words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Ryan Muir

Panda Bear

Friday, September 11th - Stage 1:
3.15pm-4.15pm : The Drones performing Wait Long By The River...
4.45pm-5.30pm : The Feelies performing Crazy Rhythms
6.00pm-7.00pm : Dirty Three performing Ocean Songs
7.30pm-8.30pm : Suicide performing Suicide (First LP)
9.00pm-9.45pm : Panda Bear
10.15pm-11.15pm : Iron & Wine
11.45pm-1.00am : The Jesus Lizard

Friday, September 11th - Stage 2:
9.00pm-9.30pm : Jon Glaser & Jon Benjamin
9.45pm-10.15pm : Derrick Brown & The Navy Gravy
10.30pm-11.00pm : Eugene Mirman
11.15pm-11.45pm : David Cross

The floors have been waxed. The bathroom tile is dry and shiny. Couches are not draped with bodies. Kutsher's and it's distinct 1960s time capsule "charm" is still in full force, though the place seems oddly tidied. Doorways that last year lead to muddy, mold infested corridors have been nailed shut. Random holes punched into the drywall have been patched. The musty smell that permeates the building is "covered" by an equally foul carpet deodorizer. I arrived a shade past 3PM on Friday (9/11) and it was obvious the ATP crowds hadn't sunk their fangs into the Country Club yet. Everything was still nice and clean.

As a veteran of multiple music festivals, I think that most feel very familiar... borderline generic even. ATP is an animal all its own. There is an energy that is positive, creative and palpable. Musicians wander about the grounds, checking out the bands. The sound system is killer. It's like an indie summer camp complete with a poorly functioning shower.

We arrived early enough to catch the first part of The Drones whose current tour also had them at The Bell House in Brooklyn two days earlier.

"I hope you like bronchitis, 'cause that's what all you're getting" the guitarist said while pointing toward the front row of the audience.

Bronchitis or no, the band's angular and sometimes atonal pop was immediate and fun despite anyone's poor health.

The Feelies

The Feelies followed with Crazy Rhythms indeed, alternating between jingle bells, timbale, shaker, maracas, hanging lead pipe as well as a satellite floor tom and snare drum. It was great to see those songs come alive. See them in Brooklyn on Sunday night.

Dirty Three was four, as Nick Cave sat in the tickle the ivories. Nick played a backseat role, no singing, none of his songs... For all intensive purposes he was John Q. Pianoplayer. Ocean Songs is a very affecting record, and their engaging post-rock-y compositions swelled and collapsed with emotion. Just don't call them emo.

"I'd like to set the record straight for Pitchfork and those guys... we did not invent emo. Blame it on some other cunts," Warren Ellis quipped between songs.

During songs, Ellis hopped around on one leg while playing his violin, sashaying to melodies and punctuating key moments with jump-kicks. Dude has ups, especially in a suit. Those in NYC have another chance to catch the band Sunday at Bowery Ballroom.

Suicide followed, and I am definitely a fan of their first LP. In the Stardust Ballroom, a ski-goggled Martin Rev banged away at his Triton producing compelling keyboard squelches and 200 BPM kick drum assaults, while Alan Vega barked lyrics from his music stand like an ornery old man. It was very loud. Fun for a while, but I couldn't watch the entire set.

Panda Bear's loopy harmonious bliss is something that I enjoyed on the Person Pitch LP, but was not looking forward to in a live setting. Nevertheless, I checked out Noah Lennox's knob-twisting live set which contained backlit projections. It's hard to pull off a one man show effectively, especially if there is limited crowd interaction. Noah's other band headlines Saturday night (tonight) of the festival.

Iron & Wine was solo acoustic, and Sam Beam engaged the crowd fully. I caught a few songs until leaving catch some of David Cross's set before The Jesus Lizard.

Kicking off with "Puss" and heading into "Gladiator" and "Seasick", The Jesus Lizard attacked the stage with their trademark screechy guitar lines and high frequency bass lines. Duane Denison, David Wm. Sims, and Mac McNeilly were tight as hell and the band roared through their classics to an extremely enthusiastic crowd all while David Yow acted like a buffoon.

Either I'm showing my age, or he his, but I used to find David Yow and his antics menacing. That's not to say he was anything less than riveting. He performed 1/3 of the show from the crowd (surfing or otherwise). When on stage, Yow mock-jerked himself off, hula-danced, slap-boxed the microphone stand, pointed at women while crotch-thrusting, and wished the audience a.... "Happy 9/11".

By the way, if you're wondering who IS responsible for emo. David Yow has the answer.

"That's Slint's fault"

---

The Jesus Lizard pictures are HERE. The Dirty Three pictures are HERE. The rest of the pictures (which also include comedians not mentioned above) are below...

Continue reading "ATP NY 2009 - Day 1 in pics & review (David Cross, massages, Iron & Wine, Kutscher's, Suicide & more)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Hopewell - "Stranger" (MP3)

Hopewell

If you haven't noticed, ATP NY is a little more than a week away, and though there will be a ton of one-off appearances at the festival, one could ATTEMPT to see all of the bands in their NYC appearances. I prefer to kill all of it in one fell swoop, and that's why the ATP set times are below. For those that prefer the former, this post is also for you, as we rounded up some of the NYC shows that surround this mammoth festival.

One show we haven't mentioned thus far is Hopewell, who in addition to their support slot for Dead Meadow on 9/9 on a Rocks Off Cruise, will also play an "ATP warm-up show" at The Cameo Art Gallery show on 9/10 with a full choir (!) and projections. To be more specific, they will actually be performing the Desperation Suite set that they put together for ATP NY.

Want to go to Dead Meadow/Hopewell on the boat? I have TWO PAIRS of tickets to give away. More details on how to enter at the bottom of this post.

Boredoms are scheduled to play Boadrum 9 at Terminal 5 on 9/9 (at 9:09:09?). Tickets are still available.

The Feelies have set aside 9/13 for Brooklyn (namely, Southpaw -tix here) to play TWO sets, that's as many days after they play Crazy Rhythms in it's entirety at ATP.

Circulatory System plays Le Poisson Rouge on 9/9 (tickets).

Deerhoof is scheduled to play Le Poisson Rouge on 9/15. Tickets are on sale.

Melvins are touring NYC with Down, Weedeater, and Evil Army, hitting Nokia on 9/11 (tix). The band headlines ATP Stage Two on 9/12 (Sat).

Super Furry Animals have a pair of NYC-area dates scheduled, including Maxwell's on 9/12 and Highline on 9/11. Tickets for both are here.

Grouper is scheduled to team up with Tim Hecker for a show as part of the Wordless Music Series on 9/11. Tickets are still available.

Dirty Three play Bowery Ballroom on 9/13 (tix), two days after they play Ocean Songs in full at ATP.

The Drones are scheduled to play all of their LP Wait Long By The River at ATP, and will also play The Bell House on 9/9. Tickets are still available. Bridezilla will support The Drones at The Bell House and are also playing The Annex on 9/10.

And last, but certainly not least, Autolux & Sleepy Sun are teaming up at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg on 9/14 (tix) and 9/15 (tix) respectively.

Check out the ATP NY Set Times below....

Continue reading "ATP NY 2009 is almost here - SET TIMES & related NYC SHOWS (including Hopewell w/ a choir & on a boat) "

All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP) is happy to announce its return to Kutsher's Country Club in Monticello, New York for the 2nd annual ATP New York festival. The event will be held Sept 11-13, 2009. Last year's festival, co-curated by My Bloody Valentine, was a critical and cultural success with rave reviews from media and fans. This year's Fest will be co-curated by The Flaming Lips.

ATP has announced the final lineup additions to this year's festival. That includes the comedians who will be joining David Cross on Friday night, and official confirmation that it will in fact be Bob Mould who will be playing Husker Du songs (a whole LP to be exact) with No Age (who also just announced some NYC shows). Every act who plays Sunday will be playing some kind of special set...

Recently added were Crystal Castles, Super Furry Animals, Boris performing Feedbacker, Low Lows and "Oneida presents the Ocropolis" - where Oneida will transport the impetus, spirit and community of their multidisciplinary studio/performance space, The Ocropolis, to ATP for a full day of improvisation, collaboration, and recording, combined with the astounding Mighty Robot Visuals light crew. Other announced acts include Boredoms continuing their BOADRUM series, performing with 9 drummers on stage. Deerhoof will perform with special visuals by Martha Colburn. Caribou will perform as Caribou Vibration Ensemble, with a 4 piece horn section, 4 drummers and a choir and guests that include Kieran Hebden (Four Tet/Fridge/Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid), Koushik (Stones Throw Records), John Schmersal (Enon, Brainiac), Kathryn Bint (One Little Plane), Ahmed Gallab (Sinkane), Marshall Allen (Sun Ra Arkestra) and more.

Other brand new additions to Sunday are Menomena, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Birds Of Avalon, and Hopewell.

Circulatory System, was added in the last announcement, and have since revealed an entire tour. Dead Meadow play ATP on Saturday and will perform on a boat in NYC that same week. The Feelies have a Brooklyn show scheduled. Super Furry Animals play NYC and NJ in addition to ATP. The list of related shows goes on...

Unfortunately missing from the ATP NY schedule is Nick Cave - not that he was ever supposed to be there, but in addition to being very involved with ATP in general, he was recently confirmed to be only a short car ride away just one day after the festival ends. Full 2009 lineup below...

Continue reading "ATP NY final 2009 lineup -- Bob Mould (now official), Eugene Mirman, Menomena, Hopewell & more (but not Nick Cave) "

Sufjan Stevens w/ Clogs @ BAM in February (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

We are extremely excited to announce the addition of Sufjan Stevens to the ATP-curated Saturday lineup. Stevens, who will be releasing Run Rabbit Run (a re-arrangement of his 2001 album Enjoy Your Rabbit) in October, has not played a US show in over two years, and this is sure to be a special performance. [ATP NY]

Sufjan is one of the most recent additions to ATP NY, running September 11th-13th in Monticello, NY. It'll be his first show in a while, though over the past year Sufjan has made appearances joining St. Vincent at BAM, The Welcome Wagon at St. Paul's Lutheran and the Clogs with My Brightest Diamond (which you can see above) again at BAM .

Sufjan will be joined on the Saturday bill by new additions Shellac, Circulatory System and Grouper (who we previously announced).

On the Sunday, the Flaming Lips-curated bill has added Crystal Castles, who has been touring North America and Europe. They're also on the schedule for All Points West on August 1st.

Other Sunday additions are Super Furry Animals (who are also playing Maxwell's and Highline Ballroom), Boris, Low Lows and Oneida, the latter of which will perform a special set, described below...

"Oneida presents the Ocropolis" - where Oneida will transport the impetus, spirit and community of their multidisciplinary studio/performance space, The Ocropolis, to ATP for a full day of improvisation, collaboration, and recording, combined with the astounding Mighty Robot Visuals light crew.

Limited tickets for the fest are still on sale. Ongoing coverage of ATP NY and related NYC-area shows HERE. Full lineup so far below...

Continue reading "ATP NY adds Sufjan Stevens, Boris, Shellac, Crystal Castles & more - full updated lineup"

by Black Bubblegum

The Drones at SXSW (more by Faith-Ann Young)

For a band from Australia, The Drones sure play in the US a lot (a good thing). And now comes word that The Drones have added a few more US shows surrounding their appearance at ATP NY 2009 (they played the upstate NY fest in 2008 too). That includes some West Coast shows, and a September 9th date at The Bell House in Brooklyn (two days before they play ATP) (no tickets yet - Tickets are now on sale.).

At ATP, The Drones' will be performing their 2005 LP Wait Long By The River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By (no word on whether they'll do that at other shows on the tour too). Also part of the 'Don't Look Back' segment of ATP (on 9/11): Suicide will perform their first LP, The Feelies will perform Crazy Rhythms, and Dirty Three will perform Ocean Songs. Tickets are still available.

Dirty Three also have a show scheduled for NYC around ATP NY, Bowery Ballroom on 9/13 (tix here).

The Feelies just finished up a three day residency at Maxwell's, and played an acoustic show at the Whitney.

The Jesus Lizard, who are performing on the Don't Look Back date of ATP NY but are not playing an LP in full, are also playing NYC, though their show is a couple of months later (November 16th). Tickets are still available. A second show is rumored, though still unconfirmed.

All Drones dates below...

Continue reading "The Drones - 2009 Tour Dates (NYC before ATP NY)"

Boss Hog @ Maxwell's (more by Tim Griffin)

Friday will feature a first New York show in a long time by The Jesus Lizard and newly announced, ATP favourites Iron and Wine. They will join the Don't Look Back shows also taking place on Friday: The Feelies performing Crazy Rhythms, New York's finest Suicide performing their first LP, Dirty Three performing Ocean Songs and The Drones performing Wait Long By The River... The evening will be rounded off with the Comedy Stage hosted and curated by the one and only David Cross.

Saturday is curated by ATP and is headlined by Animal Collective and an exclusive performance by Panda Bear. Other confirmed acts include the newly announced Boss Hog, Deerhunter and Bridezilla, plus the previously announced Melvins, Black Dice, Dead Meadow, Autolux, EL-P, Akron Family, Antipop Consortium, Atlas Sound and the hotly tipped Sleepy Sun.

Sunday is curated by the outlandish Flaming Lips. Every act that plays will perform an exclusive special show, bespoke for this event. First up are the Boredoms who will continue their BOREDRUM [BOADRUM?] series, performing with 9 drummers on stage. No Age will perform a whole LP by Husker Du including special guest vocalist [um... Bob Mould?]. Deerhoof will perform with special visuals by Martha Colburn. Caribou will perform as Caribou Vibration Ensemble, with a 4 piece horn section, 4 drummers and a choir and guests that include Kieran Hebden (Four Tet/Fridge/Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid), Koushik (Stones Throw Records), John Schmersal (Enon, Brainiac), Kathryn Bint (One Little Plane), Ahmed Gallab (Sinkane) and more. Finally Stardeath and White Dwarfs also join the line-up, with lots more to be announced!

This is great. Full (current) lineup (in list format), and more info, below...

Continue reading "ATP NY 2009 adds more acts & crazy stuff w/ Boredoms, Iron & Wine, Boss Hog, Deerhunter, No Age & more..."

photos by Faith-Ann Young

DOWNLOAD: The Drones - Jezebel (live) (MP3)

"The Drones' short, five-song set followed, and they crammed intensity and vitriol down our ear canals in the space of 25 minutes. The Drones are the most important band I saw this [SXSW], an unknown commodity in the states but revered in their home country. They did not disappoint, playing an older song I didn't know before jamming out cathartic highlights from their last two albums. They rocked their way through their dirty garage numbers, polished in their complex song structures and yet laden with primal energy. This band is astonishingly good live and on record. That they haven't broken through here is insane to me." [Mission Freak]

They've made their way through Austin and played Thursday (3/26) night's Aussie BBQ (with the Grates, Youth Group, etc) at the Bell House in Brooklyn - now The Drones continue their US tour in NYC tonight (3/30) at Union Hall in Brooklyn with The War on Drugs. From there it's off to Philly before returning for a 3rd NYC show on this tour - Thursday night, April 2nd at Pianos. All dates HERE.

The pictures in this post are from a Little Radio showcase they played during SXSW at Red Eyed Fly (which is a different Austin show than the one reviewed in the quote above. that took place at Karma Lounge.). More Red Eyed Fly pics below...

Continue reading "The Drones are here (again), played Brooklyn, SXSW (pics)"

JESUS LIZARD, MELVINS, EL-P AND MORE FOR ATP NY! DAY TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Today we're pleased to announce the second group of announcements for our second ATP New York festival which runs from 11th-13th September 2009 and is co-curated by The Flaming Lips. The first event received widespread rave reviews and the second is shaping up to be just as good.

On Friday 11th September, joining the previously announced Dirty Three performing Ocean Songs, Suicide performing their legendary first LP and David Cross curating a comedy stage, we have:

THE JESUS LIZARD - their first New York show in many many years
THE DRONES - performing Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of The Enemies Will Float By

On Saturday 12th September, joining the previously announced Animal Collective, Panda Bear, Black Dice, Antipop Consortium, Autolux and Atlas Sound we have:

MELVINS
EL-P
DEAD MEADOW
AKRON FAMILY
SLEEPY SUN

We will be announcing some of the bands that THE FLAMING LIPS, our Sunday headliners, have announced in the near future.

Tickets are on sale now for $235 with or without accommodation at an extra cost.

We are also placing on sale today a VERY limited amount of day passes
for this festival. Friday day passes cost $75, Saturday and Sunday
passes cost $95 per day. These are on sale now and due to high demand
are not expected to be available for very long.

CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS! (thx Jason!)

The Jesus Lizard! It was also just announced they'll be playing the Pitchfork Fest in July. That's in addition to at least 2 other UK shows so far.

Melvins are also performing some shows in May, where, unlike at ATP, they'll be playing their album Houdini from start to finish.

The Drones, coming all the way from Australia, will also be here in the States this month. Unlike at ATP though, they won't be performing an album from start to finish this time around.

I wonder who the Flaming Lips will add. As some have already pointed out, we know it won't be Arcade Fire.

Sleepy Sun is an ATP Recordings-signed band from San Francisco who are also playing SXSW. Check out a video below...

Continue reading "The Jesus Lizard, Melvins, Dead Meadow & others added to ATP NY!! -- limited day passes on sale NOW"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Youth Group - "Start Today Tomorrow" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Fumes - "Automobile" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Resignators - "Offbeat Feeling" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Boat People - Unsettle My Heart" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hell City Glamours - "The Money" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gabriella Cilmi - "Sweet About Me" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Josh Pyke - Make You Happy (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: My Disco - "You Came to Me like a Cancer Lain Dormant Until it Blossomed like a Rose" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Birds Of Tokyo - "Broken Bones" (MP3)

The Drones

Call the Army! It's an invasion! Over the next two months, bands from Australia will swarm down (under) and barrage us with a ton of shows in North America including NYC ones at Pianos, Mercury Lounge, Europa, and The Bell House, and of course a bunch of performances in Austin for SXSW.

First up, The Drones have a new album entitled Havilah on ATP Recordings and the quartet is back in the USA in 2009, a scant six months after killin' it ATP New York and playing a string of NYC shows in 2008. The NYC shows are at Union Hall with The War On Drugs on 3/30 (tickets on sale soon) and at The Bell House on 3/26 (tickets on sale now).

The Bell House show is particularly interesting (especially if you aren't a vegan)

THE AUSSIE BBQ: AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SHOWCASE
Admission comes with free BBQ courtesy of SHEEP STATION and one free drink. Featuring tons of amazing Australian bands like
THE DRONES / THE FUMES / YOUTH GROUP / THE GRATES / THE RESIGNATORS / THE RED RIDERS / THE BOAT PEOPLE / INFUSION / HELL CITY GLAMOURS. Free Baron's Beer!!

There's also a similar Australian BBQ / music showcase happening in Austin during SXSW. Details on that, and all Drones dates below.

One of the bands on BOTH BBQ fests (NYC and SXSW), Youth Group, will release their new album The Night Is Ours on April 7th in the US. The crew has also laid out April residencies in NYC, Philadelphia and Boston. The NYC residency is at Pianos every Tuesday in April (April 7, 14, 21, 28). Philadelphia is every Wednesday at the M room, and Boston is Sundays at TT Bear's. Full tour dates are below.

Another band on both bills... it's the return of The Grates (pictured). They are touring the US around those dates and SXSW, including a show at Mercury Lounge on March 23rd with Sky Larkin (no tix), and one at Pianos with Micachu on March 25th (tickets on sale).

My Disco, an angular post-punk trio that worships at the altar of Albini so much that they named their band after a Big Black song, will tour the US with the not-Aussie Young Widows after their trip to the Lone Star state. Full tour dates are below, including a show at Europa on April 1st. Tickets are on sale.

The War On Drugs (not Australian) are currently touring Europe, but will hit the road in the end of March for a US tour that includes the NYC date mentioned above.

All tour dates for everyone below...

Continue reading "The Drones, The Grates, Youth Group & other Australian bands coming to NYC, SXSW & other places"

photos by Zach Dilgard, words by Black Bubblegum

British experimentalist Alexander Tucker kicked off ATP day two (9/20) with looping pedals and acoustic instruments (cello, guitar). A very interesting artist to start my day with and worth further investigation.

Next came ATP's own Apse and their triple guitar attack. They had some truly soaring moments.

Growing and their effects-laden noise drones sounded great on stage two, though sometimes I find it hard to watch a knob-twiddling live show.

Probably my biggest surprise of the day was The Drones who were urgent, angular, and punky. I was familiar with some of their work through a certain Vegan pal of mine. I will be familiar with more and won't miss them next time they make it to NYC (Philly, Richmond & DC have the chance over the next three days).

The Drones

continued below...

Continue reading "ATP NY day 2 - Om, Drones, Apse, Low, Lightning Bolt, more"

DOWNLOAD: The Drones - The Cockeyed Lowlife Of The Highlands (live) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Drones - I Don't Ever Want To Change (live) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Drones - Dekalb Blues (live) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Drones - Jezebel (live) (MP3)

The Drones are visiting the United States from Australia to play some shows. That includes a spot at ATP NY and a Septemer tour with Built to Spill and the Meat Puppets who are both also playing ATP. That does NOT include the two shows Meat Puppets and BTS are playing at Terminal 5 though. Dinosaur Jr. is the third band on those bills, but that doesn't mean the Drones won't hit NYC. They will, twice. Tickets are on sale for a September 11th show at Union Hall and for one two days later at Pianos.

"Havilah is The Drones highly anticipated 4th studio LP, it will be released through ATP Recordings and MGM Distribution on September 20th, 2008." More info on the album and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "The Drones - new album, 2008 Tour Dates (ATP, NYC), MP3s"