photos by Debi Del Grande

Refused / Warpaint / Sleigh Bells, FYF Fest 9/1/2012

...Next came the great Warpaint / Hot Snakes / Chromatics dilemma of 2012. We love Hot Snakes, but with not-to-be missed hardcore Refused closing the evening, we needed something cerebral.

We picked Warpaint, and it made all the difference. The Angeleno quartet packed the main stage area to an earnestly mind-blowing set. No joke. Stella Mozgawa's metronomically perfect drumming is infused with the right amount of personality and swagger. To say nothing of the occasionally ethereal vocals and sonically interdimensional floating guitar licks. On top of the brain high, the all-lady act Warpaint drives a bit of a body-moving groove. If it weren't for the, er, gopher pockmarked ground, we might have just laid down and vibed out or whatever. Enough people did anyways... -[LA Weekly]

Continue reading "FYF Fest 2012: day 1 in pics (Refused, Warpaint, Purity Ring, Sleigh Bells, The Vaselines, The Soft Pack and more)"

Baroness at Terminal 5 in May (more by Joe McCabe)

Earlier this week, we posted an update from Baroness showing that things were looking upwards for the band. Unfortunately though, with two members having broken vertebrae and frontman John Baizely having a broken arm and leg, it doesn't come as much of a surprise that Baroness have in fact cancelled some of their upcoming North American tour dates, including their NYC show at House of Vans and LA's FYF Fest. They will not be replaced on the House of Vans lineup, which happens on August 29 and now just includes Turbonegro, Doomriders, and Nightbirds. This is a bummer but it makes sense that the band takes the time they need to recover, and we wish them a speedy and successful recovery!

Meanwhile, FYF Fest, which Wild Flag also dropped off of, recently expanded its lineup. It now features The Faint (who just announced they'll be reissuing Danse Macabre and touring the album), Glass Candy, King Tuff, and newcomers The Orwells. Tickets for FYF Fest are still available. The updated lineup and flier are below.

Continue reading "Baroness dropped off House of Vans and FYF Fest, who added bands (updated lineup)"

words and photos by Fred Pessaro // BBG, more photos by James Richards IV and Chase Turner

Vampire Weekend/Ty Segall/Araabmuzik crowd - Pitchfork Fest 2012

Thank god for the Chicago Transit Authority. Several "cooling stations" (city buses) that provided respite from the onslaught of heat and humidity at the third day of Pitchfork 2012 in Chicago's Union Park (7/15), a weather pattern which replaced the previous days' periodic downpours. The heat, combined with squirt guns & bikini tops, helped create the perfect setting for performances from the sunny tennis-sweater rock of Vampire Weekend and dream pop of the oh-so-aptly named Beach House.

Random thoughts on the day: Personal highlights for me included a stretch of bands that were unfortunately all clustered across the three stages in the afternoon: Milk Music, Iceage, The Men, Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees and Chavez. From catching moments of Kendrick Lamar on the Blue Stage, it was proven to me that he's an excellent live performer, a sentiment clearly echoed by Lady Gaga (who looked on during his set). Onohtrix Point Never's material is compelling, but doesnt fit well on an outdoor festival stage. And it's confirmed, this reviewer still detests Vampire Weekend.

Vampire Weekend uber-fans

Pictures from the third and final day of Pitchfork 2012 are below, including pictures of all bands mentioned above, as well as King Krule, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Araabmuzik, and The Field. If you didnt make it to Chicago, maybe you streamed it? If you haven't been keeping up with our coverage, make sure to check out pictures from day one (one set HERE, another HERE) and day two (HERE and HERE) along with video from the festival to complete your desktop Pitchfork Festival experience. Hopefully from an ice cold room.

Continue reading "Pitchfork Fest 2012 day 3 in pics (Vampire Weekend, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Beach House, Araabmuzik, & more)"

The 2012 edition of MusicFestNW takes place in September 5 - 9 at 18 venues in Portland, OR and will feature performances from over 150 bands, including Passion Pit, Hot Snakes, Girl Talk, Danny Brown, Beirut Silversun Pickups, Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh, many more.

In addition to those previously announced artists, MFNW has just added The Hives, Flying Lotus, Wild Nothing, DIIV, Quasi, Moon Duo, My Goodness, DZ Deathrays, and Strand Of Oaks to the already impressive line-up. Wristbands, available various levels and packages, and tickets to individual shows are on sale now. Check out the complete MFNW lineup below.

Continue reading "MusicFestNW 2012 lineup expands (The Hives, Flying Lotus, Quasi, DIIV, Passion Pit, Hot Snakes, Beirut, Swans & many more)"

Redd Kross in Chicago in May (more by John Yingling)

What would have been the great double bill of Superchunk and Redd Kross at Beekman Beer Garden (7/6) during CBGB Festival appears to be no more. Redd Kross are now scheduled to play Music Hall of Williamsburg that night (7/6) instead. That show is with The Men, who we first thought were playing CBGB Festival at Gramercy Theatre that night (7/6) but that turned out to be JD Samson's band MEN. Tickets for the MHOW show go on sale Wednesday (6/20) at noon.

Both Redd Kross and The Men are also part of the recently announced FYF Fest lineup.

As for Superchunk, the CBGB Festival schedule doesn't list them playing any show at the moment but Superchunk's tour dates do still list "CBGB Festival" from July 5-8. Stay tuned for more info on this.

Updated dates listed below.

Continue reading "Redd Kross playing MHOW w/ The Men instead of Beekman Beer Garden w/ Superchunk"

FYF Fest. September 1st and 2nd, 2012
At the LA State Historic Park, Los Angeles, CA
Tickets are $77 and go on sale Friday June 22nd.

Quicksand recently reunited at Revelation Records' 25th Anniversary on the West Coast, and I would't be surprised if they do the same at Irving Plaza in October.

American Nightmare has two shows coming up at Webster Hall.

Full FYF lineup, in alphabetical order, below...

Continue reading "FYF Fest 2012 lineup: Quicksand, Refused, American Nightmare, Desaparecidos, M83, Hot Snakes & MUCH more"

JD Samson & MEN at Webster Hall (more by Amanda Hatfield)

So The Men aren't liars after all! The Men are NOT playing Gramercy Theatre on July 6th as previously discussed. The show will be headlined by the similarly named JD Samson & MEN instead, with the same support lineup (PS I Love You and The So So Glos). Tickets for that show go on presale Tuesday (6/5) at 10 AM and regular sale on Wednesday (6/6) at 10 AM, or you can get in with your CBGB Festival pass.

Continue reading "JD Samson & MEN (NOT The Men) playing Gramercy during CBGB Festival"

by BBG

The Men at Death By Audio (more by BBG)

Posted in late April:

hey
we're heading up to Big Indian on Tuesday to start recording the new record. we'll be gone for a few weeks.

we're coming back to do a show at Webster Hall in NYC on May 16th. That's going to be our last New York show for a while, so come out.

Then, we hit the road again - tour dates to the right.

Matador 7" comes out pretty soon
Immaculada repress on Deranged Records should be out pretty soon too.

See you out there.
Mark

UPDATE: The Men are NOT playing, but JD Samson & MEN are.

The Men's aforementioned Matador single hits as part of the label's Singles Going Home Alone series, which is available now. Details on the repress of Immaculada, The Men's debut LP, are forthcoming.

Also included on said subscription series is Austin's OBN IIIs, who are in NYC TONIGHT as part of an East Coast tour and a pair of local dates: June 1st at Cake Shop and June 2nd at Don Pedro.

PS I Love You, meanwhile, were just in town over Memorial Day weekend, where the band made their NYC debut as a trio. The new member traded off on bass and keyboards and helped bring the bigger sound of the band's second album, Death Dreams, to life.

All updated PS I Love You and The Men tour dates are listed below.

Continue reading "UPDATE: The Men are NOT playing NYC show w/ PS I Love You and So So Glo's as part of CBGB Festival"

by Andrew Frisicano

Ty Segall @ Webster Hall (photo by roedood)

Of the handful of times I've seen Ty Segall live (admittedly only a fraction of his shows in the city), his set at Webster Hall was without a doubt the best. People often talk about performers feeding off the energy of the room--that interaction was palpable between Ty and crowd Wednesday night.

The band pieced together a front-to-back set of rockers, and the front half of the crowd went nuts: kids dancing, smashing into each other, doing back flips off the stage, passing around flask-sized bottles of Jack, screaming about being on mushrooms (that last one was just one guy, but he was loud). It was nothing you wouldn't see on a Friday night at most sweaty DIY spaces, but still pretty encouraging considering the scene: a large venue that was at or near capacity for a lineup of unpolished rock bands. Assuming no one landed on your head, it was hard not to have fun (Ty at one point politely reminded everyone to be careful and watch out for one another).

And the snotty garage rock tunes fit perfectly with the offstage madness. Ty and band seemed gamely down for the end-of-semester party they'd walked into and ripped through the material, hitting "Girlfriend" and "Finger," two Melted highlights, early with the requisite head-banging, and easing judiciously into new songs before coming back into some extended jams (Slaughterhouse, the first record with the touring band, is due June 26 on In the Red). A crushing version of "Caesar" closed the encore. Barking into his overdriven mic, Ty twice called it the best show ever.

White Fence, who played before, were also in punky, blown-speakers mode, leaving behind the druggy jangle that marks most of their recorded output and honing in on driving rhythms and lots of Tim Presley solos. The joint songs, from the White Fence/Ty Segall split Hair, were great too. The pair--aided by Ty bassist Mikal Cronin and White Fence drummer Nick Murray--sandwiched those tunes between their band's sets and traded off licks and lyrics. Hopefully they'll get together again.

On the undercard, Strange Boys growled through a set of swampy rock tunes. Jonathan Toubin, who has lots gigs scheduled now that he is back, provied the music between sets. The Men started things off, but I missed their set (how was it?).

--

Ty Segall and White Fence continue on tour.

by BBG

Ty Segall at Fun Fun Fun Fest (more by BBG)

Just a reminder that Ty Segall, White Fence, The Strange Boys, The Men, and the impeccable record collection of the one and only DJ Jonathan Toubin will descend upon Webster Hall tonight (5/16). This is an extremely solid, rockin' lineup and tickets are still available for all of you procrastinators.

The show is one of several Jonathan Toubin DJ gigs currently scheduled on his unofficial comeback. He will also play Home Sweet Home on Friday (5/18) in addition to Glasslands on June 9th, Lincoln Center on July 7th, a "special amazing free tba" on July 14th, Glasslands again on July 21st, and ATP I'll Be Your Mirror on September 22nd. Full set of Jonathan Toubin dates are below.

Speaking of Home Sweet Home -- SHAMELESS PLUG -- I will also be behind the decks tonight (5/16) as part of the weekly WIERD party at the venue. Cleansing Wave will headline the evening with special guest Goosebumps, and I'll be manning the turntables along with Zach of Freshkills and Glenn from Cult of Youth. The show/DJ event will set you back a cool $5 and more details are available at the Facebook event.

A listing of all tour dates and related flyers are below.

Continue reading "Ty Segall & White Fence, The Men and Strange Boys play Webster tonight w/ DJ Jonathan Toubin; other related items"

the RSD2012 morning line @ Other Music in NYC (via)

How did you fare on Record Store Day 2012? What did you pick up? What did you have trouble finding? If you were in Austin, did you stop by Waterloo Records and meet Garbage? (Tim did.) If you were in NYC, did you stop by Other Music? If not, this is what it looked like...

Continue reading "how was Record Store Day? ---- here's pics from Other Music"

by Andrew Marinaccio

This Saturday (4/21) marks the 5th annual Record Store Day, and with it comes another chance to procure your favorite band's most exclusive (or oddest) musical releases yet. There will also once again be lots of in-shop events.

No matter where you are located (in the U.S., UK, Germany or Belgium) (like Chicago maybe?), you should be able to find a still-open record store near you that will be selling the good schwag and possibly throwing a party too. As we've been, we'll continue to highlight some of the NYC stores, along with what you might find in them.

Aside from selling fresh rarities, NYC's Other Music is celebrating with a live lineup of DJs featuring Four Tet, Black Dice, The Men (who appear on a Sacred Bones RSD comp), Ex Cops, and Wild Nothing. Other Music will exclusively sell Ex Cops's debut 7", "I Am the Lion, You Are the Lamb," which is relasing on their Other music label. Other Music is set to open to the public at 11 a.m. Saturday morning (which gives you time to hit other record stores who open even earlier, first).

Kim's Video & Music looks to attract the early birds with an 8 a.m.opening and live and/or DJ sets by MUSH1, X-ray Eyeballs, Prince Rama, and more. In addition to the gig there will be discount offers, "over 150" record store day exclusives, pizza and beer. Maybe you'll find a copy of the, a day late for 4/20, Lee "Scratch" Perry Blackboard Jungle Dub Limited Edition Box...

The West Village's Generation Records has a show of their own planned, with The Paul Collins Beat, Supertouch, Night Birds, and Joyce Manor performing, as well as DJ sets by Tom Scharpling, Three Chord Monte, Zachary Lipez, and Mikey Post. They will also be selling a variant of Supertouch's Lost My Way EP, which will feature shop-exclusive cover art. Generation Records is pegged on opening at 10 a.m. this Saturday.

Williamsburg shop Sound Fix will host Mates of State for a gig and meet-and-greet on Saturday night. The band's 2009 covers album, Crushes, will be released for the first time on vinyl as a Record Store Day exclusive. Sound Fix opens at 10:30 a.m.

Amid touring, Portugal. The Man, who have a RSD 7" of their own, are playing an in-store set this Saturday at Fords, New Jersey's Vintage Vinyl. The shop's also opening early at 8 a.m., and their stock's boasting reiusses of Graceland and Raw Power, as well as Iggy and the Stooges' LP picture disc of their ATP 2010 performance of the seminal album.

Long Island's Looney Tunes Records is featuring a trio of free acts by Grace Read, The Lumineers, and JuiceheaD and Osaka Popstar, who are bringing their collaborative 7" "Waiting Room" exclusively to the shop. The show will start at 1 that afternoon, but shoppers can begin at 9 a.m. if they're "VIP Members" (to inquire what that means, check here). Doors will open to the general public at 10 a.m.

Local giant J&R Music World will house acts starting at noon, including Everest, Yann Tiersen, Mike Doughty, and guitarist Doyle Dykes. The insitution will also demonstrate some tech to attendees, showcasing the features of the new audio software suite Roland R-MIX. Miles Davis' (who has a special Record Store Day compilation, "Forever Miles," planned for release) nephew, Vince Wilburn, Jr., will also be making an appearance.

Permanent Records in Brooklyn will host in-stores by Memoryhouse and Mattison.

Cake Shop says "the CAPESHOK RECORD MART back for one day only!" and are hosting a performance by the Hairs at 3pm.

Check Record Store Day's site or call your local record store to find more happenings.

Of course, there will be precious records found at a variety of independent shops across the country, including the more exotic collaborations that have been hyped as blog post oddities. Fiest and Mastodon's (or 'Fiestodon') will be releasing their split 7" featuring both acts covering songs from each other's 2011 studio releases, Metals and The Hunter, respectively. Listeners can look forward to hearing Feist's rendition of "Black Tongue" and Mastodon's turn on "A Commotion".

Mastodon also-- perhaps inevitably-- succumbed to the bidding of current off-kilter audio project warlocks The Flaming Lips for another split 7", where they'll cover the Lip's "A Spoonful Weighs A Ton." While the Lip's contribution to the baby pink record is their original track recording, fear not, for the band has a more outlandish and sprawling album ready for the big day. The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, the mistifying mega-collaboration they've been working on with Bon Iver, Prefuse 73, Yoko Ono, Chris Martin, Nick Cave, Ke$ha, and more, features new tracks with the aforementioned guests including their previous work with Neon Indian and Lightning Bolt. And, as if the music wasn't enough, Wayne Coyne has been amassing the blood of his fellow collaborators to somehow infuse into the record. At the very least, Alan Palomo, Justin Vernon, The Flaming Lips, and Kesha's blood could be in your copy.

St. Vincent plans on releasing a red 7" sided with two new tracks, "KROKODIL" and "GROT." Reportedly more guitar-driven and aggressive departures from her previous material, her debut of "KROKODIL" at Coachella attests to that, possesing a relentless savagery often only hinted at in her nervous yet controlled guitarwork. It also attempts to channel whatever demons she found covering Big Black for 'Our Band Can be Your Life.' You can download her Coachella performance of "KROKODIL" here.

Speaking of bands playing Coachella, Refused are putting out 1998's The Shape of Punk to Come as a limited edition colored LP on Record Store Day. Pair it with a yellow vinyl Snapcase 12".

Speaking of things to come, Record Store Day is also used to tease what's on the way. Garbage (who are paying a special Record Store Day visit to Austin) are releasing their first new physical single in almost ten years with "Blood For Poppies" in anticipation of their reunion album this spring. Public Image Ltd. came out of the woodwork to present an EP featuring their latest release of new material in 20 years, including single "One Drop." And Faith No More frontman Mike Patton is reissuing his side-project Tomahawk's entire studio output in a boxset designed with space for the band's upcoming summer LP.

Other RSD 2012 releases previously mentioned on BV include Nick Waterhouse/Allah-Lahs, Mark Sultan, Pussy Galore, JEFF the Brotherhood, Sigur Ros, Xiu Xiu/Dirty Beaches, Nobunny and Variety Lights. Others we haven't mentioned yet include the White Stripes, the Black Keys, Regina Spektor, Tortoise, The Hives, Wilco, Animal Collective, Beach House, Bonnie Prince Billy, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Captain Beefheart, Destroyer, Jimmy Fallon, Laura Marling, Leonard Cohen, Luna, M Ward, M83, Mclusky, Minus the Bear, Misfits (red, blue and clear vinyl), Ozzy, Phish, Ryan Adams, T. Rex, Tegan & Sara, The Clash, and many more. For a full list of RSD 2012 releases, with more info on each, check HERE.

For our Chicago readers, you can check out what your local record shops are up to this Saturday, including a BV Chicago-presented event at Saki, here.

Which releases are you most excited for this Record Store Day? Check out what NPR decided to highlight, like the previously mentioned Shabazz Palaces release, HERE. Watch Cris Brown give his annual Record Store Day show and tell, and other videos below...

Continue reading "your guide to Record Store Day 2012"

NYC record store Other Music just announced their full Record Store Day 2012 schedule, which includes Ex Cops and more. Check it out below...

Continue reading "Other Music on Record Store Day 2012"

Off! @ NXNE 2011 (more by Natasha Ryan)

The most memorable thing that happened the year I visited Toronto for NXNE was Iggy Pop & The Stooges playing their big, outdoor, free, no-ticket-or-badge-required show downtown at Yonge-Dundas Square. Last year the Descendents did it. This year they've landed the Flaming Lips which should be an amazing spectacle. And:

NXNE Music has confirmed that Bad Religion, Raekwon & Ghostface Killah and Matthew Good will headline free shows at Yonge-Dundas Square (YDS) throughout the seven-day festival. The NXNE Music line-up also includes performances at YDS and in the clubs by Of Montreal, No Use For A Name, Purity Ring, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Death Grips, The Men, Bleached, Good Riddance, METZ, Ceremony, Plants & Animals, The Death Set, The Sadies & Andre Williams, Oberhofer, Reigning Sound, Action Bronson, 2:54, Yamantaka/ /Sonic Titan, The Hundred in The Hands, Rival Schools, Killer Mike, Young Magic, Hayes Carll, Friends, Hollerado, Bran Van 3000, The Black Belles, Doldrums, Odonis Odonis, Mac DeMarco, Bass Drum of Death, Porcelain Raft, Exitmusic, Violens, Grass Widow, Eight and a Half, DZ Deathrays, Jonathan Toubin, Art vs. Science, B L A C K I E, The Nils and Ivan Julian (ex-Richard Hell & The Voidoids).

This year's fest takes place at multiple venues across Toronto from June 11-17, 2012. Tickets are on sale.

Last year BrooklynVegan co-hosted a boat party with M For Montreal and Bruise Cruise.

Widowspeak @ MHOW recently (more by Amanda Hatfield)

today in NYC
* Wyatt Cenac @ Caroline's
* Mike Doughty @ City Winery
* Deicide, Jungle Rot @ Gramercy Theatre
* School of Seven Bells DJ @ W Downtown
* Lez Zeppelin @ Highline Ballroom
* Tales of the Cosmos @ UCB East
* Rangda, Loren Connors @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Body Language, Free Blood @ Mercury Lounge
* Xeno & Oaklander, Ike Yard @ Dixon Place
* Widowspeak, Mac DeMarco, Quilt @ Glasslands
* Kim Ann Foxman, Steve Summers @ Public Assembly
* Tennis, Hospitality, Air Waves @ Bowery Ballroom
* Pop. 1280, Velvet Condom, Bootblacks @ Saint Vitus
* David Bromberg Big Band, Allen Toussaint @ Town Hall
* Nancy Whang, Justin Miller, Galloping Horses @ Yotel
* Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby, Megan Reilly @ Maxwell's
* Versus, Wussy, Diehard, Choo Choo La Rouge @ Cake Shop
* Caged Animals, TOPS, Phonetag, Royal Baths @ 285 Kent Ave
* Marco Benevento, Jennifer Hartswick, Nigel Hall @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Robbers On High Street, Great Lakes, Youngman Grand @ Union Hall
* Opposition Rising, Catheter, She Rides, Laughing Dog @ ABC No Rio
* Julia Nunes, Lady Lamb The Beekeeper @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* The Del Fuegos, Villalobos Brothers, The Dead Exs @ The Bell House
* White Laces, Abadabad, Flights, Milk Dick @ Big Snow Buffalo Lodge
* Drugs of Faith, Radiation Blackbody, Livver, Pyrrhon @ Death By Audio
* PC Worship, Roomrunner, Lantern, Liquor Store, Sleepies @ Shea Stadium
* Bombay Bicycle Club, The Darcys, Lucy Rose @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Party Supplies, Nick Catchdubs, Scott Melker, Lily Vanilli @ Tammany Hall
* Sophistafunk, The Times, The Big Takeover, Madame Beak @ The Rock Shop
* Amy Klein & The Blue Star Band, Hallie Bulleit, Bad Credit No Credit, Yula Be'eri @ The Hive
* The Big Sleep, Teengirl Fantasy, Phantom Family Halo, Braille, YVETTE, Home Video @ Public Assembly

Tennis & Hospitality play their first of two NYC shows together tonight.

There's also a rumor that The Men are playing a secret show in Greenpoint tonight. Who has the info?

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Check out the interview with did with A Place to Bury Strangers on BV Chicago.

What else?

Ty Segall and White Fence are teaming up for a collaborative album called Hair, which will be out on April 28th via Drag City. Tracklist below.

They'll be touring together in support of the release in May and will hit NYC on May 16 at Webster Hall. Tickets for the NYC show go on sale Friday (2/10) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (2/8) at noon. The Men are supporting at Webster Hall, and The Strange Boys open in Chicago and many other dates. They're all listed below.

White Fence and Ty Segall are working on their own releases this year as well. White Fence will release Family Perfume on April 3 via Woodsist and Ty's as-of-yet untitled album should see a release this September via Drag City.

Album info and tour dates below...

Continue reading "Ty Segall & White Fence made an album, touring (dates)"

Zola Jesus during CMJ (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

Sacred Bones Records will take over the Spectacle movie theater in Brooklyn Thursday (1/26) at 8PM, gathering "an unearthed collection of underground weirdness, ...short films, works-in-progress, and a rare screening of the first Sacred Bones film production, Twelve Dark Noons." The evening will conclude with a "secret feature film screening" and music videos from Gary War, Zola Jesus, Amen Dunes, Moon Duo, Blank Dogs, & Pop. 1280 (whose new LP is out NOW). Check out a video trailer for the evening, as well as a trailer for Twelve Dark Noons (which features music from Naked on the Vague) below.

In related news, The Men have released the title track from their new LP Open Your Heart (out 3/6 via Sacred Bones). Stream that below in full alongside all tour dates which include their 3/7 show at 285 Kent.

Sacred Bones will also welcome the new single from Danish punk band War (not to be confused with Gary War) featuring Iceage's Elias Bender Rønnenfelt and Sexdrome's Loke Rahbek. Stream "Brodermordet" at Pitchfork who write:

Recorded to four-track cassette last year, the double A-side 7" single will include "At War for Youth" and "Kains Mærke", backed by the scuzzy, beat-oriented "Brodermordet". The band says the B-side is centered on a Biblical allusion to Cain and Abel's fratricide (the act of killing one's brother).

As previously mentioned, Amen Dunes is heading out on tour with This Will Destroy You who separately play a show in NYC at the Kaufman Center on 2/9 (part of the Ecstatic Music Festival). If you want to catch both bands together in the NYC-area, you're in luck; they've since added a 2/11 tour stop at Babbio Atrium in Hoboken, NJ (on Stevens Institute of Technology campus). Amen Dunes will also play 285 Kent on February 23rd with Run DMT. More details on the 285 Kent appearance are forthcoming and all dates are listed below.

Zola Jesus will also head back our way, hitting Webster Hall on 2/18.

All streams, trailers and dates are below.

Continue reading "The Men & War reveal new tracks; Sacred Bones curates a night at the movies; Amen Dunes expands tour (dates)"

by BBG

Karp was a post-hardcore band from Tumwater, Washington, that formed in 1990 and lasted until 1998. The band was formed by Chris Smith aka Chris "Slayer", Jared Warren, and Scott Jernigan. They released three full length albums entitled Mustaches Wild, Suplex, and Self Titled LP. (Note that "Self Titled LP" is a literal title. The title is not "Karp." Even the CD version of the record is titled "Self Titled LP.") They also released several EPs and 7" records. Their recordings were released by several Northwest-related labels such as K Records, Kill Rock Stars, and Punk In My Vitamins. Karp managed to mix the terror of hardcore, The Melvins, and Black Sabbath with an ear for pop-influenced song assembly. The band name is inspired from a newsletter/zine that Chris Smith put out in highschool and is an acronym that stands for "Kill All Redneck Pricks".

Members went on to play with Tight Bro's from Way Back When, The Whip, Dead Air Fresheners, and Big Business (currently playing with The Melvins). Drummer Scott Jernigan died in a boating accident on June 10, 2003.

Spectacle Theater will host a bunch of music related films in the coming weeks as part of "ROCKUARY", "music-themed special events and films of all kinds- ranging from features, documentaries, shorts, remixes, live performances, and many special guests." The current slate of films include a documentary on Friends Forever, Shamans of The Blind Country (which will be scored by Diamond Terrifier), a documentary on Morrissey's impact on Latino culture (Passions Just Like Mine), Deadlock (which was scored by Can) and much much more. Head to the Spectacle site for more details.

In semi-related news, Pygmy Shrews and The Men have BOTH cancelled their 1/13 appearance at Union Pool.

All Kill All Redneck Pricks screenings and some videos are below.

Continue reading "Karp Lives! - Karp documentary on screening tour, screens tomorrow at Spectacle Theater (part of ROCKUARY)"

I hate writing year-end lists, as might be obvious to many long-time BrooklynVegan readers. That said, I also like them. They help organize things, which is related to my problem though. I'm too unorganized and hectic to ever get around to making one! But this year a few of us (BrooklynVegan contributors) got together and decided to come up with a collective list of albums that we loved that we think most represented 2011 in BrooklynVegan land. Our indie rock-centric list purposely does not include metal (that's HERE) or hip hop (we should make a separate list). With that in mind, our top 26 albums of 2011, in alphabetical order, are listed (with some commentary and a list of honorable mentions too) below...

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan's Favorite Albums of 2011"

The Men at Bowery Ballroom in November (more by BBG)

Matador Records is presenting the Singles Going Home Alone Subscription Series for 2012, where you will get

6 subscription only 7"es every other month in 2012, plus a special secret bonus item, a tote bag and 10% off all year long on the Matador Store (which cannot be combined with other discounts, email with code will arrive around time of the first single)

Speaking of The Men, they just announced a new album due out in March and a tour in support of it which includes SXSW and 285 Kent on March 7 with Nude Beach. They have since added another NYC show happening much sooner at Union Pool on January 13 with Pygmy Shrews, Organs, and Call of The Wild (ex-Awesome Color). All dates and Matador singles series list below...

Continue reading "Matador 2012 Singles Subscription Series on sale, includes L.A. Guns (seriously) & The Men (who are playing Union Pool)"

by BBG

The Men at Bowery Ballroom (more by BBG)

The Men have announced the follow-up to their amazing Leave Home. Open Your Heart is due via Sacred Bones on March 6th. The day after its release, look for the Brooklyn four-piece to hit the road for a string of dates on their way to SXSW which will include 285 Kent on March 7th with Nude Beach. All tour dates, the album art and tracklisting is below.

UPDATE: The Men are ALSO scheduled to play Union Pool on 1/13 with Pygmy Shrews, Organs, and Call of The Wild (ex-Awesome Color).

In related and more imminent news, Sacred Bones will release the new LP from the great Pop 1280 entitled The Horror on Jan 24th. The album features "Bodies In The Dunes" which is downloadable above/streamable below. Look for Pop 1280 to play a set of dates of their own as well, including a Record Release party (details forthcoming).

All tour dates, album info for both records and a Pop 1280 stream, alongside a live video of The Men playing the title track from the new LP, below...

Continue reading "The Men announce new LP & tour dates; Pop.1280 too"

words & photos by BBG

Russian Circles @ Bowery Ballroom

I'm covered in drool and sweat from last night (11/14), but couldn't be happier. Besides a blown guitar head that hindered The Men's opening set, Russian Circles/Deafheaven's tour stop at Bowery Ballroom went spectacularly, featuring both touring bands in prime form. And if The Men weren't plagued by technical difficulty (I know what that band is capable of), the show could have possibly gone down as one of my favorites of the year.

The Men opened the show energetically, pulling material from their latest LP Leave Home. After borrowing a head from Deafheaven, the band ripped into three songs before trouble started to set in; the head would not work. After fumbling with it for one song and some awkward pauses, the band went into a final track before calling it a night.

"You're blowing our big chance!" the bassist jokingly said to his bandmates before sounding off for the evening. Disappointing set, but by no fault of their own... the band's rendition of "Think" from the new record was particularly ripping (one of the few songs they played from start to finish).

A fuse was replaced in guitarist Kerry McCoy's rig in between bands, and Deafheaven preceeded to wow the crowd with their screamo-infused take on black metal. Though the band was sporting a pair of new members (on guitar and drums), they sounded no worse for the change. In fact, by the time they really dug into the set-opener "Violet" (which we premiered in February), I was convinced that this was my favorite live outing from the band thus far (I have seen them at least four times by this point... at our SXSW parties and Cake Shop). Maybe it was my experience of seeing them on Bowery Ballroom's juggernaut-of-a-system, but the Bay Area band was in rare form last night.

Russian Circles batted clean-up, utilizing minimal stage lighting and counting on half a dozen light bulbs around stage to set the mood. The Chicago trio played an impressive set of hardcore-infused post-rock, equally as jaw-dropping as their Fun Fun Fun appearance amidst the sunset at Auditorium Shores. Russian Circles cannot make a bad album and in my experience, are incapable of a bad live show.

If you missed the show last night, do your best to get to Maxwell's tonight (11/15). Tickets are still on sale and surely The Men will have worked out their guitar head situation, and will definitely up the ante from an already impressive Bowery Ballroom show last night.

The Men also play a show with Total Control in Brooklyn on Wednesday.

More pictures from Bowery Ballroom are below.

Continue reading "Russian Circles, Deafheaven & The Men played Bowery Ballroom (pics) ------ catch them again @ Maxwell's tonight"

by BBG

Total Control at Fun Fun Fun Fest (more by BBG)

In addition to their previously discussed dates with Thee Oh Sees, Australia's Total Control have added a third NYC date which is actually happening before the others. The band will team with The Men, Nude Beach & Kicking Spit at Saint Vitus on 11/16. Tickets are on sale OR you can roll the dice and try to win a pair! Details on how are below.

Meanwhile The Men, who are going to SXSW in March, will support Russian Circles and Deafheaven at Bowery Ballroom tonight (11/14) and Maxwell's tomorrow.

Total Control's NYC shows with Thee Oh Sees happen at 285 Kent on 11/17 with The Beets and Doomsday Student who ripped it at Public Assembly (tickets), and at LPR on 11/18 (tickets).

All tour dates, contest details, and some streaming audio, below...

Continue reading "Total Control playing 3 NYC shows this week, The Men too"

by Andrew Sacher

Russian Circles (not Danzig) @ FFF Fest (more by BBG)

Post rockers Russian Circles released their most recent LP, Empros, on October 25 via Sargent House. Some of the album, especially the track "Miladek," which you can grab HERE, tends to cross over into the territory where post-rock meets emo and post-hardcore, similarly to The Appleseed Cast, though the sludgy guitars of their earlier albums still come through in full force. Though the majority of the album is instrumental, vocals do appear on the last track, "Praise Be Man." You can listen to the whole thing at Spotify.

Russian Circles are currently on a tour that just hit FFF Fest in Austin, and will come to the NYC-area for shows on November 15 at Bowery Ballroom and November 15 at Maxwell's with shoegazey San Francisco black metallers Deafheaven. The Men are also on both shows. Tickets are still on sale for the Bowery show and the Maxwell's show.

Updated dates below...

Continue reading "Russian Circles released 'Empros', continue on tour"

by BBG

The Men at Death By Audio (more by BBG)

Australian garage rockers Dead Farmers and Vancouver's Sex Church are currently looping the US on their own tours, but will cross paths at Shea Stadium on Saturday (10/29) for a show with Pop.1280, The Men, and Unholy Two. The show blasts off at 9PM, and more details are at the Facebook event page. Sex Church, who is touring in support of Growing Over out now on LOAD Records (stream "Dull Light" below), will ALSO play Death By Audio the next night (10/30), teaming with K-Holes, Call of the Wild (mem Awesome Color) and Pygmy Shrews. Tour dates are below.

Besides Saturday's show at Shea Stadium, The Men also has a few other dates in their near future that include supporting Screaming Females at 285 Kent on 11/5 and supporting Russian Circles/Deafheaven at both Bowery Ballroom and Maxwells' on 11/14 (tickets) and 11/15 (tickets).

Besides that, although the body still isn't cold on their latest LP Leave Home, The Men have already crafted their follow-up, which will see the light of day in March via Sacred Bones. Details on that are forthcoming.

Pop 1280 are returning from a stint of dates with Unholy Two at the Shea Stadium show. The band recently dropped the Thirteen Steps 7" via Blind Prophet Records (Sean from Cult of Youth's label), and you can stream that below alongside their full tour schedule and all others.

Continue reading "Dead Farmers, Sex Church, The Men & Pop 1280 -- upcoming shows, tours & some songs to listen to"