by Avi Roig

DOWNLOAD: Jens Lekman - The Opposite Of Hallelujah (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Still get around (MP3)

Ida Maria

Ida Maria (SWE)
From Norway, operating out of Stockholm and currently making inroads in the UK - an international success waiting to happen. The thing that is winning 'em over? A fearless, unpredictable live show. The songs could be better, but I would not hesitate to see her get on stage and wreck shit.

Continue reading "some Swedish bands who are here for SXSW, NYC, etc"

DOWNLOAD: No Kids - For Halloween (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Clipd Beaks - Melter (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Parts & Labor - Fractured Skies (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Grand Ole Party - Look Out Young Son (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Mae Shi - Run To Your Grave (MP3)

THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2008, FREE (flyer by Ryan Muir)

Emo's Annex
Holy Fuck 5:20
Phosphorescent 4:30
MEN (Le Tigre) 4:00
Lykke Li 3:30
MEN (Le Tigre) 3:00
Why? 2:30
No Kids 1:45
Peter Moren 1:00
Dawn Landes 12:15
The Ting Tings 11:30

Emo's Lounge
Fleet Foxes 5:30
Clipd Beaks 4:45
Genghis Tron 4:00
Parts & Labor 3:15
Team Robespierre 2:30
comedy by Eugene Mirman 2:15
Grand Ole Party 1:30
The Muggabears 12:45
The Mae Shi 12:00

Mp3's above. Videos below...

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan during-SXSW THURSDAY DAY PARTY"

Nearly two months ago, Peter Morén, one third of the indie rock hit-makers Peter Bjorn And John, was showcasing unadulterated material at one of New York's most intimate venues. Now, the frontman has announced an April 8 release date for his first solo album, The Last Tycoon (Quarterstick)..............The poppy 10-track endeavor is said to touch heavily upon adolescence and features artwork drawn by the frontman's girlfriend. And lastly, but certainly not least, Morén imparted the details of a short 12-date tour that kicks off at the Mercury Lounge in New York, officially inaugurating his April debut. [CMJ]

Continue reading "Peter Moren (of Bjorn & John) - 2008 Tour Dates, album"

Peter & Bjorn @ mtvU Awards in NYC - Nov 8, 2007 (MORE)

Peter (minus Bjorn & John) plays Joe's Pub solo tonight (Nov 19, 2007). A little over a week ago he played a wedding at Union Hall with Carl Newman of the New Pornographers. And now, a video has emerged....

Continue reading "video of Peter Moren & Carl Newman ('Never My Love') + new PB&J Tour Dates (tonight)"

DOWNLOAD: Versus - Deseret (MP3)

Peter Moren, Carl Newman & the happy couple @ Union Hall, Nov 10, 2007 (cred)

Eugene Mirman now pronounces you man & wife, Nov 10, 2007

Union Hall can now call itself home to at least two major indie rock weddings, and both weddings involved The New Pornographers' Carl Newman, and Union Hall mainstay comedian Eugene Mirman, in one way or another. The first wedding (August 4, 2007) WAS Carl Newman's, and (luckily then) Carl merely played at the second one. Carl and Peter of Peter Bjorn & John did a set of covers at the private Saturday night show that also included sets by Dean & Britta and The Mugs (not the Muggs). Congratulations to Union Hall's booker Skippy, and his new wife Courtney. More photos like the two in this post, at Flickr. Read an interview with Skippy (Jack McFadden) at Gothamist.

For Peter, that meant his third show at Union Hall. His first was with Bjorn and John - their NYC debut back in January, and his second was just one night before the wedding - he was the not-so-secret guest on Friday night's David Kilgour show....

Peter played a short impromptu set of songs he's working on for an upcoming solo album, working out arrangements in advance of his "real" solo show at Joe's Pub on November 19. Stress on "working them out." There were stops and starts, flubbed lyrics... but luckily Moren's a real charmer so nobody seemed to mind....[Sound Bites]

the real treat was after the night's show (including David Kilgour and Euros Childs) was supposed to be over.

1990s indie faves Versus reunited for their second show since breaking up in 2001. This wasn't the start of a reformation, however -- this was a 40th birthday present for former Teenbeat labelmate Matthew Datesman, who has logged time playing drums for various bands on that influential Arlington, VA label, including True Love Always, Aden, and currently Flin Flon. Teenbeat prez and Flin Flon singer Mark Robinson (who still looks like he's 25) was one of the 50 or in attendence, most of whom were super-psyched to be seeing Versus. [Sound Bites]

And as if that wasn't enough, Michael Showalter's new comedy album Sandwiches & Cats is out this week. What does that have to do with Union Hall? Well, it was recorded there! Stream it now at AOL.

As you probably know by now - mostly thanks to Michael Showalter & Eugene Mirman's weekly Sunday night show "Tearing the Veil of Maya", Union Hall has become - along with UCB and Rififi, one of the best places to catch a show by one of NYC's many "alt-comedians". Aziz Ansari, David Cross, Jon Benjamin, Leo Allen.....the list goes on.....

Sarah Silverman poses with a super-fan, Nov 1, 2007

That's right - Sarah Silverman herself was the the "surprise" at Todd Barry's 20th year in comedy celebration at Union Hall earlier this month.

Upcoming shows at Union Hall include Daniel Kitson, Travis Morrison, and Oppenheimer. Eugene Mirman & Immaculate Machine played their Sunday night.