by Andrew Sacher

Tim Fite at The Bell House in 2011 (more by Jason House)

Tim Fite is releasing his newest album, Ain't Ain't AIn't on March 6 via ANTI-. The album is the third in his Ain't Triology which also includes the previously released albums Gone Ain't Gone and Fair Ain't Fair. A making of video, which you can watch below, shows how the album was constructed from self-recorded samples.

"We Are All Teenagers," the first track to be revealed from the album, is making its premiere in this post and can be streamed below. The song goes through teenage experiences and feels like a pretty defining moment for an album which is centered on the idea that "no matter what age, we will always be teenagers."

Video, stream, album art and tracklist below...

Continue reading "Tim Fite releasing "Ain't Ain't AIn't" (song premiere)"

photos by Jason House

If physical contact with the audience was on your agenda as a show goer, you just had to hold on till O'Death took the stage. Very early on in the set the mosh pit began. As mosh pits often do, it grew. No one was hurt, it was all in good fun. It was hot and smelly. Some band members started to disrobe. Shirts flew off and the energy fueled an encore. -[musicmattersman]

O'Death, Tim Fite, and The Goddamn Rattlesnake teamed up to play The Bell House in 1/15 as part of a one off for all three bands. For O'Death, the show was one of two scheduled in NYC for 2011, as they recently announced that they will play again on 4/15 as part of a larger tour that will include an appearance at SXSW.

For The Goddamn Rattlesnake, The Bell House doubled as a record release party. J. Rattlesnake released the new LP via Bandcamp at the start of the year. Stream the LP in full. More pictures from The Bell House are below.

Continue reading "O'Death, Tim Fite & the Goddamn Rattlesnake played the Bell House (pics)"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: The Goddamn Rattlesnake - "Slow Down Romeo" (MP3)

The Goddamn Rattlesnake (photo by Rich Hall)

Alt-country isn't exactly your first thought when I say the words "Deathwish" and "Acid Tiger", but J. Rattlesnake of said Brooklyn band straddles both worlds with The Goddamn Rattlesnake. The country-inflected band welcomed its LP Stay Sweet on the first day of the new year and it features sole member J. Rattlesnake on vocals, guitar, banjo and percussion, amongst a gang of contributors. The Goddamn Rattlesnake channels classic country over tracks like the sunny "Drinking On My Mind", "Born By The Sea", and "Slow Down Romeo" which you can download above.

Check out The Goddamn Rattlesnake's Stay Sweet streaming in full below. Head to his Bandcamp to snag a copy.

Make sure and get to The Bell House early on Saturday (1/15) because The Goddamn Rattlesnake will be on hand to support O'Death and Tim Fite. Tickets are still available

The Brooklyn show is a one off for O'Death, but the local band has already planned a much larger tour after a trek to SXSW; look for them to end that tour with another Brooklyn show on 4/15 (venue TBA). All dates are listed below.

O'Death is plotting a new LP for Spring 2011. Details soon, though Kemado - the label who released their last album, currently lists them under "alumni".

The Bell House is a also a one-off show for Tim Fite. Fite's latest LP, Under The Table Tennis, is still available for free download.

The Goddamn Rattlesnake stream, and O'Death dates are below.

Continue reading "The Goddamn Rattlesnake released 'Stay Sweet', opening for O'Death (who are touring this spring w/ a new album)"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

"Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink had gone their separate ways musically speaking in the last couple of years, so to see them again as Azure Ray onstage Saturday night at the Mercury Lounge was certainly a special occasion. With a trio of multi-instrumentalists, the duo brought their intimate and hauntingly beautiful music to a pretty sizable crow. Safe to say Azure Ray did not disappoint. Their set list that covered all of their studio albums from their 2001 self-titled debut through their new album Drawing Down the Moon such as "Displaced" "Raining in Athens," "Safe and Sound," and the new songs, the lovely "Don't Leave My Mind" and the somber and moody "Signs in the Leaves." Taylor and Fink traded on the lead vocals and their harmony singing together was lush and ethereal. Their encore consisted of "The Drinks We Drink Last Night" and "Rise," the latter song featuring background vocals by two lucky audience members invited on the stage." -[David Chiu]

James Husband opened the show and later played as a member of Azure Ray's band at both Mercury Lounge (review above) and Knitting Factory (pictures in this post). Tim Fite also opened both shows and continues on tour with Azure Ray & James Husband through the DC show tonight.

Pictures from Brooklyn and videos from both NYC shows below...

Continue reading "Azure Ray played Knitting Factory & Mercury Lounge w/ Tim Fite & James Husband (pics & video)"

Azure Ray's latest offering is Drawing Down the Moon, released in the middle of September via Saddle Creek Records. It's their first LP in seven years. Get an e-copy from Amazon for a whopping five bones. This duo, aka Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink, is currently on tour promoting the LP and will be in NYC to play Mercury Lounge on Saturday (11/13, tickets) and Knitting Factory on Sunday (11/14,tickets). All dates are with James Husband. Tim Fite is also on the tour and supports on both NYC shows, but leaves after the DC show and is replaced by Dead Fingers for the remaing three.

The Knitting Factory show has a special poster designed by Two Arms Inc, You can see a picture of it below, buy one for $10 at the merch table the night of the show, and WIN ONE along with A PAIR OF TICKETS to the show. Details below.

James Husband is the alter ego of James Huggins, former Of Montreal multi-instrumentalist. His old band is currently on tour, and recently released a new video for "Famine Affair" which is the same song they're currently holding a remix contest for. Check it out below.

All Azure Ray and Of Montreal dates, videos, the poster and contest details, below...

Continue reading "Azure Ray has a new album -on tour w/ Tim Fite & James Husband (2010 dates & a contest) ++ Of Montreal stuff"

Under The Table Tennis is Fite's rousing sonic ode to financial insolvency and is available for free download now at timfite.com. In 2007, at the height of Bush era cynicism and warmongering, Fite released the scorching diatribe against consumerism and greed entitled Over The Counter Culture. Now Fite has encapsulated a fresh batch of socioeconomic conundrums with Under The Table Tennis - fourteen fiery and unique songs detailing the side-effects of an economy on the rocks.

Tim Fite is on a tour now that closes out with a June 4th show at Mercury Lounge. Opening that and all dates is The Wailing Wall (poppy multi-instrumentalist Jesse Rifkin). Tickets are on sale now.

All tour dates and live videos, including one of Tim performing his new song "Wynpm" (why you no pay me) in front of the the bull statue on Wall Street, are below...

Continue reading "Tim Fite giving away another album, playing shows (dates) "

My Brightest Diamond @ Bowery Ballroom in January (more by Chris La Putt)

Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) will be curating a two-night event with music, film and more at 92YTribeca in NYC on March 5th and 6th.

Over two nights, Shara hosts a tremendous cast of artists to showcase the different ways people create. From the sewing installations of Dena Verdesca, to the yarn circle lead by Amy Fritch, to the provocative photography and Tableau Vivant performances of Sarah Small, to the paper art installation and spontaneous poetry of Tim Fite, to the live projections by video artist Deborah Johnson and the flower graffiti of Nikki Borodi - you will hardly recognize the 92YTribeca gallery and mainstage as the spaces are transformed by these wildly creative artists. To add to the magic, Shara has brought together live performances by puppeteer Lake Simons, Brooklyn acappella group Black Sea Hotel, songwriters Dayna Kurtz & Mamie Minch, a screening by filmmaker Cathryn Davis Zommer, plus a special performance by Shara Worden with the dynamic chamber ensemble yMusic and other surprise guests artists to be announced.

The nights - dubbed "Diamonds, Teeth and Yarn" - will kick off 92YTribeca's Women's History Month calendar. Tickets to both nights are on sale. The full schedule, as listed below, includes at least one "Special Guest To Be Announced".

Shara played Bowery Ballroom in January. She's also on the new Clogs' album; she and the band will be at Big Ears Festival in Knoxville at the end of March, where yMusic (playing with Shara at 92YTribeca) will perform a piece by St. Vincent.

yMusic will be playing with Gabriel Kahane on Wednesday, March 3rd as part of the American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center's Allen Room (where Dirty Projectors will play Getty Address with Alarm Will Sound this Friday). On March 5th and 6th (the same nights as these 92YTribeca shows), yMusic will be at Symphony Space with Gina Gibney Dance Company.

All tour dates and the lineup for Shara's two 92YTribeca events are below...

Continue reading "Shara Worden curates 2 nights @ 92YTribeca -lineup includes yMusic who play w/ Gabriel Kahane, St Vincent & more"

Jason Collett, Zeus and Bahamas have announced a North American revue tour featuring all three artists performing together and alone. The three acts have a long history of collaboration, as intertwined as their musical lineage. Instead of the typical show in which each act plays its own set, Collett, Zeus and Bahamas will all take the stage together, playing songs by all three. The tour comes on the heels of new albums for Collett (Rat A Tat Tat, March 9) and Zeus (Say Us, February 23), and songs from both will be featured throughout the evening. [Arts & Crafts]

Zeus initially formed to play as Collett's backing band in 2008, and the group will be in NYC for two shows before the joint tour starts. On February 26th, they'll open for Franz Nicolay (doing one of his first NY shows since his departure from the Hold Steady was made official) and Tim Fite at Knitting Factory (tickets are on sale). They're also playing with The Sadies and People of the North on February 27th at Mercury Lounge. Tickets to that are available as well.

Bahamas is songwriter Afie Jurvanen, and he has backing-band bonafides too. As documented on Alfie's Myspace, "for the last many years he's been playing other people's music-- PasoMino, Great Lake Swimmers, The Stills, Howie Beck, Amy Millan, Jason Collett, Hayden and zeus. He's spent the last few years playing piano and guitar with Feist." Later in February, he'll be opening some Canadian dates for Wilco, who kick off a tour very soon.

The three-band tour starts in earnest this March, and includes SXSW. They'll play across the US and Canada before ending up in NYC near the end of April. There's a Union Hall show in Brooklyn on April 24th (tickets TBA), and one the night before, Friday, April 23rd, at Mercury Lounge (though that one lists "Jason Collett only" for some odd reason). Tickets for the Manhattan show are on AmEx presale now. General sale starts Friday at noon.

Jason Collett's other band, Broken Social Scene, are touring and releasing a new album this summer.

Full tour dates, Zeus' new stop-motion video for "Through Your Head" (and it's making-of), and a free Jazon Collett track are below...

Continue reading "Jason Collett & his band Zeus both releasing albums, playing together & separately, touring w/ Bahamas (2010 dates)"

Tim Fite is releasing Watch Your Mouth, the third album of his Halloween trilogy (for free) on October 31. He's also playing that night with The Woes and Via Audio at Union Hall. Tickets are still on sale. More info on the album and show below...

Continue reading "Tim Fite releasing free album, playing show on Halloween"

photos by Chris La Putt

"Australia's The Grates are set to release their sophomore album Teeth Lost, Hearts Won on September 15th via Thirty Tigers/Dew Process. The 13-song album was produced by Peter Katis (Interpol, The National) at Tarquin Studios in Connecticut and features guest appearances by Kori Gardner of Mates of State (vocals on "Milk Eyes") and Tim Fite (vocals on "Not Today"). [The] album [is a] follow up to their 2006 Interscope Records debut, Gravity Won't Get You High...

"If Teeth Lost, Hearts Won was a beast, I imagine it'd be like something from Where The Wild Things Are," lead singer and front woman Patience says. "They're big and scary, but they've also got this sensitivity, and pick up the little kid and protect him." Drummer Alana adds, "Or maybe like the griffin In Alice In Wonderland. He's like a lion and eagle together, but a really gentle creature."

The Grates played their third and final residency show at Pianos in NYC last night (July 29). Pictures from Week Two are HERE. More pictures from last night (with the setlist), along with their new album tracklist and some more dates, below...

Continue reading "The Grates played Pianos (pics), releasing new album (with guest appearances from Tim Fite & a Mate of State)"

St. Vincent on the Wookie Stage @ Sasquatch 2009 (more by Chris Graham)

"The "buzz" word gets thrown around a lot in Nashville. Whether it's some local band on the cusp of national damnation or a touring band that gets you valuable street cred just being seen at their show. Naturally, we were skeptical when we checked out St. Vincent and naturally, we were blown away by what we heard." [Lake Fever Sessions]

St Vincent is apparently playing the Bell House in Brooklyn with Tim Fite and JBM on June 25th. That's in less than a week, and TICKETS ARE ON SALE.

St. Vincent will appear on Letterman one night earlier, and is touring this Europe this summer, as well as playing All Points West. All dates below.

"Lake Fever Productions is full service recording studio located on Nashville's Music Row." Lake Fever Sessions are a series of videos of bands playing live in their studio. Their most recent session was with St. Vincent. You can watch it below...

Continue reading "St. Vincent playing the Bell House w/ Tim Fite & JBM (tix), playing Letterman, played Lake Fever Sessions (videos) "

David Byrne dancers @ Wellmont Theater last week (more by Tim Griffin)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Les Paul @ Iridium
* Stars Like Fleas @ MoMA
* Burlesque @ Public Assembly
* Mat Menari, Benefit Band @ The Stone
* Gabriel Kahane @ Rockwood Music Hall
* David Byrne @ Prospect Park Bandshell
* Amadou & Miriam, Piers Faccini @ Webster Hall
* Busdriver, Tim Fite, Nosaj Thing @ Mercury Lounge
* The Hold Steady, Right on Dynamite @ Bowery Ballroom
* The Naked Hearts, Knight School @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Precious Metal w/ Wizardry, Animals Killing People @ Lit
* James Blackshaw, Koen Holtkamp (from Mountains) @ Issue Project Room

Like Public Enemy, Busdriver was one of those on the bill of the Roots Picnic in Philly over the weekend. Catch him tonight with Tim Fite at Mercury Lounge.

The weather report for tonight is not as bad as it was before.

Amadou & Miriam are playing Bonnaroo this weekend and touring with Coldplay in July. The duo headlines tonight at Webster Hall. Tickets are still on sale.

Trust funds are in trouble.

Tonight is the first of four sold-out NYC Hold Steady shows. Those without tickets can try their luck with a Northside Badge at the fourth and final show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday.

The Northside Fest then continues at Music Hall of Williamsburg through Sunday, four more shows, the BrooklynVegan showcase, and BrooklynVegan photo show included.

Did you get a ticket for tomorrow's Sonic Youth show?

Pennsylvania: Support Bill to Stop Cruel Pigeon Shoots

James Blackshaw, at the Issue Project Room tonight, plays tomorrow at the Mercury Lounge with Marissa Nadler.

Seasick Steve is coming.

Thighs Wide Shut makes up his own Phish setlist.

In August, Rys Chatham will attempt to bring 200 guitars together for one piece of music. The opposite of that -- 100 different songs on one guitar -- video below...

Sexy NEW Basement Jaxx video below...

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

After celebrating Halloween with two free digital albums, 2007's Its Only Ketchup and 2008's ding dong Ditch, Tim Fite is adding Valentine¹s Day to the short list of holidays that warrant free LPs with the February 14th release of Change of Heart. The record will be available on Fite's website

Fite writes: "Change of Heart is a group of songs that I wrote over the past year alongside Fair Ain't Fair in an effort to come to terms with a broken-heart. The songs on this album are about longing and pain. They are about sorrow and loss. They are about heartache and tenderness. But, most of all they are songs about love. There is a rich history of recordings made in the name of love, and a beautiful tradition of exchanging hearts in the form of music. Change of Heart is my small contribution to that exchange, and if you can excuse its broken state, my heart is yours."

While the rest of us are home, crying into our boxes of chocolate listening to Change of Heart, Fite will be setting out for his first ever headlining tour supported by fellow genre-defiers Benjy Ferree and DeLeon which kicks off February 19th in Cambridge MA.

Valentine's tomorrow, but no need to wait... you can get the free EP right now right HERE.

Tim, Benjy & DeLeon play the Bell House in BK on Feb 20. Tix are on sale.

Tim Fite & band

Continue reading "Benjy Ferree & Tim Fite - 2009 Tour Dates"

Like he did last year, Tim Fite is giving away an awesome and free Halloween-themed EP on his website. Don't wait to grab it though. After today it will be gone (until next year at least because this year he is offering last year's again too).

Fite says ³I will be handing out more candy on Halloween this year, and all the bad kids are excited!!!²

..This year Fite is adding a few more songs to his costume clad repertoire in the form of a brand new EP ding-dong, Ditch!!! - a bone crunching examination of the less savory rituals of Hallows Eve. If you have ever hurled an egg at a neighbor, stolen candy from a baby, dug a shallow grave, or been disappointed by a box of raisins ding-dong, Ditch!!! is the soundtrack for your Halloween mischief!

If you're in Philadelphia you can catch Tim Fite opening for Man Man at Starlight Ballroom tonight (Halloween). If you're in Texas, Tim, like many others will be performing at the Fun Fun Fun Fest next week. If you're in NYC, Tim is opening for the Constantines at Music Hall of Williamsburg in December. All dates below....

Continue reading "Tim Fite - free Halloween EP again (today). 2008 Tour Dates "

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Tickets are still on sale for the show Man Man is playng at Webster Hall with Titus Andronicus on October 10th which is one day before Man Man leave on a tour with Anti-labelmate Tim Fite. They played Austin City Limits this past weekend. More pictures from that and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "Man Man - updated 2008 Tour Dates w/ Tim Fite, ACL pics"

Newman & Mirman joined forces @ the Bell House last night

The Bell House in the Gowanus-near-Park-Slope section of Brooklyn will host its first-ever public show tonight (Sept 18). It's free, and Lilys, Matt Pond PA, Takka Takka, Robbers on High Street and possibly some special guests are all on the bill. Last night the new venue hosted friends, family and press to test out the sound system with full sets by The Mugs and Tim Fite, and shother performances by Alina Simone, Sharon Van Etten, Mia Riddle, comedian Eugene Mirman, New Pornographer Carl ("AC") Newman, members of Takka Takka (Conrad), members of the National (Bryan), and members of Nada Surf.

Tickets are now on sale for more upcoming shows at the Bell House including Liam Finn/The Veils, The Rosebuds/Ladybug Transistor/Crystal Stilts, AC Newman, the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival and Department of Eagles.

The pictures in this post (from last night) are courtesy of 'Week in Indie' Bill Pearis. More below...

Continue reading "Bell House opens tonight (full lineup) ++ more tix on sale"

Welcome to Spiegelworld... the world's most beautiful travelling venue.

With its opulent decor of mirrors and brocade, the intimate 350-seat spiegeltent is the venue for two of the hottest shows in town, ABSINTHE and DESIR. This year we will bring you a second theatre complete with our late night extravaganza, GAZILLIONAIRE'S LATE NITE LOUNGE, and an incredible line-up of live music performances from around the world like you've never seen them before.

With breathtaking views, sit back with a cocktail at sunset in our Green Fairy Garden, snuggle up in our full-service on-site restaurant, and after the show, dance under the stars with our eclectic DJ sessions, every Tuesday to Sunday night. [Spiegelworld]

Spiegelworld opens in August this year. The music lineup includes shows by the Dodos, Deerhoof, Tim Fite, Amanda Palmer, Nellie McKay and many more. All of it is below.....

Continue reading "Spiegelworld NYC - 2008 concert schedule announced"

Leigh and Chandra Watson, better known to purveyors of fine music as The Watson Twins, will be touring through North America this summer with co headliner Tim Fite. The tour begins on July 9 at the Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington DC, includes a stop in Milwaukee opening for M.Ward and wraps up in the Kentucky natives adopted home of Los Angeles on July 29 at the Echo.....Their new record Fire Songs, praised by V Magazine, Perez Hilton, Billboard and Spin, comes out on Vanguard Records June 24.

July 10th Music Hall. July 11th @ Mercury Lounge. All dates below....

Continue reading "Tim Fite & The Watson Twins - 2008 Tour Dates"

Tim Fite @ Joe's Pub, NYC - Jan 19, 2008 (Leia Jospe)

* United Tradeshow
* Tulsa is at Cake Shop
* Frankpollis joins Hymns at Pianos
* Jack Penate is playing Mercury Lounge
* Lisa Loeb is playing at Borders, Colubmus Circle
* Martha Wainwright is playing The Stone
* Aesop Rock is playing a MySpace secret show
* "Author" Ron Jeremy is speaking at McNally Robinson
* Music critic Carl Wilson is talking about Celine Dion
* CYHSY, Au Revoir Simone & Ra Ra Riot are playing Bowery

What else?

DOWNLOAD: Tim Fite - 45 Remedies (MP3)

Continue reading "A message from Tim Fite (new show, new album, taller)"

Tim Fite just completed a tour with My Brightest Diamond. Their second to last show together was Saturday night (Nov 17, 2007) at the Blender Theater at Gramercy in NYC. How was it? Eduardo says "MBD was pure magic".

Catch Tim Fite again this Friday night (Nov 23).....in Staten Island @ Martini Red (you'll find the address on the venue map). Aeroplane Pageant & The Heavenly Tenants are also playing the free show (thx Pat).

* SNL @ UCB
* Stevie Wonder MSG
* Japanther @ PS 122
* Sam Champion Sound Fix
* Parts & Labor @ Silent Barn
* Dax Rigs is playing Luna Lounge
* Scotland Yard Gospel Choir playing Union Hall
* My Brightest Diamond & Tim Fite play Gramercy
* Jeru the Damaja is playing Knitting Factory
* Enon & Love of Diangrams are at Knitting Factory
* Galactic, Lifesavas, & RJD2 are @ Roseland Ballroom
* Against Me!, Sage Francis & World Inferno FS @ Terminal 5
* Tim Burton signed on for Disney's Alice in Wonderland in 3-D

Videos of My Brightest Diamond & Tim Fite getting dizzy below. What else?

Continue reading "What's Going on Saturday?"

DOWNLOAD: John Carpenter's Halloween remix by Single Frame (MP3)

Pay nothing for...
* Tim Fite's Halloween EP (today only!)
* Heartonastick's Halloween mix
* Over 80 classic Halloween Records
* Stuff you can also pay for if you want

DOWNLOAD: My Brightest Diamond - Workhorse (Blair Sinta remix) MP3)

My Brightest Diamond (not to be confused with King Diamond) is about to embark on a tour of Europe before coming back to the United States to rest up and then go back on a tour with Tim Fite. Shara and Tim play the Gramercy Theatre in NYC on November 17th, and of all the shows on the tour, that one will be extra special because My Brightest Diamond will be accompanied by a string quartet. Tickets are on sale. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "My Brightest Diamond & Tim Fite - Tour Dates & remix"