photos by Jim Brueckner

Mavis Staples

Newport Folk Festival took place in Rhode Island this past weekend (7/30-31). Day one featured performances by The Felice Brothers, Delta Spirit, Gogol Bordello, Tegan and Sara, Gillian Welch, Mavis Staples (who was joined by Colin Meloy), The Decemberistsand others. Pictures from that day are in this post. If you missed the fest, you can listen to archives of the sets at NPR.

The Felice Brothers, who are no longer playing Truck America, added Nicole Atkins as an opener to their 9/29 Webster Hall show. Tickets are still on sale. You can also catch Nicole tonight (8/3) at Bowery Ballroom when she opens for Fountains of Wayne.

The PS22 Chorus also played day one. Pictures and videos of their set are HERE. Sallie Ford pics & video HERE. More pics from the rest of day one below...

Continue reading "Newport Folk Fest 2011 - Day 1 in pics (Decemberists, Mavis Staples, Gogol Bordello, Tegan & Sara, Gillian Welch, more)"

Doveman at at LPR in April (more by Vincent Cornelli)

As mentioned, Doveman has three more upcoming salon shows at West Village venue Le Poisson Rouge. His next one is this Friday (7/29) with special guests Nico Muhly performing as Peter Pears, Julia Stone (of Angus & Julia), who will be premiering material off of her new solo album, and Dawn Landes' group The Bandana Splits.

As mentioned in What's Going On Wednesday, we're running a contest on facebook to win tickets to Friday's show. We're also giving away three more pairs of tickets which you can enter to win via email. Details on how to win a pair below. Details on how to buy a pair, HERE.

Thomas (Doveman) just returned to America from playing in London with (past LPR show guests) Justin Bond and Rufus Wainwright. After Friday's LPR show, he'll play Newport Folk Festival with Tegan and Sara (Sara was also a past LPR show guest).

Doveman's next two LPR shows are happening on September 23 with Chris Thile and October 28 with Laurie Anderson. More guests to be announced. Tickets are on sale for all three.

Contest details below...

Continue reading "Doveman announces more upcoming show guests (win tix)"

Kathleen Hanna at Planned Parenthood rally in February (more by Chris La Putt)

Feminist artist and filmmaker Lynn Hershman-Leeson's documentary !Women Art Revolution made its theatrical debut at Manhattan's IFC Center on June 1. The film is still screening every day at 4:25 PM through June 16. The film features a score by Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney, Wild Flag), an appearance by Yoko Ono and much more. Get your tickets for the remaining days (and go see Wild Flag at Williamsburg Waterfront).

The movie is one example of how "the Riot Grrrl movement still inspires", as NY Times puts it. The article talks about the Kathleen Hanna tribute show that took place at Knitting Factory this past December and discusses the effect the movement has had on today's indie rock scene. Amanda Warner of MNDR said, "I remember it being weird if you saw a girl in a band, and now it's not weird at all, it's just totally normal."

That Knitting Factory show in December not only served as a tribute to Kathleen Hanna, but also the debut of her new band The Julie Ruin. The project formed as a revival of her late '90s solo project Julie Ruin, the moniker under which she recorded one album of the same name in 1998. The new band also features Bikini Kill bandmate Kathi Wilcox and Kenny Mellman, Justin Bond's sidekick in Kiki and Herb. They are currently working on a debut full length. Details on the album are limited but Kathleen posted pictures from an overdub and mixing session for the album back in May.

A Le Tigre documentary titled Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour (pictured above) chronicles the band's 2004 tour and is out now. You can purchase it on Amazon. Last week there was a screening at at Maysles Institute in Harlem which was accompanied by a Q&A with director Kerthy Fix and Le Tigre member Johanna Fateman. Joly was there and taped all 45 minutes of it. If you missed it, check out the Punkcast video below. AND, they do it again on June 26th at the Ace Hotel, complete with Johanna Fateman, Kerthy Fix, AND Kathleen Hanna for the Q&A. All screening dates are listed below.

Kathleen Hanna recently spoke to Spinner, to promote the movie and stuff, and they asked her about Odd Future:

Spinner: Have you been paying attention to the controversy with Odd Future and their homophobic, misogynistic lyrics?

Kathleen: No, not really. They don't seem that interesting to me.

Spinner: Sara Quin just spoke out against them and it created a bit of a media storm.

Kathleen: I feel like, if you don't want to listen to them, don't listen to them. If you do want to listen to them, do listen to them. I couldn't really comment about on exactly what their lyrics are about, because I haven't gotten that deep into it. But if people are writing lyrics that piss you off, hurt your feelings and make you feel like s---, don't listen to it. I don't think the best idea is to have a boycott. Just don't talk about them and they'll go away. The more you talk about them, the more attention they get. Tegan and Sara fans probably wouldn't even know this band existed if they weren't talking about them. I find the whole conversation kind of boring. There are so many great artists that are doing interesting things, that I don't want to focus on boring people.

Ironically (sort of, maybe), Odd Future recently complained that Australians were racist. Australians say no they are not.

Odd Future's lesbian member Syd tha Kyd, who famously responded to criticism that she associates with a sexist group by saying, "That's what I do. I slap bitches", is DJing at PS1 'Warm Up' on July 23. Gang Gang Dance also DJ and Laurel Halo, Miracles Club, and Lunice play live sets on the same date. No word on if any other members of Odd Future will be in town at the time.

Film trailers, dates and a mash-up of Tyler, the Creator's "Yonkers" and Tegan & Sara's "Call It Off" by The Jane Doze, below...

Continue reading "Katheen Hanna, Le Tigre, The Julie Ruin, Odd Future & other Riot Grrrl news (movies, articles, events & stuff)"

photos by Brook Bobbins

Odd Future @ Highline Ballroom

Odd Future played Highline Ballroom on Friday (5/13) as part of a week long string of shows for the LA hip hop crew in celebration of the new Goblin LP by Tyler, The Creator. We already mentioned that the NYC show happened, and who some of the guests in the crowd were (we forgot GZA). Now here are some pictures from both the show, and other places Tyler & crew visited while in NYC. They continue below.

Today's even hotter news comes from the New Yorker who interviewed the missing Earl Sweatshirt, who was located by Complex Magazine at a camp in Samoa in April. In the New Yorker piece (which is only available in its entirety with a New Yorker subscription) Earl speaks on the current wave of hype and the backlash on his family due to popular OFWGKTA slogan "Free Earl":

"Initially I was really pleased that all these people claimed that they wanted me released because I thought that translated into 'they care,'" Earl wrote. "So time progresses and the fan base gets bigger and the 'Free Earl' chants get louder but now with the 'Free Earl' chants come a barely indirect 'Fuck Earl's Mom' and in the blink of an eye my worry changes from 'will there still be this hype when I get back' to 'Oh shit I just inspired a widespread movement of people who are dedicated to the downfall of my mom.'"

Earl added, "The only thing I need as of right now is space. I've still got work to do and don't need the additional stress of fearing for my family's physical well-being. Space means no more 'Free Earl.'"

In other (and possibly polar opposite) news, Tyler the Creator responded to the criticism from Tegan & Sara regarding Odd Future's "misogynistic and homophobic ranting and raving". And by that we mean, Tyler maturely tweeted, "If Tegan And Sara Need Some Hard Dick, Hit Me Up!" Yikes. More NYC pictures below...

Continue reading "today in OFWGKTA: NYC show pics, Tyler's response to Tegan & Sara, Earl Sweatshirt speaks (asks for "no more 'Free Earl'")"

"And Frank Ocean Is Here........" - Tyler, the Creator

"Man. Hip hop aint been this edgy in a minute.
Enjoyed the Odd Future show tonight" - Questlove

?uestlove in a Tyler mask @ Highline Ballroom Friday night

The above audio clip of Frank Ocean was posted to Funkmaster Flex's website from the Friday night Highline Ballroom show. The below message was posted to Tegan & Sara's website earlier in the day:

When will misogynistic and homophobic ranting and raving result in meaningful repercussions in the entertainment industry? When will they be treated with the same seriousness as racist and anti-Semitic offenses? While an artist who can barely get a sentence fragment out without using homophobic slurs is celebrated on the cover of every magazine, blog and newspaper, I'm disheartened that any self-respecting human being could stand in support with a message so vile.

As journalists and colleagues defend, excuse and congratulate 'Tyler, the Creator,' I find it impossible not to comment. In any other industry would I be expected to tolerate, overlook and find deeper meaning in this kid's sickening rhetoric? Why should I care about this music or its "brilliance" when the message is so repulsive and irresponsible? There is much that upsets me in this world, and this certainly isn't the first time I've drafted an open letter or complaint, but in the past I've found an opinion - some like-minded commentary - that let me rest assured that my outrage, my voice, had been accounted for. Not this time.

If any of the bands whose records are held in similar esteem as Goblin had lyrics littered with rape fantasies and slurs, would they be labeled hate mongers? I realize I could ask that question of DOZENS of other artists, but is Tyler exempt because people are afraid of the backlash? The inevitable claim that detractors are being racist, or the brush-off that not "getting it" would indicate that you're "old" (or a faggot)? Because, the more I think about it, the more I think people don't actually want to go up against this particular bully because he's popular. Who sticks up for women and gay people now? It seems entirely uncool to do so in the indie rock world, and I'll argue that point with ANYONE.

No genre is without its controversial and offensive characters- I'm not naive. I've asked myself a thousand times why this is pushing me over the edge. Maybe it's the access to him (his grotesque twitter, etc). Maybe it's because I'm a human being, both a girl and a lesbian. Maybe it's because my mom has spent her whole adult life working with teenage girls who were victims of sexual assault. Maybe it's because in this case I don't think race or class actually has anything to do with his hateful message but has EVERYTHING to do with why everyone refuses to admonish him for that message.

It is not without great hesitation and hand wringing that I enter into the discourse about Tyler, the media who glorifies and excuses misogyny and homophobia, and the community of artists that doesn't seem remotely bothered by it. I can only hope that someone reading this might be inspired to speak out. At the very least, I will know that my voice is on record. - skq

photos by Vincent Cornelli

Doveman played another guest-filled show at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC on Saturday night. The backing band was comprised of Brad Albetta (bass), Ben Perowsky (drums), Rob Moose (guitar, violin), and Doug Wieselman (clarinet, bass clarinet). Thomas Bartlett was joined by guests Martha wainwright, Justin Bond, Hannah Cohen (whose record Thomas is producing), Jennifer Charles of Elysian fields, Norah Jones (as advertised), Sara Quin (of Tegan and Sara), Nico Muhly, and Frames/Swell Season singer Glen Hansard. Pictures from the party are in this post.

No guests have been announced for Doveman's next shows yet, but this pats show's lineup has been the norm (read about past shows HERE and HERE), so get your tickets in advance if you want to go on May 26th or June 24th.

Meanwhile, Thomas/Doveman and Doug Wieselman will be two of the special guests at Jesse Harris's final residency show at the same venue this Tuesday night (4/26), as will the recently-added Kaki King. Tickets are still on sale.

Jesse, Doug and Martha Wainwright all share a bill, along with Elvis Perkins, at Cameo this Friday as part of the next edition of Noncerts which is still on sale.

You can also catch Martha on May 12 and 13 at the two shows honoring her late mother at Town Hall.

More pictures from Saturday's LPR show, below....

Continue reading "Doveman played another guest-filled show (pics), Martha Wainwright plays w/ Elvis Perkins & Jesse Harris Friday"

"An exciting mix of folk music's founding voices and modern favorites highlights the 52nd edition of the Newport Folk Festival® when it returns to Newport's Fort Adams State Park July 30-31, it was announced today by the Newport Festivals Foundation, the recently-formed 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization which produces the event.

Tickets go on sale worldwide on Thursday, March 31, at 10:00 am at www.newportfolkfest.net.

Continue reading "Newport Folk Festival 2011 lineup announced, tickets too"

The Posies

The Posies will debut new material for the very first time at the Rock Shop in Brooklyn on September 23rd. That show is sold out, but now there are many more chances to see the band, and with Brendan Benson (of solo and Raconteurs fame) to boot. I also have two pairs of tickets to give away to the Brooklyn show. Details below.

After a month-long tour of Europe, The Posies will kick off a trek with Brendan in Milwaukee on November 5th. Their NYC show together will be at Highline Ballroom on November 13th (ticket on-sale date TBA). The Posies are promising a mix of new material and the hits at the shows. All dates below.

The Posies' Blood/Candy is out September 28 on Ryko. Brendan hasn't announced a new record (yet), but he can be found on Margaret Cho's new album which is out Tuesday...

"Can't wait until later this year for more Brendan goodies? Well, we have something to tide you over.

Brendan is making a cameo on Margaret Cho's comedy music album, Cho Dependent, due out on August 24th. You can pre-order the album now HERE and get an instant download of all 13 tracks, including "Baby I'm With the Band," the song Brendan co-wrote and performs on.

Other artists on the album include Andrew Bird, Grant Lee Phillips, Ben Lee, Tegan and Sara, Fiona Apple, Ani DiFranco, Tommy Chong and many more."

Continue reading "The Posies touring (dates) w/ Brendan Benson (who is 1 of many guests on Margaret Cho's new CD) ++ win Rock Shop tix"

The Besnard Lakes @ Bowery Ballroom in March (more by Andrew St Clair)

The short list for the 2010 Polaris Prize has been announced. The ten nominees are below...

Continue reading "2010 Polaris Music Prize short list announced (includes Caribou who will DJ Glasslands after the Governors Island show) "

In what I think may be one of the oddest pairings I've seen in a while, Tegan & Sara are going out on a "Honda Civic Tour" with pop punk superstars Paramore (and other openers). Tickets for the New York show, August 6th at Jones Beach, go on "Citi Cardmembers" and "Live Nation" (password = keyboard) presale at 10am, and then general sale starts Saturday at 10am...

"We know a lot of you are big fans of Paramore already, but if you are not, please go check them out. I've had the pleasure of listening to their music for years and seeing them open for NO DOUBT! last summer. Not only are they wonderful songwriters and incredible performers they are also the nicest people you'll ever meet. We're proud and beyond excited to share the summer, the stage and 2 months of our lives with them. We hope to see you there!!!" [Tegan & Sara]

Paramore don't play any Lilith shows, though they would probably be welcome if they wanted to. Metric are. All dates and a video for Passion Pit's remix of "Alligator" below...

Continue reading "Tegan & Sara going on tour with Paramore, playing a single Lilith Fair show (dates)"

Evelyn Evelyn, Amanda Palmer's new project with Seattle musician/busker Jason Webley, NYC composer Sxip Shirey and other artists know for their vaudevillian and just general wacky ways. They'll be hitting the road this April, May and June. The show travels Europe and North America, and includes a six-night run at NYC's Lucille Lortel Theatre from June 8-13. Ticket info coming soon.

The album is co-produced by Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley, and is out now in a bunch of different packages (including an 11 million dollar offer to travel the world from Himalayas and Antarctica to Western Massachusetts). The concept behind the project is that the two Evelyns are a ("fictional"?) pair of conjoined twins.

EVELYN and EVELYN NEVILLE are a songwriting duo performing original compositions on piano, ukulele, guitar and accordion. The sisters are parapagus tripus dibrachius twins, sharing three legs, two arms, three lungs, two hearts and a single liver.

Born September 11, 1985 on a small farm on the Kansas-Colorado border, the Evelyns have traveled the greater part of North America performing with "Dillard & Fullerton's Illusive Traveling Show". Their unique musical style is inspired by their many eclectic influences - from 80's music to showtunes, Joy Division to the Andrews Sisters.

The sisters currently reside in Walla Walla, Washington. They are fluent in chicken and their favorite colors are purple and yellow.

The record's extensive list of guests and all tour dates (with details on how to hook the touring band of 5 people up with lodging and food) are below...

Continue reading "Evelyn Evelyn is Amanda Palmer & friends - new album & tour dates including 6 nights @ NYC's Lucille Lortel Theatre"

Estimated Value: Priceless
Item Number 128
Item Description
These are very rare, limited edition Daft Punk toy robots called "Daft Punk 1000% Kubricks" made by the legendary Japanese toy manufacturer Medicom in collaboration with the legendary Hong Kong based toy manufacturers, Silly Thing.
They have both been signed and decorated by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Momem-Christo, of Daft Punk
They sell new for $2000 for the pair.
They are 25" tall.

Continue reading "Daft Punk dolls, Ed Droste's guitar & other stuff for charity"

photos by Jessica Amaya

"Show in Williamsburg was AMAZING last night. Thank you to everyone who came out. EPIC show. 2 hours and 25 minutes. WOW! ha." - Tegan & Sara

Tegan and Sara played a stripped down post-Valentine's Day show last night (2/15) at MHOW in support of "Sainthood." They played some older tunes and took audience requests. According to the performers, set highlights were "Divided, This Is Everything, Light Up, Monday Monday Monday, Not Tonight, When I get Up, You wouldn't Like Me." Tegan & Sara also said, "Thanks to all the fans who stood outside all day in the cold. Thank you for the Light Up Cake and Blistex as well! Ha." The show was seated, but Jessica points out that "people were anxious to stand which they did for the last song." Hopefully everyone got their $75 (the price of tickets to this one-off show) worth.

Tegan and Sara, who were just announced on the lineup of this year's Sasquatch Fest are now on tour with Holly Miranda (who played her own show at Other Music last night). More pictures from MHOW below...

Continue reading "Tegan & Sara played Music Hall of Williamsburg (pics)"

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

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

new york city friends!

we couldn't imagine spending the day after valentine's day (February 15th, 2010) with anyone else. who better than YOU, new york city, could help us nurse our candy heart hangovers?

we've decided, quite spontaneously, to offer an opportunity for some of you to spend an intimate night with us at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. perhaps it's worth noting that my use of the word intimate only applies to the small-ish size of the venue and the stripped down nature of the material we will be performing. i wouldn't call it an acoustic performance so much as a night of reinterpretations of the well worn and well loved album versions you've come to love.

we realize it's short notice, and we know the tickets will go fast. to those of you who miss out on the opportunity to share your post valentine's day loot with us, do not fret! we will return to your neck of the woods sooner than later. big announcements coming soon!

An Evening with Tegan and Sara
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Mon, Feb 15, 2010
Tickets on sale Fri, Jan 29 at 12 noon at ticketmaster.com

Continue reading "Tegan & Sara playing special Brooklyn show & other dates"

Lilith Fair, which has been dormant since 1999, will reform this year for a North American tour this summer. Exact dates and venues are forthcoming, but the ongoing list of confirmed acts is impressive (though they won't all play every city). The lineup currently includes Beth Orton, Cat Power, Emmylou Harris, Erykah Badu, the Gossip, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Heart, Indigo Girls, Janelle Monae, Ke$ha, La Roux, Lights, Loretta Lynn, Mary J. Blige, Metric, Miranda Lambert, Norah Jones, Rosie Thomas, Sarah McLachlan, Serena Ryder, Sheryl Crow, Tara MacLean, Tegan and Sara.

New York City is one of the tour's confirmed stops. The rest of those and the fest's so-far lineup are below...

Continue reading "Lilith Fair 2010 (Cat Power, Norah Jones, Tegan & Sara, Janelle Monae, Metric, Grace Potter, Gossip, Erykah Badu, Beth Orton, Sia, many more)"

photos by Bao Nguyen

Holly Miranda @ Webster Hall - 1/18/2010

Hello,

I'm am writing to you from lovely California [on December 30, 2009]. I have been here since finishing my last tour of 2009 with The XX and The Friendly Fires on the West Coast in early December.

Being as it is two days before New Years Eve, I have been reflecting on the year that has past. I cannot begin to say how grateful I am to everyone who has come out to support Timmy and I on the road. To those of you who have given us warm, home cooked meals; a cozy bed to sleep in or visited me at the merch table and kept me company. We could not have done it with out you.

From the Midwest tour with AA Bondy, the East Coast with The Antlers, Europe with The XX, and then again with The XX and The Friendly Fires on the West Coast. We have been busy, but there has been no shortage of good music and amazing people surrounding us at all times.

I am happy to announce that it looks like the coming year will be more of the same...

First I am so excited to say that we will be opening for Vampire Weekend in New York on January 18th at Webster Hall!

Secondly, beginning in February, we will be touring across the continental United States with Tegan & Sara!!! The tour dates are below.

Last, but not least, I'm happy to announce that my full-length album The Magician's Private Library will be out on XL Recordings February 23rd!

Cheers! Here's to 2010!

I hope this finds everyone safe and warm and having a happy holly day!

See you in the new year!

xoxo,
Holly

Holly's new cover art and tour dates and more pictures from Webster Hall, below...

Continue reading "Holly Miranda played Webster Hall w/ Vampire Weekend (pics) - new album soon & 2010 tour dates w/ Tegan & Sara"

Kaki King @ MHOW in December (adam weinberg)

Kaki King has been working on her fifth album, the follow-up to 2008's Dreaming of Revenge, and that release is expected to come this year (though no date or name have been announced). She did take time away from recording to play a one-off at Music Hall of Williamsburg on December 12th. At that show, she debuted a bunch of new material, which you can check out in the videos below.

Her upcoming tour plans, with opener An Horse (who are currently on tour with Tegan & Sara in Canada), are starting to unfold - a handful of announced dates range between mid-April in NYC and mid-May in California. For those NYC shows, the first is Thursday, April 15th at Music Hall of Williamsburg; the second, Friday, April 16th at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets go on AmEx presale Wednesday, January 13th at noon; general sale is Friday at noon.

New songs live at MHOW and tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Kaki King played MHOW (video), touring w/ An Horse (dates) "

by Andrew Frisicano

Matador announced that Fucked Up's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' charity single "should be available" from iTunes today (December 8th) (still waiting it is). As previously reported, the song is packed with guests, including Yo La Tengo, GZA, Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend), Bob Mould (Husker Du), Tegan & Sara, Andrew W.K., Kyp Malone (TV on the Radio), David Cross and Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene). In February, it'll be released as 7" single. The record is for charity, and you can read what Fucked Up singer Pink Eyes has to say about the causes, below. The band is also putting out a rarities compilation, Couple Tracks, in January and touring with Kurt Vile in Feb. (with 2 NYC area shows).

Another benefit record, Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox, is out today on Merge (in digital form, CDs come February 23rd). The proceeds go to New Zealand musician Chris Knox (Tall Dwarfs, Toy Love) who suffered a stroke last June. The two-disc collection is all covers of Knox's songs done by acts that include Yo La Tengo, Mountain Goats, Will Oldham, Stephin Merritt, Bill Callahan and...Jeff Mangum (doing "Sign The Dotted Line" by Tall Dwarfs). You can preview songs at Merge. The full track list below.

Don't forget, Bob Dylan's Christmas album is also for charity, benefiting Feeding America. His new video for "Little Drummer Boy" (animated and less jokey than "Must Be Santa") is below...

Continue reading "Jeff Mangum, Fucked Up, Bob Dylan, Bill Callahan, Will Oldham, Yo La Tengo & others release songs for charity"

Elvis Perkins @ Clearwater Fest this summer (more by Chris La Putt)

tonight in NYC
* Phish @ MSG
* The Besties @ Asbury Lanes
* Ian McCulloch @ The Studio
* Crystal Antlers @ Cameo
* Nitzer Ebb @ Gramercy Theatre
* Darmstadt @ Issue Project Room
* Mew, Bear in Heaven @ Webster Hall
* Quest For Fire, Naam & Weird Owl @ Pianos
* Espers, Azita, Doug Paisley @ Drom
* The Sights, The Figgs @ Cake Shop
* A Prairie Home Companion @ Town Hall
* Sloan, Magneta Lane @ The Bell House
* Raphael Saadiq, Anjulie @ Terminal 5
* The Wrens, Palomar @ Maxwell's (early)
* The Wrens, Bob Fields @ Maxwell's (late)
* Sebastien Schuller, Hoferlanz @ Sycamore
* Alicia Hall Moran, Gordon Voidwell @ The Kitchen
* Brendan Benson, Cory Chisel @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* The Beets @ the Degenerate Craft Fair @ Silent Barn
* Woods, Real Estate, Cloud Nothings @ Market Hotel
* Red Mass & Golden Triangle @ Live With Animals Gallery
* The Big Pink, Crystal Antlers, Von Haze @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Bowerbirds, Dave Godowsky @ Bowery Ballroom
* Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica w/ DJ Spooky & ICE @ BAM Howard Gilman Opera
* Mike Yaniro benefit w/ Sightings, Pink Reason, York Factory Complaint (w/ Genesis P-orridge), White Suns @ Death By Audio
* Pissed Jeans, Yellow Tears, Old Men @ Columbia U's Lerner Party Space

Details on the Pissed Jeans show below...

The Wrens' first set tonight will be Meadowlands in full; the second, all new songs.

Elvis Perkins is in town for two shows. Tonight at Bowery and then Saturday at Music Hall. His video for "Chains, Chains, Chains" below...

The Beets plays the Degenerate Craft Fair.

Bowerbirds open for Elvis tonight, but not tomorrow. Instead they're at Union Pool on Saturday with Sharon Van Etten.

Brendan Benson is at LPR tonight and Maxwell's on Saturday. His new video for "A Whole Lot Better" below.

Jack White recorded two new songs with the band Smoke Fairies.

Amazon's 25 days of free Christmas songs continues. They also have Diana Krall's Christmas album on sale for $2.99 and a compilation of 99 songs for $5.00, one of many albums they're selling for that price now.

Ornette Coleman tops Amazon's list of "100 Greatest Jazz Albums of All Time".

Richard Buckner plays Mercury Lounge on Saturday.

Black Sheep play Santos Party House on Saturday.

Rihanna got inappropriate with a mannequin last night at Hammerstein Ballroom. Video below...

Amanda Palmer does Tegan & Sara. Video below...

a new Lightspeed Champion video, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

"RT @EducatingEric: It needs to be Thursday already so I can see Fucked Up with @AndrewWK on keyboards and @Viviangirls" -AndrewWK

Fucked Up & friend @ 'Pool Party' in July (more by Bao Nguyen)

Fucked Up are playing the entirety of their 2008 record Chemistry of Common Life at Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Thursday, November 5th. The 52-minute-and-20-second work will feature additional accompaniment by guests that include Andrew W.K., Vivian Girls and opener Katie Stelmanis. Also opening the show will be Titus Andronicus (who've been busy lately) and Brooklyn's The Girls at Dawn. Tickets are still on sale.

We also have a pair of tickets to give away, along with a copy of Chemistry of Common Life on LP and a Titus Andronicus limited Live in London 12" LP. Details are below.

On January 26th, Matador will be releasing a compilation of rare Fucked Up singles and b-sides called Couple Tracks. The comprehensive breakdown of the double-CD/double-LP is posted below.

Katie Stelmanis, a fellow Torontonian who's collaborated with Fucked Up before, just opened for Tegan and Sara at both of their Town Hall shows (Oct. 30th & 31st). At the gigs, she filled out the one-woman-show with a drummer and guitarist backing her up. A clip of her playing "Believe Me" at the first Town Hall show is below.

After the Brooklyn show, Fucked Up will be playing Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin on November 7th.

Contest details, show flyer and Couple Tracks info and tracklist are all below...

Continue reading "Fucked Up releasing rarities, playing album show Thurs w/ Katie Stelmanis who opened for Tegan & Sara -- WIN STUFF"

Tickets are on sale for the Julian Plenti show at Bowery Ballroom.

Tickets are on sale for the Julian Plenti show at Brooklyn Bowl.

Tickets are on sale for the Julian Plenti show at the Guggenheim.

Joe Pernice is performing "Music and Stories from It Feels So Good When I Stop" at Mercury Lounge on November 6th. Tickets are on sale.

Tickets are on sale for the Har Mar Superstar shows at Mercury Lounge and Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Athlete is playing Bowery Ballroom on November 3rd. Tickets are on sale.

Florence & The Machine are playing Bowery Ballroom on October 27th. Tickets are on sale.

Three Pavement shows are on sale and/or sold out.

Do Make Say Think, Art Brut, Girls, and Land of Talk tickets went on sale today.

Wolfmother, The Cult & Type O Negative tickets are on sale.

New Yorker Festival tickets went on sale at noon.

Breakfast at Sulimays reviews DJ Tiesto (featuring Tegan & Choir) and Volcano Choir (Bon Iver) in the video below...

Continue reading "Julian Plenti, Har Mar Superstar, Joe Pernice, other tickets "

That above picture is the cover for the forthcoming Tegan & Sara album, Sainthood, due out October 27th on Vapor Records. The record is being produced by Chris Walla (of Death Cab and many producing credits) and Howard Redekopp (who's worked with New Pornographers, Mother Mother, and others) - interesting in that they've both worked on past Tegan & Sara individually.

The pair (Tegan and Sara) have a few shows scheduled at the moment. Two of those will happen at NYC's Town Hall on October 30th and 31st (Mischief Night and Halloween). Tickets go on sale Friday at 10am.

Tiestoremixed Tegan & Sara's track "Back in your Head" in 2007. Now the three have collaborated again on "I Feel it in My Bones," a song that'll be included on Tiesto's new album, Kaleidoscope, out October 20th on Ultra Records. That song is streaming on his MySpace. Also guesting on the Tiesto album will be Jónsi of Sigur Rós, Kele Okereke of Bloc Party, Emily Haines of Metric, and others. Full tracklist is below.

Tiesto is going on a pretty big tour that kicks off with three nights at Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC. Tickets for those shows (9/24-9/26) are on sale now. All dates, the Tegan & Sara album back cover and tracklist, and more, below...

Continue reading "Tegan & Sara - new album, 2 Town Hall shows, & collab. w/ Tiesto who is touring (dates) & playing 3 NYC shows"

As previously reported, Amanda Palmer is hard at work preparing her own high-school musical...

I am going to be performing in an original play with music titled "WITH THE NEEDLE THAT SINGS IN HER HEART" at lexington high school. the show is inspired by the album "in the aeroplane over the sea" by neutral milk hotel and is being written (and we're almost done!) by me, the cast and my former drama director and mentor, steven bogart.

performances are May 7, 8 and 9 at the LHS theater. doors at 7:30. show at 8. $5 for students. $10 for the general public. come. come come come.

using "in the aeroplane over the sea" by neutral milk hotel as an inspiration, the kids (a cast of 20) have been putting together a play through improvisation. the process started about a month ago and i've been in the last two weeks of rehearsals helping shape the plot and characters and create the musical accompaniment, mostly songs from the record played live. often with me playing the instruments, but the whole cast and some extra musicians will be presenting the music....

As Pitchfork recently reported. Amanda is also making a public effort to get dropped from her Roadrunner Records contract. She even sings a song about it to the tune of "Moon River". Check out the video below. In a letter to Bob Lefsetz she wrote:

my label-dropping game has become very fun. please pray for me.

it's a lesson in how the future of music is working - fans are literally (and i mean that....literally) lining up at the signing table after shows and HANDING me cash, saying "thank you".

i had to EXPLAIN to the so-called "head of digital media" of roadrunner australia WHAT TWITTER WAS. and his brush-off that "it hasn't caught on here yet" was ABSURD because the next day i twittered that i was doing an impromptu gathering in a public park and 12 hours later, 150 underage fans - who couldn't attend the show - showed up to get their records signed.

no manager knew! i didn't even warn or tell her! no agents! no security! no venue! we were in a fucking public park!
life is becoming awesome.

Palmer is also releasing a Who Killed Amanda Palmer book -- "a fine art hardback book of "photographic evidence" with contributions from celebrated blogger and photographer Kyle Cassidy, Beth Hommel, Tegan Rain (of Tegan and Sara) and many others. Fictional stories to accompany the photographs have been penned by best-selling author Neil Gaiman." That book will be available for pre-order on Palmer's website starting Monday, April 20th at noon (cover art above).

Full With the Needle That Sings in her Heart press release, plus Palmer singing an impromptu song with John Wesley Harding at SXSW and other videos, and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Amanda Palmer - wants out of Roadrunner, playing NYC, writing a play, releasing a book, likes Twitter & other news"

photos by Kurt Christensen

Tegan and Sara played their first of two October NYC shows at Terminal 5 last night (Oct 5). Tonight (Oct 6) will be the third time they play the venue this year which will have them tied with the number Hot Chip hit on Saturday.. City and Colour and Girl in a Coma are the openers. More pictures from last night below...

Continue reading "Tegan and Sara played Terminal 5 (pics), will again tonight "