sunday. Monday's cancellations HERE.

We'll keep you posted, but at the moment, Swans @ Bowery, Sic Alps @ Knitting Factory, and the show at Cake Shop are still listed as happening. Most other Sunday night shows (and a bunch of Monday shows) we would have listed are cancelled or postponed due to Frankenstorm (Hurricane Sandy). Subways and buses stop running at 7pm which is also when people living in "Zone A" are supposed to be evacuated by.

UPDATE: The Juan Maclean's DJ set at Le Bain is also still on (as of this post) CANCELLED too.

UPDATE: The Men are playing Don Pedro.

Union Pool doesn't have a show tonight, but is open.

ASPCA reminds you: All pets are accepted on the subway, taxi and trains during evacuation.

Fontana's says, "Hey everyone - we're going to be open this evening till we can. At least 2am. All Manhattanites workin the shifts - come keep us company."

Pianos is closed.

The Living Room is closed.

Cake Shop's show is now cancelled, but they "might still be open upstairs for fun and the bored-at-home-with-only-comic-books-you-haven't-read-yet-from-the-early-2000's. Stay tuned."

Spectre Folk, who were set to open for Sic Alps, at Knitting Factory tonight "have cancelled due to weather related travel issues. The show will go on with Sic Alps and PC Worship but will end early (10pm)." Tickets are still available.

Hannibal Buress is stuck in Houston. Not sure if his Knitting Factory show is going on without him.

UCB: "Due to MTA shutdown, both ASSSSCAT 3000 shows are cancelled tonight. Refunds will be issued to ticket holders."

All shows past 5:30pm at UCB East are also cancelled.

Pretty Good Friends is cancelled at Union Hall which will also be closed Monday.

The Bell House postponed an event tonight, and sadly cancelled Monday's Pat Kiernan Halloween trivia night.

Grimes, who has been in NYC the past few nights for her sold out four-night run, was set to play her last of those shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight with Elite Gymnastics and Majical Cloudz, but due to the incoming Frankenstorm, tonight's show has been cancelled. Refunds are available at the point of purchase.

Mercury Lounge is also cancelled/closed.

Brooklyn Bowl is closing at 6pm.

The Molly Nilsson show at Glasslands tonight has been cancelled.

The xx were scheduled to play their second of two shows at the Paradise Theater tonight. They write...

Due to safety concerns related to Hurricane Sandy and the MTA shutdown in New York, we have been forced to postpone our remaining shows in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, including tonight's show at the Paradise in the Bronx. We are working with our partners to reschedule as soon as possible, so please hang on to your tickets and we'll advise as soon as we can. We'll have another announcement coming later in the week, including information on these shows and a new run of US dates in early 2013. In the meantime, please be safe. We'll be back to see you all soon.

Tonight's Ghostface Killah and Sheek Louch Wu-Block party at Highline Ballroom has been cancelled. Refunds available at point of purchase.

Villains is cancelled at Saint Vitus who write "We are closed this evening due to mandatory evacuation of "zone A". Obviously Mayor Bloomberg is not a Metal Head. We will reopen as soon as we can. In the meantime, enjoy this!"

Child Abuse at The Paper Box is cancelled.

Cat Power's Philly show at the Electric Factory has been postponed to January 2.

Brandie Carlile and Blitzen Trapper were set to play their first of two Beacon Theater shows tonight, but both tonight's show and Monday's show have been postponed.

Drom has cancelled multiple Sunday & Monday shows.

Sunday & Monday shows at Joe's Pub are cancelled.

"Due to impending hurricane, S.O.B's will be closed Monday and Tuesday. Shows will be rescheduled at a later date."

The Trey Anastasio Band show at Capitol Theater has been postponed to Monday, November 5. All tickets for tonight's show will be honored.

Louis CK was set to wrap up his run at the New York City Center tonight but has postponed the shows until March 2. Read his letter about postponing HERE.

"Pace Presents at The Schimmel Center for the Arts is disappointed to announce that, due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy on the city, our 2012 Banjo Summit with BELA FLECK tonight, Sunday October 28, has been CANCELLED. We are currently in discussions with the artists regarding rescheduling this show. More information will be released as we have it. Again, our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. Stay safe and dry in the storm!"

Irving Plaza says, "Tonight's Xavier Rudd show is postponed. We're working on a rescheduled date, will send out info asap. Refunds avail at point of purchase."

The Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) show at Apollo Theater, which was initially postponed to tonight from June 14, has now been cancelled.

"BAM Rose Cinemas will close today following the 4:40 screening of Argo. The cinemas will remain closed tomorrow and possibly Tuesday."

Blue Oyster Cult at Best Buy Theater is postponed.

Maxwell's says, "tonight's show with Ours has been postponed to Sunday, December 2nd. all tickets will be honored and refunds are available as well."

Carnegie Hall's Sunday & Monday shows are cancelled or postponed.

City Winery says, "Due to the inclimate weather in the New York area and the suspension of all major travel services tonight's (10/28/12) Shawn Colvin concert has been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. The show has been rescheduled for February 3, 2013. In addition the Eric Hutchinson show scheduled for Monday, 10/29/12 has also been cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date."

If you had been planning on celebrating Halloween with Rusko at Pacha tonight, you'll have to settle for spending New Year's with him. Tonight's show has been postponed until December 30.

UPDATE: This post was mostly about Sunday. Monday's cancellations HERE.

LCD Soundsystem at MSG (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

As mentioned, the LCD Soundsystem documentary, Shut Up and Play the Hits, will screen at Brooklyn Bowl on Friday (7/27). Advance tickets for that screening have sold out, but more tickets will be available at the door. They've since added another screening, which happens at Brooklyn Bowl on August 1 with a "special guest DJ TBD." Tickets for that screening are on sale now. The DVD of the documentary is also now up for preorder.

In other DFA news, Juan Maclean will DJ in Brooklyn on August 24 at Cameo Gallery with Brooklyn Bass. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

In somewhat related news, DFA released a white label 12" with remixes of The Rapture's "In The Grace Of Your Love" by Poolside (who play NYC TONIGHT and Friday) and Pional (who plays NYC with John Talabot in September). You can stream the Poolside remix HERE and the Pional remix below.

Continue reading "2nd LCD Soundsystem 'Shut Up and Play the Hits' added at Brooklyn Bowl; Juan Maclean DJing Cameo"

by BBG

Psychedelic-post-punk-funk favorites Turing Machine are back with their third album What Is The Meaning Of What, the follow-up to 2004's Zwei and first since the tragic passing of drummer Jerry Fuchs

Shortly after Turing Machine began to work on what would become What Is The Meaning Of What, Fuchs tragically passed away. In his absence, guitarist Justin Chearno and bassist Scott DeSimon spent the better part of a year completing the album, with a little help from a plethora of friends, including Disappears vocalist Brian Case, and a host of musicians from the DFA roster, including Andrew Raposo and Caito Sanchez (both of Midnight Magic), Abe Seiferth, DJ McNany, and Pat Mahoney (LCD Soundsystem).

Jerry Fuchs appears on the release (his final recordings), which hits stores on May 8th via Temporary Residence Limited.

Catch Turing Machine in five-piece formation (with Chris Egan of Computer Magic/SpaceCamp/Adam Green/Lightspeed Champion, Dennis McNany of Jee Day/Run Roc, and Abe Seiferth of Tippy Toes and the producer of the newest LP) at a record release show at Union Pool on May 18th where they'll be joined Violent Bullshit. Tickets are on sale.

In related news, Violent Bullshit (current & ex-mems of Les Savy Fav, Panthers, Orchid and more) are preparing to release their new LP Adult Problems and you can order your copy via the band. The band will also play Grand Victory on May 26th.

Stream the recent Turing Machine single and the previous Violent Bullshit record (available for free download) below...

Continue reading "Turing Machine return with a new LP (featuring Jerry Fuchs) & a record release show in Brooklyn"

by Andrew Sacher

Ben Browning, who joined Cut Copy as their bassist before the release of 2011's excellent Zonoscope LP, had been working on his material prior to that album, and released it in the form of the Lover Motion EP on Cut Copy's Cutters label last week (3/19). The EP was produced by Architecture in Helsinki members Gus Franklin and Haima Marriott and features keyboard programming from Cut Copy frontman Dan Whitford. The single, "I Can't Say," doesn't sound very different from the material on Zonoscope and is by far the biggest pop moment on the EP. Of the remaining four tracks, two are instrumental, and the other two are on a slightly calmer side of pop. You can stream the entire EP and the "I Can't Stay" single which includes remixes by Knightlife and Juan Maclean below. The video for "I Can't Stay" is also below.

Ben will be making his way over to the US for the Sweetlife Food & Music Festival in Columbia, MD (4/28) with The Shins, Explosions in the Sky, Twin Shadow, Zola Jesus, and others this April. The day before that festival, he'll play a Brooklyn show at Glasslands on April 27. Tickets for that show are on sale now. There's also an LA date with Metronomy (who will be in LA on tour with Coldplay).

All dates, video and streams below....

Continue reading "Ben Browning of Cut Copy released EP, schedules US shows"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Stepkids - Shadows on Behalf (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Stepkids - Legend in My Own Mind (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cuckoo Chaos - Just Ride It (MP3)

The Stepkids

Is it too late to say Happy New Year to all of you out there? Probably. Okay, nevermind. It is a New Year though, and the rock machine is already in full swing. If you haven't spent all your money on tickets to the chickfactor fest (I can't tell you how psyched I am to see Small Factory) there's some good options.

Top of my list this weekend is the previously mentioned Stepkids show at Knitting Factory on Saturday (1/14). Their self-titled debut made my Favorite Albums of 2011 list (#36) and don't feel it got enough attention. I wrote:

Like The Bees, The Stepkids recreate a specific era of sound -- early '70s psychedelic soul -- with such skill you might think it was some obscure Fifth Dimension album or outtakes from Psychedelic Shack. That it works beyond an exercise is mimicry shows how talented these three are.

And they are crazy talented. All three members write and sing and spent time playing with the likes of Alicia Keys, Lauren Hill and 50 Cent before deciding to take a stranger path in music. I do wish they'd make a 15-piece Stepkids Love Unlimited Orchestra so they could really do the complexities of the album justice in a live setting, but what they accomplish as a trio is still pretty damn impressive. (A killer light show helps in that department.) They were great when they played our day party at Public Assembly during CMJ week during which we taped them doing an acoustic cover of Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box" which you can watch at the bottom of this post. Also down there is the Tom Sharpling-directed video for "Legend in My Own Mind" which is pretty funny.

Cuckoo Chaos

Opening for The Stepkids are San Diego band Cuckoo Chaos who also play Friday (1/13) at Mercury Lounge with Country Mice. The band have toured with Anna Calvi and were last in town during CMJ. The band play an appealing take on afrobeat-y indie rock with nice harmonies. I do really like their song "Just Ride It" which is downloadable at the top of this post. If you like that one, check out their album Woman (listen on Spotify, buy at eMusic) and consider going to one of their shows this weekend.

Radical Dads at Brooklyn Night Bazaar, December 2011

A few spots above the Stepkids on my Albums of 2011 list (#29) is Radical Dads' debut, Mega Rama, which is nine tasty chunks of shouty/catchy indie rock wrapped up in one of my favorite sleeves of the year. They're also a total blast live, as evidenced by anyone who showed up early to the BV-presented show at Brooklyn Night Bazaar last month.

You've got your first chance to catch Radical Dads in 2012, as previously mentioned, Friday night (1/13) where they play Cameo Gallery. The whole evening's card is pretty stacked with local talent. Also playing are mellow folk pop band Backwords (stream their new album below), the sloppy pop of Moonmen on the Moon, Man and the electro-tinged stylings of Yanqui.

King Krule, last night at Mercury Lounge

I would mention the King Krule shows happening this weekend but as they're all sold out, you're either going or you're not. I thought he was good when I saw him at Glasslands during CMJ. He looks even younger in person, but that voice seems to be from someone 30 years older. Anyway, a few more weekend picks are below, day-by-day....

--

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12

Chain And The Gang, 5 Dollar Priest, Eleanor Friedberger, Nicole Atkins and many more play a Jonathan Toubin benefit at Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight.

Next door at Public Assembly, the Juan Maclean and Com Truise are playing a party celebrating new MTV show I Just Want My Pants Back. Tickets were free with RSVP but list is at capacity.

continued below...

Continue reading "The Stepkids, Cuckoo Chaos, Radical Dads, Backwords & more in This Week in Indie"

Blondes at Monster Island in 2010 (more by Erez Avissar)

PopRally is presenting an evening of music, light, and sound, which features a live performance by Brooklyn electronic duo Blondes (aka Zach Steinman and Sam Haar) and a DJ set by Juan MacLean at MoMA on January 21. According to a press release, visitors will also have the exclusive opportunity to view the exhibitions Contemporary Art from the Collection, 1980-Now; Thing/Thought: Fluxus Editions, 1962-1978; Sanja Ivekovic: Sweet Violence; and Projects 96: Haris Epaminonda. Tickets are on sale now. More details below.

Blondes will release their self titled debut LP on February 7 via RVNG Intl. and are also opening for Matthew Dear at Bowery Ballroom (3/2). Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (1/6) at noon.

Details for the MoMA show below...

Continue reading "Blondes playing MoMA, opening for Matthew Dear"

My favorte part about these Toyota Antics events is the part where you have to decide if you want to "Check here if you would like to be contacted by a dealer."

Info on the latest additions below...

Continue reading "Justice, DJ Juan Maclean & more added to Creators Project"

We've made some last minute changes to the event today, Sept 25th, due to weather concerns. We decided to move the location to an indoor location, Safe Harbor Loft in Soho.

The address is 446 Broadway. We've also changed the times, and the event starts now at 2pm and ends at 11pm. We're super excited about this location and believe everyone will be too once they see the space.

This was supposed to happen outside in Williamsburg.

Tim Sweeney

Tim Sweeney's WNYU radio show Beats in Space is celebrating 12 years by throwing a party in the parking lot at 59 North 6th St in Williamsburg on Sunday (near Cameo, across the street from Music Hall of Williamsburg and Public Assembly). The outdoor, rain-or-shine, 21+ event runs from noon-9pm and features the following lineup:

Matthew Dear (Ghostly Intl)
Juan Maclean (DFA Records)
Metro Area (Environ Records)
Rub N Tug (Eric Duncan & Thomas Bullock)
Kim Ann Foxman (Hercules & Love Affair)
DJ Nature (Golf Channel)
Blondes (performing Live/RVNG)
Tim Sweeney (BIS Records)

You should be fully recovered from the Rapture show at Webster Hall by then. Tickets are on sale (and will run you a bit less than $35 each). The flyer is below.

Meanwhile, Blondes can be found DJing Friday night (tonight, 9/23) at Santos Party House along with a cast that includes No Bra, Carsten Nicolai of Signal and Ital (aka "the new dancefloor oriented solo project of Daniel Martin McCormick of Mi Ami, Black Eyes, Sex Worker"). Listen to Ital in a video below...

Continue reading "Beats in Space throwing a fest outside on N. 6th (Sunday), Blondes also DJs Santos w/ ITAL (tonight)"

James Murphy @ Virgin FreeFest - 9/11/11 (photo by sanchita)

Holy Ghost! play a Fashion Week party at the Tribeca Grand hotel tonight (9/13). Additional sounds will be made by DJs Pat Mahoney (LCD Soundsystem), Harley Viera Newton, Steven Rojas, Mike Nouveau, and Mandy Brooks. The invite says to RSVP at Events@GrandLifeNYC.com. The DFA-signed Holy Ghost's only other upcoming show at the moment is 11/4 at Grog Shop in Cleveland.

Speaking of DFA, Juan Maclean has some DJ gigs coming up including September 25th at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn, part of Asa Ransom's residency. All JM dates are listed below.

As just mentioned, Free Energy are playing this year's CMJ Music Marathon in NYC. To be more exact, their show is at Brooklyn Bowl on 10/22 with Gotye, The Good Natured, and Bleeding Knees Club and you can get tickets now. All of their dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Holy Ghost! playing Fashion Week Party, Free Energy playing Brooklyn Bowl, Juan Maclean DJing stuff"

photos by Erez Avissar

Warm Up at MoMA PS1 continued last Saturday (8/20) with Juan Maclean, Blood Orange, Solange, Pictureplane, Grimes, and Ford & Lopatin. Pictures from that show are in this post.

Pictureplane will be in NYC two times next week for the previously mentioned shows at Cameo (9/1) and The Morgan (9/3). He'll also be part of the Check Yo Ponytail Tour this fall.

Blood Orange plays a free show at Mercury Lounge this Sunday with CANT who he's also going on tour with in October.

This Saturday's (8/27) upcoming Warm Up lineup includes Tanlines, Nguzunguzu, Teengirl Fantasy, Sun Araw, and Physical Therapy. The show is one day after Sun Araw and Prince Rama present the NYC debut of their joint project Prince Sunarawma at Music Hall of Williamsburg (8/26). Julianna Barwick, Pterodactyl, and Teengirl Fantasy (DJ) are also on the MHOW bill. Tickets are still available.

More PS1 pictures from last Saturday below...

Continue reading "'Warm Up' continued w/ Juan Maclean, Blood Orange, Solange, Pictureplane, Grimes, and Ford & Lopatin (pics)"

Shit Robot at Terminal 5 (more by Andrew St Clair)

Shit Robot has a few DJ and performance dates in the near future as part of a tour that kicks off in Chicago on Friday night at The Mid where James Murphy will also DJ. The NYC date is a DJ set at Le Bain on August 14th (no James). Full tour dates and a new mixtape and a remix by Shit Robot are below.

In other DFA Records news, The Rapture will play a sold-out Music Hall of Williamsburg on 8/20 which is followed by a bunch of European touring (updated dates below). The band recently released a new remix via an Adult Swim series. You can download the original for the price of your email at DFA. Adult Swim has since released the new Clams Casino track, "Wizard".

Juan MacLean has a few upcoming dates as well, including the previously discussed date on 8/20 at PS1 with Pictureplane (who just played a hot 285 Kent), Blood Orange, Solange Knowles and more. Full tour schedule is below.

Rewards aka Aaron Pfenning of Chairlift has signed to DFA and is releasing a 12" called Equal Dreams which is a track featuring vocals by Solange Knowles. Blood Orange aka Devonté Hynes contributes to the flip, "Asleep with the Lights On". Stream both songs below.

LCD Soundsystem guitarist Phil Mossman and Will Bates are Fall On Your Sword, and the duo are preparing to release the DFA debut too. The new single features extended versions of tracks from the soundtrack of Another Earth. Stream both songs, with a video for one too, below.

And last but not least, Holy Ghost hit the road as part of the Identity Festival in middle August, tagging PNC Bank Arts Center on 8/14 and Jones Beach Ampitheater on 8/21. Tickets are still available for both dates (they are no longer $20 though).

All tour dates and those Shit Robot mixes are below.

Continue reading "DFA Updates -- Shit Robot shows, Rewards, Fall on Your Sword & more (dates & songs to listen to)"

DOWNLOAD: Pictureplane - "Post Physical" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pictureplane - "Real is a Feeling" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: S.C.U.M. - Summon the Sound (Grimes remix) (MP3)

Pictureplane on Halloween in NYC (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Speaking of Teengirl Fantasy, they're set to head out on tour with Pictureplane in late July. The tour kicks off in Boston on July 20 and hits NYC on July 22 at a TBD location and July 23 at Coco66. Gatekeeper, who also play 285 Kent with Teengirl Fantasy this Saturday night (June 18), open the tour. Tickets for the Coco66 show are on sale now.

Pictureplane will release Thee Physical on July 19 via Lovepump United. The album was produced and recorded by Egedy and mixed/co-produced by Jupiter Keyes of HEALTH. Grab the tracks "Post Physical" and "Real Is a Feeling" above. Those tracks are two of the more mildly-named tracks on the new album. Check out song titles like "Techno Fetish" and "Trancegender" on the full tracklist below.

Both Pictureplane and Teengirl Fantasy also play PS1 Warm Up events this summer in Long Island City, but on different days. As just mentioned, Teengirl Fantasy play on August 27. Pictureplane plays one week prior on August 20 with Juan Maclean (DFA), Blood Orange (Dev from Lightspeed Champion), Solange (Knowles), Grimes, and Ford & Lopatin (formerly Games).

The Juan Maclean (Juan and Nancy)

Juan Maclean has a few other DJ sets coming up this summer as well. Tonight (6/17), as mentioned, he'll transform Williamsburg's Metro Community Laundromat into the Dirty Disco Laundrette with fellow DFA DJ Justin Miller. The flier for the show is below. Tickets are still available (which is not surprising if you look at the price). Juan Maclean also DJs at Cielo Club on June 28 with Eli Escobar and Runaway. Tickets are available.

Blood Orange and Grimes open the Washed Out show at Bowery Ballroom on July 11. Blood Orange also open the previously announced The Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon) free show on June 24 at South Street Seaport.

S.C.U.M.

In other Grimes news, she remixed the single "Summon The Sound" by British psychedelic punks S.C.U.M.. "Summon The Sound" is off their upcoming debut Amber Hands which comes out late summer/early fall on Mute Records. The band is named for the 1968 feminist tract S.C.U.M. (Society for Cutting Up Men) Manifesto by Valerie Solanas. S.C.U.M. just finished up a tour with The Kills in the UK. Listen to the original and the Grimes remix (which you can also download above), below.

Grimes also has other upcoming shows with fellow Canadians Gobble Gobble and Pat Jordache. All tour dates, Pictureplane album info, and other stuff below...

Continue reading "Pictureplane LP info & dates w/ Teengirl Fantasy ++++ Grimes, Blood Orange, Juan Maclean & S.C.U.M. too"

by Bill Pearis

While the pull of the Northside Festival will keep a lot of us in Williamsburg, one of the cooler events of the weekend is happening in Bed-Stuy. DFA act The Crystal Ark perform at soul food restaurant/disco The Sugarhill Supperclub on Friday (6/17). Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

The Crystal Ark is DFA mainstay Gavin Russom and visual artist Viva Ruiz, who will be backed by a 9-piece ensemble including DFA DJ and engineer Matt Thornley, DFA bassist Tyler Pope and percussionist Alberto Lopez. There will also be (according to the press release): a slew of DJ talent, including Venus and $hayne of GHE20 GOTH1K and Saheer Umar (House of House); custom lights and visual effects courtesy Bec Stupak (Deitch Projects, Whitney Biennial) and Johnny Woods of Honeygun Labs, as well as choreographed dances by Alberto Cortes and Irene Discos and improvisational interludes.

You can check out a stream of The Crystal Ark's new single on DFA, "Touch," at the bottom of this post. In 2010 they also released two singles you may be familiar with, "The Tangible Presence of the Miraculous" and "The City Never Sleeps". You can also check out the video for the latter below.

This will be The Crystal Ark's third live performance. The venue is what makes this so interesting. Here's a quote from a Yelp review:

As stated in previous reviews, Sugarhill is a sort of time-warp alternate history version of New York in the 1970s-early 80s, or at least some time when gold trim, drop ceilings, burgundy pile carpet, hunter green accents, and statues of eagles were the height of sophistication.

The Sugarhill Superclub, also known as Sugarhill Disco, has also been host to some Rubulad parties in the past. Could make for a fun, surreal evening. Flyer for the show and songs are below.

And speaking of DFA shows happening in weird Brooklyn venues on Friday, The Juan Maclean and Justin Miller are playing a pop-up party at at Metro Community Laundromat. Admission to "Dirty Disco Laundrette" is a hefty $75, but includes open bar from 10:30pm-4am.

YACHT play a Northside show at Music Hall of Williamsburg two nights later.

Continue reading "Crystal Ark (Gavin Russom & friends) releasing DFA singles, playing Sugarhill Disco (Juan Maclean playing a laundromat)"

crowd @ Warm Up 2010 (more by Zach Dilgard)

The full schedule for MoMa's 20l1 'Warm Up' season at PS1 has since been announced. The dance parties happen at the Long Island City location every Saturday from July 2 through September 3 from 2 PM to 9 PM. Admission is $15 and includes access to all exhibitions and 'Warm Up.' Check out the full lineup below.

As discussed, Four Tet and Matthewdavid play 'Warm Up' on July 9. STBRKT (who recently collaborated with Little Dragon) along with FaltyDL and others are also on that bill.

Other days feature Delicate Steve, Odd Future DJ Syd tha Kyd, Black Dice, Juan Maclean, Blood Orange, Solange, Grimes, Tanlines, Sun Araw and many other DJs, producers and and bands. Das Racist, Simian Mobile Disco, Ford & Lopatin, Gang Gang Dance and a few other groups are performing DJ sets.

More info and the full schedule below...

Continue reading "PS1's 2011 'Warm Up' lineup announced"

Holy Ghost! in Austin last week (more by Tim Griffin)

The second edition of Noncerts goes down at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn tonight (4/29). Elvis Perkins, Martha Wainwright, and Jesse Harris will all play sets with the all-star house band and tickets for the benefit are still on sale.

Stick around after Noncerts for the dance party happening in the same venue with DFA DJs Jee Day, Matt Cash and Juan Maclean who may not be joined by his bandmate Nancy Whang even though she will probably make an appearance earlier in the night across the street at the sold out Holy Ghost! show happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Nancy is scheduled to instead appear with Classixx tonight at Webster Hall (flyer below). If that's not enough DFA for you, Free Energy play a show tonight at Glasslands too. Oh, and if you're going to Holy Ghost!, save your ticket stub (if you have one). It gets you $3.00 off admission to Cameo (doors at midnight).

Holy Ghost! just got off a tour with Cut Copy whose next NYC show is in Prospect Park with Midnight Magic who you can catch way before that on North 6th Street too. On Cinco de Mayo, while BOBBY are doing there thing over at Knitting Factory, Midnight Magic, Arthur Baker, and DFA DJ Matt Thornley will play a show in the back room of Public Assembly while Colin Rogister [Disocography], Joakim [Paris/ Tigersushi], Sal P [Liquid Liquid], and Tim Sweeney [Beats in Space/ DFA] hold it down in the same venue's loft space. A $15 ticket will get you into both the main event and the "Discography" party in the loft, or you can skip the downstairs and pay only $5. The flyer for that part is below...

Continue reading "Juan Maclean DJ's after Noncerts, Holy Ghost! & Free Energy +++ catch Midnight Magic & even more DFA on Cinco de Mayo"

most of the words & photos by Dominick Mastrangelo

They played for over 3.5 hours before the sun set on LCD Soundsystem in a cascade of white balloons dropping from the Madison Square Garden ceiling in NYC Saturday night. I wished they played even longer. Everyone I talked to agreed.

But James Murphy and co. gave everything at Madison Square Garden last night (4/2). And the sold-out arena crowd gave in return. For two months - through the initial on-line ticket debacle, the addition of four T5 shows to make up for it, constant hype, and lots of guessing at what guests might turn up (sadly there was no Daft Punk) - it all made this final act in the drama, The Long Goodbye, even more of an event.

People camped on line several hours early to get a coveted spot up front on the floor and most of the crowd adhered to the black and white dress code. Those who didn't stuck out.

From where I was in the middle of the front GA section nobody stopped dancing, or singing along or smiling the entire night. (Save for, like at all four Terminal 5 shows, the couple of awkward, yet brief and deserved intermissions.) Every turn to scan the Garden saw people full-on, in the groove dancing; not just some barely-registered shuffling back and forth. Honestly, everyone who was there should take a bow because they were fantastic. During the first break, video footage was shown of an interviewer talking to fans outside the venue, Aziz Ansari included.

And no, there was no Daft Punk, but there was Arcade Fire singing joyously along on "North American Scum" (the third set's highlight) and an appearance by Reggie Watts who also played with the band at three of the four Terminal 5 shows. The boys choir featuring members of Mr. Dream was there, as were the two female backup singers, and the horn section that included Kelly Pratt and Colin Stetson. Original LCD guitarist Phil Mossman was back and featured a few times in addition to LCD band members
Nancy Whang, Tyler Pope, Pat Mahoney, Matt Thornley, Gavin Russom, and David Scott Stone. Liquid Liquid opened the show like they did at the first two Terminal 5 shows. Shit Robot, who opened the second two T5 shows, again made an appearance during the show. Shit Robot and Juan Maclean, for one song, were alien vocalists in mysterious cardboard-looking spaceships that were set up in seats behind the stage (pictures and video below).

Pitchfork streamed the whole show for those who couldn't be there - you could see the cameras all over the place, including on the shoulders of cameramen walking through the GA crowd. Filmmaker Lance Bangs was seen dancing in the crowd and working backstage on the video of the show, and yes the clouds made it to the two screens that were hanging on the sides of the stage.

LCD started with "Dance Yrself Clean" and "Drunk Girls" followed. The first set was breathtaking and included "Daft Punk is Playing in My House." After an intermission, the band tackled most of 45:33. Watts came out for "Part 2" and Murphy spent most of the middle set off in the background letting the band tackle the instrumentals.

The first encore featured a cathartic and riveting "Someone Great" as well as "Losing My Edge" and "Home." For me that block was the highlight. During "Losing My Edge," the video screens featured images of some of the influential bands mentioned. When I looked up I saw The Sonics.

Their Harry Nilsson cover of "Jump Into The Fire" was part of the final 3-song encore. Murphy, his voice sounding a bit hoarse, paused between songs to thank everyone who came out and everyone who helped put the show together. "Three songs left," "two songs left," and then after saying "this is our last song", and a bit more banter including an admission to his family who was in the audience that he was wearing his dad's watch (as you can hear in the video below), he led the band into their final (ever) number, "New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down." It started slow with Murphy even laughing and pausing 'for dramatic effect' but by the end of the raucous outro the crowd was in a frenzy, only for the band to launch back in and cue the balloon drop. As the crowd was preoccupied with balloons of various size descending upon them, the entire band slipped off stage, almost completely unnoticed, and into history.

VIDEO OF THE ENTIRE SHOW (from the stream), and lots more pictures and the full setlist, below...

Continue reading "LCD Soundsystem played their final show @ MSG w/ Liquid Liquid (and Arcade Fire) -- pics, setlist, video of entire show"

Earlier this month LCD Soundsystem posted that they had finished their final tour show and were "hunkering down to learn as much as we can for the t5 and msg shows. oh dear." On March 10th they tweeted that they're "looking for a 12 to 16 (or more) part men's chorus to help us with... something... umm... email bgraf@hotmail.com it will rule. HELP!" Hopefully they worked that out by now because the gigs are just around the corner with the first of four Terminal 5 shows happening on Monday, March 28th. The final show goes down Saturday, March 2nd at Madison Square Garden. If you can't be there, well, Pitchfork has announced that they'll be streaming it.

This is also happening:

Continue reading "LCD Soundsystem's MSG show will be webcast, preparty @ Le Bain w/ Shit Robot & Juan Maclean (who DJs tonight too)"

by BBG

Symbolism?

In case you somehow missed the crush of commercials on cable television, MTV has a new and possibly NSFW show called Skins based on a UK series about teens, sex, drugs, mental health and family. Skins, whose demographic seems to be "hip teens" who like nudity (read: teens) and pervy would-be pedophiles, will be celebrated at a FREE NYC party at the tail end of this week.

Rusko, Sleigh Bells, Klever, Drop the Lime, and Kill the Noise will perform at an undisclosed NYC location on January 14th. The party jumps off at 10PM and you must be 16 to get in ("16 to party, 21 to drink."). More details, and directions on how to get in are on the Facebook invite though even with an RSVP, "ENTRY BASED ON CAPACITY AND IS NOT GUARANTEED."

Sleigh Bells' "Kids" is the theme song to Skins, which premieres on Jan 17th. And the show is Sleigh Bells' only U.S. appearance in the coming months. The duo will spend the rest of January into February in Europe. All dates are listed below.

'Skins' party DJ Rusko went on a HARD Fest tour over the summer with Crystal Castles, Sinden & Destructo, though he wasn't on the bill when the tour hit NYC's Terminal 5 in August. Rusko won't be there either when Crystal Castles and Destructo play the same NYC venue on March 18th, 2011 (also a HARD show), and Rusko won't be there when HARD and Destructo return to Terminal 5, one night later, for a March 19th show with Simian Mobile Disco, Skream and Benga, and Fake Blood. Tickets are on sale. It's a "HARD Weekend" (flyer below).

Before then, Simian Mobile Disco are going on tour with Juan Maclean and Blondes (dates below). After then, Crystal Castles, Simian Mobile Disco AND RUSKO (and many others) will play the Ultra Music Festival in Florida (Friday, March 25, Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27, 2011 in downtown Miami's Bicentennial Park). Currently announced lineup at the link.

All SMD & Sleigh Bells tour dates, flyers and some videos below....

Continue reading "Skins is coming... (MTV party Friday w/ Sleigh Bells & Rusko) + a HARD Simian Mobile Disco gig, Ultra Music Fest, other dates"