by Bill Pearis

Surfer Blood

NIGHTTIME

As I mentioned in that big post about Montreal bands at CMJ, The High Dials are among them and are just great live -- sort of country-tinged jangly shoegaze -- and they're impressive live. They play Lit Lounge at 10:15 and then Arlene's Grocery at 12:30AM. If you like Ride, The Byrds, or Brian Jonestown Massacre, you shouldn't miss these guys. Also playing at Lit Lounge, earlier in the evening (8:30) are Montreal's Black Diamond Bay which features a couple former members of the Dears and feature a similarly bombast rock sound. They're very good live too, especially if you have an appreciation for the live musician O Face.

If you like electro /dance there is an insane lineup at Santos tonight. And it's free. No badges required. The killer lineup includes three UK dancepop acts: Dan Black whose album Un is pretty fun; the borderline-novelty (but fun) Man Like Me and trio We Have Band who played here back in March. It keeps going: there's also Australia's Midnight Juggernauts, Montreal's We Are Wolves, Denmark's Spleen United (somewhere between Placebo and Presents), Toronto's Parallels, and LA's Paparazzi. There's also a slew of NYC acts: Maluca, The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, Lemonade,Heartsrevolution, Javelin, and The Golden Filter. Did I mention it was free?

At Union Pool, the folks at Panache Booking are showcasing a big handful of their bands, many of which have unnecessary repeated consonants: recent Brooklyn Vegan Day party veterans JEFF the Brotherhood and Lovvers, plus Flexions, zZz, Turbofruits, UUVVWWZ, and Dark Meat. Having seen at least half of these bands, I'm going to go ahead and say this'll be quite a party, whether you like it or not.

If you're going to the Pitchfork/Showpaper show at Market Hotel and wished that it was rock all night instead of switching over to electronic acts/DJs after midnight, your admission will also get you into the show happening down the street at Todd P's Above the Auto Parts Store venue (600 Bushwick), which has four great bands: Sisters, Screaming Females, Surfer Blood (again) and JEFF the Brotherhood (again). To get in for free you need to get there before 11PM; afterwards it's $10.

Or, you might think about heading to Silent Barn before or after (or instead of). Popjew has a great line-up of bands, including much-loved-by-me Let's Wrestle, A Classic Education (who were great at our Thursday day party), twangy West Coasters Slang Chickens, My Teenage Stride and the electro-rock of Jacques Detergent.

And at The Bell House, there's Au Revoir Simone and the related (literally, by marriage) Pursesnatchers; the lush, 60s-ish chamber pop of Florida's The Postmarks, indiepop ska band Still Flyin' and Brooklyn-via-Australia band The Miracles of Modern Science. The Bell House may seem like truly dedicating your night to one venue, but luckily it's one of the nicest, most comfortable in the city.

Other shows tonight include Mum, Sufjan's BQE screenings, the Sub Pop showcase, the Kemado/Mexican Summer showcase, and the Topman party with the Almighty Defenders and Neon Indian.

And then we rest. Saturday day parties HERE. Hip Hop shows HERE. Flyers and set times below.

Continue reading "CMJ 2009 - Bill's Saturday nighttime picks"

photos by Chris La Putt, words by Bill Pearis

Au Revoir Simone have spent the better part of 2009 working on, promoting and touring in support of their second album, Still Light, Still Night, wrapping things up -- for now, at least -- with a Brooklyn show at the Bell House on October 24 (tickets), which is part of the CMJ Music Marathon. The Bell House is also where their new video, "Shadows," was filmed. You can watch it over at the David Lynch Foundation Television website. Lynch has been a fan ever since he and ARS were paired together for that Barnes & Noble Upstairs at the Square event two years ago. He even wrote a nice little blurb for the girls:

"I LOVE AU REVOIR SIMONE ..... THESE GIRLS HAVE WHAT IT TAKES ..... MUSIC JUST FLOWS OUT OF THEM SO NATURALLY - AND IT'S GREAT MUSIC ...... THIS VIDEO FOR "SHADOWS" - FROM THEIR NEW ALBUM "STILL NIGHT, STILL LIGHT" IS MIGHTY - THE COLOR AND THE LIGHT ARE STELLAR - THE MOVES AND LOOKS - MINIMAL - CLEAN - MODERN AND SOLID ..... IT ALL COMES ALONG SO WELL SUPPORTING THE GIRLS AND THEIR MUSIC ..... ANNIE, ERIKA AND HEATHER HAVE GOT THEIR ACT TOGETHER - THEY'RE BIG - BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE BIGGER - THEY'RE GONNA BE REAL BIG"

I hope someone has since told David his Caps Lock was on. That Bell House CMJ show also has baroque pop band The Postmarks, and San Francisco's folk-ska ensemble Still Flyin' on the bill.

In November, Au Revoir Simone travel to China for shows in Beijing and Shanghai. Tour dates are at the bottom of this post, as are more pictures from Au Revoir Simone's Bowery show from back in June. Findlay Brown, who is also playing CMJ at the same venue (Bowery), opened that June show.

In between now and ARS's trip to China, ARS member Annie Hart will spend some time with her other band, Uninhabitable Mansions, which also features Robbie and Tyler from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Uninhabitable Mansions' debut album, Nature is a Taker, is out now digitally, with the CD version due at the end of October and vinyl in January. Uninhabitable Mansions, which now includes Annie Hart's husband (and former Dirty on Purpose member) Doug Marvin on drums, has two NYC shows coming up: a free show next Wednesday (10/14) at Cake Shop which is part of the MIXER Reading Series, then they'll play the Bell House on October 22 (part of CMJ) with Robbers on High Street, Freelance Whales (who are also on the Bowery Ballroom show Findlay is playing), Pomegrates and others. After that, they're going on a short East Coast tour, ending with a October 30 show at Union Pool. Then the band's on hold until the new year when they expect to launch a more extensive U.S. tour.

And while we're here, Robbie and Chris of Uninhabitable Mansions have another band,Radical Dads, whose new self-titled EP is downloadable for free.

CYHSY front-man Alec Ounsworth meanwhile has been doing his own thing and is appearing at Mercury Lounge during CMJ, as well as at a free BrooklynVegan day party at Pianos that same day (10/22). More details TBA.

Tour dates for Au Revoir Simone and Uninhabitable Mansions, plus more pictures from Au Revoir Simone's June 28 Bowery Ballroom show are below...

Continue reading "Au Revoir Simone, David Lynch, Uninhabitable Mansions, Radical Dads & CMJ - tour dates, pictures, free music & more"

Tickets are on sale The Feelies' September 13th show at Southpaw. The Feelies have also added a September 12th show at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY. That show goes on sale Saturday. That means they're playing three shows in three days.

Cocorosie are back and playing Highline Ballroom in the Meatpacking District on September 2nd. Tickets are on sale.

Stellastar*, Wild Light and The Postmarks kick off a tour at the Highline Ballroom in NYC tonight. All dates on MySpace.

Meat Puppets, who recently played two shows at Mercury Lounge (during Northside Fest hectic week), are opening for Stone Temple Pilots on July 17 @ Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, on July 18 @ Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, and on July 19 @ Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD.

Speaking of the 90's,. "Alice in Chains" are playing Irving Plaza on September 8th. Those tickets are going for $5.00.

Tickets are now on AmEx presale for the show Mirah is playing at Bowery Ballroom.

Tickets are now on AmEx presale for the show Peaches is playing at Terminal 5.

JEFF the Brotherhood plays Cake Shop tonight (7/16).

Bob Weir & Ratdog announced 5 NYC shows - Monday & Tuesday, October 19 & 20, 2009 at the Grand Ballroom, and Thursday, Friday & Saturday, October 22, 23 & 24, 2009 at the Beacon Theatre. Tickets are now all on AmEx presale.

Tickets are on sale for the Japandroids show happening at Mercury Lounge. You can also see them for free at the Siren Fest this Saturday.

Tickets are on AmEx presale for the Pains of Being Pure at Heart show happening at Webster Hall.

Rhett Miller & the Serial Lady Killers are playing the Bell House in Brooklyn on September 16th. Tickets are on sale. Three days later Rhett plays Webster Hall with Nicole Atkins opening. Tickets are also on sale for that.

Tickets are on sale for the Juana Molina show happening at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are on sale for the two Sondre Lerche shows coming up at Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are on sale for the "Minus 5, the Baseball Project, & the Steve Wynn IV" show at Bowery Ballroom.

Tickets are on sale for the show Placebo is playing at Terminal 5.

Tickets are on AmEx presale for the show Dan Auerbach is playing at Webster Hall.

Tickets are on sale for the Twilight Sad / We Were Promised Jetpacks show at Bowery Ballroom.

Tickets are on sale for the Shudder to Think show at Bowery Ballroom.

Live Nation $5.00 ticket deals HERE.

The Morning After Girls play with Hopewell at Mercury Lounge tonight.

Paul McCartney was on Letterman last night. Video from that below...

Continue reading "Meat Puppets, Feelies, Rhett Miller, Stellastar*, Cocorosie, Bob Weir, Mirah, Molina, Minus 5 & other tickets"