photos by Ryan Barkan, words by Andrew Frisicano

King Krule @ Mercury Lounge

After setting the buzz machine into full-gear at CMJ, King Krule returned to NYC on Wednesday for a sold-out show at Mercury Lounge. It was the first of four US performances for the UK project on their short tour: All three of the NYC shows--including Terminal 5 opening for Girls and Real Estate--are sold out. Right around the posted start time, 10:30pm, the line to get in stretched down the block.

Archy Marshall, the undersized 17-year-old frontman/songwriter behind the group, and his band came well prepared for the task, performing an 11-song set that included material from the self-titled King Krule EP (True Panther Sounds) and tracks released under his previous stage-name Zoo Kid. Played by a quartet, the songs sounded more rock-oriented than the recordings, with bombastic swells and crashes absent from the originals. Their set flew by.

The vibe combines jazzy, classic-sounding songs with a surfy guitar tone and a few airy "dubstep" flairs, and the tunes are almost exclusively based around minor chords and a shuffling drum beat. One can imagine the red-haired singer a short time from now crooning soulful songs in a lounge somewhere. Coincidentally, the set list seems to include a title from ultra-hip NYC jazz act the Lounge Lizards (which the band didn't play). The ones that they did get to were catchy, moody in the right ways, not too carefully played, and over before they became boring.

Whatever you think of the band's sound, firmly rooted in the current pop-music moment, Archy's undeniable vocal talents are what carry the group. As someone remarked, "it sounds like there's a 40 year old trapped inside his body." Sentiments like that speak to both his voice's range (incredibly low and possibly still dropping) and the quality of its sound (creaking and groaning and expressive). He also uses it remarkably well, winding through melodies in a way that rewards repeat listens.

The band closed out the night with Zoo Kid single "Out Getting Ribs," a love song named after a Basquiat drawing (check the set list below for another Basquiat Easter egg). Anyone who dared to chat through the quiet tune got a glare from those looking to soak in set's final moments. The packed room was near silent.

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Chevin & The Pierces also played Mercury Lounge last night, but they were the early show. Pictures of all three bands are below...

Continue reading "King Krule played Mercury Lounge after Chevin & the Pierces -- (pics, review & setlist)"

photos by Tim Griffin

"I went to Pettyfest 2009 at Bowery Ballroom [Thursday] night, which was sick. Lots of drunk and stoned people shouting along to the hits and some great performers-- Nicole Atkins, Adam Green, Steve Schiltz, Antony Ellis, members of The Strokes and The Killers.

One of my favorite performances-- and this took me by surprise -- was the dude from Augustana singing "You Got Lucky." They're not a band I generally have a strong opinion about one way or another, but his voice was sick and he had a commanding presence-- like a subdued Mick Jagger with the wrist at the hips with a dash of Joe Cocker in the vocal tone." [EYTAN]

Jesse Malin, Hymns, Teenage Prayers, The Pierces, and members of Little Joy, Love as Laughter, Longwave (Steve) and Five O'clock Heroes (Anthony) were also among those who performed Tom Petty songs at the show. Most of the Killers were there. It was a night off on their current tour with Wolfmother (who used the evening to play a show at Bowery Electric right down the avenue). Kid Rock was there too (are you scared yet?), but didn't perform. He was in town to play a benefit at Terminal 5 one night earlier. More pictures and some pictures of the setlist below...

Continue reading "PettyFest @ Bowery Ballroom - setlist & pics (Adam Green, Strokes & Killers members, Nicole Atkins, Kid Rock, more)"

In the same vein as last year's Dylan Fest at the Mercury Lounge (and with much of the same cast), the Bowery Ballroom is hosting "Petty Fest" on Thursday, September 3rd. The opening band is The London Souls. A house band, called "Cabin Down Below Band," will be joined for the main act by guests that include Hymns, The Pierces, Jesse Malin, Adam Green, Matt Romano & Rodrigo Amarante of Little Joy, and Fabrizio Moretti of Little Joy/The Strokes. Tickets are on sale. Full lineup and flyer (and videos) below...

Continue reading "Petty Fest this week at Bowery Ballroom"

photos by Tim Griffin

I don't fully know what happened at last week's show, but this is how it looked....

Continue reading "pics from Dylan Fest @ Mercury Lounge (members of the Strokes, Hymns, Adam Green, Nicole Atkins...)"