photos by Chris La Putt

The Acorn

The Acorn and Basia Bulat are about to end a North American tour together. That tour visited NYC last week for two shows. The Canadian band played Mercury Lounge on 9/23 and Littlefield in Brooklyn the next day...

"... the second Basia Bulat stepped on stage she just owned it! Her powerful but beautiful pipes had the audience right in the palm of her hand. Ms. Bulat's stunning songs were played beautifully by her stellar backing band. Basia Bulat is a diva in very good sense of the word!

The last band was another group of musicians that call Canada home, Acorn. Acorn rocked with their brand of well crafted infectious indie folk garage rock. Front man Rolf Klausener has an amazing voice and is charming and funny on stage and the rest of the band is really very tight and quite on point!" [Whatever...]

More pictures from the Brooklyn show, which also featured an opening set by Gold Lake, below...

Continue reading "The Acorn & Basia Bulat played Littlefield (pics)"

photos by Chris La Putt

Still shaking from the @basiabulat @tuneyards and @st_vincent show at #summerstage. Definitely one of the defining concerts of the summer! -Laura Rubin

St. Vincent at first seemed nervous due to a lot of technical difficulties with her band, but she quickly came into her element- perhaps focusing on Actor too much, Annie did not settle for just performing her songs, but reinventing them. She was absolutely exceptional, performing a sort of dance when she played guitar that was both a dance of rage and a parody of modern guitar solos at the same time as this spindly siren carries a pretty serious, Chuck Berry-esque guitar up to the front of the stage. She seemed lost in the world of her songs, a morose fairytale land of abstract orange hues and jagged shapes, but she brought something new out in her music with her reinterpretations- 'Your Lips Are Red' suddenly seemed almost like a Browning poem with its powerful jealousy and murderous themes.

The real highlight however, of this really quite exceptional set, may have been Black Rainbow- her impressive selection of band members (whom she recalled every name of, bless her) had starred and shone through several of her other hits. But with Black Rainbow the song just trickled into a dark, powerful musical marsh. You became weighed and yet uplifted by the powerful musical breaks, and it was... It was really something to watch. For all her nerves and sometimes awkward demeanour, St Vincent really performed today- but did so with a more rocky, almost Joplin edge to her music than she does on her albums. It was.... Divine. [Deliciously Apart]

St. Vincent headlined a free Central Park SummerStge show on Sunday, August 1st. She played with a full band with horns, as did opener Tune-Yards (who's playing the Rock Shop tonight)...

"The second Tune-Yards album can't come quickly enough. The existing recordings are very good, but don't do enough to showcase exactly how jaw-dropping Merrill Garbus has become as a live performer. I would go so far to say that she may be one of the greatest singers in the world today." [Fluxblog]

Canada's Basia Bulat was the first act of the day - she'll be back in NYC for two shows with the Acorn in September. The first is at Mercury Lounge on September 23rd. Tickets are on sale now. The second is one day later at Littlefield. Tickets are also on sale. All Basia dates are below.

More pictures & videos from the Central Park show, with two of the setlists, below too...

Continue reading "St. Vincent, Tune-Yards & Basia Bulat played Central Park Summerstage (pics, video, setlists, more dates)"

Takka photos by Maryanne Ventrice

DOWNLOAD: The Acorn - Restoration (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Acorn - No Ghost (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ola Podrida - Monday Morning (Abacus remix) (MP3)

The Acorn

Ottawa group The Acorn's record, No Ghost, came out June 1st in Canada (and digitally in the US); it comes out in the US in physical form August 10th through Bella Union/Yep Roc. The record is the followup to their 2007 LP Glory Hope Mountain, and two tracks off the new album are above.

The Acorn will be in the NYC-area for a trio of shows to support that record, starting with a Tuesday, July 13th show at Maxwell's with Communipaw (tickets). After that they play the next night (7/14) at Mercury Lounge with the Loom (tickets) and Thursday at Littlefield with Takka Takka and Ola Podrida (tickets).

We have a pair of tickets to the Mercury Lounge show to give away. Details below.

For Ola Podrida, the Littlefield show is one of two NYC shows on their current tour which also visits Cake Shop on July 17th. They're out supporting their new album Belly of the Lion. Grab a remix of one of the tracks from that album above.

Takka Takka played a show at Cameo on the first night of the Northside Festival this year. A few pictures from that show and the contest and album info and all tour dates for all the bands below...

Continue reading "The Acorn & Ola Podrida have new albums, are touring, playing w/ Takka Takka (who played Northside) - dates "

Mutek banner in Montreal - May 27, 2009 (bneely)

Mutek, the electronic music festival celebrating its tenth year, is currently underway in Montreal. The five-day fest runs to Sunday, May 31st, and it's streaming online. Moderat, the Modeselektor & Apparat supergroup, performed at Mutek on Thursday, May 28th; the group plays NYC's Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, May 30th (the show was originally planned for Webster Hall). Tickets are still on sale.

Speaking of parties up North this summer... three other biggies are Ottawa Bluesfest (July 8th-19th), Vancouver Folk Music Festival (July 17-19th) and Calgary Folk Music Festival (July 23rd-26th). Each of those suitably transcend the "blues" and "folk" labels, hosting bands like The Dead Weather and Yeah Yeah Yeahs (in Ottawa), The Weakerthans and Rock Plaza Central (in Vancouver), and The Decemberists, Apostle of Hustle, Kid Koala and Akron/Family (in Calgary). Full lineup for the Calgary Fest (Ottawa in particular is much too massive to post) and ticket info below.

And don't forget about the previously reported Breeders-headlined Sled Island Fest in Calgary on June 24th-27th, Montreal's Osheaga, NXNE, and Toronto's Olympic Island Fest on July 11th, which will host Broken Social Scene and its Arts & Crafts cohorts.

Across the pond, UK's Glastonbury Festival, which runs from June 24th to 28th, has been sold out since February even though the full lineup wasn't announced until this week. Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, and Blur will be joined by The Specials, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Spinal Tap, Jarvis Cocker, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Madness, Tom Jones, Animal Collective and many others.

And finally in the States, Monolith Festival, which runs from September 12th to 13th at Red Rocks Ampitheatre in Colorado, has announced its intial lineup, Girl Talk, Passion Pit, and The Walkmen included. The whole thing is posted below.

The weekend before Monolith, Bumbershoot will take place in Seattle (September 5th-7th). That fest's lineup has been updated too. New additions include Vivian Girls, Akron/Family, and Elvis Perkins. All new additions, with previously announced acts, are below. Tickets are still on sale.

In Michigan, the Rothbury Festival over July 4th weekend will feature the only summer fest performance by The Dead, as well as sets by Bob Dylan, String Cheese Incident, Broken Social Scene and more. A few more jam-friendly acts were also just added to the bill. Full lineup below. Tickets are on sale.

Info on all the above fests, with ticket info, below...

Continue reading "Mutek underway, Monolith & Glastonbury lineups, Rothbury, Bumbershoot, Calgary Folk & other festival updates"

By Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: The Shaky Hands - We are Young (new MP3)

Portland's The Shaky Hands will be visiting Mercury Lounge Saturday, November 8th (tix) with NYC new-wave/discopunkers Holy Hail as part of the band's second full US tour. If attending, look out for the Break The Spell EP, a tour-only "8 song vinyl only ep of live and rare stuff" as well as The Shaky Hands' newest full length, Lunglight, which was released September 9th on Kill Rock Stars. You can grab a track from that above and check out an older mp3-rich Shaky Hands post for older tunes.

Check out a video promo for Lunglight, starring bassist Mayhaw Hoons, below - as well as a music video for the single "We Are Young," whose washed-out, Polaroid-at-the-Pool-Party look is about two weeks late for summer.

Accompanying The Shaky Hands for many dates across the country will be The Acorn. The Acorn's atmospheric folk was most recently featured on last spring's Glory Hope Mountain and you may have caught them at one of their four NYC dates in May. All dates below....

Continue reading "The Shaky Hands - new MP3, video, tour dates w/ the Acorn"

The Acorn @ Pianos (Rock n ROFL) (by Bao Nguyen)

today in NYC
* FREE
* Obits @ Maxwell's
* Mos Def @ Carnegie Hall
* Titus Andronicus @ Bodega
* Patton Oswalt @ Caroline's
* Stevie Nicks @ Jones Beach
* Dan Deacon & The Acorn CITYSOL
* Benevento Russo Duo @ The Yard
* Apollo Heights @ Mercury Lounge
* Lee Renaldo & Alan Licht @ KF
* Vieux Farka Toure @ Summerstage
* Crooklyn Dodgers @ Prospect Park
* Type O Negative & Hatebreed @ Terminal 5
* The Black Angels & The Warlocks @ Southpaw
* Wye Oak and Lexie Mountain Boys @ KF Tap Bar
* The Muggabears & Fiasco @ Less Artists More Condos
* Titus Andronicus, Obits, Emperor X and Blood City @ East River Park
* Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Belaire & Vivian Girls @ Market Hotel

Sigur Ros and Bjork are streaming from Iceland.

What else?

No Age @ an invite-only FADER party - May 5, 2008 (Abbey Braden)

The Acorn @ Pianos (rock n ROFL), NYC - May 5, 2008 (Bao Nguyen)

tonight in NYC
* Jay-Z & Mary J Blige @ MSG
* Sigmund Droid @ Crash Mansion
* Cloudland Canyon @ Glasslands
* Flight of the Conchords @ Town Hall
* Earth & Kayo Dot @ Knitting Factory
* R Stevie Moore & Half Handed Clouds @ Cake Shop
* No Age, High Places & Fiasco @ Bowery Ballroom
* The Acorn, The Cave Singers & Love as Laughter @ Mercury Lounge

Peter Gabriel's web sever was stolen and The Musical Box ("The exclusive authorized authentic Re-creation of Genesis") just happens to be playing Highline Ballroom tonight.

Fuck Buttons @ Mercury Lounge - May 5, 2008 (self-titled mag)

What else?

I'm From Barcelona @ Masonic Temple - May 1, 2008 (Abbey Braden)

The Acorn @ Union Hall - May 3, 2008 (Jonny Leather)

tonight in NYC
* Rock N ROFL @ Pianos
* Channel 101 screenings too
* Shearwater @ Florence Guild Hall
* Juiceboxxx & many other bands at Death By Audio
* The Cave Singers & Love as Laughter @ Union Hall
* Lou Reed & Highline Ballroom's 1 year anniversary
* Team Robespierre & The Teenagers @ Bowery Ballroom
* Fuck Buttons, Sightings & Pattern is Movement at Mercury Lounge

"Ever since VL started way back when, Jennifer and I have been complaining about Cinco de Mayo being misunderstood and misused as an excuse for half price margaritas." [vivirlatino]

Break stereotypes and come to Pianos for $2.00 Svedka citron drinks instead!.

Lou Reed & Julian Schnabel discussed Berlin at the Tribeca Film Festival.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday? (Cinco de Mayo)"

DOWNLOAD: The Acorn - Crooked Legs (MP3)

What is Channel 101?

Every month, five-minute TV shows are screened for a live audience in New York City. The audience votes to renew some shows and cancel others.

The top five shows become the new "prime time" lineup; losing shows are banished forever.

The next month, prime time shows return with new episodes, pitted against each other and a crop of fresh new pilots.

At Channel 101, your entertainment destiny is in your hands. If you like a show, nurture it with your votes and it will bloom into a series. If you don't like a show, it goes away. Wouldn't it be great if "real" television worked this way?

The monthly screenings happen the first Monday of every month at Pianos. They are the reason we aren't starting Rock n ROFL until 9pm tonight.... make that a bit after 9:00 (May 5, 2008). Their first screening starts at 7:00. Their second screening starts at 8:30 tonight (which I didn't know when we started planning). The screening runs "less than an hour" though, and they'll already have the chairs set up so we can go right into the comedy hour with our host Max Silvestri. The even better news is that you can ALSO come for the screenings, AND that we'll have $2.00 Svedka vodka drinks. So, tonight now looks something like this:

tonight - May 5, 2008 @ Pianos
8:30 - free Channel 101 screening
9:?? - Greg Johnson & 4 other comedy acts (including the Perfect Storm) (ROFL)
10:?? - The War on Drugs (rock)
11:?? - The Acorn (rock again)

First person to email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: rofl) right now (include your first and last name) will win a pair of tickets to the show. $10 tickets will be available at the door. $2.00 vodka drinks. See you there.

DOWNLOAD: War on Drugs - Taking the Farm (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: War on Drugs - Barrel of Batteries EP (6 FREE MP3s in a ZIP file)
DOWNLOAD: The Acorn - Spring Thaw (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Acorn - Brokered Heart (MP3)

War on Drugs - Wagonwheel Blues (out June 17 on Secretly Canadian)

"it's not often that we totally nerd out and say things like: This album is so well sequenced, because, like, what does that even really mean? It turns out that it means The War on Drugs' upcoming Wagonwheel Blues is JAMMING and also totally Springsteeny and Dylany without getting caught up in all the nostalgia that comes along with taking cues from those dudes. The War on Drugs made a totally serious album, shimmering and sprawling--it's as inspiring as it is exhausting and dense." - Fader

May 5, 2008 @ Pianos: 2 bands (War on Drugs & The Acorn) + 5 comedic acts = $10

WIN TICKETS: We're giving away two pairs of tickets to the Monday show. To win, email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: rock). Include your first and last name. Two winners will be picked at random and contacted.

Check out the video for The Acorn's 'Flood Pt. 1' below....

Continue reading "Rock n ROFL is Monday. The War on Drugs. Win tickets."

DOWNLOAD: The War on Drugs - Taking the Farm (MP3)

The Acorn are from Canada and have a record out now on Paperbag. The War on Drugs are a Philadelphia band who have a new record coming out on Secretly Canadian ("Wagonwheel Blues" - available June 17, 2008).

These two bands are not going on tour together, BUT they are both playing the next edition of (BrooklynVegan & Klaus Kinski present) Rock n ROFL @ Pianos in NYC on May 5, 2008 (Cinco de Mayo)...

May 5th @ Pianos in NYC

9pm - comedy hosted by Max Silvestri
10pm - The War on Drugs
11pm - The Acorn

We're working on getting an open bar again, and the rest of the comedy lineup will be announced soon. Tickets are on sale.

Both of these bands are also playing a bunch of other shows including ones in NYC with Bishop Allen, The Cave Singers, and Ola Podrida. All dates below....

Continue reading "War on Drugs & The Acorn - 2008 Tour Dates (Rock n ROFL)"

DOWNLOAD: The Acorn - The Flood Pt. 1 (MP3)

Like NPR, KEXP, Stereogum, Gorilla vs Bear, Chromewaves, and Cokemachineglow, I'm liking what (little) I've heard from Canadian band The Acorn.

After the initial dabbling with a laptop in his bedroom, singer Rolf Klausener decided to try a more traditional approach. While incorporating all sorts of zany instruments into music is the soup du jour, The Acorn uses the staples to arrive at their otherworldly sound. The Ottawa-based band's latest album is a series of narratives relating to the life of Klausener's Honduran mother, Gloria Esperanza Montoya. During the two years it took to create the album, Klausener studied traditional Honduran percussion and rhythms, nowhere more apparent than on 'The Flood, Pt. 1', which falls in with some of the best musical hybrids of the past year (Vampire Weekend, Yeasayer). Elsewhere on the album, the Honduran influence meanders its way back in the mix, becoming another mystifying layer in this highly original psychedelic and artsy folk-rock. The band's tour dates are slim, but they can't keep the fans waiting forever, and this album is certain to find fans across the globe. [KEXP]

Check them out in NYC tonight (Feb 27) and Friday w/ Bowerbirds & Phosphorescent, or at one of their other upcoming shows.....

Continue reading "The Acorn - from Ottawa, in NYC, Tour Dates, SXSW, MP3"

Miracle Fortress @ the 2007 Polaris Awards (CRED)

Miracle Fortress, Sunset Rubdown, Basia Bulat, Handsome Furs, The Acorn, The Besnard Lakes, Tokyo Police Club, Patrick Watson, The Weakerthans, Land of Talk and Neil Young are among the list of 33 hot Canadian bands this year. In related news, Jessie from Miracle Fortress recently left a message about their recent problem at the border....

Continue reading "2007's "Hottest Canadian Bands""