photos by Tim Griffin

Arcade Fire / The Antlers

Rain showers fired up crowds for the second day of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, even as much of the excitement Saturday was for headliner Stevie Wonder, who had fans claiming spots by the main stage throughout the afternoon.

Out-of-towners might not have understood the joyful reaction -- which included singing and dancing -- that rain got throughout Zilker Park. "I say, 'God bless the rain,' and we need it," said Austin photographer Greg Davis, who for the fifth year was selling his photos in the fest's art market. "It's bad for business but great for the community."

Some people used shelters put up for extra protection from the sun to escape the intermittent showers, while others didn't let a little water keep them from staking out spots early around the stage where Motown legend Wonder was to perform. The periphery filled so quickly that by the time R&B singer Cee Lo Green took the stage at 6 p.m., several hundred fans had planted chairs in nondesignated areas, causing security to ask them to move so the expected throng of people would have space to approach the stage.

"Our whole plan today has been to scope out a spot so that we don't have to fight the crowds," said Joelle Barnes of Austin, who along with her husband, James, were among the people asked to move their chairs. Although Barnes and her husband had enjoyed Alison Krauss and Union Station, Cee Lo and other performers they had seen on Saturday, the day was all about Wonder. "He's a legend -- you can't argue with that," James Barnes said. "This is such a rare opportunity"... [Austin360]

Pictures from the second day of Austin City Limits 2011 are in this post. They include pics of Sunday night headliner Arcade Fire, at an Austin City Limits TV show taping which took place downtown at the new Moody Theater on Saturday.

Pics from Day One HERE. Day Three streaming online today (9/18). More Day Two pictures below...

Continue reading "ACL 2011 -- Day 2 in pics (Antlers, Phosphorescent, Aloe Blacc, Twin Shadow, Arcade Fire TV taping & more)"

Meat Puppets

Meat Puppets recently finished up a tour in support of their most recent LP Lollipop which came out this past April. After a couple dates with Soundgarden at the end of the month, the Meat Puppets will take a short break before playing a few more dates this fall. Their last string of dates never came through NYC, but this one will on November 4 at Le Poisson Rouge. Tickets are on sale now. All tour dates are listed below.

Meat Puppet Curt Kirkwood recently spoke to JSOnline about their tour and Nirvana, who they played with at Nirvana's MTV Unplugged performance, and whose seminal album Nevermind celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The Meat Puppets recorded a cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for Spin's new Nevermind tribute album, Newermind. The album also features contributions by EMA (who has shows coming up soon), The Vaselines, JEFF the Brotherhood, Amanda Palmer, Titus Andronicus, Surfer Blood and others. The album will be available for free download on Spin's website starting July 26. Tracklist below.

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Nevermind, Universal is also releasing a deluxe edition of the album on September 19. The reissue includes a 4 CD/1 DVD boxset with rarities, B-sides, unreleased recordings, BBC radio appearances, and an unreleased concert on DVD.

Universal will also reissue 1991: The Year Punk Broke on DVD on September 6. The film documents a Sonic Youth tour with Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., Ramones, Babes in Toyland, and Gumball. The reissue includes a bonus film titled (This Is Known As) The Blues Scale, which features live footage of Sonic Youth and Nirvana.

Meat Puppets dates and video of them with Nirvana at MTV Unplugged in 1993, below...

Continue reading "Meat Puppets announce dates, appear on SPIN Nirvana tribute, 'Nevermind' is turning 20"

photos by Brook Bobbins

...been meaning to catch the smith westerns for some time now and friends they didn't disappoint. their breezy kinda rock was the perfect way to welcome in spring to new york. playing a set under an hour, a sold out crowd left a little disappointed that the smith westerns glassed over an encore. despite that, the infectious tune "weekend" is stuck in my head the morning after.-[sharocks the blogspot]

Smith Westerns played Bowery Ballroom on Monday evening, as part of a larger set of dates with Unknown Mortal Orchestra that concludes on Saturday in Atlanta. From there, the Smith Westerns will continue on the road eventually ending up at Sasquatch Fest in the Pacific Northwest.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra also played their own show at Pianos on Sunday, and a late one with Bass Drum of Death on Saturday night at Shea Stadium while they were in NYC. After they finish their tour with the Smith Westerns, they'll prep for another tour, this time with Portugal. The Man and Telekinesis. That tour hits Webster Hall on 6/3 (tickets are still on sale).

All tour dates and more pictures from Bowery Ballroom are below....

Continue reading "Smith Westerns played Bowery Ballroom w/ Unknown Mortal Orchestra who're touring w/ Portugal. The Man (pics & dates)"

photos by Jessica Amaya

The Love Language @ Mercury Lounge

Allegedly born from the heartbreak of a past relationship of Stuart Mclamb, The Love Language's real spectacle is the impersonal liberty McLamb has taken in order to retell each ardent story. The majority of the live band contributed backing vocals in a fun jaunty exchange supported by Missy Thangs on keyboards. With two guitars between McLamb and lead guitarist BJ Burton, the interplay can take the form of a shimmering wall of sound, with a clean edge not heavily relying on distortion...

On this particular tour [Telekinesis's] Lerner has chosen to play drums and sing vocals, displaying an accomplished musicianship and versatility in writing the songs. Although openly admitting that he was currently sick that evening, Lerner's songs rarely faltered as a result of his strained vocals chords. Songs like "Dirty Thing" and "Car Crash" unfolded into irresistible sing-a-longs as Lerner sat holding a jovial rhythm on the kit. Ex-Blood Brothers guitarist and touring Telekinesis guitarist Cody Votolato was at his energetic best in support of Lerner on stage. -[SanDiego.com]

The above review comes from the San Diego stop on the March Telekinesis/Love Language tour that hit Mercury Lounge in NYC on 3/9. Belated pictures from that Manhattan show (which came one night before a Brooklyn show at Rock Shop), and more Love Language tour dates, continue below...

Continue reading "The Love Language & Telekinesis @ Mercury Lounge (pics)"

photos by Chris La Putt

Blood Red Shoes @ MHOW

After Chris left the BV Loft Party all the way back on Friday, October 22nd, he headed over to Music Hall of Williamsburg for the Blue Flowers-presented CMJ showcase for a lineup of mostly UK bands including Chapel Club, Everything Everything, and Blood Red Shoes (who toured North America with Sky Larkin in October). Pictures from that show are in this post.

The occasion (to post these belated pics)? SXSW has already announced an initial lineup of bands playing in Austin from March 16-20, 2011, and Chapel Club is on that list (and I wouldn't be surprised of the other 2 mentioned bands end up coming too). Also on the list: Lia Ices, Braids, Asobi Seksu, Wye Oak, Suuns, Sun Airway, A Place to Bury Strangers and more. Full list under the rest of the MHOW pictures, below...

Continue reading "Chapel Club played CMJ w/ Everything Everything & Blood Red Shoes (pics), playing SXSW 2011 (intial lineup)"

Blondie is playing Nokia Theatre on August 31st. Tickets are on sale at noon.

Tickets are on sale for the Tom Tom Club show at Santos Party House.

Fountains of Wayne play Bowery Ballroom on October 7th. Tickets are on sale at noon.

Tickets are on sale at noon for the Gaslight Anthem show at Radio City Music Hall.

Tickets are on AmEx presale for The Avett Brothers show at Radio City Music Hall. They go on general sale Saturday at 11am.

Tickets are on sale at noon for the Frightened Rabbit show at Terminal 5.

Tickets are on sale at noon for High On Fire at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are on sale at noon for Interpol at Wellmont Theatre. Interpol's NYC show doesn't go on sale until next week.

Tickets are on sale at noon for the "All Hearts Tour feat Robyn & Kelis with Dan Black & Far East Movement" show that was added at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are still on AmEx presale for the recently added Arcade Fire & Spoon show at Madison Square Garden. They go on general sale Saturday at 9am.

Tickets are on sale at noon for Wild Nothing & Blank Dogs at Bowery Ballroom.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin & Telekinesis are playing Bowery Ballroom on September 8th. Tickets go on sale at noon.

Tickets are on sale at noon for Slash's show at Terminal 5.

Tickets are on sale at noon for Jamie Lidell at Webster Hall.

Tickets are on sale at noon for Stars at Terminal 5.

Tickets are on sale at noon for the Best Coast / Male Bonding shows at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Dark Star Orchestra are playing Nokia Theatre on October 2nd. Tickets are on sale at noon.

Tickets are on sale at noon for for the Morning Benders show at Webster Hall.

Tickets go on sale at noon for AA Bondy's upcoming show at Bowery Ballroom.

Tickets are on sale for the two Mystery Jets shows at Mercury Lounge.

Shilpa Ray and Frankie Rose (and their bands) share a bill at Brooklyn Bowl on August 5th. Tickets are on sale.

Tickets are on sale for Holly Miranda at Littlefield.

Tickets are on sale for Sleep at Brooklyn Masonic Temple.

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) "