DOWNLOAD: Korallreven - "Sa Sa Samoa" (ft. Julianna Barwick) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Korallreven - "As Young As Yesterday" [Ft. Victoria Bergsman] (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Korallreven - "Honey Mine" [Ft. Victoria Bergsman] (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Julianna Barwick - "Never Change" (MP3)

Swedish duo Korallreven (aka Marcus Joons and Daniel Tjäder [of The Radio Dept.]) released their excellent debut LP, An Album by Korallreven this past November via Acephale (buy it on eMusic). The album featured guest vocals by Victoria Bergsman (Taken by Trees/The Concretes) and by Julianna Barwick. Download MP3s of those collaborations above.

Korallreven will be playing their first US shows in support of the album this March with a short run of shows that kicks off at NYC's Bowery Ballroom on March 4. Tickets go on sale Wednesday (1/18) at noon. Victoria Bergsman will appear as a special guest at the San Francisco show, but no guests have been revealed for any of the other dates.

Speaking of Julianna Barwick, Asthmatic Kitty recently posted a new song of hers to their site called "Never Change." You can grab that track above and stream it below.

All dates and stream below...

Continue reading "Korallreven schedule dates; Julianna Barwick posts a song"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Korallreven - "As Young As Yesterday" [Ft. Victoria Bergsman] (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Korallreven - "Honey Mine" [Ft. Victoria Bergsman] (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Korallreven - "Another Dream Mixtape" (MP3)

Panda Bear at MHOW in July (more by Amanda Hatfield)

As previously mentioned, Panda Bear kicks off a short US tour next week after playing POPPED! Music Festival in Philly this Friday (9/23). The tour culminates in NYC at Webster Hall on October 1 (tickets) and Brooklyn Masonic Temple on October 2 (tickets). Later this fall, Panda Bear will play a run of European dates leading up to his appearance at the Jeff Mangum-curated ATP.

Korallreven

In related news, Panda Bear recently remixed a track off the upcoming Korallreven debut LP. Korallreven are a Swedish electronic duo consisting of Marcus Joons and Daniel Tjäder (of The Radio Dept.). Their LP, titled An Album by Korallreven, comes out on November 15 via Acephale and features guest appearances by Victoria Bergsman (Taken by Trees/The Concretes) and Julianna Barwick, who also appears on a mixtape the duo have made, which you can download above. You can listen to Panda Bear's remix of "As Young as Yesterday," which features Victoria Bergsman, below. The original and another album track, "Honey Mine," which also features Victoria Bergsman, can be downloaded above. Tracklist and album art are below.

Speaking of The Radio Dept., their tour with Memoryhouse kicks off in November and hits Bowery Ballroom on November 20. Tickets for that show are still on sale.

All Panda Bear dates, Korallreven song stream, album art and tracklist below...

Continue reading "Panda Bear remixed a Korallreven song featuring Victoria Bergsman (MP3s, album info & The Radio Dept)"

Jens Lekman in Brooklyn last week (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

I guess Jens never left town:

This wednesday the 15th
there will be sweet sweet music
coming out of the doors of
Veronica Peoples Club in Greenpoint.
Me and my dear friend
Victoria Bergsman (Taken By Trees)
will be DJ:ing from 9:30, all night long.
Looking forward to see your face.

Veronica Peoples Club
105 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, NY
11222

JL

by Andrew Frisicano

Already in 2010 Marissa Nadler has collaborated with black metal man Xasthur and put a song out on an Amnesty International benefit CD. She has a new full-length in the works, and now she has a pair of NYC shows coming up.

The first of those is on June 16th at Knitting Factory with Natureboy, Monogold, Villagers, Rey Villalobos and DJ Victoria Bergsman of Taken By Tress. Tickets are on sale.

One of the opening bands there is Villagers, the newly signed Domino band from Ireland who have two other shows in NYC scheduled, including one the next night at Union Hall.

Another of the openers is Natureboy, lush Brooklyn songwriter Sara Kermanshahi and her band. Her self-titled debut has found a home on the UK's Own Records (who is currently streaming the whole thing on Bandcamp) where it's due to ship on July 7th. The album was self-released in the US (where it came out in April).

The other Marissa Nadler show comes July 2nd at Union Pool with Humanwine and Martin Bisi. Tickets are on sale.

A Marissa video and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Marissa Nadler, Villagers & Natureboy playing a show/shows"

DOWNLOAD: Taken By Trees - Watch the Waves (MP3)

"On set with Cults at their video shoot. Video will be amazing." - The Willowz

Will McLaren w/ Cults @ Ridgwood Masonic Temple (more by Jessica Amaya)

Will McLaren, guitar player in Cults, is also a member of longer-running band The Willowz. Cults started out as as duo. Core Cults member Madeline Follin is the sister of Willowz member Richie James Follin. Core Cults member Brian Oblivion used to be the Willowz tour manager. Madeline met Brian through the Willowz and formed Cults. They then added Will Willowz (and others) to the live band. Quiz later. The two bands are touring France together in June.

The Willowz, who recently played a bunch of shows with Delta Spirit, have more recently been taking part in Hot Hot Heat's month-long residency at Public Assembly including the show that happened last night (a few people I know went and watched it after PiL played right next door). The next show is on May 26th.

Victoria B

Will, besides playing at the upcoming Cults dates (which include a Nortside Fest show and a tour with Maps & Atlases), will be joining Taken by Trees (aka Swedish songwriter Victoria Bergsman) at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Tuesday, May 25th. Other guest musicians at the gig will include Mikael Karlsson (who's worked with Lykke Li) on keyboards, Amy Linton from The Aislers Set on drums, and Elsa Chiao on backup vocals. We have a pair of tickets to give away to the show. Details are below.

Taken By Tree's Victoria is also DJing at the Bell House during Pop Fest this weekend.

Videos of the Willowz, all dates, and a live clip and short doc on Taken by Trees' record East of Eden, which came out last September, with the LPR show flyer, below...

Continue reading "Taken By Trees playing LPR after PopFest w/ Amy Linton & Will McLaren who is in The Willowz AND Cults (win tix)"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Wake - Oh Pamela (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Neverever - Blue Jeans (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Neverever - Young and Dumb (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Tender Trap - Girls with Guns (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Allo Darlin - Dreaming (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Allo Darlin' - My Heart is a Drummer (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Veronica Falls - Found Love in a Graveyard (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Moustache of Insanity - Amazon Wishlist (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Horowitz - Winona (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Embassy - It Pays to Belong (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Leaving Mornington Crescent - Corners (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Very Truly Yours - I'd Write You a Song (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pants Yell! - Cold Hands (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Brown Recluse - Night Train (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: BOAT - We've Been Friends Since 1989 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bunnygrunt - Hometown Rockstar (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bears - Wait and See (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gold-Bears - Tally (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Sea Lions - I Wish I Was Lou Reed (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: One Happy Island - Temporary Tattoo (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Young Friends - Make Out Point (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Apple Orchard - Half Steps to Bright Smiles (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Dream Diary - Bird in My Garden (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: World Atlas - Winter Stories (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: My Teenage Stride - Creep Academy (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Cotton Candy - Fantastic & Spectacular (MP3)

NYC Popfest 2010 starts on Thursday with four days of cheery tunes and good vibes. And with temperatures that are supposed to climb into the '80s, we may finally answer the question, "When is it too hot to wear a vintage cardigan?" In years past, Popfest has played host to the likes of Pains of Being Pure at Heart ('07 & '08), Cats on Fire ('08 & '09), The Radio Dept ('09), BMX Bandits ('07), The Drums ('09), and lots more.

This year's line-up is pop-solid and we're giving away a Festival Pass that will get one person into all four nights. Just send an email to BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM with the subject line "POPFEST" and we'll pick a winner at random and notify them Wednesday night (tonight). Please note, some of these Popfest shows are 21+.

Festival passes are otherwise sold out, but there are currently still tickets available for all four shows, though I think you might want to act quick on the Cake Shop (5/20) and Don Hills (5/21) shows as they're at small venues. Here's an overview of what's going on, complete with MP3s for almost every band playing (above).

The Wake

Popfest organizers scored a coup getting Scottish indiepop legends The Wake (not the American goth band of the same name) to play the big Saturday (5/22) show at the Bell House. While they the attention their Factory Records labelmates New Order and Happy Mondays (or even A Certain Ratio) received, their catalog is well-regarded, especially 1985's Here Comes Everybody which is a bona fide  indie classic. Check out "O Pamela" at the top of this post. The band's hazy, reverb-laden sound has parallels to current bands like The Radio Dept or Wild Nothing, or any of the chillwave groups out there.  The Wake are working on a new album due out this year. This is their only U.S. show. Stick around after The Wake's show for a DJ set from Victoria Bergsman.

Bunnygrunt

Bunnygrunt date back to the early '90s cuddlecore scene (a genre which now sounds like some kind of porn for Furries) and were contemporaries of bands like Tiger Trap and Tullycraft. Reformed since 2004, these Saint Louis indie legends are pretty much patron saints to Popfest bands.

The Embassy

At the all-day Sunday (5/23) show at The Littlefield show features the first and only U.S. performance by enigmatic Swedish duo The Embassy who's music is somewhere between indiepop and Balearic disco. I liked 2005's Tacking which came out on the Service label, home of Jens Lekman, Studio and The Tough Alliance. Check out "It Pays to Belong" at the top of this post. but the band have been rather quiet since. Maybe we'll find out what's going on with them at the show.

Then there's Veronica Falls play the 5/20 show at Cake Shop. Maybe you saw them this past weekend when they played Glasslands on Saturday and Bruar Falls on Sunday. Their Glasslands performance was great, and they were surprisingly rockin', given the gentle nature of some of their recordings. Singer/guitarist James Hoare is a student of the David Gedge school of manic strumming, especially on their "Found Love in a Graveyard" single that becomes almost like an extended VU jam onstage.

Neverever

Singer Roxanne Clifford and drummer Patrick Doyle were both in Glasgow's The Royal We, whose singer Jihae is now in Neverever who will play the Littlefield show on Sunday. The band also features her n0w-husband Wallace Meek who was in fellow Glaswegian band Bricolage but they now call Los Angeles their home. The band's debut, Angelic Swells, is out next week on Slumberland and is fairly indebted to '60s girl groups. Check out "Blue Genes" at the top of this post. I'll admit that part of me hopes we'll get a Veronica Falls/Neverever supergroup to play Royal We's awesome single "All the Rage" (the band never played America) but I'm not holding my breath.

Tender Trap

Tender Trap play the Friday (5/21) show at Don Hill's which is also the bi-weekly Mondo! party. Not to be confused with anthemic Australian band The Temper Trap, The Tender Trap features Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey who were both in iconic indiepop bands Tallulah Gosh, Heavenly and Marine Research. I was a big fan of their last album, 2006's 6 Billion People, Their new album, Dansette Dansette, is out June 22 on Slumberland Records and you can download "Girls with Guns" from it at the top of this post.

Recently added to Tender Trap's lineup is Elizabeth Darling of Allo Darlin who also play the Don Hills/Mondo! show. Their debut album is out June 7 (in the UK at least, not sure if anyone's grabbed it up stateside) and is full of bouncy and charming guitar pop not too far removed from Belle & Sebastian. Their single "The Polaroid Song" is one of my favorite tracks of 2009 and you can watch the Breakfast Club homage video for it at the bottom of this post. And you can download a couple tracks from the album at the top of this post. Allo Darlin are also making the most of their trip, playing a short East Coast tour. Dates are at the bottom of this post.

Moustache of Insanity

Allo Darlin's Will Harrison also plays in Moustache of Insanity who are playing the free daytime show on Saturday at Spike Hill. Sometimes compared to Moldy Peaches, the band should provide some levity (and cheap keyboards) to the proceedings. Check out "Amazon Wishlist" at the top of this post for an idea of what you're in for, and if you want to hear more, you can download a zip of their new EP here and there are loads of downloads via their website.

Some more UK bands: Horowitz make nerdy, nasally bedroom pop, and hearts!attack are one of the more ramshackle/low-fi groups playing the fest. Good stuff.

Leaving Mornington Crescent

And it wouldn't be a Popfest without some Swedish bands. In addition to The Embassy, there's Leaving Mornington Crescent who play Cake Shop on Thursday, and A Smile and a Whisper at Littlefield on Sunday.

The Don Hill's show on Friday will be the last-ever NYC show for Boston's Pants Yell! who are splitting up after playing a farewell show in their hometown next week.

One of the many highlights of The Bell House show is Seattle's BOAT who will play some non-popfest shows too.

One Happy Island

This will be the second year in a row at Popfest for Chicago's Very Truly Yours, who are playing the e debut LP was just released this spring. You can download at track from it at the top of this post. Recommended if you like winsome, Camera Obscura style. pop.  Also back from last year are Vermont's Smittens (5/21 Don Hill's), and it will be the second Popfest for Boston's One Happy Island who last played it in 2008 and play this year at the Saturday afternoon free show at Spike Hill. Check out "Temporary Tattoo" at the top of this post.

There's a few animal bands (in addition to Bunnygrunt): Cleveland, OH's Bears, who play the Bell House show (5/22), are lush and lovely with gorgeous harmonies. Check out "Wait and See" at the top of this post, whereas Gold Bears (Spike Hill, free day show 5/22) from Atlanta, are more in the shambly tradition of The Shop Assistants and Boyracer. Then there's local duo Elephant Parade (Cake Shop on 5/20) who play laptoppy folk, and the Sea Lions (Oxnard, CA playing the Sunday show at Littlefield) evoke comparisons to the Pastels and The Clean.

Sweater Girls

More out-of-town American bands: Sweater Girls are from Los Angeles and feature Allan Kingdom of C-86-era UK group The Siddelys; and Santa Monica Swim & Dive Club are actually from Michigan and play super-twee acoustic pop; The Young Friends are from Arizona but sound like Scotland 1980; and Apple Orchard hail from Richmond, California and make dreamy, Field Mice-ish pop (lots of free MP3s on their website).

Florida's For Ex-Lovers Only named themselves after a Black Tamborine song and kind of sound like that too. They play Littlefield on Saturday.

Opening the Don Hills show on Friday are Cotton Candy, which is Mark Robinson's current band that also features his wife. There's more a capella covers of old commercial jingles than you might expect from the former frontman of Unrest (who are reforming briefly).

And of course NYC is well represented. In addition to previously mentioned Elephant Parade, indiepop stalwarts My Teenage Stride, who are the only band to have played all for NYC Popfests, will play the big Bell House show on Saturday, as do World Atlas (NYC's answer to Belle & Sebastian); Dream Diary (NYC's answer to The Pastels/Field Mice) play Cake Shop on Thursday, and the shoegazy Corita play the free Saturday afternoon show at Spike Hill. And The Secret History make their third appearance at the Fest at Littlefield on Sunday.

Ok, I think I got everybody in there. Day-by-day Popfest schedule, plus some other tour dates and videos after the jump.

Continue reading "a massive guide to NYC Popfest 2010, lots of MP3s & a chance to win a festival badge "

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: El Perro Del Mar - Change of Heart (Rakamonie Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Taken By Trees - Watch The Waves (MP3)

There's a double-dose of Swedes in town: El Perro Del Mar and Taken by Trees are playing together tonight (2/16) at Le Poisson Rouge and tomorrow (2/17) Knitting Factory and both have good, new-ish albums out. I loved El Perro Del Mar's debut EP but found her first album a bit drowning in dourness, as if it was an audition for Peter Gabriel or something. Her voice has a sad quality to it already, the music doesn't need to wallow too. Which is why I think last year's Love Is Not Pop works so much better. Working with the Balearic-loving guys of Studio, the record is both lighter and more mysterious-sounding, and some of it you could imagine being used in an '80s Michael Mann film.

The same could be said for Taken by Trees' second album, East of Eden, which was recorded in Pakistan (also with some Studio help) and is a little more rhythmic and engaging than Victoria Bergsman's first post-Concretes effort (which I also liked). I don't know if "fun" is the right word for it, but it's definitely more playful. And I think I might actually like "My Boys" better than Animal Collective's original. She also covered Guns n' Roses' "Sweet Child of Mine" which became a modest UK hit.

More hot Swedish action tonight (2/16) at The Filmore at Irving Plaza with The Soundtrack of Our Lives who are one of my favorite live bands of the last ten years. Their latest CD, the double-disc Communion, is jam-packed with power chords, acid-rock, trippy ballads and psychobabble lyrics. Sure it's an amalgam of every great rock band from '67 - '73, but they do it so well and are so much fun to watch (windmills, stick-twirls, etc) that originality doesn't even enter the picture. If you've never seen them live, you should really check them out tonight.

If you can't make it to Irving Plaza because, say, you're home watching LOST but are free later, TSOOL are playing an acoustic set later at the official afterparty at Norwood Club in Chelsea. It's open to the public -- just print out this flyer. Doors are at 9:30 and Scary Mansion and Nico Vega are also on the bill. I'd imagine TSOOL will go on pretty late (more details below).

TSOOL will also be playing Noise Pop in San Francisco on Feb. 27 and we're giving away tickets here. Videos, flyers and dates below...

Continue reading "El Perro Del Mar, Taken By Trees & The Soundtrack of our Lives are here (all with 2 shows) - updated 2010 dates, MP3s"

DOWNLOAD: Anna Ternheim - You Mean Nothing To Me Anymore (live)(MP3)
DOWNLOAD: El Perro Del Mar - Change of Heart (Rakamonie Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Taken By Trees - Watch The Waves (MP3)

Anna Ternheim @ Bowery Ballroom in October 2009 (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

El Perro del Mar will be joined on her previously-announced February dates by fellow Swede and singer Anna Ternheim and Taken by Trees, who is another one-woman Swede, Victoria Bergsman (formerly of Concretes).

UPDATE: Anna is not on this tour. She was originally, but has been replaced by Taken by Trees.

Taken by Trees released her new album, East Of Eden, via Rough Trade in September. Included on that album is a cover/interpretation of Animal Collective's "My Girls" called "My Boys". Check out the video for that song below. "Watch The Waves" is a free download above. Taken By Trees plays a pre-tour show at Union Hall in Brooklyn on February 13th. Tickets for that are on sale.

All three (Taken/Anna/Del Mar) Both (Taken/Del Mar) then play NYC on February 16th at (Le) Poisson Rouge (tickets on sale) and February 17th at Knitting Factory (tickets on sale).

For New Year's, Anna posted a free live version of her song "You Mean Nothing To Me Anymore" recorded at Södra Teatern in Stockholm, November 27th 2009. MP3 of that above. Video below.

Robyn, another female Swedish artist, recently completed her first remix of another artist. Robyn's remixer alias is Rakamonie (same name as her 2006 EP). Her remix subject is El Perro Del Mar. Grab "Change of Heart" above. All dates and stuff below...

Continue reading "Taken By Trees (Victoria Bergsman), Anna Ternheim & El Perro Del Mar - dates, Robyn remix, Animal Collective cover"

"A HALF-EMPTY venue and a middle-aged audience appeared to suggest that Primal Scream were not as relevant as they'd like to think they are.

Opening the night with the dirge, electro distortion of Kill All Hippies, the band rapidly ploughed through the hits. The set-list featured songs from throughout their vast back catalogue, including Jailbird, Swastika Eyes, Rocks and a smattering of material from recent album Beautiful Future.

Frontman Bobby Gillespie looked as youthful as ever, but didn't really have any real conviction despite his attempts to come over all rock and roll by turning his back on the audience for one track.

Musically, the Scream sounded tight as a band with new member Barrie Cadogan standing out on lead guitar and gelling well with ex-Stone Roses bassist Mani." [a November 25th UK review]

On March 28th, 2009, Primal Scream will play Webster Hall in NYC. Tickets go on sale Thursday. All dates below...

Continue reading "Primal Scream - 2008/09 Tour Dates (Webster Hall)"

Taken by Trees in Scotland, May 23, 2008 (horsemeatpie)

Tickets go on sale Friday for an August 12th Taken By Trees show at Union Hall in Brooklyn. As you might remember, Taken by Trees is the solo project of Sweden's Victoria Bergsman of Concretes & "Young Folks" fame.

Taken By Trees in Other Music, NYC - Feb 21, 2008 (roboppy)

She was happy in her own way, shy and introspected, with the crowd and seemed like she gave us a last minute gift for how quiet we were for her. She whispered her guitarist and soon after he started playing their new song that has been hitting every blog around these days, her cover of Guns N' Roses's "Sweet Child of Mine". It was definitely the best moment of the show. [Curtains On @ Hiro Ballroom]

P.S. Watch video from Richard Hawley's show at Other Music below....

Continue reading "Taken by Trees played some shows (Other Music, Hiro)"

DOWNLOAD: Taken By Trees - Lost and Found (MP3)

I was taken (aka they are really good) by a few Taken By Trees songs I heard when the album ("Open Field") first came out on Rough Trade (September 11th 2007). Then I totally forgot about it by accident. I didn't even realize at the time, (DUH) that the voice I was hearing was Victoria Bergsman of The Concretes and "Young Folks" fame. It's true she can come off a little icy in person (or is that a cultural thing?), but I'm excited nonetheless - for their first American show at the Zipper Theatre Hiro Ballroom in NYC on February 22nd is what I mean. Tickets go on sale Tuesday January 29th at noon. A video and all tour dates below....

Continue reading "Taken By Trees (Victoria Bergsman) Tour Dates, MP3, video"

For a great review of Sunday's Union Hall show, and to understand a little more about how Peter Bjorn and John rock (and don't just whistle), check out Sound Bites (MP3s included).

Monday night (January 29, 2007) - I sold my ticket to Paul Weller for $200 (just kidding), and headed over to see Peter Bjorn and John play their "first show on the Lower East Side" at Mercury Lounge in NYC.

I couldn't resist going two nights in a row, even though I didn't really feel like it. I didn't want to ruin Sunday night's memory and didn't really feel like commuting in the cold, but I made it, and as soon as PB&J played their first note - all pain (mental and physical) went away. And it didn't return until at least the time I stepped on to the cold subway platform some time around 12:30 am to return home post-show. That's how you know you saw a good show - it takes the pain away. And once again PB&J proved they were both funny, and know how to play a show better than 99% of the bands I go to see (no offense other bands - I still love you).

And this time we got Victoria Bergsman:

And for one song (Young Folks), the place went wild - wilder than we were going already - which is saying a lot (especially for Mercury Lounge in NYC). The quote of the year came when Peter said (something like) "They told me NYC crowds were too cool to sing along. They were wrong." (actual quote may vary).

It was actually the second time the five of them (Peter, Bjorn, John, Victoria, and Lars the best bongo player in Sweden) played "Young Folks" together that day - the first was on Conan O'Brien that afternoon. (Did you see it?). They told us it was why they missed sound check.

Anyway, GREAT show again. nuff said. Bowery Ballroom tonight (then Cake Shop) - then off to LA. More pics below...

Continue reading "Peter Bjorn and John @ Mercury Lounge, NYC | pics"

DOWNLOAD: Peter Bjorn and John - Young Folks (MP3)

Wow.....

Peter Bjorn and John played a last-minute "secret show" at Union Hall in Brooklyn Sunday night (January 28th). The show was set up so the band could practice a bit with their new American sound engineer and tour manager before playing their scheduled serious shows at Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom on Monday and Tuesday. Press was not invited. Tickets were only sold to 50-or-so people who pre-ordered their CD at Other Music on Friday and Saturday. The other 50 tickets (capacity of about 100 there?) went to who-knows-who.

I wanted to go, but figured I'd never make it to Other Music in time on Friday (January 26) to get a ticket.

Instead I headed over to Sidewalk Cafe to catch the all-star anti-folk lineup of Paleface, Kimya Dawson and Jeffrey Lewis. How stupid I was to think that getting to Sidewalk Cafe ten minutes after Paleface's scheduled 8:00 pm start time would be early enough to get in - Sidewalk was PACKED, and at capacity. Nobody else was getting in. Bummed (and thinking I should have chosen Ted Leo or M Ward instead), I left and decided to take my chances at Other Music - they stay open until 9:00 on Fridays. Long story shorter, they still had tickets! I still would have loved to have seen that Kimya show, but scoring the PB&J ticket was just as sweet.

The Sunday night Brooklyn show, which also ended up being the Swedish trio's first-ever U.S. performance, kicked off around 10:30 pm and ended about 11:45. Eugene Mirman and Michael Showalter's weekly comedy show happened in the same room from 7:30 - 9:30. I'm pretty sure Eugene stayed for PB&J too. Carl Newman of the New Pornographers was also present, but ex-Concretes vocalist Victoria Bergsman was not - actually it's possible she was there, but she didn't join them on vocals when they played their hit single "Young Folks" (mp3 above). She will be joining them on their remaining U.S dates though - and I'm sure she'll be a bonus even though Peter definitely did just fine without her at Union Hall (he was aided by a Swedish friend on the bongos instead & too).

In fact, Peter, Bjorn and John ALL did just fine all night - more than fine - AMAZINGLY FINE (legendary fine?? - it felt that way)...they ROCK even --> definitely the best show I remember seeing in a long time, and one I won't forget any time soon.

Two more NYC shows to go (+ Conan then LA + the Cake Shop thing).

Continue reading "Peter Bjorn & John @ Union Hall, Brooklyn, NYC | pics"

DOWNLOAD: Peter, Bjorn & John - Young Folks (MP3)

I was just saying on my Sirius radio show Tuesday night that I'm always behind in taking about what I'm listening to on this blog. Specifically, I said that after I played a track off the Peter, Bjorn and John album Writer's Block which I love...like everyone else:. I think the love is unanimous - everyone seems to love them (like everyone really everyone everyone everyone everyone everyone everyone) including Pitchfork who I just noticed awarded them Best New Music.

Sirius Playlist below...

Continue reading "Peter Bjorn and John - Best New Music + my Sirius radio playlist (Week 19)"