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).

by BBG

Drunkdriver at Union Pool (more by Samantha Marble)

Besides the previously mentioned show at Cake Shop with Todd on 3/14, Drunkdriver have added a pair of upcoming gigs. First up, the band will play a record release show at Market Hotel on 3/27 with Vile Gash, Aerosols, Neon Blud and Scapegoat. Monster Island Basement will house the second show on 4/4 with Lamps and Pop. 1280. In addition, these nutjobs have clarified their plans for SXSW by announcing their participation in the WFMU/Aquarius Records showcase on March 19th and the Load/Siltbreeze/Parts Unknown showcase on March 20th. Full Drunkdriver dates are below.

Continue reading "Drunkdriver add more NYC shows & SXSW (2010 dates) "

by Andrew Frisicano

ACME...outdoors in warmer times

Tonight (12/17) at the Tank, American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME) perform music from Phil Kline and John Cage (two earlier works, String Quartet in Four Parts and Credo In Us). Kline's annual Unsilent Night event just happened in NYC on December 12th (and is still to come in other cities). His piece Exquisite Corpses, on the program for ACME, also prominently features boomboxes. He's also put together a new acoustic arrangement of his string quartet The Blue Room and Other Stories (originally written for Ethel whose version is below), which ACME will be debuting. Tickets are on sale.

Kicking off tonight and running through this weekend, the Tank heads to Brooklyn to present the Blip Festival at the Bell House. If you can't be there, you can listen on WFMU.

Across town and also tonight (12/17), the New York Philharmonic will be launching its Contact! new music series at Symphony Space (95th and Broadway). Four composers - Arlene Sierra, Lei Liang, Marc-André Dalbavie & Arthur Kampela - will be debuting very different compositions with the group. Video and audio previews of those are below. Tickets are on sale. An encore performance (to borrow a phrase) takes place Saturday, December 19th at Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The second Contact! program - with new music from Sean Shepherd, Nico Muhly and Matthias Pintscher - comes April 16th at Symphony Space and April 17th at Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Videos and more info are below...

Continue reading "NY Philharmonic launches Contact! series tonight & ACME performs @ The Tank ++ other dates & videos"

by Andrew Frisicano

Mode Records has etched its name in the annals of music history, producing the avant-garde and modern classical music of influential composers such as John Cage, Morton Feldman, Iannis Xenakis, and Harry Partch. In its twenty-fifth year, they are hosting a six-hour benefit concert featuring very special performances by Philip Glass and John Zorn and a rare performance of John Cage's "Concert for Piano and Orchestra" with "Aria." This marathon of experimental music luminaries in the intimate Abrons Playhouse helps Mode Records to continue producing the best of New Music into the 21st century.

Thanks to the recession (and the other more nuanced factors we can lump in with it), the Mode concert is neither the only benefit nor the only marathon happening this week. Another benefit marathon this week (also with John Zorn) is happening at the Clemente Soto Vélez (CSV) Cultural Center (dubbed "The Suffolk" for CMJ this year) on Friday, Nov. 20th and Saturday, Nov. 21st. The beneficiaries of the 28 hour marathon are non-profit Arts For Art and the annual Vision Festival, which is going into its 15th year. Night one acts include Sex Mob, John Zorn solo, pianist Connie Crothers and her quartet, Sam Hillmer's Regattas and $KELETON$ Big Band (who are also at the Stone in December). Night two includes Milford Graves & Marshall Allen Duo and a cast of rotating musicians and groups. A full schedule is here. Tickets are on sale.

Yet another (!) benefit marathon comes from WFMU, who is currently holding a 24-hour benefit that runs until Wednesday, November 18th (today) at 7pm. More details on the fundraiser and why it's needed are below. Donate here.

A poster, the full Mode Fest lineup and relevant videos and info are posted below...

Continue reading "Mode Records benefit w/ Philip Glass (whose opera is @ BAM tonight) & John Zorn (who plays the Vision Fest marathon)"

You had plenty of CMJ chances to see both Surf bands in NYC last week. In case you didn't, Surfer Blood is at Death By Audio tonight (10/26). It's a great bill with Parts and Labor, Small Black, and The Sundelles also playing. Surf City is at Market Hotel tonight.

Also here last week, though not part of CMJ was the first-ever NYC-area appearances by The Trashmen, makers of the a famous tune called "Surfin' Bird". They played at Maxwell's, Southpaw and at the WFMU Record Fair. Video of almost all of their set at the latter, below...

Continue reading "The Trashmen were here. Surf City & Surfer Blood are still"

Live bands included. More details below...

Continue reading "2009 WFMU Record Fair this weekend (w/ live bands)"

Kurt Vile on WFMU @ UCB - Oct 7, 2009 (notladj)

"Kurt opened the night with two solo numbers that haven't appeared on any record, to my knowledge. I recognized "Peeping Tomboy" from one of the Ray Concepcion videos from Kurt Vile's last Silent Barn show, which I've posted below. If I had any doubt that Kurt Vile has any more good material left in him after this new album, "Peeping Tomboy" puts my worries to rest. With the October 6th release of Childish Prodigy, it was no surprise that Kurt Vile and the Violators mostly performed songs from that album. However, he performed a couple of songs off Constant Hitmaker, and they were given the Violators treatment. Of course, KV and the Violators tackled "Freeway," the song that Kurt once referred to as their Billboard chart hit, "right above 'Like a Rolling Stone.'" By far, the live version of "Freeway" is my favorite, mostly due to J Turbo's added harmonica part. No "My Sympathy" this night, but Kurt said he would definitely play it at his next NYC show. I will be there." [LAMIMAB]

Kurt Vile and the Violators are now on tour, but they'll be back soon. They were just added as opener on the November 18th Big Star show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple. Some tickets are still available.

A bunch of videos below...

Continue reading "Kurt Vile played UCB & Mercury Lounge, opening for Big Star"

WFMU's 7 Second Delay Live happens live at UCB at 6:00pm. If you can't make it, you can always just listen on your Internet radio. Kurt Vile then plays Mercury Lounge tonight around 11 (Still Life Still plays the same venue, but much earlier).