I caught the Norweigian, David Byrne-approved, all-girl group Katzenjammer while I was in Norway for the by:Larm Festival earlier this year. Naturally, I never posted the pictures, so here they are in honor of the group's current tour which brings them to Mercury Lounge in NYC TONIGHT (7/6). They're a little corny, but super energetic and fun, and Mercury Lounge is a way smaller venue than where I saw them play in Norway to a highly enthusiastic crowd.

Jon Parales referred to them as "a Norwegian version of the B-52's" (and the B-52's just so happen to be playing a NYC show tonight too). More pictures from Norway and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "Katzenjammer on tour - 2010 dates & belated by:Larm pics "

I've seen a ton of great bands [in Oslo] so far. Most are new to me. I'm trying to avoid bands I've seen or will definitely see soon. Serena Maneesh fall into both categories (SXSW = the "see soon" part), but I couldn't help myself and went and checked them out [Friday] night at [Sentrum] Scene in Oslo. They went on after Johann Johannsson who went on after Efterklang (it was 4AD night). I actually watched all three and even saw some bands in nearby venues during set change... there's a band on somewhere every half hour, and all bands only play for 30 minutes.... so if you're quick you can see at least 25 minutes of a 30 minute set twice an hour for about 7 hours straight...except Serena Maneesh actually who got 45 minutes as tonight's big headliner... actually [I think] Johann played longer too, but I left before he finished). [me, over the weekend]

That's what I wrote over the weekend as a quick update while I was still in Oslo for the by:Larm festival. Meanwhile I'm still working on a complete post with everything I saw there, but, as it always goes - I'm so busy doing 100 different things so it's not done yet. In the meantime here is a full set of pictures from that Serena Maneesh show... which was great. It was especially cool to see the band play to a large crowd in their hometown, speaking only their native language and just generally being huge rock stars - loud sound, poses, great lights and all

As mentioned above, Efterklang played the same venue the same night, but the pictures I posted yesterday were from the show they played one night later. Both Efterklang and Serena Maneesh have shows coming up at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC. Both will also be at SXSW.

More pictures from Oslo below...

Continue reading "Serena Maneesh @ Sentrum Scene (by:Larm) in Oslo - pics "

DOWNLOAD: Casiokids - Fot I Hose (Axemax Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kittens Ablaze - Gloom Doom Buttercups (MP3)

Casiokids @ On the Side @ the Seaport (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

One of our favorite bands from CMJ is coming back to the United States in March. Norway's Casiokids will play two shows in NYC before they head to Austin to play a bunch of shows at SXSW. The NYC shows are March 17th at the Annex with BM Linx, and one day earlier at The Bell House with fellow Norwegians The New Wine, NYC's Anamanaguchi, and NYC's Kittens Ablaze. Tickets for the Brooklyn show are on sale.

Norway's annual by:Larm music conference went down in Oslo this past weekend. Billboard reports:

In total, 280 bands participated in over 500 concerts (a substantial increase from 2008's 350), with several more playing unofficial by:Larm shows in fringe venues during the event. Attendance was strong from the international delegate fraternity as well as local residents, amounting to an approximate total audience of 25,000, according to organizers.

Some of the hot tips packing out venues were recent Universal Music Norway signing Harry's Gym, Icelandic outfit Hjaltalin, Norwegian-language group Casiokids and the Whitest Boy Alive, an electronic act featuring Erlend Øye of Norwegian indie-folk duo Kings Of Convenience. Danish electro group WhoMadeWho headlined the Saturday night main tent finale.

Moshi Moshi is releasing a new Casiokids single on March 2nd. One of the songs on that is the instrumental "Fot I Hose". A remix of that song above, and its new official video, and all tour dates, are below...

Continue reading "Casiokids - NYC & SXSW dates, by:Larm + new video, remix"

Handsome Furs (CRED)

I flew all night, haven't slept, and it's 6 hours ahead here, and the festival has started, SO today may be a little weak.

How were Handsome Furs, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, etc...???

Talk to you soon!