Xiu Xiu at Bowery Ballroom in May (more by Joe McCabe)

Xiu Xiu will be touring with Swans this September, and though Xiu Xiu won't be there when Swans plays Bowery Ballroom (10/10), he's revealing some of his own shows to happen before the tour, including one in NYC, which happens on August 30 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (7/13) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (7/11) at noon.

A list of all dates on the tour and a video are below.

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu playing shows before Swans tour (dates)"

The 2012 edition of MusicFestNW takes place in September 5 - 9 at 18 venues in Portland, OR and will feature performances from over 150 bands, including Passion Pit, Hot Snakes, Girl Talk, Danny Brown, Beirut Silversun Pickups, Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh, many more.

In addition to those previously announced artists, MFNW has just added The Hives, Flying Lotus, Wild Nothing, DIIV, Quasi, Moon Duo, My Goodness, DZ Deathrays, and Strand Of Oaks to the already impressive line-up. Wristbands, available various levels and packages, and tickets to individual shows are on sale now. Check out the complete MFNW lineup below.

Continue reading "MusicFestNW 2012 lineup expands (The Hives, Flying Lotus, Quasi, DIIV, Passion Pit, Hot Snakes, Beirut, Swans & many more)"

photos by Tim Griffin

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan at Mohawk - 6/6/12

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan just finished up a tour with Xiu Xiu and Father Murphy. That tour didn't come to NYC (Xiu Xiu and Father Murphy played here with Dirty Beaches) but it did hit the Mohawk in Austin on 6/6, and YT//ST stopped by for their own show at Mercury Lounge on Wednesday (6/13). Pictures of Yamantaka // Sonic Titan from their Austin show are in this post, and pics of Xiu Xiu and Father Murphy from that show can be found on bvAustin.

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan are one of three bands that were just nominated for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize playing NXNE in their home country of Canada this weekend.

More pics from the Mohawk show below...

Continue reading "Yamantaka // Sonic Titan played Mercury Lounge & shows w/ Xiu Xiu (pics)"

photos by Joe McCabe

Xiu Xiu at Bowery Ballroom 5/4/12

Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches (whose live show is no longer a one-man affair) are wrapping up a tour together which hit NYC on May 4 at Bowery Ballroom with support from Father Murphy. Xiu XIu's set covered pretty much his entire catalog, reaching as far back as "Suha" off his 2002 debut, Knife Play, through stuff off this year's Always, and also threw in a cover of Joy Divison/New Order's "Ceremony." He returned for an encore to cover Suicide's "Frankie Teardrop" (video below). It's too bad he didn't bring out his Suicide-worshipping tourmate to help him on that one.

After Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches finish their run together this week, Xiu Xiu will continue to tour into next month with Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, who we recently interviewed on bvChicago. That leg of the tour won't return to NYC, but as discussed, YT//ST will play their own show here on June 13 at Mercury Lounge with YVETTE. Tickets for that show are still available.

More pics, videos, and setlist from the Bowery Ballroom show below...

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches played Bowery (pics, videos, setlist)"

Free Paint at DBA 5th Anniversary Party (more by Andrew St. Clair)

As mentioned, Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches released a split 7" for Record Store Day and kicked off a tour together earlier this month/week which hits NYC TONIGHT (5/4) with Father Murphy, who just played The Stone on Tuesday (5/1) with Les Bonhommes (who count Deerhoof's Greg Saunier as a member). Tickets for Bowery Ballroom are still available.

Speaking of Greg Saunier, who also produced/played on a handful of Xiu Xiu records, his band Free Paint plays Zebulon on Sunday (5/6) with Shy Hunters, Shahzad Ismaily/Ryan Sawyer/Darius Jones, and Interstitials. Check out a video of Free Paint at Death by Audio's 5th Anniversary Party below.

Xiu Xiu also has a new video out for "Honeysuckle" off his recent LP, Always. Updated Xiu Xiu dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu on tour, has a new video; Free Paint playing Zebulon"

by Andrew Sacher

Buke and Gase at Prospect Park in 2011 (more by Toby Tenebaum)

Buke and Gase will be curating The Stone from tonight (5/1) to May 15. The curation kicks off tonight with Father Murphy at 8 PM and Les Bonhommes at 10 PM.

After tonight's show, Father Murphy, who are here from Italy, head out on tour with Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches (which hits Bowery Ballroom this Friday 5/4). Their album was mixed by Deerhoof's Greg Saunier who is one third of, but not the drummer of, Les Bonhommes (that also features William Kuehn from Rainer Maria).

Other performances throughout the week include former Parts & Labor noisemaker Dan Friel and Bunnybrains on 5/4; a Tonic reunion featuring Mephista with John Zorn, Steve Bernstein's MTO and more; Extra Life's Charlie Looker, Greg Fox, & Jamie Saft and Glass Ghost on 5/11, gonzo drummer Greg Fox and Hubble on 5/12, a powerhouse grouping of Ryan Sawyer, Colin Stetson, Nate Wooley, C. Spencer Yeh Quartet on 5/13, and Matana Roberts and Ches Smith on 5/15, among others.

Buke & Gase don't actually play any of the shows they curated but they do play the Dessner-curated Crossing Brooklyn Ferry fest on May 4 at BAM.

The second half of May at the Stone is curated by Gyan Riley.

Check out the full schedule below...

Continue reading "Buke & Gase curating The Stone's first two week's in May"

by Bill Pearis

Widowspeak at BV-SXSW (more by Tim Griffin)

Dirty Beaches and Widowspeak have added another show to their already busy schedules. Both bands will play Shea Stadium this Saturday (4/21), co-headlining a party for the newly-relaunched NewtownRadio.com. Also playing are Black Marble and Family Portrait. Advance tickets ($12) are being sold for this one. Also there's open bar by Brooklyn Brewery (8PM - 9:30PM) & Sailor Jerry (11PM - 2AM) .

Dirty Beaches will begin their tour with Xiu Xiu in a couple weeks which hits Bowery Ballroom on May 5. (All Xiu Xiu/Dirty Beaches dates are below.) The two will also share a Record Store Day 7", with Xiu Xiu covering Erasure's "Always" on one side and Dirty Beaches taking on Francois Hardy's "Tu Ne Dis Rien" on the flip. You can stream both sides of that RSD release at the bottom of this post.

Widowspeak, meanwhile, will play also play the WBAR-B-Que at Barnard College on April 28 with Bush Tetras, Dam Funk and more. After that the band plays Knitting Factory on June 9, the start of their tour with 2:54 that also hits Mercury Lounge. Widowspeak also did a recent Newtown Radio Session, performing "Half Awake" that you can watch below.

These live sessions are a big part of the relaunched Newtown Radio site and you can watch performances from Light Asylum, DIVE, Chelsea Wolfe, The Immaculates and more.

Click through for tour dates, streams and videos...

Continue reading "Newtown Radio relaunches website; Dirty Beaches & Widowspeak playing launch party & other dates"

by Andrew Sacher

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan

Canadian duo Yamantaka // Sonic Titan (aka Alaska B and Ruby Kato Attwood) wrapped up 2011 with a self titled album that's been picking up more and more speed into the new year. The band combines progressive rock, psychedelia, sludge metal, noise, and a handful other genres, coming out with an undeniably eclectic sound. Both members are of Asian ethnicity and are practicing Buddhists, which they openly express as having influenced their sound. Redefine Mag are fans, but are a bit cynical about it saying, there is a degree of intense Asian fetishism present in YT//ST's schtick that translates to their image in an arguably trite way." Meanwhile, Now writes that "Yamantaka//Sonic Titan purposely position themselves at the nebulous centre of multiple dialogues about identity politics, culture, genre, discipline and even what it means to be a band," and Pitchfork calls them "stoner-rock imaginings of Chinese opera." The Grid says that the band explores "Asian, Indigenous and diasporic identities, riffing on and sending up stereotypes while crafting their own unique and utterly compelling ways of telling stories."

The band's desire to fusion Eastern and Western cultures does bring to mind Japanese bands Boris and Boredoms, and if either of those bands had Lizzi Bougatsos of Gang Gang Dance singing, it probably wouldn't sound too far off from YT//ST. Their Pitchfork interview also mentions that their band name references a Buddhist deity and a Sleep song, and that their self-penned genre, "Noh-wave" is a reference to the Japanese musical drama form Noh, and obviously, No Wave.

Referencing that many things from across the globe, history, and a wide musical palette and putting it all into one cohesive album (which clocks in just over 30 minutes with 7 songs) sounds great on paper. But if you're wondering if Yamantaka // Sonic Titan can actually accomplish it, stream the entire album at their bandcamp. It's as weird as it is catchy, as heavy as it is soft, and as modern as it is nostalgic. Also check out the video for album track "Hoshi Neko" below.

Their live shows, which include tons of theatrics like face paint, masks, costumes, and visuals, feature other members in addition to Ruby Kato Attwood and Alaska B. Their facebook credits Ange Loft, John Ancheta, Brendan Swanson, Alana Ruth, and Walter Scott. Note that three of the members include "art" as one of their "instruments" and that they also have members to handle lighting, stage, and costume.

You can catch them at one of their upcoming dates which include the Jeff Mangum-curated ATP Minehead UK in March and a run of US dates with Xiu XIu on their upcoming tour. Yamantaka // Sonic Titan don't play at Xiu Xiu's Bowery Ballroom show (5/4) (Dirty Beaches does) but they'll play their own NYC show just after the tour ends. That show happens at Mercury Lounge on June 13. Tickets go on sale Friday (3/9) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (3/7) at noon.

All dates and video below...

Continue reading "check out Yamantaka // Sonic Titan (who have announced a NYC show after Xiu Xiu tour)"

Xiu Xiu in Boston in 2010 (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

Xiu Xiu and DIrty Beaches are set to release a limited edition split 7" on Record Store Day which includes Xiu Xiu covering Erasure's "Always" and Dirty Beaches covering Francoise Hardy's "Tu Ne Dis Rien."

The two will also team up for a number of dates on Xiu Xiu's international tour including a NYC show happening on May 4 at Bowery Ballroom with support from Father Murphy. Tickets for the NYC show go on sale Friday (3/2) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (2/29) at noon. All dates, including some with Canada's Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, are listed below.

And, "Always" isn't just the name of the Erasure track that Xiu Xiu is covering. It's also the name of Xiu Xiu's new album which comes out on March 6 via Polyvinyl. The album was produced by Greg Sauiner of Deerhoof and you can stream the entire thing below.

All dates and album stream below...

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu streaming new album, announce tour & split with Dirty Beaches (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: Sole - Nuclear Winter Volume 2: Death Panel (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sole - Napolean (w/ Xiu Xiu) (MP3)

Underground hip hop crew Sole & The Skyrider Band have but a few short hours before they welcome Hello Cruel World. Sole's first release since his split with Anticon (which he helped found), Hello Cruel World features guest shouts from Lil B and Pictureplane (who is on tour now), Sage Francis, and even Xiu Xiu on the new track "Napolean" which makes its MP3 premiere in this post. Download above. Stream it, along with the Lil B/Pictureplane track below.

Sole accompanied the release of the LP with a free mixtape which is available now. Nuclear Winter Volume 2: Death Panel follows the path of its predecessor by seing Tim Holland drop rhymes over modern day beats from Dipset, Clipse, Lil Wayne, and even Salem, James Blake, and Katy Perry. Download that for free above.

Look for Sole on the road in the West Coast in the coming month. All dates, as well as streams of both new songs and the cover art and full LP tracklist, below.

Continue reading "Sole & the Skyrider Band releasing guest-filled LP w/ Lil B, Pictureplane, Xiu Xiu, more (MP3 premiere, West Coast dates)"

by BBG

Joan of Arc in 2008 (more by Leia Jospe)

After dates on their current southwestern tour and a forthcoming UK tour come to an end, Joan of Arc will kick off another leg of dates in Pontiac, MI with Implodes heading toward the East Coast before looping back to a tour-ending show in St. Louis. NYC will get an appearance on that journey at Mercury Lounge on August 10th. Tickets are currently on AmEx presale and go on regular sale at noon on Friday (5/20)

Mike Kinsella of Joan of Arc/Cap'n Jazz will bring his side/solo/other project Owen to one upcoming date in Champaign, IL in September at the Pygmalion Music Festival. There Owen will share a stage with Cut Copy, Explosions in the Sky, Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, Asobi Seksu, Japandroids, and the reunited Braid. So far no other dates Braid dates have emerged, but we'll be on the look out.

Implodes released their new LP Black Earth via Kranky in April. Check out the shoegaze-y burner "Marker" streaming below alongside alll tour dates and some video.

Continue reading "Joan of Arc touring w/ Implodes (dates), Owen playing Pygmalion Music Festival w/ the reunited Braid (and others)"

DOWNLOAD: Greg Saunier vs. WOOM - Quetzalcoatl's Ship (MP3)

Greg on stage with Deerhoof (more by Chris Gersbeck)

We already knew that we could catch the very talented Greg Saunier of Deerhoof at one of two upcoming NYC shows (Ridgewood Masonic Temple on 2/8 with Buke & Gass and Le Poisson Rouge on 3/14-tickets), but we can also see the Deerhoof trapsman extraordinaire THIS FRIDAY, 2/17, at Bruar Falls. It doesn't look like Saunier will be behind the kit though, but he will be manning the drums... on a drum machine if the billing of the show is correct. Bruar Falls lists it as "SARA MAGENHEIMER (WOOM) AND GREG SAUNIER (DEERHOOF) DRUM MACHINE IMPROV DUO. The show kicks off at 8PM and will also feature sets by The Psyched and Antimagic. WOOM won't play the show, but they do have dates coming up elsewhere which are listed below. All Deerhoof dates are in a previous post.

This is not the first time Woom and Deerhoof will have collaborated either...

Last July the duo WOOM released their debut album, Muu's Way. Since then, word of mouth has been spreading about the chaotic, tender, startlingly original world the album creates. The band's reputation has grown slowly but persistently at the edge of visibility, like a slime mold spreading across the parking lot of modern independent pop music. So who is it listening to WOOM? Well, take for example some of their biggest fans: the musicians featured on this new release, Muu's Way Remixed.

Deerhoof's Greg Saunier takes on the underwater pop splash "Quetzalcoatl's Ship". Adding stuttering distorted drums, his version rolls the song like an over-ripe melon down a rocky hill in the hot sun. His longtime collaborators, Xiu Xiu, have a remarkably different take on the same song, chopping and looping to create a moody piece of midnight electro-minimalist doom.

BJ Warshaw (Parts and Labor, Shooting Spires) turns "The Hunt" (human-breath-based dance beat) into a psychedelic trash-can rave-up. Lucky Dragons ease the album's political-sleeper-love-song "Judith" into a pastoral latin-bumping cloud of rain. Talk Normal flip folk-concrete "Backwards Beach" into a no-wave sing-a-long. Meanwhile, Japanther get mellow with "Salt" and Butchy Fuego (Pit er Pat, The Boredoms) invents a new genre ("Woombia") for "Back In."

In related news, the "driver" half of Deerhoof's "Hoofdriver" project (that 7" is out now) will play two nights at Southpaw as part of "Search And Restore & Manhattan New Music presents...4 nights of Kneebody". Kneebody's four night residency will feature two sets from the band each night, and will take place on 1/26 -1/29 with Wayne Krantz on the first night (tickets), Busdriver on board for the second night (tickets), Busdriver & Mark Guiliana on the third (tickets), and Daedelus on the final night (tickets).

It's not the first time that Kneebody and Busdriver have collaborated for a show or on stage; in fact, the pair were in NYC in February for Kneebody's four day residency at Bleecker St Theater. Videos of the two artists playing together are below.

If you can't make it to catch Daedelus at Southpaw, you can still catch him support Lotus with Tobacco at Terminal 5 on February 5th. Tickets are on sale. Lotus is also on board to play Mercury Lounge the night before, and tickets to that show are currently on sale as a package with the Terminal 5 tickets.

Full tour dates and everything else below...

Continue reading "Deerhoof's Greg Saunier playing w/ WOOM's Sara, Kneebody playing w/ Busdriver & Daedelus (who opens for Lotus too)"

DOWNLOAD: Deerhoof - "The Merry Barracks" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Physical Forms - "On The Brink" (MP3)

photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

Deerhoof at Paramount Theatre in Boston on October 10th

"Drummer/mastermind Greg Saunier -- in purple pants and bright green sneakers -- bashed at his tiny drum kit as though he were swatting bees (whether there was a song in progress or not), and vocalist/bassist Satomi Matsuzaki busted out callisthenic dance moves between her polyglot chirps. Guitarists John Dieterich and Ed Rodriguez were appropriately centered, braiding jagged melodies together in errant knots that ultimately held each song tight." [Boston.com]

Da 'hoof currently has two releases on deck for the coming months. The first is the Deerhoof/Physical Forms - Hoofdriver split 7" due on 11/6, which features Busdriver singing over a Deerhoof instrumental while the flip features him backed by members of The Mae Shi as Physical Forms. Preorder that split and check out "On The Brink" by Physical Forms above.

Deerhoof will also release their new album Deerhoof vs. Evil on January 25th! The new record will see release on LP/CD (preorder via Polyvinyl) and limited cassette (500 copies with digital download on Joyful Noise) formats. Dig on "The Merry Barracks" above.

Most dates Deerhoof played in October have been with Father Murphy and Xiu Xiu, one of which was at the Paramount Theatre in Boston on October 10th.

"If you're wondering how the sound is at the restored Paramount Theatre: It's amazing. You hear everything. During Sunday evening's inaugural rock show for the theater, when I went to jot down a line from Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart -- "thinking of her dream makes her feel like it's stupid,'' from "Dr. Troll'' -- the click of my pen echoed like I'd dropped a phonebook." [Boston.com]

Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof played their last show together last night, 10/12, at Daniel Street in Connecticut, and though Xiu Xiu does not play the NY show tonight, Xiu Xiu will play their own show at Maxwell's in Hoboken on Friday (10/15), and many other dates after that. Tickets for Maxwell's are still available.

Xiu Xiu played NYC in late September with the great Merzbow. Xiu Xiu played NYC with Deerhoof in July.

All dates and more pictures from Boston below...

Continue reading "Deerhoof is here, releasing new stuff (MP3s), played the restored Paramount in Boston & other dates w/ Xiu Xiu (pics) "

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Xiu Xiu @ LPR

Xiu Xiu are on the road and intersected with Japanese noise artist Merzbow and Gentle for a show at Le Poisson Rouge on Sunday night (9/26). Ecstatic Sunshine, who was originally scheduled to play, had to bow out of the show due to illness.

The show was one of three NYC gigs scheduled for Merzbow. The noise terrorist also attacked Issue Project Room twice on Thursday (9/23).

Merzbow, a/k/a Masami Akita, has been making noise since the late 1970s and last night he gave a more than 45-minute cacophonous performance. He performed with long hair swaying across his sunglass-clad face, sometimes sitting, sometimes hunched over his instruments with their "Meat is Murder" stickers, unfurling sonic textures so intense the guy next to me had his head in his hands. Indeed, that's what his music does--it's so oppressive that the room shakes and you start to hear echoes inside your brain. But listening to the music is only one-part of the noise experience. Coming out of the performance clear-headed and stronger than when you entered is just as integral.-[Village Voice]

More pictures from LPR, and a video of Merzbow at IPR, below...

Continue reading "Merzbow played 3 NYC shows, 1 w/ Xiu Xiu @ LPR (pics) "

DOWNLOAD: Former Ghosts - Chin Up [ft. Nika Roza Danilova] (MP3)

Xiu Xiu/Deerhoof in Brooklyn this summer (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Though we discussed Xiu Xiu's previously announced show at LPR with Merzbow, Ecstatic Sunshine, and Gentle on 9/26 (get your tix), we didn't know at the time that the show was part of a large, scratch that, huge tour that would lead Xiu Xiu into the end of November. Those new dates will impact Maxwell's in Hoboken on 10/15. Tickets are on sale (no opener listed).

Deerhoof and Father Murphy will open a portion of the North American dates though not in NYC where Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof played (Joy Division) together a couple months ago. Zola Jesus (who will play a sold-out United Palace show with The xx on 10/2) has been tapped to support on the European leg of that tour, and bring along Former Ghosts for the ride:

Former ghosts is the project of los angeles based electronic music composer/producer freddy ruppert. The project also includes collaborations from a handful of individuals including jamie stewart of xiu xiu, nika roza of zola jesus, yasmine kittles of tearist

I don't think it's far-fetched to expect some cross-pollination between the bands on those European dates which are listed, along with some videos and stuff, below...

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu & Zola Jesus touring with & part of Former Ghosts"

Jamie Stewart @ Williamsburg Waterfront on July 11th (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart seems to be in an collaborative mood of late. Recently, Stewart and Xiu Xiu member Angela Seo joined Deerhoof for a live tribute to Joy Division, which headlined the year's first Pool Party.

Next, Jamie teams up with Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg (someone who's been venturing out as well, like at a gig with Wye Oak's Andy Stack at the Whitney in June) to form Blue Water White Death, a name drawn from "a 1971 documentary that follows a team of increasingly reckless explorers on a shark-finding quest to Australia's aptly-named Dangerous Reef." The collab's self-titled debut comes out October 12th on Graveface Records. The pair wrote and recorded the eight-song album in a one-week session produced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Modest Mouse, The Roots, Black Mountain).

On the Xiu Xiu front, who, don't forget, released their a record of their own, Dear God, I Hate Myself, earlier this year, the band plays a show at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Sunday, September 26th with Japanese noise musician Merzbow. Ecstatic Sunshine and Gentle open the show Tickets are on sale.

Xiu Xiu plays in Baltimore this weekend for Whartscape, an annual fest in its fifth and, according to co-organizer Dan Deacon, final year. When asked by Baltimore Sun about his favorite act on the Whartscape lineup, Jamie Stewart mentioned Brooklyn's Talk Normal, saying "Talk Normal berates all that is dull by ignoring it and being thrilling, intense and open. When you see them, you want to be creative and you want to see the rest of the world. They remind you that art does matter and that you need it to live." Talk Normal opens for Sonic Youth (along with Grass Window) at Prospect Park on July 31st.

More Blue Water White Death info (art & tracklist) below...

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu forms group w/ Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg, playing NYC w/ Merzbow, likes Talk Normal"

photos by Kurt Christensen

Murder City Devils, Obits, Jeff the Brotherhood and Silverghost will play the free Pool Party at the Williamsburg Waterfront this Sunday, July 18th. The free series of shows kicked off this past Sunday with a headlining set by Xiu Xiu/Deerhoof who played after Why? who played after Fang Island who played after Pictureplane. We missed the two openers in our last post, so here are some more pictures from the event. They continue below...

Continue reading "more Pool Party pictures (Fang Island & Pictureplane) "

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford, words by Andrew Frisicano

Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof opened the first Pool Party of 2010 with a noisy, fleshy work out of Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures. The six-piece group smashed through the minimal record, with brash guitars and drums, free from studio EQ and delay, that were untethered and bold. Frontman Jamie Stewart put a muscular edge on Ian Curtis' deadpan gloom. By their headlining set, the clouds had parted and sun shined on the crowd.

Previously, it did rain a bit during Why?'s set, which also coincided with the end of the World Cup finals. Attendance picked up as the show went on, and after the game (which disappointingly didn't get screened at the show). Past the initial line of people at opening time around 2:30pm there was no wait to get in, and people could walk straight in, even during the headliner.

Earlier, Pictureplane gave the party a bassy, synthed out start. And Fang Island followed with a set heavy on guitars, group vox and unabashedly poppy melodicism.

"New York's senior State Senator" Chuck Schumer was there too, to tell his bike story through a faulty mic, and to wander through the crowd.

Chuck reiterated the freeness of the shows - obviously a good thing - though there's also an increasingly unavoidable corporate presence at the Pool Parties. Veoba logos brand much of the venue's eyespace, and freebies from All Saints (who rented out the building behind the stage), Vans and a bevy of low-cal sports and energy drinks line the park.

Also given a boost this year are the much improved food options, with the Meat Hook, Roberta's pizza, Mexican food and more on site.

Like the pay shows at the park (Weezer is this Friday), the stage now faces the water, leaving the Manhattan skyline to the backs of the crowd. The effect of that shift isn't inconsiderable, giving the space a more claustrophobic feel, though the sun (when it did shine) wasn't the problem it once was for the crowd. I'm guessing that the water-facing stage addresses some issues with sound carrying through the neighborhood. That said, the show Sunday was pleasantly loud, right through the abrasive conclusion.

Kyle was one of those who showed up after the soccer game. His pictures of the last two bands, Schumer, dodgeball, and more, below...

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu, Deerhoof, Why?, Fang Island & Pictureplane played a Pool Party (pics from the post-World Cup part)"

"WHY? at the waterfront was absolutely fantastic. Best time I've seen them. Fang Island shredded too!" - The Tape

"Meet Senator Chuck Schumer" @ the July 11th Pool Party (Ruthie_FF)

Pool Party champion Charles E. Schumer allowed people to ironically pose with him at the first of seven Pool Parties at the Williamsburg Waterfront on Sunday. Did you meet Chuck?

Eric White met Chuck Schumer (Erik White)

Sets of music were played by Why?, Fang Island, Pictureplane, and Xiu Xiu/Deerhoof combined to form a Joy Division cover band. Unfortunately there was no world cup viewing at the venue which definitely kept lots of people away. More photos and info on the show coming later. A few videos are below, and here's one more picture for now:

the scene backstage @ the Williamsburg Waterfront Sunday (bradwalsh)

July 18th's Pool Party will feature free sets of music by Murder City Devils, Obits, Jeff the Brotherhood and Silverghost. Some videos from July 11th below...

Continue reading "Did you Meet Senator Chuck Schumer @ the Williamsburg Waterfront Sunday? (or catch Pictureplane?)"

Xiu Xiu + Deerhoof @ Donaufestival 2010 (armin r)

In April, Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu premiered their joint cover of Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures at a music festival in Austria. On July 11th (five days from now), the bands will again perform the album as joint headliners of the first Williamsburg Pool Party of 2010. Why?, Fang Island and Pictureplane all open that free show.

In the fall, Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof will be touring together in Canada and the North East. Also on the horizon is a new Deerhoof album in 2011.

Videos from that Austrian Xiu Deervision show and all tour dates, below..

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu & Deerhoof will tour together & perform Joy Division again (in Brooklyn this weekend) "

@ a 2009 Pool Party (more by Tim Griffin)

I don't know what Veoba is either. The press release explains it though...

For the past 4 years, JELLY has hosted over 200,000 people for what has become one of the most groundbreaking FREE concert series in New York. Summer Sundays in Brooklyn have become synonymous with The Pool Parties and in the series' 5th Anniversary year, Pool Parties promises not to disappoint.

This year, The Pool Parties are again on the Williamsburg Waterfront for 7 dates from July 11th--August 29th. Due to scheduling conflicts, our August 1st date will be moved to a "Block Party" in and around Brooklyn Bowl making it 8 total "FREE Pool Party Sundays".

In celebrating our 5th Year Anniversary, JELLY also would like to give a big thanks to Senator Chuck Schumer and Phillip Goldfeder from the Senator's office for all of their support ensuring JELLY'S return to the Williamsburg Waterfront. JELLY owners Alexander Kane and Sarah Hooper state that, "It has been a long hard road this year to bring this series back to Williamsburg and it 100% could not have been done without Senator Schumer's efforts. "

The Pool Parties will be co-presented by VEOBA, an online resource for artists, managers, and record labels. Based in Chicago, but with global reach, VEOBA provides the music community with select services to progress and maintain their livelihood. VEOBA launched in May 2010 as a collective made up of music industry veterans, writers, managers, artists, and cartoon characters. From co-founder Jay Parkin, "More often than not, musicians rely on others to take their careers to the next level. We're here for those who care enough to do it themselves." Sharing Jelly's values of creativity and innovation, the people at VEOBA are thrilled to be involved in this summer's production. Parkin concludes, "For the independent and the like- minded, VEOBA facilitates the next step."

JELLY as well wants to give a shout out to all of their partners this summer from the new faces to old friends. Special thanks to AllSaints and Vans. As well as Amp Energy, vitaminwater®, SESAC, ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water, ZYNC from American Express^(SM), Spin Magazine, KEXP, and Main Drag. Along with OSA sponsors: Time Out New York, Brooklyn Brewery, and Heineken.

Now onto our official Pool Parties 5th Year Anniversary lineup! Check back soon for surprise guests we cant announce yet, the official DJ lineup for The Pool Parties 2010, and more fun things that are SURE to make the 5th Year Anniversary series one you will never forget!

The Official After-Pool Parties, presented by Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, will be held at Brooklyn Bowl following every Sunday's Pool Party!

The only difference between the leaked lineup and the official lineup is the addition of another "SECRET SPECIAL GUEST" and the listing of some curators. You can see the full list of confirmed free shows, below...

Continue reading "Jelly & Veoba confirm Williamsburg Waterfront 'Pool Party' lineups ('Secret Special Guests', Brooklyn Bowl afterparties)"

"Dan Deacon & Dustin Wong absolutely murdered it tonight at Cake Shop "Silence like the wind overCakes me, 5 yr anniversary!"" -corygreenwell

Dan Deacon @ Cake Shop on May 27th (via Youtube, below)

Dan Deacon played one of the last shows of Cake Shop's five-year-anniversary month on Thursday, May 27th. Also at the gig were Height, Eternal Summers, Big Troubles and Dustin Wong. A YouTube slideshow of pictures from the show is posted below.

Dan Deacon and his friends at Wham City have posted details on this year's Whartscape Festival in Baltimore on July 22-25. Confirmed acts include Wye Oak, Deakin, Javelin, Lightning Bolt, No Ave, Talk Normal, Zach Hill, Arab on Radar, Xiu Xiu, Yip Yip, Dan Deacon Ensemble and Ponytail (Beach House was intially listed but has since been removed). More bands are TBA. Tickets go on sale at WhamCity.com and Baltimore's True Vine Records on June 15th.

For Arab on Radar, this is yet another date to add to the list of reunion gigs they have scheduled in July, August and September.

Wye Oak are also playing Siren in July.

Deakin (ex-Animal Collective) will hopefully schedule a NYC show one day soon.

Dan Deacon will be back in NYC for a show on June 15th at Red Hook Park (part of a series of shows in the park that kicks off TONIGHT - June 1st).

The full Whartscape lineup and pictures from the Cake Shop show are below...

Continue reading "Dan Deacon played Cake Shop, Whatscape 2010 lineup announced (Lightning Bolt, Deakin, Ponytail, tons more)"

DOWNLOAD: WOOM - The Hunt (MP3)

(pic via)

WOOM is Eben Portnoy and Sara Magenheimer, a duo who splits time between Cali and NYC and used to be called Fertile Crescent. Both were in the band Flying, the other third of which is now in Glass Ghost. Last night WOOM played Cake Shop with "Bees Are Flowers" aka These Are Powers. Tonight (5/19) they perform at Death By Audio with Shooting Spires (BJ from Parts & Labor), AcHT(eN) (ex-The Good Good) and Family Trees.

At the end of May Woom goes to Europe for a three-week tour with Xiu Xiu. They'll be back at the end of June for shows as part of the Northside Festival (and a pair of dates in July too). Their debut, Muu's Way, comes out June 28th on BaDaBing Records (a track from it is above).

All tour dates, a video trailer for tonight's show, and live WOOM videos are below...

Continue reading "WOOM releasing an album (MP3), playing shows (dates)"

photos by Lori Baily

"The night was started by Twin Sister, a quintet with only one raspy voiced female. I certainly hope she's got a twin somewhere!...

...Next up was Zola Jesus, moniker for Nika Roza Danilova. Last year, she collaborated with Freddy Ruppert and Jaime Stewart for the Former Ghosts project, via the The Bull and the Ram. At that point, I had no idea who she was, but that song sounded pretty much like a nightmareish synth pop tune sung by Kate Bush, then after grabbing a couple of mp3s off her debut album The Spoils, it became clear that was her preferred line of work. She recently released a new EP called Stridulum that still goes down that same line of being the second coming of Kate Bush in an even more refined manner...

...Tune-Yards is another one-lady band, in this case her real name is Merrill Garbus....she proceeds to create her musical and vocal loops right in front of you. I have no idea how she does it, but it's incredibly fascinating to watch and makes her set electrifying...

...Xiu Xiu went through yet another line-up change, now it's only a duo with new member Angela Seo...About half the set consisted of songs from the new album Dear God, I Hate Myself. I've been listening a lot more to the album and it's currently on the rise with me. At first it struck me as a bit too 8-bit, but once you really give it a listen the sheer melodic genius of it all starts to shine through. Guess it won't really appeal much to the people who complained about Women As Lovers not being noisy enough, it probably is the most pop album. [pecusita]

Continue reading "Xiu Xiu, Tune-Yards, Zola Jesus & Twin Sister @ Bowery Ballroom in NYC - pics & setlists"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Zola Jesus - Night (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Zola Jesus - Clay Bodies (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Zola Jesus - Smireye (MP3)

LA Record: How would you describe your music to a child?

Nika Roza: I tried to do this with my cousin. She's an aspiring goth. I am trying to turn her into a weirdo. 'It's like pop music but it's really noisy and there's opera.' I would probably say, 'This sounds like Hannah Montana' and let their minds adjust. 'This is what Hannah Montana can also sound like.' There's got to be a Nickelodeon Black. If you turn on TV you see people yelling things and vomiting colors. But when I was growing up seeing cartoons they would have a lot of snot and bodily fluids and weird things. What is going to happen to this new generation? But I would tell the 7-year-old child it was the Apocalypse. You know what, fuck that. There's nudity and language--let them see it! If not, they will turn into bigger creeps. You have to expose children to stuff like that. You gotta be ready.

If you can't make Saturday's show, she'll be back again on April 9 opening for Xiu Xiu and Tune-Yards at Bowery Ballroom Tickets are still on sale. She'll also be at SXSW. All dates, along with a video for "Clay Bodies" and a flyer for the Cake Shop show...

Continue reading "Zola Jesus MP3s, video & 2010 tour dates (Cake Shop Saturday, SXSW, Bowery w/ Xiu Xiu, Purchase & more) "