Sebastien Grainger @ Mercury Lounge in 2008 (more by Gabi Porter)

FEBRUARY 4TH, 2011

SOME WORDS

It's been 5 years since Death From Above 1979 played a show, 10 years since Jesse played me the first demos & 11 years since we sat in his parents basement and played so loud we knocked the china off the shelves upstairs. 11 seems to be a YES number for me. Though I am usually a pretty rational guy, if I have something on my mind and I see an 11 somewhere, I know I'm on the right path. It's one of my last remaining superstitions. 2011 has a nice ring to it & if you're so inclined, it may be the last year ever! So why not say YES? Why not say YES to Coachella? Why not say YES to playing the music we designed to be an undeniable source of power? Why not say YES to stirring up a writhing pit of sweaty humans? YES to riots! YES to heavy music! YES instead of maybe, and YES to make death your adviser and remind yourself always, that this is not a dress rehearsal. This is the big show.

Jesse and I have decided that what we can do together should not be denied.
Together again, as was always the intention, as a collaboration.
The collision of two different worlds.
As this all takes shape, we will reveal it to you.
All of it happening, as it always has, in our own way.
Thank you all for sharing in our excitement!

Yes.
SEBASTIEN

The band currently has two shows scheduled. Coachella and May 6th at donaufestival in Krems, Austria.

DOWNLOAD: Broken Social Scene - "All To All" (DJ Mom Jeans Remix)

The Sea & Cake

The Sea & Cake will support Broken Social Scene on their upcoming trek that will see them at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park on 9/18 (tickets). The tour pairing makes perfect sense considering Sam Prekop's (The Sea & Cake) contributions on the recent BSS record, and his new LP Old Punch Card due on 9/7 via Thrill Jockey. A recent press release also states that there is a "rumored to be a split 7" between the two bands in the works". Hmm, rumors in a press release? Look for more details on that 7" soon.

In other BSS news, the band is releasing a series of remixes for their song "All To All". So far contributions from Sebastian Grainger, DJ Mom Jeans, Jojoflores, and Skeet Skeet have emerged, with more due every week. Download one contribution above, and the rest at the remix site. The video for "All To All" (the original) is viewable below.

NYC is looking like Arts & Crafts showcasing ground for the next few days, as TONIGHT (9/1) the previously discussed The Wooden Birds / Dan Mangan tour will hit The Rock Shop (the shows was moved from Union Hall), tagging Mercury Lounge two days later (tickets).

Thursday (9/2) will see recent Mexican A&C signees Chikita Violenta play Mercury Lounge with A Great Big Pile of Leaves (tickets) as part of a larger tour that includes non-NYC dates with A&C-in-Canada labelmates Ra Ra Riot (who play NYCx4 in Sept) and Built To Spill (who play NYC Thursday).

Chikita Violenta is prepping to release their forthcoming LP for A&C, TRE3S, due in early 2011. The album was recorded in Canada with former Broken Social Scene producer Dave Newfeld. An MP3 is being given away at their site.

Last but not least, Chilly Gonzales (who will be in NYC soon with Peaches) is busy helping Feist with her new album. Feist and Gonzales both appear on Jamie Lidell's new album. Chilly's new album, Ivory Tower, is out September 14th.

All tour dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Arts & Crafts superpost: Chikita Violenta (from Mexico), Dan Mangan & Wooden Birds (also here), Sea & the Cake w/ BSS who have remixes (touring), Sam Prekop, Feist & more"

"With a horn section behind the already several-member group, Broken Social Scene began with 'World Sick' off their new album Forgiveness Rock Record and then 'Stars And Sons,' the latter with fans clapping repeatedly on cue as six guitarists jammed out the conclusion.

However, from there things got bigger and better, with Metric's James Shaw and Pavement's Scott Kannberg helping out on the danceable 'Texico Bitches.' Then Feist made her way onstage for '7/4 (Shoreline),' dancing around the stage when not sharing vocal duties with Drew.

The only problem perhaps with the set - aside from Drew irked that his guitar pedals weren't working - was how it seemed to peak halfway through. Following the plodding, precious ballad 'Sweetest Kill,' both Feist and Metric's Emily Haines appeared for 'Sentimental X's,' which had the crowd onside from the start." [Toronto Sun]

Sebastien Grainger (DFA1979) and John McEntire (Tortoise/Sea and Cake) also joined BSS on stage on Saturday, June 19th, on Toronto's Olympic Island. The full lineup for the 2010 edition of the annual Toronto Island Concert, which wasn't officially part of NXNE (but which did let in 250 badges) looked like this:

1:15 PM Toronto Revue (The Beauties, Flash Lightnin', Zeus)
2:45PM Timber Timbre
4:00PM Beach House
5:15PM Band of Horses
6:45PM Broken Social Scene
9:00PM Pavement

I left my downtown hotel in a cab at 3pm, and though the ferry station was only a ten minute drive away, I didn't actually get to the stage area until around around 4:45. I heard Beach House as I walked up, but I never actually saw them. I wasn't worried about catching Timber Timbre because I saw them the night before in a club (more on that later), and I knew I wasn't getting there by 1:00 (after being out till 4am at NXNE shows the night before) so I didn't even try.

The weather on Saturday in Toronto was hot and beautiful and Band of Horses (who played Grand Central Station in NYC one night earlier) (and the Williamsburg Waterfront in NYC one night later) sounded great as they played out to the thousands of people who were either watching them... or waiting on line for something. Lines were definitely a problem on the island. You usually had to wait a long time for food, bathrooms and most frustratingly to many, beer.

Then came Broken Social Scene and they were in top form - it was my favorite time ever seeing them. In fact, though I've seen the band more times than I can remember over the past six years, I was never 100% comfortable with their live show before. That changed on the island. Maybe it was because they were in their hometown of Toronto with all their friends (though sadly no Jason Collett or Amy Milan who are both on tour). Feist and Emily Haines together on stage contributed strongly to the specialness (par for the course for Toronto), and Lisa Lobsinger no longer feels like the new girl.

Full setlist (and lots more pictures and some videos) below.

As painful as it was to leave while BSS was playing their last song (aka I didn't stay for Pavement), I made the decision that I was going to catch The Stooges who played a competing show at Young Dundas Square at 9:30. My trip off the island was much quicker than my trip on. I got a ferry immediately and then a cab immediately and I was 40 minutes early for Iggy. I even caught the last ten minutes of The Raveonettes who played before the Stooges on the outdoor stage which was in the middle of a Times Square-like area of town. It was a complete madhouse (a free show in the middle of town open to anyone... with Iggy Pop), but more on that later.

Andrew Frisicano was with me on the island. He missed Band of Horses but stayed for Pavement. His post on the headliner is coming later. More about BSS and Band of Horses, with a ton of pictures and some videos and both setlists, below...

Continue reading "Broken Social Scene (w/ Feist & Emily Haines) & Band of Horses opened for Pavement @ Toronto's Olympic Island - pics, video, setlists"

photos by Bao Nguyen

"This is an epic time for Metric! Fantasies has achieved Gold status in Canada within the first few weeks of its release and it is thanks to the incredible support of our loyal fans. Since the release of Live It Out in 2005 the music industry has been in decline; it seems everyone's sales have suffered a lot since then. To have surpassed our previous album sales so dramatically in such a climate is an astonishing feat and we are so grateful to every single person who has believed in us and made it possible. Our way of doing things has always been unconventional and we took a massive risk in self-releasing Fantasies all over the world outside Canada. We're getting an overwhelmingly positive reaction from listeners around the globe and are so excited to bring the Metric love to all corners of the earth. We gave it our all and the world is magically giving back." - Emily Haines, Metric

Metric are currently touring the United States in support of Fantasies. Last night that tour hit a very packed Terminal 5 in NYC (6/17). It was probably Metric's biggest headlining NYC show to date, which may explain Emily Haines getting all nostalgic about things like going to Fez (RIP).

Smile Smile opened the show with an early 7:30 pm set. Then came a rockin' set by former DFA79 member Sebastien Grainger and his band The Mountains. They're touring with Metric in the US. Metric's headlining set was heavy on the new Fantasies material. That was a good or bad thing depending on who you talk to. More pictures from the show, Metric's new video, and the rest of their tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Metric & Sebastien Grainger @ Terminal 5 in NYC - pics "

Sebastien Grainger @ Mercury Lounge, CMJ (more by Gabi Porter)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Dr. Dog @ Webster Hall
* Peasant @ Public Asembly
* Silver Apples @ The Kitchen
* Diego Garcia @ the Living Room
* Nellie McKay @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Rosie Thomas @ the Living Room
* Q-Tip & The Cool Kids @ Highline Ballroom
* El Guincho & Lemonade @ (le) poisson rouge
* Stellastarr*, The Picture, & Princeton @ Pianos
* Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains @ Union Hall
* Felice Brothers, Bruce Hornsby, Dar Williams & James Hunter @ the Concert Hall

Alex Gomez RIP. If you don't know himn, you might remember him from Southpaw and other Brooklyn bars where he worked.

Diego Garcia of Elefant has a Tuesdays-in-December residency at the Living Room starting tonight. Stellastarr* kick off their five-night run at Pianos.

Upcoming shows at the Apollo Theater include Chrisette Michele on December 5th and Tony Bennett on the 16th.

Rosie Thomas also plays a holidy show at The Bell House tomorrow.

The Blip Festival is at The Bell House this weekend.

Cursive are playing some shows in January.

King Khan & BBQ play the WIRED store Wednesay.

Happy Birthday Britney Spears! Her new album is out today, and she's going on tour in 2009. NYC-area shows are at Nassau Coliseum on March 11th, and Prudential Center on the 13th. Both shows are with Pussycat Dolls.

Britney shares a birthday with Treach of Naughty By Nature.

The band Ringo Deathstarr performed at Cake Shop in September. Check out two videos from that show below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday? "

Photos by Leia Jospe

Recently, Sebastien Grainger changed his MySpace page description from "fuck rock" to "fun rock." Like his brand new debut album on Saddle Creek, Grainger's set at the BrooklynVegan day party at Pianos wasn't very sexy, but it sure was a good time. Grainger's new sound utilizes the same driving propulsion as the band that made him famous (Death From Above 1979), but in the service of good ol' boy rawk rather than dance-metal. At Pianos, Grainger and his three-man backing crew (the Mountains) threw a fit of buzzsaw melodies and steam engine beats that got progressively louder as the set progressed. By the time of the anthemic "American Names", the volume was overdriven to the point of distraction.

Sign o' the times: Grainger made fun of an audience member's goatee, then backpedaled: "He's probably not going to buy the album." The guy yelled back, "I already downloaded it!"
[Amy Phillips]

Sebastien also played Mercury Lounge the night before Pianos, and he'll play Mercury Lounge again on December 3rd (with Snowden) (tickets) which is one day after he plays Union Hall (tickets). More pictures and tour dates below...

Continue reading "Sebastien Grainger - BV party pics, more 2008 Tour Dates"

Photos by Gabi Porter

Once it's out there, there's no turning back -- and that's a good thing for Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains.

The band has been touring extensively for the past two years with, as Grainger says, "very little material out there." That changed this week when the debut album Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains was finally released.

"I'm excited just for the people to have the songs in their heads," said Grainger, former drummer/vocalist of dance-punk duo Death From Above 1979. "And for when we go out to play them, for people to know what we're doing and know what the songs are ... But it has been a special trajectory to have the opportunity to play for a substantial amount of people without having that advantage. It's going to be interesting to see what the next phase is once people know the record."

The night before he played last on the main stage of the BrooklynVegan party at Pianos, Sebastien played his official CMJ showcase at Mercury Lounge in the same LES neighborhood. More pictures from the latter (10/22) below...

Continue reading "Sebastien Grainger @ Mercury Lounge (CMJ), NYC - pics"

DOWNLOAD: Pretty & Nice - Tora Tora Tora (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Eagle Seagull - Photograph (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Twi the Humble Feather - higher than the end (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: James Jackson Toth - Nothing Hides (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: James Jackson Toth - Doreen (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Muslims - Beside Myself (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Shad - I Get Down (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Japanese Motors - Spendin Days (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Japanese Motors - Single Fins & Safety Pins (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Peasant - Exposure (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sharon Van Etten - It's Not Like (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: PWRFL POWER - It's Okay (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: PWRFL POWER - Alma Song (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sebastien Grainger - American Names (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Wye Oak - Warning (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Phosphorescent - A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Friendly Fires - Jump in the Pool (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Crystal Antlers - A Thousand Eyes (MP3)

ABOVE: You can download at least one MP3 from every artist playing the BrooklynVegan party at Pianos today (Oct 23, 2008). Which one do you like best?

Phosphorescent's video for "At Death, A Proclamation" below...

Continue reading "OCT23 PIANOS DAY MIXTAPE (17 songs to download)"

DOWNLOAD: Friendly Fires - Jump in the Pool (MP3)

Friendly Fires

@ Pianos in NYC, Main stage, Thursday, October 23, 2008, FREE

time (PM), band
12:00 Pretty & Nice (Hardly Art)
12:45 Eagle Seagull
01:30 The Muslims
02:15 Japanese Motors
03:00 Friendly Fires
03:45 Crystal Antlers
04:30 Sebastien Grainger

There is also a 2nd stage upstairs running concurrently (and slightly later) with eight more bands, also free. That lineup will be announced shortly, but you already know it contains Wye Oak, Phosphorescent, Peasant, and Pwrfl POWER (lots of p's). (21+)

Friendly Fires play their first of two NYC shows with Lykke Li tonight (Oct 20)

Check out a video of Crystal Antlers playing a show at The Yard below...

Continue reading "BV CMJ day party #1 - Pianos main stage lineup & set times"

DOWNLOAD: Sebastien Grainger - American Names (MP3)

CSS @ a BV Pianos during-CMJ show, Nov 1, 2006 (CRED)

BrooklynVegan is returning to Pianos on the Lower East Side of Manhattan this year for another free 2-floor day show during CMJ. The date is Thursday October 23rd. The times are noon to 5:30 PM. The initial lineup is Peasant (an encore BV Pianos performance), Pwrfl POWER, Merge Records' Wye Oak, the one and only Phosphorescent, The Muslims, Crystal Antlers, Friendly Fires, and as someone figured out, Sebastien Grainger (check out our interview with the ex-DFA1979er) (his official showcase is at Mercury Lounge). As always, this party is 100% free. Full lineup and schedule TBA very soon!

Not free: the Tuesday night BV showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Also free: another BrooklynVegan day party. Announcement coming soon!

Check out Wye Oak's official video for "Please Concrete" below...

Continue reading "BV's during-CMJ 2008 day party #1 - Thursday, October 23rd"

Set times are actual. No advanced tickets...

Continue reading "2008 CMJ shows at the Mercury Lounge"

by BrooklynVegan Mike

"I was like, 'this is a fucking heavy record'."

Sebastien Grainger @ Osheaga - Aug 3, 2008 (crazytvdreams)

Sebastien Grainger, Canadian drummer and vocalist of the too short-lived DFA79 (not to be confused with France's Sebastien Tellier who just came through NYC last week), has emerged since the duo's split with an upcoming Saddle Creek record..

Best known for his contributions as singer and drummer for Canadian dance-punk duo Death From Above 1979, whose decadently catchy anthems took the world by storm with the release of their breakthrough record You're a Woman, I'm a Machine in 2004, Sebastien Grainger is soon to be even better known to the world as a singer and songwriter of sophisticated distinction via his new solo works. Fans of his prior music will likely be surprised by his new direction: delicately layered ruminations rich with energetic arrangements and deep melodic undercurrents. With his first full-length album Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains he further expands upon the well-received melodic endeavors of his digital EP American Names.

Sebastien's new work is a departure from both his previous outfit, and that of his former bandmate Jesse Keeler (one half of MSTRKRFT). Sebastien's band has played more than a handful of shows in the past eighteen months, including one recently at Osheaga in Montreal, That's where I spoke with him about the new sound, his old band, and the Canadian government promoting ejaculation..

--

The obvious first question would be the timeline. It's been a couple years [since DFA 1979], so what has occurred in that time?

Continue reading "an interview w/ (Saddle Creek's) Sebastien Grainger (DFA79)"