photos by Andrew St. Clair

"No more room at she and him, walking over to Rosanne Cash"
- Lisa Davis (July 4th, 1:49pm)

"It was 3 squillion degrees on Gov's Isle but SUCH fun afternoon, & a tweetup! Heard ferry lines were long. Next year, extra ferries please!" - Rosanne Cash

I accidentally lied when I said there wouldn't be any more concerts this summer in "Colonel's Row" on Governors Island. Though it wasn't quite the production that the ticketed-nighttime Passion Pit gig was, the free, July 4th afternoon Rosanne Cash show was held in the same spot. The She & Him show happened right afterward on the same island, but at The Beach. And as the above tweet points out, it would have been impossible hard to see both shows due to She & Him reaching capacity before Rosanne Cash even started....

"You are wrong. It was far from impossible to catch both. Getting there at 12:30, we got wrist bands into She and Him then headed over to Rosanne Cash and walked right back into She and Him when Cash was done. The trick was to get there early and it was kind of funny watching the people stuck outside the beach grumbling to security about letting us in. Next time get there early fools." [Anonymous]

The full setlist and more pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "Rosanne Cash played Governors Island on the 4th of July - pics & setlist"

The 2010 Macy's fireworks show will feature more than 40,000 shells exploding at a rate of more than 1,500 per minute and fireworks reaching heights of 1,000 feet in the air. At approximately 9:20 pm on July 4th, the 26-minute display will be set off from six barges positioned between 24th and 50th Streets on the Hudson River. This year, Macy's has increased the amount of shells that can reach heights of 1,000 feet in the sky, providing for greater visibility of the show for millions more spectators.

The trademark Macy's "Golden Mile" fireworks effect, featuring a shower of golden sparks stretching a mile across the river, will be enhanced this year with additional mile-long showers of sparkling red and green.

"American Harmony" is the theme of the 2010 fireworks spectacular and the musical score will feature vocal harmony in styles uniquely American -- from a capella and gospel to barbershop quartets and choral ensembles. The score will feature The New York Pops orchestra, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and some of America's top vocal groups.

Sunday, July 4th, 2010
She & Him with Oakley Hall @ Governors Island
Updated Ferry Information

We encourage everyone to come early and enjoy the beach. Governors Island ferries will run from the Battery Maritime Building until 5:30PM. If you are on the island early, please make sure to get yourself to the Beach venue by 3:30PM, at which time concert wristbands will be distributed.

THERE WILL BE NO BOATS TO THE CONCERT DEPARTING FROM THE BATTERY MARITIME BUILDING AFTER 5:30PM.

Doors open at 10:00AM. Show time is 4:00PM.

Wristbands will be distributed at the Beach @ Governors Island on a first-come, first-serve basis, starting after 3:30PM.

Sleigh Bells and Glass Candy are playing in Philly.

Scream play in Washington DC.

Faith No More plays their 2nd of two Brooklyn shows at the Williamsburg Waterfront on Monday.

Bjork "Declare Independence" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday? (Independence Day) "

photos by Chris La Putt

Beach Fossils

"Abercrombie & Fitch Co. said Friday that it closed a second store in New York due to a bed bug infestation.

The preppy teen clothing seller said it closed a Hollister store on Thursday in the SoHo neighborhood of New York. That location is expected to open at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

It closed a second location, an Abercrombie & Fitch store in the South Street Seaport, on Friday for the same reason." [Huffington Post]

The next free Seaport show will feature The Old 97's on the 4th of July...

"Texas on Tour is a high-tech, interactive, roadshow featuring virtual reality, green screen video and photography, interactive games and more. Texas on Tour transports the consumer to unique outdoor Texas experiences that are highly entertaining, educational and personalized - from a virtual reality kayaking trip through Texas waterways to a dome theater offering a glimpse of the seven diverse regions of Texas.

Visitors can "picture themselves in Texas" and stroll along a Texas beach through the use of green screen technology. Live performances from a variety of Texas musicians and entertainers will also be featured.

Don't miss the special LIVE performance by The Old 97s on July 4th at 7pm."

More pictures from the Beach Fossils and Woven Bones show below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils and Woven Bones (and bed bugs) at South Street Seaport (pics) +++ Old 97's play on the 4th of July"

Suckers in Prospect Park the other day (more by David Andrako)

Mishka, Etnies and something called SEEN (located at seenallover.com) are co-presenting a BBQ/party on Long Island City's Water Taxi Beach (dubbed "Red, White & Brews") this 4th of July. Confirmed music includes Suckers, Beach Fossils, The Death Set and Ninjasonik. There are also lots of DJs and they're promising a "Very Special End Of The Night Performance".

Add this one to the list of music events happening this 4th of July in NYC.

A flyer, more details on the party and all Beach Fossils dates are below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils, Suckers, DeathSet, Ninjasonik & many others playing Water Taxi Beach in LIC on 4th of July"

by Bill Pearis

The Feelies on 4th of July (more by Jason Bergman)

If you're not skipping town for an ocean view, there is no shortage of great music options this weekend.

Independence Day Weekend means The Feelies at Maxwells and tickets are still available for all three shows: Friday (7/02), Saturday (7/03), and Sunday (7/04). The excitement of their 2008 reunion might have faded a bit, but the music has not. The influence of these New Jersey legends can be heard all over releases from Woodsist and Underwater Peoples and their four albums are all worth owning. The first three -- Crazy Rhythms, The Good Earth and Only Life -- are back in print, the first two on vinyl.

If you've seen their Maxwell's shows before, you know they play epic sets, peppered with choice covers and extended instrumental sections. I hesitate to call it jamming, probably because I like when they do it,  but also because it's that interplay between Glen Mercer and Bill Million where The Feelies really come alive. As good as their records are if you haven't seen them live, you've never really heard The Feelies.

-------------------------------------

The Seaport Music Festival has it's first show on Friday, a double-dose of Texas with Woven Bones and YellowFever. Yes, both bands were here recently (and Woven Bones play tonight, more on that in a minute) but there are several advantages to Friday's show. The Seaport is a great place to see a show, the setting spectacular, especially at sunset. You can drink where you please, it's generally chill, and, most importantly, it's free.

I also think Woven Bones' fuzz-driven scuzz rock is gonna sound amazing through a really big PA. I've only seen them in tiny clubs where the sound doesn't do them justice. What the band lacks in diversity of material, they make up for in being really good at that one thing they do and the louder the better. Seaport sound guy: turn it up.

I've seen YellowFever on big stages and small, and they pretty much are great wherever they are. I just wish they'd get around to writing and recording some new songs. "Making it" has never seemed to be a priority to these two, which is part of their charm, but can also be a bit maddening for fans. There is a new tour EP, according to their MySpace, so let's hope that's actually some fresh tunes. And the band are about to embark on a pretty big tour so maybe we're entering a new era of YellowFever productivity. All YF tourdates are at the bottom of this post.

In addition to the bands, the Lone Star state theme continues at the Seaport this weekend with something called Texas on Tour. They were setting up on Wednesday while I was down there for the last of the Sound Bites Lunchtime shows (yes I have worked with the Seaport folks so, you know, full disclosure) and it looks like some sort of Texas-themed traveling carnival, including a water ride for kids and one of those domed theaters. Yee haw?

MINKS live

This weekend also marks the debut of a new monthly party that Captured Tracks is putting on at Bruar Falls. The label is becoming a real contender with great debuts from Wild Nothing and Beach Fossils, as well as new signings like London's Veronica Falls, Spain's Aias, and locals MINKS who'll play Captured Tracks Night 001, as Saturday is being billed. No doubt MINKS' debut single, "Funeral Song," owes a bit to the Cure but, as I've said before, the band are much sunnier sounding live (despite all six members wearing black every time I've seen them). Take away the vocal effects on "Funeral Song" and add some female backing, as it does live, and the song moves over to early New Order territory. Compare and contrast the live and recorded versions -- video of the live version shot during the Northside Festival is at the bottom of this post.

Other songs, the names of which I don't know,  while still '80s-ish, are even more poppy, with nods to early records on Creation and Cherry Red. The one unreleased song I really like I shot video of back when they opened for Veronica Falls at Glasslands (also below), which reminds me a lot of Felt. MINKS  have played the same short set all three times I've seen them, but I like all six (five? seven?) songs they do and will be there a fourth time on Saturday.

In addition to MINKS, label domo Mike Sniper will be sharing the decks with Peggy from Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and there'll be a merch table with a wide variety of C/T releases, including a mix tape exclusive to this night. Entry is $5.

And if you can't see MINKS here, they play next Friday (7/9) at Monster Island Basement with fellow Captured Tracks band Wetdog (over from the UK), YellowFever and Larkin Grimm.

A few more shows, night by night:

THURSDAY, JULY 1

I mentioned above that Woven Bones are playing tonight. The show is at Bruar Falls and it's part of a killer line-up also featuring The Beets and Beach Fossils. Any one of those bands might be enough to get you to the show. All three, it's hard to pass up. Beach Fossils were great when they played with Wild Nothing a couple weeks back. If you haven't picked up their album on Captured Tracks, it's highly recommended.

Over at sister venue Cake Shop, Nobunny will be taking off most everything except that mask, which gets grosser looking every time I see them play. Does he ever wash that thing? Also playing are fellow Bay Area residents Apache who will also play Don Pedro's on Friday (7/2) and the Delancey on Saturday (7/3).

Knitting Factory is hosting another one of those Scion Garage shows, this time with Memphis legends The Oblivions who reformed last year. The show, which is free, is also RSVP'd out, unfortunately if this is the first you're hearing of it.

Big Troubles play Cameo Gallery. These guys are giant fans of '90s shoegaze and will talk your ear off about Revolver and Drop Nineteens if you let them. It comes through in their music which they do a great job of putting their own spin on that era's sonics. Their new 7" on Old English Spelling Bee is really good and look for their debut album sometime in the not too distant future. They're playing this night with a bunch of bands I've never heard of, including Slothbear (sludgepop), No Demons Here (K records style cassette hiss), and Gross Relations (whose Myspace songs sound pretty good).

continued below...

Continue reading "Feelies, YellowFever, Woven Bones, Beach Fossils, Captured Tracks shows, July 4th & more in This Week in Indie"

DOWNLOAD: Future Islands - Tin Man (MP3)

Future Islands at a BBQ show in 2009 (more by Sarahana)

You can almost count on one hand the shows happening this July 4th. She & Him, The Old 97s and Rosanne Cash all play free shows, while the Feelies hold fort a Maxwell's in Jersey. Add to those Shea Stadium's all-day BBQ show, that'll also be celebrating the one-year anniversary of its 20 Meadow Street location. The bands & genres range from black metal (via Liturgy) to 'minimalist funk' (courtesy of CSC Funk Band ) to sludge rock of La Otracina to synthy post-punk Future Islands (grab one of their songs above).

A flyer, more details and videos are below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn's Shea Stadium hosting all-day July 4th BBQ (lineup)"

"Gone to Governors" (more by Ryan Muir)

Wednesday, June 30th
Passion Pit
Updated Ferry Information

Doors open at 5:00PM, show is at 6:00PM.

ALL Ferries for Passion Pit will be departing regularly from lower Manhattan at the North end of the Battery Maritime Building ONLY starting at 5:00PM - 10 South Street, New York, NY. The Battery Maritime Building is easily accessible from the the 2-3, JMZ, and AC subway stops.

Returning ferries from Governors Island will run approximately every 20 minutes back from the Island all evening. Please note that returning ferries may stop at either the Battery Maritime Building OR Pier 11 (Wall Street & South Street) which is only a few hundred yards North of the Battery Maritime Building and also accessible to the the 2-3, JMZ, AC subway stops.

Note also that tonight's Passion Pit show is not on "the Beach". The Beach, where Yeasayer and the Morning Benders played free shows, is the smallest of the three "venues" on Governors Island. Passion Pit play Colonel's Row which is about double the size of the Beach. M.I.A. and Rock the Bells happen at the even bigger space which is more than double the size of Colonel's Row.

This holiday weekend there are three free shows on Governors Island. Note the updated lineups:

• July 3rd - Portugal. The Man w/ Alberta Cross & Hopewell
  (Doors: 6:00 pm/ Show: 8:00 pm)
• July 4th - Rosanne Cash (2 PM - 4 PM)
• July 4th - She & Him w/ Oakley Hall (4:00 pm Show)

There is also a Victor Calderone event on the Beach of Governors Island on July 4th from 6pm - 2am, so I guess She & Him is over before then. The switchover of crowds should be interesting.

"Please note: Due to location of fireworks, they cannot be seen from Governors Island"

Lucero play a free show on the Beach with J-Roddy Walston and The Business (recently added) & TBA on July 10th. More of the schedule is HERE.

Glass Candy

If there's such a thing as an earthy disco queen, it's Ida No.

The silken-voiced singer for cosmic beat-pumping duo Glass Candy isn't as urbane as you might expect. In fact, many of her lyrics, melodies and themes are inspired by hikes in the lush tree-lined hills that surround her Portland home.

"I go on really long walks and won't come back for four hours," says No. "I'll go for a walk and a theme will come up or I'll get overcome by a feeling."

She then conveys these vocal lines to long-time musical partner Johnny Jewel, who writes and composes Glass Candy's analog-synth-based jams. These writing sessions have become a long-distance affair of late. Jewel recently relocated to Montreal to be with his romantic interest. [Now Magazine]

Glass Candy will be in NYC for a July 2nd show at Highline Ballroom with DJ Mike Simonetti (the head of Italians Do It Better, their record label) and Xeno & Oaklander. Tickets are on sale.

Two days after NYC, Glass Candy will join Sleigh Bells for an Independence Day show at Bamboo Bar in Philly. The "Making Time" party is part of Sleigh Bells' July tour that leads up their show at Governors Island with M.I.A.. Sleigh Bells also play the free Creators Project shindig on June 26th (which is now "sold out").

Tons of Glass Candy's electro-pop is streaming on their official Facebook. Videos and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Glass Candy playing NXNE, NYC & July 4th in Philly w/ Sleigh Bells (who are also touring - dates)"

The Feelies @ ATP NY 2009 (more by Ryan Muir)

In what is now becoming somewhat of a tradition, the reunited Feelies will return to Maxwell's in Hoboken this July for three shows in a row over Independence Day weekend. Tickets for the July 2nd, 3rd & 4th shows are on sale... at Ticketfly (as are all shows at Maxwell's from July on) (April-June shows can still be found at Ticketweb).

The Feelies are also playing one other show, much sooner. Tickets are on sale for a Saturday, April 17th gig at World Cafe Live in Philly. All of those dates again, and a video, below...

Continue reading "The Feelies playing Philly & three more July 4th weekend shows at Maxwell's (who are now using Ticketfly) "

DOWNLOAD: Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band - Nikorette (MP3)

Conor Oberst @ Terminal 5 (more by Eric M. Townsend)

Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band are set to release "One of My Kind" on April 15th, a documentary that will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the band's journey over the past year and a half. Made by the band's guitar-tech Phil Schaffart and presented by causecast.org, "One of My Kind" traces the group's ever-growing bond as friends and collaborators. Footage from Tepoztlan, Mexico, where they recorded their first album, Conor Oberst, their worldwide tour in 2008, and the making of Outer South in El Paso, TX takes viewers on a 60-minute musical journey around the world.

The film will be available as a free stream or HD download exclusively on Causecast.org, IFC.com, conoroberst.com, mergerecords.com, and wichita-recordings.com.

Unlike any film release before, Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band are donating the documentary, "One Of My Kind" for FREE, in the hope that viewers will make a donation to one of the many nonprofits or causes on Causecast.

Oberst's new record Outer South will be releaesd May 5th, but is streaming now (and available for preorder) at Merge Records. "Nikorette," above, is also from the disc.

Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band have dates scheduled across the country. Stops include April 17th at Coachella and XX Merge, the label's 20th anniversary fest which runs from July 22nd-26th (Merge isn't announcing the nightly lineups, so Oberst could be playing any of those days).

There are no NYC dates scheduled, but they are playing CT on July 3rd and nowhere on July 4th... Oberst was also featured on the Dark Was the Night comp, which is having a charity show at Radio City on Sunday, May 3rd. That's a lineup he seems much less likely to be added to at this point though.

All tour dates, the doc trailer, and Outer South art and track list below...

Continue reading "Conor Oberst - new Merge album (MP3, stream, pre-order), documentary (trailer), 2009 Tour Dates (July 4th???) "

DOWNLOAD: Phosphorescent - You've Lost That Lovin Feelin (cover) (MP3)

Phosphorescent and Virgin Forest are playing a show at Glasslands on July 4th. All proceeds from the show go to the Obama campaign. This show is in addition to the two Phos has scheduled in August with Vetiver. All dates and a Black Cab video below...

Continue reading "Phosphorescent - July 4th Obama show, MP3, Tour Dates "

Mr. Brownstone (the drunken Guns n' Roses cover band) is playing a show at Bowery Ballroom in NYC on July 4th. Openers haven't been announced yet, but tickets are on sale. If you like Guns n Roses and alcohol then this is a good option if you're looking for something to do after Sonic Youth and/or the fireworks.

Friday, July 4, 3:30pm
Battery Park
SONIC YOUTH / THE FEELIES TO OPEN
Sonic Youth came on the music scene in the early '80s and continues to be a major force in the indie genre today. Known to "redefine what rock guitar could do," they have created a new sonic landscape rich in alternate sounds. Bring a blanket and come Downtown to enjoy the hits that have earned them a dedicated decades-long following. The Feelies will reunite to open.
Tickets are required and space is limited. FREE.

Happy July 5th!...

Continue reading "VIDEO: Animal Collective - 'Fireworks'"

July 4, 2007, NYC from NJ (CRED)

Due to the threat of inclement weather, tonight's (July 5) Music at Castle Clinton show featuring Shearwater has been moved indoors to The Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University, Spruce Street entrance.

Continue reading "Tonight's Shearwater show moved inside"

4th of July Ticket Update One Last Chance!

All reserved tickets to the July 4th concert featuring The New Pornographers with Midlake at Battery Park that have not already been picked up have been released.

The good news is there is a second chance to get tickets: any remaining tickets (and supply is limited) will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 9 am on July 4th in Battery Park near Castle Clinton. Click HERE for a map with the exact location.

Looking forward to a fun-filled 4th - see you there!