Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at Bowery Ballroom in Nov (more by Lionel Bergeron)

As you may know by now, Norton Records suffered much damage during Hurricane Sandy, and they've been getting a good deal of support form the community to help them rebuild. Jonathan Toubin did a benefit show in November and Obits have one coming up in January. A week before the Obits show, you can catch another garage punk crew, Reigning Sound doing a Norton Records benefit at The Bell House on January 11 with The Swingin' Neckbreakers. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Speaking of Jonathan Toubin, two days after the Reigning Sound show, he'll be at The Bell House (1/13) to help another force in music damaged by Hurricane Sandy, WFMU. That show also features Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Relatives, Dot Wiggin, and Di Dionyso. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

As usual, Jonathan Toubin has many other NYC shows coming up.

For The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, that Bell House show is part of a US tour they'll be on in 2013. All dates on that tour are listed below.

Continue reading "Jon Spencer touring, playing WFMU benefit at Bell House, where Reigning Sound plays a Norton Records benefit (dates)"

We knew that the WFMU Record Fair was cancelled, but now comes word that he Hurricane did some damage to the radio station as well:

The aftermath of Frankenstorm (actually Frankenstorm was the name of the doctor, it really should be called Frankenstorm's Monster) left WFMU with no electricity in our Jersey City studios, and at BOTH of our FM transmitters (91.1 FM and 90.1 FM). We tried rubbing many balloons on our heads and holding it near the equipment, but no dice. For two days, we streamed WFMU in Exile from various DJs' homes, or the shanties and mini-vans that they call their 'homes'. Despite that shanty crack in the previous sentence, our DJ's are just the best and we perpetually salute their dedication. On Thursday morning, we resumed (semi-)normal programming after electricity was restored to our studios. And then reality started settling in, as we discovered tons of critical equipment that was fried by the electrical chaos that Sandy hurled our way. And both of our FM transmitters are still down.

Fortunately, everybody from the WFMU staff is safe, and miraculously WFMU's basement did not flood, despite the Hudson River coming within 50 feet of our front door... The environment around Hudson County, Staten Island, Rockaway, lower Manhattan and Brooklyn is akin to the film The Road. Or The Walking Dead. No, it's Road Warrior.. Wait, it's actually a bit more like The Road... But with your help, we will make it feel like Herbie Goes Bananas real soon. Please help!

oh man:

The WFMU Record Fair is cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy. All dealers will be refunded their payments, and the Fair will return in the Fall of 2013. We're very sorry about this, but the Pavilion has no power, WFMU has no power, mass transit in NYC is still not working and there are no estimates as to when electric or transit will return to normal. Our apologies to anybody who is inconvenienced by this.

Happy Halloween!

Record nerds should make sure to head down to the annual WFMU Record Fair to check out 10,000 square feet of LPs, 45s, CDs, DVDs, art, and the proverbial much, much more. The fair goes down at Manhattan's Metropolitan Pavilion ( 125 West 18th St.) on November 2 - 4. $7 entrance fee,  or you can fork over $25 for first dibs rights on Friday (4 - 7 PM).

In addition to getting your fingers dirty flipping through vinyl, there are DJs spinning tunes (like Jonathan Toubin on Friday night 11/2) and live performances and films being screened in the AV Lounge, including Amen Dunes on Sunday afternoon (11/4, 4 PM). For a full rundown on the events of the Record Fare weekend, click here.

In other news, we can all look forward to the previously discussed WFMU documentary, which exceeded its funding goal via Kickstarter.

FREEFORM OR DEATH follows Ken Freedman, the manager and leader of the world's oldest freeform radio station, WFMU, and his fight to keep the station afloat through an economic collapse, in a dying industry, with an increasingly Internet-addicted audience. At 51 years old, Ken's whole life is strapped to a station that faces crumbling infrastructure, encroaching institutional forces, and internal generational conflicts. Will his 25-year effort to keep WFMU alive be enough?

Continue reading "WFMU documentary in production and seeking funding"

Puerto Rico's Los Vigilantes, a garage punk band with ties to another Puerto Rican band of similar style (guitarist Jota Vigilante has played as a live member of Davila 666 and played on their Tan Bajo LP), are in the US and on the road right now. All remaining dates on their tour, which started before SXSW, are listed below.

Los Vigilantes are in Ohio now and making their way to the NYC-area where they'll make an appearance at WFMU followed by a show at Don Pedro on 4/14. They play the Bell House on 4/15 as part of a show being called "Garage Fest" with Freshkills, White Mystery, Mighty Fine, and Bosco Delrey along with DJs Captain Heartlock, Charly, Drew Redmond, and Jay Space. Tickets for the Bell House are on sale.

All tour dates and a stream of the band's self-titled effort below...

Continue reading "Los Vigilantes touring, playing WFMU & 2 NYC shows (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: The Young - "Livin' Free" (MP3)

Screaming Females at Generation Records (more by Andrew St. Clair)

This March, Screaming Females, Titus Andronicus, and Diarrhea Planet are heading out on the 'Screaming on Planet Titus' tour which kicks off at The Stone Pony on March 4 in Asbury Park, NJ and ends with a Houston show on 3/12 before Screaming Females and Titus play SXSW. Tickets for the Asbury Park show are on sale now. All dates are listed below.

That Asbury Park show is the closest that the tour comes to NYC, but Screaming Females will play two more area shows in April as part of a longer, headlining tour. Those shows include Maxwell's on April 5 in Hoboken, NJ and The Bell House on April 6 in Brooklyn with Aye Nako, and Swearin'. Tickets for the Maxwell's show and the Bell House show are on sale now. Screaming Females also have a new video for "It All Means Nothing," the single off their great upcoming album, Ugly (due out April 3 via Don Giovanni). Check that video out below.

You can also catch Titus Andronicus frontman Patrick Stickles in NYC TONIGHT (2/29) at Shea Stadium with Alex Drewchin and Clapperclaw. The show is billed as "An Evening with Patrick Stickles: Songs, Stories & Spiels - An Affirmation of Manic Depression in all its Transcendent Glory."

Titus also have a new single out, and currently the only place to hear it is on Tom Scharpling's WFMU show at the 2:37:00 mark.

Both Screaming Females and Titus Andronicus will be playing the official BrooklynVegan SXSW showcase which happens on March 14 at Bar 96 in Austin. Our official showcase also includes Caged Animals, 2:54, The Young, and one more artist TBA (due to a cancellation).

Both 2:54 and The Young have (relatively) new MP3s. Stream those both below, and grab The Young's above.

Speaking of Diarrhea Planet, they've also got an upcoming NYC show in March at the Aputumpu Music Festival at Le Poisson Rouge on March 25 with Japanther, Cerebral Ballzy, Ghost Mice, Osekre and the Lucky Bastards, Liquor Store, and Eula. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

All dates, video, streams, and the flier for tonight's show below...

Continue reading "Titus Andronicus reveal new song, touring from NJ to SXSW w/ Screaming Females (who added NYC dates too); Patrick Stickles is at Shea TONIGHT (and stuff)"

photos by Jessica Amaya

Laura Gibson @ the Rock Shop

Though we missed Laura Gibson's tour-kickoff at Other Music last week, I realized we had this unposted set of pictures from her May show at the Rock Shop. More of them, with a video from the show are below.

Listen to Laura's recent WFMU taping (which despite what was listed in her tour dates, apparently happened last week) and see her Mercury Lounge with with Alexa Wilding tonight (1/30). More dates HERE. More pictures below...

Continue reading "Laura Gibson live pics, video, WFMU stream; NY show tonight"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Hospitality - Friends of Friends (MP3)

Hospitality's long-in-the-works debut album is out next week (1/31) on Merge and the band have just released a video for the horn-filled "Friends of Friends." In addition to the band playing in someone's well-equipped kitchen, the video tells the story of a relationship stretched between coasts, as played by Arrested Development's Alia Shawkat and Videogum's Gabe Delahaye (who was also recently in Real Estate's video for "Easy"). You can download the MP3 of "Friends of Friends" at the top of this post. The whole album's terrific, one of my early favorites of the year, and Spotify users can get an early listen to the whole thing here.

You can pick up the album at Hospitality's record release show at Glasslands next Friday (2/3) which also has Glass Ghost and Dustin Wong on the bill. The band are also heading out on a quick tour of both coasts and will be in Austin for SXSW. All scheduled tour dates are below.

In other Hospitality news, the band play WFMU's Seven Second Delay at UCB this Wednesday (1/25, 6PM) and have just released a Daytrotter session. Below is the "Friends of Friends" video and those upcoming tour dates.

Continue reading "Hospitality's new video stars Maeby of 'Arrested Development; album streaming on Spotify, tour announced (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: James Pants - "Alone" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: James Pants - "Darlin'" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Tyler, the Creator - "Seven" (James Pants Remix) (MP3)

Spokane, WA producer James Pants is kicking off a short NYC & California tour TONIGHT (8/16) at Glasslands. The Brooklyn show is with Psychobuildings, Airbird (aka Joel Ford of Ford & Lopatin), Balloon, and an after-party with Co La. Tickets for tonight's show are available. The tour then hits up California for a few shows before returning to NYC on August 23 for an in-store at Other Music at 8 PM and August 29 for a live set on WFMU on Liz Berg's show from 9 AM to noon.

James released his self titled LP earlier this year via Stones Throw. Grab two MP3s from that above and check out the new Iasos-directed video for "Clouds Over the Pacific" below.

Also above you can download a remix James did for "Seven" off Tyler, the Creator's Bastard LP. Tyler loves James's music and James seems to be into Tyler's as well.

All dates and video below...

Continue reading "James Pants playing shows (dates, MP3s & a new video)"

by BBG

The Men at Death By Audio (more by BBG)

The Men are ready to show off their Leave Home material (stream it) to the rest of the US, as they kick of a tour tonight (8/4) at 538 Johnson where they team with Nomos, Brain F, and Only the Messenger for their tour kickoff. Updated tour dates are below, which include a homecoming show on 9/17 at Saint Vitus with Pygmy Shrews & Vaz.

One of their dates, August 19th, is part of the three-day Total Fest X in Missoula, Montana with an awesome list of bands that include the reunited Hammerhead, Milk Music, White Shit, Pygmy Shrews, Big Business, Helms Alee, Japanther, and many many others. Full lineup and festival details are below. Tickets are on sale.

The Men appeared on WFMU on 8/2 to perform on the Brian Turner show. Head to WFMU's archive to download the whole performance and while you're there, download The Men's Immaculada LP for free.

All tour dates, video and Total Fest X details are below.

Continue reading "The Men played WFMU (listen), kicking off tour @ 538 Johnson tonight (updated dates)"

by Jacob Blickenstaff

On Saturday (7/30), Lincoln Center Out of Doors in partnership with the Ponderosa Stomp, put on a remarkable day of music and music history under the name of "She's Got The Power, a Girl Group Extravaganza." Within its 10 (free) hours, the event included a 3-part, 4-hour panel of "Girl Talk" that presented Lesley Gore, members of the Angels and the Exciters, Seymour Stein (co-founder of Sire Records) and many studio musicians who worked closely with (r'n'r hall of famer) Ellie Greenwich.

The concert was organized into 3 parts covering 5 hours. First was a revue of girl group singers. Arlene Smith, of the Chantels, performed magnificently from her motorized wheelchair, commanding the stage by zipping back and forth. Then there were extended sets from headliners La La Brooks of the Crystals, Lesley Gore and Ronnie Spector (the Ronettes), and finally a tribute by the evening's artists to girl-group-godmother Ellie Greenwich.

This was not your father's PBS Doo-Wop special. Although the passing of Amy Winehouse was noted by Ronnie Spector, who performed part of 'Back to Black', it was more of a (tragic) footnote to the larger spirit of survival, brilliance, toughness and female chutzpah on parade. Many performers commented both publicly and privately that the spirit of Ellie Greenwich was the guiding force of the day. As stellar performance after performance dredged up tingly globs of our collective memory, the realization grew of just how much we owe to these artists, producers and songwriters who had just as much influence on the Beatles, Stones and other British Invasion bands as did the blues.

More about the show with lots of pictures, below...

Continue reading "it was all about the girls @ Lincoln Center's 2011 Ponderosa Stomp (pics & review)"

Metalliance photos by Samantha Marble, Whitehorse photos & words by BBG

Helmet @ Dirty Dog

Metalliance swoops in on NYC TONIGHT (3/25) at Irving Plaza (tickets still available). The tour moves into its East Coast leg after hitting SXSW and the south last week. Pictures of Saint Vitus, Helmet, Crowbar, Kylesa, Red Fang, Howl, The Atlas Moth and more from the Austin stop adorn this post.

A friday night during SXSW is always nuts, but nothing could compare to the scene at Dirty Dog which was packed to the gills on 3/18. With a line snaking down the block through the already heavily trafficked 6th Street, Dirty Dog was clearly beyond capacity (and then some) with people itching to see the traveling festival to the riff, as well as the SXSW addition of the almighty Weedeater (the show also featured Witchburn, who I/we missed). Dirty Dog was the place to be that night for metal fans in the area and it showed; during Kylesa's set the venue frantically removed tables to add extra capacity and even reportedly/unfortunately told a few bands that they had to remove their merch table as well. Venue issues aside, the bands sounded great and there was a reason why everyone wanted in; Metalliance is stacked with killer bands and performances.

Saint Vitus @ Dirty Dog

It may sound blasphemous, but knowing I would see Saint Vitus tonight in NYC, I left halfway through their set to head to the WFMU showcase down the street. It was there in a relatively light Barbarella that I caught one of my favorite performances at SXSW, Australians Whitehorse who tore the place down with their crushing death-doom punctuated with noise. Absolutely sick band that deserves to be playing to the hessian masses, and luckily for NYCers, you'll be able to catch them with The Body at Acheron on 4/1.

More pictures from Metalliance and Whitehorse at WFMU, and tour dates, below.

Continue reading "The Metalliance tour hits NYC tonight, Whitehorse is coming soon (here are pics from both at SXSW)"

Ted Leo doesn't have any real headlining dates scheduled in NYC at the moment, but before he heads out to Texas for SXSW, you can catch him at a special mostly-comedy show at the Pit in NYC at 11pm TONIGHT (3/4) with Todd Barry and Kristen Schaal and 'Night of the Living Dead' host Kurt Braunohler. Tickets are still available.

In somewhat related news, the annual WFMU pledge drive marathon is underway until March 13th. Ted and Carl Newman helped raise funds on the Best Show this past Tuesday (listen in the archives). Yo La Tengo will be on the air tonight. Check out the full schedule. All Ted Leo dates below...

Continue reading "Ted Leo @ the Pit tonight, WFMU pledge drive underway"

Greg of Reigning Sound

Though tickets are still available to the previously mentioned Reigning Sound show at The Bell House on Feb 18th, the band has added another for those of you who prefer your garage riffs in the, um, daytime:

The Cherry Blossom Clinic is excited to host its first ever live show at Maxwell's in Hoboken NJ on Feb 19, Sat 3-6pm! Terre T will be doing her show from Maxwell's, spinning her favorite records and hosting a special live performance by the amazing, ruling Reigning Sound! This is a benefit for WFMU, so Maxwell's, Reigning Sound and hopefully YOU will be contributing to a good cause: the continuation of WFMU Freeform radio! The suggested donation is only $10 and you get to be part of of Terre's live remote show and see a great, rare daytime performance of the ever awesome Reigning Sound!! Maxwell's is located at 1039 Washington in Hoboken, NJ.

In related news, Parting Gifts which features Greg of Reigning Sound/Oblivians recently added some new dates though none in NYC. Those dates, all Reigning Sound dates, and some video is below.

Continue reading "Reigning Sound add afternoon WFMU show & other dates"

Todd Barry @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 (more by Tim Griffin)

Want to laugh Tuesday night? Head over to Lolita Bar at Broome and Allen for another edition of "Tell Your Friends!". This week's special guests include HANNIBAL BURESS (who performs a free show every Sunday at Knitting Factory) (and who recently opened for Aziz Ansari at Beacon Theater), LIAM McENEANEY, ANDY DE LA TOUR, and a "MYSTERY GUEST" who "is doing a big big show later in the week, and can't be advertised for this. He appears all over television and films, though, and this may be your last chance to see him in a basement before he's too famous for our show. - A MUST SEE!" Hmm.

Speaking of a big big show later in the week, Nick Kroll's two tapings at Music Hall of Williamsburg take place this Thursday, 11/18.

Nick also did a show at UCB tonight/Monday right before Whiplash (with special guest Mike Birbiglia). How was that? Whiplash takes place every Monday.

MGMT's Andrew VanWyngarden will be a guest at the live broadcast of WFMU's comedy/variety show "Seven Second Delay" at UCB Theatre on Wednesday (11/17). $5.00 tickets are still on sale, though note that he won't be performing. They'll be interviewing him, but they promise they have a couple of surprises planned. Other guests appearing on the same show: former New York Times Ombudsman Dan Okrent, and author / gambling expert / former bookie Beth Raymer.

That WFMU thing is early - like 6pm. Stick around after for an edition of Joe Mande and Noah Garfinkel's Totally J/K with special guests Hari Kondabalu (Comedy Central Presents), Greg Johnson (Sirius/XM Radio) "& more!" Then stay even longer, cause Joe Mande is also part of the show right after that too. Anthony Atamanuik, John Flynn & Ed Gavagan also perform in "The Nights of Our Lives"

Much like Pee Wee Herman, Colin Quinn has a new show on Broadway (which is directed by Jerry Seinfeld) (the Colin show) (Jerry didn't direct the Pee Wee show). We are giving away tickets to see Pee Wee. The Apiary has a pair up for grabs to see Colin.

What about Eugene Mirman you ask? Well, in addition to stuff we've mentioned in the past and his somewhat regularly scheduled Sunday night shows at Union Hall, you can catch him along with John Roderick (as Santa Claus), A.C. Newman, John Hodgman, Gary Shteyngart, and Ollabelle on December 17th at City Winery for the next edition of John Wesley Harding's Cabinet of Wonders. Tickets are on sale.

You will also find Eugene Mirman at the Bell House on December 12th for "Pretty Good Friends (formerly Tearing the Veil of Maya) End of the Year Holiday Blowout" with Kristen Schaal, Jon Glaser and "more to be announced." Tickets are on sale.

Speaking of Kristen Schaal, was she at Littlefield last night/tonight/Monday night for "Hot Tub with Kurt"? It's unclear from the listings whether Kurt Braunohler is doing "Hot Tub" without her every Monday night through 11/29. Upcoming listed guests include Wyatt Cenac, Laura Krafft, Dan Friel, Jon Friedman, Liam McEneaney, and Chris Rozzi.

Patton Oswalt has four shows coming up at Caroline's - two on January 7th and two on January 8th. Tickets are on sale.

Last but not least, after postponing the original date, honorary Juggalo Gallagher will appear at Gramercy Theatre on April 8th. Tickets are on sale.

Continue reading "Andrew VanWyngarden, secret guests, John Roderick as Santa, Dan Friel, AC Newman & other upcoming comedy shows"

by BBG

Prince Rama at Glasslands (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

If you nerd out on vinyl as much as I do, then you might take a step away from all of this CMJ nonsense to pop in to the WFMU Record & CD Fair at The Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th St in Manhattan) which kicks off on Friday (10/24) at 4PM (for early admission) and lasts through the weekend. In addition to killer records, crucial trades, and melted Mastercards strewn across the fair's 30,000 square feet, the annual WFMU Record Fair will also have video, live broadcasts, and live music with names like Prince Rama, The Hamburglars, Ted Leo, Butts, Fabulous Diamonds, Dan Friel, and others among the performers. Full details are below.

Besides the WFMU show, Prince Rama also has SIX other NYC dates, four during CMJ and two that aren't. Their CMJ week will kick off at Cake Shop tomorrow (10/20) as part of the Terrorbird CMJ show with Marnie Stern, Baths, Revolver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (who just played Conflict of Interest), Kyle Andrews, Botany, Dark Dark Dark and Kordan. Later that night the Brooklyn Trio will be at Don Pedros for one of the many Impose Magazine parties, this time at Don Pedro's with Woodsman, Lower Dens, Talk Normal, Prince Rama, PC Worship, and Ancient Ocean. Thursday (10/21) will see them at Cake Shop for the previously discussed Carpark / Paw Tracks CMJ Showcase with Deakin, Light Pollution, Dent May, Excepter and others. And finally, on 10/22 Prince Rama will play the night show at Death By Audio with Greatest Hits, Woven Bones, Teen Inc, Excpeter, John Maus, and a DJ set from How To Dress Well.

After CMJ, Prince Rama will join Neon Indian & Apache Beat for a show at Brooklyn Bowl (10/29, tickets), followed by The New Museum on 12/10 where the trio will again accompany Deakin of Animal Collective (tickets).

All Prince Rama and Ted Leo dates, some video and set times for all known and previously mentioned parties (including the big Impose flyer) are below.

Continue reading "WFMU Record & CD Fair w/ Ted Leo, other Prince Rama dates, Impose parties, Deakin at CMJ too (and stuff)"

Kutscher's (ATP 2009) (more by Ryan Muir)

Heading back to the Catskills! WFMU is going to be live from All Tomorrows Parties at Kutshers Resort in Monticello, New York on Sunday, September 5th from 3-10PM. We'll be set up at both stages giving play by play, and carrying full and partial sets from some of the festivals' participants (full lineup for the weekend here), with our broadcast schedule after the jump. But we've got Iggy and the Stooges (doing Raw Power!), the Scientists, Mudhoney, Sonic Youth, Kurt Vile, Hallogallo, Fursaxa, Fucked Up, White Hills and maybe more lined up! This year's festival is being curated by filmmaker (and WFMU supporter!) Jim Jarmusch.

Hallogallo is one of the sets being recorded/broadcast, making them a very documented live band.

WFMU broadcast schedule below...

Continue reading "WFMU broadcasting sets from ATP NY"

The Clean at Cake Shop in 2007 (more here)

The Clean will hop on the bill of the recently added Teenage Fanclub show (their third in NYC overall) with Radar Brothers at Bowery Ballroom on 9/28 (tickets). Tickets are also still available for TFC's appearance with Belle & Sebastian on 9/30 AND their first Bowery show (without The Clean) on 9/27 at Bowery.

The show is one of two NYC area shows of the five scheduled in the US so far (Chicago, two on the west coast), as the band will also play Maxwell's on 9/29 (tickets). Dump (James McNew of Yo La Tengo) and Italy's Vermillion Sands (who also play Knitting Factory and Cake Shop while they're here) will support the band at that WFMU-presented NJ date.

The Clean released their LP Mister Pop last year on Merge Records. Full tour dates and some video is below.

Continue reading "The Clean added to Teenage Fanclub show, playing WFMU show @ Maxwell's & other tour dates "

"In the land of free-form radio (aka WFMU), he's known for Kenny G's Hour of Pain. On the Internet he's the mastermind behind the treasured online behemoth, UbuWeb. Join us for a very special evening in which Kenneth Goldsmith curates personal favorites from his website and visually spins them into spontaneous freeform gold. Local bands Growing (Vice Records) and Blues Control (Siltbreeze) will add a touch of controlled chaos to the already unpredictable mix. After the show there will be a mandatory DJ de-brief in the gallery."

Kind of in competition with that is another WFMU-related event happening tonight over at Solar One...

Join DJ Trent as he freaks out to his two favorite movies:

1) David Byrne's TRUE STORIES, starring John Goodman and Byrne, with music by Talking Heads, exploring the changing world of central Texas in 1986
and
2) Daft Punk's INTERSTELLA 5555: THE 5TORY OF THE 5ECRET 5TAR 5YSTEM, an insane anime adventure into the year 5555 set to Daft Punk's "Discovery," possibly the best album ever made.

Since both movies are set to music (but avoid the awful cliches associated with, you know, musicals) it will also be a dance party with $2 Brooklyn Beer all night long. If you can't make it in person, join the fun from home with live audio/video broadcasts at 91.1fm and wfmu.org.

Continue reading "WFMU hosting Growing & Blues Control, and David Byrne/Daft Punk movies (TONIGHT)"

Hallogallo 2010 @ Lincoln Center (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

Two streams are embedded below. The first is the complete Hallogallo performance from Lincoln Center via WNYC. The second is the appearance Michael Rother made on Brian Turner's show on WFMU yesterday. The latter includes interviews with Rother, Steve Shelley & Aaron Mullan, and segments of their Primavery Sound show along with a bunch of Rother's recorded material (Harmonia, Neu and solo stuff included). Check it out....

Continue reading "stream Michael Rother's recent NYC & WFMU appearances "

photos by Benjamin Lozovsky, words by Andrew Frisicano

Michael Rother and friends performed an entrancing set of music by Neu! and associated acts at Lincoln Center Damrosch Park Friday night (8/6), after a Maxwell's set earlier that week. With support from Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley and Tall Firs bassist Aaron Mullan, both dependably on track, Rother's buzzy guitar cut through the atmospheric haze, as the pieces, each about 10 minutes, entered slowly, built up and faded. The maestro worked with a number of sounds, from a shred-worthy roar to subtley layered harmonics. Under that, a backbeat of laptop clacks and synths (and something that sounded like a gurgling faucet) drove along the pieces. Only a few minutes into the opening number Shelley burst into the late Klaus Dinger's trademark 'motorik' beat, to cheers from the crowd.

With the rhythm up front, the music was infinitely danceable. But nearing the one hour mark, frankly, the scene was a bit dire. The crowd, many of whom were just passing by, or attending for the night's curious opening act, Brazilian jazz fusion bandleader Hermeto Pascoal, seemed to be leaving in swarms. And many that stayed were vocal about their ambivalence ("And now for something completely different" heckled one senior, in reference to the Hallgallo's steadily-paced songs. "It's not unpleasant," said another before shuffling off into the night. Others just conversed loudly on about their day, or the Arcade Fire show the night before. Before the show, Steve Shelley explained to one clueless inquirer: "Neu! is this band from Germany...they were very influential to what would become indie rock, and bands like Sonic Youth and Stereolab." [pause] "Oh maybe, I'll stay," she said, clearly not intending to.)

It was also right around the one hour mark, during the set's extended last jam, that a small crowd started gathering near the front of the stage and down the aisles. A few pogoed, some bounced around, and even more just joined the group to make their presence felt, an appropriately warm gesture to end the night.

Michael Rother and band are done with this round of shows (until ATP NY in September) but they'll be on WFMU Tuesday (today), 3-6pm on the Brian Turner show. Guitarist Bill Orcutt visited the same show on August 3rd, and performed in WFMU's 4th Floor bathroom. His full set is up at the Free Music Archive, and a video of it is below.

More Neu!/Hallogallo 2010 pictures are below too...

Continue reading "Hallogallo 2010 (Neu!) played Lincoln Center w/ Hermeto Pascoal (pics), is appearing on WFMU (today)"

Michael Rother (Neu!) / Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) (crlsblnc)

The wealth and breadth of musical treats on offer at Barcelona's annual Primavera Sound Festival hit home with a suckerpunch on Saturday May 29th at 7pm, when I was forced to choose between live sets by The Clean, Michael Rother's new project "Hallogallo 2010", playing the music of NEU! and Harmonia, and Van Dyke Parks. After much deliberation I chose The Clean. My consolation prize for being forced to reject other such riches came during the walk over. The seaside stage The Clean were playing on was only accessible by first walking past another stage, where Michael Rother and pals Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth, drums) and Aaron Mullan (Tall Firs, bass), were playing what is perhaps the definitive piece of motorik Krautrock, "Hallogallo", by Rother's legendary '70s Düsseldorf duo NEU! I hung around for a few minutes, then headed over to see a few songs by The Clean, one of which ("Tensile") drummer Hamish Kilgour dedicated to Rother. Heading back to the WFMU tent to begin our broadcast day, I stopped to linger in the sweet spot where the sounds of both bands collided, then procrastinated more at the Rother stage again to soak up the melancholy majesty of the Harmonia track "Deluxe (Immer Wieder)".

In an age where "heritage" acts are propped up to play their catalog on-demand for crowds ravenous to devour them in order to chalk up some bogus experience, a cynic might find something crass in the presentation of this music today; a purist might consider Rother's longtime partner, the late Klaus Dinger, irreplaceable. And it's right for a fan to always be on guard against the creep of hired-hands, or an artist's alienation from the art s/he created many years ago. I was prepared for disappointment; I got transcendence. Shelley and Mullan showed a sympathy to the music worthy of the people who created it. The power of this music filling limitless space and spreading outward to the Mediterranean Sea bordered on the religious. Give thanks and praise to Rother, Shelley and Mullan for allowing us to share their set with you. [WFMU]

Hallogallo 2010 will be in NYC for Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival on August 6th. Their other US shows currently include Philly, ATP NY, Columbus, Ohio, and a newly added date at Maxwell's on August 4th, where they perform as performing as "Michael Rother and Freunde." Tickets are on sale.

Videos from Primavera and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Hallogallo (Neu!) played Primavera (audio), add NJ show (tix)"

Please join WFMU for a evening of delicious al fresco entertainment and broadcasting on Memorial Day!

DJ/Rupture, DJ Trent, and the Friends of the High Line team up next Monday, May 31st from 7-10pm to bring you a solar-powered broadcast from The High Line, the most beautiful public space in New York: disused elevated railroad tracks that rise 30 feet above the meatpacking district, transformed into magnificent viewing platforms for the greatest city in the world, Jersey City, and its close cousin Manhattan.

Featuring a live set of interstellar 8-bit crunk by Minusbaby + live stargazing (with telescopes!) by the Amateur Astronomers' Association. And, of course, the best sounds from this and other dimensions from DJ/rupture and Trent.

Join the fun in person - for free! - on the High Line under the Standard Hotel between 12th and 13th Streets (map) - or play along at home on 91.1fm or WFMU.org. Powered by the sun with the help of Solar 1.

Before then, the annual Primavera Sound music festival is going down in Barcelona over the weekend and, like in the past, WFMU is there broadcasting...

We'll be carrying full sets this Friday from Noon to 11pm, and Saturday from 1pm to Midnight, and the lineup resembles a who's who of WFMU Heavy Hitters like Pavement, Sic Alps, Liquid Liquid, Van Dyke Parks, Ganglians, the Slits, Marc Almond, Gary Numan, the Clean, Mission of Burma, the New Pornographers, and more!

Continue reading "WFMU is streaming Primavera Sound performances, broadcasting from the High Line on Memorial Day"

by BBG

Salome at BV-BBG at CMJ (more by Samantha Marble)

Wow just turned into OMFG. Wolves In The Throne Room and Salome have been announced as support for the previously discussed 3/11 Shrinebuilder show at NYU. Ticket Info is forthcoming, but NYU students can expect to pay $2 and non-NYU-ers pay a whopping $5.

And while we are on the topic of killer bands, we'd like to announce that Salome will play the two-stage BrooklynVegan Day Party on March 17th at Emo's in Austin, Texas! For those counting at home, that's Salome plus Torche and Fucked Up! More artist announcements are on the way.

Salome will also play the 20 Buck Spin / Profound Lore official SXSW showcase at Headhunters in Austin on 3/19. As expected, the labels have teamed up for a killer lineup of underground metal greats: Yakuza, Liturgy, The Endless Blockade, Coffinworm, White Mice, + two more bands TBA.

That same night (3/19) at Spiro's, just down the street from the 20 Buck Spin/Profound Lore Showcase will be the WFMU/Aquarius showcase which, much like last year, is brimming with great and forward thinking music of heavy/punk persuasion. Liturgy will also be featured at the two-stage show along with Speedwolf, Iron Man, Moon Duo, Shit and Shine, Pierced Arrows, Dengue Fever, Epileptinomicon, Drunkdriver, Home Blitz, Headdress, Sonny & the Sunsets, True Widow, and Todd. For more on the upcoming WFMU show, head to their site. Decisions!

Drunkdriver's other upcoming shows include other SXSW gigs and Cake Shop in NYC on 3/14 with Todd.

Pierced Arrows are scheduled for two NYC area shows with Lullabye Arkestra, March 5th at Mercury (tix) and March 6th at Maxwell's (tix).