photos by Bao Nguyen

Karen & Santi

Santigold, who is releasing her new album, Master of My Make-Believe, this spring on Downtown/Atlantic, performed material from it at her two sold out MHOW shows which happened last night (1/17) and Monday night (1/16). In a couple of days she leaves on tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

At last night's show, Karen O joined her on stage to perform the track "Go," which Karen guests on. It hasn't been confirmed that this song will definitely appear on the new album, but we do know that Karen's Yeah Yeah Yeahs bandmate Nick Zinner will be on it. Dave Sitek (of TV on the Radio) is on the album too and was also spotted at last night's MHOW show. Other people, like Q-Tip, were at the show too. NY Times commented on the extravagancies of her show, saying:

Everywhere she went during her performance at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, there they were: a pair of limber, stoical dancers, faces impassive behind sunglasses but with every other body part in constant and impeccable motion. At one point they wore tuxedo dresses; at another, Victorian tops with sharp shoulders paired with ruffled shorts that fluttered beautifully when they shimmied.

Her stage show [...] has been inconsistent in the past. On Monday she was more robust if slightly absent compared with her colleagues: the magnificent dancers, worthy of their own hourlong performance, and her band, outfitted in shimmering tops and matching white headpieces. Often the songs took flight not through Santigold's voice or stage presence, but through what was unfolding around her.

The new album also features contributions from Switch (of Major Lazer), Greg Kurstin, and Buraka Som Sistema. She just released the video for the album's single, "Big Mouth," which was produced by Switch and Buraka Som Sistema. You can watch that below and grab the track for free at Santigold's website in exchange for your email address.

More pics, including some of opener Spank Rock, and videos below...

Continue reading "Santigold played 2 shows @ MHOW w/ Spank Rock (and surprise guest Karen O!) -- pics & video"

Phantogram WITH guitar @ "Rocked" (more by Chris La Putt)

Two stories, both related to the launch of Rocked: An Exclusive Photography Exhibition by Mick Rock... First, Karen O told US Magazine at that party that she "recently wed longtime love Barnaby Clay"...

"I'm a married woman!" the rocker (real name: Karen Lee Orzolek) told Us at Wednesday's launch bash for Rocked: An Exclusive Photography Exhibition by Mick Rock at the W Hotel Downtown in NYC.
The "Maps" singer, 33, sweetly thanked Clay in the program notes for Stop the Virgens, a rock opera she co-created that was performed earlier this fall at St. Ann's Warehouse in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Clay directed his future wife in the 2009 video for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs single "Zero."

photos by Chris La Putt

Phantogram / Yeah Yeah Yeahs

It was ugly and rainy outside, but that didn't stop the pretty people from heading to the W NY Downtown hotel last night (12/8) to attend a party in honor of the Mick Rock picture exhibition that will be up at the hotel between now and 12/28. Mick Rock was of course in attendance, and there was a "Symmetry Live Performance" (the name of the hotel's performance series) by Phantogram (live) and Mark Ronson (DJ). DJ Cash also provided some tunes while we were there.

We left before Mark Ronson took over, but you can see more pictures of Phantogram (who played a bunch of songs from their new album), their setlist, Mick Rock, members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Zuccotti Park (it's right there), and more, below...

Continue reading "Phantogram played the Mick Rock party @ W Hotel (pics)"

"Karen O's "Stop the Virgens" psycho opera blew my mind last night!Seriously the best piece of musical art that I've seen in ages.I LOVED it!" - Santigold

Karen O & friends @ St. Ann's (photo by joshmorrissey)

"The costume, hair and makeup tell the story just as much as the music and choreography do," Karen O explained days before tonight's opening of her much-anticipated psycho-opera, "Stop the Virgens." "The symbolic evolution of what happens to the characters is witnessed through their physical transformations."

To help bring her vision to life, Karen enlisted what she calls her "glam squad": the costume designer Christiane Hultquist (a k a Christian Joy) and the makeup artist Mike Potter. "Mike is a phenomenon. I envy his impeccable taste as a lover of beauty off the beaten path," Karen said. "Christiane is an artist before a designer. She's a visionary, and her costumes look amazing onstage." The trio's longstanding relationship -- they've spent more than a decade taking creative risks together, onstage and off -- is rooted in tacit understanding and concrete trust. "The way I work with Christiane and Mike is to mostly let them do what they want. It works best that way." -[New York Times]

Saturday's performance is also part of The Creators Project, which will also feature performances from Justice, Florence & The Machine, Company Flow, the newly-signed A$AP Rocky with Clams Casino, Four Tet, and many many others in addition to art installations at multiple locations in DUMBO. Unfortunately, the RSVP is closed and some people have been getting emails that dis-invite them.... oof.

If you do have a ticket or plan on sneaking in, check out the set times and more event details and event videos, below...

Continue reading "Karen O's 'Stop the Virgens' continues @ St. Ann's (trailer), Creators Project this weekend (set times)"

PRESS RELEASE:

The Creators Project will return to New York from October 15 - October 16 by transforming the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn into a colossal two-day arts and technology festival.

After spending the year traveling the world, VICE and Intel's The Creators Project lands back in New York with a marquee lineup of live performances and original Studio works by groundbreaking artists, musicians, designers and filmmakers.

This year's festival will take to the streets of DUMBO, Brooklyn, erecting 30-foot sculptures, showcasing works from over thirty leading international artists, and featuring dozens of live music performances. The event will also include the world premiere of Karen O's psycho-opera, Stop The Virgens, along with film screenings and panels.

Original artworks include Life on Mars Revisited, an immersive short film of David Bowie's classic space-rock anthem from legendary music photographer Mick Rock and filmmaker Barney Clay; 'A Physical Manifestation of Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating in Space,' a cathedral-like physical manifestation of the song created by Spiritualized's J. Spaceman and acclaimed film director Jonathan Glazer; and Origin, a striking thirty by thirty foot audiovisual installation by UVA and composer Scanner, which will be the largest responsive work ever created by the UK based artists.

The festival runs:
Saturday 12-10pm
Sunday 12-8pm

Lineup, venue list, etc, below...

Continue reading "Creators Project announces 2 day DUMBO fest (Florence & the Machine, Atlas Sound, Company Flow, Four Tet, John Maus, more)"

As you know, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs has an opera coming to St. Ann's Warehouse in DUMBO. Kicking off in conjunction with VICE's "Creator's Project" (more details TBA), the show will actually run on eight nights from October 12-22...

An assault on the tragic joys of youth, fever dreams drenched in visual seduction, a cathartic spell spun through a cycle of nine songs.

Featuring Money Mark, Jack Lawrence, Patrick Keeler, Brian Chase, Nick Zinner, Jason Grisell, Gillian Rivers, Yuiko Kamakari, Justin Kantor and Lili Taylor

The Creators Project (the Vice Intel creative projects thing) is returning to NYC. You may remember them from their presence at Coachella and from when they were in NYC in June 2010 when they featured performances by Gang Gang Dance, Neon Indian, Interpol, and others and artwork by Spike Jonze, Nick Zinner, and others.

The Creators Project are returning to NYC in October to present a piece by Nick Zinner's fellow Yeah Yeah Yeah Karen O.

Following last year's launch in New York, The Creators Project's return will feature a Karen O psycho-opera, an assault on the tragic joys of youth. Directed by Adam Rapp, the work will be produced by The Studio, a multimillion-dollar global studio launched this year by The Creators Project that produces and distributes works from artists representing a cross-section of creative disciplines. The premiere will take place at the critically acclaimed, St. Ann's Warehouse.

Nick Zinner at MoMA in 2010 (more by Bao Nguyen)

The Met is hosting an evening with Cinema 16 on June 3. The event features Nick Zinner and Brian Chase of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Shahin Motia of Oneida, and MV Carbon of Metalux performing an original score for six short experimental films. Admission is free with museum admission. No reserved seats; space is limited.

Films:

Poeme Electronique (1958), dir. Edgard Varse and Le Corbusier
Screen Test: Salvador Dali (1966), dir. Andy Warhol
The Face (1967), dir. Herbert Kosower
Seeing the World (1937), dir. Rudy Burckhardt
Stone Welcome Mat (2003), dir. Gina Carducci
NY, NY (1957), dir. Francis Thompson

Speaking of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and movies, Karen O recorded a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" with Trent Reznor for the upcoming film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The film is the second adaptation of the Swedish novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson, and the first in English. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is written by Steven Zallian and directed by David Fincher.

Check out Karen O and Trent Reznor's take on "Immigrant Song" in the trailer for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as well as the preview video for Cinema 16 at The Met below.

Continue reading "Nick Zinner, Brian Chase & friends playing w/ films @ the Met, Karen O & Trent Reznor covered Led Zeppelin (listen)"

Nick Zinner at MoMA last year (more by Chris La Putt)

Not to be confused with events co-organized by the Boredoms, last year 40 drummers got together at the Hudson Hotel's Good Units, and this year the same group is organizing a string party...

We're doing it again and we're doing it big! Last year, 40 Drummers was more epic than we had ever imagined. With original music composed by Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Hisham Akira Bharoocha & Ben Vida (Soft Circle) from 40 Drummers, performed by 41+ uber-talented musicians, this year's is no doubt going to be just as awesome as the last. We're talking 41 STRINGS - that's violins, violas, cellos, electric & acoustic guitars, upright bass, electric bass, on top of synth and drums.

Super rad lighting works by Yoshi Sodeoka, mixed by E*Rock and produced by Dawn of Man, and also by Ernesto Klar will be candy for your eyes. Kanon Organic Vodka and wine from The Naked Grape will take care of the rest.

In related news, Nick Zinner laid down fretwork for the new Santigold track "Go" which features guest vocals from Karen O and which was produced by Q-Tip AND Switch and which debuted on Jay-Z's blog recently. Listen to the song below.

Speaking of Q-Tip, don't forget that he is scheduled to headline Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest on July 18th. Tickets are on sale.

And in other Nick Zinner news, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist is currently showcasing his photographic work at Anastasia Photo through June 4th.

That song stream and the flyer is below.

Continue reading "Nick Zinner co-leading '41 Strings' (RSVP), played guitar on the new Santigold/Karen O song, has his photos in a gallery"

Friday night in NYC (pic by feralcatpro)

Nylon says that the "Yeah Yeah Yeahs after party at 75 Clarkson = best dance party in months. Spotted: Karen O, Mary Kate, Lissie Trullie, Charlotte Ronson". 75 Clarkson Street is the address of the Mystique Gentleman's Club by the West Side Highway. "Franco V" was the DJ. Liz Feralcat took the above picture at the Friday night after-party which was a continuation of the Brooklyn band's 10th anniversary celebration that started two days earlier at Monster Island. There was a "Happy Birthday" banner on the stage of the private show that happened at Mercury Lounge earlier, before the after party...

Continue reading "Yeah Yeah Yeahs partied at a strip club after Mercury Lounge"

camera phone photos by Leia Jospe

"apparently there was a secret Yeah Yeah Yeahs show tonight in Brooklyn.
If you went, I hate you" - Matty Aye

Yeah Yeah Yeahs played about an hour, starting around 10:40pm, on Wednesday night at Monster Island to the select few who were able to land themselves a ticket. It was hot and sweaty (the fans didn't help) and people were going nuts. As advertised, the band stuck to mostly older and more obscure material (though they did play the-always-crowd-pleasing "Maps") in celebration of their 10th anniversary as a band playing shows in NYC.

Leia Jospe was one of those who got a ticket to the Todd P-presented show. She left her camera at home, but managed to get a few snaps on her phone. Those, along with a shot of the setlist sent in by special agent PP, below...

Continue reading "Yeah Yeah Yeahs played Monster Island (pics & setlist) "

interview by Billy Jones, top photo by Michael Lavine

TV on the Radio guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer David Andrew Sitek has announced his new project Maximum Balloon. Not surprisingly, the TVOTR / Yeah Yeah Yeahs / Liars / Dragons of Zynth / Holly Miranda / Scarlett Johansson producer worked with a host of guest artists on the project, which will see the light of day in the form of a self-titled album on August 24th via DGC/Interscope Records.

"...Then Aku (Dragons of Zynth) called and said he was in town and asked what I was up to and I said, "Making a song that you have to come and fix!" So he came by the studio and he laid the vocals down. We pretty much started Maximum Balloon on that day."

Billy Jones of new musical project New Moods, who last conducted an interview for this site in 2006, called up Dave on Friday to discuss the making of Maximum Balloon, barbershop quartets, Cyndi Lauper, the future of TVOTR and more. Their chat starts here....

---

Billy: Hey Dave, Can you hear me?

Dave: Yeah...

Billy: I rigged this to be on the speakerphone of my Blackberry to be recording through GarageBand, a slightly complicated setup...

Dave: Awesome, put me through The Crystalizer...

Billy: I actually have you through Long Panning Ping Pong Delay right now...

Dave: I can't wait for Soundtoys to come out with an iPhone app.

continued below....

Continue reading "an interview w/ Dave Sitek of Maximum Balloon (the TVOTR guitarist/producer's new project w/ many guest vocalists)"

photos by Chris La Putt

"MoMA garden party. Hugh Jackman introducing a fully acoustic set by Karen O." - Jared

"Karen O and Nick Zinner" performed at last night's MoMA Party in the Garden, an annual fundraiser that Estelle, M.I.A. and James Murphy have all played in recent years past. They were rounded out by a full band that included Imaad Wasif on acoustic guitar, Russell Simins filling in on drums, and a string section. They played Yeah Yeah Yeahs songs and "All is Love" by Karen O & The Kids (from Where the Wild Things Are). The full setlist, video of "Maps" and more pictures below...

Continue reading "a modified Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Karen & Nick Zinner & friends) played MoMA's Garden Party - pics, video & setlist"

MoMA's Party in the Garden (more by Ryan Muir)

The Party in the Garden
Honoring Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder
Tuesday, May 25, 2010, 7:00 p.m.
Cocktails at seven o'clock
Supper at eight o'clock
After-Party from nine to midnight

Featuring a performance by Karen O and Nick Zinner
of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, with special guests
Music by Mister Saturday Night-Eamon Harkin and Justin Carter

The Museum of Modern Art
11 West Fifty-third Street, New York

Set in the beloved Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, this special evening benefits the Museum's general operating fund, supporting our award-winning educational programs and the care, study, and exhibition of the collection.

photos by Ryan Muir

Huck Magazine: Did the Karen O stage persona exist before the Yeah Yeah Yeahs?

Karen O: I remember when I was in, like, the fifth grade, I was a really shy kid and I went to a school where there were only like sixteen kids in my grade, and there's a variety show type thing and I remember I put on these really dark sunglasses so I couldn't see - they were like the darkest sunglasses I've ever worn, I couldn't see anything, and I did The Beatles, I lip-synched to The Beatles' 'Twist and Shout', exactly. Jaws were dropping, because they couldn't believe that that was the same person. Because I had no inhibitions and I really milked it for what it was worth. It blew the teachers' minds, because I was a really quiet little kid... It's been brewing for a while.

Continue reading "Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ MHOW in Brooklyn - pics & setlist"

"Surprised and touched that Karen O got so emotional during maps. "Can you believe how far this NY band has come?" She said while crying." - Kim Thai

Radio City Music Hall - Sept 23, 2009 (pic by andymagic)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Radio City Music Hall (pic by hbdinwid)

Karen O @ Radio City Music Hall (pic by Color Noise)

"The key for me is to get really plastered," O says in a recent phone call with Atlantic City Weekly. "I don't have to get drunk when I play, but I admit it makes it easier. It helps me not think about anything onstage. I don't worry about what anyone thinks of me or the band. The best way to do it live is to just let it rip."

O is not the only reason that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are a live force. Bespectacled powerhouse Brian Chase slams away at his drum kit as guitarist-keyboardist Nick Zinner delivers minimal but melodic lines. O commands attention as she stalks the stage like a famished predator.

"That's just the way we do things," O says. "That comes natural to us."

The band has morphed from a little-known New York City-based indie act to one of the most identifiable acts in Gotham. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who will perform Saturday (Sept. 26) at Borgata's Music Box, headlined Wednesday at Radio City Music Hall. But even though the group is playing one of the most storied venues in Manhattan, which signifies that you made it, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs haven't changed a bit. The trio remains gritty, tenacious and dramatic.

"I don't see why any band becomes something else," O says. "You should remain true to yourself, your band and your music."
[Atlantic City Weekly]

Continue reading "Yeah Yeahs Yeahs played Radio City Music Hall - setlist, pics & video of Maps acoustic w/ strings"

by Black Bubblegum, photos by Ryan Muir

'And for like ten minutes she would just do these fucking amazing animal yelps and screams and growling and all this shit.'

Its a beautiful warm Sunday morning at Kutscher's and Wayne Coyne is waiting for me in a golf cart near the main stage. Clad in his trademark light colored suit, I shake his hand and exchange pleasantries. Then he notices that I'm with photographer Ryan Muir.

"You want to take some pictures? Lets head to the pool."

One problem. The pool is separated by a chain-link fence and there is no way around.

"Let's just jump it" Wayne says, but he's already on the other side.

Wayne is a gracious, charismatic ringmaster/shaman who is up for anything, as long as it leaves a lasting impression, much like the lovable oddballs The Flaming Lips that he fronts.

Starting over 25 years ago as an acid-drenched punk band with a Butthole Surfers obsession, The Flaming Lips have aged gracefully into their current role as quirky pop elder statesmen by keeping their punk rock spirit and freak-out tendencies. 1999's The Soft Bulletin began the band's current trajectory towards poignant and epic melodies, which continues with the release of their new LP Embryonic. It impacts record stores on October 13th, and you can listen to it now courtesy of the Colbert Report.

As you probably heard, The Flaming Lips were invited to headline All Tomorrow's Parties New York (ATP NY) as well as curate the final day of shows at the festival this year. We sat with the Oklahoma native on that sunday (9/13), while a team of men in orange jumpsuits (read: The Lips crew) carted around giant lighting sets, trashcans filled with stuffed animals, and yeti costumes....

Continue reading "an interview w/ Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips "

Karen O @ Lollapalooza 2009 (more by Paul Birman)

"DGC/ INTERSCOPE TO RELEASE WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK: ORIGINAL SONGS BY KAREN O AND THE KIDS. ALBUM OUT SEPTEMBER 29! LEAD SINGLE "ALL IS LOVE" OUT DIGITALLY AUGUST 25! MOTION PICTURE IN THEATERS OCTOBER 16!

Inside Karen O is a Wild Thing - as singer for the Grammy-nominated Yeah Yeah Yeahs, her wild thing is in your face, vulnerable, obnoxious, tender, exciting... a self-proclaimed "spazoid." However, to Oscar-nominated Where the Wild Things Are director Spike Jonze, Karen O and her music possess a child-like innocence, a guileless charm that put her exactly on the right emotional wavelength to sonically capture the highly-anticipated film.

To compose music for the film, O enlisted friends and fellow musicians she believed had the musical intuition that would bolster her intent to marry sound to vision. Dubbed Karen O and the Kids, the kids include Tristan Bechet (Services), Tom Biller (co-producer with Karen O and member of Afternoons), Bradford Cox (Deerhunter), Brian Chase (YYY), Dean Fertita (The Dead Weather), Aaron Hemphill (Liars), Greg Kurstin (The Bird and the Bee), Jack Lawrence (The Dead Weather), Oscar Michel (Gris Gris), Imaad Wasif (New Folk Implosion), Nick Zinner, (YYY) and an untrained children's choir." [Where the Wild Things Press Release]

In related news, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are playing Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on September 29th. That's six days after their much larger Manhattan show at Radio City Music Hall which sold out, I am told, in less than a day (UPDATE: There are a few random single tickets still available for Radio City at the moment, so not completely sold out yet)... I'm sure the MHOW show will sell out in less than a minute when tickets go on sale Friday at noon (2-ticket limit, will call only, opener TBA).

Some related videos below...

Continue reading "Yeah Yeah Yeahs add MHOW show - Karen O & the Kids made the Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack (single out now)"

"GET WELL MCA" (more by Tim Griffin)

hey all,

hope you are doing well.

so i'm about a week and a half out of surgery now and rapidly recovering from it. i haven't taken any of the pain meds, which supposedly speeds along the healing process, or should i say, taking them slows it down. anyway, i spent 1 night at the hospital after the surgery. the hospital was too crazy to get any rest so i headed home to relax, have home cooked food and hang out with the family.

i'm pretty well detoxed from the anesthesia that they pumped me up with to keep me under for all that time. that took several days to get out of my system. my neck and jaw are still pretty stiff from the surgery, but it gets better everyday. had the stitches out this past monday... so things are moving along.

but no sooner am i on the mend from this first torture than are they lining up the next one. the next line of treatment will be radiation. that involves blasting you with some kind of beam for a few minutes a day, 5 days a week, for about 7 weeks. that will start in a few weeks...

saw the jay-z cover of no sleep, and the coldplay one of fight for your right from APW on youtube. good shit. and i heard karen o a "get well MCA" armband, and that q-tip gave a shout out too..... very kind of them.

just wanted to thank them and everyone else who sent positive thoughts my way. i do think that all of the well wishes have contributed to the fact that my treatment and recovery are going well.

much love back at all of you!

adam

Continue reading "a letter from MCA (had surgery, about to start radiation)"

N.A.S.A., and their worldwide debut The Spirit of Apllo, is an ongoing creative collaboration between two lifelong music aficionados, Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon, and their friends, friends of friends and musical heroes.

While N.A.S.A. stands for North America/South America and contains a number of superstar artists from both coasts of the U.S., it is about as far from a tension-building geographical showdown as a record can get. Rather, The Spirit of Apollo was born with the righteous goal of bringing people together through music and art, and that is exactly what masterminds Sam Spiegel (Squeak E. Clean) and Ze Gonzales (DJ Zegon) have done.

Unexpected collaborations abound on the seventeen track release. Tom Waits growls over Kool Keith, Karen O taunts while Ol' Dirty Bastard gives shoutouts to Wu Tang and N.A.S.A from the grave, and David Byrne, Chuck D and others expound on the evils of "Money." In spite of the range of performers, the pairings seem organic, inspired and make perfect sense on the first listen, never coming off as ironic or impulsive.... [RCRD LBL]

Continue reading "N.A.S.A. - 2009 Tour Dates (LPR), David Byrne/Chuck D video"

Bishop Allen @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Stella @ Union Hall !
* NY Dolls @ Stone Pony
* Ani Difranco @ Town Hall
* Rasputina @ the Bell House
* Al Green @ Wellmont Theater
* The Hackensaw Boys @ 92YTribeca
* Robyn Hitchcock @ Symphony Space
* Slutty Puppets @ Galapagos Art Space
* The Dig & Frankpollis @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* Baroness, Coliseum & Minsk @ Bowery Ballroom
* Electric Six, Local H, Fall On Your Sword @ Webster Hall
* Bishop Allen, Drink Up Buttercup & Electric Owls @ MHOW
* Peter & The Wolf, Ava Luna & Draw Into Disorder @ Silent Barn
* We Are Scientists, Mobius Band & Grandma's Boy @ Irving Plaza
* Grails, Silver Apples, Dinowalrus & Nudge @ Knitting Factory
* Hopewell, Bear in Heaven, Artranker Convoy & Tulips @ Cake Shop
* Cheap Time w/ The Black Clouds, The Konks, and Golden Error @ Asterisk Art Space

in Boston: The Brainwaves Festival

! I have no idea when they added the Stella show at Union Hall, but Union Hall's site reads "SOLD OUT: no tickets are available". It's a warmup for the upcoming tour and shows at Nokia Theatre. It's not clear whether Michael Showalter will also be performing with Eugene Mirman at Union Hall this Sunday. How was the Showalter/Black show at Caroline's?

Local H goes on at 7:45 tonight at Webster Hall (or someone just told me maybe 9:00).

Bishop Allen also plays MHOW on Sunday.

Tonight was supposed to be the first of two Flower Travellin Band shows at Knitting Factory.

NY Dolls added tonight's NJ show since I last posted their tour dates that include Irving Plaza in December.

Ludacris is playing Highline Ballroom Tuesday night.

Bjork turned 43 yesterday.

Karen O was born today in 1978.

Steven Van Zandt was born today in 1950.

John F. Kennedy died today in 1963.

Grails played Union Pool last night. Video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

DOWNLOAD: Nickel Eye - Dying Star (off East Village Radio) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Nickel Eye - Brandy of the Damned (off East Village Radio) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Native Korean Rock - Rapt (from MySpace) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Native Korean Rock - OOO (live @ Union Pool) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Native Korean Rock - Day Go By (live @ Union Pool) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: N.E.R.D. - My Drive Thru w/ Santogold & Julian Casablancas (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Albert Hammond Jr. - GfC (MP3)

Band Members: nickel eye (guitar, vocals, electric bass, double bass, harmonica); South: Joel Cadbury (steel guitar), Jamie McDonald (guitar), Brett Shaw (drums) and very special guests: Regina Spektor (piano), Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (guitar), Jack Dishel of Only Son (back up vocals), Jesse Wallace (drums) + more...

About nickel eye: Soon to be released The Time of the Assassins... For the moment, you can visit Mark Ronson's most recent radio broadcast (06/06/08) of "Authentic Shit" at www.eastvillageradio.com. At 1hr and 19mins, you will find a sneak preview of two songs and an interview with nickel eye.

Regina Spektor is also working with Ben Folds and playing a show with another Stroke, Albert Hammond Jr., who has some new music out of his own.

And while Albert and Nickel Eye are busy doing their thing, Julian has been wearing Converse and hanging with Pharrell (soon to be a daddy?) and Santogold. I don't know what's up with The Strokes, but if there is something up, Pharrell also wants to be involved.

And while Nick Zinner has been keeping busy with Nickel Eye, Karen O has been also doing her Native Korean Rock thing which included two shows the other night at Union Pool and some demos on MySpace. Yeah.

Download a whole bunch of MP3s above. The Karen O live tracks were ripped from two of the three YouTube videos you can watch below...

Continue reading "3 Strokes side projects, 2 Yeah Yeah Yeahs, 4 bands, 7 MP3s"

For just about a half hour, she showcased a collection of love songs on par with the latter tracks from Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Show Your Bones (most notably 'Warrior' & 'Sweets'), backed by a quintet comprised of strings, drums & guitars. [The Music Slut]

Continue reading "Native Korean Rock (Karen O) played Union Pool in Brooklyn"

Karen O & M.I.A., 2007 by Nick Zinner

Karen O plays those two shows at Union Pool in Brooklyn tonight. Listen to five songs @ MySpace.

2 SHOWS, ONE EVENING.

Native Korean Rock and the Fishnets COME DROWN WITH US

Native Korean Rock is a side project of Karen O?s comprised of a body of love songs written over the last two years, to be performed with a motley crew of NYC natives. Expect high drama, high stakes in two intimate performances. Does Native Korean Rock have anything to do with Yeah Yeah Yeahs? NO Are these the leaked demos of years ago? NO