Suicide at Moogfest 2011 (more by Diana Wong)

Due to illness, Suicide has cancelled their previously discussed appearance where they were planning on perforiming their first LP in its entirety. Bush Tetras, originally scheduled for the support slot at LPR on 11/29, has now moved to the top of the heap alongside supporting band Sediment Club.

All tickets will be honored for the show, which is now billed as a release party for Bush Tetras new LP Happy. The record, laid tape in 1998, was released last week via Reachout International. The first 50 people through the door get a copy for free.

by Andrew Sacher

As mentioned, NYC post-punk vets Suicide and Bush Tetras will co-headline Le Poisson Rouge on November 29. Tickets for that show are still available.

What we didn't know when we first mentioned that show, is that Suicide will be performing their influential 1977 debut LP, Suicide, in its entirety at the show. If you're unfamiliar, it shared ground with the desolate monotonic sounds of no wave, the spirit of early punk, the ever-growing synthesizer innovations of the era, and it has gone to directly influence the synthpunk genre (plus other things like Bruce Springsteen). You can stream the whole album below.

The show will be supported by Brooklyn no wave revivalists Sediment Club, whose members include Austin Julian, son of Bush Tetras' Cynthia Sley and Voidoids' Ivan Julian. Ivan spoke about his son's band last year, saying, "They sound like a mixture of The Voidoids meets The Bush Tetras meets The Contortions. Amazing stuff!" Though Ivan essentially says it sounds like his dad's band meets his mom's band, it's actually a pretty fair assessment and the band sound pretty great. You can stream some of their stuff below.

All streams and a list of all Sediment Club dates are below...

Continue reading "Suicide playing debut LP in full at their LPR show w/ Bush Tetras; Sediment Club opening the show (dates & streams)"

Suicide back in the day

Le Poisson Rouge will seem a little like Max's Kansas City (30-some years ago) this fall when NYC punk (and post-punk) legends Suicide and Bush Tetras co-headline the place on November 29. Tickets for that show go on sale July 17 at noon.

Not much else seems to be going on with either band, tour-wise. Suicide play the OFF Festival in Katowice, Poland (Aug. 3 - 5); and Bush Tetras (who lost bassist Laura Kennedy last year)' only other upcoming date is at the Echoplex in LA on November 2. A couple classic clips from Suicide and Bush Tetras are below.

Continue reading "Suicide & Bush Tetras playing Le Poisson Rouge in November"

photos by Joe McCabe

Xiu Xiu at Bowery Ballroom 5/4/12

Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches (whose live show is no longer a one-man affair) are wrapping up a tour together which hit NYC on May 4 at Bowery Ballroom with support from Father Murphy. Xiu XIu's set covered pretty much his entire catalog, reaching as far back as "Suha" off his 2002 debut, Knife Play, through stuff off this year's Always, and also threw in a cover of Joy Divison/New Order's "Ceremony." He returned for an encore to cover Suicide's "Frankie Teardrop" (video below). It's too bad he didn't bring out his Suicide-worshipping tourmate to help him on that one.

After Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches finish their run together this week, Xiu Xiu will continue to tour into next month with Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, who we recently interviewed on bvChicago. That leg of the tour won't return to NYC, but as discussed, YT//ST will play their own show here on June 13 at Mercury Lounge with YVETTE. Tickets for that show are still available.

More pics, videos, and setlist from the Bowery Ballroom show below...

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches played Bowery (pics, videos, setlist)"

photos by Diana Wong

"One needn't be among the electronic music faithful to take away positive feelings toward Moogfest, Asheville's yearly electronic mecca. Since migrating from a single-night event in New York City to what was arguably the cradle of electronic music innovation after being settled by Robert Moog, Moogfest has been as edifying as it is entertaining. Few festivals defy their attendees to completely reassess how they listen to music in the way that a weekend at Moogfest does. The gray matter-frying, booty-shaking synth jams raged until early morning all across downtown Asheville, but oftentimes the lessons in musical futurology were just as fulfilling." [Yes Weekly]

Moog Fest 2011 continued on Saturday, 10/29, in North Carolina, this time featuring appearances from Crystal Castles, The Flaming Lips, Amon Tobin, Suicide, Battles, St. Vincent, Toro Y Moi, and many, many others, but no YACHT, who were forced to cancel their appearance due to flight problems in Mexico. Pictures from some of the artists on that second day are in this post (first photo set HERE), and continue below...

Continue reading "Moogfest 2011 - Day 2 in pics (Amon Tobin, Suicide, CANT, Kode9, Toro y Moi & more)"

DOWNLOAD: SBTRKT - "Wildfire" (Drumma Boy remix ft. Shabazz Palaces) (MP3)

Back in June, we announced the killer initial lineup for Moogfest 2011 (October 28, 29, 30). That lineup just got even better with additions including TV on the Radio, Special Disco Version featuring James Murphy and Pat Mahoney, St. Vincent, SBTRKT, Flying Lotus, YACHT, John Maus, Araabmuzik Baths, Zomby, Active Child and more. It was also announced that Brian Eno, part of the initial lineup, will be presenting Brian Eno's 77 Million Paintings and "Illustrated Talks" as part of this year's fest.

The initial announcement also included Suicide, Tangerine Dream, Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Austra, M83, Little Dragon, Passion Pit, Toro y Moi, Moby (full band), The Flaming Lips, Battles, CANT, Brandt Brauer Frick (who will be on a US tour that hits Glasslands), and more.

Speaking of CANT (aka Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear), he revealed the song "Believe" from his upcoming debut LP yesterday. Stream the track below. The album comes out September 13 on Chris' own Terrible Records. He's also got an upcoming tour surrounding Moogfest which includes a show on October 25 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are still on sale.

Speaking of SBTRKT and Little Dragon, Drumma Boy remixed the SBTRKT song with Little Dragon's Yukimi Nagano on lead vocals. Shabazz Palaces is also featured on the remix (compare that to Drake's version). Grab the track above via Gorilla vs Bear. Shabazz wrote on Facebook today, "Besides the release of Black Up, I don't think I've seen one article on here create such a surge of activity as this Wildfire Remix has. Amazing."

Sampha, who sings live with SBTRKT and on his album, also recently released his own song, "Indecision." Stream the track below. Moogfest is one of the stops on SBTRKT's recently announced US tour that also hits Bowery Ballroom on October 31 (with Araabmuzik) and Music Hall of Williamsburg on November 1. Tickets for both shows are still on sale.

Little Dragon plays a BV-presented Record Release show at Music Hall of WIlliamsburg TONIGHT (8/16). The show is sold out, but if you don't have tickets you can catch them in NYC again on their headlining tour which hits Terminal 5 on October 14. Tickets are still on sale.

Song streams and full Moogfest lineup below...

Continue reading "updated Moogfest lineup, new CANT & a Shabazz Palaces/Drumma Boy SBTRKT/Little Dragon remix (MP3s)"

Suicide at ATP 2009 (more by Ryan Muir)

The initial lineup is out for this year's Moogfest, which is taking place in Asheville, NC on October 28-30. This year's lineup has some pretty impresive names including three pioneers of electronic music; Tangerine Dream, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Suicide, who are performing their highly influential 1977 self titled debut album in its entirety. The Flaming Lips, Crystal Castles, Little Dragon, Passion Pit, Toro y Moi, Chromeo, Austra, M83, Tim Hecker, and many others on there too. Tickets go on sale Saturday (6/4) at noon. Check out the full initial lineup and a video below.

Continue reading "Moogfest initial 2011 lineup (Suicide, Tangerine Dream, Flaming Lips, Little Dragon, Passion Pit & more!)"

Mountain Winery stage (a previous show) (MattAlbers)

Writes [a] witness:

"Glen was just finishing a little song that one of his band members had made up. The crowd was singing along with him and he was looking for the band member as we finished singing along. I just happened to look up and I saw this guy falling from the top of the roof on the right side of the building behind the stage. He landed about 3 feet to the left of Glen [Hansard] on a speaker and he was motionless, like a rag doll. It was about 10pm. At first there was a split moment where everyone was like, what is going on and then people started to scramble to help. They did CPR. The show stopped immediately. The crowd was in shock, but pretty cooperative exiting the venue."

And another witness:

"I saw him fall from what appeared to be the lighting rigging, which is why I thought it was a light at first. He fell about three stories, if he did in fact jump off [the] roof. It was about 10pm. The band was between songs with most of them off stage. Lead singer [Glen Hansard] had just led crowd in a sort-of sing-along. Crowd seemed stunned at first, like me. Then you could hear some people sobbing. He fell on the front right of stage as you look at it from [the] audience. They performed CPR."
[SF Weekly]

SF Weekly reports that the man who jumped "from a roof onto the stage at the Swell Season concert at Mountain Winery in Saratoga" last night, is dead. Witnesses are saying he left his seat, climbed up and jumped. "At first, we thought it was a dummy (prank of sort) or part of the lighting, but after seeing the horrible shock on Glenn's face, we realized it was something very serious."

This incident comes just one day after a man almost died after jumping down 25+ feet at a Phish concert in NY.

The Swell Season played Brooklyn & the Newport Folk Festival at the end of July.

Video taken at the Saratoga show right after the man jumped, below...

Continue reading "Man kills himself at Swell Season concert (jumped from roof over stage during show at Mountain Winery in Saratoga)"

Video from last night's episode of Letterman below...

Continue reading "M.I.A.s played Letterman (video)"

Mark Linkous, a singer-songwriter whose music, released under the name Sparklehorse, was renowned in the indie-rock and alt-country worlds for its dark, allusive themes and fragile beauty, committed suicide on Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn. He was 47.

He shot himself in the heart in an alley outside a friend's home, said his manager, Shelby Meade. Lt. Greg Hoskins of the Knoxville Police Department confirmed that the police responded to a call at 1:20 p.m., and that Mr. Linkous was pronounced dead at the scene. According to his family, Mr. Linkous owned the gun that he used. [NY Times]

PREVIOUSLY: Sparklehorse's most recent album features Vic Chesnutt

"yeah, i can tell you what i know, but no one knows much: another suicide attempt, looks bad, coma--if he survives, there may be brain damage" - Kristin Hersh

DOWNLOAD: Vic Chesnutt - Flirted With You All My Life (MP3)

Vic Chesnutt, a singer-songwriter from Athens, Ga., beloved by fans and critics for his disarmingly open songs about mortality and pain, is in a coma, his family has confirmed. They did not say what caused the coma.

News about Mr. Chesnutt's condition spread through the Internet on Wednesday through posts on Twitter by the singer Kristin Hersh, who has played with him.

Mr. Chesnutt, 45, has been in a wheelchair since a car accident when he was 18, and was discovered in the late 1980s by Michael Stipe of R.E.M., who produced his first two albums. [NY Times]

Such sad news.

Vic spent much of October, November and December touring behind his new album At the Cut. His band consisted of Fugazi's Guy Picciotto and members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Silver Mt. Zion. Some recent live footage below...

Continue reading "Vic Chesnutt reportedly attempted suicide, now in a coma"

by Andrew Frisicano

After canceling his October 19th appearance at MoMA because of a "sports-related injury," John Cale has rescheduled his talk at the museum for Monday, February 15th. The event connects with the museum's now-closed Looking at Music: Side 2 exhibit. Tickets for the event, billed as a film screening, must be purchased in person. Information on how to get them is posted below.

John Cale won't be playing any music there (that we know of) but he did have a show recently - he played his 1973 album Paris 1919 in full on Friday, November 21st in Cardiff, UK. Videos from that are posted below too.

Some other Velvet Underground members (Lou Reed, Maureen Tucker and Doug Yule) are appearing at NYPL's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Tuesday, December 8th. Hopefully you already have a ticket because, as documented in the comments, not only is the event sold out, but due to a human error, some people who bought tickets were later informed that the event had sold out before their purchase

While at NYPL, get in the holiday spirit by checking out Charles Dickens' own copy of "A Christmas Carol", marked-up by the author for his own public performances of the book.

Brooklyn Central Library has events coming up as well (which are free). It hosts a conversation between Suicide's Alan Vega and music writer Tony Fletcher on Thursday, December 10th. The event, in lower level of Dweck Center, is free. (The VU event promotes "The Velvet Underground: New York Art," while this one coincides with Fletcher's new book "All Hopped Up and Ready to Go," described as a "history of the NYC music scene from 1927 to 1977.") Vega & Suicide played ATP NY in September. They're going to be at ATP UK (with Iggy & the Stooges) in May.

The Brooklyn Library event is one of a few upcoming promotional appearances for Tony and his new book (another is at Cake Shop). Flyer below.

The BK Central Library has some noteworthy live music too (vs. these talks about music): on the afternoon of Sunday, December 20th (4pm) it presents "Classical Interludes: yMusic"...

This uniquely configured chamber ensemble, comprised of string trio, flute, clarinet and trumpet, is equally comfortable in the often overlapping classical and pop music worlds. This concert is the premiere of Gabriel Kahane's Concerto for Trumpet and Small Ensemble and a new work by British composer, Simon Hale. The rest of the program will draw on contemporary classical works by composers such as Arvo Part and Nico Muhly and arrangements of instrumental pieces by Sufjan Stevens and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

yMusic is a sextet whose members have backed Sufjan, The National, Doveman and many others. Rob Moose of the group plays a solo show at the Stone two days before. The group will be at Archipelago series at Galapagos in April (the next Archipelago on December 18th features NOW Ensemble, which shares flutist Alex Sopp with the group).

John Cale videos, MoMA ticketing info and more, below...

Continue reading "John Cale's rescheduled MoMA visit, Tony Fletcher's new book on music from NY, Alan Vega in a library & more"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Ryan Muir

Panda Bear

Friday, September 11th - Stage 1:
3.15pm-4.15pm : The Drones performing Wait Long By The River...
4.45pm-5.30pm : The Feelies performing Crazy Rhythms
6.00pm-7.00pm : Dirty Three performing Ocean Songs
7.30pm-8.30pm : Suicide performing Suicide (First LP)
9.00pm-9.45pm : Panda Bear
10.15pm-11.15pm : Iron & Wine
11.45pm-1.00am : The Jesus Lizard

Friday, September 11th - Stage 2:
9.00pm-9.30pm : Jon Glaser & Jon Benjamin
9.45pm-10.15pm : Derrick Brown & The Navy Gravy
10.30pm-11.00pm : Eugene Mirman
11.15pm-11.45pm : David Cross

The floors have been waxed. The bathroom tile is dry and shiny. Couches are not draped with bodies. Kutsher's and it's distinct 1960s time capsule "charm" is still in full force, though the place seems oddly tidied. Doorways that last year lead to muddy, mold infested corridors have been nailed shut. Random holes punched into the drywall have been patched. The musty smell that permeates the building is "covered" by an equally foul carpet deodorizer. I arrived a shade past 3PM on Friday (9/11) and it was obvious the ATP crowds hadn't sunk their fangs into the Country Club yet. Everything was still nice and clean.

As a veteran of multiple music festivals, I think that most feel very familiar... borderline generic even. ATP is an animal all its own. There is an energy that is positive, creative and palpable. Musicians wander about the grounds, checking out the bands. The sound system is killer. It's like an indie summer camp complete with a poorly functioning shower.

We arrived early enough to catch the first part of The Drones whose current tour also had them at The Bell House in Brooklyn two days earlier.

"I hope you like bronchitis, 'cause that's what all you're getting" the guitarist said while pointing toward the front row of the audience.

Bronchitis or no, the band's angular and sometimes atonal pop was immediate and fun despite anyone's poor health.

The Feelies

The Feelies followed with Crazy Rhythms indeed, alternating between jingle bells, timbale, shaker, maracas, hanging lead pipe as well as a satellite floor tom and snare drum. It was great to see those songs come alive. See them in Brooklyn on Sunday night.

Dirty Three was four, as Nick Cave sat in the tickle the ivories. Nick played a backseat role, no singing, none of his songs... For all intensive purposes he was John Q. Pianoplayer. Ocean Songs is a very affecting record, and their engaging post-rock-y compositions swelled and collapsed with emotion. Just don't call them emo.

"I'd like to set the record straight for Pitchfork and those guys... we did not invent emo. Blame it on some other cunts," Warren Ellis quipped between songs.

During songs, Ellis hopped around on one leg while playing his violin, sashaying to melodies and punctuating key moments with jump-kicks. Dude has ups, especially in a suit. Those in NYC have another chance to catch the band Sunday at Bowery Ballroom.

Suicide followed, and I am definitely a fan of their first LP. In the Stardust Ballroom, a ski-goggled Martin Rev banged away at his Triton producing compelling keyboard squelches and 200 BPM kick drum assaults, while Alan Vega barked lyrics from his music stand like an ornery old man. It was very loud. Fun for a while, but I couldn't watch the entire set.

Panda Bear's loopy harmonious bliss is something that I enjoyed on the Person Pitch LP, but was not looking forward to in a live setting. Nevertheless, I checked out Noah Lennox's knob-twisting live set which contained backlit projections. It's hard to pull off a one man show effectively, especially if there is limited crowd interaction. Noah's other band headlines Saturday night (tonight) of the festival.

Iron & Wine was solo acoustic, and Sam Beam engaged the crowd fully. I caught a few songs until leaving catch some of David Cross's set before The Jesus Lizard.

Kicking off with "Puss" and heading into "Gladiator" and "Seasick", The Jesus Lizard attacked the stage with their trademark screechy guitar lines and high frequency bass lines. Duane Denison, David Wm. Sims, and Mac McNeilly were tight as hell and the band roared through their classics to an extremely enthusiastic crowd all while David Yow acted like a buffoon.

Either I'm showing my age, or he his, but I used to find David Yow and his antics menacing. That's not to say he was anything less than riveting. He performed 1/3 of the show from the crowd (surfing or otherwise). When on stage, Yow mock-jerked himself off, hula-danced, slap-boxed the microphone stand, pointed at women while crotch-thrusting, and wished the audience a.... "Happy 9/11".

By the way, if you're wondering who IS responsible for emo. David Yow has the answer.

"That's Slint's fault"

---

The Jesus Lizard pictures are HERE. The Dirty Three pictures are HERE. The rest of the pictures (which also include comedians not mentioned above) are below...

Continue reading "ATP NY 2009 - Day 1 in pics & review (David Cross, massages, Iron & Wine, Kutscher's, Suicide & more)"

All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP) is happy to announce its return to Kutsher's Country Club in Monticello, New York for the 2nd annual ATP New York festival. The event will be held Sept 11-13, 2009. Last year's festival, co-curated by My Bloody Valentine, was a critical and cultural success with rave reviews from media and fans. This year's Fest will be co-curated by The Flaming Lips.

ATP has announced the final lineup additions to this year's festival. That includes the comedians who will be joining David Cross on Friday night, and official confirmation that it will in fact be Bob Mould who will be playing Husker Du songs (a whole LP to be exact) with No Age (who also just announced some NYC shows). Every act who plays Sunday will be playing some kind of special set...

Recently added were Crystal Castles, Super Furry Animals, Boris performing Feedbacker, Low Lows and "Oneida presents the Ocropolis" - where Oneida will transport the impetus, spirit and community of their multidisciplinary studio/performance space, The Ocropolis, to ATP for a full day of improvisation, collaboration, and recording, combined with the astounding Mighty Robot Visuals light crew. Other announced acts include Boredoms continuing their BOADRUM series, performing with 9 drummers on stage. Deerhoof will perform with special visuals by Martha Colburn. Caribou will perform as Caribou Vibration Ensemble, with a 4 piece horn section, 4 drummers and a choir and guests that include Kieran Hebden (Four Tet/Fridge/Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid), Koushik (Stones Throw Records), John Schmersal (Enon, Brainiac), Kathryn Bint (One Little Plane), Ahmed Gallab (Sinkane), Marshall Allen (Sun Ra Arkestra) and more.

Other brand new additions to Sunday are Menomena, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Birds Of Avalon, and Hopewell.

Circulatory System, was added in the last announcement, and have since revealed an entire tour. Dead Meadow play ATP on Saturday and will perform on a boat in NYC that same week. The Feelies have a Brooklyn show scheduled. Super Furry Animals play NYC and NJ in addition to ATP. The list of related shows goes on...

Unfortunately missing from the ATP NY schedule is Nick Cave - not that he was ever supposed to be there, but in addition to being very involved with ATP in general, he was recently confirmed to be only a short car ride away just one day after the festival ends. Full 2009 lineup below...

Continue reading "ATP NY final 2009 lineup -- Bob Mould (now official), Eugene Mirman, Menomena, Hopewell & more (but not Nick Cave) "

Sufjan Stevens w/ Clogs @ BAM in February (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

We are extremely excited to announce the addition of Sufjan Stevens to the ATP-curated Saturday lineup. Stevens, who will be releasing Run Rabbit Run (a re-arrangement of his 2001 album Enjoy Your Rabbit) in October, has not played a US show in over two years, and this is sure to be a special performance. [ATP NY]

Sufjan is one of the most recent additions to ATP NY, running September 11th-13th in Monticello, NY. It'll be his first show in a while, though over the past year Sufjan has made appearances joining St. Vincent at BAM, The Welcome Wagon at St. Paul's Lutheran and the Clogs with My Brightest Diamond (which you can see above) again at BAM .

Sufjan will be joined on the Saturday bill by new additions Shellac, Circulatory System and Grouper (who we previously announced).

On the Sunday, the Flaming Lips-curated bill has added Crystal Castles, who has been touring North America and Europe. They're also on the schedule for All Points West on August 1st.

Other Sunday additions are Super Furry Animals (who are also playing Maxwell's and Highline Ballroom), Boris, Low Lows and Oneida, the latter of which will perform a special set, described below...

"Oneida presents the Ocropolis" - where Oneida will transport the impetus, spirit and community of their multidisciplinary studio/performance space, The Ocropolis, to ATP for a full day of improvisation, collaboration, and recording, combined with the astounding Mighty Robot Visuals light crew.

Limited tickets for the fest are still on sale. Ongoing coverage of ATP NY and related NYC-area shows HERE. Full lineup so far below...

Continue reading "ATP NY adds Sufjan Stevens, Boris, Shellac, Crystal Castles & more - full updated lineup"

Boss Hog @ Maxwell's (more by Tim Griffin)

Friday will feature a first New York show in a long time by The Jesus Lizard and newly announced, ATP favourites Iron and Wine. They will join the Don't Look Back shows also taking place on Friday: The Feelies performing Crazy Rhythms, New York's finest Suicide performing their first LP, Dirty Three performing Ocean Songs and The Drones performing Wait Long By The River... The evening will be rounded off with the Comedy Stage hosted and curated by the one and only David Cross.

Saturday is curated by ATP and is headlined by Animal Collective and an exclusive performance by Panda Bear. Other confirmed acts include the newly announced Boss Hog, Deerhunter and Bridezilla, plus the previously announced Melvins, Black Dice, Dead Meadow, Autolux, EL-P, Akron Family, Antipop Consortium, Atlas Sound and the hotly tipped Sleepy Sun.

Sunday is curated by the outlandish Flaming Lips. Every act that plays will perform an exclusive special show, bespoke for this event. First up are the Boredoms who will continue their BOREDRUM [BOADRUM?] series, performing with 9 drummers on stage. No Age will perform a whole LP by Husker Du including special guest vocalist [um... Bob Mould?]. Deerhoof will perform with special visuals by Martha Colburn. Caribou will perform as Caribou Vibration Ensemble, with a 4 piece horn section, 4 drummers and a choir and guests that include Kieran Hebden (Four Tet/Fridge/Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid), Koushik (Stones Throw Records), John Schmersal (Enon, Brainiac), Kathryn Bint (One Little Plane), Ahmed Gallab (Sinkane) and more. Finally Stardeath and White Dwarfs also join the line-up, with lots more to be announced!

This is great. Full (current) lineup (in list format), and more info, below...

Continue reading "ATP NY 2009 adds more acts & crazy stuff w/ Boredoms, Iron & Wine, Boss Hog, Deerhunter, No Age & more..."

our deepest apologies to anyone who was expecting (respectively) to enjoy themselves at a dance show last night and instead felt the cold sting of a series of bullshit moves. The situation was unfortunately out of our hands but we greatly appreciate everyone who was looking forward to seeing us and especially to the people at Granada & C3 entertainment who worked with us empathetically amidst the long winded accusations. Though we can't change what CC apparently thinks of us and Granada, we at-least deserve an opportunity to defend our side of the story. Our explanation goes as follows:

Shortly after playing our set in Austin, Crystal Castles asked if they could use our guitar which we gladly agreed too. Shortly after the set the crew packed our gear and helped us load out. An FX pedal they used during their set was packed into our guitar cab (unbeknownst to us). Upon arriving back at my apartment we found it and immediately got ahold of their sound engineer offering to return it promptly. We were told to bring it to Dallas. The next day we arrive at the Granada in Dallas only to be asked to leave the premises by personal request of Crystal Castles via Tom Windish of Windish Agency. We handed the pedal to a sound guy and packed our shit without so much as an explanation for CC Party. Considering we were thrown out of the press pit during the show by their management, accused of mindfully drinking their booze, botching our guest list, and contentiously commenting this to our manager, the fact that they still have the nerve to accuse us of theft is flat out insulting. Do they truly think we'd stupid enough to compromise our reputation as a band, and ruin a rapport with a band we were initially honored to play with for a goofy FX pedal? Treating gigs like these flippantly is just something we don't do. That would be flat out moronic. We still have great admiration for Crystal Castles as artists and in all honesty they seemed very nice in Austin. But the lack of intervention to the arrogance of their management leaves me somewhat disappointed. Granada has already begun working out refunds and compensation. I commend their compassion for the fanbase they've built in Dallas. It's unfortunate that can't be said about the other party involved. I did a radio interview today explaining this shit storm (if things haven't already been made Crystal Clear) (MP3).

-Alan

Read more about the cancelled Crystal Castles show on Gorilla Vs Bear.

Sounds like all "Alan" Palomo aka "VEGA" stole is someone's name.

Suicide @ Webster Hall (more by Faith-Ann Young)

FRIDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER - DON'T LOOK BACK/COMEDY

DAVID CROSS - CURATING COMEDY »
SUICIDE PERFORMING FIRST LP »
DIRTY THREE PERFORMING OCEAN SONGS »

SATURDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER - CURATED BY ATP

PANDA BEAR »
ANTI-POP CONSORTIUM »
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE »
ATLAS SOUND »

SUNDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER - CURATED BY TBC

TBC

As previously reported, ATP NY is returning to Kutscher's in upstate NY in 2009, but note the new dates. They originally said the fest would happen Labor Day weekend, but are now listing it as one week later. Tickets are already on sale. (thx Tye)

David Cross also just announced an appearance at Knitting Factory in NYC on December 8th. Patton Oswalt and Eugene Mirman appeared at ATP NY in 2008.

Atlas Sound doesn't have any upcoming shows, but Bradford Cox is playing with Deerhunter at Music Hall of Williamsburg on that same night (12/8).

Suicide are playing Europa on December 11th.

Anti-Pop Consortium are taking over Knitting Factory in NYC on December 12th.

Anti-Pop Consortium Presents: MELTDOWN w/ very special guests Bomb Squad (Hank & Keith Shocklee), Dragons of Zynth & Chin Chin; Sugar Shack Burlesque in the Tap Bar & The Magma Chamber multi-media installation in the Old Office + many more special guests

Tickets are now on sale.

Animal Collective are playing a sold-out show in NYC on January 20th, aka inauguration day, aka the day their new album comes out which will probably leak before then which may or may not be the fault of Grizzly Bear. Chris Bear, Panda Bear cage match date TBA.

Meat Puppets and Built to Spill were among the bands who played full albums at ATP NY in 2008. My Bloody Valentine was the headliner and curated day two.

Other upcoming ATP's (All Tomorrow's Parties) around the world include the one Sleep is playing in the UK, the one the Breeders are curating in the UK, the one The Melvis and Fantomas curated with Boss Hog and others in the UK, and the one Nick Cave chose Silver Apples for in Australia.

For more official info on ATP NY, check ATP's site. For more BV coverage of ATP NY, check brooklynvegan.com/tag/ATP NY.

Continue reading "ATP NY 2009 - initial lineup (Suicide, Panda Bear, Animal Collective, Dirty Three, Anti-Pop, Atlas Sound..)"

words and photos by Faith-Ann Young

Suicide

A hugely hormonal, mostly teenage crowd packed into Webster hall last night (October 30, 2008) to see MGMT...... the average age around 18 to mid twenties. Rumor was the tickets for this show sold out in minutes and I would say most MGMT fans were at a loss when opener (co-headliner?) Suicide came on.

Now, if you know anything about the 1970s and 80s post-punk scene, you know about Suicide's eccentric performance history and their prominent place in rock and roll history....(Hell, even Springsteen lists them as influences.) Since MGMT are big fans of Suicide (which they've cited several times in interviews), it is perhaps not so random that the two bands share a stage (although most still living post-punk groupies may slit their wrists upon hearing legends like Suicide opened zealously for new pups MGMT.) But let's be clear: the crowd was not ready for Suicide's avant-garde performance art. Musically, Martin Rev and Alan Vega's experimental no wave rock was too heavily distorted, disorienting, and frenetic for any of the kids to appreciate. Plus, it didn't help that ski goggles on a sixty-year old man just makes him look senile- rather than 'punk' or badass. Slow moving onstage, yet trying zealously to motivate the crowd with hand punches and pointing, Suicide's duo more ressembled "oh no, grandpa got into the medecine cabinet again" retirees than fabled rock legends. And shamefully, the eccentric synth moves of Martin Rev, who at one time simply pounded the synth machine with his fists, was old news to electronically-immersed "Mac Garage-band" generation; one teenager mumbled "All they are doing is playing a backing track." The sad reality is, while it's always cool to watch real legends in action, these men are unappreciated by the new kids on the block. When Alan Vega started motioning with his hands, one kid just shouted "we don't know what that means," which was just a feeble reminder, punk as Suicide know it anyway, is dead.

MGMT

So needless to say, the highlight of the night (editor in disbelief) came when MGMT came onstage in full mariachi suits, laughing. The whole crowd cheered, giggled and toasted their beer cans, as a thick haze of pot smoke wafted down the front row. Visibly refreshed and at ease (especially compared to their lackluster performances at United Palace Theatre opening for Beck weeks ago), the band played to their fans. The crowd pleasers like "Kids" caused the most commotion; at one time the whole of Webster Hall appeared to be jumping up and down (like kids on a trampoline) hands in air, with glee. (Truth be told; when MGMT played a couple unrecognizable songs- i.e. newbies not on their current album - the songs were not so impressive). Best part of the night? When lead singer Andrew broke into a sick rendition of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want To Have Fun," apparently using something (a vocoder?) to adjust his voice to a helium-level octave. Ahhh, to be young again.

MGMT play one more NYC show tonight, Halloween 2008, at Music Hall of Williamsburg. More pictures from last night below...

Continue reading "Suicide & MGMT @ Webster Hall (Halloween-eve), NYC - pics "

Suicide @ Europa (more by Zach Dilgard)

All of the originally-announced openers for tonight's MGMT show at Webster Hall (10/30) have myseriously been replaced by just Suicide, which as someone pointed out is a bit of a travesty from the point of view of Suicide=legends=openingForMGMT, BUT according to Martin Rev's MySpace, they are technically co-headlining. MGMT also play Music Hall of Williamsburg on Halloween.

Suicide play their own show at Europa in Brooklyn (again) on December 11th with A.R.E. Weapons as opener. Tickets are on sale.

photos by Zach Dilgard

Suicide played a show at Europa in Brooklyn last night (May 15, 2008). It was their first NYC show since their much larger (free) affair at the Seaport last summer with TheDeathSet (who coincedentally played Europa one night earlier - May 14 - with Bonde Do Role) (and who played with Bonde Do Role again in NYC last night too.)

How were Suicide? Or Aa (who opened for them this time)? More pics from the show below...

Continue reading "Suicide @ Club Europa, Brooklyn, NY - pics"

Kimya Dawson played Europa in Brooklyn last week. Tay Zonday played Europa the other day. Suicide played South Street Seaport in Manhattan over the summer. Suicide is playing with Child Abuse at Europa on May 15th.

Suicide @ South Street Seaport, NYC - July 27, 2007 (CRED)

Last night I was able to catch one of the greatest, most influential (for me) bands of all-time, Suicide, playing a rare live show in their home city. I can barely put into words how cool this was. I mean, fucking Suicide man! Unfortunately, it was a part of the summer-long South Street Seaport free Friday night concert series, which meant that it had that amazing mix only South St. Seaport can attain of disgusting lawyers and bankers from the nearby Financial District, tourists dying to hit up Pizzeria Uno, drunk people. But, whatever, Suicide! The boys were in good form, Alan Vega (real name: Alan Bernowitz) doing that aging punk Elvis thing, Martin Rev providing the music, as the night wore on they got better and better. They played for about an hour and 10 minutes, cleared out a good portion of the crowd and made my month. [Pound for Pound]

And for an interesting review of the TheDeathSet's opening set, keep reading....

Continue reading "Suicide & TheDeathSet @ South Street Seaport"

DOWNLOAD: Beat the Devil - Plea Bargain (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Beat the Devil - Shine in Exile (MP3)

At this point many people are probably thinking that "Citysol" is merely a free Les Savy Fav show happening this Saturday at Stuyvesant Park in NYC. WRONG! Citysol is actually four days long, and also includes Friday night at South Street Seaport.

How will this week's Seaport concert be different from the ones in weeks past? Well, besides the fact that this is the only week that Beat the Devil & Menomena are playing, there really isn't any difference. BrooklynVegan & Solar One (Citysol) are just helping "present" the 'River to River' show - aka counteracting all evil associated with the 'Friday the 13th' date which in turn will guarantee harmony and 'good times' for all by the water. Oh, and there will also be a table where you can "switch to a green energy package with ConEdison Solutions", so bring your electric bill.

Also coming up at South Street Seaport....

July 13 - Menomena, Beat the Devil
July 20 - Bishop Allen, Rock Plaza Central
July 27 - SUICIDE

The ubiquitous electronic sounds emanating from many of today's most acclaimed indie music performers owe much of their art to the often troubled group known as Suicide, aka Alan Vega, on vocals, and Martin Rev on keyboard. The drummer-less, rhythm-machine-driven, guitar-free duo was effectively the world's first art-rock, synth-pop band, but it has taken nearly 30 years for the band to received its warranted props.

Last year they had the New York Dolls - this year SUICIDE

Aug 3 - A Night of Billie Holiday Remixed and Reimagined
Aug 10 - Au Revoir Simone, Metronomy
Aug 17 - The National, The Forms, Takka Takka
Aug 24 - Camera Obscura
Aug 31 - Battles & DEERHUNTER

Check out the Citysol flyer below....

Continue reading "Beat The Devil, Menomena & Suicide, the Seaport & Citysol"