by BBG

Matmos with Kronos Quartet last year

The Chiara String Quartet and NOW Ensemble come together Friday, May 6 at (Le) Poisson Rouge for a joint album release concert, celebrating two fresh albums from New Amsterdam Records with some of the foremost performers and composers of this emerging self-reliant generation: NOW Ensemble's sophomore statement, Awake (with compositions by ensemble members Judd Greenstein, Mark Dancigers, Patrick Burke, and commissioned work by Missy Mazzoli, Sean Friar, and David Crowell), and Jefferson Friedman: Quartets, performed by the Chiara String Quartet and special guest, electronic duo, Matmos.

Both Awake and Jefferson Friedman: Quartets are out now via New Amsterdam (congrats to both groups). As stated above, Matmos will join in to assist in the performance of the latter at the show, which will also house a screening of the new animated film Plan Of The City "about the architecture of New York City blasting off into outer space and resettling on Mars". Whoa, far out bro. Check out a teaser for that film below, and get you tickets for the May 6th show at LPR while they are still available.

Matmos is also scheduled to head out to the Manchester International Festival in July to join Marina Abramovic, Antony Hagerty, Willem Defoe (yes, Green Goblin from Spider Man) and more as part of the stage production of The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic:

Manchester International Festival and Teatro Real Madrid present the world premiere of a startling new piece for the stage: The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic, a biography of the godmother of performance art, re-imagined by visionary director Robert Wilson.

The show features scenes from Abramovic's life and career, from her Serbian childhood to her work as a performance artist. Featuring original and traditional music, including songs written and performed by the incomparable Antony (Antony & The Johnsons), this ground-breaking show brings together the worlds of theatre, art and music to thrilling effect.

No word on if the pieces compsed for the production will ever see the light of day outside of the UK.

In semi-related news, the ever-collaborative Matmos has worked with members of The Princeton Laptop Orchestra (PLOrk) in the past and the collective will play 92YTribeca TONIGHT. PLOrk will bring an "evening of wildly innovative electronic music, live 3D video and hacked video game hardware." Tickets are still available.

Matmos is hitting the road in Europe in May much to the semi-disappointment of Matmos member Drew Daniel:

"Drew is very sad that he will be missing Maryland DeathFest this year, but touring Europe with Jay Lesser and John Wiese will make up for missing Corrosion of Conformity's reformation of the Animosity lineup." - Matmos

Turn that frown upside down Drew, you can still catch the Animosity lineup on tour (they play Brooklyn Bowl on 7/20, tickets go on sale at noon today).

Tour dates for that Matmos trek, the Plan of The City Teaser video and more, below...

Continue reading "PLOrk is here, Chiara String Quartet & NOW released LPs, Matmos playing with them, won't be at Maryland Deathfest"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: William Brittelle - Sheena Easton (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: William Brittelle - Dunes of Vermillion (MP3)

Composer William Brittelle will be hosting an album release show on Tuesday, August 3rd at LPR for his new record, Television Landscape, which came out July 27th on New Amsterdam Records (a label he co-founded).

The ACME Quartet will open the night with a premiere from Brittelle's new electroacoustic project Future Shock, first the multi-movement string quartet Future Shock II (for string quartet), followed by a performance of his Future Shock I (for viola) with celebrated violist Nadia Sirota, which debuted in September as part of New Amsterdam Records' Archipelago Series. ACME will end the first set with new Shock piece Soft Animal, a work for harp trio featuring multi-instrumentalist Caleb Burhans on banjo and vocals.

For the second set, Brittelle will perform with an 8-person ensemble of esteemed musicians from groups such as the NOW Ensemble, The Long Count, Jerseyband, and the Respect Sextet to present his genre-bending Television Landscape album (released July 27th on New Amsterdam Records) in full, including a never-heard-before extended version of song "Pegasus in Alcatraz." This will also be his first live vocal performance in years.

The story behind William's vocal ailments (aka why he hasn't sung publicly 6 years) and a brief history of his work is up at the NY Times.

Two songs from the album are above: the anthemic, lushly-scored soft-rock ballad "Sheena Easton," which features a guitar solo by new music shredder Mark Dancigers and vocal support from Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and "Dunes of Vermillion," a tune that falls between breathy pop serenade and post-rock soundscape, with an earful of cooing, robot-tinged vocals. The whole record is streaming at New Amsterdam.

Tickets for the concert are on sale, and we have two pairs to give away. A flyer for the show and details on the contest are below...

Continue reading "William Brittelle released a record, playing a show (win tix) "

DOWNLOAD: Sarah Kirkland Snider's "This Is What You're Like" (feat. Shara Worden) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: William Brittelle - Dunes of Vermillion (MP3)

Sarah and Shara...

New Amsterdam Records is pleased to announce a very special evening of complete performances of two upcoming albums by two of our co-Directors: Sarah Kirkland Snider's PENELOPE, featuring the extraordinary vocalist Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) with New York "supergroup" Signal (conducted by Brad Lubman), and William Brittelle's TELEVISION LANDSCAPE, featuring an ensemble comprised of members of Alarm Will Sound, NOW Ensemble, The Long Count, and more.

This very special evening will take place on Saturday, April 3rd at the Bell House in Brooklyn. Check out one song from each, above. Tickets are on sale.

The show is the only chance to hear Penelope performed live by Shara and Signal any time soon. They promise it won't happen again until at least after the album comes out in August which is probably around the time that Shara Worden also officially becomes a mom. Shara's recent busy-while-pregnant schedule has included sets with Clogs and her own band, My Brightest Diamond, at Big Ears, as well as a surprise appearance with Regina Spektor (and Nicole Atkins) at Irving Plaza.

"Regina Spektor was joined on stage for duets with Only Son's Jack Dishel, who beatboxed the h-e-double hockey sticks out of "Hotel Song." Jersey native, Nicole Atkins, sang her heart out choosing a new song, "Towers," over the audience requested favorite, "Neptune City." Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) rocked while timing her "pregnancy breaths" into performances of "Inside a Boy" and "Feeling Good." Spektor delighted fans with favorites like "Après Moi," "Us," "Blue Lips," On the Radio," "Fidelity," "Better," "Music Box," "Eet," and "Laughing With." Her rendition (lyrics in hand) of "Hallelujah" was hauntingly gorgeous. She ended the evening with "Samson" and graciously thanked her string section, all the performers, and the audience for supporting such an important cause." [quasihip]

Congrats to Shara and her husband. Videos from that show along with more info on the pieces being performed Saturday, below...

Continue reading "Sarah Kirkland Snider releasing (MP3) & performing Penelope w/ soon to be mom Shara Worden, Signal, William Brittelle"

by Andrew Frisicano

Nadia Sirota

There were (more) strings at September 25th's inaugural show for the Archipelago music series, which happens at Galapagos one Friday a month through next May. Like the Undiscovered Islands fest in May, the shows will be featuring music that crosses boundaries between classical, indie, etc. (and like that fest, it's also being set up by the New Amsterdam label.)

The full schedule is below. It's full of treats (like a way-off show with music by Shara Worden aka My Brightest Diamond in April). The first show featured violist Nadia Sirota and percussion quartet Line C3. Coincidentally, Worden and Nadia will both be playing with the Dessner Bros.' BAM Next Wave show, The Long Count, at the end of October.

Both acts on the first night performed works by Nico Muhly (Line C3 did "Ta and Clap," written by Nico for them in 2004, and he joined Nadia for his piece "Keep in Touch," which features a vocal sample from Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons). Nadia & Nico actually discuss their collaborations in an episode of New Amsterdam's Podcast series.

Speaking of New Amsterdam, they also have a CMJ showcase coming up with Cantaloupe Records at (Le) Poisson Rouge on October 21st. Tickets are on sale. That will feature the music of David Lang and Julia Wolfe (Bang on a Can co-founders) and performances by NOW Ensemble, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society and more. Clips of the Lang-scored film (Untitled) will be screened between performances (the soundtrack of which will be out October 13th).

Full details on the Archipelago series below...

Continue reading "Archipelago music series to feature Shara Worden, Craig Wedren & more ++ New Amsterdam & Cantaloupe do CMJ"

Obama vs McCain, 2008 Village Halloween Parade (bnittoli)

Here are a selection of events happening in New York City on November 4th, 2008.

(le) poisson rouge is hosting a free event with two jumbo projection screens and The Obama Girls of Comedy.

Galapagos (in its new DUMBO location) is having an "Obama-Fabulous Election Night Party". A projection screen and The Yes We Can!-Can Girls. $10.

Sound Fix will be hosting an "Election Night Broadcast Blowout".

New Amsterdam Records is having an Election Night Party at Nuyorican Poets Cafe

The Onion's 'War For The White House Election Night Spectacular' will take place at Fontana's. There will be a big screen, free drinks, and comedy by Todd Barry, Mike Birbiglia, Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler, and Pangea 3000. Free with RSVP. "To RSVP, please email nypromo@theonion.com with 'Election Night RSVP' in the subject. Your name and the name of your guest MUST be included in the body of the email.". This event is now SOLD OUT.

Rival Schools are playing Maxwell's.

Judson Church is hosting "An Election Night Concert of Free Improvisation". Featuring performances by 19 artists including John Zorn & Joan La Barbara. $10, 6pm-midnight. Check out this PDF for more info.

continued below...

Continue reading "Election Night Events in NYC"