photos by Jessica Amaya, words by Rachel Kowal

Atlas Sound in a church

Northside Festival got off to a sweaty start yesterday, but luckily, the weather held out. I don't think I'm alone in saying that last night may have been the most stacked. Forget a slow build-up. It was 8:00, and there were already at least three places I really wanted to be, but I decided to go with Atlas Sound. I mean it was at St. Cecilia's, so it got extra points.

"I think this is the first time I've been in a church," one guy said tentatively to his friend before the show started. With its stained glass windows, carefully carved decorations, shiny chandeliers, and beautiful pews, it was a sight to behold.

The setting couldn't have been more fitting for the opening act, Lichens. The set got off to a slow start - seven solid minutes of a monotone buzz, but it soon started to build with every passing minute as Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe added more to the mix, including some otherworldly vocals. The natural reverb of the space further complimented his sound.

After about playing for about thirty minutes straight, he stopped as suddenly as he had begun, and another one-man act, Adam Forkner (aka White Rainbow), took his place behind a folding table and began to fiddle with a series of knobs and pedals. Forkner, too, carefully looped his music together, but for him, the music was more to entertain - not to bring about a religious experience. With the addition of some bass in the mix, it was just enough to get two people near the front to stand up in their pews and start dancing. (I smell a Craigslist missed connection in the making.)

Up next was yet another one-man act, Atlas Sound. In his red button up shirt and high-wasted khaki pants, Bradford Cox was dressed for the occasion. The majority of his set comprised brand new songs (for which he apologized, saying he had forgotten how the other ones go), but he did at least slip in a few older ones, including "Shelia." It's only a matter of time before Cox starts to make up songs on the spot for each show (as he joked he was doing at the Brooklyn show).

Unfortunately, though the atmosphere was ornate, I didn't love the sound quality. (Or maybe I'm just spoiled from hearing him play at the Bell House.) At times, the guitar took on this jarring quality as it pierced through the otherwise dreamy mix, but the crowd didn't seem to mind too much (Andrew liked it). A number of people left their seats in the back and filled in the space in between the pews as the show went on.

After a brief encore, Bradford Cox delivered something of a benediction to the crowd, and turned everyone loose to dash to the next show - for me, it was off to a sticky hot Bruar Falls (as per Bill's recommendation) for a bit of jangly pop, courtesy of Reading Rainbow and Eternal Summers. It was still early after all.

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Woods headlines the show at St. Cecilia's tonight (Friday). Eleanor Friedberger is Saturday (Eleanor moved to Europa). Mount Eerie is Sunday. More pictures from Thursday and a video too, below...

Continue reading "Northside night 1 w/ Atlas Sound, Lichens & White Rainbow (pics & review)"

by Andrew Sacher

Atlas Sound at SXSW (more by Chris Gersbeck)

Atlas Sound played St. Cecilia's Church last night (6/16) with support from Lichens and White Rainbow. If half hour drone sets are your thing, you may enjoy catching Lichens again at Zebulon on June 22 with Soft Circle and Urxed. And if you're into similar sounds, but with more hip hop beats, White Rainbow plays again tonight (6/17) at the Impose Magazine & Weird Magic show at 285 Kent Ave. The bill also includes Laurel Halo, La Big Vic, Co La (who aren't playing Death By Audio), and others. There will also be DJ sets by Brian DeGraw (Gang Gang Dance), DJ Azizaman, and Weird Magic DJs.

Atlas Sound, which was Bradford Cox with mic, guitar and effect pedals, played a great set last night with a ton of new songs (Bradford said he didn't really remember how to play most of his old ones). A full review and pics of this show coming soon.

Tickets go on sale today (6/17) at noon for Deerhunter's August 23 Webster Hall show. Tickets are still available for their August 22 show at the same venue too.

Updated Deerhunter dates below...

Continue reading "Atlas Sound played a church w/ Lichens & White Rainbow (who plays 285 Kent w/ Laurel Halo tonight)"

photos by Erez Avissar

Teen Inc

LA's Teen Inc (who are back in town for CMJ) dropped in at Brooklyn's Monster Island on 10/8 with Gatekeeper, Blondes, Teengirl Fantasy, and Greatest Hits. Prior to that show, White Rainbow soundtracked a yoga session on top of Market Hotel. Pictures from both events are in this post, and continue below...

Continue reading "Teen Inc, Gatekeeper, Blondes, Teengirl Fantasy & Greatest Hits @ Monster Island ++ White Rainbow yoga (pics) "

DOWNLOAD: Deerhunter - Carve Your Initials Into the Walls of the Night (mediafire)

Atlas Sound @ MHOW in October (more by Toby Tenenbaum)

Bradford Cox brings his Atlas Sound project to NYC for a show on Wednesday, February 3rd at the Bell House. tickets are on sale.

It's one of two dates currently booked for the group. The other is a February 26th show in San Francisco.

Over the weekend (12/12), Bradford posted a 2005 Deerhunter CD-R, Carve Your Initials Into the Walls of the Night, as a free download on his blog. He writes: "It features only me and Moses and is very experimental in nature. This was during our "tape phase" when we would often play shows as a duo (or as a trio with colin) playing only tape machines and vocal loops." The recording is linked above. Its tracklist, more info, Bradford's favorite albums of 2009, and tour dates below...

Continue reading "Bradford Cox (Atlas Sound) announces shows (dates), releases free 2005 Deerhunter album, lists his 'Best of 2009'"

Polvo @ Brooklyn Bowl on Friday (iPhone pic by windupgodzilla)

Like Friday's free Polvo & Obits show, today's free Dan Deacon, Deerhunter & No Age Pool Party show has been moved from the Williamsburg Waterfront to Brooklyn Bowl due to rain. Doors are at 6pm, sets will start at 7pm. Full lineup ("Special round robin set including Ed Schrader, White Rainbow, Infinite Body"). FREE. ALL AGES. First come, first served.

DOWNLOAD: Grizzly Bear - Knife (covered by Atlas Sound) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Atlas Sound - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (N. Young / Psychic TV) (MP3)

Bradord Cox, aka Atlas Sound, has announced some Feb/Mar tour dates (smack dab in the middle of Deerhunter's 'hiatus'). He plays Mercury Lounge on February 23rd, and the next day at Music Hall of Williamsburg. More info, and all dates, below.....

Continue reading "Atlas Sound (Deerhunter/Bradford Cox) - 2008 Tour Dates"