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)"

words & photos by BBG

What Cheer? Brigade @ Public Assembly

My Thursday night (10/20) during CMJ was mostly spent at the Ballistic Missle/Anchor Brain show at Public Assembly, with a stop at the Life or Death PR showcase at Cake Shop to catch an early set from the always enchanting Chelsea Wolfe. Pictures from Chelsea Wolfe's appearance that night (one of several, including Europa and our day party the next day), as well as pictures of noise-rock greats Vaz, ear-shredding spazz-noisers Doomsday Student (3/4 of Arab on Radar), marching band mayhem from What Cheer? Brigade (with Joey in tow), XDS, and the punishing 400 Blows are below.

Continue reading "CMJ Thursday night in pics (What Cheer? Brigade, Chelsea Wolfe, Vaz, Doomsday Student, 400 Blows & more)"

Details below...

Continue reading "final Monster Island Block Party reminder"

Extra Life at Webster Hall in 2010 (more by Sarahana)

Extra Life have a few shows coming including one at Death By Audio on September 25 with Little Women and Vaz and another at Glasslands on October 9 with Pygmy Shrews, Mick Barr (of Krallice), GDFX (aka Greg Fox who just left Liturgy), and DJ Caroline Teagle. Tickets for the Glasslands show are on sale now.

GDFX has other shows coming up including one tonight (9/7) at 285 Kent Ave with The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt!, Knife City, and Extreme Animals. Greg also plays a record release show for his Guardian Alien project on September 23 at Shea Stadium. Guardian Alien also plays Bruar Falls on October 5 with Alan Watts and Zebulon on October 9, the same night as the GDFX show at Glasslands.

Your last chance to catch Greg playing as a member of Liturgy is on their tour with Boris and Asobi Seksu which hits NYC on October 27 at Irving Plaza. Tickets are still available.

Krallice also has shows coming up including 9/12 at the Bell House Wolves in the Throne Room and Thou. Krallice were supposed to open for the same bill on September 14 at Death By Audio, but they've switched shows. Krallice also play on September 17 at Union Pool with Urfaust, Black Anvil, and Ruin Lust

All dates below...

Continue reading "Extra Life, GDFX, Guardian Alien, Mick Barr & other shows"

Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Monster Island (more by Leia Jospe)

Monster Island, Williamsburg's landmark center for the arts home to, Live With Animals, Secret Project Robot Art Space, Kayrock Screenprinting, Todd P. Practice Spaces, Mollusk Surf Shop, Oneida and a multitude of studios and rehearsal spaces would like to say goodbye in style.

Over the last 7 years we have always thrown an annual Block Party where we invite the entire neighborhood in to listen to live bands on the street, tour the building and host 2 giant art installations; as that this is our last block party ever (the building is slated for demolition in November), we'd like your help.

This year's block party will entail over 12 live music performances from building bands and members of bands such as Golden Triangle, Oneida, Man Forever, Soldiers of Fortune, DudknowDub, Cult of Youth, Vaz, K-Holes, Knyfe Hyts, Divine Order of the Blood Witch, TrycryTry and many more. It will host 2 art installations themed "Outer Space the Final Frontier" and "Liquid Gold." It will also host open studios, an all day BBQ, DJ's, a video installation in the basement by Robot Death Cult and live music in several practice spaces.

The block party will take place September 10th, 2011 from 2pm until 10pm. Monster Island will be closed by October 1st.

Secret Project Robot said back in January that they'll be moving to a new space. That is still true according to their website.

Oneida played Secret Project Robot in June. NYC Taper just posted a live recording.

In related news, Todd P recently wrote, "My show schedule this summer is very reduced, for happy personal reasons. More than ever, I recommend you check out SHOWPAPER for show listings (big announcements coming soon from that organization!) and also follow the list of links to independent, all ages venue/organizer folks on this page."

And the Silent Barn Kickstarter is now over $31,000!

by BBG

Hull at Europa (more by Keith Marlowe)

BrooklynVegan and 1000 Knives are proud to present Hull their SXSW-bound tourmates Batillus (all dates TBA), and Caltrop and one more very special guest TBA on March 26th at The Studio at Webster Hall at 7PM. Tickets are on sale.

Hull are working on a new full length, and was last seen in NYC at Europa supporting doom greats Pentagram. The band will release their epic Viking Funeral EP on vinyl via Science of Silence records this spring.

Caltrop are currently finishing up the recording of their second full-length with the help of Nick Peterson (Megafaun, Horseback). The band is scheduled to play the Bull City Metal Fest in Durham, NC on 2/4 & 2/5 alongside bands like U.S. Christmas, Royal Thunder, Sons of Tonatiuh, Colossus, Music Hates You, and many others. Tickets are on sale.

Batillus signed onto Seventh Rule for the release of their new LP, due out this year. We last saw the doom quartet in 2010 when they teamed up with Cough, Naam, and Sea of Bones at The Charleston. Batillus was recently contributed to the NYC Sucks compilation by MetalSucks which features new songs from faves like Tiger Flowers and previously released material from Made Out of Babies, Castevet, Naam and others.

A couple reminders while we're on the subject: Radiation Black Body (featuring Josh of Castevet), Vaz (2/3 of Hammerhead), Xaddax (Nick Sakes from Dazzling Killmen) and Fall of Another Day will play Bruar Falls TONIGHT (1/26) while Josh's other two projects (Castevet & Defeatist) will play Acheron on Friday (1/28) with Phantom Glue. Naam plays a FREE show on Thursday (1/27) at Union Pool with Liturgy, Your Youth and ARMS (the first show recommended in both an Evillive post and This Week In Indie).

Another reminder: Kylesa, Rosetta, Fight Amp, and East Of The Wall play Santos TONIGHT (1/26) and tickets are stil available. The show kicks off a shade after 7PM.

Some videos of the bands in action are below.

Continue reading "Hull, Batillus, Caltrop, Vaz & others are playing shows & stuff (Kylesa is playing Santos TONIGHT) "

photos by Michael Darpino, words by BBG

Today is the Day celebrating AmRep

BrooklynVegan/AEG Live/1000Knives are proud to announce, that in addition to the recently-added Keelhaul (and as hinted in that piece), Today is The Day will play the Corrosion of Conformity show at Highline Ballroom on 10/10. Tickets are still available.

Today is the Day recently played a show at Santos Party House with A Storm of Light (who played last night with Sleep, pics forthcoming), but also played the AmRep Anniversary Party in late August. More pics from the show (the first set is here) are below....

Continue reading "Today is the Day added to CoC show, played Santos & AmRep's Anniversary w/ Melvins & others (more pics) "

photos by Taylor Keahey, words by BBG

God Bullies

On what was a perfect day to celebrate anyone's anniversary, a sold-out crowd gathered at Grumpy's in downtown Minneapolis to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the legendary local label Amphetamine Reptile Records. It was an all-day event (on 8/28) that honored and saluted an influential and groundbreaking scene, as well a bunch of bands that perhaps never got their due back in the day. All the groups played to a large, receptive crowd that was, if not trying to turn back time a bit to see a bunch of bands that they never had a chance to, than maybe just feel younger for one day at least. Everywhere you looked there were old friends running into each other for the first time in years, and there were broad smiles plastered on everyone's faces (due in no small part to the $5 Surly's). It was a glorious commemoration of a label that still packs quite a punch and knows how to throw one hell of a party. -[City Pages]

Pics of both day one and two, as well as some video, continue below.

Continue reading "AmRep celebrated 25 years (pics & video) (Unsane, Melvins, Boss Hog, Hammerhead, Vaz, God Bullies & more)"

by BBG

As early as 1989 or 1990, a band came out of the moderately sized North Dakota town of Fargo. They were called Hammerhead. The line up was Paul Sanders on guitar and vocals, Paul Erickson on bass and vocals, and Jeff Morridian Jr on drums. At some point early on they relocate to Minneapolis, Minnesota...[where] they hooked up with Amphetamine Reptile Records, the invincible indie label that rose from the ashes of Treehouse Records and Glitterhouse Records. Between 92' and 96', Hammerhead released 4 full length albums, including many singles and comp songs as well... [helping to] propel Amrep to greater heights of popularity, and ...define that "minneapolis/amrep" sound of the early 90's. Some time in 96', however, Hammerhead suddenly broke up [as] Paul Sanders left the band. ...About a year later, word started to spread of a new band, called Vaz, featuring Paul Erickson on vocals, guitar and bass, and Jeff Morridian Jr on drums and vocals. Paul Sanders [reemerged] ...with The Heroine Sheiks, that disbanded in 2009.

The only other tour date on the sked for BOTH Hammerhead and Vaz is the AmRep anniversary show in Minneapolis on August 28th alongside Melvins (who just played two shows with Isis), Boss Hog, Today Is The Day, and many esteemed others.

Some classic videos from Hammerhead are viewable below...

Continue reading "Hammerhead reunited for AmRep Anniversay & a NYC show"

by BBG

STATS at Public Assembly (more by Justina Villanueva)

The city is always brimming with great art, whether from MSG to a loft in Bushwick. Here are some more NYC shows that are definitely worth a look over the coming weekend...

Continue reading "Gospel, STATS, Vaz, Psychic Limb & other upcoming shows "

Sam Hillmer (left) playing with Zs @ the Yard (more by Sarahana)

You Are Here (The Maze) is a performance festival in a sculptural maze taking place at Williamsburg's Death By Audio from September 10 - October 2, 2009. Emphasizing the sprawling and interconnected nature of New York's underground, a trip through the maze offers a peak inside NYC's diy art/music scene. A meditation on passage and desire, You Are Here engulfs the space and presents beckoning inhabitants, dead ends, and uplifting epitaphs. Medium and genre vary and overlapping and simultaneous performances are frequent, each performer establishing a different corner or dead end as his or hers.

Skeletons kick off the first night of the festival on September 10th as the Skeletons Big Band, a 12-piece band (expanded from their usual four) that's also playing September 7-9th at Roulette. There they'll be performing "New Works for a Larger Ensemble" which includes "excerpts and new arrangements from their record in progress "PEOPLE," a long form piece based around conversations in Greyhound busses and stations, and beyond..."

The full schedule for the Maze (and the lineup for Skeletons Big Band) is below...

Continue reading "Death By Audio's The Maze - schedule (includes 1 of 4 upcoming Skeletons Big Band shows & much more) "

Remember Death By Audio's 12-hour benefit on July 25th for something called You Are Here: A Maze?

Sam Hillmer & Laura Paris, who dubbed their art collaboration Trouble, had the first You Are Here festival in 2007, at 44th street between Sixth Avenue and Broadway. Paris drew out the floor-plan of the maze, while Hillmer, who plays tenor saxophone for the Zs, booked bands to play in the space and coordinated efforts to bring people inside to interact with the maze.

"It didn't seem like the kind of thing that could just sit in a gallery, it needs constant traffic," Hillmer explained. "That is the piece, people dealing with the situation [presented by the maze]."

This year's festival, scheduled for Spetember 10th through October 2nd, will take up the entire space of Death by Audio and feature a maze constructed out of salvaged doors from Built It Green, a nonprofit organization that sells surplus building materials. The space will also have woodchip-covered floors ("to reference mazes built out of bushes," Hillmer notes). The twists and turns of the venue will be littered by some 200 of Paris' sculptures, molded from some of her pieces and then cast repeatedly. [Greenpoint Gazette]

The preliminary lineup (aka almost a month's worth of shows at the venue while the maze is up) mixes interesting out of town names (Calvin Johnson, Ty Segal, The Coathangers) with local acts like Skeletons (as 'Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities'), Mick Barr (he is local right?), Extra life and Stars Like Fleas. Full lineup to be announced soon but more of it is below, along with video footage of the first Maze (starring Dave Longstreth, Thee Oh Sees and others), and other details and the flyer for the new Maze...

Continue reading "Death by Audio maze installation running Sept 10-Oct 2 (Skeletons, Mick Barr, Calvin Johnson, Extra Life, Ty Segall)"

On Saturday, July 25th, there'll be a 12-hour benefit at Death By Audio for You Are Here: A Maze, a "performance festival in a sculptural maze" to happen at the venue from September 10th - October 2nd. Both the event and the project are being put on by Trouble (Zs' Sam Hillmer and artist Laura Paris).

The lineup includes performances by Ninjasonik, Aa, Dead Science's Sam Mickens, Charlie Looker of Extra Life, and Hillmer himself (with Regattas). A DJ set by Dirty Projector Dave Longstreth is also on the schedule (for some actual singing by Longstreth, that takes place at the Williamsburg Waterfront this Sunday).

A full schedule of performers, with some info on the You Are Here project, is below...

Continue reading "12-hour art project benefit at DBA (DJ Longstreth, Aa, members of Zs, Extra Life, Dead Science, more)"

DOWNLOAD: Friendly Foes - Full Moon Morning (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Real Estate - Suburban Beverage (MP3)

Friendly Foes @ the Bell House (more by Tim Griffin)

The new band from Ryan Allen of Thunderbirds are Now!, Friendly Foes - not to be confused with Friendly Fires, is currently on tour and visits NYC this Saturday night (4/11) for a show at Pianos.

"I have multiple personalities in songwriting," said Friendly Foes singer/guitarist Ryan Allen, referencing the more-fun-n-simple-style-sun bursts of the songs that served as the genesis for the trio - while comparing it to the splintery-jostle-punk pop of his other band, Thunderbirds Are Now! "I just wanted to do something that played into what I actually listened to," including mid-90's rough hewn indie rock and straight-up-fun-sugar-pop bands.
[Real Detroit Weekly]

Also playing that show Saturday at Pianos is Real Estate, who, are also playing a show on Friday (4/10, tonight) (and have plenty of other local shows scheduled over the next month). If you haven't caught them by now, well, you have lots of chances. All dates below.

The Friday Real Estate show (tonight) is a Showpaper benefit at Monster Island Basement that TK Webb & the Visions, Vaz, Necking, Sisters and Skeletons are also playing. It looks like a great lineup that was put together very last minute; one of two big Todd P shows happening this weekend - the other is Black Dice at Market Hotel.

Skeletons also just played shows at both Mercury Lounge and Zebulon. Andrew Frisicano writes:

Skeletons, who spent most of March in Europe, opened the Thee Oh Sees-headlining show at Mercury Lounge on Sunday, April 10th. The trio was sparse and on point, playing mostly the tuneful tracks of 2008's Money. An extended groove stretched out the middle of the band's set (the longest of the night) showcasing its counterpoint guitars and textured drums under the poetic, wiry vocals of frontman Matt Mehlan.

Continue reading "Friendly Foes, Real Estate & Skeletons - NYC shows, etc..."

photos by Tim Griffin, words By Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Iran - "Buddy" (MP3)

Iran @ CMJ 2008

Iran (WITH Kyp Malone) will play a show at Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn, TONIGHT (12/18). Also on the bill: Fakers and Lone Wolf and Cub (Ryan Sawyer of Tall Firs and Stars Like Fleas - not the metal band). Presumably, Iran will, uh, run... through tracks from their upcoming record Dissolver, due on Feb 3, 2009 via Narnack.

Back to CMJ for a second....before 2 Live Crew played, a Kyp-less-and-still-named-after-a-'rogue-nation', Iran, played a renamed-The Soft Pack-less (they cancelled) and Lee "Scratch" Perry-less (he cancelled) Narnack Showcase this year, at Santos Party House, with the Sundelles, Vaz and Restavrant. Check out the overdue pics from that show above and below, and note - that's Doug Anson that sat in for Kyp. That probably won't happen again though, as we're told that Kyp plans on playing many more shows with the band, including as part of a 2009 tour out of NYC.

In related news, Kyp Malone's other band TV On The Radio, is garnering accolades-a-plenty including album of the year from The Onion AV Club, and from everyone's favorite weirdo Eric Wareheim of Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!. The Onion AV Club also cornered Santos Party House co-owner Andrew WK about his favorite record of the year.... Lee "Scratch" Perry's Repentance. Hmm... didn't he have something to do with that record?

In more related-to-Glasslands-tonight news, Tall Firs have teamed up with Awesome Color to play the Knitting Factory on Dec 19th (tickets here). Ryan Sawyer's other band, Stars Like Fleas, are recording a new record and have scheduled a show at Le Poisson Rouge on January 24th with Au (tickets here).

A whole bunch of pictures from the Narnack CMJ showcase, and tonight's Glasslands flyer, below...

Continue reading "Iran shows with (tonight) and without (pics) Kyp Malone, TVOTR is #1?, Awesome Color, Tall Firs, Narnack & stuff "

Besides being a tongue twister, NY Eye and Ear is also...

a 2 day record fair and all-ages music festival celebrating NYC homegrown DIY recording labels and bands. This is NYC's only record fair devoted exclusively to NY record labels. The title is inspired from the 1964 Michael Snow film w/ soundtrack by Albert Ayler and from the all-too-familiar signs seen daily in the subway tunnels by riders of the L-train of the famous NY Eye & Ear Infirmary. The Fest will be held at Vanishing Point, a huge 4700 sq. foot industrial loft in Bushwick, Brooklyn (240 Meserole street, Brooklyn, NY 11206).

Friday, December 12 from 2pm -4am
Saturday, December 13 from 2pm -4am

Continue reading "NY Eye & Ear music festival and record fair (Dec 12-13)"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Lee "Scratch" Perry - "Pum Pum" (MP3)

Perry, scratching his chin. Photo by Andrew WK

For a 72-year-old man, he sure gets around. Lee "Scratch" Perry is playing that Oct 25th CMJ show at Santos Party House with Restavrant, Iran, Vaz, The Muslims, and The Sundelles as part of a Narnack Records CMJ showcase.

AND the (mad) man has lined up a second date the night before (Oct 24th) at Gramercy Theater. Tickets are on sale. Just to be clear, that's two NYC shows in two CMJ days for Lee "Scratch" Perry.

Perry recently released his latest album, Repentance, on Narnack in August with a lead single (download it above) and video entitled... ahem... "Pum Pum". The album is produced by Andrew WK (part owner of Santos Party House where the CMJ party is) and features Moby, Don Fleming, Brian Chippendale (Lightning Bolt) and.... Sasha Grey? Is that where the "Pum Pum" comes from?

More tour dates TBA soon. Videos below...

Continue reading "Lee 'Scratch' Perry - 2 NYC shows during CMJ, MP3, video "