Sleigh Bells @ Under 100 in November (more by Lori Baily)

Sleigh Bells have been pretty quiet since their debut run last fall, when they opened for And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead..., did CMJ, and played LPR, Studio at Webster Hall, and Under 100 (the last three of which got captured in picture sets).

The duo, with their debut LP on the way (I hear they signed to Mom & Pop), have announced spring plans - they'll be opening select shows for Major Lazer on their upcoming tour. The closest they come to NYC together is Philadelphia's Starlite Ballroom on April 2nd. The next night (4/3) Major Lazer headlines HARD at Terminal 5.

After those dates, Sleigh Bells will play Coachella and join the upcoming Yeasayer tour. That includes Yeasayer's May 4th show at Webster Hall. Tickets are still on sale.

Before that, Yeasayer plays Bowery and MHOW on February 8th and 9th (both sold out). Yeasayer's new record, Odd Blood, comes out February 9th on Secretly Canadian. They recently released the song "One" off that for free. It's available for download below with all dates...

Continue reading "Sleigh Bells touring w/ Major Lazer & Yeasayer (dates)"

Wow...Public Image Ltd, The Specials, Grizzly Bear, Passion Pit, Echo and the Bunnymen, Grace Jones, Fever Ray, Devo, Hot Chip, Phoenix, Orbital, Spoon, Sly and the Family Stone, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sunny Day Real Estate, Yo La Tengo, Mew, Camera Obscura, Gil Scott-Heron, The xx, John Waters, Dillinger Escape Plan, Deer Tick, Gary Numan... Full Coachella 2010 lineup below....

Continue reading "2010 Coachella line up announced (Faith No More, Pavement, Muse, Gorillaz, Thom Yorke, Jay-Z, LCD Soundystem, ???)"

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Dinosaur Jr. shows coming up at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the "Doveman and Friends" show coming up at Mercury Lounge.

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the upcoming Here We Go Magic / Midnight Masses show at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

The dance party HARD is returning to Terminal 5 on April 3rd. Boys Noize and Major Lazer (Diplo and Switch) headline the bill that also includes Buraka Som Sistema (MC/DJ Set), Proxy, and Destructo. Tickets are on sale (@ noon).

Tickets are on sale for the Fucked Up / Kurt Vile show happening at Europa.

Check out some holiday shows coming up at BB King's.

Pixies play TWO shows at Hammerstein Ballroom tonight (11/25). Tickets are still available for the late one.

"Best Buy is kicking off the Club Beats experience by hosting several celebrations across the country with today's top music talent, including this Thursday November 19th @ the Best Buy store location in New York City's Union Square. Club Beats starts at 4pm with appearances by Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine (Charmain Interscope Geffen A&M Records), will.i.am, Major Lazer featuring Diplo & David Guetta special guest DJ performances."

Diplo DJ'd at the Woodie Awards at Roseland last night, and they also billed him as "Diplo from Major Lazer". I guess that is how he is known from now on?

Continue reading "Dr. Dre, Diplo, will.i.am & others DJing in Best Buy today"

Hope Sandoval @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, Saturday night (by Anonymous)

"While Federal government offices in Washington, D.C. are closed for Columbus Day, students in Maryland, just a few miles away, have a full school day. What was once a guaranteed day off from work is now a gamble, with many schools and workplaces open on Columbus Day.

Columbus Day is not commemorated universally. Federal and state offices are closed, the United States Postal Service will not deliver mail, and many banks are shuttered.

But public schools in large cities like Los Angeles, Miami and Dallas are open, while in Washington, DC, New York City and Chicago they are closed" [ABC]

Lenny Kravitz and Kylie Minogue play tonight at Irving Plaza and Hammerstein Ballroom, respectively. Pics from Kylie's show last night are HERE.

Rev. Vince Anderson & The Love Choir perform at their regular Monday night gig at Union Pool. Reverend Vince recently joined The Roots at a show in another Brooklyn venue.

A Storm of Light was scheduled to play Ace of Clubs tonight, but it's been postponed to November 18th. Their video for "Tempest" was premiered here back in September.

Built To Spill plays Webster Hall tonight and tomorrow, and Music Hall of Williamsburg the two nights after that, with Disco Doom and Violent Soho (plus the MHOW shows have a "Post Show DJ set By Doug Martsch.")

Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions and Dirt Blue Gene play again at Bowery Ballroom. Leave the camera at home.

Major Lazer's video for "Keep It Goin' Louder" is below. They were in town for Hard Fest this past weekend.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday? (Columbus Day) "

Elvis Perkins @ the 2009 Newport Folk Festival (more by Jim Brueckner)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Orgfest (benefit) @ Southpaw
* Kid Rock (benefit) @ Terminal 5
* John Zorn's work @ The Stone
* Big Terrific (comedy) @ The Cameo
* Jason Anderson @ Pete Candy Store
* John Fogerty @ South Street Seaport
* Pet Shop Boys @ Hammerstein Ballroom
* Cocorosie, Jessica 6 @ Highline Ballroom
* Joe Jack Talcum & Kevin Seconds @ Asbury Lanes (NJ)
* Ned Sublette (reading) @ Barnes & Noble (82nd & Bway)
* Elvis Perkins, Ra Ra Riot (DJ) @ Housing Works Used Book Cafe
* Talk Normal, Jana Hunter, Gary War, Effing, Twistycat @ Market Hotel
* Throw Me the Statue, The Brunettes, Nurses, U.S. Royalty @ Mercury Lounge
* The Black Crowes, Levon Helm Band, Truth & Savages Co. @ Rumsey Playfield
* Shudder To Think, Pattern Is Movement, Blame the Patient @ Bowery Ballroom
* Titus Andronicus, The Smith Westerns, The So So Glos @ Monster Island Basement

Titus Andronicus and The So So Glos, who are hitting the road together, play the first show of that trip at Monster Island Basement with The Smith Westerns. More about The Smith Westerns in This Week in Indie.

Former CCR frontman John Fogerty plays a free show at South Street Seaport tonight.

"The second installment of Orgfest, a show to benefit the Women's Refugee Commission, will take place at Southpaw on September 2nd at 9 p.m. For the $10 cover, the bill packs a serious punch: the Brooklyn neo-folk outfit Dinosaur Feathers, the live hip-hop of Architects + Demolition Men, a rare solo performance from acclaimed artist Emanuel Ayves from Emanuel and the Fear, and comedians between sets."

Pet Shop Boys return to Hammerstein Ballroom for a second night. Pictures of last night are HERE.

Cocorosie kick off their first N.A. tour in more than two years with a show at Highline Ballroom. Jessica 6 (featuring Nomi of Hercules and Love Affair fame) opens.

Elvis Perkins and Ra Ra Riot play at a benefit for and at Housing Works Used Book Cafe.

Shudder To Think plays with Pattern Is Movement and Blame the Patient at Bowery Ballroom.

Nurses are touring with Le Loup this fall. But before that, they're on the road with Throw Me the Statue and The Brunettes -- which is who plays Mercury Lounge tonight, with U.S. Royalty.

NYC guitarist Ned Sublette, who was a section leader in Rhys Chatham's Crimson Grail, reads from his new book, The Year Before the Flood: A Story of New Orleans, at Barnes & Noble (82nd & Bway).

The Mad Decent Block Party, which went off in Philly on August 15th, featured music from Major Lazer and a whole lot more. See a brand new video from the party below.

An interview with the always eloquent Damian Abraham of Fucked Up is below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

photos by Bao Nguyen

The nominees for this year's MTV Video Music Awards Breakthrough Video are Anjulie, Bat For Lashes ("Daniel"), Chairlift, Cold War Kids, Death Cab For Cutie, Gnarls Barkley, Major Lazer, Matt and Kim, Passion Pit, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Bat For Lashes, who is also up for this year's Mercury Prize, and who will be back in NYC on August 12th, has a new video for the song "Sleep Alone". Check it out, with more pictures of Passion Pit playing the Diesel Party at Webster Hall on 7/30, below...

Continue reading "Passion Pit (Webster Hall pics) vs Matt & Kim vs Bat for Lashes (new video) vs others for MTV Video award"

"Hard Fest" will bring a special summer electro-lineup to L.A. on August 8th. Tickets for that night, which features Underworld, Chromeo, Crystal Castles, Crookers and many others, are on sale now.

Some of that lineup (but not much of it) will be coming for Hard Fest NYC when the party visits Terminal 5 on Saturday, October 10th. The bill for that includes Crookers, Major Lazer (Soundsystem), Rusko, Jack Beats and Destructo. Tickets are on sale.

Other dance-themed festivals (if you can call this a festival) happening in NYC this summer include the Brooklyn Electronic Music Fest, and Electric Zoo on Randall's Island.

Major Lazer (Diplo + Switch) were just in NYC in June for a show at SOB's, which was accompanied by an in-store (to promote their debut) and a video shoot at Studio B.

A video clip from their SOB's gig, with a Hard Fest NYC flyer and the full L.A. lineup, below...

Continue reading "Hard Fest coming to LA (in August w/ Underworld) & NYC (in October @ Terminal 5 w/ Crookers, Major Lazer and more) "

Major Lazer (Diplo) @ Other Music - June 15, 2009 (knnth_stvns)

The DJ/producer duo Major Lazer (aka Diplo and Switch) are currently touring in support of their new album. On Saturday they played SOB's in NYC, and on Monday there was an Other Music in-store. Today (6/19) they make two appearances in Philly. This Saturday (6/20) they are scheduled to be in Baltimore AND DC. For that reason, I am guessing that won't actually be at the video shoot that is happening Saturday afternoon at Studio B in Brooklyn, but you can be...

Continue reading "Major Lazer video shoot @ Studio B Saturday ++ more dates"

Major Lazer @ SOB's Saturday (georgia.kral)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Les Paul @ Iridium
* Esser @ Le Royale
* Baby Gramps @ the Kitchen
* Dave Brubeck @ 92nd St Y
* Major Lazer @ Other Music
* Bruce Brubaker @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* The Big Pink @ Mercury Lounge
* Gabriel Kahane @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Bachelorette, Lichens, Pikelet @ Cake Shop
* Vision Festival @ Angel Orensanz Foundation
* So Cow, Diehard, Free Energy @ The Bell House
* Rhys Jones, Mia Riddle, Jose Granda @ Pete's Candy Store
* Reggie Watts, Brett Gelman, Leo Allen & more @ Whiplash @ UCB
* The Dead Science, Bobby Conn & Monica Bou Bou, Zs @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* Low Anthem, Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons @ Bowery Ballroom
* Ghost Mice, Heathers, Shellshag, Kudrow @ Death By Audio

Tonight is the last night of the Vision Festival.

And its your last chance to go to Black Betty.

Major Lazer, aka Diplo and Switch, play an in-store at Other Music. The show is free, but capacity is limited -- the store writes "Anyone who pre-orders the album will be guaranteed entry." The pair performed on Saturday, June 13th at SOB's.

Britain's Esser plays a free show (w/ RSVP) at Le Royale.

Pianist Dave Brubeck plays tonight at 92 Street Y. The gig, which offered a discounted tickets to those under 35, is sold out. You can do better than cheap though -- Dave plays a free show on August 5th at Damrosch Park as part of the Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Festival.

Another pianist, Bruce Brubaker, plays music by William Duckworth and Philip Glass at a CD release show for his new Time Curve record on Arabesque Records. Tickets are still available.

Tonight The Dead Science play their first of two NYC shows at the Studio at Webster Hall. The band travels to Brooklyn's Death By Audio tomorrow for a show with Skeletons, From Bacteria to Boys and Charlie Looker.

Lots of people listened to an MP3 at the same time on Roosevelt Island. Improv Everywhere was behind it, and they documented it in the video below...

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

DOWNLOAD: Major Lazer - Hold The Line (dj edit) w/ Santigold (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Evil Nine - Pearl Shot (Switch Remix) (MP3)

Major Lazer, the collaboration between producer-DJs Diplo and Switch, plays New York club SOBs on Saturday, June 13th. That show will feature an opening set by Ricky Blazer & The Stones. Tickets are still on sale.

The pair have also announced record shop instores to go along with their planned US tour. Their first instore will be at NYC's Other Music (15 E. 4th St) on Monday, June 15th (8pm, free, no purchase required). Diplo and Switch will DJ and sign copies of their debut record, Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do, out June 16th on Downtown Records. That disc is streaming now on the their MySpace.

Videos for Major Lazer songs "Hold The Line" featuring Mr. Lexx and Santigold and "Zumbie" featuring Andy Milonakis, with updated tour dates, are posted below...

Continue reading "Major Lazer is in town for a show & an in-store (all dates) "

DOWNLOAD: Luke Solomon - Live at Sunday Best, 6/7/09 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ghislain Poirier - In the Mix on Sinden's Kiss FM radio show 5/21/09 (MP3)

Tyler Askew & crowd @ Loving Day Flagship Celebration - 6/7/09 (Willie Davis)

I haven't been out dancing yet this week, but still have plenty to tell you about last weekend, specifically Sunday and how it's turning into my favorite day to get down. Things began a little out of the ordinary, trekking over to 23rd and the FDR for the Loving Day celebration (of the Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia which legalized interracial marriage in the US, which happened not too long ago in 1967!). The vibe was great - everyone just looked happy and was hanging out. Unfortunately not many were dancing to the great soulful, jazzy, housey set Tyler Askew was playing. I'm going to blame it on the massive line that had formed for the free BBQ being given out. In any case, I got down with a small group of strangers and learned more about Loving v Virginia which you can do here as well as learn about throwing your own Loving Day celebration.

Luke Solomon @ Sunday Best @ the BKLYN Yard - June 7, 2009 (cloud_city)

From there things picked up in terms of dancing. I headed down to the Gowanus yet again for Sunday Best. It was slightly less packed than it was for Mr. Scruff - still quite a crowd. I'm not sure how they did it, but food & drink lines were pretty much nonexistent and the bathroom one is still there, but much shorter. There were all the makings of a great Sunday as Luke Solomon started his set around 7, following through with 2 great hours of an interesting blend of house, soul, techno, and even hints of tech-house that had the tiny dancefloor overflowing with people. You can download his set at the top of this post, and check out other past sets from Sunday Best here, or better yet, subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or RSS.

I was perfectly happy by the end of Sunday Best and could have just gone home...but the Lower East Side is just so close thanks to the F-train, so I headed to the Rivington Hotel for Été d'Amour with Tony Humphries. The penthouse was packed with people dancing when I arrived, as it had been for Dimitri's set the weekend prior. Unfortunately it didn't last long. After hanging out on the roof for an hour or so it dawned on me that I couldn't hear the music at all. The sound only improved slightly one flight down, and by the time I was back on the main penthouse level I realized something was very wrong. The volume was way down thanks to someone complaining...so frustrating as Tony's set was great, just not loud enough! I've been assured that this week things will be under control for Stretch Armstrong's set, but more on that in a bit. First here is what's going on Saturday (6/13):

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (part 2) "

Art Brut didn't have a meltdown @ Primavera Sound (scannerfm_flickr)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Les Paul @ Iridium
* Lykke Li @ Highline Ballroom
* Amram & Co. @ Cornelia Street Cafe
* Gabriel Kahane @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Zee Avi, Amy LaVere, papercranes @ Maxwell's
* Art Brut, Demander, The Picture @ Mercury Lounge
* Gomez, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit @ Terminal 5
* Death Vessel, Grant Hart, Kevin Barker @ The Bell House
* Glam Hammer, Invisible Circle, Black Elf Speaks @ Glasslands
* Rock Plaza Central, Josh Reichmann, Bird of Youth, Mean Creek @ Cake Shop

Art Brut kicks off five nights at the Mercury Lounge.

Black Elf Speaks.

Rock Plaza Central play the first of two NYC shows with Josh Reichmann tonight. The second, the Bell House Tuesday, June 2nd, adds Suckers to the bill.

David Amram, who's coming off a weekend of gigs, continues his monthly Amram & Co. series at Cornelia Street Cafe, with son Adam Amram (of The New York Howl) on drums.

Conan O'Brien is back on the air tonight. ,

Video of the Vaselines playing live at Primavera Sound, below...

Major Lazer - "Zumbie" ft. Andy Milonakis - the video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

DOWNLOAD: Major Lazer - Hold The Line (dj edit) w/ Santigold (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Evil Nine - Pearl Shot (Switch Remix) (MP3)

"On Saturday, June 13th Major Lazer (featuring Diplo and Switch) starts its international Tour of Duty at SOBs.

Major Lazer features legendary DJs Diplo and Switch, both renowned for their ability to get crowds dancing in high-energy and original shows. Diplo, known for his forward-thinking productions for artists such as MIA and Bonde Do Role, incorporates such disparate influences as Miami Bass and Baile Funk into his high-tech, eclectic sound. Switch is loved by critics and dancers alike, and is a leader among DJs. He recently contributed to Santigolds self-titled album to rave reviews. Together they've produced the first LP from Major Lazer, Guns Dont Kill People Lazers Do, set to drop June 16th.

Major Lazer draws from the rich dancehall tradition of Jamaica, and the futuristic dance-floor-killing aesthetic of Diplo and Switch. The sound is the result of global pop culture run through the filter of Major Lazers particular brand of 80s-inspired digital dancehall; it is at once an homage to a bygone era and a look to the future of dance music.

The story of Major Lazer is an interesting one. He has been described as a Jamaican commando who lost his arm in the secret Zombie War of 1984. He fights vampires and various monsters, parties hard, and has a rocket powered skateboard. He has enlisted the help of long-time allies and uber-producers, Diplo and Switch, to produce his first LP.

Combining the worlds best dance music to create a mix of sounds like you've never heard before, Major Lazer will surely start the tour off right on Saturday, June 13th. The set at SOBs will represent the best of many different musical influences that all share one important feature: the ability to get the dance party started."

Continue reading "Major Lazer = Diplo & Switch - 2009 tour dates, video, MP3"