Kyle Thomas, Ruth Garbus & Chris Weisman

Happy Birthday is Kyle Thomas (aka King Tuff), Chris Weisman, and Ruth Garbus. They formed in November 2008 to play one show at the punk-space "Tinderbox"(RIP), in their hometown Brattleboro, Vermont. Kyle needed a band to play his new pop songs because he was too scared to play by himself. They enjoyed playing with each other so much that they decided to keep doing it. They have now played a total of 5 shows. Kyle sings and plays lead guitar. The songs are mostly his, but the band arranges and finishes them together. He is also a painter and drawer and loves top 40, shoes, texting, comic books, etc. Ruth Garbus plays drums and sings. She also makes her own music and art. Chris Weisman plays "inverted-tuning" guitar, bass, and sings. He makes 4-track songs, enjoys reading and writing, and is a guitar teacher.
-[Sub Pop in September]

Happy Birthday's Sub Pop signing was announced in September, but so far the label hasn't released any of the tracks from the album's worth of songs the band recorded for them (due to be released March 16th, 2010). The record's tracklist is below.

The band was signed only a few months after their first non-Brattleboro, VT show, which happened in Winooski, VT in July. A video from that gig is below. Since then, the group made what we think was their NYC debut at Silent Barn on October 21st (during CMJ) and opened two nights for Devendra Banhart in Burlington and Boston in November.

Happy Birthday are scheduled to visit NYC again on December 12th for a show at Death By Audio with Yellow Fever (their debut album release show) and Vivian Girls
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Happy Birthday is a supergroup of sorts. In addition to their individual solo projects, Ruth and Kyle are both in Feathers, Kyle (aka King Tuff) is also in Witch, and Chris plays as a duo with Greg Davis.

Chris Weisman (who is not in Feathers or Witch) has a brother named Kurt Weisman who is also in Feathers (who are signed to Devendra Banhart's label Gnomonsong) and Witch (who feature J Mascis as a member).

Ruth Garbus has a sister named Merrill Garbus who recently broke up her band Sister Suvi and is now best known as Tune-Yards.

Ruth (Happy Birthday) just signed to Sub Pop. Merrill recently signed to 4AD. That's a family full of talent with a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. Catch both sisters performing solo on the same NYC bill for the first time at the Stone two days before Christmas.

Happy Birthday album tracklist and a live video of the group (possibly the only way to hear them via the Internet at the moment), below...

Continue reading "Happy Birthday signed to Sub Pop, include King Tuff & Ruth Garbus - sister of Merrill (who signed to 4AD) - live video"

photos by Ryan Muir

The songs were largely or entirely Mr. Longstreth's -- he took half the lead vocals, leaving Bjork the lead on three songs -- but her presence brought out their longer melodic lines amid the counterpoint. Where Mr. Longstreth's lead vocals can sound mannered, Bjork sings like a force of nature. The songs became ballads of innocence and discovery, particularly the delicate finale, a moment of mystical interspecies communion concluding with a line from Kurt Cobain: "All in all is all we are." It would have been a crowd-pleasing touch to follow up with a rearranged Bjork song as an encore -- Dirty Projectors recorded her "Hyperballad" on that Bjork tribute CD -- but they chose to leave that gentle homily in the air.

Bjork and the Dirty Projectors each chose an opening act: Olof Arnalds, a woman from Bjork's native Iceland, and Kurt Weisman, from Vermont. Both were songwriters who put unexpected melodic tangents and other idiosyncratic twists into sparse, folky material. [Jon Pareles @ The NY Times]

You may have seen the first set of pics we posted Friday night. Here is another (which includes Kurt Weisman and a few other angles) from Ryan Muir (the night's house photographer)....

Continue reading "Bjork & Dirty Projectors @ Housing Works - a 2nd set of pics"

by Black Bubblegum

Dirty Projectors on March 19th @ SXSW (more by Jacob Blickenstaff)

Bjork and Dirty Projectors have scheduled a teeny tiny show (300 capacity!) to benefit Housing Works on Friday, May 8th, at 8PM at Housing Works Bookstore & Café (126 Crosby Street) in Manhattan. After 4/1, "physical tickets will be available at the Housing Works bookstore on Crosby Street as well as a couple Brooklyn locations TBA", but a limited number of tickets are available online NOW. Go-go-go-go-go!

In addition to the show being super special... the performances in particular will be pretty special as well:

In a brand new collaboration, Björk will perform music composed for her by David Longstreth. The suite, written for five voices, will pair Björk with Longstreth and Projectors' Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian, and Haley Dekle. The band will also perform material from Dirty Projectors' oeuvre, using only voices and one acoustic guitar. There will be two openers, Kurt Weisman chosen by Longstreth and Ólöf Arnalds chosen by Björk. -[Stereogum]

Housing Works is a great cause, and you can't f'n beat a pairing as special as THAT in a venue of that size.

Housing Works is committed to ending the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness. We believe that all people have the right to a rich and empowering life. Since 1990, we have provided the highest quality services for homeless men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS in New York City and beyond. -[HousingWorks]

The show is being organized by Brandon Stosuy of Pitchfork/Stereogum fame... yes, the same guy responsible for booking Krieg and the upcoming Genghis Tron / Tombs / Black Anvil / Wetnurse show on April 12th at Public Assembly. Hey, even us metal guys can't be extreeeeeeme all the time!

David Longstreth will also perform a piece with the Bang on a Can All-Stars on April 2nd. Dirty Projectors recently played SXSW and have been added to the TV On The Radio tour (including Summerstage on June 5). Check out updated tour dates below.

The band has also lined up an appearance at the Dark Was The Night show at Radio City on May 3rd with Feist, The National, My Brightest Diamond, Dave Sitek (of TVOTR), Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and recent addition Bon Iver. Tickets are still available. Dirty Projectors collaborated with David Byrne on the Dark Was the Night CD.

Dirty Projectors have a new single coming on April 21st and vocalist Angel Deradoorian has a new solo EP out May 5th on Lovepump United. She is playing a CD release show at Cake Shop the same day.

All dates below...

Continue reading "Dirty Projectors performing w/ Bjork at Housing Works!! (ON SALE NOW), touring w/ TVOTR (Summerstage included) "