Yann Tiersen @ Highline Ballroom in Feb (more by Andrew St. Clair)

Yann Tiersen released his most recent LP, Skyline, this past October via Mute overseas. You can stream two of the album's singles, "I'm Gonna Live Anyhow" and "Monuments" below along with the album art and tracklist. The album will be out in North America this spring and Yann will tour the US and Canada in support in April and May.

That tour hits NYC on April 27 at Irving Plaza and April 28 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. You can buy tickets directly from Yann's site now for the whole tour, including both NYC shows. Ticketmaster tickets for the MHOW show go on sale Friday (1/6) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (1/4) at noon.

All dates and streams below...

Continue reading "Yann Tiersen has a new album, touring in 2012 (dates)"

night 1 photos by Andrew St. Clair, night 2 photos by Amanda Hatfield
review by Rachel Kowal

night 2 opener Breathe Owl Breathe @ Highline Ballroom

Yann Tiersen is on tour and headlined two shows at NYC's Highline Ballroom over the weekend - February 18th was "unplugged with orchestra" and February 19th was just billed as "regular band." Though we have pictures here from both nights, I was just there on the second...

Great Lake trio Breathe Owl Breathe wasted no time at the top of their opening set. Singer/guitarist Micah Middaugh offered a quick hello, and they launched into "Dog Walkers of the New Age" from their most recent album, Magic Central. Much of the crowd may have been unfamiliar with the music, but that didn't seem to get Middaugh down - he smiled when people began to prematurely applaud during "Own Stunt," and continued to sing.

Breathe Owl Breathe has a knack for melding lovely Bowerbirds-esque melodies with charming storytelling. Middaugh and singer/violinist Andréa Moreno-Beals often incorporated sound effects to make the subjects of their songs (say, a hang gliding expedition gone haywire or a swimming trip) more visceral. The light-hearted (but surprisingly poignant) song "Dragon" was particularly memorable. To get into character, Middaugh put on something resembling the head piece of a wet suit that obscured his hair and beard and gave him a more scaley appearance. "Now the dragon and the princess, they were pen pals," Middaugh began by way of introducing the song. "But the princess had no idea the dragon was a dragon... because the dragon had really good penmanship... So the dragon and the princess, they're in love, but it's complicated times." As he began to sing, Middaugh pantomimed the lyrics - jumping up and down and breathing fire when necessary, to the sheer delight of the crowd. Mid song, he and Moreno-Beals lead the crowd (or should I say "cave") in a lively two-part clap-along. At the song's conclusion, Middaugh tapped the mic. "That's the sound of the dragon's heart."

Heart-meltingly cute antics aside (Middaugh could make a killing doing Raffi cover songs for kids), the band isn't afraid to delve into more complex emotions. In the midst of "Dragon," for instance, Moreno-Beals poses the open-ended question, "How do you stop loving someone?"

Breathe Owl Breathe concluded their set with a rousing number that required yet another prop - this time, a plush wolf hat, complete with a gaping mouth and teeth, which Moreno-Beals proudly wore. "This is a story about a werewolf," Middaugh began. "Every time he gets excited, he starts to grow hair... but one day, he decides to shave to try to fit in, and his mom doesn't know who he is because he's all smooth now." As Middaugh spun his forlorn tale, Morenos-Beals (playing the part of the wolf mother) leaned into the mic to bark and wail with mounting intensity as the song played out.

Yann Tiersen @ Highline Ballroom

By the time Yann Tiersen and his five-man band began to play, both the tables and the floor were packed. Though an orchestra certainly would have been a welcome addition, the performance was still cinematic in scope. (This is of course the man who scored Amelie we're talking about.) Gentle instrumental interludes on mandolin or violin were suddenly punctuated with tempestuous bursts on percussion and guitar.

The music was the focal point of the evening and rightfully so. The renowned French composer didn't interrupt the flow of the songs much to talk, and the lyrics (and enigmatic, propaganda-like voice overs) were sparse. Tiersen has a gift for blending his classical influences with more contemporary elements and effects. One song even featured a duet on the melodica.

With the lights streaming gracefully through the lightly fogged room, music pumping from all corners of the stage, and sudden switches in tempo and instrumentation, Tiersen's performance was truly desiring of the (sadly over-used) word 'epic.' Midway through the set, the stage suddenly cleared out, leaving just Tiersen to show off his virtuosic skill on the violin. His frenzied playing sent both his hair and the broken strands of his bow flying.

After the full band returned to play another handful of songs, Tiersen abruptly announced the performance's conclusion with a quick thanks, but luckily, the show wasn't over yet. After a pregnant pause, the musicians returned, bearing drinks to conclude the evening with a much appreciated three-song encore.

Pictures from both NYC nights (with the first night's setlist) continue below...

Continue reading "Yann Tiersen played 2 nights @ Highline Ballroom (pics)"

Raccoons (by Penh)

Remember that 4/15 Brooklyn O'Death show we mentioned? It's happening at Knitting Factory and tickets are now on sale.

Remember that 3/03 Smith Westerns show at Mercury Lounge? Well it sold out already, but the band is also playing Knitting Factory two days later and tickets are on sale.

Tickets are still on sale for both Yann Tiersen shows at Highline Ballroom, but since first announcing they clarified that the Feb 18th show will be "unplugged with orchestra" and Feb 19th will be "regular band."

Speaking of two nights in a row at Highline Ballroom, tickets are on sale for both Devotchka/Mariachi El Bronx shows that are happening in March.

Tickets are on sale for the Versus show at Mercury Lounge.
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Versus the band should not be confused with "Versus: An evening of contests, interviews and duets" that is happening at Littlefield on 1/26 with Eugene Mirman, Julie Klausner, Sean O'Connor & Julian McCullough, Robert Krulwich, Damian Kulash, Michael Moschen, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Carla Rhodes & Cecil Sinclaire, The Brothers Lucas, Matt Oberg. Tickets are on sale for that too.

Takka Takka have been added as opener on the Trail of Dead show happening at Littlefield. Tickets are still on sale.

Back in December we mentioned that Kings Go Forth are playing Southpaw in February. They're playing SOB's too, and tickets are on sale for both (updated dates below).

The Go! Team return to NYC in April. They play Brooklyn Bowl on the 16th of that month. Tickets are on sale. All dates below.

Continue reading "the Smith Westerns, O'Death, Yann Tiersen, Devotchka, Kings Go Forth, The Go! Team & other tickets"

Yann at Irving Plaza in 2009 (more by Leia Jospe)

French artist Yann Tiersen, who is especially known for his well-received Amelie soundtrack, released his sixth album, Dust Lane, in October via ANTI- Records. Tiersen played the "Concert Hall" in NYC around the time of its release, and is now set to return for a larger tour that will have him back in NYC for two more shows. He plays Highline Ballroom on February 18th (tickets) and 19th (tickets). The full North American tour kicks off and ends in Los Angeles, stretching from the end of January until middle March, and it is promised that "the band will be bringing Dust Lane to life with synths, electric guitars, violins and drums in an energetic and powerful show."

All dates, some video, and the latest entries from Tiersen's video tour diary are below.

Continue reading "Yann Tiersen released 'Dust Lane', touring in 2011 (dates)"

Gorillaz @ Coachella 2010 (more by Rachel Carr)

Slayer @ the Izod Center in August (more by Samantha Marble)

today in NYC
* NY Comic Con
* Iron Dog @ The Stone
* moe. @ Beacon Theatre
* The Subdudes @ BB King's
* James Hunter @ Joe's Pub
* Louie Belogenis @ The Stone
* Kraft @ Avery Fisher Hall
* Yann Tiersen @ The Concert Hall
* Bleu Edmondson @ Mercury Lounge
* Semi Precious Weapons @ Irving Plaza
* Lord of the Rings @ Radio City Music Hall
* Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3 @ Living Room
* Ratatat, DOM, Bobby Birdman @ Terminal 5
* Gorillaz, N.E.R.D. @ Madison Square Garden
* Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax @ Nassau Coliseum
* Pierced Arrows, Tunnel of Love @ Mercury Lounge
* Kimya Dawson, Your Heart Breaks @ Knitting Factory
* Swans, Baby Dee, Ben Frost @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
* Red Baraat, Javelin, Chances With Wolves DJs @ Southpaw
* A Frames, Pop. 1280, Nice Face, Imaginary Icons @ Cake Shop
* Teen Inc, SFV Acid, Blood Orange @ Monster Island Basement
* Revival Times, Teen Face Control, DJ Chris Anderson @ Zebulon
* Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs (DJ set) @ The Insound Design Store
* Wanda Jackson, The Lustre Kings, Jonny Corndawg @ Knitting Factory
* Bells (ex-Jawbox), The Caribbean, Video Daughters, Y/Y @ Bruar Falls
* Sharon Van Etten, Julianna Barwick, She Keeps Bees @ The Rock Shop
* I Love Lightning Bugs, Me You Us Them, The Prids, Grandfather @ Spike Hill
* Starfucker, The Octopus Project, Philip Seymour Hoffman @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Necro plus Q-Unique, Slaine of La Coka Nostra, NEMS, Skam Dust @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* Barbara Lynn, Vernon Garrett, Don Gardner, Eli Paperboy Reed (Brooklyn Soul Festival) @ The Bell House
* Kronos Quartet (music of Michael Gordon, Maria Schneider, Bryce Dessner, Missy Mazzoli, and Aleksandra Vrebalov) @ Le Poisson Rouge

An (((unartig))) video from last night's Krallice show at Shea Stadium, below...

New Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings video for "If You Call", below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Wow...Public Image Ltd, The Specials, Grizzly Bear, Passion Pit, Echo and the Bunnymen, Grace Jones, Fever Ray, Devo, Hot Chip, Phoenix, Orbital, Spoon, Sly and the Family Stone, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sunny Day Real Estate, Yo La Tengo, Mew, Camera Obscura, Gil Scott-Heron, The xx, John Waters, Dillinger Escape Plan, Deer Tick, Gary Numan... Full Coachella 2010 lineup below....

Continue reading "2010 Coachella line up announced (Faith No More, Pavement, Muse, Gorillaz, Thom Yorke, Jay-Z, LCD Soundystem, ???)"

photos by Leia Jospe

"at yann tiersen, irving plaza with, probably, every french person in new york city." - Soraya Darabi

"the good news is that we got there early enough to watch the whole thing in the very front! the bad news is : yann + an electric guitar + band - his violin = major midlife crisis. i love this man, but it was awful.

he DID move me to tears when he finally picked the violin up for sur le fil - but 99.9% of the time was alt. rock hell. he even managed to butcher the amelie theme beyond recognition. & there was no piano. or accordion.

why yann, why?! i miss the good ol' days" [photobear]

I never saw Yann during the good ol' days. In fact, Amelie aside, I never even listened to Yann in the old days or the new days, but I do agree that the show wasn't what I expected, and it wasn't that exciting. You can see in the pic above that Yann was getting his Thurston on. "Awful" is kind of strong, but maybe that's because I like "alt rock", though I think my issue was that it wasn't "alt" enough, which I took more as a sign that I went to the wrong show. I wished I was at the Walkmen or Throbbing Gristle's 1st NYC performance - both shows happened the same night (4/16). Oh yeah, the violen parts were the best.

Asobi Seksu are on tour with Yann, and they sounded great as the opener (their first-ever show at the venue). A few of their songs sounded really great on the sound system - a few were so-so. All in all, I'm glad they were there. More pictures from the show (and yes there were a lot of French people there) below...

Continue reading "Yann Tiersen & Asobi Seksu @ Irving Plaza, NYC - pics "

photos by Tim Griffin

Asobi Seksu headlined the Bowery Ballroom in NYC on Thursday night (4/2). The great triple-bill featured both Crocodiles and Tyvek as openers. The pictures in this post, of the headliner only, are from that show.

Currently supporting their new album Hush, out now on Polyvinyl, the band has two more NYC shows scheduled in the near future. The first has them acting as opener for Yann Tiersen at Irving Plaza on April 16th. The next is a headlining gig at Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 13th. The Brooklyn show is part of the Northside Festival. That means badgeholders can try their luck at getting in, or you can buy tickets which go on Am Ex presale at noon.

Northside Festival shows @ MHOW
June 12 - John Vanderslice & TBA
June 13 - Asobi Seksu & TBA (Am Ex presale @ noon)
June 14 - Bill Callahan

All tour dates and more Bowery Ballroom pictures below...

Continue reading "Asobi Seksu played Bowery Ballroom (pics), playing Irving Plaza w/ Yann Tiersen, MHOW for Northside"

Guillaume Yann Tiersen (born 23 June 1970) is a French musician and composer known internationally for composing the score to the Jean-Pierre Jeunet movie Amélie.His music is recognized by its use of a large variety of instruments in relatively minimalist compositions, often with a touch of either European classical music or French folk music, using primarily the piano, accordion or violin together with instruments like the melodica, xylophone, toy piano, ondes martenot, harpsichord and typewriter. He has been compared to musicians Chopin, Erik Satie, Phillip Glass and Michael Nyman [Wikipedia]

Yann Tiersen is going on tour! A tour that includes North America and which includes an April 16th show at Irving Plaza in NYC. Tickets are on sale.

Other cities on the tour include Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle, Denver, Salt Lake City, Portland, San Francisco, and LA. On May 15th he's playing the Breeders-curated ATP Festival in Minehead. Back in 2003, musicOMH wrote this review of one of Yann's live shows...

He began his set on grand piano - and his piano pieces are rarely other than delightful. What wasn't obvious from listening to his albums was instantly so here - it isn't someone playing melodica or accordion with him as he tinkles the ivories. Oh no. He plays both instruments at the same time.

After each track, rapturous applause greeted him as he shifted between piano, melodica, accordion, violin, viola, bass, guitar and even vocals. A rare chance was afforded to the audience to hear a solo viola piece, Qu'En Reste-t-il? from L'Absente, in which at any moment sparks could have flown from the instrument as Yann fiddled for all he was worth. Here was a man making electricity spark from an acoustic instrument before our very eyes. His playing was enough to make members of his audience weep at its beauty.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Yann Tiersen - 2009 Tour Dates (Irving Plaza, ATP UK)"