by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Eternal Summers - Able To (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Beach Fossils - Youth (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: North Highlands - Collarbone (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Regal Degal - I Saw the Smoke (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Common Loon - Dinosaur Vs. Early Man (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Natural Child - Dogbite (MP3)

Eternal Summers

Happy Tax Day! This week's column is jam-packed with cheap options for great shows if Uncle Sam left your bank accounts depleted. Let's get to it.

Duo Eternal Summers have been getting blog attention for about a year, and I'll admit I didn't listen at first due to their name, fearing they'd worsen my Beach Music Fatigue (BMF). But then I saw they were from Roanoke, Virgina and my interest was piqued. I grew up 90 minutes West of Roanoke which had the closest good record store to me (The Record Exchange, which closed in 2006).

Back then they didn't have a music scene outside of country and cover bands. (Though I did see Huey Lewis & the News at the Civic Center way back when.) Not sure how thriving it is now, but Eternal Summers have, in my book, put Roanoke on the map. (Their label, Chimney Sweep, shows that Southwest Virgina's doing well musically.) I'm glad I listened. Apart from their name, they don't really have a lot in common with the beach scene (be it Real Estate, Washed Out, Best Coast, etc). The guitars are a little more slashy, the vocals less bathed in reverb. Check out their song "Able To" at the top of this post, which is from their self-titled EP. If anything, to these ears they're more akin to the C-86 inspired pop of San Francisco's Brilliant Colors.  There's a definite Anglo slant to their sound.

Eternal Summers have three shows in three days. Friday (4/16) is at Bruar Falls where they're part of a killer bill that includes Beach Fossils, Total Slacker, Air Waves, and Beachniks. They will also play Saturday (4/17) at Glasslands with The Beets, The Maine Coons, German Measles and Family Trees. And then on Sunday, Eternal Summers play Coco 66 with Marshmallows, Honey Dos, Beachniks, and The Maine Coons. Do check out one of these shows.

Natural Child

Natural Child play an awesome bill at Death By Audio Saturday including , Sisters, Boogie Boarder and Regal Degal.

The trio are Nashville neighbors, pals and labelmates of JEFF the Brotherhood, and play shambly, garagey party rock. I don't mean just that they're fun (and they are), but also that all of their songs are about some aspect of partying. Whether they bring the party to their live shows or not, I have yet to experience. But I'm ready to find out.

Natural Child also play Friday night (4/16) at Lulu's in Greenpoint with Liquor Store and Foster Care, and have dates in New Brunswick, NJ and Philly --  all 201o tour dates are below.

Beach Fossils

That Beach Fossils show Friday night is the only one they've got lined up for a month so you might want to head that way. (Plus the rest of the bands that night, all of which I endorse.) If you haven't  seen them lately, or ever, Beach Fossils have really come into their own I think, not bad for a band that's barely been playing for year. They've worked out a distinctive sound -- almost no strumming, instead spinning interweaving lines of guitar and bass -- and are confident singers now too.

And they're a great live band too. None of the four members stay still longer than they have to, twirling around like tops, with mom-jean-wearing drummer Cole Smith doing as much dancing as banging on his instrument. They were fantastic opening for Love is All at Knitting Factory a few weeks back, video from which is below.

The band's self-titled debut is set for release May 25 on Captured Tracks and you can download the jangly "Youth" from the album at the top of this post. I've heard the whole thing and it will definitely make for great summer listening. After Friday, Beach Fossils' next local show is May 13 at Brooklyn Bowl with Midnight Masses.

Sisters

A little more on the Death by Audio show on Saturday (4/17). Sisters have finished their album for Death by Audio Records which should be out sooner than later. You can hear two of the album's tracks ("The Curse" and "Glue") on their MySpace, both of which I like a lot. Sisters also play tonight (4/15) at Brooklyn Bowl with Darlings. That's a pretty good show too.

The other band on the DBA bill is Regal Degal, who I caught last Friday at newish venue North Fourth.  The trio is fronted by Josh da Costa who you may know as Dinowalrus' drummer. Regal Degal are less psych and more post-punky, drawing influence from post punk's darker side. (I hear a lot of Chairs Missing/154 era Wire in them.) The band doesn't have a MySpace, but they do have an infrequently updated blog. You can check out their song "I Saw the Smoke" at the top of this post, which they describe as sounding like "we're playing from within a beautiful porcelain toilet bowl. This is the result of spending a lot of time on an initial mix, then too much time listening back to it and not enjoying it enough, and then spending very little time on this more enjoyable and questionable mix."

Common Loon

This column is never-ending I know. Champagne, IL duo Common Loon have flown into town for two shows: tonight (4/15) at Union Hall and then Friday night (4/16) at Pianos. Both shows are with Tulsa, OK's Unwed Sailor. Common Loon's debut album, The Long Dream of Birds, came out last week on Hidden Agenda (home of The 1900s and Moonbabies) and it's recommended if you you like hazy 90s-ish indie like Oliva Tremor Control, Grandaddy and The Flaming Lips. You can check out their song "Dinosaur Vs. Early Man" at the top of this post.

Also playing tonight's Union Hall show is North Highlands who I've written about a few times already and were recently named one of the "8 NYC Bands You Need to Hear Now" by The L Magazine. You can hear them, in fact, right now by downloading their lovely track "Collarbone" at the top of this post. They are very good live and I think 2010 will be a big year for them.

In addition to tonight's show you've got two more chances to see them in the next week. They play Sunday (4/18) at Glasslands with Uninhabitable Mansions, Polite Sleeper, and North Carolina's Charming Youngsters. And then they play next Saturday (4/24) at Solar One with Cold Cave, fellow L Mag pick Oberhoffer and a "surprise headliner."

North Highlands

Speaking of L Magazine "8 NYC Bands" issue, Twin Sister play this Saturday at Los Hermanos Tortilleria in Bushwick. The show is being put on by blog Chocolate Bobka and also features Austin, TX's Pure Ecstasy and local band Weed Hounds. Go early (doors at 7pm) for free tacos (while supplies last which probably won't be very long). They've got good tacos (which are cheap even when not free). $7, BYOB. Twin Sister also open for the Morning Benders at Mercury Lounge on April 28 if you're going to that (sold out).

And finally, don't forget, Saturday (4/17) is Record Store Day and local shops participating include Other Music, Etherea, Academy Records Annex, Rebel Rebel, Sound Fix, and loads more. There's tons of cool exclusive releases coming out, and the RSD website has a handy, fairly comprehensive list of what is being released (PDF). Other Music has live performances by The Drums and Pains of Being Pure at Heart, plus indie celeb DJs. There's similar things going on at other stores too - like Generation Records, and we'll be posting more today and tomorrow.

Okay, that's enough for four days. Click through for tour dates, videos and lots and lots of flyers...

Continue reading "Eternal Summers, Natural Child, Beach Fossils, Regal Degal, North Highlands, Twin Sister & more in This Week in Indie"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Surfer Blood - Swim (MP3)

Surfer Blood @ Market Hotel in February (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart will be at Other Music for Record Store Day. It's their only NYC date at the moment. Their tour with Surfer Blood and Hooray for Earth doesn't start til June (and doesn't have an NYC date yet). All of those dates are below.

Before then, Surfer Blood will play a show at Princeton on Thursday (tonight) and SUNY Purchase Friday (4/16) for Culture Shock.

For Record Store Day, Surfer Blood will be dropping a split single with Holiday Shores. One side is Surfer Blood's "Take It Easy (live)" featuring Marnie Stern, and the other is Holiday Shores' "Your Motion Says," an Arthur Russell cover. Russell's disco-burner original is below along with video of Marnie performing with Surfer Blood at Cameo on New Years Eve.

Surfer Blood was recently featured on the web show Dirty Laundry. Video of that show and all tour dates (plus details on Hooray for Earth's Cinco de Mayo show at LPR) are below...

Continue reading "Surfer Blood in NJ, SUNY Friday, tour dates w/ Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Record Store Day release w/ Marnie Stern"

Generation Records (210 Thompson St. in NYC) has one of the busier Record Store Days this Saturday (4/17), with live sets from Cymbals Eat Guitars, Black Wine (ex-The Ergs/Hunchback who play April 25th at Mercury Lounge), Walter Schreifels (ex-Gorilla Biscuits/Quicksand) and The Budos Band and DJing from Andrew WK, at 2pm.

UPDATE: Walter had to cancel due to volcano.

Space in the store is limited (to say the least), so getting there early is recommended. Though stores generally can't guarantee which Record Store Day records that'll have in stock, one of the released singles is going to be a Budos Band/Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings split with a cover of "Day Tripper" and from Sharon's new record, "Money." Both Sharon and Budos have some other NYC shows coming up too.

Generation Records is one of many NYC record stores with Record Store Day activities on Saturday. Other Music also has an impressive day planned.

Walter Schreifels also plays a Rival Schools show at Union Pool on April 23rd, and a solo gig at Studio at Webster Hall on May 5th.

Cymbals Eat Guitars go on to open for Los Campesinos on their upcoming tour. Both bands play a sold-out Maxwell's show later on April 17th. And they have an April 22nd show at Irving Plaza, which you can still get tickets for. All dates below.

CEG just wrapped their tour with Bear in Heaven with an April 9th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Their encore from that show, all dates and past Generation Records in-stores are below...

Continue reading "Generation Records in-stores on Record Store Day, Cymbals Eat Guitars tour dates, Budos Band, Walter Schreifels, more "

DOWNLOAD: The National - Afraid of Everyone (newest MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio (new MP3)

Record Store Day is fast approaching and we're looking to make this year the best one yet. If you're in NYC on Saturday, April 17, swing by Other Music where we'll be offering lots of special and exclusive Record Store Day releases in the shop, with a great line-up of guest DJs spinning their favorite tunes throughout the day (including Scott from the National and Liquid Liquid's Sal Principato), plus live performances from the Drums and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart. We'll be announcing more details here and on our website in the coming week. And no matter what town you're in, save the date and please support your local independent record stores on Saturday, April 17.

One of the DJs at Other Music will be the National's Scott Devendorf. Brassland Records (co-started by the National) reports that the store will be one of two (Soundfix being the other) to carry the National's second album, Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers, on vinyl for the "1st time in 7 years.!"

The National's new LP, High Violet, is out May 11th on 4AD, and they've been steadily offering up songs from it. The new "Afraid of Everyone," which features Sufjan on backup vox, is available above as is the previously leaked "Bloodbuzz Ohio."

More Record Store Day coverage is on the way today. On a non-RSD note, Phosphorescent has an in-store at Other Music on May 10th.

Videos of two more new National songs, done live at Big Ears 2010, are posted below with (UPDATE: the Other Music schedule)...

Continue reading "Other Music's Record Store Day plans, the Drums & TPOBPAH instores, new (MP3, video) & old (vinyl) National (who DJ too)"

photos by Brian Reilly, words by Andrew Frisicano

Apologies to the DJ who went on after Fucked Up last Friday (2/15) at Europa. The balloons he or she carefully inflated, stuffed into bags, taped to the ceiling and rigged up with string to the DJ booth didn't make it through the set. "Last time I was here the bouncer beat me up," said one hopeful crowd member. Nothing like that happened - though there was some pushing and shoving, some ill advised but inevitable backflips off the stage, and the reasonably levelheaded bouncer in front, not beating anyone up.

Fucked Up treated the crowd to its standard repertoire of songs new and old (a partial setlist is below). Surprises included some songs off their just released Couple Tracks compilation and a devout cover of Sex Pistols' "Bodies."

The show was one of two NYC-area dates on their tour with fellow Matador artist Kurt Vile (Frankie & The Outs also opened at Europa). The other was the night before at Maxwell's. Vile opened both with airy, gutted versions of his full-band songs using only an acoustic guitar and some light effects. He opens for Panda Bear in Europe this March.

Fucked Up will be down at SXSW in March. One stop will be the BrooklynVegan Day Show on 3/17 at Emo's, where they'll play alongside Torche, Javelina, Salome, The Atlas Moth and Dark Castle. They'll also be at their own showcase, and MtyMx the following Sunday.

They recently announced a limited-run Record Store Day 7-inch (April 17th this year), with custom covers for each of 10 stores (including NYC's Generation Records) and one generic cover. Check out the artwork at their site. More pictures from Europa are below...

Continue reading "Fucked Up played Maxwell's & Europa w/ Kurt Vile (pics), releasing Record Store Day 7-inches & more"

Record & Tape Center (Tishon)

It's nearly the day the music died in Park Slope.

The Record and Tape Center, a dusty, cramped record store that has occupied the same spot on Fifth Avenue, near Ninth Street, for the past 38 years, will be shuttered by May 31, the result of an eviction notice that store owner Tony Mignone said came out of the blue.

"The letter just arrived at the beginning of the month," said Mignone, who opened his store on Fifth Avenue and Sixth Street in 1965, and moved to his present location in 1971. "I've never even been late on my rent!"

According to the letter, the landlords, a family that owns several grocery stores in the neighborhood, including the Deli and Smoke Shop next door, do not want to renew the lease and will take Mignone to court if he does not clear out.
Brooklyn Bridge Realty

"If he's still there [on May 31], we'll go to court," said John Wilson, the family's lawyer. [The Brooklyn Paper] (via)

I would have probably last stopped in if I had made it to the Park Slope 5th Avenue Street Fair (and Southpaw record fair) that happened on Sunday (but I didn't).

The Virgin Megastore in Union Square will basically be closing the same day.

WNYC's Siddhartha Mitter went NYC record shopping on the recently-passed Record Store Day. Video below...

Continue reading "Park Slope's Record & Tape Center evicted, closing!"

photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

Not far from the party going on inside Fat Beats, the West Village's Generation Records was having a Record Store Day (4/18) event of its own with NJ punk band The Bouncing Souls. Starting at 2pm, the band played a 90+ minute set, taking requests from fans and covering a lot of other people's tunes including Bruce Springsteen's "Growing Up" and "Hungry Heart'", T.S.O.L.'s "Dance With Me" and the Cure's "Just Like Heaven." The show was lighthearted - there were a lot of false starts, forgotten lyrics and mess-ups but the band and the audience both embraced it as part of the fun. A fan in the front row was enlisted as an ad-hoc drummer, beating along on the stage.

To get in...

...you [had] to purchase the band's new "Vol.1" 7-inch from us on the day of the show. [They started] selling the 7-inch about an hour before the performance and entry [was based] on a first-come, first-serve basis. The 7-inch cost $5.

Bill Callahan played a Record Store Day show at Other Music. More pictures from Generation Records below...

Continue reading "the Bouncing Souls @ Generation Records (Store Day) - pics "

photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

Fresh Daily & Homeboy Sandman

Record Store Day (4/18) meant events at record stores all over the country on Saturday. Bill Callahan played Other Music in the NoHo section of Manhattan. Further west, Fat Beats had an all day line-up that ended with the Rock Steady Crew followed by DJ Premier, NYGz & Blaq Poet followed by headliner Talib Kweli (who also played Columbia University the same day). More pictures and video from some of the acts earlier in the day, below...

Continue reading "Record Store Day 2009 @ Fat Beats in NYC - pics "

photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

Bill Callahan gave a free in-store performance at Other Music in NYC on Saturday (4/18). The show was the last stop on a week-long record store tour that Bill set out on in support of his new album, out now, on Drag City Records. The show also conincided with Record Store Day, for which Other Music had a full day's schedule of entertainment planned (and a lot of limited Record Store Day records to sell).

In June, Bill will set out on a proper headlining tour. That includes the two previously-announced NYC shows at LPR and MHOW. All dates, and more pictures from Other Music, below...

Continue reading "Bill Callahan - Other Music in-store pics & all 2009 tour dates"

Toumani Diabate @ Stuyvesant High (more)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Culture Shock (SUNY)
* So Percussion @ Roulette
* Bill Callahan @ Other Music
* Toumani Diabate @ le Poisson Rouge
* Bouncing Souls @ Generation Records
* DJ Premier & Talib Kweli @ Fat Beats
* Willie Nelson @ The State Theatre (NJ)
* Free Blood, Sugar and Gold @ the Delancey
* The Roots and The Termals @ Lehigh University (PA)
* The Appleseed Cast @ Mercury Lounge (early or late)
* Vampire Weekend & Talib Kweli @ Columbia University
* Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Dub Trio @ Bowery Ballroom
* Lucero, Titus Andronicus @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Presidents of the United States of America @ Irving Plaza
* Lady Rizo and the Assettes & Reggie Watts @ Highline Ballroom
* Merce Cunningham event w/ Sonic Youth & John Paul Jones @ BAM
* Children, BISON b.c., Violent Bullshit, Circle of Buzzards, Naam @ DbA
* Bear Hands, Real Estate, The Tony Castles, Littl'ans, Das Racis @ The Shank
* The Subjects, Cymbals Eat Guitars, George Lewis Jr., Glass Ghost @ The Red Door

Today is Record Store Day.

Today is the 2nd day of Coachella.

Tomorrow is Earth Day.

Toumani Diabate also plays Le Poisson Rouge tomorrow.

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down covered Lovin' Spoonful for a Record Store Day split 7" with the Thermals. Video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday? (Record Store Day)"

Check RecordStoreDay.com for a list of participating stores. Check brooklynvegan.com/tag/Record Store Day for all of our past posts on the topic. Leave comments here with your experiences finding limited 7"'s and catching in-stores.

PREVIOUSLY
* Talib Kweli & DJ Premier appearing at Fat Beats
* Other Music's 2009 Record Store Day schedule

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Guru - "Who Got It On Lock" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Guru - "Jazzy Ways" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Guru - "State of Clarity" featuring Common (MP3)

DJ AM with the legendary DJ Premier and Stretch Armstrong

As we discussed before, this Saturday (4/18) marks the Vampire Weekend/Talib Kweli show at Columbia University. According to an email sent to alumni (thx J):

DATE: Saturday, April 18
TIME: 3:00 - 5:00PM
LOCATION: Columbia University's Low Plaza
RSVP: This is a ticketed event open to the first 300 Class of 2008 CAAL members who renew their annual CAAL membership by April 13th. Only ticket holders will be admitted through campus gates.

Speaking of DJ Premier, his (ex?) partner in Gang Starr, Guru has scheduled a show at SOB's on May 13th with Solar (not to be confused with Guru's other collaborator, MC Solaar) and The 7 Grand Players and featuring K-Born and Highpower. Tickets aren't on sale as of this posting, but are priced at $20/$22 day of the show. K-Born & Highpower is signed to Guru and Solar's label, 7 Grand Records. Guru's new album, Lost & Found, is due on May 19th.

Talib Kweli is also teaming back up with Mos Def for two Black Star shows at Nokia Theatre at the end of May. You can also catch him with Hi-Tek (Reflection Eternal) at the Rock The Bells fest this summer.

No word on the Rock Steady Crew 32nd Anniversary show thus far, but we'll keep you informed.

Continue reading "Talib Kweli playing Columbia & Fat Beats, Guru playing SOBs "

"Many labels and bands are making special releases that will be exclusive to Record Store Day and available to purchase in the shop this Saturday only (sorry, no web orders). Here's a list of what we'll be carrying, but keep in mind, quantities are very limited!" - Other Music

Continue reading "Record Store Day Saturday - limited editions @ Other Music"

by Black Bubblegum

The Mars Volta LIVE at Sasquatch 2008 (More by Chris Graham)

Through complex mathematics in off-kilter time signatures and pentatonic phyrigian dominant minor scales*, The Mars Volta have constructed an equation to create the ultimate polygon/album, The Octahedron. Due on Jun 23rd via Warner Brothers, The Octahedron follows last year's Grammy-winner The Bedlam In Goliath. In an Onion AV Club feature with last year just prior to the release of The Bedlam In Goliath, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez declared their next album would be "acoustic" and would also include "electronic instruments as well".

The Mars Volta have a ton of festival dates lined up, but only two in the US so far: Bonnaroo on June 13th and Outside Lands on August 29th. All TMV tour dates are below.

In other Mars Volta related news, the previously mentioned El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez recently posted a second video teaser for their upcoming album, Cryptomnesia, which is due on May 5th via Rodriguez Lopez Productions/Sargent House. Pre-orders are here, or you can scoot on down to your local indie record store to scoop up one of 3,000 LP copies that will be made available on Record Store Day (April 18th). Many other great bands and locations are participating as well, so get out there!

Continue reading "The Mars Volta - new album news, some tour dates & stuff "

Bishop Allen @ Other Music - March 10, 2009 (Modern Mystery Blog)

Record Store Day (April 18, 2009) at Other Music...

Continue reading "Other Music's 2009 Record Store Day schedule "

Bill Callahan (of Smog)'s new record, Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle will be released April 14th on Drag City. That same week, Callahan will be going on a promotional tour of U.S. record shops, with a NYC show at Other Music on Saturday, April 18th. April 18th, as you might remember, also happens to be Record Store Day. All dates below.

Callahan will also play two more NYC shows this summer, presumably as part of a larger tour (TBA). The first NY show is Saturday, June 13th show at (Le) Poisson Rouge (Tickets are on sale). The next is one night later, Sunday, June 14th at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn with Sir Richard Bishop and His Freak Of Araby Ensemble. That show, which is part of the Northside Festival, goes on sale today at noon (and stay tuned for more info on how to get a badge that gets you into all Northside shows).

Bill Callahan's Brooklyn show is the second MHOW Northside announcement. The first was John Vanderslice who is playing our own showcase at the same venue two days earlier. Like CMJ does in October for the whole city, The Northside Festival is acting as an umbrella for most of the shows happening at most of the venues in Williamsburg from June 11-14. Badges will be sold that let you jump from show to show to show (capacity permitting). More details will be announced.

All Bill Callahan tour dates, the new album cover art and tracklist, and a Black Cab Session performance video, below...

Continue reading "Bill Callahan - new album, a record store tour (Other Music) & 2 other NYC shows (1 for the Northside Festival) "

DOWNLOAD: Box Elders - Hole in My Head (MP3)

Box Elders @ Market Hotel (more by Tim Griffin)

"Though they only have one single to their name, the Box Elders have garnered quite a bit of support, most notably from Jay Reatard who has his sights set on recording them as part of his new imprint on Matador. Led by brothers Clayton and Jeremiah McIntyre, the Box Elders play disarmingly simple, catchy pop music, and it's probably because of their very un-raucous recorded sound that audiences have been sucked in by their strength as a live band. With their repertoire of under-two minute, chant-worthy tunes, the Box Elders are a band you can expect to become slowly and hopelessly hooked on." [The Daily Texan]

Other Box Elders releases include one 45 you can order from Grotto Records, a full LP coming out on Goner in July, and a 7" for the HOZAC singles club coming out later in the summer.

Jay's last release of his own music was a demo track that he posted to his blog for free. He just finished playing some dates in Europe, and has a show scheduled at Lenny's in Atlanta on April 11th, and one at Goner Records in Memphis on April 18th for Record Store Day.

Box Elders recently played a string of Austin, TX/SXSW shows that included the Todd P / NY Noise party and at least four more. The Nebraska band will hit the road again in April - a tour that brings them to new Brooklyn venue Bruar Falls on April 24th, and to its older sister venue in Manhattan, Cake Shop, one day later.

Box Elders were last in NYC in January when they played Market Hotel. All future tour dates and a live video from the band's pre-SXSW Denton, TX, tour stop, below...

Continue reading "JAY REATARD's label releasing music by bands like BOX ELDERS who are touring & releasing other stuff too"

Akron/Family's three March NYC shows were previously sold out, but now tickets are back on sale for the March 29th one with Larkin Grimm at Union Pool. That venue is much smaller than Bowery Ballroom where their NYC show after that will take place. The May 6th date was just announced and tickets go on sale Friday at noon.

Also just announced: Akron/Family are playing ATP NY on September 12 with Animal Collective, Panda Bear, Melvins and many more.

Their new album, Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free, will be released by Dead Oceans one day before the Bowery show...

"Everyone is Guilty" is the first single from AKRON/FAMILY'S upcoming May 5th full-length release, Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free. Featuring album opener "Everyone is Guilty" along with non-album b-side "Total Destruction," this single is available as a limited edition 7" and digital release. The vinyl will be available at Akron/Family shows and via record stores participating in Record Store Day 2009.

Continue reading "Akron/Family - a Bowery show, ATP NY, SXSW, Union Pool (TIX back on sale) & other tour dates"

by Andrew Frisicano

Record Store Day - a nationwide event created to support independently owned record stores - will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2009. A list of participating NYC stores is available online at the Record Store Day venue list.

On RSD, Generation Records (210 Thompson Street, NY, NY) will host an acoustic in-store by punk band The Bouncing Souls, free for customers who pick up a copy of the band's 20th Anniversary Volume 1 7-inch the day of the show.

Other events, such as in-stores at Williamsburg's Sound Fix, which announced its intent to celebrate the event with live music despite ending shows after losing its liquor license in February, are still being announced.

Many record labels are supporting the event with limited-edition records. Matador, for example, will be pressing 2500 copies each of Jay Reatard/Sonic Youth and Sonic Youth/Beck split 7-inches, plus a Pavement Live In Germany LP. Thrill Jockey is sending out 900 copies of Records Toreism, an LP that includes tracks from Mountains, Tortoise, White Hills, Trans Am featuring Tim Soete, and Baltimore's Double Dagger (who cover "Stagger Lee") and will be packaged with two zines (feat contributions from Ian MacKaye and more).

Record Store Day, which coincides with the 2009 Coachella Festival, will also be running a record shop at the fest. The press release, copied below, notes that the Coachella on-site store, "previously operated by Virgin, is noted for its high profile foot traffic and good vibe." Both events come in the same month that the Times Square Virgin Megastore will close - the NYC shop is notable for having the nation's highest sales volume. Its sister location in Union Square will be gone soon after.

Full list of Record Store Day exclusives, in the form of a press release, below...

Continue reading "Record Store Day 2009: lots of bands releasing exclusive vinyl, a Bouncing Souls in-store & more..."

"Marissa Nadler played the last live concert in Sound Fix Lounge on Saturday -- or did she?

Owner James Bradley vowed to keep putting on shows, despite losing his liquor license last month.

"It is my fervent hope and desire to continue the tradition of live music in Williamsburg," said Bradley, who plans to have an event on Record Store Day on April 18, and to host weekly performances.

Sound Fix Lounge, on North 11th Street, just west of Bedford Avenue, had its license expire at the end of February following noise complaints under the former owner.

But Bradley hasn't given up on shows entirely, though he admitted that coaxing patrons to live music would be difficult without alcohol.

"The two seem to go hand-in-hand," he said.
[Brooklyn Paper]

Marissa Nadler also played in a church on Friday.

Video from Marissa's show at Sound Fix, below...

Continue reading "Sound Fix Records hopes to still have live performnances"

"We knew the iconic Virgin Megastore was on its way out, but now we've got a date for the goodbye party. The store closes this coming April; not long after, a Forever 21 will open in its space. Some fun facts: Virgin has the highest volume of music sales in the US, and that location was "profitable to the tune of $6 million," but it was only paying $54/square foot in rent (as opposed to the $700/square foot that's market rate for the neighborhood.) Worrying about the Union Square outpost, Idolator speculates about how long we have "before Other Music becomes the retail powerhouse of New York City by default."" [Racked]

And in other related news, Record Store Day returns this year. The date is April 18, 2009. Stay tuned for a list of festivities that will happen in non-megastore type record stores across the country that haven't gone out of business by then. Last year there were sales and in-store shows and and limited editions and free schwag and other fun stuff like that.

Black Keys playing DJ @ Other Music on Record Store Day (SoundBitesNYC)

tonight in NYC
* Grizzly Bear on Conan
* Chris Thile @ Living Room
* Peter Moren @ Mercury Lounge
* NOT She & Him @ Hiro Ballroom
* Jay Reatard @ Bowery Ballroom
* Fred Thomas @ Knitting Factory
* Jewmongous @ Living Room (free)
* Tokyo Police Club afterparty @ Hugs
* Tokyo Police Club @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin @ Union Hall

The Black Keys just announced a show at McCarren Pool.

Happy Birthday John Cameron Mitchell.

Tickets are on AmEx presale for the upcoming Neil Diamond shows.

What else?

Sorcyress documented her Record Store Day experience on Flickr...

As promised, Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls was at Newbury Comics (one of the organizers of Record Store Day) in Boston in her underwear. Brian was there too. More photos below...

Continue reading "Amanda Palmer (in her underwear) - Record Store Day pics"

Only Son & Regina Spektor @ Sound Fix, Brooklyn, NY - Apr 19, 2008 (slicknick1986)

People started lining up outside Sound Fix at 7am for Regina Spektor's free 1pm show in honor of Record Store Day on Saturday. Unfortunately though, Sound Fix (a record store with attached bar and performance space) is still having problems - a lot of them....

...According to Bradley, the Dept. of Health, the Dept. of Buildings, and the Police Dept. have all issued violations on the business, many of them requiring court appearances. "It's been really overwhelming," says Bradley. The record store owner believes the violations are rooted in complaints from a couple of neighbors who live in an adjacent building, one of whom, Teresa Polonski, works for Assemblyman Joseph Lentol. "I'm sympathetic to noise complaints, and we've done a lot to try to mitigate the noise," says Bradley. "All this seems to be really excessive to me." The Dept. of Health shut down the Sound Fix Lounge after serving it with three violations for operating without a food license; the first violation was issued March 6th, the second on March 8th, and the third on March 28th. "On 3/28 the establishment was swarmed by inspectors and shut down. I was advised by DOH that this was actually a Mayor's task force," says Mikelle V. Komor of Wagner Davis P.C., one of the attorneys working for Sound Fix... [Brownstoner]

Bjork 3-D glasses & other Record Store Day schwag (AllyNwonderland1977)

Grab your 3-D glasses (or make some) and then head to Wired.
(or to the secret location on Record Store Day's site)