Beekman Beer Garden (Katie Sokoler/Gothamist)

"What was once the Water Taxi Beach (and before that the almost magical summer home of The Spiegeltent) has been rejiggered once again as the Beekman Beer Garden Beach Club. Named after the street that Pier 17 occupies, this new outdoor establishment has kept its predecessor's sand and brought in craft beers, live music, ping pong, Foosball, and a traditional menu of beer garden favorites such as bratwurst, burgers and pretzels.

Located on the north side of the alley along Pier 17 (adjacent to the South Street Seaport), the 18,000 square foot space also comes fully equipped with all-weather pool tables and a life-size chessboard. In addition to the craft beer, the two big bars (made from reclaimed driftwood) also serve a variety of wine and spirits. As you can see, the views of the Brooklyn Bridge are spectacular, and those glowing lounge chairs are calling us." [Gothamist]

DOWNLOAD: Pictureplane - "Post Physical" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pictureplane - "Real is a Feeling" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: S.C.U.M. - Summon the Sound (Grimes remix) (MP3)

Pictureplane on Halloween in NYC (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Speaking of Teengirl Fantasy, they're set to head out on tour with Pictureplane in late July. The tour kicks off in Boston on July 20 and hits NYC on July 22 at a TBD location and July 23 at Coco66. Gatekeeper, who also play 285 Kent with Teengirl Fantasy this Saturday night (June 18), open the tour. Tickets for the Coco66 show are on sale now.

Pictureplane will release Thee Physical on July 19 via Lovepump United. The album was produced and recorded by Egedy and mixed/co-produced by Jupiter Keyes of HEALTH. Grab the tracks "Post Physical" and "Real Is a Feeling" above. Those tracks are two of the more mildly-named tracks on the new album. Check out song titles like "Techno Fetish" and "Trancegender" on the full tracklist below.

Both Pictureplane and Teengirl Fantasy also play PS1 Warm Up events this summer in Long Island City, but on different days. As just mentioned, Teengirl Fantasy play on August 27. Pictureplane plays one week prior on August 20 with Juan Maclean (DFA), Blood Orange (Dev from Lightspeed Champion), Solange (Knowles), Grimes, and Ford & Lopatin (formerly Games).

The Juan Maclean (Juan and Nancy)

Juan Maclean has a few other DJ sets coming up this summer as well. Tonight (6/17), as mentioned, he'll transform Williamsburg's Metro Community Laundromat into the Dirty Disco Laundrette with fellow DFA DJ Justin Miller. The flier for the show is below. Tickets are still available (which is not surprising if you look at the price). Juan Maclean also DJs at Cielo Club on June 28 with Eli Escobar and Runaway. Tickets are available.

Blood Orange and Grimes open the Washed Out show at Bowery Ballroom on July 11. Blood Orange also open the previously announced The Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon) free show on June 24 at South Street Seaport.

S.C.U.M.

In other Grimes news, she remixed the single "Summon The Sound" by British psychedelic punks S.C.U.M.. "Summon The Sound" is off their upcoming debut Amber Hands which comes out late summer/early fall on Mute Records. The band is named for the 1968 feminist tract S.C.U.M. (Society for Cutting Up Men) Manifesto by Valerie Solanas. S.C.U.M. just finished up a tour with The Kills in the UK. Listen to the original and the Grimes remix (which you can also download above), below.

Grimes also has other upcoming shows with fellow Canadians Gobble Gobble and Pat Jordache. All tour dates, Pictureplane album info, and other stuff below...

Continue reading "Pictureplane LP info & dates w/ Teengirl Fantasy ++++ Grimes, Blood Orange, Juan Maclean & S.C.U.M. too"

Titus Andronicus last night @ Terminal 5 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Titus Andronicus (who played Terminal 5 last night with Okkervil River), Obits, and Eleanor Friedberger (of The Fiery Furnaces) will join the previously announced Black Angels (who are listed as the headliner), Oberhofer, and Davila 666 on the lineup of the 4Knots Music Festival at South Street Seaport on July 16th (from 1-8pm, rain or shine).

According to show sponsor Village Voice, this is the final lineup of bands, though more details are still TBA, like set times and DJS for the free outdoor show. 4Knots is the replacement for Siren Fest which is no longer happening in Coney Island.

Ted Leo isn't playing 4Knots, but he is playing a free kick-off show happening one week prior, July 9th, also at The Seaport. It'll be a 10th anniversary performance for Ted Leo & The Pharmacists.

Ted Leo recently played Chaos in Tejas, Europa and Maryland Deathfest as part of an even older band, Citizens Arrest. Citizens Arrest have a new EP out now via Coextinction Records.

The Black Angels have another show happening at Maxwell's on July 15th which goes on sale Friday.

Eleanor Friedberger also has a show coming up sooner as part of the Nothside Festival.

The 4Knots poster (as it looked before these bands got added), and all Ted dates, below...

Continue reading "Titus, Eleanor & Obits complete 4Knots Fest lineup"

Ted Leo @ BV-SXSW 2011 (more by Tim Griffin)

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists will headline the official "kick off show" for the previously mentioned 4knots Music Festival. The free show takes place July 9 at South Street Seaport, a week before the 4Knots festival happens on the same outdoor Manhattan stage. 4Knots aside, this is a good old fashioned free Ted Leo show at the Seaport, an old tradition.

Ted will also play a few more shows at the end of July, including the mainstage at XPoNential Music Festival in Wiggins Park in Camden, NJ on July 23.

Ted just played the 'Our Band Could Be Your Life" tribute this past Sunday at Bowery Ballroom. Check out another video of him covering Minor Threat and more dates below...

Continue reading "Ted Leo playing free South Street Seaport (a 4Knots "kick off") & other dates"

Davila 666 at Cake Shop (more by Chris La Putt)

The previously discussed 4 Knots Music Festival has announced its initial lineup. The Village Voice-produced free show at the South Street Seaport on July 16th, which is sadly REPLACING Coney Island's Siren Festival (RIP), will feature appearances from The Black Angels, Davila 666, Oberhofer, and more TBA.

The Black Angels will return from an Australian tour in time for that Seaport show, and have a few other upcoming shows scheduled in cities in the Southwest, and festivals like Primavera Sound in Barcelona, and Bonnaroo. All Black Angels dates are below.

Davila 666 played NYC three times in the past month, at Knitting Factory, Cake Shop and in a wrestling ring (no bullshit). The former show featured appearances from Hunx & His Punx and Shannon & The Clams. Download/stream entire sets by all three (from two separate dates) at The Empty Bottle in Chicago below, alongside all tour dates.

Continue reading "4Knots (which is replacing Siren Fest) announces initial lineup"

fireworks @ the Seaport in 2010 (more by Chris La Putt)

INITIAL SOUTH STREET SEAPORT CONCERT LINEUP
June 24: The Ghost of a Sabre Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon) + TBA
June 26: My Teenage Stride (Sunday)
July 01: Lower Dens & Dirty Beaches
July 03: The Hairs (Sunday)
July 08: The Wake & Weekend
July 10: Pow Wow! (Sunday)
July 15: The Radio Dept. & Asobi Seksu
July 16: 4Knots Music Festival (Saturday)

All Friday shows start at 7pm. Sunday shows, which are the return of our own Bill Pearis' Sound Bites series (but now on Sundays instead of at lunch), begin at 2pm. Both are part of the annual River To River Festival at The Seaport.

More free Seaport dates, shows and bands TBA, including maybe a Mad Decent Block Party.

Yacht @ South Street Seaport last year (more by Chris La Putt)

PRESS RELEASE:

Running between every borough of New York City and culminating near the South Street Seaport, the East River runs at a speed of 4 knots. The Seaport and Pier 17 have a rich and diverse history as profound to New York City as Wall Street, Central Park or even Times Square. Historically, the lower portion of the East River has been one of the busiest and most important channels in the world. Beginning this summer, there will be a new reason for people to flock to the area, ironically which was once also known as the banks of the Sound River.

For ten successful years, The Village Voice has produced the Siren Music Festival at Coney Island. Taking a new spin on the sounds of the summer, The Village Voice will launch the inaugural 4Knots Music Festival on Saturday July 16th at the South Street Seaport. The festival will be free, open to all ages, and held rain or shine. Bud Light is the title sponsor for the festival.

"We're extremely excited about the launch of the 4Knots Music Festival this summer," commented Village Voice publisher Josh Fromson. "Music fans from all five boroughs and all over the world have circled the date of our summer music event on their calendars each year. We feel this new festival will not just live up to the glory of our past events, but sets the stage for continued success in the future."

The 4Knots Music Festival will feature renowned and emerging artists from today's music scene performing live all day in front of what is sure to be an extremely large and enthusiastic audience. A full lineup of the day's events will be announced in coming weeks.

The neighborhood where 4Knots Music Festival will be held offers attractions, shops and restaurants for every taste. It is easily accessible by subway, car, ferry or bus.

We also have the lineups of the free Friday night Seaport Music Series shows at the Seaport to still look forward to, and there might be another Mad Decent Block Party at the location this summer.

photos by Brook Bobbins

Like last year, Mad Decent will host a series of free outdoor dance party/concerts in select cities this summer. The "4th Annual Mad Decent Block Party" tour will bring Diplo and friends to Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and possibly a 5th U.S. city. Without getting too specific, they're promising Rusko, Major Lazer, and many more. Exact dates and lineups TBA.

Last year's NYC event was a crowded one at South Street Seaport on Saturday, August 7th with an advertised lineup of Eli Escobar, Max Glazer, Janka Nabay, Ricky Blaze & Chelly, Maluca, PO PO, Bosco Delrey, DJ Sega, Bathroom Sexx and Paul Devro. And it looked like this...

Continue reading "Mad Decent Block Parties returning this summer. Last year's NYC one was @ the Seaport (here are some pics)"

photos by Chris La Putt

Darlene Love, tree & friends @ South Street Seaport in NYC

As mentioned just two posts ago on this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the South Street Seaport Christmas tree lighting took place Friday evening with the help of Darlene Love and other special guests. A set of pictures proving that all happened, continues below...

Continue reading "Darlene Love sang & the Seaport Christmas tree is lit (pics) "

Darlene Love will perform her Christmas classic, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," at the lighting of the South Street Seaport Christmas tree at 6:00pm today (11/26). Santa will be there too, as well the "Elves of Heaven" featuring Corinne Caouette, and the Pace University Department of Performing Arts who will read/perform excerpts from A Christmas Carol.

UPDATE: Pictures of the Christmas tree lighting HERE.

And two nights after Ronnie Spector plays her Christmas show at BB King's in Times Square, Darlene Love will play a Christmas show at the same venue. Tickets are on sale for the December 19th show which is one day before Darlene appears again on Letterman. On December 22nd, she does a holiday show in Englewood, NJ.

All dates, a flyer showing all Christmas events at South Street Seaport, and a video of Darlene's 2009 Letterman performance, below...

Continue reading "Darlene Love playing Christmas shows (dates), singing at South Street Seaport tree lighting (today)"

photos by Chris La Putt , words by Bill Pearis

Friday was the final week of the 2010 Seaport Music Festival but it went out with a bang with Leeds legends The Wedding Present who, like they did at Bowery Ballroom earlier this year, were there to perform their classic 1989 album, Bizarro, in it's entirety. The intense heat of some of the July shows gave way to cool, mid-August weather making it the most perfect setting of the season.

David Gedge and company hit the stage around 8:15 and launched into "Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft" from their first album, George Best, which was the start of a short set of classics and a couple of promising new songs before the Main Event. Despite being, by design, a nostalgia tour, it was apparent that Gedge has still got it, and Bizarro side-one barn-burners like opening salvo "Brassneck" and "Kennedy" had all the manic fire they did when Margaret Thatcher was in office.

The less intense songs -- "No," "What Have I Said Now?" -- seemed a little restrained to me, but the band was probably saving their energy. for the album's second side which contains three of the most intense songs in their catalog. "Granadaland"  "Bewitched," and the nine-minute epic "Take Me!" kicked some serious ass. On the latter in particular, Gedge's arm just becomes a blur with the band's signature furious jangle. I was surprised he only broke one string.

In between songs, Gedge joked with the audience, including a few who didn't seem to understand the concept of the show including one person's repeated screams for "Interstate 5" (from 2005's Take Fountain). "Have you heard Bizarro?" Gedge asked the person. "Then you know 'Interstate 5' is not on the album." His polite exasperation continued with a woman who kept asking to hug him. "I'll be at the merch table after the show -- we'll see then."

Openers were Savoir Adore who also have jangly guitars, just not the furious kind. They were terrific too, playing about half of last year's super-catchy In the Wooded Forrest album -- highlights for me the dance-friendly closing two-fer of  "MERP" and "Bodies."

More photos below, plus a video montage of four songs from The Wedding Present's set...

Continue reading "The Wedding Present & Savoir Adore played South Street Seaport (pics, video) "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Fergus & Geronimo - Girls with English Accents (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fergus & Geronimo - Harder Than It's Ever Been (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ty Segall - Girlfriend (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ty Segall - Caesar (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Royal Baths - Nikki Don't (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Eternal Summers - Pogo (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Rayon Beach - The Memory Teeth (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dog Day - Synastry (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dog Day - Wait it Out (Mp3)
DOWNLOAD: Deerhunter - Revival (ZIP)
DOWNLOAD: Versus - Invincible Hero (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: How to Dress Well - Ecstasy with Jojo (MP3)

Wild Beasts @ Lollapalooza 2010 (more by Josh Darr)

Just like the August bounty of tomatoes, corn and zucchini that can be currently found at your local farmer's market, we looking at five extremely fertile days of live music, much of it free. Take advantage now -- this crop is extremely perishable.

Wild Beasts are stopping in NYC tonight on their way back from Lollapalooza, playing Highline Ballroom. Their second album, Two Dancers, was my favorite album of 2009 and a year later I'm still listening to it. It's up for this year's Mercury Music Prize and if anybody is going to beat The xx it'll be Two Dancers. If you missed their shows last September, or their appearances here in February , don't miss them this time. Tickets are still available. The fluid interplay between the band is something to behold -- a real case of four people working as one mesmerizing whole. And those who still haven't gotten used to their vocal style, I say go see them live and everything makes more sense.

Domino Records is offering a free downloadable four-song EP featuring "We've Still Got the Taste Dancing on Our Tongues" in original and remixed form, a track previously only available as a Japanese b-side and an acoustic version of "The Devil's Crayon." The download widget is at the bottom of this post and expires August 14 so get on that. And do go see them live tonight if you can. Denmark's The Kissaway Trail and UK artist Lone Wolf are also on the bill.

Fergus and Geronimo

It's been a year since Denton, TX's Fergus & Geronimo were last in town, and while they haven't released anything new since last summer's initial flurry of singles, that should change soon. The band have signed with Sub Pop subsidiary Hardly Art who will hopefully be putting out a record sooner than later. In the meantime, UK label Transparent (who put out "Tell it in My Ear" last year) have offered up a new F&G track "Girls with English Accents" that you can download at the top of this post. Maybe a little more dreamy/folky and less soul-tinged than their previous output, it's still another winner from this excellent four-piece.

I saw them at 92-Y Tribeca last summer and thought they were terrific. Fergus & Geronimo play Cake-Shop tonight (8/11) with Radical Dads and Little Gold. They then play Saturday (8/14) at Don Pedro's with Liquor Store, Home Blitz, Moonmen on the Moon, Man, and Nashville's Pujol. That sounds like a party.

Also here from Texas this weekend are Austin's Rayon Beach who play Bruar Falls on Saturday (8/14) and Death by Audio on Sunday (8/15). Like a lot of the bands on Hozac Records (or bands from Austin for that matter), this trio fit under the psych/garage umbrella but there's a decided Brit bent to their music. Baroque garage, is that a thing? Think Syd-era Pink Floyd or The Pretty Things more than Woven Bones. Make no mistake -- Rayon Beach can and do get plenty loud. It's just sometimes with pinkies extended. Check out Memory Teeth's title track at the top of this post.

The Bruar falls show is with Girls at Dawn and Xray Eyeballs; the Death by Audio show also features The Beets and Andrew Graham & Swarming Branch.

Ty Segall

We're just getting started. Ty Segall and The Royal Baths are here from San Francisco, playing Cake Shop on Thursday (8/12) and Death by Audio on Friday (8/13). For my money, it doesn't get much better in the new garage scene than this guy, who has been cranking out records over the last two years. Amazingly, they're pretty much all good, and each record goes somewhere new. The latest, Melted, just out on Goner Records, adds some nice '60s paisley pop touches. You can download two tracks from it at the top of this post. And he's great live.

The Royal Baths, meanwhile, are sort of the flip side to Ty's sunshine pop. I wrote before that they're "kind of bad trip acid rock, dark and seedy but not atonal. But it's definitely down the rabbit hole. In a good way." Royal Baths debut LP is due out on Woodsist in September and you can check out album track "Nikki Don't" at the top of this post.

Eternal Summers

Still more. Roanoke, VA's Eternal Summers are back -- they were last here for the Northside Festival -- for two shows: Thursday (8/12) at new Williamsburg venue The Pyramids and then Friday night (8/13) at Cake Shop. The band have signed with Kanine records who will put out their first full-length, Silver, in September. You can check out the album's first single, "Pogo," in the popular MP3 format at the top of this post. If you dig C-86 inspired pop like Brilliant Colors or Liechtenstein, you should definitely seek this duo out. Absolutely worth seeing live and nice folks too.

Both shows Eternal Summers are playing have pretty stacked bills. The Pyramids gig is with Philly's Reading Rainbow, all-girl quartet Rescue Bird, the shambly goodness that is German Measles and the wistful surf of Family Trees; Friday's Cake Shop show also has new-ish Brooklyn duo Yvette, the tinny, witty pop of Knight School and Halifax, NS band Dog Day.

Dog Day

Dog Day are actually here playing two shows. They play Thursday (8/12) at Bruar Falls in addition to the Cake Shop show on Friday. It's been a while since Halifax's mid-90s indie explosion that gave us Sloan and Thrush Hermit, but Dog Day are helping put the coastal city back on the map. Led by husband-and-wife team of Seth Smith and Nancy Ulrich, the quartet make moody, melodic indie rock that is not too dissimilar from The Figurines or The Comas. Last year's Concentration was one of 2009's lost gems. There's two songs to download at the top of this post and I highly suggest you do. You might find yourself saying "why haven't I heard these guys before?" Normally a quartet, for these NYC shows Dog Day will just be a duo of Smith/Ulrich and they'll be testing out new songs for their upcoming album.

Savoir Adore @ Coco66 for Northside (more by Don Gochenour)

And last but not least, Friday is the last Seaport Music Festival show of the season but they are really going out with a bang with The Wedding Present and Savoir Adore. I'm told we're getting a full 90-minute set from the Weddoes pretty close to what they played at Bowery Ballroom back in April: a career-spanning "hits" set and then they'll play 1989's Bizarro in full.

I saw the Bowery Bizzaro show and it was fantastic, especially the stuff from Side Two of the LP, the long, jangle-on-speed workouts of "Bewitched" and "Take Me!" David Gedge may be 50 but he can still tear into his guitar like Thatcher was still in office. There's video of "Take Me" from Bowery at the bottom of this post. The hits set was peppered with a few new songs too, which I thought were pretty good.

Savoir Adore, one of my favorite new NYC bands of the last few years, are always good live. If you have yet to check out their self-titled debut from last year, you definitely should.

-----------------------------

As if this wasn't enough, here are a few more picks by day that weren't already covered above:

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11

Two of the best new bands of the last year -- Twin Sister and Oberhofer -- play Mercury Lounge with Ontario's MemoryHouse. Twin Sister and Memory House also play together on Thursday (8/12) at Monster Island Basement, the start of a two-week tour together. All dates at the bottom of this post.

At Coco 66 it's another installment of Show Off Your Sugar which pairs one band and one author to benefit 826NYC, a non-profit writing center for New York City students. Rock critic Chuck Klosterman reads and Here We Go Magic will rock.

continued below...

Continue reading "Wild Beasts, Fergus & Geronimo, Rayon Beach, Ty Segall, Eternal Summers, Dog Day, the Wedding Present & more in This Week in Indie "

photos by Chris La Putt

Yacht and Black Devil Disco Club played the free show at South Street Seaport on Friday. Videos and pictures from the event, continue below...

Continue reading "Yacht, Black Devil Disco Club & that dancing guy @ South Street Seaport (pics & video) "

Bernard Fevre...

The Black Devil Disco Club is a project dating back to the late 70s attributed to Parisian library musicians Bernard Fevre and Jacky Giordano under the pseudonyms Junior Claristidge and Joachim Sherylee. As Black Devil, the pair made a single, sought-after leftfield disco EP titled Disco Club in 1978, released on Italy's Out label and RCA; a dark disco masterwork with live drumming, spacey synths and spooky vocals. Bernard Fevre has since revived the project as Black Devil Disco Club to much acclaim and has added two more albums to the Black Devil oeuvre. [Club Transmediale]

Black Devil's shady origins stem from a "forgotten" 1978 EP titled Disco Club that was reissued in 2004 by Aphex Twin's Rephlex label. Since then, BDDC has released a trilogy of records, 28 After, Black Devil In Dub and Eight Oh Eight A. Those records are streaming at Lo Recordings. There's a new record due in September 2010 with contributions from "Jon Spencer from the Blues Explosion, Trost from Cobra Killer, Nancy Fortune and Kim & Galaxy Birthday."

A video below...

Continue reading "Black Devil Disco Club (free show @ the Seaport tonight)"

photos by Chris La Putt

Avi Buffalo

Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg is (or was recently) 18 years old. That seems like a young age to be signed to Sub Pop and headlining South Street Seaport, but he did. It also seems like he's too young for people to be discussing Avi Buffalo line-up changes and/or his girlfriends in any serious way, but it seems necessary to point out that the-four piece band was without a regular member on Friday night. Rebecca Coleman, who I read is 19, and who may have been Avi's girlfriend, and most importantly whose voice can be heard on many songs, is apparently no longer in the band and wasn't there (like she was the two times I saw them earlier this year). Avi mentioned to an audience member that she has a different band (old band, new band? not sure).

Those who went to this show had to miss Spiritualized at Radio City, Seu Jorge at Terminal 5, Swell Season at Prospect Park, and a bunch of other shows that went on that night, but they got to catch Avi's Sub Pop Canadian elder, Chad VanGaalen who opened, and the show was free.

The next free show at South Street Seaport is Yacht & Black Devil Disco Club on August 6th, and then The Wedding Present on August 13th (openers TBA).

More pictures from the Chad and Avi show, below...

Continue reading "Chad VanGaalen & Avi Buffalo (w/ 1 less person) @ South Street Seaport (pics) "

photos by Chris La Putt

Best Coast @ the Seaport July 23rd...

One of the potentially rainy concerts this past weekend that made it through the weather was the free South Street Seaport show on Friday, July 23rd with Best Coast and Free Energy. Free Energy wrapped up right before the rain came down (Modest Mouse across the river was not so lucky).

Best Coast, which featured new drummer Ali Koehler, will be back at the end of September as part of their tour with Male Bonding. Brooklyn's Loose Limbs opened.

More pictures are below...

Continue reading "Best Coast, Free Energy & Loose Limbs played South Street Seaport (pics) "

"What began as a spontaneous event for friends and neighbors outside the label's Philadelphia headquarters and grew in 2 short years to the largest block party in city, the MAD DECENT BLOCK PARTY is nothing short of a legend. Now in the event's 3rd summer, Mad Decent has teamed with Diesel and JELLY to bring the MAD DECENT BLOCK PARTY magic across the country! Starting in Philadelphia and traveling to New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago over 4 consecutive Saturdays from July 31st to August 21st, the MAD DECENT BLOCK PARTY promises banging music, carnival games, yummy food, super secret guests and all for FREE!"

Continue reading "Mad Decent & Jelly throwing free block parties in four cities, at South Street Seaport in NYC"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Twin Shadow - Slow (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Total Slacker - Cops Freak Me Out (MP3)

Summer Blondes

Ok it's a busy weekend of shows. It always is, I always say that. But this TWII is seems more packed than most. No doubt, it is time to try a little harder in the band name department. Especially when it comes to beachy ones of which, anyone who even casually checks in with Pitchfork can tell you, there are too many of. Adding to the band name clutter and confusion are Oakland, CA's Summer Blondes who are visiting us this weekend. They play tonight (7/21) at Shea Stadium, a house party in Bushwick on Friday (7/23) and Bruar Falls on Saturday.

Given their name and hometown, it may not surprise you learn that Summer Blondes (who are dudes, maybe that's a surprise) make low-fi surf garage rock. That said, and lack of moniker originality aside, I like these guys. Alternating between laid back instrumentals and blown-out rockers (and some that most interestingly fall in between), there's more musicality going on here than you might expect. Also: their drummer is a manic powerhouse, and their singer/screamer appears to be a little nuts. No records out yet, but the band do have CDR demos they've been handing out at shows so keep an eye/ear out for those.

Pujol

Also playing that Saturday Bruar Falls show are Nashville's Pujol who are on JEFF the Brotherhood's Infinity Cat label. Is it just me or does it seem like there's a Nashville band in town every weekend? Bye bye JEFF and Heavy Cream, but hello Pujol. You may know him from Wizardz or MEEMAW if you follow the Nashville scene closer than I do. Like all the bands on the Infinity Cat roster, Daniel Pujol makes poppy, punky party rock that is hard to dislike.

If you can't make the Bruar show, Pujol also play Silent Barn on Sunday night and that one's with The Beets, Knight School, and Moonmen on the Moon, Man. Check out a couple Pujol music videos at the bottom of this post with all dates.

Moving from Nashville to Memphis, as mentioned in the previous post, we've got Magic Kids in town for a couple of show. Read more about that there.

Twin Shadow

For being in a band who have never done a whole lot for me one way or the other (there, I admit it), I like every band on Chris Taylor's Terrible Records.  The label's next release is the debut from locals Twin Shadow which will be out September 28. The brainchild of stylish New Yorker George Lewis Jr., Twin Shadow mix a variety of '80s influences into a pretty distinctive sound. For example, on "Slow," which you can download at the top of this post, you can hear a little Joy Division in the drumbeat, and the arpeggiated, delay-effected guitar is straight out of The Chameleons or U2's playbook. You can even hear a little Prince ("I Would Die 4 U") and Bruce Springsteen ("I'm on Fire") in there too. But he makes it all into something new.

Lewis, who sounds like The Blue Nile's Paul Buchanan but looks more than a little like Phil Lynott, is a charismatic cat on stage... see them now in small places while you can. Twin Shadow play Cake Shop Thursday (7/22) and Coco 66 on Friday (7/23). Both shows are with Hooray for Earth.

Free Energy @ the Pitchfork Festival (more by Kate Gardiner)

And last but certainly not least, this Friday's edition of the Seaport Music Festival might just be the biggest of the Summer with Free Energy, Best Coast and Loose Limbs. Best Coast couldn't be any hotter right now with just about every media outlet writing about their debut album which comes out next week. It's a fine showcase for Bethany Cosentino's natural way with a melody, her great Loretta Lynn-ish voice, and her ability to rhyme the word "crazy." Much has been made of the single-minded lyrical themes -- a very bad breakup, weed -- but I prefer to focus on those melodies and her voice which can stop you in your tracks. It a gorgeous record in that respect, and Best Coast, now with full-time drummer Ali (swiped from Vivian Girls), have been good the three times I've seen them this year (twice at SXSW, once at Knitting Factory). It's also Best Coast's only NYC show (not counting the invite-only one last night) until they return at the end of September. All tour dates are below.

Headliners Free Energy should be right at home on a big outdoor stage, as their album is loaded with festival-ready fist-pumping rock anthems, stealing the best bits of Thin Lizzy, ELO and '80s stadium rock. Perfect summer music, that goes down easier than Bud Light. Get there early for trio Loose Limbs (who are signed to Seaport Music Records), and I'll be DJing a second week in a row. Will I play The Darkness? Seems likely.

--

That's gonna do it for this edition. There's some more daily picks of things worth checking out that I didn't cover above:

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21

Montreal's Parlovr and Suuns play the first of their two shows this week at Mercury Lounge and both are worth catching (and one is now signed to Secretly Canadian). It's an early show.

You could make a Montreal night of it by then heading over to Home Sweet Home for the Wierd party where Automelodi play at Midnight.

Sludgy noisemerchants Total Slacker (check out new MP3 "Cops Freak Me Out" at the top of this post) and funky Ava Luna (who impressed during Northside) headline a bill at Glasslands that also includes Mala Strana and Baltimore's loud Weekends.

Diehard, who'll have a new EP out soon of catchy, classic-sounding indie rock,  at Union Pool with The Waylons and World War.

continued below...

Continue reading "Summer Blondes, Twin Shadow, Violens, Free Energy, Pujol, Best Coast, Midnight Juggernauts, more in This Week in Indie"

photos by Chris La Putt

Golden Triangle @ South Street Seaport

Thee Oh Sees, Golden Triangle and So Cow played the free show at South Street Seaport Friday evening, and every band on the bill also has a NYC show tonight (7/17). Golden Triangle play along with Thee Oh Sees (who also play the Rock Yard today) at the Bed Stuy Bikini Bash, and So Cow plays Death By Audio. Both flyers re-posted, along with more pictures from South Street Seaport below...

Continue reading "Golden Triangle (bikini bash tonight) & So Cow (DBA tonight) played South Street Seaport too (pics) "

photos by Chris La Putt

Thee Oh Sees @ South Street Seaport

Hopefully you got the hint that Thee Oh Sees were playing as Vice's special guest at Party Expo on Thursday night, and you may have even noticed another hint I dropped that the San Francisco band would be playing a show in Bed Stuy tonight (Saturday, 7/17). That show, the "Bed Stuy bikini bash", will also feature sets by Frankie and the Outs and Golden Triangle who Thee Oh Sees played with (along with So Cow) at South Street Seaport Friday night.

But that's not all. Ends up, Thee Oh Sees have also been added to today's free show at the Rock Yard! (not to be confused with the Rock Shop.) That's the new Saturday series of shows Jelly is doing in Williamsburg that The Beets are also playing today. Both of today's flyers and more pictures from South Street Seaport below...

Continue reading "Thee Oh Sees played Party Expo & South Street Seaport (pics), playing a bikini party AND added to the Rock Yard show"

GT photos by Tim Griffin

DOWNLOAD: Thee Oh Sees - I Was Denied (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Cow - Start Over (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Golden Triangle - Neon Noose (MP3)

Golden Triangle @ the Spider House in March

As we just pointed out, Friday (7/16) at the Seaport Music Festival it's Thee Oh Sees, Golden Triangle, and So Cow. The free show starts early, with So Cow on at 6:30. (Bill is DJing in between sets, just an FYI.) As two of the three bands are from out of town, there are a few related shows you might want to know about too.

Tonight, 7/15, at Death by Audio, main Oh See John Dwyer is performing with Sam Hilner of Zs. Not sure what this duo is cooking up, but given the rest of the line-up I'd say we're in for an evening of experimental, improvisational noise. The rest of tonight's bill: Charlie Looker of Extra Life, and The Weasel Walter Trio.

Now some of you might be saying: "hold on, aren't So Cow and MINKS were playing Death by Audio tonight?" That was definitely listed in a few different places as such, but that either was never actually the case or has been changed. However, So Cow is playing Death By Audio on Saturday (7/17) with Yvette and the Sundelles. Flyer and other dates below.

Thee Oh Sees new EP, Warm Slime, is six more short servings of the band's patented style garage, thick as oatmeal, plus one 13-minute freakout that opens the record. You can download "I Was Denied" at the top of this post. Also up there: a track from So Cow's first official full-length, Meaningless Friendly, and Golden Triangle's "Neon Noose".

Thee Oh Sees flew in just to play the Seaport (sort of), but will tour in September when they return to NYC to play Santos Party House. We know that last bit because tickets are on sale. All dates below.

The only local band in the group, Golden Triangle, play in town rather often (though they have no other shows besides the Seaport listed at the moment), and they were in Austin this past March for SXSW where they played our day party at Spider House (the same party Thee Oh Sees played). Lots of bands played that show actually, but the pictures got lost in a hole until this week when we also posted sets of The Beets and Kid Congo Powers. Now here are the Golden Triangle pictures.

The rest of those pictures and the above-mentioned tour dates, below...

Continue reading "So Cow & Golden Triangle playing the Seaport Friday too ++ DBA shows, Spider House pics & other related stuff"

words by Andrew Frisicano, photos by Tim Griffin

DOWNLOAD: Thee Oh Sees - I Was Denied (MP3)

Thee Oh Sees started out their long Thursday, March 18th (yes, all the way back in March) with BrooklynVegan's day show in the sun at Austin's Spider House. Their set, pictured here, was the first of three that day for the band. The last called on them to haul a PA, gas-powered generator and gear onto the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge, and didn't end till around 4am. Post-SXSW, the road warriors twice tried to make it across the border for a sadly unrealized mountainside set at MtyMx.

Those examples and many others as proof, Thee Oh Sees' slobbery live show is one of the best around. Check out their new EP, Warm Slime, which was released May 11th on In the Red. Download "I Was Denied" from that record above.

Thee Oh Sees are in town to play a free show at the South Street Seaport this Friday, July 16th with Golden Triangle and So Cow. John Dwyer can also be found at Death By Audio tonight (7/15). Also happening in Brooklyn tonight: a Vice party at Party Expo with a secret guest. hmmmm.

The Vice party flyer, the new Oh Sees album and art and tracklist, and a bunch more pictures from our show at Spider House, below...

Continue reading "Thee Oh Sees played Spider House (pics), playing South Street Seaport Friday ++ "Special Guest" playing Vice party tonight"

photos by Chris La Putt

"Bear in Heaven for free at the seaport. Amazing." - Alyssa Lewis

Bear Heaven @ the Seaport

After missing their chance to play South Street Seaport last week, but with plans to be back in NYC to play Cake Shop and Monster Island this week anyway, YellowFever made a surprise appearance as the openers of the South Street Seaport show this week (last night, Friday, July 9th). Two days earlier, the Austin band released this statement...

"After enjoying the fine facilities at the Harris County Jail, bologna sandwiches, cute orange outfits, new friends, and *very* public restrooms, we are pleased to announce that we will be continuing our tour tonight in New York! We intended to kick off our tour by flying to NY to play the Seaport show, and returning to Texas to drive our hippy camp-wagon through the glorious South over the 4th of July weekend, but were rudely interrupted by the TSA who decided to cart me off to jail for forgetting a kitchen knife in my backpack and accidentally carrying it through airport security. Anyway, after our brief meeting with The Man in court Tuesday morning we drove straight to New York." - Jennifer Moore, YellowFever

YellowFever were followed by Zola Jesus who was followed by the biggest hit of the night, Brooklyn's own Bear in Heaven. More pictures from the free Seaport Music Series show (part of the River to River series), below...

Continue reading "Bear in Heaven, Zola Jesus and suprise guest YellowFever played South Street Seaport (pics)"

photos by Chris La Putt

Beach Fossils

"Abercrombie & Fitch Co. said Friday that it closed a second store in New York due to a bed bug infestation.

The preppy teen clothing seller said it closed a Hollister store on Thursday in the SoHo neighborhood of New York. That location is expected to open at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

It closed a second location, an Abercrombie & Fitch store in the South Street Seaport, on Friday for the same reason." [Huffington Post]

The next free Seaport show will feature The Old 97's on the 4th of July...

"Texas on Tour is a high-tech, interactive, roadshow featuring virtual reality, green screen video and photography, interactive games and more. Texas on Tour transports the consumer to unique outdoor Texas experiences that are highly entertaining, educational and personalized - from a virtual reality kayaking trip through Texas waterways to a dome theater offering a glimpse of the seven diverse regions of Texas.

Visitors can "picture themselves in Texas" and stroll along a Texas beach through the use of green screen technology. Live performances from a variety of Texas musicians and entertainers will also be featured.

Don't miss the special LIVE performance by The Old 97s on July 4th at 7pm."

More pictures from the Beach Fossils and Woven Bones show below...

Continue reading "Beach Fossils and Woven Bones (and bed bugs) at South Street Seaport (pics) +++ Old 97's play on the 4th of July"

Jennifer Moore, armed & dangerous (more by Tim Griffin)

We have some unfortunate news about our show tonight. Jennifer Moore of YellowFever was detained at the airport in Houston this morning. YellowFever played a gig last night in Houston and were scheduled to grab an early flight to New York City this morning. A sleep-deprived Jennifer (who works by day at Rudy's BBQ in Austin), forgot to take a chef's knife out of her carry on. Long story short, she was arrested at the airport and won't be able to make it to NYC. Jennifer has NO prior criminal record and we have been assured that the incident is a big misunderstanding. We wish her well as they sort out the details.

Not to worry, our evening will kick off at 6pm with a DJ set by Mike Wolf followed by Woven Bones and local favorite Beach Fossils.

Please join us for the kick-off to another great summer here at the Seaport.

And speaking of the Seaport, they're giving away a mix tape over at Insound that features many of the artists playing their series this summer (including YellowFever, or is it "Yellow Fever"?).

So that means Beach Fossils have yet another show. You may have caught them last night at Bruar Falls and they're also playing July 4th at Water Taxi Beach in LIC. More info on that party and the rest of their dates HERE.