photos by Chris La Putt

Devotchka @ Big Apple Circus

Depending on the realtor, the New York outpost of Alex Calderwood's Ace Hotel is either located in NoChe (short for North Chelsea) or NoMad (for North of Madison Square Park), but regular people just think of the area as a place to buy knockoff handbags. Inside the hotel it's a different scene, like some dreamy Epcot Center version of the Pacific Northwest, especially on this Friday afternoon, when Colin Meloy, the frontman of the Portland-based Decemberists, began tuning up for a solo show, sponsored by KEXP, the great Seattle radio station that moved into the lobby of the hotel for three days during CMJ. "I'm so glad this pocket of Portland is here," Meloy said of the hotel, which was founded in Seattle but is now headquartered in Stumptown. "Now I feel safe in New York." His set... was prefaced by 15 minutes of lovely droning gibberish from Nick Urata's gypsy punk band DeVotchKa. -[New York Times]

The KEXP show at Ace Hotel was the lone date for Colin Meloy during CMJ (videos HERE), but other artists who played the Ace Hotel that day (Glasser and Devotchka) were busy at CMJ this year (though Glasser played one less than planned).

On 10/22 in particular, Devotchka first played the KEXP bash (LISTEN TO IT AT KEXP'S SITE), Fontana's, and then the BrooklynVegan Day Party at Public Assembly to a packed house (thanks again) - all before 6pm.

But the band's big and most-official CMJ show came the next day, Saturday (10/23), under the Big Apple Circus big top at Damrosch Park. That's where the band headlined a unique show with Spirit Family Reunion and Angus & Julia Stone, complete with aerialists and other circus performers. It was part of the "Sideshow" series, though so far the "series" is only that one show.

Pictures from Friday at Fontana's and the Saturday Big Apple Circus show are in this post, and they continue, with some circus show videos, below...

Continue reading "Devotchka played KEXP, Fontana's & the Big Apple Circus --- (CMJ pics, video & streaming audio)"

by Andrew Frisicano

2008 Mermaid Parade Ball (more by Eric M Townsend)

The 2009 Mermaid Parade will take place on Saturday, June 20th (2PM) along Coney Island's boardwalk. If you'd like to march (or volunteer) in this year's parade, registration is now open. Directions and new parade route, below.

Also at Coney Island this summer is the Siren Festival, taking place Saturday, July 18th. Bands playing include Built to Spill, The Raveonettes, Spank Rock, Frightened Rabbit, Japandroids and more.

The beaches at Coney Island, as well as the Cyclone, are both now open for the summer. The fate of the destination spot has been in limbo for quite a while. Astroland's "final year" was initially to be 2007. That was delayed until after the 2008 summer season -- since then, the old rides have been dismantled, and new ones have been put in their place, kinda, sorta...

What will finally end up in the spot is still in question. Thor Equities, the company that runs the former Astroland lot, announced earlier this year that it'll be setting up "Dreamland" amusement park. Curbed (which has recent pics of the condition of the site) reported on the new park's Friday, May 15th opening...

What was supposed to be a big day on Coney Island is already a bit of a bust. Today marks the grand opening of Festival by the Sea, the summertime amusement park and flea market set up by developer Joe Sitt on the former Astroland (pardon us, Dreamland) and other parcels owned by Sitt's Thor Equities. The hyped attraction is supposed to serve as Sitt's proof that he knows what's best for Coney Island's redevelopment, but a funny thing happened on the way to the freak show: the Brooklyn Paper reports that half the rides haven't arrived and the vendors will be "exposed to the element because of a tent mishap." [Curbed]

Add that to the fact that the City has made an offer on the lot to the tune of $105 million.

If the Coney Island development circus isn't enough, the actual circus is coming to the boardwalk on June 18th -- the Times makes the appropriate connections. Luckily, there's at least a slim chance that the circus' days in NYC may soon go the way of Astroland...

Almost half of City Council members [have signed] onto a bill that would prohibit "the display of wild or exotic animals for public entertainment or amusement." Other animals included in the bill: dolphins, walruses, hippopotamuses, giraffes, koalas, kinkajou, sloths, tarantulas, rhinoceroses and armadillos. Despite the extensive taxonomy in the bill, essentially everyone admits that the primary target for the legislation is the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

The bill, which has circulated for many years in different local legislatures, has [recently] drawn renewed attention in New York City with Ringling Brothers arrival [on March 26th] and [late-March] closing arguments in a federal lawsuit that accused the circus of mistreating its Asian elephants. [NY Times March 26, 2009]

Footage of the 2008 Mermaid Parade (kinda NSFW), with directions and its new route, below...

Continue reading "Coney Island 2009 - Mermaid Parade returns (w/ new route), the circus (groan), "Dreamland", Siren & more "

Iggy Pop supports Michigan State University's decision to ban animal circuses from campus in 2009 and hopes the school will make the ban permanent.

"As students who are concerned about animal welfare have told you, performing animals are deprived of everything that is natural to them, including the ability to roam, forage and form families and friendships," Pop said in a letter to the MSU Board of Trustees. It was written on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

PETA says the board of trustees decided not to allow the Royal Hanneford Circus (or any others with animal performers) on campus in 2009, for the first time in 16 years. But what about 2010?

"The circus industry is big, wealthy and powerful, and I'm sure that its leaders are encouraging you to reverse your decision," Pop said in his letter.

"I implore you to continue to keep the interests of your students and the welfare of animals at the forefront of your thoughts and stand firm on your policy." [Detroit Free Press]

Neko Case takes a similar stance on zoos.

Iggy, who has a new near-jazz record on the way, is confirmed to appear at the previously-mentioned Road Recovery Benefit happening at Nokia Theatre in NYC on May 1st...

An evening of high-energy rock and roll that's going to be "just loose enough musically that anything might happen," jokes Wayne Kramer... Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction), Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine/ Audioslave / The Nightwatchman), Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains), Wayne Kramer (MC5), Don Was, Billy Bragg, Iggy Pop, Boots Riley, Gilby Clarke, Carl Restivo, Eric Gardner, Bun E. Carlos, Handsome Dick Manitoba performing songs together and individually from their respective catalogs, as well as collaborating on MC5 songs and anything else that strikes their fancy

Also joining the show will be Joan As Police Woman, Ours, Miggs, and Road Recovery's Performance Workshop Program "House Band" Crazy James
Emcee: Matt Pinfield (Sirius Radio and RXP 101.9FM DJ)

Tickets are on sale.

Joan as Policewoman opened for Neko Case at the same venue on Tuesday.

Kick Out the Jams (video) below...

Continue reading "Iggy Pop playing Road Recovery show, speaks up on circuses"