by Bill Pearis

Dave Wakeling / Paul Collins

Holy 1980! As gimmicks go this is a pretty good one: Power pop pioneer's The Paul Collins Beat and The English Beat are hitting the road together for a string of dates dubbed "Two Beats Heart As One" tour which includes a stop in NYC on October 16 at B.B. King's Blues Club. Tickets are on sale now.

Paul Collins' Beat, perhaps best known for "There She Goes" which featured on the Caddyshack soundtrack, had first dibs on the "Beat" name, forcing Birmingham, UK neo-ska band to change their name to The English Beat. While it was surely a point of contention back then, time (and the internet) have smoothed things out for Wakeling and Collins. Says Wakeling: "Paul and I originally met back in '83 and have been in touch occasionally over the years, but recently we've been in closer Facebook contact, which led to this idea becoming a reality....Two beats, hearting as one!"

After the East Coast tour, The English Beat (Wakeling being the only original member) will continue to tour through the Midwest and West. For fans of the shortlived group, you should really check out this recent interview the AV Club did with Wakeling, it's a good read.

All English Beat tour dates are below.

Continue reading "Dave Wakeling and Paul Collins band together for "Two Beats Hearting as One" tour"

The full list of artists confirmed for the 2012 CMJ Music Marathon so far is below...

Continue reading "CMJ 2012 initial lineup announced"

UK new wave pioneers Squeeze, who reunited in 2007, have a few US festival dates this year including Coachella in April. They just recently announced that they'll also be playing some other US shows that same month including a NYC show happening on April 28 on Roseland Ballroom and an Englewood, NJ show happening on April 23 at Bergen Performing Arts Center. Both of those shows are with The English Beat. Tickets for the Roseland show ($55 Advance, $60 Day of Show) go on sale Friday (2/24) at 10am, but there's also a presale that starts 24 hours earlier. Tickets for the NJ show go on sale Friday at noon.

All dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "Squeeze announce shows with The English Beat (dates)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Hedgehog - Toy and 61 Festival (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hedgehog - Waiting for the Last Bus (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Royal Baths - Nikki Don't (MP3)

After surviving a couple minor major acts of nature, we deserve a long break. So for your Labor Day weekend... like usual, it's pretty slow, show-wise. But there are some things to do.

We'll start this week with a movie. Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life is finally getting a U.S. release (it came out in January 2010 in France), albeit a limited one, thanks in part to great reissue label Light in the Attic. The film started it's two-week Film Forum run last night and will be making its way around the country throughout the fall. All play dates are at the bottom of this post.

Heroic maybe, but for sure Serge Gainsbourg led a wild life before succumbing to cancer at age 62 in 1992. You could make a compelling film out of any period of his life, and that the movie tries to cram it all in -- from fleeing Nazi-occupied Paris as a child through his rise to fame, relationships with Bridget Bardot and Jane Birkin to his his '70s dalliance with reggae -- gives too much of your standard Behind the Music story arc.

But it's also untraditional at the same time. Writer-director Joann Sfar is a comic artist (this is his first film) and injects a big element of the absurd courtesy of a puppet-like alter-ego (alter-Id, really) that encourages Gainsbourg to do bad things. Eric Elmosnino, a dead-ringer for Gainsbourg, is terrific, as is the rest of the cast -- including Lucy Gordon as Birkin and Laetitia Casta as Bardot, plus appearances by eccentric singer Philippe Katerine and the late Claude Chabrol. It's got a great sense of style and, of course, the soundtrack is amazing. Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life could be better, but it's still worth seeing.

Weekend

As for actual shows, San Francisco's vociferous and awesome Weekend will be here on Saturday (9/3) at Glasslands and Sunday (/4) at Mercury Lounge. Both shows are with the similarly cacophonous Talk Normal.

Weekend have a new EP, Red, out September 20th on Slumberland which finds the trio exploring new sonic territory, though not the quiet kind. It's still rather pummeling but Shaun Durkan's vocals, previously hidden behind echo and backwards reverb, are dryer and more up front now. The sound is a little sharper all around, but the driving, melodic basslines and guitar squall remain. You can download Red track "Hazel" via a Soundcloud widget at the bottom of this post.

In addition to Talk Normal, the Glasslands show features their Slumberland labelmates Brown Recluse; the Mercury Lounge show also has Fan-Tan on the bill. All Weekend/Talk Normal tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

Royal Baths

San Francisco's Royal Baths bring their heavy psychedelia to Death by Audio on Friday (9/2) with Xray Eyeballs, Hunters and Mountain Cult. I wrote previously: "Royal Baths are kind of bad trip acid rock, dark and seedy but not atonal. But it's definitely down the rabbit hole. In a good way." At the top of this post you can download a track off of Royal Baths debut LP  from last year. The band have a split double-7" with Ty Segall due out on HoZac any time now. Keep an eye peeled for that.

Hedgehog

Bejiing's Hedgehog are back in America for the first time since CMJ: they play Bruar Falls on Sunday (9/4) and Cake Shop on Monday (9/5). After that they head out on tour with Xiu-Xiu and Kindest Lines, and all tour dates are at the bottom of this post.

I caught set at The Woods last year and the venue's atrocious sound didn't deter Hedgehog's tenacity, most ably embodied in Atom, their tiny pistol of a drummer. Looking at them, you might expect pop punk a la Japan's Blue Hearts, but Hedgehog make melodic indie rock. There's a couple tracks to download at the top of this post. They're a blast live, and there aren't a lot of shows Sunday or Monday, so here's a good international option for your concert dollar.

That's it of the "big" stuff in my world. Some more shows -- including a fair amount of free ones -- are listed day-by-day below.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Good show at Shea Stadium tonight. In addition to the recently-profiled Caged Animals, there's also new FatCat singings Forest Fire whose Walkmen-esque album Staring at the X is worth looking out for when it comes out in October on FatCat.

Nerdy rapper and Adult Swim voice talent MC Chris is throwing a record release party at Death by Audio for his new album Race Wars. It's also his birthday. Show is FREE.

continued below...

Continue reading "Serge Gainsbourg, Weekend, Hedgehog, Royal Baths, MC Chris, Hunx, 'English Beat' & more in This Week in Indie"

Watch out House of Vans, it looks like yeat another corporate-sponsored show-series is vying for contender of "best free shows" in NY this year. Taking place over fifteen days in Long Beach, NY (and finally explaining that mysterious Flaming Lips date), The Quiksilver Pro New York series ("the first-ever ASP World Championship Tour stop on the East Coast of the United States") will feature surfing, skating, and BMX demos from some of the biggest names out there (Kelly Slater, Tony Hawk, etc).... not to mention some major music acts like The Flaming Lips, Girl Talk, Interpol, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Q-Tip, Neon Indian, Wavves, Taking Back Sunday, Saves The Day, and many more. Best of all, admission to everything is FREE.

All dates with the full lineups are below, but the music portion kicks off on Saturday, 9/3 with Girl Talk, Saves The Day, "a special surprise performance" & more. Sunday has Interpol, Portugal. The Man, The Ettes (who play NYC tonight), and more. Monday (Labor Day) will see Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Civil Twilight, and more. 9/9 is probably the most impressive show with The Flaming Lips, Q-Tip, Neon Indian, Wavves and Charlotte O'Connor. Saturday 9/10 will play host to a "Benefit Concert Hosted By Kelly Slater & Friends + The Max Weinberg Experience" with Taking Back Sunday, The Sounds and SLUNT. More details on the benefit show are TBA.

If you can't make it to Long Island, "The Quiksilver Pro New York will be broadcast from September 3-15 by MSG and Fuse, with programming that will feature some of the biggest artists, athletes and live performances from the event."

More details and lineups below...

Continue reading "Quiksilver hosting free shows in Long Island (Girl Talk, Flaming Lips, Interpol, Q-Tip, Neon Indian, Wavves, more)"

The Slackers

Lots of veteran ska bands hitting the road this spring and summer...

Congratulations to The Slackers, who will celebrate their 20th anniversary with a show in their hometown at Bowery Ballroom on June 17th. Tickets are on sale. The show comes less than two weeks after the band returns from a trip to the EU for a few weeks of dates which are all listed below.

Meanwhile, NYC's The Toasters celebrated their 30th anniversary with a beer (named after them, that is) (video below), and after the band returns from Europe, they'll play a Rocks Off Cruise on June 12th. Tickets for the NYC boat show are on sale. All tour dates are below.

The Pietasters will follow the lead of The Toasters, and play July 29th on a Rocks Off Concert Cruise. Tickets are on sale. The show is one of a few East Coast dates scheduled for the band, all of which are listed below.

Bad Manners returns to the US and to NYC with a pair of local shows: May 5th at Maxwell's with Hub City Stompers (tickets) and June 14th at The Studio at Webster Hall (tickets).

UPDATE: The English Beat have added a NYC show happening July 2nd at Irving Plaza in NYC.

All tour dates and some videos, below...

Continue reading "ska roundup (Slackers, Toasters, Pietasters & Bad Manners) --- upcoming shows & tours"

by Klaus Kinski

As a former Boston skinhead with a former penchant for Ska and hardcore, it's safe to say that The English Beat's music radiated from my car speakers more than a few times as I delivered pizza back in the day. Though they weren't my favorite band of the genre, when they're good, they are freaking amazing. Now as an older skinhead-via-heredity, it's with mixed levels of enthusiasm that I announce that Dave Wakeling and the English Beat are embarking on a pretty serious Summer/Fall North American Tour, eventually skanking their way to Webster Hall on August 21, 2010. Bad Manners is supporting, which is AWESOME. Tickets go on sale July 9, 2010 (Amex presale begins today, July 7th, at noon).

Why the mixed levels of enthusiasm? Well, I am no purist, but I can't really get jazzed about seeing a band, any band, with only one original member. And though it is a scientific fact that David Wakeling (English Beat founding member and currently the only original member) is an EXTREMELY awesome guy, I'm not sure he necessarily deserves his title of "Legendary King of Ska". I can think of about 10 'ska legends' before he would even enter the picture, and ain't one of them a white dude from the UK. Legendary? Maybe. King? Hell no.

That said, between the Bosstones coming to Irving Plaza, The Pietasters playing on a boat (tickets), The Slackers also playing on a boat (tickets), and more Ska shows inevitably popping up, it's gonna be a good season for skankin' in NYC.

All English Beat dates (including a show in the Hamptons this Friday) below...

Continue reading "The English Beat tour dates & other upcoming ska shows"

Memorial Day Weekend officially opened the summer, and for those in the Pacific Northwest it also brought Sasquatch Music Festival (pictures from all three days are coming soon). Now the lineup for its Labor Day cousin, Bumbershoot 2010, has been announced. That fest, happening at Seattle, WA's Seattle Center September 4th-6th, will include headliners Bob Dylan, Mary J. Blige, Weezer, Hole, Rise Against, Neko Case, The Decemberists, J. Cole and "one more very special guest to be announced soon."

Tickets (including non-Mainstage 'economy' passes) are on sale now. The rest of the lineup (by day) for the seven-stage festival is posted below...

Continue reading "Bumbershoot 2010 lineup (Bob Dylan... Hole... Mary J Blige)"

Thao @ Mercury Lounge last year (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* THIS WEEK IN INDIE
* The Damned @ Irving Plaza
* P-Bingo Night @ the Living Room
* Lez Zeppelin @ Webster Hall
* The English Beat @ Maxwell's
* Dave Deporis @ Mercury Lounge
* Grand Mal, Team Genius @ Union Hall
* Paleface, Creaky Boards @ Joe's Pub
* Bill Frisell Trio @ Village Vanguard
* Local Correspondents Festival @ Bar 4
* Womb Sharks, (Lone) Wolf and Cub @ Union Pool
* Mice Parade, Hauschka, Acme @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Steve Curtis (of Hem), Erikia Simonian @ Sycamore
* Black Strobe, Arnaud Rebotini @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* The Dig, Pretty & Nice, Middle Distance Runner @ Union Hall
* The Bad Plus, Benevento/Mathis/Barr Trio @ Merkin Concert Hall
* Club NME w/ Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, Gildonworks @ The Annex
* Acrylics, Pursesnatchers, Joe & Flying Spoons, Sisters @ The Cameo
* Surfrider benefit w/ Weird Owl, Condo, New Idea Society @ Fontana's
* Great Night in Harlem w/ Lou Reed, Dr. John, more @ Apollo Theater
* The Sundelles, Rifle Recoil, The Tony Castles, Darlings @ Bruar Falls
* Thao With The Get Down Stay Down, Sister Suvi, Samantha Crain @ Bowery
* Marc Ribot plays Frantz Casseus w/ Marc Cappelli, Ribot's Sun Ship @ the Stone
* Spiral Beach, Chandeliers, Buffalo Stance, Brother Raven, @ Death By Audio
* Impose show w/ Crystal Stilts, Gary War, Nerve City, Nice Face @ Don Pedro
* Miracles of Modern Science, Kittens Ablaze, Phil & the Osophers @ Public Assembly
* Goes Cube, Red Beard, Constants, Austerity Program, Jones Street Station @ the Studio
* NYC Popfest: The Ballet, My Teenage Stride, Metric Mile, Dream Bitches, Soft City, Knight School @ Cake Shop

Crystal Stilts are a local band that prove just because you can play bigger venues, doesn't mean you should stop playing regularly in your hometown. Catch them at Don Pedro's tonight.

The Punch Brothers have the same point of view.

Dave Deporis surfaces once again. Tonight at Mercury Lounge.

Marc Ribot's birthday week continues.

The Damned are here!

The English Beat are here!

Jarvis Cocker's new video for "Angela" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

by Black Bubblegum

The English Beat

Yesterday we were talking about a reunion of The Specials, as part of their 30th anniversary. The band aren't touring in the US (so far), but another pair of 2 Tone bands are... The English Beat and Bad Manners. Tickets are on sale for a NYC show at Irving Plaza on Feb 6th, 2009... part of a larger late-January/early-February tour that will also take the band to The Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale on Feb 5th. And if you haven't planned your New Years Eve yet, The English Beat are also playing The Klein in Bridgeport, CT, on December 31, 2008 (tickets here).

For those of you who like your ska in heaping doses, The Knitting Factory has your fix with "3 Floors of Ska" on Dec 29th featuring Westbound Train, King Django, Hub City Stompers, Bluebeats, Royal City Riot, Bigger Thomas featuring Roy Radics, Void Union, Allstonians, The Attack & Skanotto. Tickets are also on sale.

All English Beat tour dates below...

Continue reading "The English Beat tour dates & the last 3-floors of ska @ KF"