words and photos by BBG, more photos by Samantha Marble

Thurston & Jim @ ATP NY (photo by Abbey Braden for ATP)

My 11 Most Notable Moments at ATP NY 2010 by Adrienne Day

(11) Book club with Samantha Hunt and Luc Sante. Apparently Nikola Tesla thought he was married to a pigeon. #ThingsIlearnedatATP

(10) Jim Jarmusch and Thurston Moore's silly but entertaining exchange about "weird New York"

(9) @janelerner's Mary-Poppins-like bag with its bottomless supply of comforts from home

(8) Sleep's defibrillating two-hour-plus set

(7) Blagdon Lake at dusk: http://twitpic.com/2m59gh

(6) Beak> opening with the terrific "Blagdon Lake" and keeping it surprisingly cohesive / groove-able for the whole set

(5) Injuries sustained while losing at air hockey: a heavily bruised knee and what feels like a torn rotator cuff

(4) Years of incontinence producing an unmistakably ripe aroma in Kutsher's front elevator

(3) Stooges scholarship ("Williamson should go back to designing computer chips"; "Iggy's slowed down a bit but still, holy shit")

(2) This little pumin has apparently already been featured on Brooklyn Vegan: http://twitpic.com/2m59bb

(1) no wifi as its own time warp, leading to in-depth convos and contemplative gazing on the lake

Our own ATP NY review now concludes with a recap of Sunday. If you're just joining us, start with Friday and then read Saturday, before continuing...

Ron Jeremy & new friend @ ATP NY Sunday night

How do you get out of a conversation with Ron Jeremy? It's 1:30 AM on Monday (Sunday night), my friends are talking to the porn legend, and all I can think about is rest. It's been a brutal weekend of fantastic performances, great conversation, contact highs, 30 packs of beer, fantastic people, not to mention great music. But by the end of Sunday (the final day of ATP NY 2010), I just needed some Zs.

After a day-opening set of psychedelia from White Hills on stage two (which I enjoyed though it didn't manage to give me the kick in the ass I needed), The Greenhornes held down my interest for what I caught of their set. The Detroit Cincinnati band's garage pop played to one of the biggest early day crowds that I had seen on all three days. Kurt Vile's garagey punk followed on the second stage, sounding much heavier live than I had anticipated.

Fucked Up was next on the main stage, so I made sure to secure a primo slot for the mayhem. Madman Pink Eyes, who sang 2/3 of the show from the crowd, did all of the following during his set in the Stardust Room: crushed a coke can like Stone Cold Steve Austin, sprinkled Cocoa Puffs on the crowd, smeared himself with Oreos, performed all of "Crusades" with a plastic bag on his head, laid down in the center of the crowd, instigated a group hug of 20-30 people, and took audience members on piggy back rides. After two days of festival madness, it was definitely the shot in the arm I needed. Vivian Girls, who followed them on the second stage, was a bit of a comedown, but then again who wouldn't be?

GZA's set was moved to later that night on stage two (which I would end up missing due to Altar), so his stage one slot was filled by comedian Hannibal Burress who had also performed Friday night. I missed his set and ended up catching Wooden Shjips' powerful psychedelic set on the second stage. There were many retro-leaning bands playing over the course of the weekend. My favorite sets in that category came from Dungen and The Black Angels. Powerful, trippy and fantastic.

With the lights down low, Hope Sandoval played xylophone and crooned with her enchanting voice to the Stardust Stage crowd. On any other occasion, I might have found the set mesmerizing, but at that moment another pick me up was needed and I surprisingly found that in Girls's sunny Elvis Costello brand of pop directly afterward. With all of the recent brutality (Fucked Up, Wooden Shjips, and in a much different way, um, Vivian Girls) it was a fun change to see the band run through tracks like "Laura" from their recent LP. Great set from this Cali crew.

T Model Ford

Of all the artists walking around Kutshers during ATP weekend, the two that seemingly had the most fans/people clamoring to meet them were Sunday's curator Jim Jarmusch, and T-Model Ford. It didn't hurt that T-Model was apt to take his guitar out and play anywhere with a little battery-powered amp. The bluesman finally got his time under the lights of the second stage on Sunday night though, and the adoration continued, with people cheering while he tuned (multiple times).

Raekwon took the stage a touch late with an introduction from Ron Jeremy, running through the classic Wu material: "Protect Ya Neck", "C.R.E.A.M.", "Ice Cream", set opener "Motherless Child", "House of Flying Daggers" and many more. Though I nerd out to the tracks and even ODB classic-that-felt-like-set-filler-in-a-Raekwon-show "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" on the Stardust Room system, the set felt phoned in. Not to sound insensitive, but is a few-minute shout out to your grandfather who is buried in Monticello really necessary? GZA, Kim Gordon, and Thurston Moore watched the set from the sides of the stage.

I missed GZA's rescheduled set completely on the second stage (because of Altar), but he reportedly delivered a freestyle-heavy set. The Wu-tang rep later showed up at The Deep End Bar to greet the legendary Kool Herc who was DJing late-night...

GZA & Kool Herc ATP (Kory Grow)

Partway into [Kool Herc's] set, in walked Wu-Tang Clan's GZA, who had played a sort-of aggressive set at the same time as Altar (I went back and forth between the two.) ...in the presence of Herc, he was nothing but reverent. He nonchalantly stepped behind the turntables and said hello. ...It was one of those rare moments where you felt like you were seeing something rare and historic. GZA grabbed the mic and talked about what a legend Kool Herc was and thanked him before leaving.-
[Sadness Is Delicious]

After leaving Altar, I spent a good portion on my way out saying goodbyes to the many new friends I had made at ATP. The festival is more than a string of shows, a worn-down hotel, and a few too many beers; it's a community of like-minded and friendly people that I have not experienced anywhere else. ATP New York was tons of fun, and I spent a good portion of Sunday lamenting that my experience was almost over and I'd have to wait another year. But I'll definitely be there.

Pictures from Friday HERE and Saturday HERE, and the rest of Sunday, below...

Continue reading "ATP NY 2010 - Day 3 pics (Jim Jarmusch, Thurston Moore, Ron Jeremy, Fucked Up, Girls, T Model Ford, Raekwon & more) "

words & photos by BBG

I'd like to think that the washes of green lights after projected flames on stage during Sleep's headlining set Friday night were indicative of the band's devotion to the holy leaf, but then again maybe it just looked cool. Either way, the band headlined the first night of ATP at Kutshers with co-headliner Iggy & The Stooges, Mudhoney, and The Scientists each playing classic material as part of the festival's Don't look Back series. Kutshers hasn't changed in the three years that I have attended the festival (not that I would ever expect it to); leaky ceiling tiles, a general musty smell prevails throughout the facility, and most importantly the vibe; I get none of the drag-and-drop feeling of most festivals and their Budweiser-commercial-with-funnel-cakes-and-apply-for-a-credit-card-here-and-did-I-mention-there's-music feeling. There is an openness at Kutshers that isn't easily replicated, much like the performances last night.

After settling in, slid into the Stardust room to catch the opening bars of "Touch Me I'm Sick" as Mudhoney launched directly into Superfuzz Bigmuff (the album they played in full). The record was them at their noisy, unhinged best, and although the feedback and some of the chunkiness in guitar tone was missing, the Seattle band was taut and fantastic live. I unfortunately missed The Scientists who played before them.

Iggy & The Stooges followed, and of my experiences with Iggy, of which there are a few, it's hard to imagine him wilder, more energetic, and more spastic than he was during his Raw Power set. Backed by James Williamson (Ron Asheton RIP), Scott Asheton, Mike Watt and saxophonist Steve Mackay, the band opened with the title track from the record before beating down the capacity crowd with the fantastic "Search & Destroy". Excellent set from these guys. BV photographer Greg Cristman was also in attendance last night, and as a long time fan of the band, he said that the ATP set was more impressive than their Atlantic City outing a few weeks prior. The crowd, who pogo'ed, crowd-surfed, joined the Detroit legends on stage for a dance during "Shake Appeal", and were generally nutty probably added fuel to that fire.

From the opening solo riff of "Dopesmoker", Sleep ruled the Stardust Room, keeping to the electric vibe that Iggy touched on in his set. The room was full of metalheads (more Slayer shirts than Radiohead shirts at ATP Friday night). Matt Pike's tone and power is truly unmatched on the six (or nine) string, and the reunion of the guitar god with the thundering and similarly powerful low-end of Al Cisneros brought to mind their ancestors, Iommi and Butler.

Though original drummer Chris Hakius has retired his drum throne, Neurosis drummer Jason Roeder was no scab; handily backing what is arguably two of the most powerful instrumentalists in current heavy music. Much like it did when My Bloody Valentine played ATP two years ago, the Stardust rattled, though with a low-end power rumble (as opposed to MBV's earshattering and treble-y feedback). Classics like "Dragonaut" and "The Druid" and were intercut with sections of "Dopesmoker", and even the new-ish jam "Anartican's Thought" made an appearance during their two hour set which, for a portion of the crowd, was more punishment than could be handled (the audience thinned as the night went on).

Except for a brief moment when Matt Pike pulled out an acoustic (!) only to be plagued with technical difficulty (for "Some Grass"?), it was powerful, fantastic, and, to borrow an overused term that is totally applicable here, was truly epic. I can't wait to see them again (and again) in the coming week (tickets for the Monday night show are still on sale).

The music kept me from really checking out the Syd Butler-chosen comedians who were performing in another room, though I did run in for a second to see some of Todd Barry.

ATP NY continues Saturday and Sunday. Three of Friday night's sets will be broadcast by WFMU on Sunday. More pictures from Friday (and even more are coming) below...

Continue reading "ATP NY 2010 - Day 1 in review, pics & video (Iggy Pop, Sleep, Mudhoney & more)"

by BBG

Kurt Vile at Brooklyn Masonic Temple (more by Lori Baily)

It's almost final and official, ATP New York is ruling. The best Hudson Valley festival to ever be held in a 1960s time capsule has announced the "final additions" including two comedians chosen by Syd Butler of Les Savy Fav (more to come... that's all "so far"), as well as a few new and interesting additions to the Jim Jarmusch curated date. Behold:

Continue reading "ATP NY announces (almost) complete lineup (GZA, Kurt Vile..)"