photos by Amanda Hatfield

Best Coast @ LPR

Best Coast, two day after opening for the Decemberists at Prospect Park, headlined the early Planned Parenthood benefit show at Le Poisson Rouge last night (6/16). Those Darlins, who also played multiple shows while in town, and who Bethany and Co expressed their love for from stage, opened the West Village show. If you weren't there maybe you streamed it online?

Pictures from the NYC show, including one of Best Coast's setlist, continue below...

Continue reading "Best Coast & Those Darlins played for Planned Parenthood @ Le Poisson Rouge (pics)"

Best Coast @ Prospect Park (more by Jessica Amaya)

The Planned Parenthood benefit at Le Poisson Rouge tonight (6/16) with Best Coast & Those Darlins, which has already raised $15,000, is sold out, but 100 tickets will be sold at the door. Doors are at 6pm, show starts at 7pm. It's an early one. If you can't make it, LPR will also be streaming it online.

Best Coast's new "Gone Again" video below...

Continue reading "Best Coast Planned Parenthood show sold out, but tickets at door & streaming online"

Best Coast at Bowery Ballroom (more by Bao Nguyen)

In addition to their date supporting The Decemberists at the now sold-out Prospect Park benefit on June 14th, Best Coast has added a headlining NYC show. The band will team with Those Darlins to play a benefit for Planned Parenthood on June 16th at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets are on sale for the show which is a almost two months before Best Coast return to the NYC-area to take part in the first-ever "Escape to New York" fest in the Hamptons.

Other fests Best Coast play this summer include B.O.M.B. Fest in CT, the sold out Bonnaroo (well, some VIP tix are still available), the sold-out Sasquatch Festival, Lollapalooza, and Outside Lands.

Those Darlins will also be in NYC in the days surrounding the LPR show. They play a free show at the Big Apple BBQ on June 12 with former tourmates Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, and a Hoboken show at Maxwell's on 6/11 (tickets). Black Joe Lewis play Maxwell's one day later (tickets).

All Best Coast tour dates and a video of Bethany BC announcing the Planned Parenthood show is below.

Continue reading "Best Coast playing Planned Parenthood benefit w/ Those Darlins (and other dates), Bonnaroo is sold out"

DOWNLOAD: Thao & Mirah - "Eleven" featuring tUnE-yArDs (MP3)

Mirah & Thao Nguyen at MHoW (photos by Amanda Hatfield)

Mirroring the sentiment that was out in force this past weekend, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down will headline a Planned Parenthood benefit at Bowery Ballroom on April 4th with The Bloodsugars. Tickets go on sale Thursday 3/3 at noon. Thao & The Get Down Stay Down are also scheduled to play SXSW and the sold-out Coachella festival next month. All dates are below.

In related news, Thao's collaborative efforts and tours with Mirah last year have borne fruit, as the pair are preparing to release an LP entitled "Thao & Mirah" via Kill Rock Stars on April 26th. Check out the album's first track, "Eleven", which features and was produced by tUnE-yArDs. MP3 above and stream below. The LP's tracklisting/art and a live video of a second track "How Dare You", with all dates, also below...

Continue reading "Thao Nguyen playing Planned Parenthood benefit in NYC, releasing an album w/ Mirah (listen to a song w/ tUnE-yArDs)"

photos by Chris La Putt

The 'Stand Up For Women's Health' rally went down in Foley Square this afternoon (2/26), from 1-3pm. According to a post-event press release,

On Saturday, February 26, thousands of people came together in Foley Square, in downtown Manhattan, to stand up for women's health, and fight back against the recent Congressional attacks against Planned Parenthood and family planning funding.

The rally comes on the heels of passage of dangerous anti-choice legislation in the House of Representatives, which, if made into law,
would eliminate basic health care and education services for millions of Americans - and according to Department of Health estimates, 800,000 New Yorkers.

Nellie McKay and John Darnielle played two songs each at the event. Lots of politicians spoke. More pictures, videos and the full speaker/performer list by minute (the setlist), below....

Continue reading "1000s (including Kathleen Hanna) rally for Planned Parenthood (Mtn Goats & Nellie McKay performed) -- pics & video"

The Mountain Goats at ACL (more by Tim Griffin)

On Saturday, February 26, celebrities, elected officials, musicians and women's health leaders will join thousands of New Yorkers in Foley Square to rally and stand up for women's health.

The rally comes on the heels of last Friday's passage of the Pence Amendment, a dangerous piece of legislation which, if made into law, would eliminate basic health care and education services for millions of Americans - and according to department of health estimates, 800,000 New Yorkers.

This Saturday, thousands from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, along with celebrities, musicians, non-profit organizations, and elected officials, will stand up for women's health, and encourage Senators to reject the Pence amendment, and send a clear message to members of Congress that attacks on women's health are attacks on all of us.

Gloria Steinem, Kathleen Turner, Christine Quinn, Kathleen Hanna, Chuck Schumer, and others will Stand Up For Women's Health Saturday (from 1-3pm) in Foley Square, across from the Court House in Manhattan. The rally, organized by Planned Parenthood, kicks off at 1PM and feature speakers and musical performances from Nellie McKay, The Mountain Goats, Maddy Wyatt, and more.

The Mountain Goats return to town in March as part of a tour that includes three shows at Bowery Ballroom. Two are sold out, but tickets are still available for the third. They also have an album on the way, All Eternals Deck, available for preorder on CD and LP (multiple vinyl colorways) with a bonus cassette-only album of demos (while supplies last).

Nellie McKay @ the Allen Room (more by Chris La Putt)

Nellie also has more upcoming shows. Besides a single date at Mountain Stage in Charleston, WV on April 24th, she is also doing another residency at Feinstein's at Loews Regency from March 22 through April 2nd and tickets are on sale for all nights (most nights have two performances).

The rally flyer & full list of advertised participants is below...

Continue reading "Nellie McKay performing @ Planned Parenthood rally w/ The Mountain Goats, taking residency @ Feinstein's again"

photos by Tim Griffin

Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is the nation's leading sexual and reproductive health care advocate and provider. For more than 90 years, we've done more than any other organization in the United States to improve women's health and safety, prevent unintended pregnancies, and advance the right and ability of individuals and families to make informed and responsible choices.

Regina Spektor, Ra Ra Riot and The Bloodsugars made up the bill at the Planned Parenthood benefit concert that took place at Bowery Ballroom in NYC last night (1/22). There was also a raffle. To quote Tim, they "gave away a lot of high end pampering ($300 haircuts etc), 1 day of recording studio time, a vintage guitar, ipod touches, and a bunch of cds autographed by the bands and a meet n greet with Regina."

Tim also said Regina was amazing, and that many in the crowd thought so even more than him ("they kept crying out I LOVE YOU! every 2 minutes"). At the beginning of her long set, she forgot some lyrics, but "it didn't take long for the audience to sing along in unison to prompt her along." As you can see in the pictures, she had a big piano there on the Bowery Ballroom stage.

Ra Ra Riot put on "their usual good show", and Tim said that The Bloodsugars were a good opener "and really earnest". You can catch the Bloodsugars next at the Guilt By Association Vol. 2 Release Party at the same NYC venue on February 5th. Francis and the Lights and Savoir Adore are also on that bill. Ra Ra Riot don't have any other scheduled NYC dates at the moment, but they do have plenty of other tour dates.

More pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "Regina Spektor, Ra Ra Riot & the Bloodsugars @ Bowery Ballroom for Planned Parenthood, NYC - pics"

Regina Spektor and Ra Ra Riot are playing the benefit for Planned Parenthood at Bowery Ballroom in NYC tonight. It was sold out, but now tickets are back on sale. (thx Klaus).

More Ra Ra Riot tour dates HERE.

DOWNLOAD: Telekenisis - Coast of Carolina (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cut Off Your Hands - Turn Cold (MP3)

Telekinesis

"On April 7, 2009, Merge Records will release the debut album from Seattle's Telekinesis entitled Telekinesis!. Telekinesis is the project of Michael Benjamin Lerner. Michael recorded Telekinesis! at Two Sticks Audio in Seattle with producer Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie, The Decemberists, Tegan and Sara). Michael wrote and sang all of the songs and played nearly all of the instruments on the album, but tours with a full band that includes David Broecker (guitar), Jonie Broecker (bass, keyboards), and Chris Staples (guitar)."

Telekenisis have a few shows lined up for the next few months - none in NYC yet, but they will be playing Noise Pop, SXSW, and a bunch of dates with Ra Ra Riot.

Ra Ra Riot also have a bunch of shows lined up without Telekenisis. For NYC, it's just January 22nd at Bowery Ballroom which is the Planned Parenthood Benefit with Regina Spektor that sold out before it was even announced that they were also playing the show. They're also playing Noise Pop, and SXSW, and a bunch of dates with both Passion Pit and Cut Off Your Hands.

Cut Off Your Hands officially release their debut LP, You & I, via Frenchkiss Records on January 20th. Download the first single for free above. They're also playing SXSW (as are their labelmates Passion Pit).

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Merge signs Telekinesis, Ra Ra Riot tour dates, Planned Parenthood, Cut Off Your Hands, SXSW, some MP3's"

Not only has Regina Spektor already headlined the very large McCarren Pool venue, she has since gone on to gain extra exposure thanks to a duet she recorded with Ben Folds for his new album. It goes without saying then that the show she's playing at the medium-sized Bowery Ballroom on January 22nd will sell out very quickly. The show is called the "3rd Annual Roe On The Rocks", and all the money goes to Planned Parenthood. $35 tickets go on American Express and Planned Parenthood presale on Wednesday at noon. Regular Ticketmaster sale starts Friday.

Speaking of dueting with Regina Spektor and Bowery Ballroom, tickets are still on sale for the NYC show Sondre Lerche is playing there on November 20th.

The official Ben Folds video for the Regina song, and video of Regina and Ben performing it on Jimmy Kimmel, below...

Continue reading "Regina Spektor - Planned Parenthood show, Ben Folds videos"

My New Years resolution is not to fall so behind in coverage of shows - especially festivals. For instance, I probably only posted 10% of the pictures I took at Austin City Limits this year. At least there's always a place for them in related posts - like this one about how Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is playing a Planned Parenthood benefit at Bowery Ballroom on January 22nd. Tickets are on sale (thx Ryan). More photos from ACL below....

Continue reading "CYHSY playing benefit @ Bowery (& pics from ACL)"