by Bill Pearis

chickfactor #1 with cover stars Small Factory

chickfactor will celebrate its 20-year anniversary with five blissful nights of sparkling indie pop on the Northeast Corridor of the USA (three in NY; two in DC) including the first shows in years by Black Tambourine, Small Factory, Pipas, The Aislers Set, A Girl Called Eddy, The Softies, The Lois Plus, The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group and Fan Modine and rare performances from such pop luminaries asStevie Jackson (Belle & Sebastian), Frankie Rose, Lilys, Lorelei, Dot Dash, Versus, Bridget St John and Honey Bunch.

chickfactor started in 1992 in D.C. and New York by pop-loving maniacs Pam Berry and Gail O'Hara, who used to travel up and down the East Coast seeing Small Factory, Honey Bunch, the Wedding Present and any other fine indie-pop bands of the era. We are spoiled silly and lucky as all get-out to be able to present this super-stellar line-up. Get your ticket fast, do not dilly-dally!

Those who followed indiepop in the '90s most certainly read (and probably still have their copies of) fabled 'zine chickfactor, which was written all in lower-case and was read sideways like a calendar. Stephin Merritt was among the regular contributors and it was fun, funny and turned a lot of folks on to cool new sounds like Black Tambourine, Lois Maffeo, Small Factory, The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group, Tiger Trap and many more. Stevie Jackson wrote a song about it for the second Belle & Sebastian album, maybe you heard it.

For chickfactor's 20th anniversary, founders Gail O'Hara and Pam Berry have put together a five-day, two-city festival that gathers many of the zine's most loved bands, many of whom haven't performed in 15 or more years. It happens April 6 and 7 at the Artisphere in Arlington, Virginia and then in NYC April 10 -12 at The Bell House (Maybe some of you went to the 10th anniversary show at Fez?).

Tickets for the Bell House are on sale today (1/12) noon and are $25 for individual nights (4/10, 4/11, 4/12) or $70 for a three day pass.

The shows shows break down like this:

April 6 (Artispace, Arlington, VA): Stevie Jackson, Frankie Rose, Honey Bunch, The Dot Dash

April 7 (Artispace, Arlington, VA): Black Tambourine, Lilys, Fan Modine, Lorelei

April 10 (The Bell House, Brooklyn): Black Tambourine, Small Factory, Versus, The Lois Plus + Special Guests.

April 11 (The Bell House, Brooklyn): The Aislers Set, Pipas, Bridget St. John, The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group

April 12 (The Bell House, Brooklyn): Stevie Jackson, Honey Bunch, A Girl Called Eddy, The Softies

--

Black Tambourine (first East Coast shows in 20 years) and The Aislers Set (first in almost 10 years) are the big draws here, but this writer is especially excited about folk pop trio Small Factory who haven't played together in 15 years and Minneapolis' The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group whose 1995 album O Brother Where Art Thou? is a lost '90s classic (they're promising a new album this year too).

This comes a mere month before the sixth annual NYC Popfest (happening May 17 - 20) which means this spring is likely to be a very good year for indiepop fans. NYC Popfest hasn't divulged any of its line-up, but I hear it may be their most ambitious yet.

Click though for a detailed rundown of the chickfactor fest line-up, plus some vintage videos from the groups involved.

Continue reading "Black Tambourine, Aislers Set, Small Factory, Legendary Jim Ruiz Group & more reuniting for chickfactor festival"

DOWNLOAD: Ape School - Wail to God (Daedelus Remix) (MP3) (via)

"Keane is not the coolest band to blog about when I'm all indie rock up in your business. I am a slightly apologetic Keane fan. I think there are a few bands that can make dynamic, catchy singles that can appeal to the masses while still be genuine and heartfelt. I can see the fellas sweating over lyrics in studios, rather than thinking what would sell to the Wal-Mart crowd.

More than anything, and the reason I would see the band again in another few years, is that they are an unabashedly energetic live act. Sometimes, I'll take a great live act first. As for tonight, a 90-minute set filled with their hits and the obligatory Springsteen cover to soothe the Jersey folks." [Music Snobbery]

That quote is from Music Snobbery's review of the Keane show that took place at the Wellmont Theater in Jersey on Tuesday. They also played Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday. Portland's Sub Pop-signed band The Helio Sequence were on tour with Keane and opened both of those shows.

Now that the tour is over, The Helio Sequence are going on a headlining tour of their own which starts tonight at Music Hall of Williamsburg (5/28). Also playing the Brooklyn show are Ape School, and the UK's Howling Bells who are currently on tour with... Coldplay! They can trade piano rock war stories. Speaking of which, did you know that...

After listening to Tim Rice-Oxley's piano playing during a weekend at Virginia Water, Surrey in 1997, Chris Martin invited him to join his newly formed band Coldplay. However, Rice-Oxley declined because he did not want to leave The Lotus Eaters, stating "I was seriously interested, but Keane were already operational and Coldplay's keyboard player idea was dropped." [Wikipedia]

Ape School, who are also playing MHOW tonight, is the new project of Michael Johnson who was in the Sub Pop band Holopaw, and in the Lilys in 2006. Ape School's self-titled album was released by Counter on April 28th. RCRD LBL has a track, and you can grab a remix Daedelus did above.

Daedelus has his own Brooklyn show coming up too - this June as part of the Northside Festival.

I have three pairs of tickets to giveaway to tonight's MHOW show. Details on how to win, and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Helio Sequence played Radio City w/ Keane, playing MHOW w/ Ape School (ex-Holopaw) & Howling Bells (tonight)"

someone let Witz on the stage last night @ Roseland Ballroom in NYC

The Wounded Knees (with special guest J Mascis), My Bloody Valentine and Le Volume Courbe played Roseland Ballroom in NYC last night (9/22). The above picture is proof.

Formed in Dublin in 1984, [My Bloody Valentine] developed its initial sound as a reaction against what other bands were doing, Mr. Shields said. Most were using the cushy sounds of flangers and chorus pedals; My Bloody Valentine, using an effect called reverse reverb, strove for something "ambient but upfront, with a dryness," Mr. Shields said. Later the band would pile up countless other effects -- loops, echoes, distortion boxes -- creating the sonic onslaught that has been cited as an influence by virtually every collegiate or indie-rock band that knows how to set off feedback. [NY Times]

Le Volume Courbe (here from the UK initially to play the MBV-curated day at ATP Sunday) will play two more NYC shows before they leave. Those, and other dates are below.

Friend-of-MBV Gemma Hayes plays the Virgin Megastore in NYC today (9/23). Last night she was at Mercury Lounge. On Sunday she was at ATP. More pictures from her ATP performance are below too.

My Bloody Valentine do it (Roseland) again tonight (9/23) with Lilys. From there MBV move on to Toronto. MBV ATP setlist & pics are HERE (along with lots of Roseland reviews in the comments). More Lilys ATP pics are, also, below...

Continue reading "My Bloody Valentine week continues, 2 more Le Volume Courbe NYC shows, more Lilys & Gemma Hayes ATP pics"

photos by Zach Dilgard, words by Black Bubblegum

After a great (and late) Saturday-night, morning (3pm) bloomed with Robin Guthrie (co-founder of Cocteau Twins) and his shimmering ambient soundscapes in the main room. Backlit by projections of fractals and waves, it was the perfect way to ease into Sunday. Le Volume Courbe and Wounded Knees (both opening for MBV tonight at Roseland) had already played on stage two, but sadly, I missed them.

While Guthrie shined on, I scooted on over to stage deux and caught a few minutes of sunny pop by The Lilys (opener for MBV in NYC night two).

continued below...

Continue reading "ATP NY day 3 - Lilys, EPMD, TOD, YLT, Dinosaur Jr., more..."

Photos by Bryan Bruchman

Thursday night (September 18) Lilys headlined the opening of the Bell House in Brooklyn. Takka Takka, Matt Pond PA and Robbers on High Street kicked off the night. The show was free.

On Sunday the Lilys played the MBV-curated day of the ATP festival in upstate NY. On Tuesday they're opening for My Bloody Valentine at Roseland Ballroom..

@ Roseland Ballroom, NYC
Sep 22 - My Bloody Valentine, Le Volume Courbe, the Wounded Knees
Sep 23 - My Bloody Valentine & Lilys

Pictures from MBV's set at ATP are HERE. More pictures of Lilys at the Bell House are below....

Continue reading "Lilys played Bell House (pics), opening for MBV @ Roseland"

photos by Chris La Putt

September 18th was the official opening of the Bell House, the new venue in the Gowanus of Brooklyn. Though a private show happened Wednesday, Thursday night was the public's first look at the place which bears a slight resemblance to its sister bar, Union Hall. No bocce at this one though. What did you think?

The night was a celebration that included sets by Takka Takka, Robbers on High Street, Matt Pond PA and headliner Lilys - all free.

Tickets for upcoming events at the Bell House are on sale. That includes the BV Presents Department of Eagles show on October 6th.

More pictures of the venue, and of all three openers, below...

Continue reading "Takka Takka, Matt Pond PA & ROHS @ the Bell House - pics"

Mogwai @ Terminal 5, NYC - Sept 18, 2008 (soulblend)

"The pairing of venerable Scottish post-rockers Mogwai with Fuck Buttons, a knob-twiddling duo who weave subtle melodies through waves of tribal noise, is inspiring. Both groups make mostly instrumental soundscapes, but go about it in entirely different ways. Mogwai (pictured above) use traditional rock instruments; Fuck Buttons use Nintendo GameBoys, toy microphones, laptops, and whatever else seems to strike their fancy." [Washington City Paper]

The Mogwai / Fuck Buttons tour hit Terminal Five in NYC last night (Sept 18). Fuck Buttons play ATP NY on Saturday. Mogwai play the same upstate festival on Sunday.

Built to Spill, Thurston Moore, Tortoise, Meat Puppets and Bardo Pond play the sold out affair at a country club, TONIGHT (Sept 19). They're all playing full albums. Thurston practiced on Wednesday night in his hometown.

Brian Jonestown Massacre play a show in Brooklyn tonight. They play ATP on Sunday.

Lilys also play ATP on Sunday. They played the opening show at The Bell House in Brooklyn last night.

The Mogwai-scored Zidane hits select theaters on October 24th.

In the shadow of the famous and brooding Kentile Floors sign in the burgeoning and classic neighborhood of Gowanus, The Bell House, a gorgeous new and unique music venue and lounge, will open its doors on September 18 at 6pm with free admission to the public. The Bell House is a magnificent two-room music and events venue located at 149 7th Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenues. It was crafted out of an old 1920's warehouse once used as a printing press, but more recently used as a fly-by-night shipping company.

Conceived and created by the friends behind Union Hall (Park Slope) and Floyd (Brooklyn Heights), The Bell House are thrilled to be pioneers of sorts adding a prominent performance space to Brownstone Brooklyn. The main space boasts 25 foot wooden arched ceilings, a 450 square foot stage, and unobstructed views from any part of the room. "Brownstone Brooklyn needed a major music venue and event space, and we found a beautiful old building near the Gowanus that was seemingly designed for live music," said co-owner, Jim Carden. "We'll be able to graduate the bands we've championed at Union Hall to a space like no other in New York City and be able to host acts that were simply too big for the stage there", adds co-owner and talent buyer Jack McFadden

Press release continued, and an updated initial lineup, below...

Continue reading "more BELL HOUSE Brooklyn venue info, first show free "