by Andrew Sacher

Hot Water Music

Chuck Ragan (of Hot Water Music) is taking The Revival Tour 2012 across the US and Canada this March and April. Like past Revival Tours, the shows feature a number of singers (usually of the punk scene) and their acoustic instruments collaborating on stage in a traditional folk music fashion. This year's tour hits NYC on March 30 at Bowery Ballroom, and in addition to Chuck Ragan, features Dan Andriano (of Alkaline Trio), Tommy Gabel (of Against Me!), and Lucero-associate Cory Branan. Tickets go on sale Saturday (2/4) at noon. The Revival tour also has ticket bundle options available with tour samplers, vinyls, posters, and more.

Nathaniel Rateliff, who released his debut album back in 2010, is on a number of the dates too, but unfortunately will not play at the Bowery Ballroom show. However, he will play in NYC one day before that show as part of the Communion-presented "Austin to Boston" tour, which kicks off at this year's SXSW in Austin. That tour hits Mercury Lounge on March 29 and also includes Ben Howard, The Staves, and Bear's Den. Tickets are on sale now.

Chuck Ragan's band Hot Water Music, who have been reunited since 2008, have announced that they're working on their first new album since the reunion and since 2004's The New What Next. They've been recording the album with Bill Stevenson (Descendents) and it should see the light of day this May on Rise Records, the label they signed to over the summer. Hot Water Music released the single "The Fire, The Steel, The Tread," b/w "Up to Nothing" in September of 2011. There's no word of whether or not these songs will appear on the new album, but you can stream them both below.

Hot Water Music have a few shows scheduled in 2012 including Bamboozle in Asbury Park, NJ and SXSW. Single day passes for 5/19 when HWM plays Bamboozle, along with The Promise Ring, A$AP Rocky, Action Bronson, and others, are on sale now. HWM doesn't have many other shows announced at the moment but maybe they'll schedule a NYC show when they're in the area for Bamboozle like The Promise Ring did.

All dates, streams, and tour fliers below...

Continue reading "Revival Tour announced w/ Chuck Ragan, Tom Gabel, Dan Andriano & Nathaniel Rateliff (who has his own dates too)"

"The Snow Ball Music Festival [in 2011] was chill, in more ways than one. Besides the expected below freezing temperatures Avon gets in early March, the atmosphere of the festival and attitude of the attendees were very relaxed. The tents were set up on snow instead of concrete, and so dancing the first night was no small fete as everyone was slipping on the ice. By the end of the weekend, any movement at all was unpleasant as people were standing in puddles of water, beer, and probably some bodily fluids or stuck to the ground in thick mud. The crowd left their clubbing attire at home and sported their neon ski coats instead as they drifted through the clouds of cigarette and marijuana smoke. Despite the cold weather and the impossible dance floor, most importantly, the music was good." [cause=time]

The SnowBall Music Festival, for people not afraid to watch bands playing outside in freezing temperatures ("We recommend that you come prepared for snow and winter conditions. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 40° range during the day and in the teens at night. Please dress accordingly."), is returning to Vail Valley in Avon, CO from March 2 - 4, 2012. This year's lineup includes Big Boi, Big Freedia, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (who just announced a Bowery Ballroom show), Deer Tick, Gauntlet Hair, Major Lazer, TV on the Radio, Thundercat, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and others (listed below)

Early bird and holiday special passes are sold out but regular passes and tickets for the festival are on sale now. Don't forget your "Warm Jackets, hats, gloves, and snow boots."

Current lineup below...

Continue reading "Snowball Music Festival is outside in the Winter in Colorado (2012 lineup) "

Nathaniel Rateliff @ MHOW in October (more by Vincent Cornelli)

tonight in NYC
* Bun B & friends @ SOB's
* Nellie McKay @ Feinstein's
* Dave Rawlings Machine @ Bowery Ballroom
* Roy Ayers, DJ Jon Quick @ Betsy Head Park
* Rich Medina, Akalepse @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Entombed, Woe of Tyrants @ Gramercy Theatre
* I'm In You, Butchers and Bakers @ Union Pool
* Nathaniel Rateliff, JBM @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* The Death Set, Hussle Club @ Knitting Factory
* Robby Krieger & Ray Manzarek of the Doors @ Nokia Theatre
* Chief, She Keeps Bees, Caveman @ Mercury Lounge
* J-Roddy Walston & The Business @ Mercury Lounge
* Blessure Grave, Led er Est, Passions @ Bruar Falls
* Kraak and Smaak (DJ Set), Lauren Flax, Corb @ Santos Party House
* Cyro Baptista's Banquet of the Spirits @ The Stone
* Tobacco, Soundpool, Sunglasses, Telephoned @ Glasslands
* Conan O'Brien & Reggie Watts @ Radio City Music Hall
* JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys, Alpha Rev @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Sound Bites Luchtime Series w/ Air Waves @ South Street Seaport
* Coasting, Sisters, Big Troubles, Xray Eyeballs @ Death By Audio
* Alberta Cross, 22-20s, The Postelles @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Zs, Child Abuse, Controlled Bleeding, Cellular Chaos @ Shea Stadium
* Antoine Chessex, Valerio Tricoli, Gilles Aubrey @ Issue Project Room
* Blind Shake, Birthday Suits, Justice of the Unicorn, Jenny and The Holzers, The Honey Dos @ Cake Shop

Nathaniel Rateliff (previously "The Wheel" and/or "Nathaniel Rateliff and The Wheel") is back in town for two shows. Some videos below.

Gothy Cali duo Blessure Grave (who played Santos last night), Brooklyn's Led er Est, and Passions play at Bruar Falls tonight for Oscillations. A flyer is below. Email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Blessure Grave) if you want a free pair of tickets. Include your first and last name. Winners will be contacted.

Alberta Cross headline their own show at Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight. We have some free tickets for that show too. If you want them,dmail BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Alberta Cross) Include your first and last name. Winners will be contacted.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

by Andrew Frisicano

Laura Marling @ MHOW at BV-CMJ 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Laura Marling will be in New York tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) as part of her US tour that runs through May. Tickets are still on sale for tonight's Music Hall of Williamsburg show (tomorrow's City Winery gig is sold out).

Laura Marling's current tour comes on the heels her sophomore LP, I Speak Because I Can, which came out in the US at the beginning of April. The record builds on her vigorously personal debut with songs that are measured yet fiery, taking inspiration from wartime love letters and fables, as well as fellow folkies (at a recent gig she covered upstate songwriter Jackson C. Frank's "Blues Run the Game"). The rest of the year will have Laura touring the world, playing for a second time at Glastonbury (and other high-profile UK gigs like at London's Serpentine Sessions in Hyde Park), and recording and releasing a third LP.

On this tour, Pete Roe, Laura's pianist and banjo player, will be opening with his own material from an EP due out in June (a track from it is streaming here). Also on the tour are dusky-voiced London duo Smoke Fairies. They released a single on Jack White's Third Man Records late last year (which features Jacks White and Lawrence on drums and bass, respectively), and just released Ghosts, a compilation of singles and b-sides, in the US.

Laura talked with me over the phone about her upcoming projects, tours and playing New York. That's below...

Continue reading "an interview with Laura Marling (who plays MHOW tonight)"

DOWNLOAD: Nathaniel Rateliff - Early Spring Till (MP3)

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel @ BV CMJ at MHOW (more by Vincent Cornelli)

Nathaniel Rateliff and The Wheel opened all of Laura Marling's last, brief North American tour in February, including a show at (Le) Poisson Rouge.

UPDATE: It's official. No more "The Wheel". (just Nathaniel Rateliff) (there's still a full band - just no more "The Wheel" in the name).

He has a great new record, In Memory of Loss, coming out on April 27th on Rounder Records (cover art below), and more shows on the way. Most of his upcoming shows - ones with Low Anthem, a Daytrotter Barnstormer tour (aka Delta Spirit, Ra Ra Riot, Pearly Gate Music, and Free Energy playing in barns) and Tallest Man on Earth - are in the Midwest. He comes east for shows around the beginning of June, and will play a pair of NYC gigs: (Le) Poisson Rouge on June 2nd and Union Hall on June 3rd. Tickets for LPR are on sale. Union hall tix are TBA.

His former tourmate Laura Marling (who the Wheel also backed on some songs at the shows) will be in NYC for a pair of shows this May on her upcoming tour.

All tour dates and video of Nathaniel Rateliff at SXSW, LPR and playing from and talking about his new album are below...

Continue reading "Nathaniel Rateliff - debut album out soon, 2010 tour dates w/ 2 NYC shows & Daytrotter Barnstormer gigs"

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) "

The Wheel @ MHOW in Oct (more by Vincent Cornelli)

tonight in NYC
* Jimmy Scott @ Iridium
* Tracy Bonham @ BAMcafe
* B.B. King @ United Palace Theatre
* Obits, Rope, Gray Goods @ Cake Shop
* Melissa Ferrick, Mal Blum @ Maxwell's
* Delta Spirit, The Willowz @ Union Hall
* Phantogram, Junk Culture @ Mercury Lounge
* Dave Hillyard & Rocksteady 3 @ Sunny's Bar
* Laura Marling, The Wheel @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Jonathan Richman @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* The Hackensaw Boys, Morgan O'Kane @ 92YTribeca
* Assembly of Dust, Leroy Justice @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Justice (DJ), DJ Mehdi, Busy P, Breakbot @ Terminal 5
* Liquor Store, Cerebral Ballzy, Violent Bullshit @ Don Pedro
* Total Slacker, Camera-Head Shark, Xray Eyeballs @ Bruar Falls
* The Watson Twins, Hanne Hukkelberg, La Strada @ The Bell House
* Unsane, Made Out Of Babies, United Nations, Dark Vibe @ Union Pool
* Unsound w/ David Daniell, Xavier van Wersch, Nadja @ Issue Project Room
* Spanish Prisoners, Pet Ghost Project, Renminbi, KC Quilty, Soleil @ Spike Hill
* Frankie & The Outs, Harlem, Stupid Party, The Siberians @ Monster Island Basement
* Glass Ghost, Flotilla, The Naked Hearts, Miracles of Modern Science, Echostream @ Studio at Webster Hall

Inlets play an early private show at Pianos (congrats to our two contest winners). If you miss it, they're next show is at 92yTribeca in March.

The Soft Pack, who recently played 10 shows in 1 day in LA and a late show at Cake Shop, are on Letterman tonight.

The Wheel and Laura Marling share a bill once again in NYC tonight (sold out). Nathaniel Rateliff from the Wheel performed on stage with Delta Spirit at Pianos last night.

Delta Spirit and The Willowz play their fourth NYC show together tonight at Union Hall.

Fashion Week continues. Shows last night included Metric, Patti Smith, Alberta Cross.... and Guns n Roses.

What else?

photos by Vincent Cornelli

Fanfarlo @ CMJ 2009

The 2010 CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival will take place in New York City from October 19 to 23. The 2009 CMJ Music Marathon began on October 20th which was the same night as the BrooklynVegan showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg. A new set of pictures from that show is continued below...

Continue reading "2010 CMJ dates, 2009 CMJ pictures (from the BrooklynVegan showcase @ Music Hall of Williamsburg) "

photos by Tim Griffin

The showcase started shortly after 7pm, when spunky Montreal quartet Think About Life kicked off a set of gangly, effusive sampler-enriched funk rock before a crowd of maybe 30 onlookers--a third of whom were photographers. For the most part, the bill ran like clockwork: The Walter Schreifels Band quickly recovered from a momentary technical glitch to deliver a loose set of well-crafted, rootsy rockers, ending with a darkly bluesy cover of "Summertime" from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel, a Denver group newly signed to the Rounder label, conjured the ghosts of Nick Drake and Gram Parsons with spare, moody folk-rock wrapped in grainy arrangements anchored by a fantastic bassist, Julie Davis.
[Time Out]

It's true. For the second time in a row, Think About Life played to a small crowd at Music Hall of Williamsburg (10/20). It filled up nicely by the time Walter went on, and then even more people were there for Nathaniel and then it was a completely packed house for Laura Marling and The Antlers (and a slightly less packed house for late-night show-closer Fanfarlo).

Think About Life are awesome for doing the early set, especially since its not the type of crowd they're used to back home. And those that did get to see them, seemed to love them. And I heard Arlene's was more at capacity for their only other CMJ show which happened at Arlene's Grocery last night (10/21).

More pictures from MHOW, below...

Continue reading "Think About Life @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (BV-CMJ) pics"

photos by Tim Griffin

"Nathaniel Rateliff and The Wheel winning over the Music Hall crowd in a huge way, and for good reason." - my Twitter

"I hadn't heard Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel before last night, but they were a very pleasant surprise. Rateliff's voice, which reminded me of the Tallest Man on Earth's Kristian Matsson, strikes the perfect and rare balance between soothing and powerful. I'm going to buy his record now, and I suggest you do the same. Assuming you like Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes and autumn." [L Magazine]

Speaking of his record, I found out last night that Nathaniel Rateliff has signed to Rounder Records who will probably release the debut album by "Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel" sometime in the Spring of 2010. In the meantime, you have three more CMJ chances to see The Wheel. Those dates along with more pictures from their set at the BV showcase at Music Hall of Williamsurg last night (10/20), below...

Continue reading "Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel played BV-CMJ @ MHOW (pics), signed to Rounder Records! ++ more dates"

Walter Schreifels, Laura Marling, The Antlers

"I went to see Walter Schreifels at the Studio in NYC. I didn't bring my camera because I had never been to the place and wasn't sure of the policy. I wound up regretting it. A few nights ago [August 11th] Wally played here in Hoboken [at Maxwell's] and I decided to bring the appendage along with me. Walter best known for his sheer genius as a song writer, guitar player, producer and singer for countless bands including Gorilla Biscuits, Quicksand, Rival Schools, Walking Concert and countless others plays a stripped down version of various tracks from those projects. All while throwing in some tracks from his solo album which is due later in the year." [Photogeek]

The Walter Schreifels Band will play a special early set (like Sufjan did at ATP) to start the BrooklynVegan CMJ night at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. From there we'll go into Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel (Denver) followed by Laura Marling (UK) followed by The Antlers (NYC) which will then transition beautifully into Fanfarlo (UK) who will close out the night. Set times TBA.

The mutli-talented Dave Hill, who plays guitar for Walter, will also stick around to host the night (and tell some jokes). Tickets are on sale will go on sale Friday at noon, and a bunch of CMJ badges will be let in.

This will actually be one of two official CMJ shows we're doing this year. The other one will be much heavier and put together by Black Bubblegum. Day party announcements are coming too.

The Antlers are currently on tour with the newly-signed Holly Miranda who is also playing CMJ.

Laura Marling is playing solo at this show, and at a few more US shows that week. Those dates include a 2nd NYC show at Joe's Pub on October 23rd which is now unfortunately sold out. All dates, and some videos, below...

Continue reading "2009 BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase @ MHOW (Walter Schreifels Band, The Antlers, Laura Marling, Fanfarlo, Wheel)"

DOWNLOAD: The Wheel - Whimper and Wail (MP3)

"The Wheel: Stark, eloquent Cash echoes." - NY Times

"Thirteen bands were scheduled to play the BrooklynVegan / Agency Group day party in Austin on Thursday, March 19, 2009. Twelve ended up playing - one of them twice. I think the story is that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, who had a zillion other shows also scheduled during the SXSW week, got confused about what their set time was. For that reason (and traffic), they showed up too late to go on in their slot. Instead, The Wheel, who was our last-minute addition as opener on the inside stage, immediately went outside and played a second set on the larger outdoor stage in the late band's place. We got at least one "boo" when the "scheduling mixup" was announced, but what could we do? (sorry!) It was awesome of the Wheel to fill on a moment's notice. Hopefully the people outside enjoyed him after they got over the awkwardness. I didn't watch his second set, but he sounded amazing inside." [me]

By "he", I meant Nathaniel Rateliff whose official band name is now "Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel". The second Nathaniel left the stage (the first time) I ran up to him and asked if he would please play my CMJ show. He agreed, and now finally over six months later I'm happy to announce it that The Wheel will be appearing at the BV party at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 20th (the show Fanfarlo are also playing).

On July 22nd of this year, The Wheel opened for Bon Iver (the opener of my CMJ show in 2007) in Nathaniel's hometown of Denver...

"Openers The Wheel were playing to a hometown crowd, but nonetheless got the loudest prolonged-cheer reception I have heard for any local band in a long time. Their intricate, melancholy songs are steeped in goodness and ready for a larger stage. The band is magnetically led by the wry, exceptional voice of frontman Nathaniel Rateliff (Born In The Flood) who in the oddest coincidence that you ever think could sound good, vocally evokes a young and impassioned Neil Diamond minus the glitter. The technicolor songs pack a punch, yet sounded timeless through a symphony of strings, aching harmonica and guitars, piano, intuitive drumming, and vocal harmonies that cut through the venue and held everyone's attention." [I Am Fuel You Are Friends]

If you don't make it to the October 20th Music Hall show, don't worry, it's CMJ. The Wheel (sometimes solo, and sometimes with a band) will be playing more than one show that week. One of those shows is October 23rd at Bowery Ballroom with Portugal. The Man, The Temper Trap, Drug Rug, and All The Day Holiday (tickets). Another one of those shows is a BrooklynVegan day party on Saturday, October 24th, at Pianos (many more details TBA on that one).

One MP3 is above. More songs at MySpace. Dates & videos below...

Continue reading "Nathaniel Rateliff & The Wheel (coming to BV-CMJ)"