Mastodon at Roseland Ballroom in 2012 (more by Rebecca Reed)

This year's Rockstar Mayhem Festival tour has been announced, and though we'd look forward to any tour with Mastodon and Behemoth, the rest of the lineup is, um, different than the bands we might've expected. Those include Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Job for a Cowboy, Children of Bodom, Born of Osiris, Emmure, and more. The tour hits the general NYC area on July 19 at Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, July 20 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga, July 21 at the Comcast Theatre in Hartford, and July 23 at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. Tickets for all shows are on sale now.

All tour dates are listed, along with the full tour lineup, below...

Continue reading "Mastodon, Behemoth, and more playing Rockstar Mayhem Festival tour (dates & lineup)"

by Tim Griffin

Eddie Vedder & Beth Ditto @ Rock Werchter 2012 - 6/29/2012

"Rock Werchter is a Belgian annual music festival held in the village of Werchter, near Leuven, since 1973. It is one of the five biggest annual rock music festivals in Europe (the other four being Exit, Sziget Festival, the Glastonbury Festival and Roskilde Festival). The 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007 festivals received the Arthur award for best festival in the world at the International Live Music Conference (ILMC). It can host 85,000 guests daily, of which 67,000 combine all four days, to add up to a total maximum of 139,000 different attendees." [Wikipedia]

Day two of Belgium festival Rock Werchter kicked off for me with the still-reunited, classic California punk band X playing on the main stage. I stayed for their entire, great set which means I missed Belgium band School is Cool who were playing on the other side of the park. Judging by the bubbles seen on several attendees leaving that stage though, it looked like missed a fun time. Other bands on the second day, of this festival that featured so many big names, included Pearl Jam, Lana Del Rey, Jack White, Deadmau5, The Gossip, Beirut and many others

I couldn't make it to every band on all three stages each day, obviously, but I at least have a good excuse for missing Mastodon: I was getting a behind-the-scenes tour of the fest (many thanks to FIAF and Rock Werchter for the hospitality - and WAFFLES!). They took me behind the fences and gateways, to get a glimpse all that goes on to keep things moving. The scale and logistics were pretty mind-expanding. Some bullets:

• Rock Werchter goes for 4 days at the end on June, but initial setup begins in early May.
• More than 8000 are directly employed by the festival, with thousands more as subcontractors.
• More than 25% of the staff are directly engaged in security and safety of the venue and audience.
• Most staff are sourced locally to ensure direct local benefits from the festival.
• Rock Werchter is practically a small town, with everything but a school system on site (medical services, residences, offices, supply depots, repair stations, food services (including storage and preparation), and even on site garbage sorting and recycling.
• Thousands of large steel road plates are used throughout the facilities to protect the ground from vehicle traffic, and thousands of square meters of field and audience areas are also similarly protected using plastic and wood flooring.

No pictures from backstage, but more from who was playing on the stages, along with Pearl Jam's setlist, below...

Continue reading "Rock Werchter 2012 - day 2 pics (Pearl Jam, Jack White, Gossip, X, Lana Del Rey, Katy B, Kreayshawn, Bat for Lashes, Wiz Khalifa, more)"

Despite being the brainchild of Bill Kelliher of Mastodon and Kevin Sharp of Brutal Truth, Atlanta's Primate is something entirely different than than you might expect the sum of its parts to be. Drawing from everything from grindcore to d-beat and even Black Flag, the band's recent Draw Back a Stump is a fascinating departure from these metallic veterans.

Primate is preparing to re-release 2011's Draw Back a Stump via Relapse Records on July 3rd (preorder it). The re-issue will feature bonus tracks in addition to the previous material, all of which you can stream for the first time below. So far no dates to speak of for this grind crew, but we'll let you know if that changes.

Continue reading "Primate releasing expanded 'Draw Back a Stump' (stream it)"

We try to keep tabs on various festivals around the world here on BrooklynVegan, many of which you'll eventually see pictures from. Today we focus on Belgium.

Pukkelpop goes down from August 16 - 18. That festival includes The Stone Roses, Bjork, Bloc Party, The Black Keys, Refused, Wilco, The Hives, The Shins, The Afghan Whigs, Lykke Li, Hot Chip, Feist, Flying Lotus, tUnE-yArDs, Chromatics, Cloud Nothings, The Tallest Man on Earth, Baroness, Ceremony, A-Trak, Rustie, Hudson Mohawke, and more. The full lineup is listed below. Tickets for the festival are on sale now.

Rock Werchter, which falls a bit more on the mainstream side, happens in Belgium even sooner, running from June 28 - July 1. That lineup includes The Cure, Jack White, X, Mastodon, Garbage, The xx, M83, Metric, Amon Tobin, Skrillex, Perfume Genius, Bat For Lashes, Michael Kiwanuka, Alabama Shakes, My Morning Jacket, Regina Spektor, Florence + the Machine, The Vaccines and more. Tickets for the festival are on sale now sold out.

The full lineups for both Pukkelpop and Rock Wercher are listed below.

Continue reading "full 2012 Pukkelpop & Rock Werchter lineups"

Feist @ Coachella on Record Store Day (more by David Andrako)

Who picked up a copy of the Record Store Day release? Listen to both sides below...

Continue reading "listen to Feistodon (Feist covering Mastodon & vice versa)"

by Andrew Marinaccio

This Saturday (4/21) marks the 5th annual Record Store Day, and with it comes another chance to procure your favorite band's most exclusive (or oddest) musical releases yet. There will also once again be lots of in-shop events.

No matter where you are located (in the U.S., UK, Germany or Belgium) (like Chicago maybe?), you should be able to find a still-open record store near you that will be selling the good schwag and possibly throwing a party too. As we've been, we'll continue to highlight some of the NYC stores, along with what you might find in them.

Aside from selling fresh rarities, NYC's Other Music is celebrating with a live lineup of DJs featuring Four Tet, Black Dice, The Men (who appear on a Sacred Bones RSD comp), Ex Cops, and Wild Nothing. Other Music will exclusively sell Ex Cops's debut 7", "I Am the Lion, You Are the Lamb," which is relasing on their Other music label. Other Music is set to open to the public at 11 a.m. Saturday morning (which gives you time to hit other record stores who open even earlier, first).

Kim's Video & Music looks to attract the early birds with an 8 a.m.opening and live and/or DJ sets by MUSH1, X-ray Eyeballs, Prince Rama, and more. In addition to the gig there will be discount offers, "over 150" record store day exclusives, pizza and beer. Maybe you'll find a copy of the, a day late for 4/20, Lee "Scratch" Perry Blackboard Jungle Dub Limited Edition Box...

The West Village's Generation Records has a show of their own planned, with The Paul Collins Beat, Supertouch, Night Birds, and Joyce Manor performing, as well as DJ sets by Tom Scharpling, Three Chord Monte, Zachary Lipez, and Mikey Post. They will also be selling a variant of Supertouch's Lost My Way EP, which will feature shop-exclusive cover art. Generation Records is pegged on opening at 10 a.m. this Saturday.

Williamsburg shop Sound Fix will host Mates of State for a gig and meet-and-greet on Saturday night. The band's 2009 covers album, Crushes, will be released for the first time on vinyl as a Record Store Day exclusive. Sound Fix opens at 10:30 a.m.

Amid touring, Portugal. The Man, who have a RSD 7" of their own, are playing an in-store set this Saturday at Fords, New Jersey's Vintage Vinyl. The shop's also opening early at 8 a.m., and their stock's boasting reiusses of Graceland and Raw Power, as well as Iggy and the Stooges' LP picture disc of their ATP 2010 performance of the seminal album.

Long Island's Looney Tunes Records is featuring a trio of free acts by Grace Read, The Lumineers, and JuiceheaD and Osaka Popstar, who are bringing their collaborative 7" "Waiting Room" exclusively to the shop. The show will start at 1 that afternoon, but shoppers can begin at 9 a.m. if they're "VIP Members" (to inquire what that means, check here). Doors will open to the general public at 10 a.m.

Local giant J&R Music World will house acts starting at noon, including Everest, Yann Tiersen, Mike Doughty, and guitarist Doyle Dykes. The insitution will also demonstrate some tech to attendees, showcasing the features of the new audio software suite Roland R-MIX. Miles Davis' (who has a special Record Store Day compilation, "Forever Miles," planned for release) nephew, Vince Wilburn, Jr., will also be making an appearance.

Permanent Records in Brooklyn will host in-stores by Memoryhouse and Mattison.

Cake Shop says "the CAPESHOK RECORD MART back for one day only!" and are hosting a performance by the Hairs at 3pm.

Check Record Store Day's site or call your local record store to find more happenings.

Of course, there will be precious records found at a variety of independent shops across the country, including the more exotic collaborations that have been hyped as blog post oddities. Fiest and Mastodon's (or 'Fiestodon') will be releasing their split 7" featuring both acts covering songs from each other's 2011 studio releases, Metals and The Hunter, respectively. Listeners can look forward to hearing Feist's rendition of "Black Tongue" and Mastodon's turn on "A Commotion".

Mastodon also-- perhaps inevitably-- succumbed to the bidding of current off-kilter audio project warlocks The Flaming Lips for another split 7", where they'll cover the Lip's "A Spoonful Weighs A Ton." While the Lip's contribution to the baby pink record is their original track recording, fear not, for the band has a more outlandish and sprawling album ready for the big day. The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, the mistifying mega-collaboration they've been working on with Bon Iver, Prefuse 73, Yoko Ono, Chris Martin, Nick Cave, Ke$ha, and more, features new tracks with the aforementioned guests including their previous work with Neon Indian and Lightning Bolt. And, as if the music wasn't enough, Wayne Coyne has been amassing the blood of his fellow collaborators to somehow infuse into the record. At the very least, Alan Palomo, Justin Vernon, The Flaming Lips, and Kesha's blood could be in your copy.

St. Vincent plans on releasing a red 7" sided with two new tracks, "KROKODIL" and "GROT." Reportedly more guitar-driven and aggressive departures from her previous material, her debut of "KROKODIL" at Coachella attests to that, possesing a relentless savagery often only hinted at in her nervous yet controlled guitarwork. It also attempts to channel whatever demons she found covering Big Black for 'Our Band Can be Your Life.' You can download her Coachella performance of "KROKODIL" here.

Speaking of bands playing Coachella, Refused are putting out 1998's The Shape of Punk to Come as a limited edition colored LP on Record Store Day. Pair it with a yellow vinyl Snapcase 12".

Speaking of things to come, Record Store Day is also used to tease what's on the way. Garbage (who are paying a special Record Store Day visit to Austin) are releasing their first new physical single in almost ten years with "Blood For Poppies" in anticipation of their reunion album this spring. Public Image Ltd. came out of the woodwork to present an EP featuring their latest release of new material in 20 years, including single "One Drop." And Faith No More frontman Mike Patton is reissuing his side-project Tomahawk's entire studio output in a boxset designed with space for the band's upcoming summer LP.

Other RSD 2012 releases previously mentioned on BV include Nick Waterhouse/Allah-Lahs, Mark Sultan, Pussy Galore, JEFF the Brotherhood, Sigur Ros, Xiu Xiu/Dirty Beaches, Nobunny and Variety Lights. Others we haven't mentioned yet include the White Stripes, the Black Keys, Regina Spektor, Tortoise, The Hives, Wilco, Animal Collective, Beach House, Bonnie Prince Billy, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Captain Beefheart, Destroyer, Jimmy Fallon, Laura Marling, Leonard Cohen, Luna, M Ward, M83, Mclusky, Minus the Bear, Misfits (red, blue and clear vinyl), Ozzy, Phish, Ryan Adams, T. Rex, Tegan & Sara, The Clash, and many more. For a full list of RSD 2012 releases, with more info on each, check HERE.

For our Chicago readers, you can check out what your local record shops are up to this Saturday, including a BV Chicago-presented event at Saki, here.

Which releases are you most excited for this Record Store Day? Check out what NPR decided to highlight, like the previously mentioned Shabazz Palaces release, HERE. Watch Cris Brown give his annual Record Store Day show and tell, and other videos below...

Continue reading "your guide to Record Store Day 2012"

Says the record label:

Feist will release her much anticipated collaboration with Mastodon exclusively for Record Store Day on April 21st on Cherrytree/Interscope/Reprise. The split single, being touted as Feistodon, will be released as a limited edition 7" and features Feist covering Mastodon's "Black Tongue" and them returning the favor to cover Feist's "A Commotion."

"I'll wear armor and hold up a sword and stand out front of the independent record shops and just protect them," Feist tells Rolling Stone.

Feist goes on to say "'Black Tongue" is speaking in my kind of elemental language - about diamond and earth and sky. It's all just in a language that I already sort of speak lyrically. It was pretty easy to climb into that one."

Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher says of Feist's "A Commotion" from 2011's acclaimed Metals (Cherrytree/Interscope): "It's very haunting the way that she sings, 'I cut off my tongue.' This dainty girl singing these brutal lyrics. It kind of sent chills up my spine when I heard it....For me it's much more atmosphere - creating my version of what metal is."

photos by Rebecca Reed

Mastodon @ Roseland Ballroom

From the opening wails of "Black Tongue" (accompanied by some adorable tongue-wagging by guitarist Brent Hinds) to the soaring peaks of "Octopus Has No Friends," [Mastodon] deftly wove its way through a setlist containing most of the tracks from last year's The Hunter along with other fan favorites. An extra-flashy light setup cloaked the band in hazy neon lights, making already-epic songs like "Blasteroid" downright menacing. The extra bits of A/V magic--including a pair of glowing, flashing eyes embedded in the tapestry behind the foursome--dramatically reiterated what we all already knew: Mastodons are masters of their craft. -[CMJ]

The tour rolls on, and the bands play the Riv in Chicago tonight while the Decibel tour (without Watain) plays across town in the same city.

More pictures and the setlists from the NYC show, below...

Continue reading "Mastodon, Opeth & Ghost played Roseland (pics & setlists)"

Justin Vernon & My Morning Jacket before the Grammys (by dariusjagjag)

Someone from Jagjaguwar tweeted the above picture not long before Justin Vernon shouted out "Jagjaguwar" to end his acceptance speech at the Grammys pre-show this evening (2/12).

Bon Iver won "Best Alternative Music Album", beating out Radiohead, My Morning Jacket, Foster the People & Death Cab Cab For Cutie. Other pre-telecast winners include Adele, Foo Fighters (who beat Mastodon, The Decemberists and TV on the Radio), Skrillex (who won three already and beat Cut Copy, Robyn, Deadmau5 and others), Kanye West (who also won three already), The Civil Wars (who won two already and beat Fleet Foxes), Levon Helm, Alison Krauss, Tinariwen, Louis CK, Cee-Lo, and Booker T Jones who won "Best Pop Instrumental Album" for the 2nd time, and nervously thanked Biz Markie, Questlove, Gabriel Roth (of Daptone Records), Matt Berninger (of the National), and Lou Reed.

Arcade Fire also won another Grammy already (for Best Recording Package).

A Numero Group Syl Johnson release was up for two Grammys but lost in both categories.

And that was just all the stuff they don't show on TV. The regular show with all the big awards (and possibly more for Bon Iver) starts at 8pm EST, Whitney Houston tribute included.

UPDATES:
* Jack Black makes "indie cred" joke that includes "Bon Iver" while introducing Foo Fighters
* Denise from PS22 in Adele commercial

Mastodon at Terminal 5 (more by Greg Cristman)

The full tour schedule for the previously mentioned Heritage Hunter tour (with Mastodon, Opeth and Ghost) has been revealed. The bands will embark on a month-plus long trek kicking off in Maine and terminating in Atlanta. Along the way Mastodon and Opeth will swap headlining slots, as noted in the full list of dates below.

As discussed, the tour will hit Roseland Ballroom on April 11th for a Mastodon headlined show. Tickets go on LiveNation presale at 10AM on 2/1, with regular sale hitting on Friday. You can also catch the bands in Wallingford, CT.

All tour dates and Mastodon's new video (if you missed it), below...

Continue reading "Mastodon, Opeth, Ghost reveal all Heritage Hunter tour dates"

Ghost at Bowery Ballroom (more by Greg Cristman)

The rumors are true. Mastodon, Opeth, and Ghost will team up for the Heritage Hunter Tour, a string of dates together that have not been entirely revealed, but include a few dates in Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, and NYC at Roseland Ballroom on April 11th. Tickets for the NYC show go on LiveNation presale at 10AM on 2/1, with regular sale hitting on Friday.

Ghost is currently finishing up a string of dates that included NYC at Bowery Ballroom.

In Solitude, which contains members of Ghost, will hit the road for dates with Beheomth/Watain/The Devil's Blood this fall too.

All known tour dates and a recent Mastodon video for "Dry Bone Valley" is below.

Continue reading "Mastodon, Opeth & Ghost teaming up for US tour (dates include NYC at Roseland)"

Real Estate (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Motorhead (more by Dana (Distortion) Yavin)

today in NYC
* stuff @ Barbes
* Skeletons @ The Stone
* Daniel Kitson @ St Ann's Warehouse
* The Front Bottoms, Mansions @ Maxwell's
* Popa Chubby @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* Lenny Kravitz, Raphael Saadiq @ Radio City
* Salva, Shlohmo, CREEP (DJ set) @ Glasslands
* MNDR (DJ set), Computer Magic (DJ Set) @ Yotel
* Motive, Secret Music, Nicos Gun @ Cameo Gallery
* Nullsleep, dissassembler, da pantz @ 285 Kent Ave
* The Gories, Mark Sultan, Two Tears @ The Bell House
* Megadeth, Motorhead, Volbeat, Lacuna Coil @ theater @ MSG
* Rubblebucket, Superhuman Happiness, Prussia @ Bowery Ballroom
* Diego Garcia, Emily Greene, Monica Lionheart @ Highline Ballroom
* Jessica Latshaw, The Bischoffs, Phoebe Kreutz, Dogbowl @ Cake Shop
* Japanther, The Pharmacy, Fuzzy Cloaks, Bosco Delrey @ Shea Stadium
* Matt Bauer, Dana Falconberry, Natureboy, Prairie Empire @ The Gutter
* John Roderick (of The Long Winters), Todd Goldstein @ Mercury Lounge
* RAC (Remix Artist Collective) (DJ set), Emil & Friends @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Guy Harvey, Averkiou, I'm Turning Into, Bright Lights @ Death By Audio
* The Giraffes, Moon Rabbits, Netherlands, Cinema Cinema @ The Grand Victory
* Mark Farina, Sleepy & Boo, Chris Love, AB Logic, Beyrouth @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Dig Deeper Presents Eula Cooper with the Map Legends featuring Meah PA @ Southpaw
* IKTUS Percussion Quartet, Ensemble MAE(Gaudeamus Muziekweek New York) @ Issue Project Room
* Real Estate, Black Dice, The Babies, Dogleather, Oneohtrix Point Never (DJ Set), Ducktails (DJ set) @ K&K Super Buffet

Megadeth and Motorhead play tonight, but Mastodon recently released a video for "Dry Bone Valley" which you can watch below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

Feist at BAM in 2011 (more by Ryan Barkan)

Feist has a huge international tour on the way, including Australian dates this weekend and into February, followed by a number of European dates during March, some of which will be supported by M. Ward (who has his own upcoming tour). She'll work her way back to North American in April when she plays the sold out Coachellas, and has just announced another show happening on this side of the Atlantic at NYC's Radio City on May 5. It's her only other US date announced at the moment. Tickets go on sale Saturday, 2/4 at 10 AM.

In other news, she recently was interviewed by The Weekly Feed, where she talked about 2011's Metals, jamming with fellow Canadians Sloan, and her upcoming split 7" with Mastodon, which will feature each artist covering the other. She's still not sure which song she's picking but promised via twitter that "if people are expecting a cute twee cover of a metal song they have a big surprise comin." Here's what she said to The Weekly Feed about the project:

Oh my god, what a task. What an insurmountable mountain to try to cover Mastodon. We're working on it right now and I'm trying to figure out what song even. I haven't figured that out even yet. But yeah, I hugely admire them and I kind of come from that world. That's where I cut my teeth when I was 15/16 going to metal shows, and in my first band our guitar player probably would've wanted to be in Mastodon if Mastodon had existed at the time, you know? So it definitely speaks to me. When I saw them play on Jools Holland, that's how I was first introduced to them. We played that television show in England together and it just went right to my bones, and after the show we kind of had this, "oh man we should something!" you know? Which didn't seem like it was gonna happen, but now it seems like it's gonna happen, they announced it on MTV so now it's happening.

Also below is a stream of Beck's remix of Metals single, "How Come You Never Go There," which you can also purchase at iTunes.

All dates and streams below...

Continue reading "Feist playing Radio City Music Hall (and other stuff)"

We already posted Pitchfork's and SPIN's, so... here's Rolling Stone's top 50 albums of 2011. It's got tons of big sellers and major label players taking high spots like Adele, Jay-Z and Kanye West, Paul Simon, and Lady Gaga, but then something unexpected like tUnE-yArDs places at #13. There are also some odd inclusions like Wavves' Life Sux EP and then some albums you could only find on a Rolling Stone list like SuperHeavy (the supergroup featuring Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, Damian Marley, and others). They also give shots to Little Dragon, Josh T Pearson, Das Racist, Wild Flag, and many more. Check out the full list below...

Continue reading "Rolling Stone's Top Albums of 2011"

Mastodon fans (more by Greg Cristman)

Bon Iver was nominated for four high profile Grammys (though not "Album of the Year" which is what Arcade Fire won). Adele & Katy Perry nominated for a zillion, and other nominees include The Black Keys, Foster the Peepee, Cee Lo, Duck Sauce, Robyn, Cut Copy, Skrillex, Deadmau5, Coldplay, Radiohead, Mumford & Son, Mastodon, Wilco, Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket, Jay-Z, Kanye West, The Civil Wars, Emmylou Harris, Levon Helm, Fleet Foxes, Gillian Welch, Steve Earle, Patton Oswalt, Louis CK, Weird Al, Danger Mouse, Memory Tapes, TV On the Radio, A Tribe Called Quest, etc...

by BBG

Mastodon at Terminal 5 (more by Greg Cristman)

Troy Sanders has revealed that Mastodon will team with Feist to work on a split 7" for Record Store Day 2012. The split 7", which was her idea, will feature each band covering the other. You can check out Troy discussing it with MTV News Canada below. No word on if Feist will follow-up said 7" with a split with Cock & Ball Torture, but we'll keep you informed.

Mastodon, who recently headlined Terminal 5, released one of Decibel's favorite albums of the year, though Feist's recently released "Metals" did not make the list (it didn't make Rough Trade's list either).

That video with Mastodon tour dates below...

Continue reading "Mastodon & Feist to share a split 7" for Record Store Day?"

by BBG

Tombs at BV-Rocks Off Official CMJ Showcase 2011 (more by Jonathan McPhail)

Decibel released their list of the best LPs of 2011. The list features a few repeat offenders and not too many surprises. One record listed technically came out in 2010 (and made my list of favorites that year). You can check out the full thing below. What record do you think they left off?

Continue reading "Decibel Magazine's Top 40 of 2011"

photos by Greg Cristman

While Coke Bust/Masakari/Sick Fix/Grudges was tearing down Acheron on 11/19, a much larger show was brewing at Terminal 5 featuring Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan and Red Fang as part of the trio's tour together. Mastodon's set covered their entire recorded output, including newer tracks like "Curl of The Burl" all the way to earlier favorites like "March of The Fire Ants" and, according to the set-list, "Iron Tush" (aka "Iron Tusk").

The sold-out show also featured an appearance from original DEP vocalist Dimitri Minkanakis (now a member of Argonauts) who joined the band on stage for performances of "Sunshine The Werewolf" and the classic "43% Burnt". Video of that is below.

While Argonauts have no upcoming dates, Brett of Argonauts will play Public Assembly on 12/14 with his other project East of The Wall. They'll be joined by Tournament (who play an Acheron benefit tonight with Hull/Naam), Family, and Fashion Week. The band is finishing up their US tour post-the release of their latest LP The Apologist.

Pictures, video and the Mastodon setlist from Terminal 5 is below...

Continue reading "Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan & Red Fang played Terminal 5 (pics, video & setlist) ------- East of The Wall playing Brooklyn"

words & photos by Chris La Putt

Butch Walkter in Brooklyn

"Well, I left the town of sinners, redneck priests and meth lab stalls
To find myself a few more just like me
The option's pretty skinny and the order's pretty tall
To swim the hippest waters in the sea

Somewhere in the sticky city, driving back and forth
I found myself a squat in Williamsburg
Nobody seemed the same sincerely this could be a curse
But everyone's the same with different shirts"

Members of Butch's backing band, the Black Widows, opened the Brooklyn show, as did Shovels and Rope (who have shared bills with Jason Isbell and the Felice Brothers in NYC over the past year). Pictures of the whole Brooklyn show are in this post.

Earlier that day Butch was on Leonard Lopate's show on WNYC discussing his new book Drinking with Strangers: Music Lessons from a Teenage Bullet Belt which is about his life as a musician and record producer. You can listen to the segment below. Want to ask Butch a question about it? The Daily Swarm is collecting questions for an upcoming Butch interview.

Pictures, videos, and Butch's WNYC interview, below...

Continue reading "Butch Walker wrote a book, jams w/ Brett Hinds of Mastodon (video), and.... Pink in Brooklyn (pics from MHOW)"

by BBG

Black Star on Colbert

Big night for music on late night TV last night (and lately in general). You may have heard that Portishead played their first TV appearance in 13 years on Jimmy Fallon last night. Black Star, as promised, also played a new song "Fix Up" on The Colbert Report (but not at Irving Plaza, or the rest of their tour for that matter). Mastodon performed "Curl of The Burl" last night on David Letterman. Video of the Mastodon and Black Star (aka Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey) performances, as well as the hip hop group's interview with Stephen Colbert is below.

Speaking of new music by Talib Kweli, his other project Idle Warship has a new album coming. Check out one of the new tracks at Rolling Stone. See them live Saturday in Brooklyn, or at one of the other dates listed below.

Reminder: Mastodon's tour hits Terminal 5 with Dillinger Escape Plan and Red Fang on 11/19. Tickets are still available.

Meanwhile, as previously mentioned, former Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Dimitri Minkanakis's band Argonauts (with Dave Witte & John Adubato of Burnt By The Sun, Brett Bamberger of East of The Wall) will play their debut NYC show at ABC No Rio on Saturday (10/8). They'll be joined by Alkahest, Thou, and The Body.

As also mentioned, Jeff the Brotherhood, now bros with Jack White, play Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight (10/6).

Mastodon & Black Star videos from last night as well as some Argonauts live video, below...

Continue reading "Argonauts make NYC debut Saturday, Black Star played a new song on Colbert, Mastodon on Letterman (videos)"

by BBG

Mastodon at MSG (more by Matthew Eisman)

Mastodon is currently streaming their new LP The Hunter in full. Stream it below, or for those of you who require a bit more of a social experience with your listening, head to Idle Hands (ex-Save the Robots, Guernica, Midway, Scenic, Rehab, etc) on Thursday 9/22 for a listening party at 9PM. Mastodon prizes will be awarded.

As previously mentioned, Mastodon will team with The Dillinger Escape Plan and Red Fang for dates in late October through December including Terminal 5 on November 19th. Tickets are on sale.

Stream The Hunter below.

Continue reading "new Mastodon LP streaming, party happening @ Idle Hands"

Mastodon at MSG (more by Matthew Eisman)

With their new LP The Hunter on deck (due 9/27), Mastodon will team up with The Dillinger Escape Plan and Red Fang for a string of US dates in late October and on into December. The dates include a stop at Terminal 5 on November 19th. Tickets go on sale on Friday 9/16 at noon, OR take advantage of a "Ticket and CD Download Offer" which kicks off at 10AM TOMORROW (9/13). Details on that offer are forthcoming.

Full tour schedule is below, along with videos from the forthcoming The Hunter LP.

Continue reading "Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan & Red Fang touring (dates)"

by BBG

Primate at Scion Rock Fest 2011 (more by Adam Murray)

Mastodon have released another video from their upcoming LP The Hunter (due on September 27th). The new video, for "Spectrelight", features Scott Kelly from Neurosis, and follows recent video releases of "Curl of The Burl" and "Black Tongue". All of them are viewable below.

So far no word on a US tour from the Atlanta four-piece, though knowing them a massive one will surely follow. The band has only one current tour date scheduled, 10/26 at the Verizon Theatre in Dallas, TX with Soundgarden. Neurosis, also with just one upcoming date, play this weekend in Portland as part of MusicFestNW. Their show is at Roseland Theater on Saturday with Grails, YOB and Akimbo. Tickets are still available for those without festival passes. The entire MusicFestNW begins Wednesday. Check out the schedule HERE.

In other news, Relapse recently signed Primate, a band featuring Bill Kelliher of Mastodon, Kevin Sharp of Brutal Truth, and Mike Brennan of Javelina among others. No word on when they will follow-up on their Draw Back A Stump EP from earliser this year, but we'll keep you up to date. In the meantime, Brutal Truth are releasing a new LP via Relapse; look for End Time on 9/27. Stream two new songs at their Facebook.

All tour dates and that new video is below.

Continue reading "Mastodon release new video, Relapse sign Primate (releasing Brutal Truth even sooner), Neurosis play Portland this week"

by BBG

Rorschach at The Charleston (more by Ryan Muir)

While we wait for the Maryland Deathfest lineup to expand, one of those bands have slipped past the goalie! Rorschach will play Maryland Deathfest and will presumably be announced with their final batch of artists in the coming weeks. Final bands announced! and they are: AGALLOCH, ARCHGOAT (Finland), BRUJERIA (Mexico), YOB, BLACK WITCHERY, DYING FETUS, UNANIMATED (Sweden), MORGION, RORSCHACH, NEEDFUL THINGS (Czech Republic), DIE PIGEON DIE (Australia), and EXTERMINATION ANGEL.

Show No Mercy returns with an interview and a new song from Leviathan. The interview is short and Whitehead doesn't exactly delve deep, but it and the song are both definitely worth a listen.

Cannabis Corpse will support The Black Dahlia Murder and All Shall Perish at Knitting Factory on 10/11 as part of a larger tour together. Tickets are on sale, and their full tour schedule is below.

Vanishing Leper is Justin Detore (Mind Eraser/Rival Mob/Righteous Jams etc) and Jordan Darby (Dry-Rot), and the band is currently streaming a new EP and are preparing it for a limited release on Cold Vomit. Listen below.

The always fun Skeletonwitch are on the road with Arch Enemy, Devildriver, and Cthonic for a show at Best Buy Theater on 9/9. Tickets are still available

Kvelertak is coming.

Absu added more dates since we first posted. Original post updated.

Rise And Fall have a new 7" on the way entitled "Deceiver", alongside a reissue of Hellmouth. Look for both on Deathwish.

Portal are currently tracking their new LP.

Mastodon's Remission has been repressed on 2xLP.

We recently debuted new songs by Falloch, Rosetta, Battlefields, Bosse-de-Nage, and The Atlas Moth.

Have a fun weekend. More NYC shows listed below. What did I miss?

Continue reading "Evillive (Rorschach, Cannabis Corpse, Skeletonwitch, more)"

Cult of Youth @ Bowery Ballroom on 8/6 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Planning for Burial @ Cake Shop in June (more by BBG)

today in NYC
* Fieldwork @ The Stone
* Mike Wexler @ Zebulon
* Bebel Gilberto @ City Winery
* The Big Terrific @ Cameo Gallery
* Shooter Jennings @ The Bowery Electric
* Paul Metzger, Che Chen @ The Manhattan Inn
* The Wave Pictures, The WoWz @ Mercury Lounge
* Smoota, Little Shalimar, Wilder Zoby @ 92YTribeca
* Beast Make Bomb, Big Ups, Flagland @ Cameo Gallery
* Figurines, Pomegranates, Extra Arms @ Knitting Factory
* BoomBox, Eliot Lipp, Horizon Wireless @ Bowery Ballroom
* Will Dailey & The Rivals, Dave Wanamaker @ Mercury Lounge
* Haunted Boots, Wife, Clouder, DMA, Sleeping Bag @ Cake Shop
* Chelsea Wolfe, Cult of Youth, Planning For Burial @ Saint Vitus
* The Liminanas, The Gytters, Gaz Gaz, Diehard @ Death By Audio
* Fan-Tan, Sherlock's Daughter, Ravens & Chimes, White Life @ Pianos
* King Charles The Martyr, Justice of the Unicorns, St. Lucia @ Union Hall

Kings of Leon & Band of Horses were supposed to play PNC Bank Arts Center tonight.

Chelsea Wolfe makes her NYC debut tonight at the BV-presented Saint Vitus show with Cult of Youth and Planning for Burial. Tickets are still available. Stream the album at NPR.

Wayne's World (the movie) is playing in McCarrn Park tonight as part of Summerscreen. YellowDogs open the show with a set of music at 7:30.

Mastodon have a new video for "Curl of the Burl" off their upcoming album The Hunter. Check it out below.

Fucked Up have a new video for "The Other Shoe" off the awesomely epic David Comes to Life. Check it out below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"