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"

Bonnaroo (June 9-12 in Manchester Tennessee) has announced the 2011 lineup (slightly early), and like the rumored Lollapalooza lineup, Eminem is among the headliners. Bonnaroo also has Grammy winners Arcade Fire and the Black Keys, in addition to Lil Wayne, Mumford & Sons, the Strokes, The Decemberists, Florence & the Machine, Girl Talk, Beirut (haven't seen them in a while), and many more. Full list below...

Continue reading "Bonnaroo 2011 lineup is here"

Arcade Fire Grammy Awards ad

At least one member of Arcade Fire is ready to start winning at this year's Grammys.

"I checked with the London bookies online and we've got 9-2 odds, which is not bad," proclaims 28-year-old multi-instrumentalist Will Butler. "Right when we were nominated, we were 11-1. I wish I'd put my money down then."

He's probably not the only one.

It seems a fairly safe bet that the Montreal indie-rock septet will finally take home some hardware this year. Thanks to their acclaimed third album The Suburbs, they're getting more Grammy love than ever before.

The Suburbs is nominated for album of the year against Eminem's Recovery, Lady Antebellum's Need You Now, Lady Gaga's Fame Monster and Katy Perry's Teenage Dream.

It's also up for alternative album alongside Band of Horses' Infinite Arms, The Black Keys' Brothers, Broken Bells' self-titled disc and Vampire Weekend's Contra.

Finally, their song Ready to Start is vying for best rock performance by a duo or group, taking on Jeff Beck and Joss Stone's I Put a Spell on You, The Black Keys' Tighten Up, Kings of Leon's Radioactive and Muse's Resistance.

If they win, it will be their first trip to the Grammy podium. (They already have a pair of Junos, and are up for five more at this year's festivities.) [Toronto Sun]

Tonight is the Grammys. This is who is performing:

Avett Brothers, Dr. Dre., Bob Dylan, Adam Levine, and Mumford & Sons, Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, Muse, Katy Perry, and Barbra Streisand; Yolanda Adams, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride and current nominee Florence Welch in a special Aretha Franklin segment; nominees Justin Bieber and Usher, with Jaden Smith; nominees B.o.B, Bruno Mars, and Janelle Monáe; nominees Drake and Rihanna; nominee Cee Lo Green, with Gwyneth Paltrow and the Jim Henson Company Puppets; Mick Jagger with Raphael Saadiq; and Esperanza Spalding performing with members of the GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles and GRAMMY Camp.

Wild Nothing and Abe Vigoda play their first of two NYC shows together tonight.

What else?

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"

by Andrew Sacher

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

Alex Winston

Detroit singer-songwriter Alex Winston is starting the new year with a few shows before heading out to Europe in February. She'll be in Brooklyn tonight, January 9th, at Public Assembly for the Communion launch party with Emil & Friends, Marques Toliver, Pearl and The Beard, Bobby Long, and Simone Felice. Alex is the headliner, and there will be DJ sets by The Knocks, Neon Gold and Sean Glass.

Communion (not to be confused with the old Tuesday night party at Limelight) is a music community in London founded by Ben Lovett (Mumford & Sons), Kevin Jones (Cherbourg) and producer Ian Grimble and has been responsible for showcasing emerging and established British music. The Public Assembly show on January 9 is Communion's debut showcase in New York. It's fitting that Alex Winston is performing at the first showcase, considering she covered Mumford & Sons' "The Cave" for her Covers EP.

Winston was also at Public Assembly for the Neon Gold/Chess Club Showcase this past CMJ. I caught her at that show. Winston takes strong inspiration from Motown girl groups and crafts nostalgic pop songsm but she sets herself apart from her predecessors, by using the pop song formula to showcase more thought provoking lyrics. Her stage persona shifted from dramatic to funny multiple times and she never fails to deliver as a vocalist or performer. Winston has yet to release an album, but that will change on March 8th when her debut, "Sister Wife" is released by HeavyRoc. The Mini LP was produced by The Knocks and Charlie Hugall. Download two tracks from that album (one remixed) above.

All dates and the Communion flyer below...

Continue reading "Alex Winston releasing 'Sister Wife' (MP3), playing Communion (Ben Lovett's new series of showcases in Brooklyn)"

And the nominees for "Album of the Year" are:

* The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
* Recovery by Eminem
* Need You Now by Lady Antebellum
* The Fame Monster by Lady Gaga
* Teenage Dream by Katy Perry

Also funny: Mumford & Sons are up for Best New Artist against Justin Bieber (and Drake, Florence & The Machine, and Esperanza Spalding)

Robyn is up for Best Dance Recording against Lady Gaga (and Goldfrapp, La Roux, and Rihanna).

Arcade Fire are also nominated for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals against Muse, Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, and... Jeff Beck & Joss Stone.

The Black Keys also landed in the "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" along with... Dave Matthews.

The Black Keys and Mumford & Sons and Kings of Leon and Muse are also all in the "Best Rock Song" category.

"Best Alternative Album" category:

* The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
* Infinite Arms by Band Of Horses
* Brothers by The Black Keys
* Broken Bells by Broken Bells
* Contra by Vampire Weekend

Other names that got nominated: Cee-Lo, Janelle Monae, Big Boi, John Legend & The Roots, Jay-Z, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, Flight of the Conchords, Devendra Banhart (for "Best Recording Package"), Oh No Ono (ditto), Anais Mitchell (ditto), Danger Mouse, Gorillaz, and Carol Burnett. Full list at the Grammys site.

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) "

Ray Davies has a new LP on the way entitled See My Friends due on November 1st. The release will see The Kinks frontman pairing with multiple bands to re-record, and sometimes re-imagine, Kinks songs. And these bands have names like Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Spoon, Black Francis, Metallica, Mumford & Sons... and the legendary Alex Chilton (RIP).

"This project came about almost by accident," says Davies of the project, which was kick-started when he recorded a version of 'Till The End Of The Day' in the summer of 2009, with Alex Chilton.

Davies is getting back on the road as well, though so far he just has scattered dates in Europe, and a newly-announced show in the United States. He'll be performing his 2009 LP The Kinks Choral Collection with the Dessoff Chamber Choir at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ on November 26th. Tickets go on sale at noon today (10/8). NYC got that show in 2009.

All dates, the See My Friends tracklisting, and some video are below...

Continue reading "Ray Davies re-recorded Kinks songs w/ special friends, playing NJ & other dates "

Cadillac Sky in the studio w/ Dan Auerbach

The November 15th Mumford and Sons show at Terminal 5 is sold out, so they added a second show for November 16. Tickets go on American Express presale on Wednesday at 11 AM and general public sale starts Friday at noon.

Both shows are being opened by fellow UK artist, King Charles (Mi7 Records), and the Texas bluegrass-infused rock band Cadillac Sky who recently released their third full length album, Letters In The Deep, on Dualtone Records. The album was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Two "making of" videos below...

Continue reading "Mumford & Sons, Cadillac Sky & King Charles add another gig"

Mumford & Sons @ Mercury Lounge in 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Mumford & Sons writes,

"America, Canada - we are delighted to be bringing some rather exciting news to you fine folk this morning and that news is thus:

The four young gentlemen collectively referred to as Mumford & Sons will be returning to your shores this Fall for a 17 state, 20 date tour. See below for the full dates, venues and ticket information..."

Continue reading "Mumford & Sons announce fall 2010 Tour Dates"

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) "

photos by Vincent Cornelli, words by Rachel Kowal

one of the sons

I'm not sure when or how it happened, but sometime in the past year Mumford & Sons got big. From Cleveland to Phoenix, the British four-piece has sold out the vast majority of their upcoming tour dates, and their two shows this week in New York were no exception.

The evening at Webster Hall began with a seven-song set by Australian band, The Middle East. Like the main act, the openers had a lot of energy and a number of talented singers. They also exhibited a wide range of moods during their performance. For some songs, the bass boomed powerfully from the speakers and shook the room. But for others, like "The Darkest Side," they took a much more restrained and melodic approach, and the group's token female keyboard player, Bree Tranter, even had a lovely vocal solo. Their final song, "Blood," was particularly beautiful. The song begins gently but eventually crescendos into a lively round of group vocals.

After a long wait between sets, the impatient audience started cheering when the large Mumford & Sons banner unfurled against the stage's black backdrop. Finally, at the tech guy's signal (a few rapid blinks of a flashlight), the band took to the stage to the crowd's great delight.

Lead singer Marcus Mumford kicked things off with the title track from their debut album, "Sigh No More." The floor of Webster Hall started shaking during the very first song as the crowd bobbed up and down in time to the music, proving that this was not your typical group of ambivalent scenesters.

"This is one of the biggest shows we've ever played... we're all very excited," Marcus yelled between songs. With the opening notes of "Little Lion Man," about six songs in, the energy level in the room escalated, prompting lots of clapping, dancing, and a sing-a-long session from both the audience and the band. "Roll Away Your Stone" also got pretty rowdy, especially after the invitation to dance that preceded the song. Though Marcus had called more for a hoe-down than anything else, Webster Hall's huge disco ball was suddenly illuminated, sending rainbow-colored patches of light swirling around the room. The members from Middle East even came on stage and started dancing around and banging on drums.

For their two-song encore, Mumford & Sons played an enchanting acoustic performance of "Sisters," followed by the painfully earnest song "White Blank Page." More pictures from the show, and a picture of Mumford's setlist (which shows a 2nd encore), below...

Continue reading "Mumford & Sons & the Middle East played Webster Hall - pics & setlist"

by Andrew Frisicano

Mumford

Mumford & Sons and the Middle East played to a full house last night, 5/17, at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

As the night's only opener, the Middle East (a band on their first US tour who just played their first North American shows period around SXSW in March) had a bit of pressure on them to hold the attention of an audience primed for Mumford's more uptempo fare. Smartly, their set pivoted around two songs "The Darkest Part" and "Blood" - the heartrending twin singles off their debut Recordings of... EP. Around those were dynamic ballads and an onstage shuffle of instruments that included a trumpet, glockenspiel, flute and a bottle-cap-adorned rain stick.

They opened one song with a warning ("It's not a very good song - it's all about the words so you have to listen"), but that proved unnecessary as the talking blues trot grew into a pleasantly engrossing roar. Another, their second-to-last tune, stayed a bit too long in its hushed melody, under growing crowd conversation. It's not unusual for the Middle East to hover around a whisper before breaking free - as they did, led by their suddenly unchained drummer, in the climax of "Blood."

As for Mumford & Sons, the band inspired a Bowery-full sing-along at their packed show in February. Fans at MHOW also tried to match the band in volume and vigor. For both, Mumford & Co. set the bar high, with spot-on harmonies and songs that are arranged with a pop-tuned ear. Though they only have a 12-song debut, their songs are impressively consistent, and come together as a well-structured set (that was structured much the same as the February Bowery show).

The band did some shuffling of their own, with frontman Marcus Mumford taking up drums for a few songs, including newer song (and clear single) "Lover of the Light." With tunes like that and other gems, you can't really begrudge Mumford & Sons' clean-cut radio-readiness. Though they have a certain "old-timey style," it seems unforced.

The band came back for and encore and called back The Middle East to join them. Both bands play again tonight at Webster Hall. Tomorrow (5/19) the Middle East play a show at Mecury Lounge with Mountain Man.

More pictures from MHOW (and a video from the past Bowery show) are below....

Continue reading "Mumford & Sons and The Middle East played MHOW (pics) "

Move over wolves, crystals, girls and bears. Caves are cool now. Following in the footsteps of cave granddaddies Cave-In (who recently reunited to cash in on the cave phenomenon) and Nick Cave, there seems to be a sudden influx of cave bands hitting the scene. Maybe it all really started back in 2007 when Pretty Girls Make Graves broke up and Derek Fudesco formed The Cave Singers (Pretty Girls Make Caves) who were almost immediately signed to Matador which two years later also became the home of Cold Cave. According to Wikipedia, Cold Cave have been a band since 2005, but the dark synthpop group with hardcore roots didn't actually release anything until 2008. Their Matador debut, which really made them a household indie rock name, came in 2009.

Earlier this year, the popular LA all-girl punk band Mika Miko broke up leaving prominent member JennifEr ClAVin without a musical home, but not for long. She quickly joined cave band Cold Cave, thus adding even more credibility to the cave scene. On April 29, 2010 (last night), Cold Cave played a headlining show at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC. How was it? They reportedly played for 35 minutes and it was their third NYC show in less than a week. The first was at Solar One, a free NYU Earth Day concert with HEALTH. The next was up at Barnard in a gym due to rain that forced it inside.

Continuing along with the partial inspiration or this post: Cave and Caves. This one was especially confusing me lately, in part due to the emails I get on behalf of both bands. I had to take a second and confirm in my mind that these were two different groups.

CAVE (I think it's all capital letters) is a psychedelic Chicago rock band with an impressive resume and a bunch of releases dating back to 2006. You may have caught them on their November tour. If not, don't fear, the band have a loaded show schedule this summer that includes the Pitchfork Festival, the Sled Island Festival in Canada, dates with Quintron and Miss Pussycat, and two NYC shows: August 14th at the Studio at Webster Hall and August 15th at Issue Project Room. A new 12" CAVE EP entitled Pure Moods will be released by Drag City in May (though the download seems to be available now). All tour dates below.

Caves (plural) started in San Francisco, but like the Morning Benders, now live in Brooklyn. Like Cave, they also fall into the psychedelic category. And though they are looking for a drummer, they actually have five local shows coming up including a record release party at Cameo tonight (4/30). Said the Gramophone has an MP3. You can listen to more at their SonicBids page. All dates below.

Caveman

Also tonight, 4/30, in the NYC-area: Caveman are opening for Here We Go Magic at Maxwell's. The four-part harmonizing Brooklyn band (who has opened for Here We Go Magic before) is the new project from Matty Pickles of The Subjects. Other members are Subjects guitarist Jimmy Carbonetti, Jeff Berrall of Elefant, Stefan Marolachakis from The End of the World, and Sam Hopkin. Maybe you caught Caveman at Cameo (or Caveo as some call it) on April 19th. Shannon did:

"I returned to the mystical back room just in time to hear Caveman self-deprecate and be casual and charming, then nonchalantly break into a pretty tight, polished set that would stop you in your tracks on Bedford Avenue if you heard it coming out of a record shop. I mean, check out the song "Decide," on Caveman's Myspace here. They have such a lovely, echoed lo-fi sound. I believe the band is somewhat newly formed. I gather this from something they mentioned in their stage banter and because I have their set list from that night in my purse, and more than one song began with "New Jam # ...," which I find incredibly endearing."

Finally, last but not least, I'll wrap things up with Cave Bears. They, like Cleveland's Clan of the Cave Bear, have successfully combined both caves and bears, but the mind-expanding experimental, and sometimes silly, Massachusetts band has a sound all their own (at least compared to anyone else in this post). No wonder they recently shared a bill (the same night Cavebear played Cameo) at Death By Audio with guitarist and Thurston Moore collaborator Bill Nace, the Thurston Moore approved Fat Worm Of Error, and Darren Mabee's band We are the Seahorses. Video of their wacky live show with everything else, below...

Continue reading "Caves are the new Bears (except for Cave Bear) "

"The 2010 Lollapalooza line-up is official: Soundgarden, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire, The Strokes, and Phoenix will headline, joined by Social Distortion, MGMT, Jimmy Cliff, Hot Chip, and The Black Keys. With 130 bands on this year's bill, its sure to be a weekend long feast for the ears.

It's a monumental year for Lollapalooza, filled with homecomings, reunions, and first-times. Soundgarden, 1992 and 1996 Lollapalooza alumni, return to the Lollapalooza stage for their first performance since 1997. Green Day will rock Grant Park sixteen years after their first Lollapalooza appearance. While Lady Gaga will headline the festival only three short years after playing the BMI stage at Lollapalooza 2007.

Arcade Fire returns to Grant Park, having played the reincarnated Lollapalooza in 2005. This is the first Lollapalooza for The Strokes - and also their first show in four years. And making their Lollapalooza debut: Phoenix." - Lollapalooza

Continue reading "Lollapalooza actually announces 2010 lineup "

photos by Mike Hollis

"True to the random, follow-your-nose nature of NX35, I was just heading out of Dan's to catch a spot in line at Hailey's before the much-anticipated Walkmen show filled to capacity, when Australia's Middle East kicked off just in time to change my plans.

At first, the sweetly arpeggiated acoustic finger-style struck me as somewhat saccharine--until a more tragic note in singer Jordan Ireland's delicate tenor caught me short.

45 minutes later, the seven-piece closed with "Blood," a haunted rave-up that somehow managed to wrap the contradictory emotions of deep loss and celebration around a celtic-tinged melody with four-part background vocals, leaving the now rapt audience literally yelling for more, and booing when it was clear no encore would be forthcoming." [Dallas Observer]

That tour was already scheduled to stop by Webster Hall on Tuesday, May 18th. Now that show is sold out, and they've added a May 17th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 19th at noon.

More pictures from Denton are below...

Continue reading "The Middle East played their 1st, and only pre-SXSW, US show in Denton, TX (pics), add 2nd NYC show w/ Mumford & Sons"

by Andrew Frisicano

Mumford & Sons @ Bowery Ballroom on February 18th (more by Sarahana)

London four-piece Mumford & Sons will make good on the promise made at their sold-out Bowery Ballroom show earlier this February to return shortly to NYC. The band heads out with Australia's the Middle East across North America this May and June, and they'll both be at NYC's Webster Hall on Tuesday, May 18th. Tickets TBA. You can also catch Mumford at Bonnaroo.

At the Bowery, Mumford & Sons played to an enthusiastic, considerably British crowd (they took a mid-set poll), who had no qualms with singing out the choruses. The UK showing was understandable considering that Mumford's debut, Sigh No More, has been out for almost six months in their home country. In the States the band is still a relatively new arrival (kind of like fellow major label Brit Little Boots, whose Hands came out in the UK last June and is just getting to the US on March 2nd, the same night she plays Highline Ballroom).

That said, the recorded product is both immediate and familiar. Sigh No More benefits greatly from the production of veteran studioman Markus Dravs (whose credits include Bjork and Arcade Fire's Neon Bible and a forthcoming third album). The harmonies on the record are air-tight and brightly polished. Live, the varnish wears off a bit to reveal the affable, passionate, skilled musicians underneath. They benefit from a concert-hall of voices in support (a thing facilitated by the lyrics, which are clear and earnest). Currently, the band is all potential, and their new songs at the Bowery Ballroom showed promise and an encouraging desire to further loosen the neck ties.

Part of their tour with the Middle East includes Sasquatch Music Fest this May (a lineup which also includes Mumford collaborator Laura Marling). Before that, Mumford & Sons will play shows across Europe.

The Middle East will be at Coachella this April, and even sooner they'll be playing SXSW. Their first of four Austin shows will be at the BrooklynVegan official SXSW showcase at Club DeVille on Wednesday, March 17th (also with Dawes, Here We Go Magic, Bowerbirds, Califone and Serena Maneesh). Their full SXSW schedule, all tour dates and Mumford's new video for "The Cave" are below...

Continue reading "Mumford & Sons - 2010 Tour Dates w/ The Middle East (and more about that Bowery show)"

Still Life Still @ Mercury Lounge in 2009 (more by Vincent Cornelli)

tonight in NYC
* Surfer Blood @ Other Music
* Robyn Hitchcock @ City Winery
* Teeth Mountain, Living Days @ Death By Audio
* Jonathan Kane's February @ Issue Project Room
* Ha Ha Tonka, Daniel Wayne, Josh Mease @ Pianos
* Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers, Bizi Gara, Asa Ransom @ The Cameo
* Wild Beasts, Violens, Still Life Still @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Surfer Blood, Turbo Fruits, We Are Country Mice, Radical Sons @ Mercury Lounge
* Kidz in the Hall, 88 Keys, Izza Kizza, Donnis, DJ K-Salaam @ Highline Ballroom
* Shooting Spires, Pterodactyl, Summer Recreation Camp, Unstoppable Death Machines @ Union Pool
* Brooklyn Psych Fest w/ Madam Robot and The Lust Brigade, Traveling Circle, The Runaway Suns, Heavy Hands, La Otracina, Naam, Asteroid #4, Sounds of Kaleidoscope @ Glasslands

Surfer Blood is playing a free-instore @ Other Music today (6:30pm) before their sold out show at Mercury Lounge. They played to a packed house at Market Hotel last night.

A poster for the BK psych Fest, at Glasslands today, is below.

Today is also the Brooklyn Record Riot at Warsaw.

Bad Lieutenant's video for "Sink or Swim" below...

The Hidden Cameras' video for "Underage", below...

Mumford & Sons' video for "The Cave", below...

A Place To Bury Strangers' video for "Keep Slipping Away", below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

words & photos by Sarahana

Mumford & Sons is further proof that when it comes to popular taste, being good enough will get you far. Despite a rating system that makes little sense whichever way you look at it, Pitchfork was correct in stating, "Mumford & Sons are in the costume business. They're playing dress-up in threadbare clothes."

But guess what? Tons of people love the costume business, and there is "good" in "good enough". Lending to that "good-enough-ness" is, primarily, singer Marcus Mumford's distraught voice, which, on a purely aesthetic level, can remind you of Michael Stipe's inherent agony. Except, Marcus sounds like he was specifically engineered for songs that take after Biblical parables, teeming with betrayal, disasters and lessons. The songs aren't half-bad (though vaguely unsatisfying), and the band members are all proficient musicians (Marcus' voice didn't flinch when he was pounding on drums), but ultimately the frustration comes to this: in every work of art you hope to detect the artist's moment of inspiration, and in Mumford & Sons, there is no such revelation.

However, when it comes to pop music, the fitting principle is: to hell with art. Whatever makes people feel like the music is speaking to their lives and emotions is good enough! And given that their songs are a series of allusions to strong emotions, it's no surprise that Mumford & Sons is listed in several major festival line-ups and has already sold out most of its upcoming shows.

--

Freelance Whales opened the sold out show at Bowery Ballroom in NYC last night (2/18). Note that the above review was from Sarahana who shot the show. We have a 2nd viewpoint coming soon. More pictures from that show below...

Continue reading "Mumford & Sons, Freelance Whales @ Bowery Ballroom -pics"

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) "

Fucked Up passing the mic @ Market Hotel in 2008 (more by Zach Stern)

tonight in NYC
* Yellow Crystal Star @ The Stone
* Nellie McKay @ The Allen Room
* Fucked Up, Kurt Vile @ Maxwell's
* Winter Antifolk Fest @ Sidewalk Cafe
* Thrones, Carla Bozulich @ Ash's Place
* Dan Black, Free Blood @ Mercury Lounge
* Tinariwen, Fool's Gold @ Highline Ballroom
* Aa, Liturgy, Dan Friel, Grasshopper @ Don Pedro
* Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck @ Madison Square Garden
* Mumford & Sons, Freelance Whales @ Bowery Ballroom
* The Garden Grows, Dawn Landes, Annie Nero @ Sycamore
* John Zorn Masada Marathon w/ guests @ Abrons Art Center
* Fredrik, A Big Yes and a Small No, Fight Like Apes @ Union Hall
* Lemonade, Brahms, Future Trends, Unsolved Mysteries @ Glasslands
* Gonzales Piano Talk Show w/ DJ A-Trak & a surprise guest @ Joe's Pub
* Savoir Adore, The Bloodsugars, Ennui, Red Wire Black Wire @ Cake Shop
* Emily Long, Fugitive Souls, Ambassadors, The Yes Way, Dinosaur Bones @ Santos Party House

If the site seems slow at all today and tomorrow it's because I'm at by:Larm in Norway (currently typing this on zero sleep).

Being that they're from Sweden, Fredrik are qualified to play by:Larm (all Scandinavian bands), but instead they play NYC tonight.

Happy Birthday Dr. Dre.

Tinariwen play Highline Ballroom tonight, The Bell House tomorrow, and will be back for a Summerstage show in June. Fool's Gold open both of this week's shows.

Fucked Up and Kurt Vile play the first of two NYC-area shows tonight. Fucked Up's other upcoming shows include a BrooklynVegan day party at SXSW.

Uk quartet Mumford and Sons play a sold-out Bowery Ballroom show with local up-and-comers Freelance Whales. Videos of Marcus Mumford & co. are below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

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) "

After a hectic day of updating the constantly updating Bonnaroo lineup page, the entire thing has been announced. Gwar, Norah Jones, and the rest of the lineup below...

Continue reading "the complete 2010 Bonnaroo lineup (Stevie Wonder, The Melvins, Kings of Leon, Isis, Local Natives & many more) "

DOWNLOAD: Freelance Whales - Generator First Floor (live) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Freelance Whales - Generator Second Floor (live) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Freelance Whales - Ghosting (live) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Freelance Whales - Starring (live) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Freelance Whales - Kilojoules (live) (MP3)

Freelance Whales @ Webster Hall on December 18th (by Fresh Bread)

Freelance Whales spent some time on the road with Fanfarlo at the end of 2009. That culminated in a December 18th show at Webster Hall (pictured above).

More recently, Freelance Whales played Mercury Lounge on January 20th with Animal Tropical and Still Life Still (as part of their residency at the venue).

Freelance Whales will again be opening up for some great bands at bigger venues. On Thursday, February 18th they open for UK's Mumford & Sons at Bowery Ballroom (that show is sold out). Then on March 1st they open for Shout Out Louds at MHOW on March 1st (also sold out).

Shout Out Louds (whose new album Work comes out February 23rd) have added to that date with a North American tour this May. They play May 5th at Webster Hall. Tickets are on sale. All tour dates and the video for the new album's first single are below.

Freelance Whales have been added to the Cymbals Eat Guitars/Bear in Heaven tour happening this March and April, though Freelance Whales do NOT appear to be playing the show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, April 9th (tickets are on sale).

Freelance Whales were also added to the Bell House's Haiti benefit on Wednesday, January 27th. Tickets are still on sale.

The re-release (or "official" release) of Freelance Whales' Weathervanes on Frenchkiss/Mom + Pop Records comes March 16th. The band was recently a guest on online radio show Snacky Tunes (which is hosted by Finger on the Pulse). Their live session is posted above.

All tour and more are below...

Continue reading "Freelance Whales played Snacky Tunes (MP3s), playing w/ Cymbals Eat Guitars, Bear in Heaven, Shout Out Louds -dates"

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)"