photos by Erez Avissar

""IF YOU'RE FROM NEW YORK, you'll know this one." As the image of an eye patch-sporting Kurt Russell flashed across twin screens behind the stage at West Village destination Le Poisson Rouge, the speaker struck up a portentous synth line and the audience burst into nostalgic applause; ...the tense theme from 1981 cult actioner Escape from New York is one of his own compositions. Alan Howarth... is something of an icon to fans of electronic movie sound tracks and effects: His résumé is peppered with Hollywood titles from Poltergeist to Raiders of the Lost Ark, John Carpenter projects like Escape and Halloween featuring prominently among them.

"Most of this music's just been sitting around for thirty years," Howarth admitted cheerfully, reveling in the attention it was now receiving and clearly overjoyed to find himself out of the studio and in front of some appreciative listeners. Harald Grosskopf, drummer for 1970s German space-rockers Ash Ra Tempel and author of 1979's Synthesist album (described by the organizers as "the nexus of Krautrock, Kosmische, and New Age"--and who am I to argue?), was in similarly high sprits. Taking the stage after Howarth, he got rather more of a workout, bobbing and weaving behind his stand-up kit while adopting a range of orgasmic/tortured facial expressions. "This screen is to monitor my blood pressure," he quipped, pointing to one of several nearby laptops. "It's nothing to do with the music."

After an hour or so of meandering but effortlessly enjoyable stuff, Grosskopf and friends made way for Emeralds, a young trio from Cleveland whose synth-heavy instrumental jams owe much to their senior colleagues' pioneering work..." -[Artforum]

Synthesizer music pioneers Alan Howarth and Harald Grosskopf shared a bill with Emeralds as part of the Unsound Festival at Le Poisson Rouge on Friday night (4/8). And it was old meets new, as Grosskopf was joined by A.R.P, Blondes, Laurel Halo, Pink Skull and James Ferraro. Howarth and Emeralds also played together. Jade Boyd provided the visuals.

The theme continued the next night as well as many of the same performers, Harald Grosskopf included, played and/or DJ'd at a secret party in Brooklyn. Erez was at both events, and his pictures from them continue, with some videos, below...

Continue reading "Alan Howarth, Harald Grosskopf, Emeralds & friends played an Unsound show @ LPR (and a secret gig in Brooklyn) (pics)"

The previously announced April 4th Thee Oh Sees show at the Bell House in Brooklyn is doubling as the FreeMusicArchive.org launch party...

The Free Music Archive will combine the curatorial approach that stations like WFMU have played for the last few decades, and the community generated approach of many current online music sites. It'll be a valuable resource for those in search of legal audio; each track will have a clear set of rights associated with it, as determined by the artist, letting podcasters, bloggers, remix artists and music fans know what uses the artist will and will not allow. The project began here at WFMU, but we are just one of several curators who've been gathering audio for the Free Music Archive, freeing archival audio into the public domain, adding to the Creative Commons and building an open forum for participation that we're very excited to share with you. Stay tuned to our pre-launch blog for more previews and announcements as we get closer to launch.

Excepter, Catatonic Youth, and Pink Skull are also on the bill. $10 tickets are on sale. Tickets are also still on sale for the April 5th Thee Oh Sees show at Mercury Lounge.

Speaking of the Bell House, tickets are on sale for the May 7th Vetiver / Papercuts show. Tickets are also still on sale for the May 3rd Vetiver show at Bowery Ballroom.

Motel Motel have a show coming up at the Bell House too. They've been added as opener to the Phosphorescent / Mike Bones show happening there on February 28th. It's the show where Phos will be performing his entire "To Willie" album from start to finish, like he will... at the BrooklynVegan official SXSW showcase at Club DeVille in Austin on Wednesday night, March 18th (and he's doing it in LA and San Francisco too). Brooklyn tickets are still on sale. All Phos tour dates HERE.

Video of Thee Oh Sees playing at Cake Shop, below...

Continue reading "WFMU, Thee Oh Sees, Vetiver, Motel Motel, Phosphorescent"

Yacht @ SXSW 2008 (more by Ryan Muir)

pop experimentalists YACHT (a.k.a. Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans) have just signed with DFA to release their new single, "Summer Song," available now digitally via itunes and on 12" vinyl. The single comes with two other sparkling fresh tracks: "I'm In Love With A Ripper (Party Mix)" and "It's Boring/You Can Live Anywhere You Want."

Keep a lookout for YACHT's forthcoming full-length, See Mystery Lights, out in 2009 on DFA

Yacht's lablemate Free Blood play a free show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn tonight (Aug 22, 2008). Pink Skull and Professor Murder are also on the bill. Check out Yacht's new video for "Summer Song" below...

Continue reading "Yacht signs to DFA (video), free Free Blood show tonight"

DOWNLOAD: Boys Noize - Oh! (A-trak remix) (mediafire link)

DJ Mehdi @ Hiro Ballroom, NYC - April 3, 2008 (Antwan Duncan)

Despite there being loads of great dance events this past weekend partying with the Degenerates at Hiro on Thursday left me in no state to do much else. Tommy Sunshine was playing a shockingly early set that was in progress when we arrived at 11:30. After an hour of unidentifiable (by me), but great jams and disco sirens (has anyone else noticed that they are back in a big way?), Tommy surrendered the decks to Moby who had the packed room getting down like it was 1995, dropping mainly old school tracks with the perfect balance of new stuff thrown in to keep it interesting. While many people left after Moby's set (unfortunately a common occurrence at these parties), there was still a good number of people wise enough to stick around for DJ Mehdi's electro-fied set. He kept everyone out late and getting down to a great mix of current electro from Simian Mobile Disco to Boys Noize to the Chemical Brothers. Overall, a night of serious fun.

Glad I took it easy for the rest of the weekend because the one coming up is insane - tons of events you can't miss.

Thursday (tonight - April 10, 2008) the Fool's Gold Tour II kicks off with its first night at Hiro. The first tour hit New York back in October during CMJ and featured A-trak, DJ Mehdi, Kavinsky, Kid Cudi, the Cool Kids, and Kid Sister. The party was a lot of fun. DJ A-trak and Kid Cudi are back again, but this time around Fool's Gold has joined forces with Dim Mak, adding Sinden, Steve Aoki, and Sammy Bananas to what looks to be a great bill.

Continue reading "the week (tonight) in Dance w/ Showtrotta (Fools Gold)"

DOWNLOAD: MixHell - The Kids Are Alright (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cut Copy - Lights & Music (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cut Copy - Lights & Music (Moulinex Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mathhead - Doom & Bass mix (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Serge Santiago - "Through the Ages" mix for Beats in Space (MP3) (info)
DOWNLOAD: Fat Phaze - It`s Magic (Lottie and Serge Santiagos version) (MP3)

Cut Copy @ Mercury Lounge, NYC - Mar 17, 2008 (Tixgirl)

This week in dance kicked off with a great show on Monday at the Mercury Lounge with the NYC-debut of Spain's el Guincho and a set by Australia's brilliant, live electro band Cut Copy.

The band has a refreshingly straightforward style about sharing their electro-rock tracks, offering little in the way of theatrics. But lead vocalist, keyboardist and guitarist Dan Whitford is willing to offer his appreciation to the crowd and acknowledge the impending electro climaxes, giving the audience the green light to go nuts-and it works. [TheMusic.FM]

If you missed them, they're back in May, and this weekend looks equally promising with some big names passing through town.

In addition to the great Palms Out Sound showcase going on at Luna Lounge tonight (Thursday March 20), Musebox is holding their monthly at 205 featuring Pink Skull, James F!@$%^ Friedman and Johnny Cocco, and it's $5 at the door or free if you RSVP now at rsvp@themusebox.net. While Pink Skull is just deejaying, and not doing one of their energetic live performances, the band's diverse influences, numerous side projects, and recent remixes should provide the makings of a good set.

Just a few days after this show Brooklyn-based independent 12" and digital-only label the Savant Guard will make it's worldwide debut release with Pink Skull's single 'Drugs Will Keep Us Together' on March 24th. It will feature the original version of the track along with a remix that New York's own 33Hz did with Ming (from dj duo Ming+FS). Fidget house master Trevor Loveys also puts his own spin on the track. You can download the original version over at Missingtoof and stream the remixes here.

Tonight's flyer and more 'week in dance' below......

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (03/20/08)"