Yelle @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 (more by Tim Griffin)

Yelle announced a tour back in August with a Webster Hall show and a Music Hall of Williamsburg show, but only yesterday did that Brooklyn show finally go on sale. Housse De Racket opens both of them. All dates and other fun stuff below..

Continue reading "Yelle's Brooklyn show finally appears --- updated dates"

French singer Yelle released her sophomore LP Safari Disco Club this past March and went on a tour in support of it which included an Irving Plaza show. After continuing to tour Europe, Yelle will return to North America in November and December for a string of dates which include Webster Hall on December 8 and Music Hall of Williamsburg on December 9. Tickets for the Webster Hall show go on sale Friday (8/19) at noon with an AmEx presale starting today (8/17) at noon. The Brooklyn show hasn't been announced by the venue yet.

All dates and a video below...

Continue reading "Yelle -- 2011 Tour Dates"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: White Fence - Get That Heart (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: White Wires - Be True to Your School ('Til You Get Kicked Out) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Buffalo Tom - "Arise, Watch" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Modern Skirts - Happy 81 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Modern Skirts - Bumber Car (MP3)

White Fence

It's been kind of a bummer week with way too many great musicians lost (Gerard Smith, Poly Styrene, Pheobe Snow) but Spring is finally here and, well, the beat goes on. Lots of worthy shows this week.

First up is White Fence who are making a rare trip to the East Coast this week, playing a few shows here in NYC: Thursday at 285 Kent with Woods and Spectre Folk, then Saturday (4/30) at Cake Shop. I feel fairly certain that they are also "Beige Swordfights" listed as part of a sweet Death by Audio show on Friday (4/29) that includes The Beets, Fergus and Geronimo and The Sundelles.

White Fence is Tim Presley who also fronts LA psych-rock band Darker My Love. Where that band is more groovy in a JAMC/BJM kind of way, White Fence sounds like a lost nugget from the late '60s flower power scene. White Fence released its debut on Woodsist last year, and the second album, ...Is Growing Faith, came out this January. Both records are weird and wonderful, lots of great songs made more interesting with vintage sound and old-school tape effects. If you like Love, The Left Banke or, more recently, the Lilys (to name three L bands) you'll dig White Fence's scene.

White Wires

Keeping with the color scheme, Ottowa, Ontario's White Wires are back in town for a one-off show on Thursday at Bruar Falls as part of a fun line-up of party rock and power pop. One of my favorite live bands of the last few years, White Wires play no-nonsense three-minute pop and do so with a joy you can't fake. White Wires new album, WWII, gets in and gets out in less than 30 minutes and should appeal to fans of the Nerves, early Tom Petty and The Undertones.

The rest of the show, brought to you by the good folks at Daed Pizza, looks pretty cool too with all-girl trio Babyshakes, and Games which is a new band formed from ex-members of Gentleman Jesse and Busy Signals. Obviously, this is not the synthy Games who now go by Ford & Lopatin. You can listen to this Games' swell debut single over at the Rob's House Records website.

Buffalo Tom

What else? Buffalo Tom play Bowery Ballroom on Thursday (4/28). The Boston trio were once dubbed "Dinosaur Jr. Jr." (being signed to SST and having J Mascis produce your debut, it was an easy joke) but became one of the most popular bands of the early '90s alt rock scene. 1990's Birdbrain and 1992's Let Me Come Over are indie rock classics that were unavoidable on college radio and Alternative Nation (or episodes of My So-Called Life) and still hold up.

The band went on hiatus around 2000 but returned with 2007's Three Easy Pieces and have just released a new album, Skins, which came out in February. It's pretty good. More mature, yes, but Buffalo Tom can still bring the noise too. If you have any doubt, you can download the entirety of Buffalo Tom's Mercury Lounge show from November 2010 courtesy NYC Taper. You can also check out a track from Skins at the top of this post.

Modern Skirts

And finally, Lord Huron are here on Thursday (4/28, the night of Too Many Good Shows) at Mercury Lounge. (And at tonight at MHoW with Femi Kuti) (we're giving away a pair of tickets on Facebook). I like their EP well enough, and the Merc show seems likely to sell out, so I'm really here to say if you're going do go early enough to check out North Highlands who play right before them. It's their first show in a long time, as the band have been putting finishing touches on their debut album which they've been working hard on all winter. The band are promising lots of new songs which is pretty exciting. Anyone who's seen them play know North Highlands are great live and I think 2011 is gonna be a big year for them. Go see 'em! And yeah, stay for Lord Huron I guess.

That's mostly it for this week. A few more daily picks are below:

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27

Blogs may have gotten over their crush on Austin band Oh No! Oh My! but that doesn't mean they've gone stale. Hear their still-catchy indiepop tonight at The Rock Shop tonight. Go early to catch Atlanta's underrated Modern Skirts (check out two tracks at the top of this post).

Diehard, who've been busy recording their Kickstarter-funded debut album, try out some songs live at Cake Shop. One of NYC's best indie rock rock bands.

continued below...

Continue reading "White Fence, White Wires, Games (not Ford & Lopatin), Buffalo Tom, North Highlands, Modern Skirts, Yelle & more in This Week in Indie"

photos by Tim Griffin

Deakin

"This solo project from Animal Collective's Deakin (or Deacon, or Josh Dibb) was just as psychedelic, but in more of a dub vein, with spacey, ambient guitar over echoing reverberating distorted drum-pad beats. A pair of smoking-hot yoga-body hipster girls were dancing throughout--no idea how they found a beat to lock into, as loose as the rhythm was, but none of the guys nearby were complaining." [Dallas Observer]

From some of our posts, you might think metal and punk dominated at Fun Fun Fun Fest, and honestly it kind of was the metal and punk bands who packed the most punch making it harder to enjoy the lighter fare all in one day, but there are many who probably spent all weekend at Waterloo Park and never even ventured over to the Black Stage once, not even to check out the spectacle that is Gwar who were on that the same time as Dirty Projectors on Saturday.

If indie rock/pop/chillwave was all you were looking for, or even just dancing and hip hop, you had more than your share of best new music to keep you occupied from noon to 10pm on the Orange and Blue stages. Sunday alone featured Deerhunter, Toro Y Moi, Washed Out, Deakin, Magic Kids, Best Coast (Wavves played the day before) and Cults, not to mention Yelle, Polvo, P.O.S. and A-Trak. Those are most of the artists pictured in this post which continues below...

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest - Day 3 pics (part 2) - Deakin, Best Coast, A-Trak, Yelle, Polvo, Deerhunter, Washed Out, Toro y Moi, more"

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: The Fresh & Onlys - Waterfall (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Erland & the Carnival - Trouble in Mind (Mp3)

The Fresh & Onlys

It's an early installment of TWII this week. Most of the awesome shows (to me) seem to be tonight through Thursday.

First up we've got The Fresh & Onlys who are currently on tour with Clinic. They both play tonight at Bowery Ballroom with Girls at Dawn opening. I like Clinic just fine -- their new album Bubblegum is good -- but we're seeing the Fresh & Onlys still riding a wave of creativity/prolificasy that has been going strong for almost two years. The band's new album, Play it Strange, is maybe their best yet, definitely their most sonically advanced. And live, they always seem to be on. They were great at the Northside Fest back in May. I know I write about them a lot, but they really are tops. Go see them!

There was supposed to be a second Clinic/F&Os show Wednesday night at Music Hall of Williamsburg but that ended up getting canceled, so now The Fresh & Onlys will play Shea Stadium instead (11/3), sharing the bill with fellow San Franciscans The Royal Baths, plus X-Ray Eyeballs and Dutch Treat. The Fresh & Onlys and Royal Baths will also play Vassar on Thursday (11/4).

Royal Baths also play tonight (11/2) at Monster Island Basement with an otherwise all Baltimore bill: Ponytail's Dustin Wong, Holy Ghost Party and Avocado Happy Hour.

The Dears

I will be speeding off to Shea Stadium on Wednesday after seeing The Dears at Knitting Factory, the first their two-night stay previewing their new, yet-to-be-titled album which won't be out till next year. (Tickets are available for Wednesday and Thursday.) As an occasional Dears-obsessive (2004 - 2005 I wouldn't shut up about them) I'm pretty excited about these shows, especially now that guitarist and O-Face master Patrick Krief is back in the band, as well as former members Rob Benvie and Roberto Arquilla. Drummer George Donosso [now in the High Dials] is still missed - we'll see how new member Jeff Luciani does on the kit.

The Dears are masters of epic, anthemic songs and I'm psyched to get to hear a whole new album in this way for the first time. And if this sounds a little daunting, reviews of other shows in Montreal and Toronto where they've been doing the same thing have said they're encoring with a set of favorites. And when the band is on, they can make the hair on the back of your neck stand at attention. Here's hoping we get a little of that bristly excitement this time. You can check out live footage of new single "Omega Dog" at the bottom of this post.

The Duke Spirit

Also mid week: Bluesy London rock band The Duke Spirit are here playing a one-off show at the now-reopened Santos Party House on Wednesday (11/03) where five bucks gets you in the door. I was a big fan of The Duke Spirit's 2008 album, Neptune, which matched big pop hooks with the band's already proven muscle. The band have a new EP, Kusama, out in December -- you can download "Everybody's Under Your Spell" from their website if you give them your email address -- and a new album in February 2011.

The Duke Spirit are definitely worth seeing live. All eyes tend to be on powerhouse vocalist Leila Moss, who has an undeniable stage presence and can play mean harmonica too. And for five bucks it's kind of a no-brainer.

Erland and the Carnival

If you wish The Coral were still doing sea shantys, you might want to check out London's Erland and the Carnival who are in town playing two club shows this week with Ireland's Villagers: tonight (11/2) at Knitting Factory and Wednesday at Mercury Lounge. Then they'll play a headlining show on Friday at The Rock Shop and then open for Paul Weller on Saturday (at the Apollo) and Sunday (at the Nokia Theater).

There's a bit of that hurdy-gurdy folky seaside sound to the group -- they're recording their new record on a ship, apparently -- and their debut album is pretty good if you like Pentangle, Delta blues, Love and The Doors all mixed together in a bucket. Erland Cooper is a talented songwriter, and I'm told a captivating live performer, and managed to recruit guitarist Simon Tong (formerly of The Verve, Blur and The Good, The Bad and The Queen) into his band. Will they be the next Mumford and Sons? I think they're a little too odd for that (probably a good thing), and there's no shortage of opportunities to see them. You can download an MP3 at the top of this post and there are a couple videos below.

A few more shows of note, day-by-day, not mentioned above:

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 & WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3

Vocoder-loving Canadians Shout Out Out Out Out bring their many keyboards to Le Poisson Rouge Tuesday and Glasslands Wednesday (moved from Coco 66). Every time I write about this band -- who are pretty fun live -- I have to count the number of "outs" in their name. I can never remember. (Note to self: four "outs".)

continued below...

Continue reading "the Fresh & Onlys, Royal Baths, Dears, Duke Spirit, Erland and the Carnival, Dandy Warhols & more in This Week in Indie"

by BBG

Off! (photo by Lindsey Byrnes)

Whether or not the band name Off! is a not-so-subtle reference to another band that featured the great Keith Morris and dealt destruction to the insect populi, one thing is certain, they rule. Besides the incredible vocalist for Circle Jerks/Black Flag, punk supergroup Off! also features a killer lineup including Dimitri Coats (Burning Brides), Mario Rubalcaba (Earthless/Hot Snakes/Rocket From the Crypt) and Steven McDonald (Redd Kross) and the foursome have announced their debut material to be released with Vice Records!

Off!, who you may have caught at SXSW this year, will release the accurately titled First EP via limited edition 7" inch on October 12th. Featuring art and an exclusive poster courtesy of Raymond Pettibon, aka the evil genius behind Black Flag's iconic album covers, the release is the first of four 7"s to be compiled on the First Four EPs (another Black Flag nod) due on November 23rd - a collection of 16 songs which will each feature its own Pettibon sleeve art.

As the tour dates indicate below, Off!, in addition to playing FYFFest and Riot Fest this year, has announced their involvement in Austin's Fun Fun Fun Fest (happening November 6th and 7th). For those of you counting at home, that brings the list of confirmed FFFFest bands to Woven Bones, Suicidal Tendencies, Slick Rick, Best Coast, Dirty Projectors, Cap'n Jazz, The Gories, Yelle, Snapcase, The Dwarves, High On Fire, and The Hold Steady! Stay tuned for more lineup announcements for the great Texas festival.

Meanwhile, Mario Rubalcaba was NOT part of the recent (and impromptu) Hot Snakes reunion that took place on July 29th at an Obits/Night Marchers show in San Diego, CA (the bands were on tour together).

You can view video of the three Hot Snakes songs from that set, as well as all Off! tour dates & a video from their first show in LA, below...

Continue reading "Off! signs to Vice, Fun Fun Fun Fest announces part of the lineup, Hot Snakes reunited (sort of) "

Trail of Dead @ SXSW 2009 (more by Black Bubblegum)

Although no formal announcement has been made, careful scientific analysis of the originally announced 2009 All Points West lineup, vs what is being advertised now, reveals some changes. First of all, Yelle, who not even one person guessed would be appearing at this year's festival anyway, is now actually not appearing at the festival. Five new artists are though. And they are:

• ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead (Saturday)
• La Roux (Sunday)
• Rye Rye (Friday)
• The Honey Brothers (Saturday)
• Xavier Rudd (Friday)

Everyone else (like Beastie Boys, My Bloody Valentine, Tool, Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, etc) is still the same. Tickets are still on sale. The festival takes place July 31-Aug 2, 2009 in Jersey City, NJ.

Related videos and tour dates below...

Continue reading "All Points West silently added artists - 2009 lineup additions (Trail of Dead, etc) and deletions (Yelle) "

Ida Maria @ Union Hall (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

tonight in NYC
* DANCE
* Les Paul @ Iridium
* papercranes @ City Winery
* Glasvegas, Ida Maria @ Webster Hall
* Gringo Star, Des Roar @ Glasslands
* The War on Drugs, The Drones @ Union Hall
* Oh Land, Jason Anderson @ Pete's Candy Store
* Sharon Van Etten, Virgin Passages, Regia @ Cake Shop
* DD/MM/YYYY, Wavves, Vampire Hands, Real Estate @ Mercury Lounge
* The Dead @ Roseland Ballroom, Gramercy Theatre & Angel Orensanz
* Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears, miniboone, The Fumes @ Pianos
* The Hold Steady, The Rosewood Thieves, Black Gold @ Irving Plaza

Black Joe Lewis is also opening for Gomez at Bowery Ballroom tomorrow.

All Points West 2009 lineup announced.

Ladyhawke, Ida Maria, Yelle, Thunderheist (whose album is out this week) and others (including Kanye West, but not Lady Sovereign who cancelled) played the Perez Hilton (love him, or more likely hate him...) party at SXSW. A video compilation featuring live performances and interviews from that event, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

Following last year's inaugural event, festival producers began work immediately on resolving concerns expressed by fans in attendance. They have worked closely with their partners at NJ Transit to improve light-rail service and capacity. As an added value for 2009, festival goers who choose to travel to the site utilizing the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line can ride for free throughout the weekend with their ALL POINTS WEST festival ticket. Additionally, based on the popularity of the ferry as a mode of transportation from lower Manhattan to Liberty State Park, the frequency and size of the ferryboats will increase at a reduced price for festival attendees.... The producers have also worked with their partners at Liberty State Park to improve the fan experience in the beer gardens. This year's areas will be larger, have shorter lines, and feature shade tents, views of the stages and food concessions...

The second annual ALL POINTS WEST MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL returns to Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey Friday, July 31, Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2. Like last year, bands will play on three stages, except "the Queen of the Valley stage has been changed to a Coachella-like tent creating an environment that will showcase comedy, DJs, electronic acts and bands."

More details on the items above will be posted at the apwfestival.com. The entire lineup (it's good!) and ticket info, below...

Continue reading "All Point West - 2009 festival dates & lineup (Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beastie Boys, Coldplay)"

by Andrew Frisicano

Ida Maria @ Union Hall (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

I wanted to re-release my album, the way I wanted it to be.

I have designed the artwork, added three new songs, and changed the track listing.

Now it sounds, looks and feels like I want it to feel, and I am so excited again.

The story behind this cover is a story similar to a homebaked applecake.

You take what you have in your kitchen and experiment a little and hold tumbs that no one will notice you kinda forgot the recipe.

And then it turns out tasting good as hell and nobody can ever make it again.

My drummer Olle is a photographer (!) and has shot the genius cover photo in his apartment in Stockholm, with use of just the light that was there. Lamps in the livingroom, and pocket flashlight.

The cover art is designed by my friend Jon Edergren. -[Ida Maria's Myspace blog]

Fortress Round My Heart, Ida Maria's 2008 debut, is coming out in the US, digitally on March 24th and on CD, April 14th, on Universal's Mercury Records. The US release will sport a new cover and re-arranged track list, but won't include the bonus tracks described above (though new song "In the End" will replace previous closer "See Me Through").

Ida Maria is one of the many scheduled to be at SXSW this week. She was/is supposed to play KCRW's Showcase at Buffalo Billiards, a show at Maggie Mae's , and is on the bill of Perez Hilton's "One Night in Austin" party on Saturday.

"One Night in Austin" will feature Yelle, Solange, Lady Sovereign, Margaret Cho, Ladyhawke, Little Boots, Ida Maria and Thunderheist, plus "a very special Surprise Musical Performance." No word on who: "Not Tori Amos [but] one of our FAVORITEST acts of all time!!!!!!" [RSVP for the party].

UPDATE: Ida Maria never made it to her official SXSW showcases...

I don't think Ida Maria played either Maggie Mae's or Buffalo Billiards. I wanted to see her play while I am down here, but both nights, she was removed from the official sxsw.com website. She was replaced with Zee Avi on wednesday and with Val Emmich yesterday. I hope she actually plays the perez show. Looking forward to seeing her at MHOW regardless" [Ashok]

EW confirms that, "...Zee Avi, a tiny girl with a warm smile filled the lonesome last spot at the KCRW showcase on Wednesday night. It was huge opportunity for the newcomer -- her self-titled debut will be out May 19 -- filling in for Norwegian rocker chick/hype magnet Ida Maria, who was reportedly stuck in U.S. customs."

After the festival (if she makes it at all), Ida Maria is touring with Glasvegas through March, including a March 28th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (on sale ) and a March 30th one at Webster Hall (on sale). Ida Maria also has a scheduled appearance at Coachella Festival on April 18th.

Ladyhawke visits NYC after SXSW. Little Boots was here in February.

All Ida Maria tour dates and the "Oh My God" video below...

Continue reading "Ida Maria - now on a major label, playing Perez Hilton's SXSW party???, Coachella & other places"

Yelle @ Hiro Ballroom (more by poor Bao)

"French pop-sensation" Yelle is returning to the states in October. Tickets go on sale Friday for a Webster Hall show. All dates below...

Continue reading "Yelle - 2008 Tour Dates (Webster Hall)"

photos by Bao Nguyen

I tried to like Yelle by staying up late to watch her streaming Coachella performance (she was on after Portishead). Maybe it was just that I was missing Prince at the time, but watching her play only made it worse. Like her or not, she seems here to stay. Her show at Highline Ballroom in NYC this Saturday night (May 3, 2008) is even sold out.

I can't escape her, for now anyway. Finger on the Pulse (sometimes BV contributors) will be opening the Saturday night show with a DJ set, and they've have been kind enough to offer two pairs of tickets to giveaway. To win, email music@fotpnyc.com (subject: yelle contest). Include your first and last name. They'll pick two winners and put them on the list.

Last time Yelle was here (in February), she played Knitting Factory and Hiro Ballroom. Bao was at the Hiro one and he took some pictures. More of them below....

Continue reading "Yelle - Highline Saturday, Coachella, Hiro Ballroom, pics, etc"

me: Yelle is the biggest thing in France?

my French friend: oh my god ! No ! No ! Yes, it's huge... But... Amongst pre-teenagers

Yelle makes her U.S. debut at Knitting Factory in NYC tonight (Feb 19, 2008). She is also the surprise guest Thursday night at Hiro Ballroom, and she's playing Coachella. Videos and more tour dates below....

Continue reading "Yelle (from France) - U.S debut tonight, Thursday, Coachella"