Free Show Tonight in New York City...

The Polyphonic Spree and DJ Lord (from Public Enemy)
Tonight 10/1/09, 7pm @ Webster Hall.
Text NEW YORK to 68405 to get the code that gives you and one friend free admission.
Must be 21 and over.
Sponsored by Southern Comfort

Polyphonic Spree...

Southern Comfort will host a series of free shows beginning this August. The tour's two main headliners will be Ghostland Observatory and the Polyphonic Spree. DJ Lord of Public Enemy is set to open. The tour will bring the Polyphonic Spree to NYC's Webster Hall on October 1st.

What's the catch? You'll have to sign up for Soco's text messaging list to receive a ticket code.

SoCo is also involved in a new video series on Playboy.com called "Uncovered." That features musicians performing acoustic covers of their favorite artists -- the first edition, up now, is Dinosaur Jr. playing The Cure's "Just Like Heaven." Upcoming acts include Black Lips, A Camp, The Dears, Patterson Hood and Phosphorescent (who just announced a Brooklyn show). A partial list of who's playing what, with the SoCo tour's schedule and all upcoming Ghostland Observatory dates, below...

Continue reading "Polyphonic Spree, Dinosaur Jr, Ghostland Obervatory, Dears, others playing free SoCo shows, making Playboy videos"

Blonde Redhead are playing Terminal 5 in NYC on January 19th. $25 tickets go on sale Friday. .

The Blonde Redhead show is at the same new venue that Gogol Bordello recently played, and that Polyphonic Spree and Rooney are playing on Friday (Nov 16), and that Against Me!, Sage Francis and World Inferno Friendship Society are playing Saturday.

The Word ("featuring John Medeski, Robert Randolph and North Mississippi Allstars) are playing Terminal 5 too, but that's not until December 27th (part of a short year-end tour). Tickets are on sale now.

Details on how to win a pair of tickets to either of this weekend's shows, and more Blonde Redhead & Word tour dates, below...

Continue reading "BLONDE REDHEAD add NYC show, THE WORD, win tix to POLYPHONIC SPREE & AGAINST ME!, Tour Dates"

DOWNLOAD: The Cribs - Men's Needs (CSS remix) (MP3) (NSFW VIDEO)
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DOWNLOAD: The Band - Look Out Cleveland (MP3)

Levon Helm @ Summerstage, NYC - June 28, 2007 (by Sandwich!)

Is anyone going to see Bob Dylan at Jones Beach tonight? What about Rush on Monday?

Rodrigo y Gabriela and Vietnam for free in Central Park on Sunday might just qualify as the show of the weekend. JDH and Dave P are DJing too. It's really too bad that it's going up against Man Man, Illinois, Dengue Fever, and What Cheer Brigade at McCarren Pool which is also free. I hope for both of them that this rain lets up by then. Dengue Fever is also doing an in-store at Sound Fix on Sunday. (though is a show there even technically an "in-store" anymore?)

PS1 kicks things off in Long Island City this weekend with DFA.

Seymore Saves the World is the new band of ex-Tapes n Tapes bassist Shawn Neary. Take a look at their tour dates at MySpace and you'll notice they're visiting NYC this weekend.

The Stills and Malajube are playing shows at Maxwell's, and also in the park that Manu Chao just played.

Groove Collective, Ravi Coltrane, Craig Harris help Celebrate Brooklyn this weekend too. Ozomatli, Babylon Circus & DJ Joro Boro are at Summerstage earlier the same day.

Gang Gang Dance headline Bowery Ballroom Saturday night. They're also involved in the 77 drum Boredums thing that's coming up soon.

Morrissey isn't doing so well. Hopefully he makes it to MSG on Saturday.

The Fiery Furnaces tour is about to arrive. They'll be playing some new songs off their new album Widow City - out on Thrill Jockey Records in October. (man, they change labels a lot don't they?)

Although Cake Shop's website lists Saturday night's show as "JASON TRACHTENBURG and pals", I'm being told the show will be a full-on Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players "open rehersal", and "a chance to see something new and be witness to the development of some new concepts that are being developed for the Edinburgh Fringe in Aug. A lengthy Q and A session will also occur."

Langnorne Slim and others are playing a benefit for the Drew Goren memorial fund at Luna Lounge.

The Polyphonic Spree tour gets to Warsaw this weekend. Pharoahe Monch plays a late show at Highline Ballroom. There's comedy going on.

Although they were some of the displaced tenants, Sam Champion is not playing the Pizza Plus benefit at Southpaw on July 13th with Teenage Prayers and The Legendary Captain Greech + the Shrimp Shooters. Wait a minute - who are The Legendar Captain Greech + the Shrimp Shooters???

Sam Champion are for sure playing at South Street Seaport tonight though - with Ra Ra Rabbit........I mean...

Don't forget about Citysol, and Britta Persson too.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON? Wanna win a limited edition Black Lips/Yacht split 7-inch? Details below....

Continue reading "What's goin' on?"

How many pictures does it take to make a video....

Continue reading "VIDEO: The Polyphonic Spree - 'Running Away'"

The following review of Day 2 (May 27, 2007) of the 2007 Sasquatch! Festival in George, Washington is brought to you by Jerry Yeti exclusively for BrooklynVegan.com. If you're just joining us, you may want to start with Day 1.

Things kicked off at the Gorge on Sunday with a few more blankets, a nice spot on the terraced grass, and a sweet DJ set by Mix Master Mike. This was followed up by the hip hop duo Blackalicious. Both of these acts got the early attendees jumping. Blackalicious brought out their "Alphabet Aerobics" with its increasingly sped up delivery, but it was "Rhythm Sticks" that got people truly moving. If the ground wasn't on bedrock, the floor would have given way under all that impact.

All warmed up, Bad Brains was the only set on Sunday we were sure not going to miss. While we waited near the epicenter of anticipated mayhem, one of their most enthusiastic fans attempted to get others around him equally as stoked. He singled out a small guy that -as he informed him- was going to be propelled into the air. And sure enough, when the band appeared, he launched the poor kid into the unsuspecting crowd behind him. No, the bedrock below him did not give way. As the mosh pit grew in size, so did the size of the guys thrashing around in it. One giant of a man wore a Professional Slam Wresting shirt and bulldozed his way around. H.R. is a startling front man, appearing quite tranquil despite the tumult below - like a prophet amidst a storm. Dashingly dressed, if you had a video on mute, you would be baffled by the calm on stage, and the reaction below.

Unfortunately that was the last full set on the main stage before Polyphonic Spree had to cease for the blustery wind. It got cold within minutes, and sundown was still four hours away. While the crew re-prepped the stage to handle the winds, and let the worst of them pass, people migrated over to Tokyo Police Club at the Wookie. The Toronto band sensed they were playing for a much larger crowd, and they delivered. Their invigoration and charm very likely won over a few new fans.....

Continue reading "Sasquatch! 2007 | Sunday review in words & pics"

DOWNLOAD: The Polyphonic Spree - 'Fragile Army' album preview (MP3) (info)

The Arcade Fire (new interview at Pitchfork) kicked off the David Bowie-curated High Line Festival at Radio City Music Hall on Wednesday May 9th. Then Air & TV on the Radio chilled things out at MSG the next night. And on Friday, the "festival" continued with a show by the Polyphonic Spree at Manhattan Center's Grand Ballroom......

Continue reading "the Polyphonic Spree played NYC (High Line) + new 2007 Tour Dates (Warsaw, etc)"