Ted Leo, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Sun Airway, Booker T, Ra Ra Riot, and Emmylou Harris are some of the artists NPR is streaming from Camden, NJ (hear Philly) this weekend.

The Hold Steady at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 (more)

Last month, we announced that Truck America is returning to the Catskills in September (the 9th through the 11th) and will be headlined by The Hold Steady and Okkervil River. The only other confirmed bands at the time were Ra Ra Riot and Wye Oak. The lineup has since been updated to include Fruit Bats, Vetiver, The Felice Brothers, CItay, Gary Higgins, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Takka Takka, Hospitality, The Low Anthem and others. Check out the full list below. Early bird tickets are still on sale.

For The Low Anthem, it's one of many dates they just announced including one at Terminal 5 with Iron & Wine.

Speaking of The Hold Steady, frontman Craig Finn posted to his Tumblr that he's making a solo album:

"I'm in Austin TX for a few weeks. Making a record. Staying in a friend's guest house. Got here yesterday. So far so good. I'll be tracking the progress here."

Check out the full Truck America lineup update below...

Continue reading "Truck America expands lineup, Craig Finn working on solo LP"

DOWNLOAD: Yellow Ostrich - "Mary" (Alternate) (MP3)

Yellow Ostrich at McCarren Park (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Yellow Ostrich will share dates with Ra Ra Riot and Delicate Steve in the coming months, and though they aren't on board to join the pair at Prospect Park on August 5th, the band will play an upcoming show at Glasslands on August 19th. Tickets are on sale though the rest of the Brooklyn bill is still TBA.

Just three days before that Glasslands appearance, Yellow Ostrich will welcome The Mistress on August 16th via Barsuk Records. Check out a new track from that LP, an alternate version of "Mary" (the original appears on the record as well), available above and streaming below alongside the cover art, full tracklist and all tour dates...

Continue reading "a new song from Yellow Ostrich's Barsuk debut (MP3 premiere, cover art & tour dates too)"

DOWNLOAD: Ra Ra Riot - "Too Dramatic" (Anamanaguchi Remix) (MP3)

Ra Ra Riot at MHOW last year (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Ra Ra Riot play Seattle's Capital Hill Block Party on Friday (7/22) to kick off a round of dates that include Fuji Rock in Japan before skipping to the East Coast for a string of dates that will include August 5th at Prospect Park Bandshell with Delicate Steve and Buke & Gass (FREE with suggested donation). The band will then prepare for additional dates across the US and in Canada that will stretch them into middle November with openers like Delicate Steve and Yellow Ostrich (who are also signed to Barsuk). Full tour schedule is below.

Ra Ra Riot recently had their track "Too Dramatic" given the 8-bit treatment by Anamanaguchi. Check out the remix (which makes its debut here) above and streamable below. Anamanaguchi play Music Hall of Williamsburg on 7/22 (Friday) with MATH The Band and Talk To Animals. Tickets are still available.

Yellow Ostrich has their own show coming up at Glasslands on August 19th.

All tour dates, the song stream and the video for the original is below.

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot expand tour, got remixed by Anamanaguchi (MP3 premiere & updated tour dates)"

The British music festival Truck Festival is returning to America again this year and back in the Catskills at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY from September 9-11. This year's Truck America will be headlined by The Hold Steady and Okkervil River. Other confirmed bands include Ra Ra Riot and Wye Oak, and an announcement with over 30 other bands is coming soon. Early Bird tickets are on sale now. The first 200 people who pre-order their passes will receive the special $99 rate for the entire weekend (kids can get in even cheaper).

Last year was the fest's first year in the US. Read more about it HERE.

Meanwhile, Okkervil River are finishing up a tour with Titus Andronicus. The Hold Steady head out at the end of August with The Donkeys for a short tour. Updated dates below...

Continue reading "Truck America returns to the Catskills, initial lineup includes Okkervil River, The Hold Steady & more"

The National show in Prospect Park (more by Amanda Hatfield)

We already knew that 'Celebrate Brooklyn' is hosting an impressive lineup of ticketed Prospect Park Bandshell shows this summer: The Decemberists, Animal Collective, Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver & Cut Copy. And we knew that the 33rd annual series of free shows would start with an Andrew Bird show on June 10th, and that BRIC is also hosting three free 'dance parties' in Brooklyn Bridge Park this summer too.

Now the entire 2011 lineup of "24 free performances, including 20 music concerts, two dance performances, two film screenings with live music, and a family concert" is here! You can check it all out (The Feelies, Real Estate, The Books, Junip, Doveman, Justin Townes Earle, Punch Brothers, Raekwon, Oumou Sangaré, Times New Viking, Ra Ra Riot, Delicate Steve, Buke & Gass and Hal Willner included), below...

Continue reading "Celebrate Brooklyn - complete 2011 Prospect Park show lineup"

alternate headline: Vampire Weekend headlining Hamptons Music Fest, go figure

Vampire Weekend @ Coachella 2008 (more by Ryan Muir)

MTK: Music To Know Festival announces its inaugural line up headlined by Vampire Weekend on Saturday, August 13th and Bright Eyes on Sunday, August 14th. Other confirmed bands include Matt & Kim, Cold War Kids, Chromeo, Tame Impala, Ra Ra Riot, Fitz & The Tantrums, Tom Tom Club, Dawes, M Ward, We Are Scientists, The Limousines, Naked and Famous, Francis and the Lights, Suddyn, Nicos Gun and Young Empires -- 18 of today's most critically-acclaimed and successful new, emerging and well-known bands. The music begins at noon each day, ending at 10PM.

According to Co-Founder Chris Jones "The Hamptons are a unique market to say the least -- full of decision makers, trend setters, and taste generators who have always been eager to embrace the best and the brightest in our culture -- whether that is in literature, film, fashion or music. We are excited to bring this collection of artists together in our community, and hope this is the first of many annual events."

Without knowing how willing people are to travel to the Hamptons, how many people are already in the Hamptons, and how many tickets they need to sell (possibly only "9,500 people over both days"), it's hard to guess how successful the fest will be (from a business/longevity point of view) (Bing is a sponsor so that probably helps), but it definitely beat expectations so far (relatively speaking). More details below...

Continue reading "Music To Know Fest announces lineup (Vampire Weekend, Bright Eyes, Matt & Kim, CWK, Chromeo, M Ward, more)"

Ra Ra Riot @ MHOW in 2010 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Speaking of Japan benefits, The Bell House has two special ones scheduled....

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot, Wyatt Cenac, Tim Harrington, Todd Barry & many, many more playing Japan benefits @ the Bell House "

photos by Andrew St. Clair

Ra Ra Riot played the pop-up Wired Store (at 692 Broadway in NYC) on 12/8 as part of a series of private events at the store. Their friends Tokyo Police Club, whose next public show in NYC is at Terminal 5, play the same place tonight (12/15)

The night before their appearance at Wired, Ra Ra Riot played "Boy" from their recent LP The Orchard on Letterman. Video of that and more pictures/setlist from the Wired Store are below...

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot played Letterman & the Wired store (Tokyo Police Club play there tonight) -- pics, video"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

While Pavement was waving goodbye across town, Ra Ra Riot played Music Hall of Williamsburg with Anamanaguchi on 9/24. It was RRR's fourth and final show of their residency across two venues (Bowery pics from night one and night two). Now that the four dates are over, the Syracuse band can get to the business of hitting the road, where the band will be for the remainder of the year. They play Toad's Place Tuesday with their tour-mates Chikita Violenta and We Barbarians.

In other news, Ra Ra Riot was on NPR's Soundcheck last week and recently announced a new split 7" with Stornoway. The split, which is limited to 1000 pieces and will appear on 4AD, features 'Fuel Up' by Stornaway as well as Ra Ra Riot's "Boy", both of which appear on the bands respective new LPs. Reminder, Stornaway is scheduled to play Bowery Ballroom on 12/2 with Franz Nicolay (tickets) as part of a larger US tour. Their updated dates below.

Anamanaguchi's MHOW appearance meant two shows in two days, as the band also played Death By Audio with Tera Melos, Pteradactyl, and Fiasco the previous night. Pics from that show are on the way with a new song by Anamanaguchi. Stay tuned.

More pictures from the 9/24 MHOW show, with the Stornoway dates, below...

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot on tour, played MHOW w/ Anamanaguchi (pics), released a 7" w/ Stornoway (who are touring soon)"

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo

they played w/ Ra Ra Riot Wednesday night @ Bowery Ballroom

Just four years ago Ra Ra Riot was playing house parties in Syracuse, NY. Then, the mostly alum college band landed a tour with The Editors, released a self-titled EP in 2007, a debut, The Rhumb Line, one year later, moving course into music .

Supporting their sophomore album, The Orchard, the upstate rockers had new material that sounded like seasoned songs, more soulful than the pop-driven Rhumb. In fact, Ra Ra Riot even appeared as a veteran band in some manner. Perhaps it's their confidence on stage or that they've had four tumultuous, long years together. In rusty red jeans, singer Wes Miles walked out singing almost hymnal as the rest of the band materialized on stage for a brief instrumental into opener "Boy," one of eight Orchard tracks off the 15-song set. To kick off their first New York City shows on their North American tour, the band shared a few firsts, including Miles admittance to playing guitar for the first time on "Kansai." Timid and concentrated on the chords, he held up, providing enough crunch to complement guitarist Milos Binocci. Secondly, during the first of three encore songs, Alexandra Lawn stood her silent electric cello behind her to front the band for some sultry Stevie Nicks vocals on Orchard's "You and I Know," seeming at times lost in the moment then getting quite gun-shy as if she realized she's actually fronting Ra Ra Riot. -[New York Press]

Last night the band played their first of two shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg, which is where they complete their four night battle against Pavement tonight (9/24).

More pictures, the setlist and some videos from the 2nd Bowery show, below...

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot played 2 more NYC shows, Bowery w/ Lower Dens (pics, setlist, videos) "

photos by Andrew St. Clair

Ra Ra Riot

Syracuse, N.Y., band Ra Ra Riot borrowed elements from the Cure, the Smiths and New Order -- though much less morose -- and molded them into a string-filled sound that embodied indie rock at its best. Their upbeat energy lifted the packed all-ages crowd at the Nike Sportswear Stage. Beats were propelled by bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Bonacci and drummer Gabriel Duquette, but it was the engaging vocals of singer Wes Miles that moved this group. His emotive, high voice drew the crowd closer, and his ever thankful politeness -- he thanked the crowd numerous times throughout the hour-long set -- made him a fit for a young crowd he called "very attentive."...

The group played copiously from its two albums, "The Rhumb Line" and the just-released "The Orchard." Their indie pop sound shined on tunes like "Boy," "Shadowcasting" and the uber-catchy "Too Dramatic." Their sound was less shoegazing indie and more celebratory pop, making for a strong start to the festival. Heck, some tunes would have even fit neatly into a Molly Ringwald-John Hughes movie.

New York synth-dance electro duo Phantogram proved a worthy warmup. Sarah Barthel's sweet voice floated over ethereal '80s and '90s style synth pop as guitarist Josh Carter used heavy effects to create solid grooves and a nightclub vibe. -[The Oregonian]

Last night was also Ra Ra Riot's first of four NYC shows and one of two sold-out shows at Bowery Ballroom (they play there again tonight with Lower Dens). On Thursday, RRR head over the river to Music Hall of Williamsburg for a pair of shows, with tickets to the first night (on Thursday 9/23 with North Highlands & We Barbarians) still available, though the second night (9/24) is sold out. After NYC, Ra Ra heads out on a bigger tour with more assorted openers.

The show was a tour kick-off for Phantogram who hit Rochester tonight and eventually make their way back to NYC for an October 29th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg with their tour-mate Josiah Wolf (of Why?). Tickets for the Brooklyn show are still on sale. Updated dates below.

More pictures from Bowery Ballroom, the headliner's setlist, and some videos from the show, with the dates, below...

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot kicked off their 4-night run, Phantogram kicked off a tour (Bowery Ballroom pics, video & setlist) "

Ra Ra Riot @ Sound Fix in August (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Move over Pavement, Syracuse band Ra Ra Riot kick off their own four-night run of shows in NYC tonight (9/21), each with their own special guest opener... including the now-revealed Phantogram who open tonight at Bowery Ballroom. It's sold out, but (maybe they actually have some left and) tickets are still available for the show happening at Music Hall on 9/23 with North Highlands and We Barbarians.

Brand new Daytrotter session HERE. Updated tour dates below...

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot kicking off tour w/ 4 NYC shows (Phantogram = special guest opener tonight) "

photos by Andrew St. Clair

Wes of Ra Ra Riot & Vampire Weekends question Rostam's song choice

Ra Ra Riot completed their invasion of NYC with two appearances yesterday (8/24) as part of a celebration of their new LP The Orchard, out now via Barsuk. Photos from their Sound Fix (live set) and Brooklyn Bowl (DJ) appearances continue below.

The Syracuse band will be back in NYC at the tail end of September for a string of four appearances that are part of a larger tour. The NYC shows are at Bowery Ballroom (on 9/21 & 9/22) and MHOW (on 9/23 & 9/24). Tickets are on sale for all four shows (9/21 tickets, 9/22 tickets with Lower Dens, 9/23 tickets with North Highlands & We Barbarians, and 9/24 tickets with Amanaguchi). More openers to be announced.

Pictures below...

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot played Sound Fix, DJ'd w/ Vampire Weekend (pics) "

DOWNLOAD: Ra Ra Riot - Boy (new MP3)

Scissor Sisters @ Mercury Lounge in 2008 (more by Kevin Tachman)

today in NYC
* CREED @ JONES BEACH
* Mogwai screening @ MHOW
* Shelley Burgon @ The Stone
* Ra Ra Riot @ Sound Fix Records
* Motel Motel, Bronze @ Union Pool
* Bill Frissel & friends @ Village Vanguard
* Marianne Dissard, Cordero @ Joe's Pub
* Scissor Sisters, Sammy Jo @ Terminal 5
* Kayo Dot, Cleric, Bad Girlfriend @ Bowery Electric
* Thieving Irons, Yellowbirds, The Poison Tree @ Union Hall
* Hard Nips, Moepion & Moepions, Starscream @ Death By Audio
* 80s hardcore reading & signing @ Powerhouse Arena
* Ra Ra Riot (DJ set) & Vampire Weekend (DJ set) @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Chiddy Bang, Donnis, XV, 2AM Club, Samuel @ Highline Ballroom
* Khann, Mockingbird, Before The Eyewall, Divider @ The Acheron
* Groundation, iLa Mawana @ Rocks Off Concert Cruise - The Jewel
* The Press & The Canon Logic (Cross Pollination) @ Pianos
* Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers & My Morning Jacket @ Izod Center
* Edan, Paten Locke (+ a screening of Edan's "Echo Party") @ Knitting Factory
* Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Teenage Bottlerocket & the Flatliners @ Irving Plaza
* Midnight Masses, Submarine Bells, Monogold @ a Rocks Off Concert Cruise
* Jessie Torrisi & The Please, Please Me, Bird of Youth w/ Charles Bissell, Caravan of Thieves @ The Living Room

Marianne Dissard, the female voice in Calexico's song "Ballad of Cable Hogue", plays Joe's Pub tonight with Cordero who I saw live when they opened for Calexico.

Thieving Irons is the new band from Pela Nate. They play Union Hall tonight.

Tonight will be one of the last Cross Pollination shows at Pianos, and it's on the main stage.

As BBG previously pointed out, "Florida's Khann will team up with Mockingbird, Before The Eyewall, and Divider for an all ages show at Acheron on August 24th. $10 gets you in the door. Khann are prepping their new LP, Erode, due on Black Market Activities later this year. The band recorded the LP with Chris Owens (Lords) during a recent East Coast tour that saw them appear at Lit Lounge with Tiger Flowers."

Scissor Sisters play their first of two shows at Terminal 5 tonight.

Ra Ra Riot will pull double duty today, and their new album (the occasion for it all) is streaming at AOL. The new video for "Boy" is below..

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

Ra Ra Riot at BAM (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Ra Ra Riot will be making even more appearances in NYC in the coming month. The Syracuse band's onslaught begins on August 24th (Tuesday) when the band celebrates the release of it's new LP The Orchard (via Barsuk) with a FREE acoustic set at Soundfix Records at 6PM. Later that night, the band will be at a second FREE event, a 21+ DJ party at Brooklyn Bowl featuring the band and Vampire Weekend swapping turns on the wheels of steel (neither band is scheduled to play live music).

Less than one month after the band blesses NYC with those gratis events, Ra Ra Riot will play a two night stint at Bowery Ballroom (on 9/21 and 9/22) followed by another two night stint at MHOW (on 9/23 and 9/24). 9/21's support at Bowery has yet to be announced (tickets), but 9/22 at Bowery will feature Lower Dens (tickets), 9/23 at MHOW will feature North Highlands and We Barbarians (tickets), and 9/24 at MHOW will feature Amanaguchi (tickets). If each date will have two openers, then there's still a lot to be announced too.

As previously mentioned, the dates are part of a much larger tour that will see Ra Ra Riot play from sea to shining sea (and Bumbershoot) as part of a full US campaign towards total da-da-domination.

We Barbarians open much of the tour. Other tour openers and updated tour dates, and a video, below....

Continue reading "updated Ra Ra Riot dates, an in-store, DJ event, NYC openers"

Titus Andronicus in Austin in March (more by Tim Griffin)

today in NYC
* Phish @ Jones Beach
* Janka Nabay @ Zebulon
* Neighbors @ The Bell House
* Steve Dalachinsky, Matt Shipp @ The Stone
* Kimya Dawson @ Art & Technology Center
* New Politics, Funeral Party @ Mercury Lounge
* MGMT, Amazing Baby @ Radio City Music Hall
* Diehard, The Vandelles, the Sanctuaries @ Bruar Falls
* Tyburn Saints, Dean Wareham @ The Rock Shop
* Vienna Teng, Alex Wong, Joey Ryan @ Highline Ballroom
* Weekend, Procedure Club, Ceremony, No Joy @ Silent Barn
* MC Chris, Math The Band @ Rocks Off Concert Cruise - The Jewel
* Titus Andronicus, Bad Credit No Credit, Bottle Up & Go @ Glasslands
* Air Waves, The Beets, Easter Vomit, Rifle Recoil @ Death by Audio
* Hypodive, Jennings, Lily Sparks, Anna Rose, Kendra Morris (NYC Women in Rock) @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Julian Lynch, Family Portrait, Guardian Alien, Family Trees @ Pianos

Check out This Week in Indie

LA buzz band Funeral Party play Mercury Lounge tonight. It'll be their first-ever NYC show. Their album, Golden Age Of Nowhere, will be released through RCA "in early 2011".

Julian Lynch will be surrounded by Family tonight at Pianos... Family bands anyway. Family Portrait and Family Trees both open the show.

Tickets are still available for the Titus Andronicus show at Glasslands tonight, which is pretty amazing since the band is already headlining Webster Hall. The Brooklyn show is a benefit for NAG (Neighbors Allied For Good Growth).

New Ra Ra Riot video for "Boy" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

photos by Gabi Porter, words by Rachel Kowal

After Young Man, the second act of the evening, We Barbarians, stepped up the intensity with their pounding drums and deeper and more desperate vocals. In between songs, Young Man talked enthusiastically about playing in Paris. We Barbarians told the audience to buy more beer. After playing a handful of songs, including a cover of a David Byrne/Brian Eno song and a couple of new tunes from their upcoming EP, the group expressed their excitement to be playing and offered some concluding words. "Thanks for showing us a good time. This is an amazing setting, so thank you, you guys. We'll play one more and give you what you've been waiting for."

If you missed them, they open for Maps & Atlases & Cults at Mercury Lounge on Thursday before heading back to California and then going on tour with Ra Ra Riot. All dates and more Governors Island pictures below...

Continue reading "We Barbarians played Governors Island (pics), playing Mercury Lounge, touring w/ Ra Ra Riot (dates)"

Ra Ra Riot @ Union Hall in April (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Ra Ra Riot have planned an extensive tour of the US and Canada this fall in support of their new album, The Orchard, which comes out August 24th on Barsuk Records. There will be four shows in New York to kick off it off. They'll play September 21st and 22nd at Bowery Ballroom and September 23rd and 24th at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets go on sale Wednesday at noon.

Before those, the band has dates in Japan this July, and a few shows in Canada (Montreal for Osheaga), Ohio (for the Ohio State Fair) and elsewhere. They're also playing a pre-NYC show at Cracker Factory in Geneva, NY, on September 18th.

A preview of the song "Keep It Quiet", off the new LP, the album cover and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot releasing a new album, touring (dates include four NYC shows in four days)"

Memorial Day Weekend officially opened the summer, and for those in the Pacific Northwest it also brought Sasquatch Music Festival (pictures from all three days are coming soon). Now the lineup for its Labor Day cousin, Bumbershoot 2010, has been announced. That fest, happening at Seattle, WA's Seattle Center September 4th-6th, will include headliners Bob Dylan, Mary J. Blige, Weezer, Hole, Rise Against, Neko Case, The Decemberists, J. Cole and "one more very special guest to be announced soon."

Tickets (including non-Mainstage 'economy' passes) are on sale now. The rest of the lineup (by day) for the seven-stage festival is posted below...

Continue reading "Bumbershoot 2010 lineup (Bob Dylan... Hole... Mary J Blige)"

photos by Rachel Carr, words by Daiana Feuer

Jay-Z, Beyonce & Johnny Rotten

This year, the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival reveals that tattoos are more ubiquitous among social scenes than ever before. A walking museum of quotes and legendary faces from Jesus to Michael Jackson decorates the backs, shoulders, calves and fingers of people fashionably reliving their favorite historical decades at this heat-stroke inducing music marathon.

I thought Wale didn't show up, but later found out that he showed up late. Baroness demonstrated the art of rocking out at least three to five times before each song reached a satisfied climax. Metal can be a real turn on, especially surrounded by sweaty good-looking people. Deer Tick performed an R+B version of "Ashamed" followed by John McCauley caressing his nipples. LA band Iglu and Hartly had enthusiasm, but is this Mickey Avalon without the drugs and prostitutes? Which leaves what? Sleigh Bells began with a booty melting bass line palpable from the VIP section across the field, soon overtaken by hipster hop metal pop for people that like beaches and children. The Avett Brothers made an exciting second Coachella appearance on the Outdoor Stage. Two years ago, the band played Sunday gospel time, all manners and simplicity, but the Bros returned with a full band, and a few thousand people singing every word, stomping to the banjo, and hugging during the sweet parts. The banjo will take over America. Just wait. Country music is infiltrating avant-garde and above ground indie worlds alike.

Standing midway between the big stages, just a few feet from yet another girl with the words "Have u seen my friend Molly?" scrawled on her back, the Avett Brothers' heart-wrenching "January Wedding" got a reggaeton remix from Calle 13 booming on the Main Stage. This Puerto Rican dancefloor marvel used a tea kettle for a mic effect, and taught the audience to say "No me jodas las pelotas" against negativity ("Don't fuck my balls"). Speaking of balls, Yeasayer's crowd went absolutely nuts screaming, but the guys barely seemed aware, transported as they were to some space station cloud. The harmonies rocked like angelic aliens-but, smile, guys. Hockey demonstrated a genuine interest in moving indie rock standards forward, especially attracting the PG-13 festival contingency. M. ward raspy singing "Roll Over Beethoven" during She & Him's set delivered tingly shivers, but Zooey Deschanel's approach to "I Put A Spell On You" did not crumble souls. Her jazzy voice and bouncy energy otherwise made for a good time that elicited repetitive shouts of "I Love You!" from the first row.

Gil Scott-Heron

Music should be at least marginally weird or infinitely classic, but Tom Morello's band, Street Sweeper Social Club, brings nothing new to either category and so seems a waste of great musicians. Get weird or the future will never arrive. That being said, the musicians Coachella digs up from history often present the most exciting moments. Rock steady ska pioneers The Specials sent a crispy, warm message to Rudy that every witness appreciated immensely, but it was outrageous that barely any photographers showed up for Gil Scott-Heron's smooth, soulful set [editor's note: ours did!]. The man is partly responsible for getting Martin Luther King, Jr. a holiday, godfathered hip hop, and that doesn't merit attention? A large crowd attended his every word, but the photos won't show it. Later on, James Murphy screamed Gil Scott-Heron's name during "Losing My Edge" as if it were the name of God. Glad he gets it. LCD Soundsystem's first single in 2002, "Losing My Edge" is a historical document worth preserving for the ages, an essence that speaks to what Coachella seems bent on capturing and rewriting every year. Echo & The Bunnymen rode the high-hat zealously-as many have copied since-giving chapped lips sugar kisses. Public Image, Ltd., could not take Jay-Z's audience away from him nor unglue Fever Ray fans from Karin Dreijer Andersson's encompassing fog spell, but I'll be damned if PiL wasn't the best show all day. John Lydon's hair stood on edge and he rolled his rrrr's heroically. His gang of old men put the good junk in post-punk.

As this first 12 hour music summary comes to a close, a few acts remain worth giving a hoot about. Grizzly Bear's hypnotic power hardly needs mentioning and Vampire Weekend knows you love "Horchata." New cool La Roux magnetizes with a disco flavor that Anita Ward might approve. As hoped, Little Dragon's gentle fire breathing soul pop fronted by Yukimi's sexy voice and adorable stage presence comes in as Friday's second favorite. The music's weird enough, bent on discovering surprises. One-woman band Imogen Heap, as well, is the queen of surprises. She moves around her instruments, looping this and dubbing that as if casually mixing a magic potion or prepping a sandwich. Jay-Z's "On To The Next One" is an appropriate theme song for the attention span needed to get your money's worth at Coachella. And then Beyonce came out. We all bowed down before her short shorts.

Them Crooked Vultures, Passion Pit, Dillinger Escape Plan, Yo Gabba Gabba, and The Whitest Boy Alive also played sets on Friday. The Cribs were among those who could not. Coachella continues for a second day today/Saturday (Record Store Day). More pictures and videos and stuff from the first day, below...

Continue reading "Coachella 2010 - Day One in pics, video & review "

"The Specials prove that old age doesn't mean you have to be boring. Dudes danced, ran, kicked, while playing for an entire hour." - A Thousand Grams

Ra Ra Riot @ Coachella - 4/16/2010

Traffic is moving smoothly outside the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, as attendees make their way onto the grounds without any problems. Guests are slowly making their way through the front gate after earlier delays caused crowd members to become impatient. Staff kept running out of wristbands they hand out to indicate an attendee submitted a valid ticket to enter the event, Indio police spokesman Ben Guitron said.

"As far as I know, it's moving right along now," he said. Bumper-to-bumper traffic continues to fill the streets surrounding the Empire Polo Club, although not as much as before. Traffic on Monroe Street is backed up to Avenue 48, while traffic on Jefferson Street is moving smoothly after being backed up to Interstate 10 for several hours. Police are monitoring everyone to prevent any criminal activity. As of 7 p.m., seven people were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs, Guitron said. Meanwhile, officers caught about six people selling T-shirts without business licenses in the area.

"We're shooing them away," Guitron said.

Police learned at least two people, including a 16-year-old girl, were turned away at the front gate because they bought fake tickets from outside the area. [The Desert Sun]

As I type this, the not-live Coachella stream continues with a fine performance by Ra Ra Riot (pictured above). Yeasayer and Deer Tick (who played new songs, an MG&V song, and a ZZ Top cover while crowd surfing in a sundress) have been among those streamed too. The Specials played in real life and will be streamed soon.

Delphic's video for "Halcyon" below...

Continue reading "Delphic not making it to San Francisco or Coachella (where there are long lines & Ra Ra Riot & the Specials played) "

Union Hall photos by Kyle Dean Reinford, Bowery Hotel photos by Chris La Putt

Ra Ra Riot @ Union Hall

In town to play an Ann Taylor "Loft" party at Bowery Hotel last night (4/14), Ra Ra Riot also threw in a more public show at Union Hall one night earlier with Montreal's Plants & Animals also on the bill. Paper was at the more stylish one:

"Mena Suvari, Alexis Bledel, Amanda Hearst, and Alexa Chung stopped by the Bowery Hotel last night for the launch of Ann Taylor's new offshoot LOFT Style Studio... Chung started the evening off with a DJ set featuring lots of '60s pop and some Pulp thrown in for good measure, and was surrounded by a coterie, including friend and designer Henry Holland, who shooed away reporters and photographers from the DJ booth. Maggie Gyllenhaal, however, was up for a chat. Gyllenhaal, dressed in a flowy ACNE top and a striped cardigan by LOFT, says, like most New Yorkers, she's determined to dress for spring despite our yo-yoing temperatures. She's also looking to stock up on "some practical dresses that you don't have to wear a bra with and can get dirty" for summer. (But she'll probably just end up getting something from American Apparel, she supposes). Meanwhile a coterie of tweed-coated young men lingered near the stage, waiting for Ra Ra Riot to begin their set..."

Continue reading "Ra Ra Riot played Union Hall (with Plants & Animals) & Bowery Hotel (a "Loft" party) - pics from both (setlist from one)"

Plants & Animals @ MHOW in March (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

Ra Ra Riot and Plants & Animals are playing Union Hall on Tuesday (April 13th). Tickets go on sale at noon.

For Ra Ra Riot, it will be one of two NYC shows in two days. The second is a private party one day later at the Bowery Hotel (4/14).

For Plants & Animals the gig seems to be somewhat of a one-off ahead of their much larger tour that brings them back to NYC in June.

Both bands were just in Austin for SXSW. Ra Ra Riot played one exclusive show for Green Label Sound (with Neon Indian). Plants & Animals played a few gigs including the BrooklynVegan/M For Montreal day party at Galaxy Room. Earlier in March they opened for Broken Bells at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

words & photos by Dominick Mastrangelo, more words by Zach Pollack

Ra Ra Riot

Ra Ra Riot played to a sold-out crowd at the Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn on Friday (2/5). The Syracuse-based band played an energetic set and threw in a couple of Kate Bush covers (finishing the show with "Hounds Of Love".) "Suspended in Gaffa" appeared on 2008's critically acclaimed The Rhumb Line of which the band played all of its songs.

The Antlers, architects of one of last year's critically acclaimed records, Hospice, opened with a taut, haunting set, placed in stark contrast to the headliner's flowing, uptempo pop songs. - Dominick

Ra Ra Riot headlined the show, featuring a string quartet and a four man horn section. The band sounded impeccable live, and carried though their set with the poise, grace, and energy of a well practiced rock band. In four short years since forming the band Ra Ra Riot has grown a large fan base, which was certainly apparent at The Howard Gilman Opera House Friday night. Cellist Alexandra Lawn and violinist Rebecca Zeller add to the already dense rhythms of the band with their sweeping string section.

Friday night's show was the third and last 'Sounds Like Brooklyn' show at BAM this year. The first two were Les Savy Fav / Vivian Girls and Rain Machine / Anti-Pop Consortium. More pictures from Ra Ra / Antlers, below...

Continue reading "The Antlers & Ra Ra Riot played BAM (pics)"