Thurston and Kim still trendsetters...

Just two years after tying the knot, Zooey Deschanel and Ben Gibbard have separated, Deschanel's rep confirms to Us Weekly.

"It was mutual and amicable," a source adds. "There was no third party involved."

the Decemberists @ Summerstage in 2007

today in NYC
* Whiplash @ UCB
* Blondie Chaplin @ Iridium
* Leni Stern @ Barbes
* Cumbiagra @ Barbes
* Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen @ Littlefield
* Martha Wainwright @ Rockwood Music Hall
* The Decemberists, Wye Oak @ Beacon Theatre
* People Lea Like Sing Stevie Wonder @ Joe's Pub
* Nymph, Lycaon Pictus, Dome Theater @ Zebulon
* Little Dragon, Theophilus London @ Bowery Ballroom
* Zs, Thee Majesty, Ecstatic Sunshine, Cex @ Knitting Factory
* Tony Scherr Trio, Milly Beau, Marie Frank @ The Living Room
* Jim Campilongo Electric Trio with Stephan Crump, Tony Mason @ The Living Room
* Claudio Valenzuela of Lucybell (of Chile), Alerta Rocket (of Peru), Joe Fernandez @ Mercury Lounge
* Los Naturales, Pigeons(OESB), Eleven Twenty-nine (Tom Carter of Charalambides and Marc Orleans @ Death By Audio

The Decemberists and Wye Oak are kicking off a three-night run at Beacon Theater tonight.

Yuck, who were supposed to play the 2010 BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase, arrive in NYC for the first time on Tuesday.

Suuns, who replaced Yuck on the 2010 BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase, arrive back in NYC on the same day (Tuesday).

She & Him's new video for "Don't Look Back" can be watched below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

words & photos by Tracy Allison

Last night (7/6) She & Him played a sold out show at Terminal 5. The show was the fourth of fourteen stops on their Summer 2010 tour which also included a free show at Governors Island on the 4th of July.

Not long after the doors had opened, the 3,000+ person venue was crowded with concert goers unwilling to stand outside in the near 100 degree heatwave. The audience was full of women wearing light-colored knee-length sundresses in the style of actress and She & Him member Zooey Deschanel.

At 8 p.m., comedian Eugene Mirman took the stage, asking the audience how many of them were aware that the opening act was a comedian and not a musician. While the crowd did not seem particularly impressed with the jokes told during Mirman's 30 minute set, he managed to win over people towards the front of the stage by handing out business cards with ridiculous slogans.

At 9 p.m., She & Him walked on stage to thunderous applause and excitement. For most of their performance, backup vocals were provided by Lily and Abigail Chapin, 2/3rds of the folk-pop group The Chapin Sisters.

Halfway through the set, Zooey Deschanel took a moment to discuss a pet peeve with the audience. "Do you guys know how to turn the flashes off your cameras?" She asked, "I'm not trying to be bossy, but A) it ruins a lot and B) it's bad for pictures. Let us handle the lighting." In fact, Terminal 5's security guards walked throughout the venue very strictly enforcing the "No Pictures" rule for the night.

She & Him played for a total of 1 1/2 hours, performing songs such as "Sentimental Heart", "You Really Gotta Hold On Me", "Brand New Shoes", "In The Sun", "Don't Look Back", "This Is Not a Test", "Take It Back", and "Home".

After an evening full of beautiful music, audience cheers, and Zooey Deschanel jumping around on stage with a tambourine, She & Him returned for a short encore with the show finally ending around 10:30 p.m.

More (legally taken, flash-free) pictures from the show below...

Continue reading "She & Him & Eugene Mirman played Terminal 5 (pics & setlist)"

photos by Andrew St. Clair

"at the "she and him" show on governors island. zooey deschanel is ridiculously adorable." - Sonal Dutt

She & Him helped NYC celebrate Independence Day with a free concert on Governors Island. The Sunday late-afternoon, Converse-presented show reached capacity early despite the intense heat wave we're currently still experiencing. Those who made it got a 20+ song setlist from M. Ward, Zooey Deschanel and band, and an opening set by their Merge label-mates Oakley Hall. Both setlists are below.

Those who got there a couple of hours earlier may have checked out a free show by Rosanne Cash in another area of the island (pics coming soon), and it's possible some people were also on the island the night before to see a free show by Portugal. The Man (pics coming soon).

She & Him do it again Tuesday night at Terminal 5 in Manhattan. The sold out (tickets were $30 each) 2nd NYC show has comedian Eugene Mirman listed as the opener. More pictures and the setlists from Governors Island below...

Continue reading "She & Him and Oakley Hall played the Beach at Governors Island - pics & setlist"

"Gone to Governors" (more by Ryan Muir)

Wednesday, June 30th
Passion Pit
Updated Ferry Information

Doors open at 5:00PM, show is at 6:00PM.

ALL Ferries for Passion Pit will be departing regularly from lower Manhattan at the North end of the Battery Maritime Building ONLY starting at 5:00PM - 10 South Street, New York, NY. The Battery Maritime Building is easily accessible from the the 2-3, JMZ, and AC subway stops.

Returning ferries from Governors Island will run approximately every 20 minutes back from the Island all evening. Please note that returning ferries may stop at either the Battery Maritime Building OR Pier 11 (Wall Street & South Street) which is only a few hundred yards North of the Battery Maritime Building and also accessible to the the 2-3, JMZ, AC subway stops.

Note also that tonight's Passion Pit show is not on "the Beach". The Beach, where Yeasayer and the Morning Benders played free shows, is the smallest of the three "venues" on Governors Island. Passion Pit play Colonel's Row which is about double the size of the Beach. M.I.A. and Rock the Bells happen at the even bigger space which is more than double the size of Colonel's Row.

This holiday weekend there are three free shows on Governors Island. Note the updated lineups:

• July 3rd - Portugal. The Man w/ Alberta Cross & Hopewell
  (Doors: 6:00 pm/ Show: 8:00 pm)
• July 4th - Rosanne Cash (2 PM - 4 PM)
• July 4th - She & Him w/ Oakley Hall (4:00 pm Show)

There is also a Victor Calderone event on the Beach of Governors Island on July 4th from 6pm - 2am, so I guess She & Him is over before then. The switchover of crowds should be interesting.

"Please note: Due to location of fireworks, they cannot be seen from Governors Island"

Lucero play a free show on the Beach with J-Roddy Walston and The Business (recently added) & TBA on July 10th. More of the schedule is HERE.

photos by Chris Graham, words by Andrew Frisicano

Dirty Projectors @ Sasquatch Fest

Dirty Projectors have added the rest of the tour dates around their September 11th Terminal 5 show (Tickets are still on sale for that). The band covers a lot of ground on the short tour, going back to Seattle by the end of September. They just played the Seattle-area, Sasquatch Festival's second day (5/30). The pictures here are from that (Day one pictures from the same fest are here).

Between playing for David Byrne and DJing with Bjork, the band found time to cut a cover of Bob Dylan's "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine" for Levi's, who will give you the song for your e-mail address. Don't expect too many fireworks - their version is a pretty straightforward, dorm-room take on the song. Levi's is also giving away songs by Nas, The Swell Season, and She & Him (The Shins, Passion Pit, and The Kills all have free tracks coming up).

Dirty Projectors' Terminal 5 show is being opened by Owen Pallett, who opens a few others on the tour too. Sub Pop garage-pop Happy Birthday and electro-party rapper Dominique Young Unique (whose video for single "Show My Ass" is below) open others. Owen goes on to tour with the National.

More Sasquatch pictures and videos (which capture the crowd singing "Happy Birthday" to Amber's dad, and some inspired "Stillness" dance moves) and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "updated Dirty Projectors tour dates, a free Bob Dylan cover, pictures & video from Sasquatch"

DOWNLOAD: The Morning Benders - Cold War (Wallpaper. Winter Remix) (MP3)

Caribou @ Bowery Ballroom (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

What is now being considered the full lineup for the ten-show, Converse-sponsored "Gone to Governors" series at Governors Island is almost complete (openers still TBA). There are ten shows total - seven of which are on Saturdays. One is on a Friday. Two are on Sundays (one of which is July 4th). All except Local Natives on August 7th are free.

The lineup's latest additions include co-headliners Caribou & Phantogram with The Chain Gang of 1974 (July 16th), and Josh Ritter with openers Justin Townes Earle and Dawn Landes (August 8th).

Here's the whole thing:

1. June 05 - Yeasayer, Keepaway, Delicate Steve
2. June 19 - The Morning Benders, Freelance Whales & TBA
3. July 03 - Portugal. The Man & TBA
4. July 04 (Sunday) - She & Him
5. July 10 - Lucero & TBA
6. July 16 (Friday) - Caribou, Phantogram, The Chain Gang of 1974
7. July 17 - Dr. Dog & TBA
8. Aug. 07 - Local Natives & TBA ($10 ticket)
9. Aug. 08 (Sunday) - Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, Justin Townes Earle, Dawn Landes & the Hounds
10. Aug. 14 - Neon Indian & TBA
11. Aug 15 - Dr. Dog

The shows will be held at the Beach at Governors Island, one of three venues on the Island. The others are Colonel Row (where Passion Pit will be playing, for instance) and South Island Field (which'll host M.I.A./HARD NYC). Michael Franti & Spearhead w/ Trombone Shorty kicks off the season of pay-shows at the Island with a Thursday, June 3rd performance there.

The Morning Benders will headline the second show in the series on June 19th, and they just released new song "Go Grab A Stranger," a Big Echo b-side currently available as a limited tour 7", streaming below. A remix of their song "Cold War" by Oakland act Wallpaper is available above.

"Go Grab A Stranger" and more info on the Gov. Island shows are below...

Continue reading "Gone to Governors - full 10 mostly-free show lineup (Caribou, Phantogram, Josh Ritter, She & Him & Local Natives included)"

We Were Promised Jetpacks' new EP The Last Place You'll Look came out in March on Fat Cat. That's the cover above.

In addition to playing the June 30th Passion Pit/Tokyo Police Club/Suckers show at Governors Island (they're opening), We Were Promised Jetpacks has added a Tuesday, June 29th headlining show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Bear Hands open. Tickets go on AmEx presale Wednesday at noon. General sale starts Friday, May 28th at noon.

The Brooklyn show is one of at least seven shows that WWPJ and Bear Hands will play together this summer. Those dates include Louisville, Kentucky's Forecastle Festival which has updated its July lineup since we last spoke. That updated lineup and day-by-day schedule, and all dates below...

Continue reading "We Were Promised Jetpacks & Bear Hands add more dates (MHOW), Forecastle Festival updates its lineup "

Video from David Letterman, Craig Ferguson and Carson Daly, below...

Continue reading "Band of Horses, She & Him & Hold Steady were on TV last night (videos)"

She & Him @ Bowery Ballroom in March (more by sarahana)

She & Him will be coming to NYC for two shows this July as part of their summer tour dates. All of those shows are posted below.

So far, music on July 4th in NYC includes kids music at Battery Park, the Old 97s at South Street Seaport, and a free 2pm Rosanne Cash show on Governors Island (presented by Trinity Wall Street) - you can add to that a free She & Him show at the Beach @ Governors Island (presented by The Bowery Presents, Highline Ballroom and Mad Dog Presents). Roseanne Cash and She & Him - same date, same island, separate shows. She & Him time TBA.

Two days after that (7/6), She & Him play Terminal 5. Tickets for the not-free show go on AmEx presale Wednesday, April 28th at 11am. General tickets go on sale Friday at noon.

Last time they were in NYC, in March, She & Him played two nights at Bowery Ballroom.

All tour dates (quite a few around North America, and Europe before then) are below...

Continue reading "She & Him playing a free 4th of July show on Governors Island (Rosanne Cash too), Terminal 5 & other 2010 tour dates "

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 "

photos by Sarahana, words & photos by Chris La Putt, SXSW shots by Graeme Flegenheimer

"Was asked to have my picture taken at the She&Him show because "I dress like Zooey" compliment of a lifetime" - Brandi Bullar.

She & Him @ SXSW

She & Him, backed by The Chapin Sisters, played the first of their two sold-out shows at the Bowery Ballroom last night, March 29th. They're celebrating the release of their second album, aptly named Volume Two. The crowd was a full of Zooey Deschanel look-alikes with floppy hats and fancy bows adorning their heads waiting for some sunny vocals and a blue-eyed beauty (and her partner and expert guitar player M Ward). I was hoping (unrealistically) for a guest appearance by Tilly and the Wall who contibute to "In the Sun" on the album, but no such luck. They did play the song though. Full setlist below.

The Living Sisters (sans Inara George) @ Bowery Ballroom

Opening for Zooey and M. Ward at the Bowery were the the Living Sisters who started the show off with wonderfully offbeat old timey standards with modern lyrics (something to the tune of asking their boyfriends to tie them up in double knots). The band is made up of LA's Eleni Mandell, Inara George (of Bird and the Bee fame), and Becky Stark (Lavender Diamond), but Bird and the Bee backing vocalist and lead singer of Obi Best, Alex Lilly filled in for the Bee as Inara is in LA expecting a baby. Their debut album Love to Live is out today on Vanguard Records.

She & Him finish their March tour tonight (3/30) at the Bowery (The Chapin Sisters open this time), then play scattered days in April, May and June including Coachella, Sasquatch and Bonnaroo. All dates, more pictures from the first night at the Bowery and some from SXSW with a video of Zooey hopping around onstage at the El Rey, below...

Continue reading "She & Him played SXSW & Bowery Ballroom (pics, setlist) w/ the Living Sisters (Becky Stark, Eleni Mandell, Inara George)"

Broken Bells

tonight in NYC
* Soulive @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Men, Light Asylum @ Mercury Lounge
* Dam-Funk, DJ Spinna @ Bowery Ballroom
* Emanuel And The Fear @ Gramercy Theater
* John Brown's Body, Echo Movement @ Maxwell's
* Capsula, Cavalier Rose, Orange Opera @ Pianos
* The Magnetic Fields, Laura Barrett @ Town Hall
* Glass Ghost, Flotilla, Jason Anthony Harris @ Cake Shop
* The Silent League, Brasstronaut, Callmekat @ Littlefield
* Jessica Sligter, Which Way East, Black Sea Hotel @ Zebulon
* Broken Bells, Plants & Animals @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Big Terrific Show w/ Max Silvestri, Gabe Liedman and Jenny Slate @ The Cameo
* Santino Santino, Himalaya, The Shining Twins, Baby Fangs @ (late) Glasslands
* Choir of Young Believers, Spleen United, The Loom, The Right Ons @ Union Hall
* Total Slacker, Prince Rama, Quiet Hooves, Bubbly Mommy Gun, Ambergris @ Silent Barn
* Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Suckers, Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Dream Diary, Cloud Nothings, Fluffy Lumbers, McDonalds, Free Kisses @ Monster Island Basement

She & Him's new video for "In The Sun" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

DOWNLOAD: Sweet Apple - Do You Remember (MP3)

Thurston w/ Sonic Youth @ MHOW in November (more by Lori Baily)

Society's Ills: In 1994 Society's Ills (Moore, Cadena, Watt, Markey) made their world premier with the now coveted "Skins, Brains, and Guts" release - a slab that managed to cram (9) 7 seconds covers onto one 7". In 2010, the band is back and once again fronted by Thurston but he brings with him a new crue of slayers to launch the hardcore fury:

Thurston Moore: Vocals
J Mascis: Guitar
Don Fleming: Guitar [SY producer & Velvet Monkeys/Gumball frontman]
Andrew W.K.: Bass
Awesome Allison: Drums [from Awesome Color]

This set is their first, but don't worry if you miss it cause I'm sure we can put this together again in another 15 years! [Ecstatic Peace]

J Mascis will also be playing at SXSW with Sweet Apple, who are playing Mercury Lounge on April 20th. One of their SXSW sets will be at the showcase for TeePee Records, who are putting out the Sweet Apple debut, Love & Desperation, a track from which is above. That show is Thursday, March 18th at Habana Calle 6, and also on the bill are Priestess, Iron Age, Nebula, Naam, Imaad Wasif and more. Full details and a poster are below. Tee Pee Records has also teamed up with BrooklynVegan and Chronic Youth for another day party taking place on Saturday, March 20th in Austin. This is the first we've mentioned it. Stay tuned for more info.

Lou Barlow will also be at SXSW (backed again by The Missingmen) - one of his shows will be the Merge Records showcase at Cedar Street Courtyard on March 18th also featuring Let's Wrestle, She & Him, and others. Full lineup below. For She & Him it's one of two official SXSW shows. They also play Saturday night (March 20th) at Auditorium Shores (with Justin Townes Earle & TBA). Cheap Trick play the same slot at Auditorium Shores one night earlier.

Merge's showcase mentions that one slot will be filled by "Special Guest". We don't know who that is, but we'd have to guess Superchunk is a strong possibility since Mac & Laura have a speaking engagement (in a bookstore) on March 17th, and another one (official SXSW) at the convention center on March 19th (with Michael Azerrad), and the band is on the bill of the Village Voice day party happening at La Zona Rosa the afternoon of March 19th (with the xx, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Surfer Blood). It's definitely not Spoon who play the NPR show at Stubb's on March 17th with Deerhunter (their tour-mates) and The Walkmen.

Society's Ills Bassist Andrew W.K. will also be performing separately (and speaking) at SXSW (and at MtyMx in Mexico).

Kim and Thurston are playing with the Plastic Ono Band in their two-night Brooklyn Academy of Music run. They were at the dress rehearsal (aka the first night) last night (2/16). BV photographer Greg Cristman was in the audience and told us, "One definite highlight was Thurston and Kim played with Yoko as a trio and did a killer version of Mulberry from Unfinished Music No. 2 while the film Fly was projected on a huge screen behind them!" - a (poor quality) video clip of one of the other songs is below.

Full lineups for the showcases and videos are below...

Continue reading "Thurston Moore (& Kim) rehearsed w/ Yoko @ BAM, recreating Society's Ills (w/ Mascis, WK), appearing @ SXSW (like She & Him, Merge Records, Tee Pee...) "

We'll get a more complete press release in the morning (and confirm what is listed below is 100% correct), but in the meantime below is a picture of the 2010 Sasquatch poster (that someone Tweeted) and the lineup as read by Bradford Cox at tonight's Atlas Sound show in Seattle (and being listed all over the Internet)....

Continue reading "Sasquatch announces 2010 lineup (includes Massive Attack & My Morning Jacket) (and many more) "

After a hectic day of updating the constantly updating Bonnaroo lineup page, the entire thing has been announced. Gwar, Norah Jones, and the rest of the lineup below...

Continue reading "the complete 2010 Bonnaroo lineup (Stevie Wonder, The Melvins, Kings of Leon, Isis, Local Natives & many more) "

She & Him will release their sophomore album, Volume Two, on March 23rd, 2010 via Merge Records. Written by Zooey Deschanel (She) and produced by M. Ward (Him), Volume Two is the highly anticipated follow up to the duo's critically acclaimed debut, Volume One.

Volume Two makes good on Volume One's musical promise and then some. With eleven original tracks and two covers - "Ridin' In My Car" by NRBQ and Skeeter Davis' "Gonna Get Along Without You" - Volume Two is bigger, bolder and more beautiful than its predecessor... [says them anyway]

New album tracklist and all dates below...

Continue reading "She & Him - new album info & 2010 Tour Dates"

Wow...Public Image Ltd, The Specials, Grizzly Bear, Passion Pit, Echo and the Bunnymen, Grace Jones, Fever Ray, Devo, Hot Chip, Phoenix, Orbital, Spoon, Sly and the Family Stone, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sunny Day Real Estate, Yo La Tengo, Mew, Camera Obscura, Gil Scott-Heron, The xx, John Waters, Dillinger Escape Plan, Deer Tick, Gary Numan... Full Coachella 2010 lineup below....

Continue reading "2010 Coachella line up announced (Faith No More, Pavement, Muse, Gorillaz, Thom Yorke, Jay-Z, LCD Soundystem, ???)"

by Andrew Frisicano

Mac and Britt embrace (Triangle Music)

The much anticipated XX Merge Festival took place last week in North Carolina with a five-day (July 22-July 26), Wednesday to Sunday run of shows. Last night (Sunday)'s show with She & Him, American Music Club and Wye Oak was the only fully announced lineup. The other four nights (and one day) were a grab bag of any number of Merge bands past and present. Did you go? What were the highlights?

Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band, who recently played a pair of big NY shows, headlined the fest's first night (which also included Magnetic Fields). Superchunk, which features Merge founders Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan, topped the bill of the second night. The third night included the reformed/reunited lineups of Spent, Polvo and Pipe.

Mac McCaughan came out on stage before [Pipe] instead of the night's emcee and announced that there was a lone protester outside. He invited him up on stage and it was Jon Wurster decked out in Phillies gear as Philly Boy Roy. He was holding a sign that said "Boycot MERGE." He complained that Merge didn't have any Philly bands on their roster and Mac said that they have bands from Jersey, which is close to Philly. You never compare Jersey to Philly in front of Philly Boy Roy. It was hilarious.

All of this led to the introduction of New Jersey punks Pipe. As soon as they kicked into their first song, beer cans and plastic bottles started flying. Frontman Ron Liberti ate it up and even put himself in the line of fire, headbutting some of the cans while kicking some back into the crowd. Liberti bounded around the stage, essentially taunting the crowd. The crowd loved the band's antics as did I (but that may have been different if I hadn't managed to stay dry). [triangle music]

In addition to the Cat's Cradle shows (the venue for 4/5 of the night shows), Saturday featured a day show that included Julian Koster solo as Music Tapes and Mac McCaughan with violin accompaniment as Portastatic. A few videos from that set, below.

M. Ward, who's playing the Central Park Summerstage this Saturday (August 1st), played at the fest's Saturday night showcase. Zooey Deschanel joined him for a cover of the Beatles' "Birthday." Not too big of a surprise considering She & Him headlined the Sunday night show.

Other XX Merge artists who recently stopped in NYC include The Clientele and Richard Buckner (they played Music Hall of Williamsburg last Sunday), Versus and Superchunk (they played South Street Seaport last Friday), and Spent (they played Coco 66). Spoon didn't play a NYC show, but they were spotted in the audience of Paul McCartney's third of three shows at Citi Field in Queens. Destroyer is on his way up. He plays Bowery Ballroom on Thursday. Mark Eitzel (as American Music Club) played Le Poisson Rouge and Maxwell's before XX Merge, and now he's on his way back for a show at The Bell House.

Lineups for each night of XX Merge, with videos, and a bunch of setlists, below...

Continue reading "Merge celebrated their 20th w/ 5 days of shows in North Carolina (lineups, reviews, pics, video setlists...)"

DOWNLOAD: Living Things - Oxygen (MP3)

Dee Dee?? (Living Things @ Highline / more by Leia Jospe)

St. Louis garage rockers Living Things are about to appear as one of their hero bands, the Ramones in the now-filming The Runaways, the biopic about the groundbreaking 70's all-girl hard rock group led by Joan Jett. Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame plays Jett, with Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie and Academy Award-nominated actor Michael Shannon as the band's "Svengali" Kim Fowley...Living Things have already recorded a cover of "We're A Happy Family."

In addition to having a useful resemblance in attitude to the punk progenitors, the band has a direct line into the production - singer Lillian Berlin is the husband of the film's writer and director Floria Sigismondi.

In other movie news, the The Sun UK reports that "drug-guzzling shock-rocker" Marilyn Manson will be filming a musical, "Goth-inspired" version of Cinderella with Harry Potter's Emma Watson. 500 Days of Summer, starring She of She & Him, has an indie rock soundtrack that includes Feist, The Black Lips, and She & Him. Funny People, in addition to featuring characters wearing indie rock t-shirts, also has an indie-friendly soundtrack. Oh, and Patton Oswalt is a Big Fan.

A pic from the set of The Runaways movie, with Living Things tour dates, and some trailers, below...

Continue reading "a film about The Runaways starring Living Things as The Ramones + Marilyn Manson in Cinderella & other movie news"

Julian Koster says 'Go to XX Merge' (more from the Bell House by Tim Griffin)

Merge Records has updated the lineup for its 20th anniversary festival, XX Merge, taking place Wednesday, July 22 to Sunday, July 26 at North Carolina's Cat's Cradle and UNC's Memorial Hall. Five-day passes for the fest are sold out, but Merge will be releasing individual night tickets on Wednesday, May 13th at 10am.

Ticket info and XX Merge's updated lineup (with the Music Tapes and others) below...

Continue reading "updated XX Merge festival lineup & single day tickets"

photos by Tim Griffin

DeVotchKa @ Webster Hall - January 24, 2009

1. Death Cab For Cutie - "Love Song" (Cure cover)
2. Katy Perry - "Black And Gold" (Sam Sparro cover)
3. DeVotchKa - "Hot Burrito #1" (Flying Burrito Brothers cover)
4. Department Of Eagles - "Love Me" (Elvis Presley cover)
5. Jessica Lea Mayfield - "Words Of Love" (Buddy Holly cover)
6. Ben Bridwell - "Your Love Is Forever" (George Harrison cover)
7. Kate Tucker - "I'm On Fire" (Bruce Springsteen cover)
8. Rogue Wave - "Maps" (Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover)
9. A.C. Newman - "Take On Me" (a-ha cover)
10. Jem - "Yellow" (Coldplay cover)
11. Richard Hawley - "Early Morning Rain" (Gordon Lightfoot cover)
12. Daniel Martin Moore - "I Hear Music" (Billie Holiday cover)
13. She & Him - "I Put A Spell On You" (Screamin' Jay Hawkins cover)
14. Lila Downs - "My One And Only Love" (Frank Sinatra cover)

The above cover art and tracklist is from the previously-mentioned Starbucks Sweetheart CD they're putting out this year for Valentine's Day.

The makers of track #3, DeVotchKa, recently announced some dates with Les Clapool, played an NPR-streamable show in Philly on Friday, and played Webster Hall in NYC one night later (1/24). More pictures from that show below...

Continue reading "Devotchka - Webster Hall pics, an NPR Philly show stream & the Starbucks Sweetheart CD tracklist"

DOWNLOAD: Postal Service - Against All Odds (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Death Cab For Cutie - Someday You Will Be Loved (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel - Baby, It's Cold Outside (MP3)

Was there any Death Cab For Cutie on that mixtape Zooey Deschanel made for Yo La Tengo fans (and charity)? Because, according to US Magazine (and just about every other website on the Internet at this point), she is now engaged to Ben Gibbard! Congrats to the happy couple.

M Ward (Him) (best man?) is playing the Apollo Theatre on February 19th. All dates HERE.

Ben and Zooey sing "Dream" together in the video below...

Continue reading "Zooey Deschanel & Ben Gibbard engaged?!"

M Ward @ Bumbershoot 2008 (more by Chris Graham)

"Singer-songwriter and modern-day troubadour M. Ward announces plans to hit the road this winter and bring audiences on both sides of the Atlantic tracks from his highly-anticipated release, Hold Time (February 17th, Merge Records). Amidst producing and arranging Zooey Deschanel's indie pop gems and being the "Him" of She & Him's critically-acclaimed Volume One this past year, M. wrote and recorded Hold Time, the fully realized follow up to the internationally praised Post-War. It features stunning guest performances by Lucinda Williams, Jason Lytle (ex Grandaddy) and Zooey Deschanel."

M Ward's new album comes out a couple of weeks before Neko Case's new album which he guests on.

And like his friend Jenny recently did, and like he, Jenny, and Zooey all did for the taping of an episode of the new Elvis Costello show (that airs February 7th), M Ward will play the Apollo Theatre in NYC - on February 19th. Tickets for that show, and all shows, go on presale Tuesday at 10 AM (password = holdtime). All dates below...

Continue reading "M. Ward - a new album, 2009 Tour Dates (Apollo) & presale "

photos by Bao Nguyen

"Andrew Bird -- Wow, was this guy awful. I wanted to get close to the stage for She & Him so I had to tolerate Bird's performance. It was horrendous. He played a violin like a guitar. Not cool. But what was perplexing was that everyone else LOVED this guy. It was like I was taking crazy pills. He had more people than either The Go! Team and She & Him (who sandwiched him on the south stage). When his set was over everyone cleared out. What were these people thinking?!? She & Him were next! It's times like this that I lose faith in humanity." [Yeah Right]

Continue reading "She & Him @ the 2008 Baltimore Virgin Fest - pics"