Liz Harris - a.k.a. Grouper - creates pop songs where the structure is merely hinted at, making it difficult to decide whether her amorphous drones resemble songs or visa versa. On earlier releases, she was awash in reverb, disguising much of her tunes' shapes, hiding melody in trance. [Grouper's 2008 release] Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill continues the minimal whisperings of past LPs, but also features strummed acoustic guitar. Lots of it." [Dusted]

Grouper will also be back in town to play the New Museum on February 13th. Stay tuned for more details. WNYU flyer and a video below...

Continue reading "Grouper - an album & video, KF tonight, New Museum later"

David Pajo is actually out on tour with Gene Ween which means you can catch him opening the show Wednesday at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and again the day after that at Highline Ballroom. Tonight/Sunday Gene doesn't have a show though, and David is using his day off to headline the Knitting Factory's Old Office space. Men and Women, Hard Bop and 1200 Trees are also on the bill. In related news, David is putting out a Misfits cover record. He explains...

I'll explain more after the record comes out, but basically I recorded a bunch of misfits songs at a friend's house with a radio shack mic duct taped to a cymbal stand into one of those 70s handheld cassette recorders (back when they had huge hands). it sounded like shit. I was recording the songs to get warmed up (I was about to start work on what became the PAJO record). I usually pick a songwriter that I like and learn some of their songs to get into the mindset. who better than glenn danzig?!

this was in 2004. I forgot all about it but somehow that tape circulated. chan marshal told me she heard it at a photo session a few years ago. it moved to the west coast. it had kids, formed governments, started revolutions. my friend dirk asked me if he could release it on vinyl.

hellz yeh, I replied.

Continue reading "David Pajo - 2008 Tour Dates (3 NYC shows), Misfits covers"

today in NYC
* DANCE
* NY Eye & Ear Fest
* Oneida Fest @ Knitting Factory
* Gene Ween Band @ The Wonder Bar
* The King Left & Howlies @ Union Pool
* Ronnie Spektor X-Mas party @ BB King's
* Pwrfl Power & Polite Sleeper @ Sound Fix Records
* Rhett Miller (of Old 97s) & Mia Riddle @ The Bell House
* Ravens & Chimes, Man on Earth & DIVE! @ Crash Mansion
* My Brightest Diamond & Clare & the Reasons @ (le) poisson rouge
* Southeast Engine, Spanish Prisoners & Drink Up Buttercup @ Cake Shop
* Meat Puppets, Oakley Hall & The Soviets @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Moby (DJ Set), Drop the Lime, A.C. Slater, JDH & Dave P @ (le) poisson rouge
* Lucky Dragons, Matt Papich (Ecstatic Sunshine), Kokomo & Javelin @ Market Hotel

Tom Verlaine was born today in 1949.

What else?

photos by Leia Jospe

We've talked about tonight/Friday's show at the Bell House as one of many shows Loney Dear and Melpo Mene are/were playing in NYC, and we've talked about it as a birthday party. This time I'll call it a Takka Takka show (they are headlining), and it's one of two shows they have coming up. The other is January 10th at the BAM Cafe in Fort Greene. More picture from the BrooklynVegan show they played at Knitting Factory in October, and both of those dates again!, below...

Continue reading "Takka Takka - 2 NYC shows, 1 tonight ++ some CMJ pics"

Akron/Family curates New Year's Eve! Featuring performances by Deerhoof, Akron/Family, Dirty Projectors, Deer Tick, Megafaun, tons more & very special surprise guests - a full-club farewell to the Leonard Street Knit! - Knitting Factory

If you haven't been following along, this will also be the last show at Knitting Factory's Manhattan location, ever. Infinity Window is one of the tons more.

I hadn't heard the ambient music of Infinity Window before today. So far so good. And though they don't really seem like much of a live band, their (Taylor Richardson and Daniel Lopatin) tour dates are pretty interesting:

Dec 13 - NY Eye and Ear Fest, Brooklyn, NY
Dec 15 - Glasslands, Brooklyn w/ Sun Circle, Soft Circle, Bird Show
Dec 31 - Knitting Factory NYE NYC, New York

Continue reading "Infinity Window - New Years Eve @ KF & other tour dates "

We regret that Flower Travellin' Band's first ever US performance has been postponed to the spring, due to circumstances beyond their control. Refunds issued at point of purchase

Continue reading "Flower Travellin' Band's 1st US/NYC show postponed AGAIN"

photos by Leia Jospe

The Mae Shi return to NYC this week to play two shows - one in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn. Details, all dates, and more pics Leia took at the show they played at the BrooklynVegan party at Knitting Factory in October, below...

Continue reading "The Mae Shi - 2008 Tour Dates, 2 NYC shows, more KF pics"

to quote Nick,

Eugene Mirmen was added to the bill, along with comics Jessi Klein, God's Pottery, & Andres DuBouchet (which brings the total comedy to...a lot considering there's also Dave Hill, David Cross and Fred Armisen). Fred Armisen is going to be doing something special, and Andrew WK is gonna pop by and do a set, i think. Tim Harrington just rang and is gonna have a t-shirt booth, making customized ones for sale. plus, miracle fruit is crazy- it alters the receptors in your taste buds to make bitter and sour things taste sweet. Also, there will be a guy in a cage on LSD who you can interact with (but be gentle). this will be a fun night.

p.s. doing a solo set with accompaniment

Continue reading "Monday's NY Cares event "just got weirder""

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Delta Spirit are on tour with Nada Surf which means they play two NYC show this weekend. The first is tonight, Saturday December 6th, at Bowery Ballroom (sold out). The second is Sunday at Webster Hall (tickets still available).

The pictures in this post are from the show they played for BrooklynVegan at Knitting Factory on October 25th. More of them, and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Delta Spirit - 2008 Tour Dates (Nada Surf), BV CMJ pics "

The Nouvellas @ South Street Seaport (more by Chris La Putt)

Two Nouvellas appearances, three craft fairs, four NYC holiday events...

Continue reading "Holiday Soul, craft fairs & Nouvellas (upcoming NYC events)"

David Cross (you may know him as the Crane from the movie Kung Fu Panda) is confirmed to appear with Eugene Mirman at the previously mentioned Tearing the Veil of Maya holiday show at Union Hall in Brooklyn on December 7th. Tickets are now on sale. That's one day before David appears at Knitting Factory with Marnie Stern and Fred Armisen.

Eugene Mirman is confirmed to appear at Variety Shac's Farewell to the Knit (at the Knit) on December 17th. Also on the bill: Tigers and Monkeys (a band that is often on the bill of comedy shows), Jon Glaser and Stella's Michael Showalter. Tickets are on sale.

Stella performed two shows at Union Hall this past Saturday and will be appearing at Nokia Theatre December 9th and 10th.

Demetri Martin plays UCB tonight, Monday December 1st.

ALSO TONIGHT (MONDAY): @ Pianos - It Is It (free comedy) w/ Pete Holmes, Hannibal Burress, Roger Hailes, Noah Garfinkle, and others.

More like this, HERE.

photos by Faith-Ann Young

DOWNLOAD: Lemonade - Sunchips (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lemonade - Blissout (MP3)

Lemonade went on after 8:00 PM at Knitting Factory on Saturday, October 25th. It was the third of three BrooklynVegan shows that week. It was the final of five days of CMJ. They were the 20th of 21 bands that day. Needless to say, I was in no shape to enjoy music, but their set captivated me in a "I can't look away" kind of way. It's all a blur, but I know I loved it. Luckily, they, having recently moved from California, live in Brooklyn now. And they have two more upcoming NYC shows. The first, as previously noted, is the final date on their tour with El Guincho. That hits Le Poisson Rouge on December 2nd. The second is three days later at Zebulon in Brooklyn. El Guincho is also deejaying Le Poisson Rouge on November 29th (Prefuse 73 is too). More pictures and tour dates below...

Continue reading "Lemonade & El Guincho on tour, NYC shows, KF pics, MP3's "

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Doug Gillard's new album "Call From Restricted" is out now on iTunes. "Actual CD copies will follow and be available shortly" - maybe by January? That's when Doug and band will be playing at Pianos in Manhattan every Wednesday night (7, 14, 21 & 28). Doug's last NYC show was (I think) the one he played at Knitting Factory on October 25th (the BV free during-CMJ day party). More pictures from that below...

Continue reading "Doug Gillard (GBV)-a January Pianos residency, BV party pics "

Monday, Dec 15, 2008 // DOORS 7:00 PM // ADV $20// DOS $25

WNYU 35th Anniversary Celebration (a full club event!) with special guests Pylon, Psychic Paramount, Grouper, Ehnahre, Sword Heaven, Zola Jesus, many more!

This event is one more big one in the month-long celebration that is Knitting Factory's final month open in Tribeca. They close for good after New Years Eve. Bands rumored to be playing that night include Dirty Projectors, Deer Tick, Deerhoof and Akron/Family.

photos by Chris La Putt, Zach Dilgard, Leia Jospe; words by Black Bubblegum

Marnie Stern tappin away (by Chris LaPutt)

Need to get away from the family this Thanksgiving? Marnie Stern and her fingertappin' toetappers will massage your ears at TWO NYC dates supporting Gang Gang Dance over the Thanksgiving holday weekend. The first is 11/28 with Zs at Music Hall Of Williamsburg (tickets here). The second is 11/29 at Santos Party House with the reunited 18th Dye (tickets here).

It was also just announced that Marnie will be appearing at the NY Cares benefit taking place at Knitting Factory on December 8th with David Cross, Nick Diamonds and others.

Marnie's latest band of merry comrades includes guitarist Mark Shippy of the recently defunct US Maple and ex-Parts & Labor-er Jim Sykes on the kit. Those two spots were previously held at times by Zach Hill (who recently played NYC) and Robby Moncrieff of The Advantage, as well as a friggin' iPod for a short while (the version of her band that sometimes didn't get the best reviews). The Shippy/Sykes incarnation of the Marnie Stern band will be on hand for the upcoming shows this week, and were there to back Marnie Stern on the main stage of the BrooklynVegan Day Party on Oct 25th at The Knitting Factory. That's where the pictures in this post originate.

Admittedly, I never caught Marnie during her Hill/Moncrieff days, but her performance at the BV Day Party left me thinking that Shippy/Sykes added the necessary (seitan) beefy backbone to complement her uniquely cutesy-virtuosic guitar licks... much like the dichotomy of Satomi and Saunier/Dieterich in Deerhoof. Don't get me wrong though, Marnie doesn't just provide the yin to her back-up band's yang... Girlfriend came to shred, and she definitely took care of bidness. Her new album is out now on Kill Rock Stars. Check out video from the show, as well as all Marnie Stern tour dates below...

Continue reading "Marnie Stern - 2008 Tour Dates (Gang Gang Dance, NY Cares), Knitting Factory pics"

Islands @ Market Hotel (more by Leia Jospe)

Nick Diamonds of Islands Presents : a BENEFIT for NY Cares, December 8th @ Knitting Factory in NYC. Tickets are on sale. Flyer below...

Continue reading "NY Cares @ Knitting Factory w/ David Cross, Marnie Stern, Nick Islands, Conrad Trail of Dead, Dave Hill, more..."

DOWNLOAD: Deer Tick - Long Time (MP3)

I was going to start this with a bit about Deer Tick living in Rhode Island, but never staying away too long, but then I noticed his/their MySpace says his/their home is "Brooklyn, New York / Providence, Rhode Island", so now I don't know. Maybe he is already here. Either way it's a good thing and now we have yet another NYC option on New Years Eve.

As you know, Knitting Factory's Tribeca/Manhattan location is going away very soon. New Years Eve will be their very last night open - the last time to party in that location (though not everyone will be celebrating). And though the venue still hasn't listed any of the final three-floor lineup, I can confirm that Deer Tick will be a part of it.

Check out some of this show's competition HERE. The MP3 on top of this post is off the album War Elephant which was just reissued by Partisan Records. More Deer Tick dates below...

Continue reading "Deer Tick - Tour Dates (New Years Eve @ Knitting Factory)"

portraits by Kyle Dean Reinford, live shots by Chris La Putt

DOWNLOAD: Little Boots - Meddle (Baron von Luxxury's Technicolor Remix) (MP3)

Yesterday was the release date of Little Boots's Arecibo EP and to celebrate, we have a new remix! This is the Baron von Luxxury remix of Meddle, which is a slowed down disco-esque jam that you will love.

The Arecibo EP is out today on 12" vinyl and digital retailers, featuring "Stuck On Repeat," "Meddle," and remixes by Fake Blood and Ebola! This is her debut American release, you can buy the 12" here. Or on iTunes.

Continue reading "Little Boots - an EP, a new remix (MP3) & more live pics"

"It is with great regret that we have postponed Flower Travellin' Band's performance to Tues. Dec. 9th; tickets will be honored at the door on the rescheduled date, or you may obtain a full refund at your point of purchase. The Third Annual Halleluwah Festival will still take place this weekend, and a $10 refund will be issued at the box office night of show for those who would still like to attend ($15 refund Sunday)." - Knitting Factory

Knitting Factory's website still lists all the other bands that were set to play the fest this weekend, but at least one, Silver Summit, definitely pulled out of their scheduled Sunday performance.

These United States were listed as playing CMJ this year, but as I found out when I asked them to play one of my parties, that wasn't true. They did play two NYC shows a little less than a month before CMJ though, and they are playing one a little less than a month after. That show is tonight, Wednesday November 19th, in Knitting Factory's Tap Bar with Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Mean Creek, and Morgan Grace. If you go, note that there's also a free Brown Bag All Stars show going on in the same club one floor down (and an Amanda Diva/Blitz the Ambassador/Che Grand show happening in the main space) (I'm gonna miss the option to see three separate shows in one venue in one night) (although the Lower East Side and Williamsburg are kind of like that since so many clubs are so close to each other) (and Williamsburg will have even one more option when Knitting Factory moves there). All TUS dates below...

Continue reading "These United States - 2008 Tour Dates (tonight @ KF)"

Cro-Mags (jam) @ Fun Fun Fun Fest (more by Tyler Nutter)

Knitting Factory closes its Tribeca location for good on New Years Eve. I think that's one of the reasons so many good shows are starting to pop up there, one of which is the Anticon anniversary party on December 18th, and another of which is the Cro-Mags (jam) show happening in the main space of the club on December 28th...

Rocks Off Presents The Cro-Mags featuring John Joseph, Mackie, AJ from Leeway & Craig from Sick Of It All plus special guests Wisdom in Chains, Trapped Under Ice & more TBA!

Also coming up at Knitting Factory:

• "Complete Control NYC & Guillotine present One Big Crowd: A tribute to the legendary A7 club w/ over 30 old & new school bands incl. Reagan Youth, Urban Waste, Jerry's Kids, False Prophets, Fatal Rage, Ism, Butch Lust & the Hypocrites, more!" This one is on December 6th, on all three floors. Tickets are only $20. flyer below.
• Tributary Productions Presents: Absolution, No Escape (reunion), Vision, Backtrack. This is December 21st. Tickets are on sale.

Madball (with Mackie on drums) are going on tour with Suicidal Tendencies in December. They play Irving Plaza in NYC on December 4th.

H2O's November 23rd show was moved from Fillmore/Irving Plaza to Blender/Gramercy Theater.

Murphy's Law play Trash Bar in Brooklyn on December 12th.

Killing Time, as recently seen opening for Bad Brains at Irving Plaza, play Fins Pub in Oakdale, NY (Long Island) on the same day as the A7 Fest (12/6).

The video, a whole bunch of flyers, and even more dates, below....

Continue reading "Cro-Mags (jam) @ KF, Absolution (again), an A7 club tribute, Killing Time, Madball & other hardcore news "

photos by Tim Griffin, Words By Black Bubblegum

Buckshot and The General Steele

After a small hiccup (we're glad you're better Buckshot), BCC affiliates Black Moon and Smif N Wessun took the stage at The Knitting Factory on November 9th to perform their classic mid-school records and backpacker staples, Enta Da Stage and Da Shinin (respectively). The two groups shared the stage at points as their alter-ego Black Smif N Wessun, splitting time at the outset with Smif N Wessun taking the stage first. Backed by Da Beatminerz on the mix (c'mon kick it!) as well as a live band, Dru Ha, Havoc (of Mobb Deep), and even Travis from Gym Class Heroes (huh, wha?) came and dropped a verse. Miss Info thinks that Travis may have signed a solo deal with Duck Down Records... I guess that remains to be seen.

Smif N Wessun flubbed their lines once on a track but did some push-ups to make up for it. More pictures, including one of the full setlist, below...

Continue reading "Black Moon & Smif N Wessun @ Knitting Factory -pics, setlist"

photos by Leia Jospe

Best Fwends are currently on tour with Matt & Kim who are going on tour with Cut Copy next year.. Another long lost photo set from CMJ below...

Continue reading "Best Fwends, Fiasco & Yip Yip @ KF, NYC (CMJ) - pics "

photos by Lori Baily

When Lee Ranaldo is playing with David Watson and Tony Buck, it's called Glacial. When Lee is playing with Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, and Steve Shelly, it's called Sonic Youth. If it's Lee and Alan Licht (and friends), then it would be Text of Light, and that's who played Knitting Factory in NYC earlier this month with Demons (Nate Young of Wolf Eyes) and Nancy Garcia..

The Text of Light group was formed in 2001 with the idea to perform improvised music to the films of Stan Brakhage and other members of the American Cinema avante garde of the 1950s-60s (Brakhage's film 'Text of Light' was the premiere performance and namesake of the group). The original premise was to improvise (not 'illustrate') to films from the American Avante-Garde (50s-60s etc), an under-known period of American filmic poetics. [SonicYouth.com]

Continue reading "Text of Light (Lee Ranaldo & Alan Licht), Demons (of Wolf Eyes) & Nancy Garcia @ Knitting Factory, NYC - pics"