photos by WEIRD MAGIC

Gang Gang Dance and many others performed live at the free Mad Decent Block Party at the South Street Seaport on Saturday. Here are some pictures (from the second half of the day). They continue below...

Continue reading "pics from the NYC Mad Decent Block Party @ South Street Seaport (Gang Gang Dance & much more) "

photos by Andrew St. Clair

Robyn @ Terminal 5

During "Dancing On My Own," a song about seeing a lover with someone else, Robyn transformed a somber subject into an empowering dance-your-worries-away anthem that inspired singing from the audience.

Robyn continued to "body talk" with each movement, even during the interludes. After pelvic gyrations against her drummer's drum set and enough twirling in circles to make a person drop dead, Robyn pounded through songs -- her newest single "Indestructible," "Love Kills," "The Girl and the Robot," and "With Every Heartbeat" -- before professing her deep love for New York and exiting the stage.

She reemerged for two dance-infused encores. On the second, she performed her recent song "Dancehall Queen," then transitioned it into a cover of Abba's "Dancing Queen" before performing a gentle version of her 1997 hit "Show Me Love." The crowd was more than happy to do that. -[MTV News]

NYC loves Robyn, and she loves 'em right back. After playing Music Hall of Williamsburg in late July and two shows in August at Webster Hall with Kelis, in addition to a private show (pictures from night 1 at Webster Hall), Robyn circled back to the tri-state area on Wednesday night (11/10) to play Terminal 5 with her tourmates, NYC's Maluca and LA/Londoners Natalia Kills. Robyn ripped through 18 songs across two encores. The full setlist is below along with more pictures from the show.

Last night Robyn appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (which is taped in NYC). Tonight (11/12), she continues her November tour in Toronto.

Video from Fallon, with more pictures from Terminal 5, the setlist, and some live videos, below...

Continue reading "Robyn played Fallon & Terminal 5 w/ Maluca & Natalia Kills -- (pics, videos & setlist) "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: A Classic Education - I Lost Time (MP3)

Bologna, Italy's A Classic Education will be here for CMJ, playing six shows:

WED Oct 20 7:00P The Delancey (Lefse & I Guess I'm Floating Showcase) NYC
THU Oct 21 8:30P - Hype Machine & dubFrequency Party @ Backstage (formerly The Annex)
THU Oct 21 10:00P Trash Bar, Brooklyn
FRI Oct 22 12:00P Pop Tarts Suck Toasted @ Cake Shop
FRI Oct 22 6:00P Pianos
FRI Oct 22 8:30P The Charleston, Brooklyn

Maybe you caught them last year when they played one of our CMJ day parties? The band's new EP, Hey There Stranger, came out about a month ago on Lefse Records (How to Dress Well, Dominant Legs) and straddles the line between swoony baroque pop and reverby indie, with plenty of "bah bahs" and "oh ohs." You can download "I Lost Time" from it at the top of this post, and watch the found footage video for it below

Note that one of the shows on their list is the Hype Machine & dubFrequency Party. You can RSVP and stream tracks of the artists playing at Hype's site, and check out full lineup and flyer, and more, below...

Continue reading "A Classic Education returning to NYC for CMJ, playing 6 shows including dF & Hype Machine's party (dates & lineup)"

DOWNLOAD: Das Racist - Sit Down, Man mixtape (ZIP file)

Many of Das Racist's friends make appearances on their new 19-track mixtape which you can download for free above. The tracklist is below along with the video that contains the above cassette tape image. And many of their friends will make appearances at the release party taking place at Santos Party House tonight (9/16).

One of those friends playing the Santos show is Maluca, who, along with Natalia Kills, will open all dates on Robyn's just-announced November tour. Tickets are still on sale for the show at Terminal 5.

All Robyn dates, Das Racist's two new videos, and the mixtape tracklist, below...

Continue reading "free Das Racist mixtape & show tonight w/ Maluca who is touring w/ Robyn (dates, videos & more) "

"What began as a spontaneous event for friends and neighbors outside the label's Philadelphia headquarters and grew in 2 short years to the largest block party in city, the MAD DECENT BLOCK PARTY is nothing short of a legend. Now in the event's 3rd summer, Mad Decent has teamed with Diesel and JELLY to bring the MAD DECENT BLOCK PARTY magic across the country! Starting in Philadelphia and traveling to New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago over 4 consecutive Saturdays from July 31st to August 21st, the MAD DECENT BLOCK PARTY promises banging music, carnival games, yummy food, super secret guests and all for FREE!"

The NYC show will take place at South Street Seaport. More details below...

Continue reading "Mad Decent & Jelly throwing free block parties in four cities, at South Street Seaport in NYC"

DOWNLOAD: Deer Tick - Beautiful Girls (Sean Kingston Cover) (MP3)

Murphy's Law @ Culture Shock '09 (Serenaz)

The lineup is out for Culture Shock 2010, which will take place April 16th and 17th at SUNY Purchase. Headliners for this year's fest are pop-punk band Bayside (avoid the "Beautiful Girls" cover on their MySpace) (and check out another version above) and indie-pop collective Los Campesinos (who'll play Irving Plaza April 22nd) Friday night, and rapper Jay Electronica and The Books on Saturday. The rest of the bill is a varied mix that includes Surfer Blood, Black Milk, Maps & Atlases, L Mag Band You Need To Hear Ava Luna, Maluca, Das Racist, The So So Glos and Turbo Fruits. The annual event isn't technically open to non-students. The full lineup is below.

Last year's lineup was headlined by Drake and The Cool Kids. In 2008, Fucked Up's headlining performance was cut short by the police.

The bands were announced earlier this month via film at an event at the school. That video, the lineup and more are below...

Continue reading "SUNY Culture Shock 2010 lineup"

Amanda Blank @ Terminal 5 in Nov (more by Paul Birman)

"They're both most commonly associated with bigger male underground stars, but tonight Amanda Blank and Maluca should prove themselves major players in the electro-pop-hip-hop-ghetto-Latin nexus. Philly's Amanda Blank has worked with Spank Rock, and handily delivers an equally bumping and even filthier and funnier take on B'more gutter music. Maluca's debut on Diplo's Mad Decent Records more than lived up to his much-heralded Major Lazer release. The flaming meringue that is Maluca's "El Tigeraso" made for one of the most energetic, gripping singles of 2009." [Village Voice]

That blurb describes the gig happening at Santos Party House tonight/Friday (1/29). Tickets are still on sale. The NYC show is one of two Amanda and Maluca are playing together this weekend. They each also continue on their own after that. All dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Amanda Blank & Maluca - 2010 Tour Dates (Santos tonight) "

DJ/Rupture / Maluca

The Fader Presents One Step Beyond
Launch your weekend with drinks and dancing at the most explosive party this side of the Milky Way. See and be seen under the stars as live bands, DJs, and VJs present the hottest music and project dynamic visuals at the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Cocktails keep the party going.
DJ/ Rupture
Matt Shadetek Feat Jahdan Blakkamoore, Maluca

November 13, 2009 Buy Tickets
9pm - 1am

tonight in NYC
* ATP Movie
* Apex Fest III @ Chashama Arts Center
* BOAT, How I Became The Bomb @ Union Hall
* Girls & Boys w/ The Cool Kids @ Webster Hall
* Goodie Mob, Scarface, Slick Rick @ BB King's
* The Cribs, The Von Bondies @ Bowery Ballroom
* Krallice, Orphan, Malkuth, Liturgy @ Union Pool
* DJ/Rupture & Maluca @ American Museum of Natural History
* Art Brut, Midnight Masses, Surfer Blood @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Nicole Atkins & The Black Sea, KaiserCartel @ 92YTribeca
* Numero's Eccentric Soul Revue @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* The Pietasters, Lionize, Echo Movement @ Highline Ballroom
* Alela Diane, Marissa Nadler, Orba Squara @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Pterodactyl, Child Bite, Hermit Thrushes, Fiasco @ Death By Audio
* Pearl & The Beard, Dinosaur Feathers, Ivan and The Terribles @ Coco 66
* The Nymphets, Oh Wow, McDonalds, German Measles, Skiing @ Shea Stadium
* David Berkeley, Zee Avi, Christina Courtin @ Housing Works Used Book Cafe
* Versus, +/-, Cuidad, The Solitary Cyclist, Cotton Candy @ Knitting Factory Brooklyn
* Emilyn Brodsky, Alyson Greenfield, Hooray For Earth, Zambri, Sydney Wayser @ Santos Party House

Craig Finn and Tad Kubler play an early show at LPR tomorrow.

DJ /rupture & Matt Shadetek's new video for their "SOLAR LIFE RAFT MEDLEY" (and more info on what that is), below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Prefuse 73 @ Terminal 5 in November 2008 (more by Zach Stern)

David Ellis is an artist born into a family immersed in music. His paintings are often recorded in a form of digital time-lapse animation he calls motion painting. Like jazz, these works provide Ellis with an opportunity to combine ideas with collaborators and work solo within a form that promotes improvisation and spontaneity.

Ellis often stages events when exhibiting his motion paintings, inviting musicians, performers, and sound artists to interpret the work live. His motion painting, Paint on Trucks in a World in Need of Love was exhibited at MoMA. Ellis further explores sound with kinetic installations that produce analogue sequences in rhythm. His latest work, often in collaboration with composer Roberto Lange, deconstructs the inner workings of player pianos to create sprawling sculptures that automatically play percussive rhythms with recycled typewriters, buckets, bottles and cans.

(Le) Poisson Rouge is hosting an opening party for David Ellis: Recollect on Tuesday, November 10th. Performing at the free show (besides Ellis himself) will be Prefuse 73, Jon Hopkins and Mixhell.

Not free, but also a party at (Le) Poisson Rouge, Buraka Som Sistema are back. Maluca and DJ Geko Jones open the show which takes place at the West Village venue TONIGHT (11/4) @ 11pm. Be prepared to stay out late.

All Buraka Som Sistema dates, a video of Ellis painting a piece and a song from Prefuse's latest LP, Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian, which came out earlier this year, and more below...

Continue reading "Buraka Som Sistema are back (dates) - show w/ Maluca @ LPR tonight ++ free Prefuse 73 & Mixhell art show Tuesday"

by Bill Pearis

Surfer Blood

NIGHTTIME

As I mentioned in that big post about Montreal bands at CMJ, The High Dials are among them and are just great live -- sort of country-tinged jangly shoegaze -- and they're impressive live. They play Lit Lounge at 10:15 and then Arlene's Grocery at 12:30AM. If you like Ride, The Byrds, or Brian Jonestown Massacre, you shouldn't miss these guys. Also playing at Lit Lounge, earlier in the evening (8:30) are Montreal's Black Diamond Bay which features a couple former members of the Dears and feature a similarly bombast rock sound. They're very good live too, especially if you have an appreciation for the live musician O Face.

If you like electro /dance there is an insane lineup at Santos tonight. And it's free. No badges required. The killer lineup includes three UK dancepop acts: Dan Black whose album Un is pretty fun; the borderline-novelty (but fun) Man Like Me and trio We Have Band who played here back in March. It keeps going: there's also Australia's Midnight Juggernauts, Montreal's We Are Wolves, Denmark's Spleen United (somewhere between Placebo and Presents), Toronto's Parallels, and LA's Paparazzi. There's also a slew of NYC acts: Maluca, The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, Lemonade,Heartsrevolution, Javelin, and The Golden Filter. Did I mention it was free?

At Union Pool, the folks at Panache Booking are showcasing a big handful of their bands, many of which have unnecessary repeated consonants: recent Brooklyn Vegan Day party veterans JEFF the Brotherhood and Lovvers, plus Flexions, zZz, Turbofruits, UUVVWWZ, and Dark Meat. Having seen at least half of these bands, I'm going to go ahead and say this'll be quite a party, whether you like it or not.

If you're going to the Pitchfork/Showpaper show at Market Hotel and wished that it was rock all night instead of switching over to electronic acts/DJs after midnight, your admission will also get you into the show happening down the street at Todd P's Above the Auto Parts Store venue (600 Bushwick), which has four great bands: Sisters, Screaming Females, Surfer Blood (again) and JEFF the Brotherhood (again). To get in for free you need to get there before 11PM; afterwards it's $10.

Or, you might think about heading to Silent Barn before or after (or instead of). Popjew has a great line-up of bands, including much-loved-by-me Let's Wrestle, A Classic Education (who were great at our Thursday day party), twangy West Coasters Slang Chickens, My Teenage Stride and the electro-rock of Jacques Detergent.

And at The Bell House, there's Au Revoir Simone and the related (literally, by marriage) Pursesnatchers; the lush, 60s-ish chamber pop of Florida's The Postmarks, indiepop ska band Still Flyin' and Brooklyn-via-Australia band The Miracles of Modern Science. The Bell House may seem like truly dedicating your night to one venue, but luckily it's one of the nicest, most comfortable in the city.

Other shows tonight include Mum, Sufjan's BQE screenings, the Sub Pop showcase, the Kemado/Mexican Summer showcase, and the Topman party with the Almighty Defenders and Neon Indian.

And then we rest. Saturday day parties HERE. Hip Hop shows HERE. Flyers and set times below.

Continue reading "CMJ 2009 - Bill's Saturday nighttime picks"

MALUCA

Last week in dance was not my favorite. I enjoyed Losoul's set at Sunday Best, and the urban landscape "Afterparty" at Warm Up at PS1 (though not the music so much) . More about both of those in Part 2 of the Week In Dance. For now, here's what's happening Thursday & Friday:

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (part 1) (MALUCA)"