photos by PSquared Photography, words and additional photos by Fred Pessaro

Pharmakon / Prurient / Kid Millions / Kim Gordon

Sixteen bands that deal in ambient, drone, noise and power electronics converged on Knockdown Center in Queens last night (5/2) as part of the Drone Activity in Progress show. The multi-stage event, part of a massive May NYC takeover by Red Bull Music Academy, was housed in a giant warehouse/factory building somewhat-shaped like an "F," with three stages (Red Room, Grand Hall, and West Wing) located in separate areas. Most of the sets had minimal crossover to the other stages, set time staggering was well executed, but those that did overlap were obvious in reasons why: guitar drones vs thumping bass lines, etc. Soundbleed was shockingly minimal in each individual room.

That many bands is a lot to take in general, but personal highlights all seemed to come from the "Red Room" where I caught sets by Prurient, Pharmakon, Alberich and others, who each used keys, effects pedals, vocals, patch bays, and samples to create their versions of industrial-noise terror. Other highlights from the other stages (Grand Hall and West Wing) included guitar-noise from Body/Head (with Kim Gordon), guitar/ambient from KTL (with Stephen O'Malley), guitar qizardry from Mick Barr, Noveller and the spazzy/jawdropping Jim Sauter/Kid Millions.

Tonight's Red Bull Music Academy events are: Brian Eno's "77 Million Paintings" at 45 W. 32nd (sold out); Masters At Work w/ special guest and vibraphone legend Roy Ayers at Le Bain (which is free); and Knox, QuietDust, August Rosenbaum, and Jimi Nxir at Le Poisson Rouge which is also free.

In addition to this set, check out another set of pictures at InvisibleOranges. More photos from Drone Activity are below.

Continue reading "Drone Activity in Progress, part of RBMA, took over Knockdown Center last night (pics)"

photos by Greg Cristman

"A night of Round Robin improvs and Julia Holter just adjusted her sheet music??? #undeadjazz #redmusicacademy" - Bill Bragin

"James Chance. You too with the sheet music?" - Bill Bragin

Andrew Bird & Joe Lavano / Kim Gordon / Julia Holter & Thundercat

The Red Bull Music Academy NYC residency continued last night (5/1) with the sold-out Night Of Improvised Round Robin Duets, which went down at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple. The night featured a ton of incredible performers, including (in order of appearance) Jameszoo, Questlove, Matana Roberts, Mary Halvorson, Thundercat, Julia Holter, Kim Gordon, Dosh, Roy Hargrove, James Chance, Kim Gordon, Andrew WK, Bernie Worrell, Glenn Gotche, Erik Friedlander, Vijay Iyer, Robert Glasper, DJ Spinna, Don Byron, Andrew Bird, and Joe Lovano. Pictures from that night are in this post.

Many of the performers have other upcoming Red Bull Music Academy events (or non-RBMA shows) in NYC too. Kim Gordon plays tonight (5/2) at Knockdown Center in Queens as one half of the duo Body/Head with Bill Nace. Other artists on the bill include Stephen O'Malley, Prurient, Vatican Shadow, Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, Noveller, Mick Barr, Pharmakon, Pete Swanson and many more. That show appears sold out is back on sale.

Thundercat, who has a new album on the way, plays with Flying Lotus on May 5 and 6 at Terminal 5. Tickets for both nights are still available, and we're also giving away a pair to each night.

After the RBMA residency is over, Julia Holter plays Le Poisson Rouge on July 12 with Jessica Pratt. Tickets for that show are still available.

The "Night of Improvised Round Robin Duets" also doubled as part of the Undead Music Festival, which includes another Andrew Bird and Martin Dosh show on Saturday (5/4) at Shapeshifter Lab, where he'll be playing as a duo with Martin Dosh. The rest of that bill includes Jeremy Ylvisaker and Todd Sickafoose. Tickets for that are still available.

Andrew WK is touring as a the singer of Marky Ramone's band, and that tour hits NYC on Friday (5/3) at Santos (tickets) and October 3 at Irving (tickets).

More pictures from the "Night of Improvised Round Robin Duets" below...

Continue reading "Andrew Bird, Questlove, Thundercat, Kim Gordon and others played the 'Night of Improvised Round Robin Duets' (pics)"

Kim Gordon talked to Elle:

"We have all these books, records, and art and are getting it all assessed; that's what is taking so long," she says after ordering a glass of rosé. But both have moved on. Among her suitors are a restaurateur, an architect, and an actor. "It's just weird," Gordon says of navigating new romance. "I can't tell what's normal." And Moore has regularly been seen with the same woman, fueling the rumor that his affair helped doom their marriage. "We seemed to have a normal relationship inside of a crazy world," Gordon says of her marriage. "And in fact, it ended in a kind of normal way--midlife crisis, starstruck woman."

Some years ago, a woman Gordon declines to name became a part of the Sonic Youth world, first as the girlfriend of an erstwhile band member and later as a partner on a literary project with Moore. Eventually, Gordon discovered a text message and confronted him about having an affair. They went to counseling, but he kept seeing the other woman. "We never got to the point where we could just get rid of her so I could decide what I wanted to do," Gordon says. "Thurston was carrying on this whole double life with her. He was really like a lost soul." Moore moved out. Gordon stayed home and listened to a lot of hip-hop. "Rap music is really good when you're traumatized," she says.

Info on upcoming Kim Gordon and related Sonic Youth appearances, HERE.

Lee Ranaldo on stage w/ Dinosaur Jr. in 2012 (more by Gretchen Robinette)

The Lee Ranaldo Band, which features Lee along with his Sonic Youth bandmate Steve Shelley, Alan Licht, and Tim Luntzel, are about to head to Spain and Portgual for a short tour this month, and upon returning to NYC they'll play a hometown show at Union Pool on April 28. Admission for that show is $12 at the door and openers TBA. They've got some other dates coming up this year too, all of which are listed below.

Meanwhile, Lee and Steve's past Sonic Youth cohort Thurston Moore is on tour with his band, Chelsea Light Moving, and that tour hits NYC TONIGHT (4/5) at Bowery Ballroom with Prana-Bindu and Marco Fusinato. Tickets for tonight's show are still available.

Thurston also contributed to Joyful Noise's new "Cause & Effect" series, which pairs an influential solo musician with an artist they've influenced on a split 7" single. Thurston's 7" has a track by Talk Normal on the b-side. The series also includes Dinosaur Jr/Sebadoh's Lou Barlow paired with Dumb Numbers and The Jesus Lizard's David Yow paired with Child Bite. You can stream the Thurston Moore/Talk Normal 7" at Pitchfork and listen to the other two below.

Thurston Moore and ex-wife/Sonic Youth bandmate Kim Gordon (separately) are also set to play the Yoko Ono-curated Meltdown Festival in London which goes down from June 14-23 at the Southbank Centre. Other artists performing include Yoko Ono herself with the Plastic Ono Band, Patti Smith, Iggy and the Stooges, Siouxsie Sioux (her first show in five years), Reggie Watts, Deerhoof, Savages, Marianne Faithfull, Immortal Technique, Ryuichi Sakamoto with Alva Noto, Sean Lennon with Cibo Matto, Boy George and more TBA. More info at the festival's website.

Meanwhile, you can catch Kim Gordon in NYC at the recently expanded "Night of Improvised Round Robin Duets," which takes place during the Red Bull Music Academy NYC residency at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on May 1. Kim will be joined by Andrew Bird, Robert Glasper, Questlove, Andrew WK, James Chance, Julia Holter, Thundercat, and many more. Tickets for that show are still available.

All Lee Ranaldo dates are listed, along with the Joyful Noise 7" streams, below...

Continue reading "Lee Ranaldo Band touring; Thurston Moore w/ Lou Barlow & others on Joyful Noise 7" series, playing Yoko Ono's Meltdown"

Mykki Blanco at BV-SXSW 2013 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Andrew Bird w/ Yo La Tengo on Hanukkah 2012 (more by PSquared Photography)

The Red Bull Music Academy already announced a huge NYC residency which includes a number of great shows at multiple venues, and this thing just keeps getting bigger and better. RBMA has now announced some new shows and updates to previously-announced ones. For example, the "Night Of Improvised Round Robin Duets" that's happening on May 1 at Brooklyn Masonic Temple has added Andrew Bird, Robert Glasper, Vijay Iyer and Roy Hargrove to the mix that already included Questlove, Andrew WK, James Chance, Julia Holter, Kim Gordon, Thundercat, and others. Tickets for that show are still available. The full lineup is below.

UK DFA-signed dance trio Factory Floor will be joining their labelmates at the massive 12 Years of DFA Records, which takes place at Brooklyn's dazzling Grand Prospect Hall on May 25 (tickets). They were also added as DJs to the recently discussed Evian Christ and Oneohtrix Point Never show happening at Saint Vitus on May 26 (tickets).

Rapper Mykki Blanco, who just headlined Bowery Ballroom, and who was recently announced for this weekend's (4/5-7) Blues for Smoke festival at the Whitney Museum with Le1f, has also been added to Le1f's RBMA show. That show happens on May 7 at Glasslands with Laurel Halo, Venus X, Spank DJs, and others (tickets).

And UK bass/house producer Mosca and Mathew Jonson have been added to the closing night party on May 31 at 74 Wythe Ave that also features L.I.E.S. feat. Legowelt, Beautiful Swimmers, Marcos Cabral, Willie Burns, Bookworms, Professor Genius, Jahiliyya Fields, Shawn O'Sullivan + Kerri Chandler, and Red Bull Music Academy Allstars. Tickets are still available.

Updated Red Bull Music Academy schedule HERE. The full list of lineup additions for the residency and the full lineup for the "Night of Improvised Round Robin Duets" show below...

Continue reading "Mykki Blanco, Factory Floor, Andrew Bird and more added to Red Bull Music Academy shows"

"On May 1 the Brooklyn Masonic Temple will welcome a host of artists to participate in a unique evening of live improvisation. No Wave pioneer James Chance, Wilco's Glenn Kotche, ?uestlove of The Roots, Grammy Award-winning jazz saxophonist Joe Lovano, Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth fame, and Parliament Funkadelic founding member Bernie Worrell are among the more than 20 artists slated to perform together on stage. The show is part of the 2013 Red Bull Music Academy festival that will touch down in New York from April 28 to May 31 with an unprecedented series of 37 concerts, club nights and special events in 34 venues around town."

Continue reading "Kim Gordon, James Chance, Questlove, Andrew WK, Glenn Kotche & more in for big Red Bull improv jam"

Andy Stott/Lee "Scratch" Perry

As mentioned, tickets went on sale today for the previously announced Red Bull Music Academy events, which take over NYC from April 28 to May 31. And now that those are on sale, the rest of the lineup has been announced. In addition to the newly-added Flying Lotus show at Terminal 5, the Red Bull Music Academy events now also include...

A Bunker party with Andy Stott, Atom TM, Objekt, Octo Octa, Kloke, Smax, Bryan Kasenic, and Mike Servito at Public Assembly on May 4; Blondes, Mike Simonetti, Rudi Zygadlo, Astroboyz, CABAAL, Ale Hop, Yodashe, Harald Bjork, Alitrec, Mungo Park, Seretan, and Ada Kaleh at Cameo on May 6; and Le1f, Laurel Halo, Venus-X, and a secret guest at Glasslands on May 7.

Still more: Metro Area, Gerd Janson, and Bok Bok b2b L-Vis 1990 at 88 Palace on May 10; 'Drum Majors' with Mannie Fresh, Boi-1da, Young Chop, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Bangaldesh, DJ Mustard, and Drumma Boy at Knitting Factory on May 22; Afrika Bambaataa, Egyptian Lover, DJ Magic Mike, DJ Assault, DJ Funk, Scottie B, DJ Rashad & DJ Spinn, Big Freedia, Salva, Drop the Lime, and Branko & Krampfhaft at Santos on May 23; as well as Skream, Mala, and Plasitician & Hatcha on May 24 at Can Factory (232 3rd St in Brooklyn).

And even more: Oneohtrix Point Never, BIll Kouligas, Evian Christ, Kid Simpl, and ANNALOVE at Saint Vitus on May 26; Benji B, FaltyDL, Dorian Concept, Orquesta, and Somepoe at Sullivan Room on May 27; Pantha Du Prince & the Bell Laboratory with Louis Baker and Anya Kuts at West Park Church on May 28; a killer night of dub with legends Lee Perry & Adrian Sherwood, The Congos vs Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras, and the Raw Power Band, Peaking Lights In A Dub Style vs Future Times, and DJ Slow at Le Poisson Rouge on May 30.

Tickets for all events are on sale now.

These join the previously announced shows, talks, and other events with James Murphy, Brian Eno, Giorgio Moroder, Tony Visconti, Nile Rodgers, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Four Tet, A-Trak, Just Blaze, and more. Flyer with the updated, show-by-show lineup is below...

Continue reading "Red Bull Music Academy reveals full NYC lineup (Oneohtrix, Lee Perry, Andy Stott, Laurel Halo, Skream, Le1f, Young Chop, Big Freedia, Pantha Du Prince, Congos/Sun Araw, more)"

James Murphy on SS Coachella 2012 (more by Greg Cristman)

LCD Soundsystem/DFA Records man James Murphy is suing Tim Goldsworthy, who he formed DFA with in 2001, but who moved out of New York to the UK three years ago...

In a lawsuit, DFA accuses Goldsworthy of failing to perform services he was paid for, owing outstanding loans, improperly using the company credit card and making unauthorized withdrawals from its bank accounts.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Manhattan Civil Supreme Court, says that "attempts to amicably resolve this matter were rebuffed" by Goldsworthy. It also accuses the producer of "breach of contract" and "unjust enrichment."

Goldsworthy owes a total of $93,899, according to DFA. The label, which has a studio in Greenwich Village and boasts such acts as Holy Ghost!, also seeks punitive damages and legal fees. [DNA Info]

Brian Eno

The Red Bull Music Academy is coming to NYC from April 28 to May 31 which will include over 30 events ranging from live concerts and club nights to A/V installations, film screenings and public conversations with big names. Some of those names were recently announced. Details are not complete and tickets to all the shows below go on sale Monday, March 4 at 10 AM.

Perhaps most exciting of these events will be the NYC premiere of Brian Eno's audio-visual installation 77 Million Paintings which is generative software that creates morphing patterns and images. The installation, which be be at Cafe Rouge, will also features an "illustrated talk" on May 6.

James Murphy will head a nine-hour, multiroom show at Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn on May 29 as part of DFA's 12th Anniversary celebration. The event will feature 15 live acts and DJs from throughout the label's history. Look for a short documentary, 12 Years of DFA: Too Old To Be New, Too New To Be Classic, to premiere around the same time.

Also part of it will be Four Tet + friends at Webster Hall on May 8. Four Tet, who just released odds-n-sods album 0181 as a free download (stream it below) is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his landmark 2003 album, Rounds, this year with a deluxe resissue due out on Domino in May.

Still more. RBMA will also host the first NYC edition of London party Culture Clash on May 9. The "unique celebration of sound system culture" will feature sets by Max Glazer, A-Trak, Nick Catchdubs, Young Guru, Just Blaze, and Que Bajo?!.

There's also "Drone Activity in Progress" which will happen at the Knockdown Center on May 2, featuring Stephen O'Malley of Sunn O))), Prurient, Alan Licht, and Body/Head (aka Kim Gordon and Bill Nace).

Other events including electronic music legend Giorgio Moroder in his first NYC DJ appearance; a talk with Bowie producers Tony Visconti and Nile Rodgers (maybe Eno will swing by?); Ryuichi Sakamoto and more to be announced. More info on RBMA is here.

Continue reading "Brian Eno, Four Tet, James Murphy, Giorgio Moroder and more participating in NYC Red Bull Music Academy"

photos by Greg Cristman

John Cale & Wordless Music Orchestra @ BAM, 1/18/2013

Q. Of all your albums, why are you revisiting "Paris 1919"?

A. It happens to be the one album where I finished all the songs before I went in to record. I wrote them when I had just moved to Warner to work in A&R. I took an office job and I was there every day, and I was writing these songs. After a while I realized, "This is nostalgia, pure and simple: I'm writing about the stuff that I miss about Europe." I wasn't writing to the album's title; I gave it the title afterward, and what it meant was: "Here we are in the height of the cold war; how did we get here?" This album seems to be about how we got there, looking back to the Versailles Treaty [signed in France in 1919]. - [NY Times]

Then on Friday and Saturday (1/18, 1/19) Cale collaborated with the Wordless Music Orchestra to perform his 1973 album, Paris 1919, in full, plus other songs from throughout his long musical career. Pictures from Friday's performance are in this post.

More below...

Continue reading "John Cale & Wordless Music Orchestra played BAM after Cale's Nico tribute (pics) "

At the encouragement of Bob Dylan, Beat poet Allen Ginsberg went into the studio in 1971 to record his first ever album of music. He then re-entered the studio in 1976 and 1981 and finally in 1983 he compiled all of the recordings (which featured contributions from Dylan, members of his band, and Arthur Russell, and was produced by John Hammond Sr.) onto a double LP called FIrst Blues. Now, 30 years later, Ginsberg Recordings are reissuing the album in vinyl and digital formats, and to celebrate they're throwing a release party in NYC.

The celebration takes place on January 16 at Housing Works Cafe (126 Crosby St.) with Ginsberg's "friends, collaborators, relatives and co-conspirators" Lou Reed, Anne Waldman, Ambrose Bye, CA Conrad, Steven Taylor, Hettie Jones, Arthur's Landing, and others. A limited edition of "500 seven track vinyl that mimics the original style down to the newspaper insert" will be available at Housing Works that night and online.

John Cale

That same night, Lou Reed's Velvet Underground bandmate John Cale will be doing a Nico tribute at BAM (1/16) with a number of guests including Kim Gordon, Sharon Van Etten, Mark Lanegan, Magnetic Fields, and more. Tickets for that show are still available.

John Cale also performs his solo album, Paris 1919 with the 20-piece Wordless Music Orchestra at BAM on January 18 and 19 and tickets for those shows are still available too.

Some song streams from First Blues below...

Continue reading "Allen Ginsberg's 'First Blues' getting a reissue; Lou Reed playing release party (same night as John Cale's Nico tribute)"

photos by Gretchen Robinette

Fools Gold Anniversary at MHoW

Gretchen Robinette has contritued her thoughts on favorite photos that she took in 2012, leaving us with shots of Ghostface, Janelle Monae, The Walkmen and more. Check out more shots from the uber-talented Robinette below.

Her set of favorite contributions joins fellow photographers Caroline Harrison, Dominick Mastrangelo, Dana (distortion) Yavin, Amanda Hatfield, David Andrako, Jessica Amaya, Fred Pessaro // BBG, Chris La Putt and Ryan Muir.

More photos are below.

Continue reading "Gretchen Robinette's favorite Live Music Photos of 2012------------(that she took)"

Body/Head

A lot has been written about Thurston Moore since Sonic Youth went on indefinite hiatus, his new project Chelsea Light Moving perhaps being the highest profile of the splinter projects. But his ex-wife Kim Gordon has been busy too, playing with Dinosaur Jr. at their You're Living All Over Me anniversary show at T5 and will perform at John Cale's Nico tribute at BAM next month.

Kim has also been exercising her experimental side, forming Body/Head with free noise guitarist Bill Nace. They released a single through Belgian label Ultra Eczema over the summer and you can check out live video of the duo below. Body/Head will play NYC at Union Pool on January 26 with Sightings and Jake Meginsky also on the bill. Tickets to that show just went on sale at noon today (12/18).

Chicagoans can also catch Kim in their city in March, at the Museum of Contemporary Art with White/Light.

Continue reading "Kim Gordon's new project Body/Head playing NYC in January"

words by Phillip Pantuso, photos by Gretchen Robinette

J. Mascis / Frank Black

Throughout the 90s and the first half of the 2000s, Dinosaur Jr. was one of the last rock groups you would have expected to get the old band back together, go on tour, and record new music--not to mention new music that's every bit as good as anything the original lineup made in the 80s. When J Mascis unceremoniously kicked out Lou Barlow, his high school friend and longtime bandmate, in 1989, it seemed like a mercy killing of the original lineup, which had devolved into a psychodramatic mess, marred by lack of communication and irreconcilable personality difference between Mascis and Barlow. ("It makes me sick that I spent six or seven years putting my heart and soul into that band," Barlow told Cut zine in 1990. "They're sleazebag snob pigs like no one I have met in my entire life. J's always been an asshole.") Mascis and Murph, and then just Mascis, went on to record a string of major-label records throughout the 90s that, though inconsistent, contain some of Dinosaur Jr.'s best and most well-known songs.

When Mascis killed Dinosaur Jr. in 1997, it seemed inconceivable that, a decade later, Mascis, Barlow and Murph would reunite. Time heals all wounds, I guess. It's perhaps less surprising that the band would be able to ably reprise their sprawling, melodic, blitzkrieg guitar-rock sound. Three records in to the latter-day reign of Dinosaur Jr., the band sounds as good as they ever have.

On Saturday at Terminal 5, Dinosaur Jr. celebrated the 25th anniversary of the release of You're Living All Over Me, their second album and the one that made nonchalance cool, made the extended guitar solo cool (again), and wedded melodic tendencies with noise and feedback in a theretofore unheard of fashion in the indie rock underground. The band opened their set with "Thumb," from 1991's Green Mind, with Suzanne Thorp of Mercury Rev guesting on flute, before Mascis matter-of-factly announced that now they'd be playing You're Living All Over Me in full.

A sleepy-looking Lee Ranaldo came out to share vocals with J on "Little Fury Things." Guests, some announced ahead of time, would be a recurring theme throughout the night, but not until later. Dinosaur Jr. ripped through the songs on their best album as if it were 1987 all over again. "Sludgefeast" was a punishing onslaught of guitar and staccato, gunfire drums, with Mascis's high lonesome whine cutting through the gain and distortion. "Tarpit" set off joyous dancing, propelled by Barlow's chunky bass chords and a deafening roar from Mascis's Jazzmaster that threatened to draw blood from the ears.

Watching Barlow and Mascis play on stage, it's not hard to extrapolate the personality differences that created their rift. Barlow, with his black Rickenbacker slung low, literally bounces from one foot to the other when playing, the joy at doing just this very thing--playing to an audience--so evident. He smiles, he cracks jokes, he acts as if he's living through the music. Mascis, on the other hand, with his laconic, slowhands style and deadpan announcements ("All right. Thanks a lot. That was side one."), plays as if the music lives through him. He's the hermetic savant tuned in to a frequency no one else can hear.

Barlow brought out a ukulele for "Poledo," the "awkward end to the amazing record," in his words. The cavernous space of Terminal 5 made the strident desolation of the song even more acute.

The second half of the show is the stuff legendary bootlegs are made of. A succession of guests filed onstage to help Dinosaur Jr. play their songs, or to transform them into other bands entirely. The first was Frank Black, who sang and played guitar on "Almost Fare," from this year's I Bet On Sky. Next, the band plus Black covered one of Black's songs--"Tame," from The Pixies' Doolittle. Black roared the chorus, tossed a painting into the first rows of the crowd, and exited. Kurt Vile, whose band opened the show, and Al Cisneros from Sleep were next. Cisneros took over bass duties from Barlow for a couple of songs, including the doom metal glazer "Alone" from 1997's Hand It Over. Harvey Milk's Kyle Spence took the drums for that one.

Smiths and Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr and Broken Social Scene guru Kevin Drew emerged to play "The Wagon" with J, Lou and Murph. Then they covered Smiths track "The Boy With the Thorn In His Side," the words to which J was, uh, a little unsure of. Melvins drummer Dale Crover relieved Murph behind the kit for a skin-searing rendition of "Training Ground," a song by Mascis and Barlow's pre-Dinosaur hardcore band, Deep Wound. Don Fleming of Gumball and Dante Ferrando of Iron Cross helped the band cover "Crucified," and Kim Gordon gave a tempestuous performance on "Don't", Barlow's song from Bug that directly addresses the fractured relationship between him and Mascis. Gordon screamed, bellowed and cooed the song's one lyric ("Why don't you like me?") over and over again, dropping to her knees and falling to the stage like she was having an exorcism. It was intense. If Sonic Youth is over, she should start a hardcore band.

The encore began with a cover of the Stooges classic, "T.V. Eye," with Tommy Stinson on bass and Fred Armisen (whose show, Portlandia, will feature an appearance from J Mascis in its upcoming third season) on drums. Dinosaur Jr. closed with two classics: "Start Choppin" and "Freak Scene," the song that invented the slacker generation. It was a poignant, circle-closing moment. "Because when I need a friend," J sang, "it's still you," we all responded. The night was an amazing tribute to a great band, 25 years removed from their (so-far) signature achievement and, improbably, still going strong.

More pictures, some videos, and the setlist from the show (which also counted John Petkovic of Death of Samantha as a guest), below...

Continue reading "Dinosaur Jr. and many guests celebrated 'You're Living All Over Me' at Terminal 5 (pics, videos, setlist)"

Arto Lindsay

Arto Lindsay of legendary no wave group DNA, The Lounge Lizards, and pursuer of an impressive solo career, will be performing material from throughout his career in NYC TONIGHT (11/30) at the New Museum. Tickets for the show ($12 for members, $15 for non-members) are available.

Speaking of no wave legends, Lydia Lunch (Teenage Jesus and the Jerks), who played Knitting Factory earlier this month will be playing with her band Big Sexy Noise in NYC on December 17 at Bowery Electric with "Caught on Tape" duo Thurston Moore/John Moloney. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

For Thurston Moore and John Moloney, the Bowery Electric show is part of a short December northeast tour that the duo will be on, which also includes the previously discussed Brooklyn show at Union Pool on December 11 with Speedy Ortiz and Lone Wolf. All of their dates are listed below.

In other related news, Thurston's ex-wife/Sonic Youth bandmate Kim Gordon, who will guest at the upcoming, sold-out Dinosaur Jr. You're Living All Over Me show at T5, will also be a guest with John Cale (of the Velvet Underground) when he does a tribute to Nico at BAM on January 16 at the Peter Jay Sharp Building. Other guests at that show include Mark Lanegan, Sharon Van Etten, Magnetic Fields, Joan as Police Woman, Peaches, Nick Franglen, and Meshell Ndegocello. Tickets for that show are available. It's one of two shows that John Cale is doing for the BAM Next Wave festival.

A list of all Thurston Moore/John Moloney dates and some videos, below.

Continue reading "Arto Lindsay, Lydia Lunch, Thurston Moore/John Moloney, Kim Gordon & more playing shows (separately)"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Al Cisneros with Om at Bowery Ballroom, Nov 2012 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

Sleep is honored to perform at Maryland Deathfest 2013.

Al Cisneros (Om, Sleep), Matt Pike (High On Fire, Sleep) and Jason Roeder (Neurosis, Sleep) have been carefully balancing busy touring schedules to push forward with Sleep as a full, reunited band...

We look forward to MDF and beyond.

Praise thee who accept The Iommic in thine heart

- Sleep"

Current Sleep bandmates have been busy with their other projects as of late. Jason Roeder just celebrated the release of the new Neurosis LP in Oakland (pics). Matt Pike is currently on tour with High on Fire, and will play two NYC shows this weekend. And last but not least, Al Cisneros played with Om at Bowery Ballroom on 11/21 (pics) and will return to join Johnny Marr (who has a new solo album coming) and Kim Gordon at Terminal 5 on 12/1 for Dinosaur Jr's celebration of You're Living All Over Me. Tickets are still available.

Dinosaur Jr recently added a grip of European dates to their current slate of shows. Check out those dates alongside a stream of the new live album recorded in 1987 titled Chocomel Daze (out now on Merge).

Continue reading "Sleep is now a "full, reunited band"; Al Cisneros appearing at Dinosaur Jr show (now with Kim Gordon too) (dates)"

Loren Connors at Le Poisson Rouge in September (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Speaking of Loren Connors, who opens for Jozef Van Wissem tonight, he's releasing a collaborative single with singer Suzanne Langille called I Wish I Didn't Dream on Northern Spy Records. You can order that single and listen to some samples at the Northern Spy website. They'll be celebrating it with a Northern Spy-presented release show in Brooklyn on November 13 at 285 Kent with Text of Light (aka Lee Ranaldo, Alan Licht, and Ryan Sawyer and Tom Carter & Pat Murano. No advance tickets for that one at the moment. $10 at the door.

This isn't the first time that Loren Connors associated with a member of Sonic Youth. Over the summer he played a collaborative set with Thurston Moore as part of Spy Music Festival.

Speaking of Sonic Youth members, Steve Shelley isn't in Disappears anymore but he's still in Spectre Folk with Pavement/Sonic Youth bassist Mark Ibold, and Spectre Folk will play a Brooklyn show on Sunday (10/7) at Big Snow Buffalo Lodge with Scott & Charlene's Wedding (who also play the Oh My Rockness CMJ kickoff show at Pianos on 10/15 with Murals), Images, and Gem Trails.

The Yoko Ono, Kim Gordon, and Thurston Moore album, YOKOKIMTHURSTON, is out now. You can stream that in its entirety below via a spotify widget.

Continue reading "Loren Connors playing shows (one w/ Lee Ranaldo's Text of Light); Spectre Folk playing w/ Scott & Charlene's Wedding"

DOWNLOAD: Chelsea Light Moving - "Burroughs" (MP3)

News on the current state of Sonic Youth remains ambiguous, but the members are certainly keeping busy. Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon are releasing a collaborative album with Yoko Ono (recorded before Thurston and Kim's split?) called YOKOKIMTHURSTON, which is due out on September 25 via Chimera Music. The cover art and tracklist, along with a video of the three musicians playing together at BAM in 2010 is below.

Thurston is also now the vocalist/guitarist for a new band called Chelsea Light Moving with Keith Wood, Samara Lubelski, and John Moloney. They've got a full length in the works, which is due out on Matador. You can download their first track, "Burroughs," which was inspired William S. Burroughs' last words ("Love? What is it? Most natural painkiller what there is"), at the top of this post. Chelsea Light Moving have a few shows scheduled, including a Sled Island show in Calgary tonight.

Thurston was also added to Spy Music Festival, which goes down in NYC across multiple venues from June 29 to July 15. He'll be playing his first ever set as a duo with experimental guitarist Loren Connors at The Stone on July 14. Raajamahal (Pat Murano of No Neck Blues Band and Decimus, Carla Backer from Baba Yaga, and Santa Wolanczyk from Flower Orgy) was also added to the fest, and will be playing Death by Audio on July 13. Check out a sampler of artists playing the festival below.

Speaking of Yoko Ono, NY Post reports that she exhibited a new art piece in London's Serpentine Gallery called "To the Light," which featured no more than three piles of dirt. The post mentions that Britain's Guardian newspaper trashed the exhibit, suggesting "the exhibition's title has got to be a "mistake," noting that "those who have suffered near-death experiences often complain of a bright light -- and a voice telling them to go towards it." And no one would want to go toward this."

A list of all dates, video, and stream below...

Continue reading "Thurston Moore has a new band, made an LP w/ Kim Gordon & Yoko Ono, playing Spy Music Fest w/ Loren Connors"

by Andrew Sacher

"So, um, yeah that was Kim Gordon who just walked by me and then got on stage to play one Kraftwerk song. This not happen again." - Joel Mellin

Sonic Youth at Williamsburg Waterfront in 2011 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and avant-garde musician/composer John Zorn will team up for a benefit for The Poetry Project at St. Mark's Church on May 4 with John on reeds and Thurston on electric guitar. The show will begin with an opening set of poetry by LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs, Erica Kaufman & Dana Ward, and will be hosted by John S. Hall. The performance will be in the Sanctuary with drinks served before and after the show in The Parish Hall. Beer will be provided by Brooklyn Brewery and wine by City Winery. Tickets are on sale now.

In other Sonic Youth-related news, Steve Shelley kicks off a tour as the drummer of Disappears in Chicago tonight in support of their new album, Pre Language, which is the first recorded with Steve. The tour is with Lotus Plaza and hits NYC on Thursday (4/19) at Glasslands with Noveller. Tickets are still available.

Meanwhile, the Lee Ranaldo Band will hit the road next month with M. Ward in support of Lee's new album, Between the Time and the Tides. That tour hits NYC on 5/11 at Webster Hall and is sold out. Lee also opens four of the just-announced Wilco shows including two in NY and one in CT. Check out the video for "Off the Wall," which includes live footage from Glasslands, along with the four Wilco dates listed, below.

As for Kim, to coincide with Kraftwerk's MoMA residency, a tribute show for the band went down this past Tuesday (4/10) at Littlefield and featured a performance by an altered lineup of Free Kitten (billed as Free Kitten[esque] with Kim Gordon, Julie Cafritz and Pete Nolan of Magick Markers. Check out video footage of that tribute show below and skip to the 1:29 mark for Free Kitten[esque]'s take on Kraftwerk's "Heavy Metal Kids."

In other Sonic Youth news, a 13-year old "fan" wrote them a letter about their unfortunate lack of talent which the band posted to their facebook page and you can read here:

Our fan's writing:

"I'm going to be 100% honest with you.
I'm 13. I have a little band. We are so much better than you. Honestly. You are the worst band I have ever seen in your entire life. You are worse than Rebecca Black. The bass player just hacks the bass and plays one chord. The guitar players are playing out of tune guitars and... well not even playing actually chords. I couldn't sound worse if I tried. It actually sounds like a joke to me. The drummer is okay. But honestly the vocalist is completely out of tune. Oh and The Black keys have two people and are better than you.

From: Me, and pretty much everyone else who has accidentally stumbled upon your terrible music."

Videos below...

Continue reading "a Thurston Moore & John Zorn show; Lee Ranaldo and Wilco; a 13 year old Sonic Youth hater & other news"

Kim & Thurston in Brooklyn - 8/12/11 (more by Dana (Distortion) Yavin)

SPIN reports the unfortunate news:

If the demise of R.E.M. didn't put the final nail in the '90s alternative-rock dream, this news sure will: Sonic Youth super-couple Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore have split up after 27 years of marriage -- and the future of the band they've played in together since 1981 is unclear.

The pair confirmed the news in a statement from their Matador Records rep that reads, "Musicians Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, married in 1984, are announcing they have separated. Sonic Youth, with both Kim and Thurston involved, will proceed with its South American tour dates in November. Plans beyond that tour are uncertain. The couple has requested respect for their personal privacy and does not wish to issue further comment."

Experimental post-punkers The Raincoats are reissuing their second LP Odyshape, originally released in 1981 on Rough Trade, on their own WeThRee label. The album is being remastered and pressed on 180 gram vinyl and CD with liner notes by Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon. The release date is set for September 13.

The Raincoats will follow the release with a short North American tour that kicks off in Brooklyn on September 16 at Warsaw. Tickets are on sale now. The Raincoats also play the Jeff Mangum-curated ATP UK in December where they'll perform their self titled debut in its entirety.

The Raincoats played MoMA in November. Check out a video of them with Kathleen Hanna covering The Slits' "Vindictive" below, along with all tour dates...

Continue reading "The Raincoats reissuing 'Odyshape', touring (dates)"

Tickets are still available for Thruston Moore's headlining show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, but his band Sonic Youth has announced a show set for this summer. Thurston and the gang will team with Wild Flag to play the Williamsburg Waterfront on August 12. Tickets go on sale Friday (4/29) at noon.

Thurston Moore is also curating The Stone for the tail end of April, and the venue welcomed a surprise appearance from Yoko Ono on Saturday night (4/23). She joined Kim Gordon who was listed on the bill "with guest". Video from that improvised performance, that also included Chris Corsano, is below.

Steve Shelley is scheduled to play 285 Kent Ave on Thursday (4/28) with Spectre Folk and will hit the road with Disappears next week.

All tour dates and that Kim Gordon/Yoko Ono video is below.

Continue reading "Sonic Youth & Wild Flag playing Williamsburg Waterfront (and other dates)"

Thurston Moore has been responsible for choosing the lineups at The Stone since April 16th. Upcoming Thurston-curated shows include U.S. Girls (tonight, 4/21), "Kim Gordon with Guest" on 4/23 which is right before a Talk Normal performance on the same day, and Nancy Garcia on 4/29. Thurston's reign ends on 4/30. Check the Stone's site for the whole calendar.

Thurston, who recently played a Japan benefit, has his own shows coming up at Music Hall of Williamsburg, in Northampton, at the Pitchfork Festival, and as part of his White Out project on a bill with Metal Mountains and Bardo Pond at Le Poisson Rouge on June 18th.

For more Sonic Youth, Steve Shelley also has shows coming up, both as part of Disappears and Spectre Folk.

One day after they play the Stone, Talk Normal share a bill with Grass Widow (like they did when they opened for Sonic Youth in Prospect Park), Broken Water and Tara Jane O'Neil at Death By Audio.

Kathleen Hanna with Bikini Kill in the 90s

Kathleen Hannah will be celebrated on December 11th at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, as a host of bands she has influenced will team up to perform songs from across her career. The show is a benefit for a forthcoming documentary on the Bikini Kill/Le Tigre member:

Kathleen is currently the subject of a documentary tentatively titled The Kathleen Hanna Project, a.k.a. Who Told You Christmas Wasn't Cool?, directed by Sister Spit alumni, Sini Anderson. ...The documentary explores exactly what makes people react so strongly to Kathleen Hanna's work... her personal motives and perspective on the scene she's been a part of for 20 years, "there's also a lot of context: the history, the musicians, the other people who were part of that movement." The film is also about perseverance in the face of personal attacks, even from those within one's own marginalized community. "Kathleen took an enormous amount of shit. She ate a lot of dirt along the way." And Anderson wants to know, "when people are so busy trying to take you down, how do you keep on creating?" -[The Feminist Guide To Hollywood]

Bands playing include Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, Kaia Wilson, MEN (aka JD Samson of Le Tigre's new band), Bridget Everett, Care Bears on Fire, Hilly Eye, She Murders (featuring Kim Gordon's daughter Coco), Toshi Reagon, Making Friendz, Christy & Emily, and many many others including video performances by Caroline Polachek (Chairlift) and a dance performance by Emily Wexler. Full lineup is below.

Kathleen Hanna DJed the sold-out Raincoats show at MoMa on 11/20. Some videos below...

Continue reading "Kathleen Hanna documentary benefit @ Knitting Factory "

still from Ari Marcopoulos's film Detroit...

Ari Marcopoulos's photographs and videos capture the rhythm and feel of diverse youth-oriented subcultures from snowboarding to underground music. His honest portraits depict, as he has stated, "something that just stands for life lived." This evening, he brings together musicians from the electroacoustic improvisation scene, including Orphan and Yellow Tears, for a night of performance and noise. [Whitney]

In other SY news, the Thurston-led hardcore band re-forming for SXSW, Society's Ills, has changed is name to Demolished Thoughts (the lineup is still Thurston Moore: Vocals, J Mascis: Guitar, Don Fleming: Guitar, Andrew W.K.: Bass, Awesome Allison: Drums). They're playing at the Ecstatic Showcase on Friday, night (3/19) and a Mog day party on Saturday at the Mohawk (with the Black Keys). For their set, they'll expand on their 7 Seconds repertoire with a mix of hardcore selections from scenes that include Boston, Detroit, LA, DC and NYC.

Back in NYC, Lee Ranaldo, photographer/artist spouse Leah Singer and their two sons will be performing at IVANAHelsinki & Love Contemporary pop-up store (238 Mulberry St btwn Spring + Prince) on Sunday, March 14th. The event, titled "What Is That Little Black Thing I See There In The White?" features Lee Ranaldo/Leah Singer/Sage Ranaldo/Frey Ranaldo doing "Music/Movies/Candy/Paper Cutting." It's all ages and runs from 4-6:30pm.

Videos of some recent Lee Ranaldo sound performances are below...

Continue reading "Ari Marcopoulos @ the Whitney, Demolished Thoughts & other Sonic Youth-related happenings "