Nas @ Rock the Bells (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

That didn't take long. We just announced the intitial lineup. Check out the almost-full thing below...

Continue reading "Rock the Bells 2012 full lineup (Nas, Kendrick Lamar, ASAP Rocky, Dipset, Schoolboy Q, Missy Elliot, Wiz Khalifa, much more)"

"If you a real hip-hop head RT!! #RocktheBells2012" - Nas

Turing hip-hop festival Rock the Bells announces:

Boost Mobile in association with Guerilla Union have announced the return of the ROCK THE BELLS 2012 FESTIVAL SERIES powered by BlackBerry. The world-class platform will feature an array of seminal and flourishing artists over an expanded two-day period in four major North American markets, including headliners Kid Cudi, J Cole, Wiz Khalifa, Atmosphere and more, with special guests Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

The only touring hip-hop festival will kick off in San Bernardino, CA on August 19 and 20 at the NOS Events Center. The festival will then make its way to Mountain View, CA on August 25 and 26 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre and will wrap on the east coast in Newark, NJ on September 1 and 2 at PNC Arts Center.

ROCK THE BELLS and non-profit organization Hip Hop and Hope for Haiti have joined forces to shine light on the disaster-stricken country and to provide continued relief efforts; that of which have progressively decelerated.

In addition to what is listed above, Hit Squad is also playing. Full lineups TBA soon (possibly at the launch party happening in California tonight)

UPDATE: Full LINEUP ANNOUNCED.

The list of dates with on-sale dates is below...

Continue reading "Rock the Bells 2012 dates, venues & some artists announced"

They write:

Interested in being a part of Team Gov Ball? We are looking for kind, eager, and able-bodied individuals that can work with others, have some fun, and earn a ticket to Gov Ball 2012. You'll learn a bit about what it takes to produce a music festival, save yourself some coin, meet some cool people, get an official Team Gov Ball shirt, and much more! Check out all the deets HERE.

Tickets go on sale today.

People at Williamsburg Waterfront last year (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

This summer's Williamsburg Waterfront concert season begins this weekend with a free show on Saturday (6/11) (5:30pm doors). For what it's worth, that show is Coheed and Cambria, Adrian Belew Power Trio and Tigers Jaw, but it is free. It's also one of three currently announced free shows (there will be five free shows total, one of which will be classical music). The other two announced free events are Eugene Mirman and Pretty Good Friends (Patton Oswalt will be one of those friends!) and special musical guests They Might Be Giants on July 29, and a children's show with Moey's Music Party and Story Pirates (who recently hosted a benefit) on June 19 at noon.

Ticketed shows include Death From Above 1979, Death Cab for Cutie, Sonic Youth, Bright Eyes, Thievery Corporation (with Dam-Funk & Master Blazter and Raphael Saadiq opening), TV on the Radio, Fleet Foxes and more. Check out the full lineup with openers listed below...

Continue reading "Williamsburg Waterfront opens this weekend, here is the full updated summer schedule"

Kanye West at MoMa (more by Bao Nguyen)

"Heineken is giving fans in 8 select markets the chance to see a local G.O.O.D. Music performance as well as the grand prize of catching Kanye West in NYC on June 9th... If your city isn't listed, stay tuned for more chances, you aren't forgotten!"

Kanye West also plays a show with Kud Cudi as part of Summerfest in Milwaukee on June 30th. Kid Cudi also has dates coming up in Asbury Park, Brooklyn and elsewhere.

In related news, Cannes is happening and Kanye is there, as people couldn't help but notice: "Kanye West made a grand entrance in a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss sports coupe at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala held during the Cannes Film Festival in Cap d'Antibes, France. Only 75 of the limited edition cars are in production with an estimated price tag of $1.7 million. Yeezy pulled up in the bad boy looking like James Bond in a tuxedo and shades as passersby gawked. Inside the black-tie event, he rubbed shoulders with Naomi Campbell and Boy George. He is headed to Morocco next, where he will headline the Festival Mawazine."

Tickets are now on sale for the Steve Earle shows at Town Hall and Music Hall of Williamsburg (the Town Hall show went on sale at 11).

Tickets are now on sale for the Swans show at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Swans were also just added to ATP NJ which also has tickets on sale including a new "Portishead 3 Day Pass."

Tickets went on sale today for Animal Collective, Grace Potter, Cut Copy, and Dylan Fest

Cymbals Eat Guitars have a show scheduled at Glasslands on May 20th with Yellow Dogs and Mirror Mirror. Tickets are on sale.

Tinariwen returns to NYC this summer. Tickets go on sale Saturday for a July 20th show at Highline Ballroom.

Did you miss getting tickets to Murder by Death's boat show? They added a 2nd happening the same day. Tickets for that one are on sale.

Tickets are now on sale for the Kid Cudi show at Williamsburg Waterfront.

Glasvegas are touring in support of a new album. Tickets are on sale now for a May 23rd show at Bowery Ballroom. All tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Steve Earle, Swans, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Glasvegas, Murder by Death, Tinariwen, Kid Cudi, ATP & other tix"

Kid Cudi begins his sold-out three night stay with Chip Tha Ripper at Roseland tonight (4/20). They say that weed effects motivation and now that the MC is off of the ganj, that may have motivated him to quickly announce his follow-up NYC show for this summer. Look for Kud Cudi to team up with Chip Tha Ripper again at Williamsburg Waterfront on July 6th. Tickets go on sale at noon on Friday (4/22).

This is the first of 10 ticketed shows to be announced at the outdoor Brooklyn venue.

Kid Cudi's last LP Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager dropped in the tail end of last year. Chip Tha Ripper recently released the new Gift Raps mixtape for free download. The mixtape features "The Entrance" which is in viewable in video form, with all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Kid Cudi playing Williamsburg Waterfront w/ Chip Tha Ripper (who he plays Roseland with 3 times this week)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Raekwon - "Molasses" f. Rick Ross & Ghostface Killah (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pharoahe Monch - "Clap" (MP3)

Lupe Fiasco has sold-out his previously discussed record release party at Webster Hall on March 8th, but the Chi-city MC has added another, and for free. Lupe Fiasco will appear at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 2/27 as part of a free, RSVP-only event at the venue. RSVP is currently open. Lupe's new LP Lasers hits store shelves on March 8th. Stream the new track "All Black Everything" at his site.

If you didn't get tickets for Webster Hall, that means you are free and clear to check out Raekwon at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 3/8 (tickets). The show is a record release party for the Wu-Tang great, as Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang will drop the same day as Lasers (March 8). Raekwon recently dropped a new video for title track and a new song, "Molasses" featuring Ghostface and Rick Ross. Download "Molasses" above or stream it below alongside the new video.

Pharoahe Monch has a new disc on the way, W.A.R. (We Are Renegades), and he'll celebrate that with a March 24th show at SOBs. Ticket info is forthcoming. W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) is due via Duck Down on 3/22 and features "Clap" available for download above and streaming below.

Still not many Diplomats reunion tour dates popping up, but in addition to the NYC & Philly shows previously mentioned, there's now also Chicago, and a March 25th show at Northern Lights in Clifton Park which is on sale. The list of dates is below.

Tickets recently went on sale for a Wiz Khalifa show at Roseland Ballroom. Kid Cudi's total number of sold out Roseland shows is three.

Big Boi and People Under the Stairs are on the lineup of the just-announced Governors Ball Music Festival.

And last but not least, Southpaw has a couple of interesting hip hop shows in the coming weeks including the imperial Rah Digga with Eternia on Thursday (2/24, tickets) and the one and only Big Daddy Kane with Brand Nubian as part of a benefit on March 25th (tickets).

All streams and some video is below.

Continue reading "a free Lupe Fiasco show, Raekwon video, new Pharoahe Monch, updated Diplomats dates & other hip hop news"

Kid Cudi

Kid Cudi announced that this summer he will release a Dot Da Genius-produced rock album, entitled Wizard and for his rap fans, a mixtape titled, A Man Named Scott.

"Pushing for a summer release of the Wizard album. I produce and play guitar on everything with my main man Dot Da Genius. He's learning bass," The Cudder wrote. "Wizard is a rock album, no raps, just singing. Brand new thing. Flavor. 'Dose of Dopeness,' however, will be on the Wizard album as a bonus jam. 'Bout f---in' time aye. I've been wearing the same jeans for months and I feel good about that dedication."

"Oh I forgot the best news ever ... new mixtape A Man Named Scott," he continued. "That's this summer. For all those who f---s with my raps, this is for you since I'mma be all rocked out with the Wizard sh--. Also, it's free! Yes!"-[MTV News]

Tickets are still on sale for Theophilus London's Music Hall of Williamsburg show (with Popo and New Look), and you can still get tickets for Talib Kweli's Idle Warship MHOW show which comes one night after Idle Warship's two Blue Note gigs which happen one night after Mos Def's two Blue Note gigs (which are tonight).

Speaking of Talib Kweli, his new album Gutter Rainbows (pictured) was released at the end of January. The Beastie Boys-sampling track "I'm On One" also appears in remixed format on an upcoming mixtape that Talib & DJ Smallz are releasing called "Northern Lights x Southern Smoke", and with a verse by Cyhi Da Prynce. Download the remix HERE. Listen to the original on the bottom of this post.

Tickets are still on sale for Yelawolf's show with Cyhi Da Prynce at Highline Ballrom.

Black Milk and band are at SOB's the same night Idle Warship is at MHOW which is the same night DJ Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito reunite at Le Poisson Rouge (Thursday)

Funkmaster Flex meanwhile is out on bail after being arrested for assaulting his wife.

Tickets go on sale today (2/8) at 3pm for the Waka Flocka Flame show happening at BB King's.

Tonight's Slaughterhouse show at Highline Ballroom is sold out but if you get there early you might be able to pick one up at the door.

Lil Wayne added a 2nd Long Island show to his tour with Nicki Minaj at some point. You can check Ticketmaster for tix.

Odd Future will play DC one day before their now-sold out Santos Party House show which is one day before they play Fallon with help from the Roots. "Tyler, The Creator and Hodgy Beats of Odd Future are set to raid network TV with the help of The Roots on Late Night w/ Jimmy Fallon on 2/16." They play Philly one day after that, and they're also on the bill of Coachella. All dates are listed below.

Jump around.

Continue reading "Kid Cudi, Talib Kweli, Theophilus London, Lil Wayne, Waka Flocka, Odd Future, Cyhi Da Prynce & other hip hop news"

"...On Monday West, who is 33, will release his fifth album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam), and it's terrific -- of course it's terrific -- a startlingly maximalist take on East Coast rap traditionalism. And yet that doesn't matter nearly as much as it should, at least partly because of West's insistence on his own greatness. By not allowing for responses to his work other than awe, the value of the work itself is diminished; it becomes an object of admiration, not of study. Instead the focus is on the whole of West's persona and character, which is more fractured and subject to a far wider range of responses. The result is that West becomes a polarizing public figure who happens to be the most artful pop musician of the day, not the other way around.

Nevertheless, West seems virtually incapable of making a bad record. He's committed to pop, and he's savvy and talented enough to make it great, every time. What's more, for him to make something other than a universally accepted smash would be a thing that his ego couldn't bear. Every Kanye West album, until the cancer of the world around him begins to encroach on the parts of his cerebral cortex that control his musical ear, will be excellent and huge. He'll never have an idiosyncratic period.

Even at his most extreme, West isn't an experimenter. His music is ornate, ostentatious, curious and vivacious. But risky? No. All of his fiddling is within recognized formulas. A producer as well as a rapper, West controls all of the major elements of his songs, unlike other artists who have to rely on their taste (or their record label's taste) in outside producers or songwriters.

To work on this album he retreated to Hawaii, as he did during the making of his previous album. And West's gravitational pull is such that he can import talent. Rick Ross, Kid Cudi, Pusha T, Nicki Minaj -- they all made the trip to make music that will appear on the album. The spooky indie folky Justin Vernon from Bon Iver spoke of smoking marijuana with Rick Ross on one of his three sojourns to Hawaii to work with West, about as surreal a tableau as has been created in the making of any pop album this year." [JON CARAMANICA, Sunday New York Times]

Continue reading "Kanye West 'seems virtually incapable of making a bad album'"

by BBG

Kanye West recently responded on the Today show to George Bush's reaction to West's infamous "George Bush hates black people" tirade on national television in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. View his response below. And as Matt points out at the end of the video, Kanye is set to play a live show outside the Today Show, on the plaza, on November 26th (the day after Thanksgiving) (if he doesn't cancel).

UPDATE: he's cancelling

In happier news for Mr. West (whose recent stunts include rapping on a Delta flight), his new LP My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy will hit store shelves on November 22nd (though yes, it has already leaked). Featuring appearances from Jay-Z, Raekwon, Pusha T, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Kid Cudi and even Bon Iver, the 13 track LP comes with five different album covers.

Kanye isn't afraid to return the favor either, as he appears on Kid Cudi's spankin' new LP, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (out now) (NME gave it a 9/10, Rolling Stone gave it 2.5/5 stars, Pitchfork hasn't reviewed it yet though they did give Cee Lo's new one a 7.3 today). Kanye joins a list of collaborators that includes Cee-Lo Green (who plays a NYC show Saturday), Mary J. Blige, GLC, Cage and St. Vincent, the latter two of which appeared on his latest single "Maniac". Both Cage and St. Vincent appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with Kid Cudi on 11/3, and you can check out video of that performance below too...

Continue reading "Kanye West, George Bush, Kid Cudi & St. Vincent"

photos by Alex Reside

Pictures and video from last night's Converse party at Music Hall of Williamsburg continue below...

Continue reading "Rostam, Best Coast & Kid Cudi performed "All Summer" (and others songs) @ MHOW (pics & video)"

You may have heard by now that Vampire Weekend, XL Recordings and a photographer named Tod Brody are being sued for 2 million dollars by Contra cover model Kirsten Kennis. She claims that she never gave permission for them to use a picture that was taken of her in 1983 (back when she was actually a model), and that the photographer basically tricked the band and label into thinking they were buying it legally. She says the band and label are also at fault for not doing due diligence when they paid $5000 for the picture from Tod. She thinks she deserves 2 million because her picture was obviously the reason the band's album was so successful... That's basically the info that most sites are posting, but I obtained a copy of the court documents and there's more...

First of all, her full name is Ann Kirsten Kennis, though when she was a model she just went by "Kirsten". She was a "high-fashion model under contract with prestigious agencies in New York City" in the 80's and early 90's. Her picture has appeared in clothing, jewelry, cosmetics and automobile ads, and for that she was "highly compensated" and "enjoyed numerous assignments".

She lives in Fairfield, CT, and most interestingly, she claims Tod didn't even take the picture. Her real last name doesn't even appear in the contract Vampire Weekend signed when they bought it. The allegedly forged/fake contract is with "Kirsten Johnsen" and signed by "Kirsten Johnson" (yes, the document has the last name spelled two different ways).

If Tod didn't take the picture, I'm not sure how he thought he would get away with it since she would obviously eventually see it. Whether he took it or not, it's still displayed in his portfolio (with "kirsten" in the file name), though his page that displayed the Vampire Weekend album cover is now gone.

Not content with all that, I went on a search for another picture of Kirsten, but unfortunately I came up dry though I do think I found a picture of her dog, and what might be her not-quite-operational "Cosmic Cubs" teddy bear website (which would be consistent with the possibility that her family is in the toy business). It's also possible that back before she was married, her name may have been Ann Klendshoj which is the name of someone who had a nasty run in with a creepy doctor in 1994. Speaking of creepy, I'll end this paragraph here.

Rostam from Vampire Weekend, Kid Cudi & Bethany of Best Coast made a new song for Converse. The video for that track, "All Summer", is below...

Continue reading "Who is Ann Kirsten Kennis? (besides the Contra album cover model suing Vampire Weekend, XL & photographer Tod Brody)"

Kid Cudi @ Bonnaroo (via MagicHatBrewing)

"Kid Cudi performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee despite being arrested hours earlier in New York City.

The artist arrived at the venue, telling the fans, "I really wanted to be here tonight." He is also expected to perform at tonight's concert, co-headlining with Jay-Z.

According to sources, the artist was arrested on drug and destruction charges. CuDi allegedly smashed a 24 year old woman's phone and then broke her apartment door off of its hinges." [SickHop]

Continue reading "Kid Cudi got arrested in NYC, but still played Bonnaroo"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Dum Dum Girls - Jail La La (Mp3)
DOWNLOAD: Happy Birthday - Girls FM (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Bloodsugars - Light at the End of the Tunnel (Mp3)

Bear Hands

It's another jam-packed week of shows. In addition to Taken By Trees, El Perro Del Mar and The Soundtrack of our Lives, here's some of the ones I'm excited about.

tonight (2/16): New Cantora Records signees Bear Hands play The Studio at Webster Hall. You can download the band's percussion-heavy new single "What a Drag" for free from their website if you're willing to give them your email address. You can also watch the video at the bottom of this post.

Also tonight (2/16), Beast kick off what is now a run of three NYC shows. As we pointed out earlier today, "Beast are at the Living Room tonight. They play the Cameo tomorrow night late...and they've added an early set at the Mercury Lounge on Wednesday, where the show is with Fight Like Apes, Honor By August, Stationary Set and Tryptics."

The Bloodsugars

This week is last of Savoir Adore's February Thursdays residency at Cake Shop and we've got a pair of tickets up for grabs. Just email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM and we'll pick a winner at random. In addition to Savoir Adore (have I mentioned their album made my Best of 2009 list?),  it's another good group of openers. The Bloodsugars make '80s-inspired widescreen pop that at times sounds uncannily like Prefab Sprout -- and good Prefab Sprout, not "hot dog jumping frog Albequerque" Prefab Sprout. Which is to say these folks know their way around big pop hooks, and are kind of a perfect match with Savoir Adore. You can download "Light at the End of the Tunnel" from last year's underrated I Can't Go On, I'll Go On at the top of this post.

Also on the bill: Pittsburgh's chilled-out Ennui and Brooklyn's synth-heavy Red Wire Black Wire with between-sets DJing from Nora of blog I Rock I Roll.

Also on Thursday (2/18), Dan Black is in town at Mercury Lounge. There's a new version of Dan's single "Symphonies" that features Kid Cudi, and you can watch the new video for it at the bottom of this post.

Bear in Heaven @ Mercury Lounge in January (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

A few more shows. Bear in Heaven, who were just great at Mercury Lounge a couple weeks back, play Glasslands on Friday night (2/19) with Secret Machines. What I like about them live is that you can tell they all really enjoying being in Bear in Heaven and playing these songs. They're just a lot of fun to watch, and they're pretty tight too with a drummer beats the shit out of his instrument.

Secret Machines are headlining, a band I haven't seen play in some time but have always liked. They've got a trippy, string-heavy new single, "Like I Can," that you can listen to on their website. Also playing what sounds like a full evening are electro rock quintet Mon Khmer, Noveller and Papa.

Saturday (2/20) marks the end of The Beets/Beach Fossils/Christmas Island tour where they'll play Music Hall of Williamsburg along with German Measels and headliners Crystal Stilts who I still haven't managed to catch since Frankie Rose left the drummer's chair.

Dum Dum Girls

Speaking of Frankie, she'll be pulling double duty Sunday night at Mercury Lounge where her own bandThe Outs will open for Dum Dum Girls (she's their drummer). DDG's debut album for Sub Pop is about six weeks away but you can download the album's first single, "Jail La La," at the top of this post. (It's out on 7" today with a nice cover of the Stones' "Play With Fire" on the flip.) I'm usually not one for re-recording songs that have already been released, but I actually think this recording is spruces things up just enough without unraveling their reverby gauze. After heading to London for a few shows, Dum Dum Girls will be back for SXSW and then will go on tour with Girls in April. All dates are at the bottom of this post.

Frankie & the Outs are really coming along as a band too, and thought they were fantastic at Monster Island this past weekend. The vocal harmonies in particular are the band's strong point, with a bit of soul in there too actually, kind of like some late-'60s girl rockers. I'd love to hear them cover The Kelly Affair/Carry Nation's "Sweet Talking Candy Man" from Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. But maybe that's just me.

Also playing are Dum Dum Girls' Sub Pop labelmates Happy Birthday, whose super-catchy song "Girls FM" is downloadable at the top of this post. It's power pop, but kind of gritty/garagy and makes me anxious to hear more.

That's it for this week. Flyers, videos and tour dates after the jump...

Continue reading "Bear Hands, Dum Dum Girls, Happy Birthday, Bloodsugars, Bear in Heaven, Beast & more in This Week in Indie"

We'll get a more complete press release in the morning (and confirm what is listed below is 100% correct), but in the meantime below is a picture of the 2010 Sasquatch poster (that someone Tweeted) and the lineup as read by Bradford Cox at tonight's Atlas Sound show in Seattle (and being listed all over the Internet)....

Continue reading "Sasquatch announces 2010 lineup (includes Massive Attack & My Morning Jacket) (and many more) "

After a hectic day of updating the constantly updating Bonnaroo lineup page, the entire thing has been announced. Gwar, Norah Jones, and the rest of the lineup below...

Continue reading "the complete 2010 Bonnaroo lineup (Stevie Wonder, The Melvins, Kings of Leon, Isis, Local Natives & many more) "

by Bill Pearis

Paris-via-London artist Dan Black caused a stir (on the internet at least) in 2008 with "HYPNTZ," his inventive cover of The Notorious BIG's "Hypnotize" (mixed with Rihanna's "Umbrella") -- which later got him in trouble with Biggie's estate over use of the lyrics. So Dan wrote his own rhymes, and the song reappeared a year late as "Symphonies," which has one of the more expensive-looking (and admittedly cool) videos of the last year (and a remix by Kid Cudi). You can watch it below. Some are calling him the male La Roux and that's not too-far off the mark, with production that is super-slick, but pretty clever at times too. Maybe you saw him at CMJ last year?

Black's debut album, ((un)), came out last summer in the UK and gets a belated Stateside release on February 16 and will be playing a few select North American shows in support, including a late show at Mercury Lounge on February 18 with Free Blood. Tickets are on sale.

A few videos below, including the original "HYPNTZ" and CMJ 2009 footage, and all Dan Black North American tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Dan Black releasing album in US, touring - dates & videos"

Handsome Furs @ Bowery in July (more by Alex Reside)

tonight in NYC
* benefit @ City Winery
* Ghostface & friends @ Knitting Factory
* Handsome Furs @ Maxwell's
* Blind Shake, Vaz, Loose Limbs @ Cake Shop
* Laurel Halo, Air Waves, A Rose Parade @ Zebulon
* David Sutton, 2673, Hikikomori @ Issue Project Room
* Charlotte Gainsbourg, Dinosaur Feathers @ The Bell House
* Lady GaGa, Jason Derulo, Semi Precious Weapons @ Radio City Music Hall
* Das Racist, Sonia's Party and Everyone's Invited, Junk Science @ Southpaw
* Reading Rainbow, Family Trees, Total Slacker, X-Ray Eyeballs @ Death By Audio
* Big Troubles, My Teenage Stride, The Sundelles, Lame Drivers @ LPR
* Freelance Whales, Animal Tropical, Still Life Still, Faces on Film @ Mercury Lounge

The four Haiti benefits at City Winery kick off tonight. The most updated lineup for this evening is: "Patti Smith, The Swell Season, The Antlers (Just added) John Wesley Harding,Carolina Chocolate Drops, Yo La Tengo, Young People's Chorus of New York City, Joshua Bell & Surprise Guest". General admission tickets are sold out, but $200 tickets are still available.

Ends up Handsome Furs didn't come all the way here to play just one show. They played a private CNN/Vice party at Public Assembly in Williamsburg last night.

CNN.com is throwing a party in Brooklyn [on 1/19] to celebrate new content partnerships with Vice magazine's video site and Seattle-based record label Sub Pop.

Every Wednesday, starting this week, CNN.com will feature a new web series produced by VBS.TV. The first feature, "Vice Guide to Liberia," follows Vice's founder Shane Smith as he travels through the the country's slums interviewing ex-war lords and residents...

...As for rock and roll bands, Sub Pop will also be contributing a series of documentary shorts to CNN.com, starting this Thursday. Handsome Furs, a Canadian husband and wife band on the Sub Pop label, used Flip cams to document their first tour across Asia in support of their second album release
, Face Control. CNN.com visitors will find those documentary snippets on www.cnn.com/IndieAsia. [Business Insider]

Lady GaGa is playing four shows at Radio City. You may have heard - Kid Cudi is no longer opening the tour. Opening will be Jason Derulo and Semi Precious Weapons. Witty banter and other clips from her Chicago show on Jan. 10th are below.

Kid Cudi instead plays shows at Irving Plaza starting tomorrow.

Spoon are at Mercury Lounge tomorrow.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

Greg Dulli's Top Ten of 2009: (via)
1. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
2. Little Dragon - Machine Dreams
3. Tinariwen - Imidiwan: Companions
4. Wussy - Wussy
5. Various Artists - Gilles Peterson Presents Havana Cultura
6. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
7. Handsome Furs - Face Control
8. The Aliens - Luna
9. Dam-Funk - Toeachizown
10. Kid Cudi - Man On the Moon: The End of Day

Beast @ CMJ 2009 (more by Chris La Putt)

Lady Gaga was nominated five times. Considering her rocket to fame over the last year, many were expecting more for her. But at least the contests are going to be really interesting: Beyoncé, [Taylor] Swift and Lady Gaga are going head to head in three of the most important categories: album, record and song of the year. Will one of them sweep, or will the lady vote be split?

One of the usual complaints about the Grammys is that it over-rewards older, established, familiar acts at the expense of newer, fresher ones. MGMT, the Brooklyn synth-rock duo, was nominated for best new artist, a big coup although not unexpected. But some of the shoulda-been names that have been circulated and Tweeted: Grizzly Bear, another acclaimed Brooklyn group; Regina Spektor, a young New York songwriter who started in the underground and has found some mainstream popularity; Diane Birch, a young soul-style singer, just the revivalist type the Grammys usually adore; and the Decemberists, an alt-folk-rock band from Portland, Ore., that released an ambitious concept album this year. [NY Times]

One surprise (for me anyway) came this year in the video category. Montreal's Beast were nominated for "Mr. Hurricane". That video with a list of some of the other nominees, below...

Continue reading "Beast's 'Mr. Hurricane' video & other 2009 Grammy nominees "

Kid Cudi & Jason Derulo open for Lady Gaga at Radio City Music Hall on January 20th and 21st. Tickets are on sale (@ noon).

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Miike Snow show happening at Webster Hall. Tickets are on sale for the one at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Akron/Family / Warpaint show happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Phoenix @ MHOW (more by Bao Nguyen)

It might seem like the end of summer, but there's still a month left before they stop having concerts at Central Park Summerstage (though now the venue goes by its other name "Rumsey Playfield"). September 25th and 26th are when Phoenix play two shows there with Passion Pit. Both are sold out.

The two shows are part of a North American tour for Phoenix that was set to begin at the Monolith Festival on September 13th. Now that tour starts in NYC one day earlier.

In what may be the only time that Phoenix ever share a bill with Gary 'Baba Booey' Dell'Abate (the Howard Stern star is making a "special appearance"), Phoenix, Kid Cudi and DJ Clinton Sparks are playing a Lifebeat benefit show at 610 W 56th St (aka Terminal 5) in Manhattan on September 12th. MTV is hosting. $40 tickets are on sale. Flyer below...

Continue reading "Phoenix, Kid Cudi AND BABA BOOEY playing Lifebeat Benefit in NYC before the Monolith Festival (tix on sale) "

Ken Thomson (Asphalt Orchestra mem.) @ LPR (more by Andrew Frisicano)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Kanye West @ Cipriani
* Carimi @ Brower Park
* The Fabulous Thunderbirds @ BB Kings
* Los Salseros del Hudson @ Wagner Park
* John Scofield Trio @ Madion Square Park
* Alberta Cross, Phonograph @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Asphalt Orchestra @ Lincoln Center's Broadway Plaza
* Cirque Du Rock: Gotham Underworld @ Highline Ballroom
* Tyshawn Sorey, Todd Neufield, Thomas Morgan @ The Stone
* The Pedrito Martinez Project @ Central Park Summerstage
* Yardwork, Beach Fossils, Sam Buck Rosen @ Death By Audio
* Chris Isaak, Michelle Branch, Dorian Spencer @ Beacon Theatre
* Portugal the Man, The Love Language, Hesta Prynn @ Mercury Lounge
* Lincoln Center OoD w/ Amir el Saffar Ensemble & Dave Brubeck Quartet @ Damrosch Park
* Music & Reading Series w/ Rachel Cohen, Brandon Stosuy, Colin Stetson, Buke & Gass @ Joe's Pub

Lots of free outdoor music tonight, so hopefully the weather holds out. One event so far, Fame at the McCarren Park SummerScreen, has been rescheduled for August 26th. (Wild at Heart, last week's cancellation, happens August 19th.) Carimi is at Brower Park. The Pedrito Martinez Project plays the Central Park Summerstage with a screening of I Am Cuba. Los Salseros del Hudson play Wagner Park. John Scofield Trio is at Madion Square Park.

Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Festival kicks off tonight with Amir el Saffar & Dave Brubeck and their respective bands at the Damrosch Park Bandshell. Catch Bang on a Can's Asphalt Orchestra, who will be playing at outdoor locations through Sunday, tonight at the Lincoln Center's Broadway Plaza.

All of the above events are free, as is Alberta Cross and Phonograph at the Brooklyn Bowl.

Tyshawn Sorey plays at The Stone with Todd Neufield and Thomas Morgan -- together they form the trio on Sorey's forthcoming album, Koan.

Happy Ending Music & Reading Series hosts Rachel Cohen, Brandon Stosuy, Colin Stetson, Buke & Gass and more at Joe's Pub.

Portugal. The Man plays a sold-out Mercury Lounge show with The Love Language and Hesta Prynn. They'll be back in October too.

See a pair of Deerhoof videos, including the new "Jagged Fruit," below. They come to NYC on September 15th.

Kid Cudi's "Make Her Say" featuring Kanye West & Common is below too. Tonight...

CASIO G-Shock will celebrate their advancements in wristwatch technology, outline the future evolution of the Casio family of timepieces and unveil an entirely new collection of limited edition collaborative pieces.

The star-studded evening kicks off with a press conference highlighting these milestones. Cipriani 55 Wall Street will be transformed into the ultimate showplace for both the brand and for Kanye West, who will cap the night off with an exclusive performance.

Cipriani * 55 Wall Street (Between Wall and William Street): Press conference at 6:30PM, expected celebrity arrival
8:30PM

Los Campesinos! played Webster Hall last night. Video from that below.

What else?

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