by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Hedgehog - Toy and 61 Festival (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hedgehog - Waiting for the Last Bus (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Royal Baths - Nikki Don't (MP3)

After surviving a couple minor major acts of nature, we deserve a long break. So for your Labor Day weekend... like usual, it's pretty slow, show-wise. But there are some things to do.

We'll start this week with a movie. Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life is finally getting a U.S. release (it came out in January 2010 in France), albeit a limited one, thanks in part to great reissue label Light in the Attic. The film started it's two-week Film Forum run last night and will be making its way around the country throughout the fall. All play dates are at the bottom of this post.

Heroic maybe, but for sure Serge Gainsbourg led a wild life before succumbing to cancer at age 62 in 1992. You could make a compelling film out of any period of his life, and that the movie tries to cram it all in -- from fleeing Nazi-occupied Paris as a child through his rise to fame, relationships with Bridget Bardot and Jane Birkin to his his '70s dalliance with reggae -- gives too much of your standard Behind the Music story arc.

But it's also untraditional at the same time. Writer-director Joann Sfar is a comic artist (this is his first film) and injects a big element of the absurd courtesy of a puppet-like alter-ego (alter-Id, really) that encourages Gainsbourg to do bad things. Eric Elmosnino, a dead-ringer for Gainsbourg, is terrific, as is the rest of the cast -- including Lucy Gordon as Birkin and Laetitia Casta as Bardot, plus appearances by eccentric singer Philippe Katerine and the late Claude Chabrol. It's got a great sense of style and, of course, the soundtrack is amazing. Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life could be better, but it's still worth seeing.

Weekend

As for actual shows, San Francisco's vociferous and awesome Weekend will be here on Saturday (9/3) at Glasslands and Sunday (/4) at Mercury Lounge. Both shows are with the similarly cacophonous Talk Normal.

Weekend have a new EP, Red, out September 20th on Slumberland which finds the trio exploring new sonic territory, though not the quiet kind. It's still rather pummeling but Shaun Durkan's vocals, previously hidden behind echo and backwards reverb, are dryer and more up front now. The sound is a little sharper all around, but the driving, melodic basslines and guitar squall remain. You can download Red track "Hazel" via a Soundcloud widget at the bottom of this post.

In addition to Talk Normal, the Glasslands show features their Slumberland labelmates Brown Recluse; the Mercury Lounge show also has Fan-Tan on the bill. All Weekend/Talk Normal tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

Royal Baths

San Francisco's Royal Baths bring their heavy psychedelia to Death by Audio on Friday (9/2) with Xray Eyeballs, Hunters and Mountain Cult. I wrote previously: "Royal Baths are kind of bad trip acid rock, dark and seedy but not atonal. But it's definitely down the rabbit hole. In a good way." At the top of this post you can download a track off of Royal Baths debut LP  from last year. The band have a split double-7" with Ty Segall due out on HoZac any time now. Keep an eye peeled for that.

Hedgehog

Bejiing's Hedgehog are back in America for the first time since CMJ: they play Bruar Falls on Sunday (9/4) and Cake Shop on Monday (9/5). After that they head out on tour with Xiu-Xiu and Kindest Lines, and all tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

I caught set at The Woods last year and the venue's atrocious sound didn't deter Hedgehog's tenacity, most ably embodied in Atom, their tiny pistol of a drummer. Looking at them, you might expect pop punk a la Japan's Blue Hearts, but Hedgehog make melodic indie rock. There's a couple tracks to download at the top of this post. They're a blast live, and there aren't a lot of shows Sunday or Monday, so here's a good international option for your concert dollar.

That's it of the "big" stuff in my world. Some more shows -- including a fair amount of free ones -- are listed day-by-day below.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Good show at Shea Stadium tonight. In addition to the recently-profiled Caged Animals, there's also new FatCat singings Forest Fire whose Walkmen-esque album Staring at the X is worth looking out for when it comes out in October on FatCat.

Nerdy rapper and Adult Swim voice talent MC Chris is throwing a record release party at Death by Audio for his new album Race Wars. It's also his birthday. Show is FREE.

continued below...

Continue reading "Serge Gainsbourg, Weekend, Hedgehog, Royal Baths, MC Chris, Hunx, 'English Beat' & more in This Week in Indie"

Talk Normal @ Prospect Park 2010 (more by Lori Baily)

The Brooklyn based duo Talk Normal - comprised of Andrya Ambro (Drummer/Vocalist) and Sarah Register (Guitarist/Vocalist) -- are currently at home in NYC, hard at work on their second full-length. Three 7"'s have come out over the summer, most recently M'Lady Records (with artwork by Kim Gordon), preceded by a split on Fast Weapons Records with Thurston Moore, and a split on Klangbad Records with Christy & Emily.

Continue reading "Talk Normal kicking off tour w/ Weekend and then Wire in Europe (dates)"

Talk Normal @ Mercury Lounge in 2010 (more by David Andrako)

In addition to with EMA tonight, you'll have two more chances to catch Talk Normal in NYC in September when they open for Weekend at Glasslands (9/3) and Mercury Lounge (9/4). The shows are the week before Weekend plays Hopscotch Fest in Raleigh, NC. Tickets for the Glasslands show are on sale now and go on sale for the Mercury show Friday (7/22) at noon. UPDATE: More dates announced and listed below.

Guitarist Sarah Register of Talk Normal is also a producer, and she recently produced an album by NYC's GDFX aka Greg Fox (Liturgy, Dan Deacon Ensemble, Teeth Mountain, Guardian Alien). One Thing will be released via Impose Records as a blue 12" on August 16, and GDFX will play a bunch of shows around that time to help promote it. They're listed below along with one of the songs from the album. Liturgy is currently out on tour and will do even more touring later with Boris.

Weekend, recently played LPR instead of the Seaport due to rain. All upcoming dates are listed below...

Continue reading "Talk Normal & Weekend schedule dates, GDFX too"

Evan Dando at The Bell House (more by Graeme Flegenheimer)

Evan Dando & The Lemonheads have a few random upcoming dates scheduled. The Lemonheads will share a bill with The Canon Logic on April 28th at Maxwell's in Hoboken. Tickets are still available. You can also catch Josh Lattanzi of The Lemonheads at Bowery Ballroom on May 26 & 27 as part of the Bob Dylan tribute that will also include members of the Strokes, Hold Steady, etc, etc.

All other upcoming Evan Dando dates are in other countries at the moment, including a June 16th Evan & Juliana Hatfield show in Toronto for the NXNE festival which, like Brooklyn's own multi-venue festival Northside, recently expanded its lineup. Some of the other bands playing are in the title of this post. The rest are listed below.

All Dando-related dates and some videos below too...

Continue reading "Lemonheads playing shows, NXNE expands lineup (includes Descendents, Stars, Devo, OFF!, Juliana Hatfield, more)"

Thurston Moore has been responsible for choosing the lineups at The Stone since April 16th. Upcoming Thurston-curated shows include U.S. Girls (tonight, 4/21), "Kim Gordon with Guest" on 4/23 which is right before a Talk Normal performance on the same day, and Nancy Garcia on 4/29. Thurston's reign ends on 4/30. Check the Stone's site for the whole calendar.

Thurston, who recently played a Japan benefit, has his own shows coming up at Music Hall of Williamsburg, in Northampton, at the Pitchfork Festival, and as part of his White Out project on a bill with Metal Mountains and Bardo Pond at Le Poisson Rouge on June 18th.

For more Sonic Youth, Steve Shelley also has shows coming up, both as part of Disappears and Spectre Folk.

One day after they play the Stone, Talk Normal share a bill with Grass Widow (like they did when they opened for Sonic Youth in Prospect Park), Broken Water and Tara Jane O'Neil at Death By Audio.

by Anderew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Feelies - Should Be Gone (MP3)

Real Estate @ Hudson River Rocks in 2010 (more by Natasha Ryan)

As we've mentioned, R. Stevie Moore is hosting and performing at this year's Culture Shock at SUNY Purchase. The full lineup for the festival has been announced and is being headlined on Friday (4/15) by Cam'ron and on Saturday (4/16) by The Feelies. Other performers include A Place To Bury Strangers, Twin Sister, Beach Fossils, Screaming Females, Real Estate, Woods, Talk Normal, O'Death, Bomb the Music Industry! (performing Weezer's Blue Album), and others. The event isn't technically open to non-students. The full lineup is below.

Culture Shock is one of the few shows The Feelies are playing in support of their new album Here Before which drops April 12 via Bar/None. They also play The Bell House on May 13. Tickets are still on sale. Download the track "Should Be Gone" off the new album above.

Real Estate also has four other shows in the area coming up including April 23 at Colgate University, May 20 at The Bell House with Julian Lynch, Big Troubles and Family Portrait, May 21 at Maxwell's with Big Troubles, and they will appear at B.O.M.B. Fest at Western Connecticut State University on May 28.

Full CS lineup and a video below...

Continue reading "the Culture Shock 2011 lineup & other Real Estate dates too"

Lower Dens at Bruar Falls (more by Jessica Amaya)

Lower Dens headlined Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday (2/25). How was that show?

Next week Lower Dens will hit the road to get to SXSW followed by a European tour that will last them through mid-April. After a couple of weeks away from the road, they'll play some more shows including one at the more intimate Mercury Lounge on May 1st with Tara Jane O'Neil. Tickets go on AMEX presale Wednesday at noon (3/2), and regular sale on Friday.

Mercury Lounge is one of two NYC dates scheduled for Tara Jane O'Neil. She'll also play Death by Audio on April 24th with Broken Water, Grass Widow, and Talk Normal. That is one of two NYC dates scheduled for Grass Widow (who'll also support Hunx & His Punx at Glasslands).

The Tara Jane O'Neil dates precede the release of "Ruh Roh", A collaborative LP with Nikaido Kazumi (5/24 on K Records) an album described as "an experiment in improvisation and collaboration without shared language". Listen to at track at K.

All tour dates, video from Lower Dens' MHOW show and more below...

Continue reading "Lower Dens played MHOW, playing Merc w/ Tara Jane O'Neil who plays DbA w/ Grass Widow (and other dates)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: The Psychic Paramount - "RW" Excerpt (MP3)

The Psychic Paramount

After releasing a double-disc of solo guitar compositions and a live LP, The Psychic Paramount is back with their second full-length of new material, the aptly titled II due on Feb 22nd via No Quarter Records. Fans of ripping and proggy instrumentation take note and preorder the new LP via No Quarter. Check out an excerpt of the first track to make its way out, "RW" which you can download above/stream below.

TPP will play a record release party on March 5th at Death By Audio, snagging Talk Normal and Eleven Twenty Nine (Tom Carter + Marc Orleans) to warm the masses. The show is one of two scheduled for Eleven Twenty-Nine, who will also play Zebulon on 2/22 with the Gunn/Truscinski Duo, Marcia Bassett/Samara Lubelski and Messages.

Before the Eleven Twenty-Nine show at Zebulon, Daniel Higgs will play a special "Happy Hour" set, the second of four of such sets scheduled at the venue happening from 2/21-2/24 which is right before he plays, Issue Project Room on 2/26. The spankin' new Skull Defekts (with Higgs) will play Littlefield on April 3rd.

Talk Normal also has a few other shows in their near future, including one with Liturgy at 285 Kent Ave on 2/25, April 23rd at The Stone, and April 24th at Death By Audio with Grass Widow, Broken Water & Tara Jane O'Neil.

All tour dates, a video and that PP song stream is below...

Continue reading "The Psychic Paramount releasing 'II' & playing a show w/ Talk Normal ++ Daniel Higgs doing 4 shows @ Zebulon & more"

photos by David Andrako

DOWNLOAD: Buke & Gass - Your Face Left Before You (MP3)

Buke & Gass @ Mercury Lounge

"It's Buke and Gass' homemade quality that draws you in at first. Dyer plays a modified baritone-ukulele run through effects that squeal with delight, while Sanchez runs his guitar-bass hybrid through two amps (one for the three low-end strings, another for the treble). The junkyard-Shellac set-up is geeky, yes, and might strike a chord of novelty. But ultimately, it's hard not to be sold on the songs." [NPR]

If you missed the show, Buke & Gass have shows coming up at Silent Barn (with Extra Life), Ridgewood Masonic Temple (with Deerhoof) amd the above-mentioned show at the Stone all before they head to the Netherlands to play some shows with The National, Owen Pallett, Efterklang, and Sharon Von Etten. All dates, an NPR Tiny Desk Concert video, and more pictures from Mercury Lounge, below...

Continue reading "Buke & Gass played Mercury Lounge w/ Talk Normal (pics) & an NPR 'Tiny Desk concert (video), playing more shows (dates)"

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Don Hill's - Sept 15, 2010 (cory Kennedy)

A MESSAGE FROM KAREN O & YEAH YEAH YEAHS:

Spank You Very Much 10 YYYears Anniversary Show Happy Birthday YYYS!

This week marks 10 years since YYYs played our first small club show in the big city! Our birthday wish is to play a show as small or smaller than back in the day and get NOSTALGIC with our friends Todd P and Secret Project Mighty Robot September 22. So dust off your Machine EPs or maybe give Yeah New York! a whirl because we're digging up some oldies but goodies, heavy on the early catalogue. It's back to basics, just the three of us and a couple hundred of you. Accommodations will be tight so we'd like to apologize in advance to those who want to be there but don't get in, we thank you for humoring us with this selfish wish to make it so puny!

Talk Normal will be popping off the festivities and Barry London will spin us through the breaks. Looking forward to bashing up this birthdayyy with you!!

Luv,
YYYs

-=WEDNESDAY-9/22=-
YEAH YEAH YEAHS . Talk Normal . dj Barry London
@ SECRET PROJECT ROBOT

all ages!!!

Continue reading "Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing tiny Brooklyn show "

photos by Lori Baily

"Is there any better big venue live band these days than Sonic Youth? Okay, maybe Radiohead, maybe Phish, and maybe--depending on how their Madison Square Garden debut goes this week--even Arcade Fire. (Yes, we just used Phish in the same sentence as Sonic Youth; the crucifixion line forms on the right!) But none of those bands possess Sonic Youth's illustrious history, or restless dynamism, or reckless edge. Frontman Thurston Moore is middle age (his wife/bandmate Kim Gordon's even older!) but after seeing them crush the Celebrate Brooklyn bandshell in Prospect Park Saturday night, it's clear that their particular blend of punk-pop-noise rock is some sort of magical, anti-aging elixir that ought to be bottled and sold worldwide. Don't grow old gracefully; shred it every step of the way with Tonic Youth." [Gothamist]

Brooklyn's Talk Normal and SanFran's Grass Widow opened. The latter will be back in September for two TBA shows (both still listed without venues by Todd P). Sonic Youth were minus bassist Mark Ibold, who was/is touring with his old band, Pavement (who played Osheaga that weekend). SY's set list is posted below.

Sonic Youth's, and Lee Ranaldo's Text of Light's, upcoming shows include ATP NY over Labor Day weekend. Now that's true for Thurston solo too:

"Today we're happy to announce a few last minute additions to the ATP New York line-up.

First of all Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore will play a solo set on Sunday as chosen by Jim Jarmusch.

Second we have a fourth comedian to add to Friday's line-up as chosen by Syd Butler; Matt McCarthy." [ATP]

Continue reading "Sonic Youth played Prospect Park this summer (belated pics), Thurston Moore added to ATP NY "

Jamie Stewart @ Williamsburg Waterfront on July 11th (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart seems to be in an collaborative mood of late. Recently, Stewart and Xiu Xiu member Angela Seo joined Deerhoof for a live tribute to Joy Division, which headlined the year's first Pool Party.

Next, Jamie teams up with Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg (someone who's been venturing out as well, like at a gig with Wye Oak's Andy Stack at the Whitney in June) to form Blue Water White Death, a name drawn from "a 1971 documentary that follows a team of increasingly reckless explorers on a shark-finding quest to Australia's aptly-named Dangerous Reef." The collab's self-titled debut comes out October 12th on Graveface Records. The pair wrote and recorded the eight-song album in a one-week session produced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Modest Mouse, The Roots, Black Mountain).

On the Xiu Xiu front, who, don't forget, released their a record of their own, Dear God, I Hate Myself, earlier this year, the band plays a show at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Sunday, September 26th with Japanese noise musician Merzbow. Ecstatic Sunshine and Gentle open the show Tickets are on sale.

Xiu Xiu plays in Baltimore this weekend for Whartscape, an annual fest in its fifth and, according to co-organizer Dan Deacon, final year. When asked by Baltimore Sun about his favorite act on the Whartscape lineup, Jamie Stewart mentioned Brooklyn's Talk Normal, saying "Talk Normal berates all that is dull by ignoring it and being thrilling, intense and open. When you see them, you want to be creative and you want to see the rest of the world. They remind you that art does matter and that you need it to live." Talk Normal opens for Sonic Youth (along with Grass Window) at Prospect Park on July 31st.

More Blue Water White Death info (art & tracklist) below...

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu forms group w/ Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg, playing NYC w/ Merzbow, likes Talk Normal"

photos by Chris La Putt

Martha Wainwright @ the High Violet Annex

As advertised, INLETS, ZACHARY CALE, HELADO NEGRO, JULIANNA BARWICK, THE LUYAS (who came all the way from Montreal for the 20 minute performance), TALK NORMAL, ARLT (from France) and MARTHA WAINWRIGHT played short sets at the National's High Violet Annex space in NYC last night. The makeshift venue was created to promote the band's new album with the same name and will feature a different lineup of stuff curated by the band each night. Last night was the second evening. The first, as mentioned, had DJs that included members of Blonde Redhead. Tonight, night three, will have movies and live sets by Phosphorescent, The Antlers, Sharon Van Etten and possibly others. It's safe to say that The National will play it at least once before it ends Saturday night (right before the show they're playing at BAM). More pictures & some videos from last night below...

Continue reading "High Violet Annex night 2 in pics & video (Martha Wainwright, ARLT, Luyas, Talk Normal, Inlets, Julianna Barwick & more)"

Beach Fossils

Deli Magazine is hosting a "best of NYC" fest at Brooklyn Bowl, Glasslands, the Cameo and Public Assembly Thursday May 13th-Saturday, May 15th.

The BK shows are headlined by Beach Fossils on Thursday, April Smith on Friday and The London Souls on Saturday. Tickets to the Brooklyn Bowl shows are on sale. Other tix are available at the door. The shows are split up roughly by genre, though that doesn't stop Talk Normal, Buke & Gass, Asa Ransom and Miniboone from sharing a bill on Friday night at Glasslands.

Talk Normal also plays Saturday at Knitting Factory with Parts & Labor, Soft Power and Guts For Garters (tickets). (And further in the future with Sonic Youth and Grass Widow at Prospect Park on July 31st.)

Beach Fossils have a short tour with Frog Eyes and Pearly Gate Music planned for this June. All three stop by Mercury Lounge for a show on June 19th. Tickets are on sale.

All of Beach Fossils/Frog Eyes/PGM dates and a flyer for Deli Magazine fest (which has its full schedule) is below...

Continue reading "Deli Magazine 'best of NYC' fest & other Talk Normal & Beach Fossils (+Frog Eyes & Pearly Gate Music) tour dates "

The National's temporary venue next to Other Music in NYC opens on Tuesday, May 11th at 7pm. "Celebrating the release of 'High Violet' (May 11, 4AD), The National will take over the now-vacant space at 13 E 4th St next to Other Music in downtown NYC. Dubbed 'The High Violet Annex' the space will be the site of National curated events throughout the week." Ends up it will only be open for two three hours a day - a mix of live bands and DJs and contests and other stuff.

The National are rumored to be playing on at least one of the days, but it won't be the first day (5/11 - see below), the second day (5/12 - see below), and maybe it won't be the last day because if it is, the band is going to be in a rush (5/15 - the band plays BAM). The flyer, times and the partial lineup, below...

Continue reading "The National's High Violet Annex opens this week (here is part of the schedule) "

Celebrate Brooklyn '09 (more by Chris La Putt)

The Celebrate Brooklyn series' 2010 schedule is out. Check out the free (or $3 suggested donation) shows that will be happening at Prospect Park this summer below.

There's the previously mentioned shows with Norah Jones, Konono No. 1, Sonic Youth (who have Talk Normal and Grass Widow opening for them), Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings with Budos Band, Swell Season and the Low Anthem, Metric, The Roots and Allen Toussaint, all for free. The ticketed benefit shows are Rufus Wainwright on July 20th, Dead Weather on August 3rd, and already-sold-out shows with Passion Pit and The National.

The full schedule is below...

Continue reading "Celebrate Brooklyn's 2010 Prospect Park concert lineup"

by Andrew Frisicano

After spending four days in Austin for SXSW, my personal MtyMx experience started with an all-day trip from Austin to Monterrey on Sunday. I arrived to see Andrew W.K.'s set that night, the after-party at the Garage, and Monday from first to last band (minus the comedy set with Dan Deacon, though there are pictures of him too). I'm now writing this from Tennessee where the Big Ears Fest is about to begin. Stay tuned for reports about that, and check out my pictures from the festival in Mexico, with captions, below...

Continue reading "pics from MtyMx (Todd P & Yo Garage's Mexico Festival) "

As anyone following along on @bvSXSW knows, after some serious transportation issues, Andrew Frisicano eventually made his way down to Monterrey, Mexico from Austin, TX (counting waiting for the bus to show up, it took him something like 18 hours which was 4 hours shorter than it took Ryan Muir) in time for a bit of the 2nd night and all of the third day (aka today, 3/22). Here is some of his story so far...

The Coathangers @ MtyMX (by TiTa_Elizondo)

"You Will Remember Tonight" was the song that stuck out in Andrew WK's headlining set at MtyMx Festival last night in Monterrey, Mexico. It was the second night of the fest, and the only set I saw because of a lengthy, complicated bus trip that started much earlier in the day.

There were a lot of questions coming down to Mexico: transportation, accommodations and food were mostly left in the hands of the festival, and at MtyMx now (5pm Monterrey time), most of those continue to be issues, sadly distracting from the bands who did make it. For some bands and showgoers the trip took 20+ hours of waiting and riding on buses, but if one thing has been consistent, it has been that no two MtyMx trips have been the same.

Due to spotty bus service from Austin, shaken confidence in the festival and scheduling issues, a number of the bands on the bill have canceled or been unable to make it down. Those bands (editor's note: which Todd P sarcastically addresses in a video below) include Washed Out, Small Black, Tanlines, No Age, Lucky Dragons, Anamanaguchi, Pocahaunted, Beach Fossils, MNDR, Sun Araw, Total Abuse, Talk Normal, The Wave Pictures, Fucked Up, The Sandwitches and Liturgy. On the festival's last day, arranging transportation back to Austin or elsewhere has been an overriding theme.

story continued below with video & more pics...

Continue reading "Andrew Frisicano reports from MtyMx (which he had much trouble getting to, and he's not sure how he's getting back) "

Garage noise punk band Tyvek is on a tour of the country, and of NY, with psychedelic punk band Awesome Color. The two Detroit bands already played a show on 3/3 @ the Bug Jar in Rochester and then one the night after that at Vasar. Last night (3/5) it was at Cafe 9 in New Haven CT, and tonight (3/6) they hit SUNY Purchase. Finally (on their NY-area itinerary), you can catch both bands on Sunday night (3/7) at Market Hotel in Brooklyn...

====| SUNDAY MARCH 7TH @ MARKET HOTEL |====

:: Awesome Color
:::: Tyvek
:::::: Talk Normal
:::::::: CSC Funk Band

| MARKET HOTEL |
1142 Myrtle Ave @ Bdwy | Bushwick, Bklyn
JMZ-Myrtle, L-Jefferson, G-Myrtle/Willoughby | 8pm | all ages | $8 - reduced!

Tyvek & AC then stay on the road together through 3/27. That leg includes stops in Mexico and SXSW for both bands. One of Tyvek's Austin shows is the free BrooklynVegan/AnSo day party at Spider House on Thursday, 3/18. One of Awesome Color's shows is the official Ecstatic Peace showcase. On 4/5, Awesome Color hook up with Hair Police for another solid month of touring. All dates below...

Continue reading "Awesome Color touring w/ Tyvek & then Hair Police - 2010 dates (Market Hotel Sunday, SXSW & more) "

by Andrew Frisicano

Jemina Pearl @ Union Pool...

The audience was left to wonder exactly what happened when Jemina Pearl walked off stage less than 30 minutes into her headlining set Saturday night (2/13) at Union Pool. The question wasn't the shortness itself, but the abruptness of her departure: after getting increasingly frustrated with something, she kicked the drum set, gave the one-finger salute to her band and left, to the stunned then embarrassed faces of her supporting trio. The show was really just getting started. "As long as everyone had fun, that's what matters," said the bass player sheepishly before getting a lit cigarette thrown at him by the singer, in a brief return to the stage.

They did manage to get through "I Hate People," a cover of "Band on the Run" and a handful of others (though not "Heartbeats" which one of the most enthusiastic fans requested as a not-to-be encore). It was an awkward hometown end to nearly a month of touring.

Openers Harlem were admirably sloppy and enthused (it's hard not to think of a less manic Black Lips). Their animated, banadana-ed singer/guitarist and more straight-laced drummer swapped roles halfway through the set, which brought out a different dynamic for sure - round two was cleaner with more of a focus on pointed guitar riffs and less on effusive vocals. The Austin band's second album is due this summer on Matador, and they'll be touring the West Coast for the next few weeks.

Jemina's next scheduled show/shows are SXSW. The full Ecstatic Peace SXSW showcase lineup (Thurston Moore, J Mascis & Andrew WK included), more Union Pool pictures, a video and Harlem tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Jemina Pearl played Brooklyn w/ Harlem, stormed off stage (pics), playing SXSW w/ Thurston, J. Mascis, Andrew WK"

photos by Lori Baily

Talk Normal @ Cake Shop on NYE...

"The Cake Shop, so deemed because it apparently sells cake, contained within it the pure essence of hipster, from its vintage vinyl chairs to its free PBR to its nerdy patrons in bangs, white-boy afros, skinny jeans, baby doll dresses and berets to its basement bar where hipsters gathered around to hear the agonizing alien death moans of the androgynous lead singer of The Screaming Females. Ethan and Roland showed up at a quarter to midnight, I introduced them to Hunter and Yulia, and they quickly disappeared. At the stroke of, The Screaming Females revved up their screeching machines and prepared to unleash their unbearable dissonance. Lead singer went,"Yeah, it's 2010...whatever..." Hunter, Yulia, and I clinked red plastic cups and Budweiser bottle, and Ethan and I exchanged a wave from where he stood alongside the band set." [Taking Pictures of Dogs]

Frankie & the Outs, who also played a NYE show at the Cameo on the same night, have a number of shows coming up in NYC, Austin (for SXSW) and elsewhere. One of them is opening for Dun Dum Girls at Mercury Lounge. That show is now on sale.

Talk Normal will be at SXSW too - they have a show set up for March 18th with The Carrots, Tyvek, Grass Widow, Wet Hair and "many more." After the fest, Talk Normal travel with Xiu Xiu and Tune-Yards to open a number of shows on their tour together (but not the NYC one which also recently went on sale). Those dates and more details are below.

SXSW 2010, which will feature a just-announced opening show by Spoon at Stubb's, has filled out its lineup with many more bands over the past few weeks. The full and growing list is on their official schedule.

Screaming Females (who will NOT be at SXSW because they plan to record their new album during that time) play a showcase for their label, Don Giovanni Records, at Bowery Ballroom on February 6th (tickets still on sale). Also on the bill are forgetters, Shellshag, The Measure (SA), Black Wine, Groucho Marxists and JEFF The Brotherhood, who tour with Screaming Females into February.

More New Year's Eve pictures and dates and stuff, below..

Continue reading "Talk Normal & Screaming Females New Years Eve pics, more tour dates & SXSW band announcements "

Screaming Females @ Terminal 5 in December (more by Chris La Putt)

New York Night Train, the almost-nightly dance party run by DJ Jonathan Toubin, will be hosting New Year's Eve events at three LES venues this year. Cake Shop, Home Sweet Home and Motor City (127 Ludlow) are signed on for the event with all-night liquor licenses. Cake Shop is the real highlight though. Bands playing the basement there include Talk Normal, Screaming Females, Frankie and the Outs and CSC Funk Band (ex-USAisamonster), while the other two venues get a few bands (like A.R.E. Weapons) and a slew of DJs, comedians, burlesque performers and more. More details are below.

For Frankie & The Outs, it's one of two New Years Eve shows. They'll also be at the Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn with Beach Fossils, We Are Country Mice, Lemonade and Surfer Blood. Tickets are on sale.

Screaming Females have a few upcoming shows too - they play with Bouncing Souls in Asbury Park on December 29th, and kick off their February tour with JEFF the Brotherhood with a Feb. 6 Bowery Ballroom showcase for their label Don Giovanni.

Before then, there are plenty of chances to catch the NY Night Train crew in holiday party mode. Tonight (12/21) Jonathan Toubin DJs with Revered Vince Anderson at his weekly Union Pool residency. Toubin will also be spinning at the BV-sponsored Jewltide 7 party happening at Southpaw on Christmas Eve (12/24). Tickets are on sale and the flyer is below with a full schedule...

Continue reading "Screaming Females, Frankie & The Outs & Talk Normal playing Cake Shop NYE ++ other New York Night Train events "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Frankie Rose - "Thee Only One" (MP3)

Frankie & The Outs @ The Bell House (more by Tim Griffin)

Having spent time on the drumkit for both Vivian Girls and Crystal Stilts, Frankie Rose went solo this year with her debut single on Slumberland, "Thee Only One," (downloadable above) and her new band, The Outs. And just when she thought she was off the drums for good, she went and joined Dum Dum Girls whose debut for Sub Pop is due early next year.

You can see Frankie and the Outs on New Year's Eve at Cameo Gallery along with Beach Fossils, We Are Country Mice, Lemonade and Surfer Blood -- a pretty hot line-up for such a tiny club (Advance tickets now available). It's one of three upcoming shows for Frankie including a house party with Screaming Females and Talk Normal on New Years Day and a February gig in Brooklyn with Austin's Harlem (two days after they play Mercury Lounge)

Those dates and Frankie's answers to a few questions, below...

Continue reading "an end of 2009 interview w/ Frankie Rose (who has 3 upcoming shows including New Years Eve w/ TIX ON SALE) "

photos by Lori Baily

Here's a second set of pictures from night one of Sonic Youth at Music Hall of Williamsburg on November 24th (part of their three recent NYC shows). Unlike the first set though, this post also has shots of that night's opener Talk Normal (including some impromptu behind-the-scene portraits with the headliner). Talk Normal play NYC next on Saturday, December 5th at Secret Project Robot with Air Waves, US Girls and Total Slackers.

SY member Lee Ranaldo sat down with WFNX (the broadcast cousin of The Boston Phoenix) before their show there to discuss his favorite albums, SY and otherwise, of the decade...

WFNX: But you, Lee, what's the album from Sonic Youth you think is pivotal to this decade?

Lee:I would say for this decade, it's The Eternal, the most recent one. Because in a way I think it really - it's so cool at the end of this decade when we've been playing together for so long to be really energized about the most recent music you've made. The aughts started for us with Murray Street, made in New York City in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and all that. Sonic Nurse we made with Jim O'Rourke, and then we made another record, Rather Ripped, on our own, and then we hooked up with Mark, Mark Ibold on bass, and made this one, and it bodes well for the future that we're having a lot of fun with this one.

Continue reading "Talk Normal playing shows (dates), played w/ Sonic Youth (pics) ++ Lee Ranaldo talks about the decade (video)"

Talk Normal @ MHOW earlier this month (more by Lori Baily)

tonight in NYC
* Pearl & The Beard @ Joe's Pub
* Talk Normal, Knyfe Hyts 81, Antimagic @ Cake Shop
* Fader Bowl w/ Dam-Funk, Cubic Zirconia @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Jack Wright Trio w/ Damon Smith & Mike Pride @ Zebulon
* Florence and the Machine, Holly Miranda @ Bowery Ballroom
* Dufus, Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players @ House of Yes
* Vic Chesnutt Band, Clare & the Reasons, Liz Durrett @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Har Mar Superstar, Five O'Clock Heroes, Bang Bang Eche, Previously on Lost @ Mercury Lounge

Brooklyn's Pearl and the Beard kick off a tour with a record release show at Joe's Pub tonight. This afternoon they were on WNYC.

Vic Chesnutt's all-star band visits Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight after hitting Bowery last night. Clare & the Reasons and Liz Durrett open.

Vic's band includes Guy Picciotto of Fugazi and members of Thee Silver Mt. Zion/Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Witchies. Holly Miranda's backup band tonight isn't too shabby either - she plays in front of Nada Surf at Bowery Ballroom. Florence and the Machine headlines that show.

Tonight Fader Bowl presents a free show with Dam-Funk and Cubic Zirconia at Brooklyn Bowl.

Cake Shop hosts Talk Normal, Knyfe Hyts 81 and Antimagic. Talk Normal's new video for "In a Strangeland" is posted below. Their debut Sugarland is out today (10/27) on Rare Book Room Records.

Har Mar Superstar's tour visits Mercury Lounge with Five O'Clock Heroes, Bang Bang Eche and Previously on Lost.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"