photos by Chris Becker

The Faster Times: What songs are you having the most fun playing again live? Why?

Stephen Patman and Andy Sherriff of Chapterhouse: We've really enjoyed the opportunity to revisit some of the songs that we didn't think were produced well on record. Our later stuff [like 1993's "Blood Music"] got a bit overblown with technology and we decided to strip things back and approach the songs in a more straightforward 'band kicking some ass' kinda way. We've also had the ability to cherry pick our favorite songs and do them some justice. I think people will be surprised at the songs we've chosen as we always preferred our B-sides and less "radio-friendly" material. We aren't trying to sell anything. so we can play whatever the fuck we want. It's a great freedom.

What cities are you most looking forward to playing this time around?

It's hard to be specific since we're looking forward to each town for different reasons. I'm looking forward to NYC and Toronto as I have some great friends in those cities and I've spent a lot of time there. I'm looking forward to Chicago, Boston, LA and San Francisco for the precisely the opposite reason--in that I haven't been to those cities for a long time and want to check them out again.

Continue reading "Chapterhouse, A Place To Bury Strangers, Ulrich Schnauss & Soundpool played Le Poisson Rouge (pics)"

DOWNLOAD: Chapterhouse - Pearl (MP3)

Chapterhouse

Those rescheduled Chapterhouse shows are coming up in about a month. The first is still October 3 at the Bell House with Ulrich Schnauss and Mahogany opening. Then a second show, happening on October 4, was originally also going to be at The Bell House but will now take place at Le Poisson Rouge with Ulrich Schnauss and Soundpool opening. As I wrote earlier in the year:

Chapterhouse's 1991 debut, Whirlpool (reissued in 2006), mixed swirly guitars and breathy vocals with a hefty dose of dance music (Madchester was peaking then) and the album's single "Pearl" was a big Modern Rock radio hit in America. It's hard to hear "Pearl" and not think it was a big influence on The Big Pink's "Dominoes." The band made a second album -- the more overtly dancey Blood Music -- in 1993 but went their separate ways not too long after that. Drummer Ashley Bates now plays in Tunng.

Continue reading "Chapterhouse & Ulrich Schnauss schedule Oct. tour (dates) "

UK shoegazers Chapterhouse have rescheduled a pair of Brooklyn shows after canceling their early May dates because of the volcanic ash that grounded European flights. The new shows for the reformed band will happen on October 3rd and 4th at The Bell House. Tickets are on sale (and tickets for the old dates will be honored for their corresponding night). I assume that all the cancelled dates will happen around then too (especially since a San Francisco one is also showing on Ticketweb with an October 9th date next to it).

Ulrich Schnauss opens both NYC dates, with Mahogany (who have a Rooftop Films show coming up) also on the first and Soundpool on the second.

The band successfully played the UK and Japan in March and April. Videos from those shows are below...

Continue reading "Chapterhouse reschedules NYC & other shows (on sale now) "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Toro Y Moi - Blessa (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Patrick Bower - The Dark Lord of Love (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Morning Benders - Promises (MP3)

Wild Beasts @ Union Pool in 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Of all the things going on this week -- and there is no shortage of options as usual -- my number one pick would be for you to see Wild Beasts, who are on tour and play Bowery Ballroom on Friday (2/26, sold out) and Music Hall of Williamsburg on Sunday (2/28) Tickets still available for the Brooklyn show and we have a pair to giveaway. Details at the bottom of this post.

Their second album, Two Dancers, was my favorite album of 2009 and I still hear some new and amazing little detail every time I listen to it. I went to all three of their New York shows last September, all of which were great. The fluid interplay between the band is something to behold -- a real case of four people working as one mesmerizing whole. And those who still haven't gotten used to their vocal style, I say go see them live and everything makes more sense. Wild Beasts are one of a kind, at the top of their game, and you're dumb to miss them.

Both shows feature Toronto's Still Life Still as openers, and Violens will also play the MHoW show. Both openers also head to SXSW in March.

Morning Benders

The other undeniable show this weekend is Saturday (2/27) at Market Hotel with a line-up that almost dares you not to go: Surfer Blood, Turbo Fruits, Beach Fossils, Grooms and Morning Benders. All bands I've written about in this weekly column more than once. Now most of these bands -- including out-of-towners Surfer Blood and Turbo Fruits -- play here enough that most people have seen them already. Except Morning Benders, recent transplants from San Francisco who have kind of blown up over the last two weeks thanks in part to a great new album, Big Echo (out March 9 on Rough Trade), as well as a killer live performance video (shot for Yours Truly) of the LP's lead track, "Excuses," that's been making the rounds. The version on the album is already pretty lovely, but here, done Phil Spector style with the Big Echo Orchestra (John Vanderslice and Christopher Owens of Girls among them) is pretty special. You can watch it at the bottom of this post, and download the MP3 of "Excuses" from The Morning Benders website for the mere price of your email address. The MP3 for "Promises" is above. Anyway, see them now before the album comes out and they no longer play places like Market Hotel.

... or the Housing Works Bookstore where they'll play tonight (2/25) with the garagey Shark? and twinkly folkies Cuddle Magic. Max Silvestri hosts. Presented by the Hype Machine, it's also a CD swap where you can take all those CDs you've ripped and trade them for others you don't have yet. Admission is $5 and at least one CD. Do bring something someone people would want to listen to, and not that CD of your cousin's ska band, OK?

The Morning Benders also play Mercury Lounge on April 22 (tickets still on sale). All tour dates for the band are at the bottom of this post.
---

Some more show picks shows by day:

THURSDAY 2/25

Toro Y Moi is playing Cameo Gallery but surprise surprise: Best New Music + 75 person capacity = sold out show. There will be some tickets ($5) available when doors open at 8PM. Twin Sister are also on the bill so if you already have tickets for this, show up early and see them -- they're great. If you don't make it in, Toro Y Moi rolls back through town on March 26 where he'll play Brooklyn Bowl with New Zealand's Ruby Suns. He'll be at SXSW too. All tour dates for him are at the bottom of this post.

Patrick Bower

Patrick Bower and The World Without Magic are likely to play tunes from their new EP, The Dark Lord (of Love), at Bruar Falls. You can download the Scott Walker-esque title track at the top of this post. It's pretty different than the more beardy folk of his solo work. I dig it. The show's free and also features country-ish Beau Jennings & The Holy Tulsa Thunder and the delicate orch-folk of Balene.

North Highlands, Dream Diary and Knight School are at Death by Audio. Now is the time to catch North Highlands, who were excellent at Bruar Falls last week and I think will be taking things to the "next level" (whatever that means) soon. Dream Diary are getting really good too, especially if you like Pastels-style indiepop, and Knight School are NYC's nerdiest, funniest, catchiest, tinniest band.

And at the Bell House there's laptop shoegaze maestro Ulrich Schnauss who made one of my favorite records of the '00s, A Strangely Isolated Place, and apparently had a hand in recently coaxing Chapterhouse out of retirement. It's actually a pretty cool night if you're into dreamy soundscapes. Also on the bill is Mark Van Hoen who was a founding member of awesome '90s band Seefeel (seek out 1993's Quique) and who's made music under the name Locust since the mid-'90s. Local dreamweavers Luxa open the night.

FRIDAY 2/26

If you weren't able to squeeze into Cameo on Thursday, Twin Sister play the equally tiny Matchless. As I said recently, they're probably the best new band I've seen in some time. I will say I'm predisposed to like their mix of Stereolab and Sade, but I was wowed when I saw them at Bruar Falls.

A Sunny Day in Glasgow are back in NYC, playing  Mercury Lounge (tickets). They've got a new EP, Nitetime Rainbows, coming out next week that shows off their more experimental, soundscape-y side. Which side will we get Friday? This is the start of a lengthy tour which of course includes SXSW. Acrylics, who I love, are also playing the Mercury Lounge show.

Another chance to see Knight School, this time early on at Bruar Falls with awesomely loud (yet poppy) duo Sisters, sonic manipulator Noveller and the psych punk assault of Lame Drivers. After this show, Sisters hit the road with another Brooklyn duo, Coasting, for the tour heading to SXSW and then join up with Irish band So Cow after the fest. Tour dates are below.

SATURDAY 2/27

Hospitality haven't played live in at least six months, due mainly to their bass player's duties in White Rabbits. He won't be at Bruar Falls on Saturday so we'll be seeing a slightly different line-up of the band but I'm glad to have them back. Singer Amber Papini is quite the charming singer. They're opening for Swedish duo Wildbirds & Peacedrums -- who are also playing an early show at Mercury Lounge on Friday.

Another local band that hasn't played in ages: The Hundred in the Hands, whose song "Dressed in Dresden" I listened to a lot last summer. It's the only song on their Myspace, apart from about 10 different remixes. It's a good track, but I'm curious to see how many other songs they have. With Glasslands doors at 11 and two other bands on the bill (Ra Ra Rasputin, Esque) it'll be a late night.

SUNDAY 2/28

Go see Wild Beasts. Seriously.

That's it for this week. Videos, Wild Beasts contest, and tour dates are after the jump.

Continue reading "Wild Beasts, Morning Benders, Patrick Bower, Toro y Moi, Hospitality, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, more in This Week in Indie"

by Klaus Kinski

A few months ago I was wilting my life away at work listening to my M83 Pandora channel when a song the site randomly selected yanked me from my zombified, mouth-breathing state. It sounded like a bizarre mixture of Vangelis, Kitarro, Spandau Ballet, and Mogwai. Turns out, the artist was Ulrich Schnauss and the song was Goodbye. I didn't know what he was singing about, but it was definitely dark, sad and, well, beautiful. I was an immediate addict and before long I had almost every one of his songs in my collection.

So imagine my unbridled glee when I noticed that he scheduled a single US gig, and that it's happening at the Bell House on February 25, 2010 (Tickets are on sale). Mark Van Hoen and Luxa round out what will no doubt be an epic bill.

"While the name Mark Van Hoen may not immediately garner as much recognition as Schnauss, his reach and influence is arguably as authoritative. As an original member of Seefeel, the BBC noted, "In a brief listen one can hear the influence on Boards of Canada's damaged melodies and dense claustrophobia, more so than even the usual suspects like Aphex Twin." After tours with Massive Attack, Orbital, and opening for Slowdive, Van Hoen formed Scala with three members of Seefeel, releasing three albums. Van Hoen has also released four albums as Locust, including the electronic masterpieces Morning Light and Playing with Time...

...Van Hoen will be releasing a new album, Where Is the Truth, in late February, his first in over five years. The Bell House performance will also be Van Hoen's first in several years to feature backing musicians, including members of Edison Woods and Anthony and the Johnsons, accompanying his heavily visual and electronic performance.

Continue reading "Ulrich Schnauss releasing remix album, playing Brooklyn"

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the recently-added Charlotte Gainsbourg show at Hiro Ballroom. Tickets are also still on sale for the two shows at the Bell House.

Laura Veirs is playing Mercury Lounge on February 15th. Tickets are on sale.

Megafaun are playing Mercury Lounge on April 2nd. Tickets are now on AmEx presale.

Ulrich Schnauss plays the Bell House on February 25th. Tickets are on sale.

Tickets for the Murder City Devils show at Nokia are still on sale.

Cursive/Alkaline Trio tickets are on pre-sale.

More Wilco tickets are going on presale at noon.

Dam-Funk, Nada Surf, xx, jj, Xiu Xiu, Tune-Yards, Japandroids & other tickets are on sale too.

DOWNLOAD: Simian Mobile Disco - In the Mix (N-Joy) 11/7/08 (MP3)

Ulrich Schnauss @ Webster Hall - November 7, 2008

The past few weeks have been amazing dance-wise. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before there was some type of lull. I wouldn't say last week was bad...just nothing like the few weeks before. I started last week off early Thursday night at Hiro for the Hours showcase which featured Fires of Rome and Cazals. I only caught the last few songs of Fires' of Rome set, but their playing was tight and sounded very true to their album which somehow combines elements of classic rock with hints of 60's/70's and a bit of dance. Going into the evening I was more familiar with Cazals and like their material better than Fires' of Rome, but overall wasn't that engaged by their performance, though their playing was good, and the live versions of their tracks "Somebody Somewhere", "Poor Innocent Boy", and "Both Sides" were excellent and really stood out. The rest of the tracks however, just seemed to breeze right by. In all fairness, Cazals' keyboardist was absent, which I imagine took a way some of the more electronic/dance elements of their sound. Overall it was a decent night, just a little less dancey than I would have liked.

more about last week, and lots of upcoming events, below...

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (Boy 8-Bit, Justin Martin, Simian Mobile Disco, Ulrich Schnauss & more)"

DOWNLOAD: Kevin Saunderson - Live @ Sunday Best @ the Yard, 7-13-08 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Fires of Rome - Set In Stone (Dada Life Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ghislain Poirier - Cosmopolitan Bass Mix (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Ghislain Poirier on Solid Steel Radio - 10/3/08 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kill the Noise Presents: TURN OFF / TUNE IN - VOL. 2 (MP3)

In the wake of the always fun, yet draining CMJ Music Marathon, two adages came to to mind: no rest for the weary and part of the weekend never dies. Like a dance-intensive extension of CMJ, last week in dance featured many acts from across the globe, though ultimately (at least from where I was standing) the French owned the dancefloor.

Strangely enough, my week in dance began, not in a club, but rather at the IFC. Thursday night I was fortunate enough to catch an intimate screening of "A Cross The Universe", the documentary by Romain Gavras, So Me, and Justice. I have to admit, I had a few preconceived notions going into this screening. I really didn't think I was going to like it based on the (NSFW) trailer. Images of kids going bananas, some more asininely than others, brought back entirely too many bad memories of the crowd that surrounded me at Justice's shows last fall at Terminal 5. I'm all for going crazy and having a good time, but there are enough people acting like assholes without a documentary glorifying them.

I don't want to spoil it, but after some initial footage of throngs of crazy Justice fans, it became apparent that this wasn't going to be the typical show-to-show tour documentary. Instead I found my preconceptions of a 90 minute long fan-film, crushed, and replaced with a shocking, behind the scenes look at Xavier de Rosnay and Gaspard Auge's adventures, mischief, and misadventures. Romain Gavras paints an unexpected and hilarious portrait of the pair, matching them with an equally amusing array of supporting characters from tour personnel to friends on the road, who dare I say, ocassionally steal the show away from French duo.

The film plays at times like a comedy more than anything: It's the Xavier and Gaspard show, only there's no acting and no routine. It's not so much that what is happening is funny (ok, in many cases it is), but rather Xavier and Gaspard being completely deadpan as event after hilarious event transpires. Initially funny situations and predicaments are transformed into laugh riots as Xavier barely responds, directing frustrated eyerolls and looks toward Gaspard. As amusing as I found this film, I thought it succeeded in giving the audience a very real image of what life is like on the road with the French electronic act as they experience their sudden rise to fame. However, as I left the theater there were ultimately two things I could not stop thinking:

1. Wow. That was f-ing hilarious and
easily better than any comedies I've seen this year.
2. I really can't wait to see Justice again!

Luckily I didn't have to wait long at all....

continued below....

Continue reading "the Thursday & Friday night in Dance w/ Showtrotta (Justice, a documentary, Josh Wink, Ulrich Schnauss & more...)"

photos by Ryan Muir

If you've never heard or seen a theremin played, it's otherworldly. That's often why you'll hear the theremin in old scary movies or when alien ships arrive. Think Mars Attacks! And playing it, Dorit often seemed entranced or possessed with hand movements and gestures both subtle and flailing. Wonderful beginning. [Mf]

Continue reading "Dorit Chrysler @ World Financial Center, NYC - pics"

Ulrich Schnauss @ The World Financial Center (more by Ryan Muir)

today in NYC
* FREE
* DANCE
* Agent Orange on a boat
* Dethklok @ Nokia Theatre
* Liz Phair @ Hiro Ballroom
* Ulrich Schnauss @ Union Hall
* Talib Kweli @ the Apple Store
* Made Out Of Babies @ Shangri La CANCELLED
* Ladytron & Datarock @ Terminal 5
* Talib Kweli & friends @ BB King's
* Orchestra Baobab @ Rockefeller Park
* Herman Dune & Jeffrey Lewis @ Union Pool
* Indian Jewelry & Loto Ball Show @ Cake Shop
* Heloise & The Savoir Faire @ Bowery Ballroom
* Pearl Jam and Ted Leo & the Pharmacists @ MSG
* The Little Death NYC (Moby), The Ettes, Children of The Unicorn (Dave Hill) @ Merc

Free museum admission with your Bank of America card.

Citysol coming soon.

What else?

photos by Ryan Muir

watching Ulrich Schnauss @ the Winter Garden, NYC - June 24, 2008

His music is hard to describe. A combination of machine music and classic shoegaze, his tunes often remind me of a waterfall of sonic wonder, layer upon layer that could easily sound like chaos, but somehow manages to transport the listener somewhere else. It's as if the rain starts slowly and then becomes a deluge. If you haven't heard him, check out his albums. Great works. [Mf]

Continue reading "Ulrich Schnauss played the World Financial Center (pics) ++ Union Hall TONIGHT & other tour dates"

Ted Leo plays his first of two shows at Madison Square Garden tonight (June 24, 2008). Pearl Jam goes on after him. Ted Leo recently played Maxwell's.

If you don't know who Made Out of Babies is yet, check out the May 16th 'Week in Metal'. Check them out at Union Pool tonight.

Jóhann Jóhannsson's July 8th show at the World Financial Center was cancelled, but all the other free electro shows that Ben Neil curated are still happening. That includes the Ulrich Schnauss show happening tonight.

also free tonight: Brooklyn Philharmonic in Central Park.

DOWNLOAD: Green Velvet - The Stalker (I'm losing My Mind) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Franki Chan Scion Mixtape (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Radioclit BBC Bob Da Bank Unreleased Mixtape (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Marlena Shaw - California Soul (Diplo Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Energies - Born Again Runner (Lifelike remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Energies - Born Again Runner (Fred Falke remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Casxio - Seventeen (Noel Zancanella Remix) (MP3)

Justice DJ set @ Le Royale - April 2008 (Lawrence L)

What did you do last night? Finally we're on to Saturday night (tonight - June 21) which boasts quite a few excellent options.

Continue reading "The Weekend in Dance w/ Showtrotta (Sat, Sun, Tue) "

"BEN NEILL is a composer, performer, and inventor of the mutantrumpet, a hybrid electro-acoustic instrument. Through his use of interactive computer technologies, Neill creates a unique musical and visual experience, melding the worlds of electronic music, jazz, pop culture and visual media." [Ben Neil]

"Ben is the curator of the River to River Festival at World Financial Center this summer. This series of 5 free concerts focuses on leading artists in the field of electronic music, including Ulrich Schnauss, Fennesz/Sakamoto, FourTet and Steve Reid, Nicolas Collins, Dorit Chrysler, Kode 9, Dubwar and Johann Johannsson. See full schedule here" [Ben Neil]

Info on a show Ben is playing himself, as well as a Kieren Hebden (FourTet) and Steve Reid video, below....

Continue reading "Ben Neil curated the five free electronic shows @ WFC "

More free shows in NYC this summer.....

Continue reading "Winter Garden 2008: Ulrich Schnauss, Fennesz, Four Tet, Steve Reid, the music of Johnny Cash...."

Cake @ Terminal 5, NYC - Dec 12, 2007 (CRED)

GO Magazine 5th Anniversary @ Webster Hall, NYC - Dec 6, 2007 (CRED)

* RIP Ike Turner
* Kevin Nealon is playing Caroline's
* Those two things are strangely related
* GZA performs Liquid Swords @ Knitting Factory
* after We are Wolves & Foreign Islands finish their show
* White Rabbits & The Harlem Shakes are playing Bowery Ballroom
& Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s, Le Loup & The King Left are @ Mercury
* Cake, Brazilian Girls, and Oakley Hall are at Terminal 5
* Santogold & White Williams are playing a free show at Music Hall of W
& Phosphorescent is playing a free show at Sound Fix Records
* Muggabears & Bear Hands are playing Galapagos
* dan le sac VS scroobius pip are at Supreme Trading
* The Most Serene Republic is playing Southpaw
& The Onion is having a party at Union Hall
* Neil Young is at United Palace Theater
* Loudon Wainwright, Odetta, Suzanne Vega & others @ the concert Hall
* An Oxfam benefit w/ Wynn Walent, Phohograph & others @ Rockwood
* Ulrich Schnauss is playing Europa

THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY OPTIONS TONIGHT.

Do you want to see Ulrich Schnauss for free? I have three pairs of tickets to give away to the first three people who email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Urlrich) right now. Include your first and last name for guestlist. What else?

Ulrich Schnauss @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC - Sept 21, 2007 (CRED)

Subhumans @ Studio A in Miami - Sept 15, 2007 (CRED)

Rilo Kiley @ Webster Hall, NYC - Sept 22, 2007 (CRED)

* Hair in Central Park - FREE!
* Takka Takka record re-release party @ Sound Fix
* Subhumans are playing Knitting Factory again
* Eartha Kitt is still @ Cafe Carlyle
* Bjork, Klaxons & Santogold @ MSG
* Beirut is at the Society for Ethical Culture
* Thurston Moore is playing Maxwell's
* Spank Rock & Santogold @ Rebel
* Kate Nash is at Luna Lounge for free
* Mystery Jets are playing Joe's Pub
* Bettye LaVette is playing BB King's
* Scott Matthews is playing Joe's Pub
* Aloke premiere a new lineup at the Annex
* Angela McCluskey & Papercranes are at Mercury Lounge
* Bruce Springsteen is playing Asbury Park

Kate Nash, Eartha Kitt, Bjork, Bettye LaVette, and Angela McCluskey all in one night. So many divas (and I don't mean that negatively) to choose from. Thank god Nellie McKay's Brooklyn show is not until tomorrow. What else?

DOWNLOAD: Ulrich Schnaus - Never Be the Same (MP3)

I've been listening to a whole lot of the new, dancey/electronic releases like Justice, and the Ulrich Schnauss album 'Goodbye', but AOL is also streaming a lot of the other stuff that legally came out this week too - like Spoon, Interpol, and Smashing Pumpkins (again)

Ulrich Schnauss was supposed to play with Fujiya & Miyagi @ the Seaport on Friday - not sure what happened. Now he's playing September 22nd @ Joe's Pub. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Stream new releases like Justice & ULRICH SCHNAUSS ++++++ 2007 Tour Dates"