DOWNLOAD: Bonnie Prince Billy - Play, Guitar, Play (MP3)

photo by Shawn Brackbill

At the eight o'clock early show, [Bonnie "Prince"] Billy showed up in all-yellow in the darkened stony room, accompanied by collaborator Emmett Kelly of the Cairo Gang, who played guitar and carried high-pitched, sinuous harmonies. For the duration, our "Prince" performed sans microphone, or any instrument besides the occasional melodica, singing mournful ballads from his newly-released album, The Wonder Show of the World. It was transcendent. Oldham has the commanding presence of a stage actor; his movements are evocative, animated, and precise. A lot of the time last night, he looked like he was performing a monologue rather than singing a song. Meanwhile, the jam-packed crowd sat shoulder-to-shoulder on Monster Island's concrete floor, but, from what we could tell, the room was too busy being enthralled by Oldham to really mind.[Village Voice]

Bonnie "Prince" Billy and the Cairo Gang (Will Oldham and guitarist Emmett Kelly) played three shows in two nights at the intimate Monster Island on April 1st and 2nd. Really nice videos of the unamplified show are posted below.

A song from the new record, The Wonder Show of the World, out now on Drag City, is re-posted above. Their tour, which stopped at New Orleans' famous Preservation Hall, has a few more West Coast shows left. Videos from the Monster Island gig ("I See a Darkness" as an encore, and more) are below...

Continue reading "Bonnie Prince Billy played Monster Island (videos)"

DOWNLOAD: Bonnie Prince Billy - Play, Guitar, Play (MP3)

Bonnie Prince Billy & the Cairo Gang will be in NYC to play three shows over two nights at Monster Island Basement. They play early and late shows on Thursday, April 1st, and one show on Friday, April 2nd. Lichens open all three.

Tickets for the shows won't be available online - only in person at Record Grouch Records/Old Made Vintage (open 11am-7pm daily; 441 Metropolitan Ave @ Meeker St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 908-246-1512) starting Tuesday, March 9th at 5pm.

Bonnie Prince Billy And The Cairo Gang are releasing a new record, The Wonder Show of the World, on March 23rd on Drag City (Mar. 22nd on Domino in the UK). The song "Play, Guitar, Play," above, a Conway Twitty cover, is a free preview that won't be on the ten-song album.

In related new, Will Oldham is a guest on the new Coliseum record.

BPB & The Cairo Gang put out a NFSW teaser for the record. That, all tour dates and venue info are below...

Continue reading "Bonnie Prince Billy & The Cairo Gang releasing an album, playing shows (including 3 @ Monster Island) "

photos by Lori Baily

Martin Bisi and Larkin Grimm played Mercury Lounge on January 24th. Lori got some pictures. They're in this post. They both also shared a bill at the Knitting Facory about three week's prior (at the end of December).

Martin Bisi's next show is tonight (2/1) at Small Beast, a weekly show hosted by Paul Wallfisch, Mondays at The Delancey. Upcoming acts on Small Beast's diverse schedule include kitchen-sink punk Bad Credit No Credit, cabaret singer Little Annie, and punk jazz group Gutbucket. The full schedule for that and more pictures are below...

Continue reading "Larkin Grimm & Martin Bisi pics, Small Beast schedule..."