photos by David Andrako

"Did y'all peep my Lil boob out with tha pastie today at coachella ?!? That was my Lil Kim moment !" - AZEALIA BANKS

hologram Biggie w/ Black Lips / Azealia Banks / ASAP Rocky @ Coachella Saturday

"For a certain breed of diehard Coachella fan, once is just not enough. And since 2012 is the first year that the epic desert music and arts festival is being mounted twice in Indio, California, it was inevitable that some of the most obsessed would find a way to attend both three-day weekends.

"The Monday after the first one, I was kind of licking my wounds and I said, 'Hey, let's go again! I'm down. I get paid on Friday. It can happen," 28-year-old Carlos Morales, from Fullerton, California, told Rolling Stone yesterday. "Radiohead was a big part of it. They were amazing, and I really wanted to see them again."

Tickets for a single Coachella weekend are hard enough to come by; in recent years, they've typically sold out within days of going on sale, which sparked the motivation for festival organizers Goldenvoice Productions to add an identical second weekend this year. About six percent of festivalgoers who bought tickets online directly from the promoter managed to pick up tickets for both weekends, said Coachella co-founder Paul Tollett. Resales are harder to measure, but last-minute impulse buyers for the second weekend were rewarded with some tickets being sold at below face value.

Alison Swing, 21, of Long Beach, bought her second set of tickets "from a friend of a friend of a friend" and got a $100 discount from the cover price, she said with a laugh. "It was nerve-wracking spending the money," Swing admitted, "but I wanted to go back so bad. I'll deal with it after." [Rolling Stone]

You saw the pictures from Friday, a video of the Black Keys performing with John Fogerty, video from a Friday night party that Thom Yorke DJ'd, and Radiohead's setlist from Saturday. Here are the pictures from Saturday, 4/21/2012, Record Store Day, the 2nd day of the 2nd weekend of Coachella 2012.

As you can see in the above picture, The Black Lips paid tribute (if you want to call it that) to hologram Tupac (who should be making another appearance with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg tonight) with their own hologram (actually a cut out) of Biggie Smalls. St. Vincent joined Andrew Bird on stage to help perform "Lusitania." Azealia Banks, in a different looking outfit than last week, apparently suffered a wardrobe malfunction. A$AP Rocky was joined by Master P, Romeo, No Limit and many other friends on stage in the Gobi tent, as he and Radiohead simultaneously closed out the night once again.

More pictures from all of Saturday, and a video from ASAP's guest-filled set, below...

Continue reading "Coachella 2012 Week 2 - Day 2 pics (Radiohead, ASAP Rocky, Azealia Banks, Feist, Firehose, Grace Potter, Squeeze & more)"

Laura Marling at the McKittrick Hotel in 2011 (more by Chris La Putt)

Laura Marling will be coming to the US in April to support Andrew Bird on a short tour surrounding both musicians' appearances at Coachella. She'll be playing solo like she did on her last North American tour which brought her to NYC in December.

The April tour includes no east coast dates, but she'll be returning to North America in June for a full band tour which kicks off with Bonnaroo and hits NYC for a free show on June 14 for Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park. It's the second free Celebrate Brooklyn show announced so far (Jimmy Cliff was the first) and third overall, including the not free Dirty Projectors show.

Speaking of Andrew Bird, who just played the Bell House, you can stream his new album, Break It Yourself, on NPR.

All dates and Laura's video for "I Was Just A Card" below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling announces tour, free Prospect Park show (dates)"

"Superfly Presents and A.C. Entertainment are excited to announce the initial lineup for the 2012 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The 11th annual four-day camping and music festival will be held on June 7 - 10 on the same beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville. A full list of confirmed acts follows, and more will be announced in the coming weeks. The final Bonnaroo 2012 lineup will total over 125 bands and over 20 comedians performing on 13 stages over four days.Tickets for the event will go on sale on this Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 12 noon EST exclusively at bonnaroo.com."

Continue reading "Bonnaroo 2012 lineup announced"

Kurt and Kristen (by Marianne Ways)

today in NYC
* Whiplash @ UCB
* Liam Finn @ The Rock Shop
* Creep (DJ set), New Look @ Cake Shop
* Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen @ Littlefield
* Laura Gibson, Alexa Wilding @ Mercury Lounge
* Dry the River, White Birds, Papertwin @ Glasslands
* Koen Holtkamp, Cleared, Mind Over Mirrors @ Zebulon
* Reverend Vince Anderson & His Love Choir @ Union Pool
* Steve Earle, Allison Moorer, The Mastersons @ City Winery
* Abadabad, Slow Magic, Otem Rellick, Vensaire @ Cameo Gallery
* Bushwick Music Chamber Society, Paul Wheeler, Shahzad Ismaily @ Death By Audio
* Harper Blynn, David Meade, Tony Scherr Trio, Anton Fier, Rob Jost, Jim Campilongo/Steve Cardenas Acoustic Duo @ Living Room

Follow @BrooklynVegan on Twitter.

Also follow @bvAustin for just Austin stuff.

also follow @bvChicago for just Chicago stuff.

Be our friend on Facebook too.

Roger Waters tickets on sale at 10am.

Pete and Pete tickets on sale at noon.

Check out Laura Marling's new video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

Radiohead @ Roseland Ballroom in 2011 (more by Bao Nguyen)

Coachella which is taking place over the course of two weekends this year (April 13-15 and 20-22) revealed their 2012 lineup. Last week, Azealia Banks was the first artist confirmed, and earlier today they confirmed The Weeknd (maybe he found a band?), and before that, Jimmy Cliff, Breakbot, and Housse De Racket. The reunited Pulp then announced itself. The full lineup also includes headliners The Black Keys, Radiohead, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, not to mention, as predicted, the reunited At the Drive In and the reunited Mazzy Star (!), and Madness and Refused (!) and Jeff Mangum and many, many more that you can see below...

Continue reading "Coachella 2012 lineup announced (two weekends worth)"

photos by Chris La Putt, words by Rachel Kowal

Patrons in masks generally wander the darkened halls of the McKittrick Hotel for the disturbing and wildly successful production of Sleep No More, but Sunday night, all artifice was stripped away for a quiet evening with Laura Marling.

A line of twinkling Christmas trees served as the backdrop of the velvet-curtained stage. And though Marling's music doesn't exactly smack of holiday cheer, there is a warm, comforting quality to her voice that rises above the bleakness of her lyrics.

Marling began her solo set with the beautiful, sparse finger-plucked melody of "Sophia," the single from her most recent album, A Creature I Don't Know. Though she didn't reach too far back into her discography for older favorites, she did throw in a Ryan Adams cover ("My Winding Wheel") early on to help introduce some variety to her short set. But it was the latter part of the show that was the highlight for me: a breathtaking new song (which she also played at her recent Webster Hall show), followed by the equally arresting "Alpha Shallows" and "Night After Night."

Not even an intermittent cough between songs compromised Marling's voice. Throughout her set, the sold-out crowd reverently stood in complete silence - so quiet that Marling commented on the incessant noise of shutter clicks.

I've lost track of how many times I've seen Laura Marling at this point. I'm well acquainted with her painfully short sets and with the nervous stage banter she tends to fall back on while tuning her guitar (which she likened to a "temperamental old man"). And yet, instead of quickly crossing her off my list as I do with many artists after I've seen them once, I keep going back. Because when Marling starts to sing, it's as if you are the only two people in the room.

I was at the second of two shows on Sunday night. We have pictures from the earlier one. More of them with the late show's setlist, below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling played the McKittrick Hotel (pics, setlist)"

Laura Marling @ Webster Hall in Sept (more by David Andrako)

The always wonderful Laura Marling is coming back over to the states to play some shows in December including two at the The McKittrick Hotel in NYC on December 11th. Both are on sale now. All tour dates and a video of Laura on Carson Daly, below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling announces December solo tour (2 NYC shows included) --- 2012 dates"

words by Rachel Kowal, photos by David Andrako

Thirty minutes before the opening act, Webster Hall was already getting crowded - good news for Alessi's Ark, the opening act. Much like Laura Marling, Alessi Laurent-Marke combines acoustic guitar-based folk songs with a good deal of charm, but what Marling's discography lacks - levity - Laurent-Marke makes up for. Instead of singing about ghosts, going mad, and lost hope, Laurent-Marke tends to stick to lighter topics (like kite flying) and a more delicate, gentle sound.

Many musicians lose their accents when they sing. Lauren-Marke is not one of them. Accompanying her rich voice is a relatively pronounced British accent (she hails from West London) that makes her vocals all the more alluring - especially when she shares the mic with her friend Marcus, who also accompanied her on the guitar throughout the performance.

Though the crowd was certainly attentive during the opening act, the energy in the room seemed to triple as soon as Laura Marling walked on stage. Shrieks, whistles, and high-pitched giggles replaced demure clapping and extended into the first notes of the opening song ("Rambling Man"). But the crowd became fantastically silent as soon as Marling began to sing.

Blending intimacy with power, she often begins her songs with soft finger plucked melodies before calling on her five-piece backing band to contribute thunderous instrumental interludes on banjo, mandolin, upright bass, drums, keys, cello, and guitar.

Marling performed a smattering of songs from her three albums, including older crowd favorites like "Alas I Cannot Swim" and "Ghosts," which she played back-to-back toward the beginning of the set. Midway into the evening, her bandmates took a break, leaving her alone on the stage to play stripped down versions of a handful of songs, including a brand new, as of yet, untitled song.

In typical fashion, Marling apologized for her inability to grasp the art of stage banter and proceeded to charm the crowd with her asides, random facts, and general awkwardness.

There was no encore, well not technically. "We don't consider ourselves rock 'n roll enough to do an encore," said Marling. "So we have a way of getting around it [...] so if you did want an encore, than this is the last song, and if you didn't, than this is the second to last song." The real reason they don't do encores? The crowd would never let them leave. Somehow, though no one appeared to be dancing, the floor of the venue began to shake in time to Marling's last song, "All My Rage," as if the room itself had undergone a conversion and could no longer contain its excitement. Despite Marling's disclaimer, no one budged after she walked off stage, no doubt hoping she would have a change of heart. No such luck.

Last night's show marked the last stop in Marling and Laurent-Marke's tour that also passed through Chicago.

Earlier in the day Laura awarded some fans who bought her album with a very special afternoon event that involved her playing songs for two people at a time in an extremely intimate setting.

More pictures from Webster Hall and both setlists below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling & Alessi's Ark played Webster Hall (pics, setlist)"

Laura Marling @ Lincoln Hall - 9/22 (more by Ben Rodig)

Laura Marling's current North American tour with Alessi's Ark brings her to NYC today (9/28) to headline a show at Webster Hall tonight (tickets are still available), BUT FIRST a mysterious free, but now sold out event at 1pm. Who got tickets to that? Where is it happening?

Heads up NYC! Be the first of five people to pick up Laura Marling's A Creature I Don't Know on LP or CD from either Other Music (NYC) or Sound Fix Records (Brooklyn) and you'll receive this extremely limited invitation with purchase. Once in your possession RSVP to the email address on the ticket and be sure to include your "SELECT CODE" and we'll be sure to send you further information regarding the location etc... While we'd love to tell you more, sadly we can't... Nonetheless, we assure you this is one hell of an opportunity! We wouldn't waste your time if we thought otherwise! Get to either store tomorrow (release date: 9/13) and get your ticket!! [Ribbon Music] (thanks Rachel)

Laura at Housing Works 2011 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Laura Marling will release her third LP A Creature I Don't Know on September 13 via Ribbon Music. The album was produced with I Speak Because I Can-producer Ethan Johns. You can pre-order the album on her website now. Also check out a teaser video, a handwritten note from Laura's facebook about the album, artwork and tracklist below.

Laura and her band will go on an international tour supporting the album which includes a NYC show on September 28 at Webster Hall. Tickets go on sale Friday (7/29) at noon. All dates and album stuff below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling announces new album & tour (dates)"

words by Rachel Kowal, photos by Amanda M. Hatfield

Laura Marling @ Housing Works

With its hardwood floors, book-lined shelves, and high ceilings, the SoHo Housing Works proved to be the perfect setting for a quiet, intimate show last night (6/14). (And it was all for a good cause!)

Though no opener had been advertised on the store's site, Sleepy Doug Shaw (aka Highlife) kicked off the evening with a short, 30-minute set. Fresh off a plane from England, Shaw kept things low key and stuck to a single guitar. Though he asked for reverb a few times, his sound was clear. "This is the most naked I've felt in a while. I just came off a tour where I was playing the same set-up but through a myriad of echoes," he quietly revealed midway through his set.

As his moniker suggests, Shaw's gentle folk songs may have been a bit soporific at times, but the crowd listened to both his woozy guitar melodies and impressively quick finger picking riffs with a quiet reverence.

After a short break, Laura Marling began her set with a string of songs from her last album, I Speak Because I Can. As she began to play "Hope in the Air," she briefly interrupted herself with a bit of a confession. "I've written a really bad set list and put three really intense songs right next to each other. I hope you're not all really sad already," she joked, to help ease the tension.

Of course, nearly all of Marling's songs paint somber pictures. I hesitate to call her a singer-songwriter for fear that it will conjure up a generic cute-sy image for many people. But instead of committing hackneyed topics to conventional lyrics, Marling sings of ghosts, sickness, and hopeless situations with an earnestness that makes her a joy to watch despite the haunting content of her songs.

Last night, Marling offered a glimpse into her third album, which she just finished recording. I can't say the new material is any more light hearted - the first of the three songs was about slipping into madness - but the songs contain the same beauty that marks the rest of her discography. Of course, with so much of her songs veiled in metaphors and folk tales, it's unclear how autobiographical the lyrics are, but I confess I'm glad she still hasn't turned in that dark world view for puppies, rainbows, and carefree love.

With the exception of loud applause after each song, the crowd was quiet to an almost eerie extent. Not usually one for banter, even Marling seemed a bit miffed by the silence. "How are you? Are you ok?" she asked nervously toward the end of her set, as if checking the audience for a pulse. To the delight of the crowd, she concluded her all-too-short set with a couple of older songs, including one of her best, "Ghosts."

Laura Marling's new album comes out this fall on the new Domino-related label Ribbon Music (home of John Maus). Housing Works sells books and serves coffee all year long.

Laura's setlist and more pictures from the whole show, below....

Continue reading "Laura Marling played Housing Works w/ Sleepy Doug Shaw (pics & setlist)"

Laura Marling, who never made it to Public Assembly back in January, has just announced that she will appear at Housing Works Cafe & Bookstore in NYC on June 14th. Tickets are supposedly going on sale soon (thanks Andrew).

The rest of her dates, all in Europe, are listed below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling playing Housing Works & a bunch of UK shows"

To quote Gothamist:

Following the Arcade Fire's win at the Grammys, it seemed like half the nation was asking: Who Is Arcade Fire? What started off as a post on BrooklynVegan, grew into its own Tumblr account, and by last night the band themselves caught wind of the meme. At the Brit Awards--while accepting one of their awards (they took home trophies for Best International Album and Best International Group)--Win Butler said, "We're called Arcade Fire--check it out on Google."

Continue reading "Arcade Fire win Brits (Bieber too), acknowledge meme"

Laura Marling & Mumford & Sons (radio1interactive)

*CANCELLED* LM'S SLOT AT NEW YORK COMMUNION

Seems wherever LM goes lately, something somewhere decides 'uh-uh, don't think so' and sends some kind of illness or injury or, more often than not, snow. Maybe it's a sign saying 'LM... LM... time to head to the studio'...

But anyway, New Yorkers - you have no idea how sorry we are to inform you that due to adverse weather conditions, flight cancellations and scheduling conflicts, LM has been forced to cancel her slot at Communion in Brooklyn on Sunday night (meaning no birthday in NY either ).

However Communion itself will all still be going ahead so do not to be dissuaded by LM's non-appearance. We would strongly urge you to go a) to catch the wholly awesome line up (Royal Bands, Ambassador, Dawn Landes and more) and b) to support this lovely little club night, still in its New York infancy. If it's anything akin to its sister London version it'll be like a secret society of good times and great new music.

So go follow the snow to Brooklyn and hopefully LM will head back soon.

Have one for us - and we'll be thinking of you!

LM HQ x

As it says above, "Communion" is still in its infancy. This Sunday will be just the second party in the series. The first included a set by Alex Winston who now has another show coming up at Maxwell's on March 9th and tickets are on sale.

Meanwhile Alex is heading to Laura's homeland, England, to play some shows in February. In March she'll also be at SXSW and has a few other dates scheduled which are listed, along with two videos from Laura's set opening for Iron & Wine in LA the other night, below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling cancels Brooklyn show, Alex Winston adds NJ"

photos by Kimberly Huebner

DOWNLOAD: Alex Winston - Sister Wife (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Alex Winston - Medicine (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Alex Winston - Choice Notes (Tomb Crew Remix) (MP3)

Alex Winston @ Communion

Communion, the party co-founded by Mumford & Sons' Ben Lovett, held its first U.S. event on Jan 9th at Public Assembly in Brooklyn. The night included sets by Alex Winston, Emil & Friends, Marques Toliver, Pearl and The Beard, Bobby Long, & Simone Felice, with DJs Neon Gold, Sean Glass and The Knocks. A set of pictures from that show are in this post.

The party continues on January 30th at Public Assembly. On that date Communion will host Royal Bangs, Ambassadors, Sarah Jarosz, David Mayfield Parade, Dawn Landes,and .... Laura Marling whose only other show is opening for Iron & Wine on 1/25 at the Wiltern in LA. Advanced tickets are on sale (and note: this will probably sell out).

Of all of the participants in the 1/30 show, only one is advertising other upcoming NYC dates and that's Austin's Sarah Jarosz...

"Sarah Jarosz is a bluegrass multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter whose first CD, Song Up in Her Head, was released by Sugar Hill Records on June 16, 2009. She was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Country Instrumental Performance for the track "Mansinneedof" from that album. Sarah was born in Austin, Texas on May 23, 1991..." [Wikipedia]

Continue reading "Laura Marling is playing Communion (Sarah Jarosz too), Alex Winston played the last one -- pics & tix"

photos by David Andrako

Mumford & Sons have lots of fans (@ Terminal 5)

"It reminded me very much of what it was like being in a band starting out. They are on a great roll at the moment as you hear on the track. That's what it was like with The Kinks when we started out doing single after single. You get this weird light around you that makes you work in a certain way." - [Ray Davies on Mumford & Sons]

After the show, all three bands headed to an invite-only afterparty at Rockwood Music Hall where they all ended up playing again (but all together as one band) to the lucky, considering how big Mumford is now, few who were in attendance. Video from the intimate aftershow is below.

In related news, there's a Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling and Dharohar Project collaborative four-song EP on the way, though not as quickly in all formats as previously planned:

"So there's been a bit of juggling on the physical release front - there's good news and not as good news (we're a cup half full kinda web dweller). The good news is - the physical version of the EP will in fact be in the form of a vinyl. The not such good news is that the vinyl will be coming in the new year as opposed to 7th December (when the digital version will be available from). We will keep you updated on the release date and retail info as soon as we hear word..."

"20-year old English folk star Laura Marling contributes to our Blue Series of releases.

For her recording Laura Marling chose two incredible songs and does them heavenly justice: Jackson C Frank's "Blues Run The Game" and Neil Young's "The Needle And The Damage Done". The exclusive 7" includes her version of "Blues Run The Game" as the A side, backed with "The Needle And The Dam"

Mumford and Sons recorded a track with Ray Davies for his new Kinks cover album (or whatever you want to call it). (hence the quote at the beginning of this post)

More pictures of all three bands from the 2nd show at Terminal 5, with some videos from that show and from the one at Rockwood Music Hall, and Mumford's T5 setlist, below...

Continue reading "Mumford & Sons played 2 shows @ T5 w/ Cadillac Sky & King Charles, and 1 smaller one later (pics, video, setlist & some related Laura Marling news too) "

photos by Chris Graham

"At the sold-out Sasquatch, bands holding down the headliner spots haven't necessarily turned out to be the biggest draws. Sure, My Morning Jacket played to a mostly packed house on Saturday, and Massive Attack was overwhelmingly solid on Sunday despite a not-so-full amphitheater floor, but the band drawing the most populous, most stoked, most deserved gathering was unquestionably Vampire Weekend." [SPIN]

Continue reading "Sasquatch 2010 Day 1 in pics (My Morning Jacket, Hold Steady, Broken Social Scene, Vampire Weekend, Miike Snow & more) "

by Andrew Frisicano

Laura Marling @ MHOW at BV-CMJ 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Laura Marling will be in New York tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) as part of her US tour that runs through May. Tickets are still on sale for tonight's Music Hall of Williamsburg show (tomorrow's City Winery gig is sold out).

Laura Marling's current tour comes on the heels her sophomore LP, I Speak Because I Can, which came out in the US at the beginning of April. The record builds on her vigorously personal debut with songs that are measured yet fiery, taking inspiration from wartime love letters and fables, as well as fellow folkies (at a recent gig she covered upstate songwriter Jackson C. Frank's "Blues Run the Game"). The rest of the year will have Laura touring the world, playing for a second time at Glastonbury (and other high-profile UK gigs like at London's Serpentine Sessions in Hyde Park), and recording and releasing a third LP.

On this tour, Pete Roe, Laura's pianist and banjo player, will be opening with his own material from an EP due out in June (a track from it is streaming here). Also on the tour are dusky-voiced London duo Smoke Fairies. They released a single on Jack White's Third Man Records late last year (which features Jacks White and Lawrence on drums and bass, respectively), and just released Ghosts, a compilation of singles and b-sides, in the US.

Laura talked with me over the phone about her upcoming projects, tours and playing New York. That's below...

Continue reading "an interview with Laura Marling (who plays MHOW tonight)"

Laura Marling @ MHOW in Oct (more by Vincent Cornelli)

Laura Marling will be touring North America this May in support her new record, I Speak Because I Can, out April 6th stateside through Astralwerks. As part of the tour she'll be playing a May 13th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets are still on sale.

One night after (5/14) that she'll play an early show at NYC's City Winery. Tickets to that are on sale too. Full dates to the tour, which wraps at the Sasquatch Festival (where her frequent backing band, Mumford & Sons, who tour on their own this May, will be too) are below.

The new record, cut in two weeks at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios, includes live-show highlights like "Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)" (released last year as a single), "Devil's Spoke" (out as a single earlier this year) and - for the first time - "Hope in the Air." There's a special edition of the record that comes packaged with a DVD, and preview clips from that, as well as the new "Rambling Man" video, below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling - 2010 tour dates (now with 2 NYC shows), preview videos for her new album's DVD"

Laura Marling @ MHOW in Oct (more by Vincent Cornelli)

"UK songstress Laura Marling will release her sophomore album, I Speak Because I Can, on Astralwerks Records on April 6th, 2010. Produced by Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams), I Speak Because I Can is the follow up to Marling's lauded, Mercury Prize-nominated debut, Alas I Cannot Swim....

...Marling chose Ethan Johns to produce her new material, as she credits many of his earlier records (among them albums by Ray LaMontagne, Kings of Leon, Emmylou Harris, Sarabeth Tucek and more) with kindling her interest in music. She had long admired his way of working - his use of reels; his quiet, traditional methods of production; the warmth found within the records he produced. He gave her the space to find her own identity; as such, the record reveals a new maturity, and at points, Marling's voice sounds a little harder, a little world-wearied, while still showcasing her impressive range not heard on previous recordings. And while I Speak Because I Can is, at times, a darker album than its predecessor, it is a brilliant step forward from a young artist who continues to keep us awe-struck at her talent.

Marling will return to the studio with Ethan Johns within the next few months to work on a second album of new material that will be released in the fall of 2010. More details on this record will be announced upon its completion."

Continue reading "Laura Marling about to tour Europe, returning to US in May "

by Andrew Frisicano

I think I might be one of the last people to have heard about Laura Marling. I saw her for the first time at the BV-CMJ show at MHOW in October, and from the first note there her voice commanded absolute attention. If that was the bait, the songs themselves were the hook. The folk songs she puts together are delicately structured and tightly packed with fierce determinism, personal conflict and wisdom that belies her young age.

At (Le) Poisson Rouge on February 12th, Marling was accompanied by her piano/banjo player Pete Roe (who opened the show unannounced) and Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel (who also opened). The band provided a chorus of harmonies and a beat to the songs. They burned through the hoedown of "Devil's Spoke," the first single off her new record, I Speak Because I Can, out April 6th in the US (March 22nd in the UK). On the record, the song is backed by Mumford & Sons, who are her band for the whole LP (the first of two planned for the year, the second being just her and Pete). Mumford & Sons play a sold-out Bowery show with Freelance Whales tonight (2/18). Mumford were on Letterman last night (with their signature harmonies mixes much too low). Video is below.

Back to Laura Marling, she commanded the packed audience at LPR with both her newer and older material (and a Neil Young cover). She described how wintery single "England Covered in Snow" was inspired by a snowy walk with her father, who told Laura, then 10, to take him back before his death (a place visited in a Times UK profile on Marling). There was humor too - Pete played a purposefully off-kilter version of "The Entertainer," then forced Laura to restart a song with a mistake on his banjo. What was the problem? "Just playing the wrong notes..." he apologized. Laura wasn't the slightest bit frustrated, a testament to her onstage maturity, and kicked things back into the closing "Alas I Cannot Swim."

editor's note: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel also killed it!

Marling tours the UK in April and is on the bill for Sasquatch Fest, happening over Memorial Day weekend. More pictures, album art and videos are below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling & Nathaniel Rateliff & the Wheel played LPR (pics), Mumford & Sons played Letterman (video) "

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) "

by Andrew Frisicano

Laura Marling @ Music Hall of Williamsburg BV-CMJ (more by Tim Griffin)

UK folk singer Laura Marling, who performed a breathtaking set at CMJ 2009, will be putting out two records this year. The first of those, I Speak Because I Can, comes out April 6th (March 22nd in UK/Europe) on Astralwerks. On the album, her backing band is Mumford & Sons, a quartet of expert harmonizers who are playing a sold-out Bowery show in February. The record also features production from Ethan Johns (who's worked with Kings of Leon & Ryan Adams). He'll also be recording her second 2010 album (scheduled for fall) in the coming months.

Marling tours the US and Canada this February. That includes a show at NYC's (Le) Poisson Rouge on Friday, February 12th. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Wheel, who first shared a bill with Laura at the BV CMJ show at MHOW in 2009, will open all North American dates for Laura including the NYC show which is still on sale.

For more Wheel, check out the Daytrotter session that was posted in December.

Laura is also scheduled to play the UK in April. All tour dates and album art & info, as well as the video for her new single "Devil's Spoke," are below...

Continue reading "The Wheel touring (dates) w/ Laura Marling who is releasing two new records this year (video)"

Laura Marling @ MHOW for BV CMJ (more by Tim Griffin)

Laura Marling will tour the US after a string of Australian dates in early 2010. That includes a show in NYC at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Friday, February 12th. Tickets are on sale.

Laura is currently in India with friends and collaborators Mumford & Sons (who are also in NYC in February) as part of British Music Council's Soundpad project - "a kind of foreign exchange for musicians." Three videos from the nine-day tour are below. Two clips are straight-ahead performances by both acts at the first tour stop in Mumbai. The third (filmed two days later in Delhi) catches them together, but not in their standard mode, as the YouTube tag describes: "Unfortunately Marcus was sick and couldn't sing :( but the other three jammed with Laura and the a Rajasthani folk band that they're here to collaborate with."

Laura put out a UK-only 7" today (12/14) called "Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)." The artwork for that, tour dates and videos are below...

Continue reading "Laura Marling currently in India w/ Mumford & Sons - both touring the US in February (2010 Dates) "