The Kills' Jamie Hince w/ bride Kate Moss

"I'm just absolutely concentrated on The Kills and I don't really care what people think or say about it, even our fans. I think you're in trouble if you start only doing what your fans expect of you. So when people write about our success in relation to Jack White or The White Stripes, it doesn't torture me too much. I think it's hard to expect journalists to pin down your sound, anyway. Especially since the heyday of rock journalism, it's just easiest to describe bands by comparing them to other bands."
[Jamie Hince]

--
Eventful week for The Kills. Jamie married Katie Moss on Friday...

Village roads were shut by police as Kate and The Kills rocker Jamie married at their local church on ­Friday. They are celebrating with a three-day mini festival for guests ­including Sir Paul ­McCartney, Bob Geldof, Naomi Campbell and pal Sadie Frost.

Veteran ­crooner Bryan Ferry performed during a reception that went on until 5am. It also featured trapeze artists, burlesque ­performers and more bands. [Mirror]

Alison Mosshart then took some time off from the mini-festival to perform " Write Me a Few Lines" with Seasick Steve, her recently divorced Dead Weather bandmate Jack White (on drums), and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones at the iTunes Festival last night UK time (7/3).

The Kills' Alison Mosshart w/ Seasick Steve

It happened during Seasick Steve's headlining set and you can watch the video below.

The Kills return to America in August to play Lollapalooza followed by three dates with A Place To Bury Strangers, two of which are at Terminal 5 with The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. The Kills return to the road in September to play some shows around their appearance at Bumbershoot. All tour dates and the Domino-signed band's new video for "Future Starts Slow", below...

Continue reading "Jamie Hince married Kate Moss, Alison Mosshart played w/ Jack White, John Paul Jones & Seasick Steve (videos)"

Reggie Watts in 2010 @ Comix (more by David Andrako)

today in NYC
* JP Schlegelmilch @ Barbes
* Nellie McKay @ Feinstein's
* Michael Morley @ The Stone
* Mike Birbiglia @ Barrow St Theatre
* Mandingo Ambassadors @ Barbes
* Jolie Holland, Grey Gersten @ Zebulon
* LCD Soundsystem, Shit Robot @ Terminal 5
* Warpaint, PVT, Family Band @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Diamond Rings, PS I Love You @ Mercury Lounge
* Cesspool, Wojcik, Shannon & Sasha @ Bruar Falls
* The Mountain Goats, Megafaun @ Bowery Ballroom
* Funeral Party, Twitch The Ripper @ Mercury Lounge
* Cults, Magic Kids, Superhumanoids @ Knitting Factory
* Jessica Lea Mayfield, Daniel Martin Moore @ Glasslands
* The Mountain Goats, Suzanne Vega @ The Greene Space
* John Zorn, Mike Patton, Marc Ribot & many others @ NYC Opera
* Civil Twilight, A Silent Film, The Rassle @ Highline Ballroom
* Hunter Valentine, Sick of Sarah, The Clicks @ Bowery Electric
* The Sweet Divines, Nicole Atkins, Tami Lynn @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Kultur Shock, Slavic Soul Party, Bad Buka @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* Reggie Watts, Mark Normand @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (early & late)
* Brick+Mortar, Lady Rizo, Love Automatic, Estee Maria @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Honey And The Greek, My Dear Disco, Gentlemen Hall, Jenatari, Cheer @ Pianos
* Perfect Prescription Party w/ Heaven, Revival Times, Minerva Lions, DJ David Watts @ Shea Stadium
* Screaming Females, Doodle Drag Art Collective, Black Wine, Brick Mower @ Maxwell's
* Alpha & Omega, Powertrip, Expire, Take Offense, Left Alive, Cut Your Teeth @ The Acheron
* The Big Terrific Comedy Show feat. Max Silvestri, Gabe Liedman & Jenny Slate @ Cameo Gallery

Unlike the past two nights, Reggie Watts will most likely not be making an appearance with LCD Soundsystem at Terminal 5 tonight. He will instead be taking on two shows in a row at Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Reggie's "Live at Third Man" record is out on Third Man Records now.

Third Man Records was representing with their mobile record store at SXSW earlier this month, surprise short performance by Jack White (and Seasick Steve) outside the truck included. Videos from that below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

photos by Tim Griffin and Chris La Putt

"It was announced during Vampire Weekend's rain-soaked but well-attended 6 p.m. set on the main "Blue Comet" stage that due to the weather, single-day Friday tickets would be accepted for festival entry on Saturday and Sunday. This elicited quite a few cheers, presumably from those who had not already purchased weekend tickets. While the early afternoon had been hot and sunny, allowing for clear views of nearby Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, the storm clouds rolled in rapidly just as Fleet Foxes took the stage at 3:30 p.m. The wind, rain and thunder actually worked as fitting accompaniments to the band's dramatic harmonies, a fact not lost on the Foxes themselves. "We kind of look like a guild of wizards here to deliver an ominous warning," said drummer J. Tillman, one of several bearded members of the band. ""I'm going to leave the stage on a horse." [Billboard]

Before we head out to APW Day Two (schedule here), here are some pictures from Friday (7/31)....

Continue reading "All Points West 2009 - Day One in Pictures"

APW mud by Chris La Putt

As the Yeah Yeah Yeahs tore into hits like "Zero" and "Runaway" at the All Points West Music and Arts Festival in Liberty State Park, Jersey City, Danielle Pukala, 24, from New York City and Kate Pluta, 24, from Boston, danced away happily in the mud.

"We're just having fun with it!," said Danielle.

And with the Yeah Yeah Yeah's high-energy performance, it was hard to keep still. The band ripped through songs from their latest album, "It's Blitz!" and well as older hits from their previous album "Show Your Bones."

And though it was only visible on the big-screen, lead singer Karen O wore an armband that read "Get well MCA," a tribute to Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, who had to cancel All Points West when he announced that he was diagnosed with cancer. [NJ.com]

There's no way all the mud from Friday is going to disappear by Saturday. Plan accordingly! More APW-muddy pictures below...

Continue reading "muddy feet @ All Points WEsT"

view from the APW ferry - July 31, 2009 around 4pm (Emily Meyer)

during Fleet Foxes @ APW - July 31, 2009 around 4pm (Trey Many)

All Points West is underway. The rain has held off so far, but looks like a big storm is on its way. Fleet Foxes are playing on the main stage as I type this with The National up next. An early afternoon highlight was Seasick Steve (who also played a set at Mercury Lounge the other night).

The All Points West festival is dominated by young bands. But one of the best early sets came from Seasick Steve, a sixtysomething journeyman bluesman with a big gray beard.

Steve, who has received a lot of media attention in the United Kingdom over the last few years, appeared solo, accompanying his gruff vocals with simple but propulsive guitar riffs, and stomping out a beat with his left foot. He did sing one tender ballad, directed to a young, female volunteer from the audience, who sat beside him. But mostly this was raw, almost primitive blues in the tradition of Hound Dog Taylor and John Lee Hooker, and the crowd ate it up.

"Boy, there's enough of us here to fill a bar. So we're gonna make it a bar," he said.

He played a few different low-budget guitars. One was made out of a cigar box. Another had only three strings. [NJ.com]

Hearless Bastards, Shearwater, Eugene Mirman and Telepathe have all already played as well. Seasick Steve has another show coming up at Southpaw. Videos from Mercury Lounge below...

Continue reading "APW is underway, but check out those clouds!"

Seasick Steve

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Wayne Wonder @ Brower Park
* Raul Malo @ Madison Square Park
* Pete Yorn, Zee Avi @ Webster Hall
* Quimbombo @ Stuyvesant High School
* Saviours, Children, Sourvein @ Union Pool
* Ebony Bones, The Drums, Ninjasonik @ Bowery Ballroom
* Liquor Store, Drugwars, Bleeker & the Freaks @ Market Hotel
* Ethan Iverson, Reid Anderson & Paul Motion @ Village Vanguard
* Noisemakers w/ Peter Roseberg & Raekwon, The Cypher @ 92YTribeca
* The Grates, The Whims, Buenos Dias, Charlotte Sometimes @ Pianos
* Bosco Delrey, Georgiana Starlington, The Gaye Blades @ Bruar Falls
* Seasick Steve, J Roddy Walson, Spirit Family Reunion @ Mercury Lounge
* Mark Eitzel plays American Music Club, Hotel Lights @ The Bell House

The forecast is affecting some (or all...) of tonight's free outdoor shows...

Due to a threat of inclement weather, tonight's Quimbombo show has been moved to Stuyvesant High School at 345 Chambers St. Start time is still 7pm. Space is limited, so the first come, first served system will be in effect.

Also, tonight's film at the McCarren Park Summerscreen, Wild at Heart, has been rescheduled for August 19th. (Next week's screening of Fame will feature sets by Bottle Up & Go and The Nouvellas.)

Steely Dan is inside, but also cancelled.

Other outdoor gratis shows scheduled for tonight include Wayne Wonder
in Brooklyn's Brower Park and Raul Malo in Madison Square Park

Mark Eitzel plays his American Music Club songs at The Bell House tonight. Steely Dan will perform its 1980 album Gaucho at Beacon Theatre.

The Grates play the final show of their Pianos residency with The Whims, Buenos Dias and Charlotte Sometimes.

Catch members of the Black Lips in the Gaye Blades at Bruar Falls tonight with Bosco Delrey and Georgiana Starlington.

The Drums and Ninjasonik open for Ebony Bones tonight at Bowery Ballroom.

Scarlett Johansson collaborator Pete Yorn plays with Zee Avi at Webster Hall tonight.

Three-string guitarist Seasick Steve warms up for his All Points West set with a show tonight at the Mercury Lounge with J. Roddy Walson & the Business and Spirit Family Reunion.

92YTribeca hosts radio DJ Peter Roseberg in conversation with Raekwon as "jazz hip-hop fusion band" The Cypher perform from the latter's catalog.

The new Dodos album, which got leaked earlier this month, is out now and just $3.00. It's also streaming.

"Here to Fall," the first in a series of five clips from the upcoming Yo La Tengo album, Popular Songs, is posted below.

VBS visited the practice space of Silk Flowers, below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

by Bill Pearis

"Forty years ago, Seasick Steve was a hobo whose constant wandering brought him down here to the Deep South more than once. At 13, he had fled his home in Oakland, California, on the run from a violent stepfather who, in a fit of rage, had thrown him though the window of his mother's house. 'I had a moment of revelation,' he says. 'It was like I had been pushed right to the edge by what was happening to me, and I knew I was going to have to kill that motherfucker. Then, I suddenly thought: "No, Steve, it don't have to be like that. You don't have to end up in jail for one reckless act." It suddenly hit me that there was another way out. I could just run, and keep running. That way, at least my life would be my own.' ...

Seasick Steve's late success has surprised no one more than himself, and he tells me more than once that he doesn't really expect it to last but he's going to try to make himself 'some real money' while it does. Though both his songs and his persona trade heavily on his hobo credentials, he actually turned his back on the road way back in 1973. 'It just got too damn hard,' he says, 'and I knew if I kept on, I'd end up dead in a ditch somewhere.' The trajectory of his life since then is hazy and, one suspects, he plays down the semi-settled years, sensing correctly that his mainly young audience prefer the myth to the reality.

For the past 35 years, he has worked, on and off, in the music business, both as a hired session musician and as a studio engineer. Along the way, he has played with Joni Mitchell and, when he lived for a while in Olympia, near Seattle, in the late Eighties, helped produce albums for 'damn near every grunge group in America'. Though he has been married to his second wife for 27 years, and has five grown-up sons, Steve has had some trouble putting down roots in one place. 'I'm a settled hobo' is how he puts it, adding that he and his wife have lived in 59 different houses to date. They are currently based in Norfolk, which, he assures me, 'is a whole lot more exciting than Norway'.

It was in the Norwegian town of Notodden, however, that he found himself living four years ago. There he started recording a bunch of songs on a four-track tape machine. He was recovering from a heart attack that had left him feeling 'hopeless and helpless', and tells me he 'didn't have no big plans for the songs 'cept for giving them to my wife'.

The results found their way to his old friend, Joe Cushley, a DJ on internet radio station Resonance FM, who passed them on to the small British independent label, Bronzerat Records. Towards the tail end of 2006, Seasick Steve got a call from the BBC, who wanted him to appear on Later... with Jools Holland. Though he had no idea who Jools Holland was, he was persuaded to perform one song, 'Doghouse Boogie', on his New Year's Eve Hootenanny. It caused a stir in the studio, and an even bigger one online. A few days later, Seasick Steve's website collapsed under the weight of several thousand hits. The most unlikeliest cult star of the Noughties was born: an ex-itinerant pensioner who played the shit out of a three-stringed guitar miked up with gaffer tape. [The Guardian, September 2008]

After wowing the UK and Europe for the last two years, Seasick Steve is bringing his Three String Trance Wonder, One String Diddley Bow and Mississippi Drum Machine to the All Points West festival (Friday July 31, same day as Beastie Boys / Yeah Yeah Yeahs), as well as two small shows in the NYC area: July 29 at Mercury Lounge (tickets on sale tomorrow [6/5] at noon, Amex Presale as we speak) and August 8 at Southpaw (no advance tickets yet Tickets for that are now on sale too). Video of that famed Jools Holland appearance, plus a couple more videos and tour dates after the jump...

Continue reading "Seasick Steve playing NYC shows & All Points West"

Following last year's inaugural event, festival producers began work immediately on resolving concerns expressed by fans in attendance. They have worked closely with their partners at NJ Transit to improve light-rail service and capacity. As an added value for 2009, festival goers who choose to travel to the site utilizing the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line can ride for free throughout the weekend with their ALL POINTS WEST festival ticket. Additionally, based on the popularity of the ferry as a mode of transportation from lower Manhattan to Liberty State Park, the frequency and size of the ferryboats will increase at a reduced price for festival attendees.... The producers have also worked with their partners at Liberty State Park to improve the fan experience in the beer gardens. This year's areas will be larger, have shorter lines, and feature shade tents, views of the stages and food concessions...

The second annual ALL POINTS WEST MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL returns to Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey Friday, July 31, Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2. Like last year, bands will play on three stages, except "the Queen of the Valley stage has been changed to a Coachella-like tent creating an environment that will showcase comedy, DJs, electronic acts and bands."

More details on the items above will be posted at the apwfestival.com. The entire lineup (it's good!) and ticket info, below...

Continue reading "All Point West - 2009 festival dates & lineup (Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beastie Boys, Coldplay)"