here's some new pictures & tour dates with a sort of old interview (that I'd rather post than throw away) (hope you don't mind)....

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words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Lori Baily

Dan Friel @ Cake Shop, NYC - New Years Eve (Dec 31, 2008)

ATP NY (2008) (think all the way back to September for a second) was littered with luminaries. We've previously documented our run-ins with some of the great performers, but we also ran into a few artists who were just there for the good time. One of those artists was Dan Friel.

Friel is probably best known for his participation in Parts & Labor, the Brooklyn experimental noise pop/rock band he formed in 2002 with BJ Warshaw (also of Shooting Spires). Over the years, Parts & Labor have released three LPs and multiple seven-inches, contributed to many a compilation, and even dropped a split LP with Tyondai Braxton (Battles). All along, Dan Friel has been working on solo material... dropping EPs and a cassette leading up to 2008's triumphant Ghost Town, out now on Important.

We cornered Dan Friel at ATP (literally... he could NOT escape) for a couple minutes to discuss the festival and his plans for the next few months.

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So Dan, what were some of the motivating factors for you coming to ATP? What are some of the bands you really wanted to check out?

Dan Friel: Today I'm pretty excited about seeing Polvo. I've been sort of starting to listen to them again, a bunch in the last couple of years which I think a lot of people have, and it will be great to see them play again. I haven't seen Lightning Bolt in a couple of years, so that'll be pretty cool. I've never seen Low, and that's kind of a big deal because I like their records quite a bit. And Fuck Buttons and Alexander Tucker are both friends and amazing people. So I'm excited to check that out.

continued below...

Continue reading "an interview w/ Dan Friel, pics from New Years Eve"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

My Morning Jacket rocked the Garden in New York City on New Years Eve. Nicole Atkins was a special guest and she sang on two songs. Kyle was only there at the very beggining of their 3+ hour show, so keep that in mind when checking out his pictures from the show. More of them, and the full MSG setlist, below...

Continue reading "My Morning Jacket @ Madison Square Garden on New Years Eve, NYC - pics & setlist"

photos by Ryan Muir

Crystal Castles made three two NYC appearances on New Years Eve. The first two were shows at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, and third was an even later DJ gig they were supposed to DJ at Supreme Trading later on, but reportedly didn't show up (see comments). More pictures from the second show at MHOW, and some video, below...

Continue reading "Crystal Castles @ MHOW (New Years Eve late show) - pics"

today in NYC
* The Bad Plus @ Village Vanguard
* New Years Eve continued @ Public Assembly

Not too much going on today. Happy New Year!

What else?

Ted Leo just let Santos know that he's in Rhode Island where there's too much snow to drive to NYC for tonight's show, so... he will no longer be playing the New Years Eve show.... UPDATE: In Ted's own words::

At 8:30 last night, my dear friend Simon, who is doing some booking for Santo's, called to asked me if I wanted to jump up and play 2 or 3 songs between Andrew WK and Gang Gang Dance on New Year's Eve (tonight) at Santo's in Manhattan. I am, for better or for worse, currently in Rhode Island, but I initially said "yes" to doing the show - sounds like fun, right? Right! But I woke up this morning to a bastard of a blizzard here by the ocean in Southern New England. I understand it's not as bad as all that in NYC, but it's the getting there that's getting me down - there's just no reasonable way for me to make this happen without pushing the boundaries of safety and what little sanity I have left after the fall and early winter that has been, so I am, unfortunately, pulling out of the event.
I know that it seems like I've been canceling a lot of things lately, but first, I was only asked to do this less than 24 hours ago, second, it's just bad frakking timing and bad frakking luck, and third, with the exception of the entire tour I had to cancel in 2003 due to vocal chord injuries, the cancellations that have happened this fall and winter are more than all of the previous cancellations I have made in my ENTIRE 20 years of playing music. So please bear with me - tough times out there - they find everybody, in their own way, eventually...
I am extremely sorry, and I hope to see you all back out there soon.
Be well, and happy new year!

today in & around NYC
* 8 other events listed earlier
* The Rub @ Southpaw
* Patti Smith @ Bowery Ballroom
* Mike Doughty @ Maxwell's
* Prince Paul @ The Delancey
* Chuck Berry @ B.B. Kings
* Gogol Bordello @ The Electric Factory (Philly)
* Joan Osborne @ City Winery
* Crystal Castles @ MHOW (twice)
* The English Beat @ The Klein (CT)
* Amanda Palmer @ Bowery Ballroom
* My Morning Jacket @ MSG
* Joan as Policewoman @ The Stone
* These are Powers & Dan Friel @ Cake Shop
* Yo La Tengo & The Feelies @ The Wellmont Theatre
* Mr. Brownstone @ Mercury Lounge
* The Dickies @ The Room at the Bowery Electric
* The World Famous Pontani Sisters @ The Bell House
* Dirty on Purpose & A Place To Bury Strangers @ Mercury Lounge
* Elvis Perkins, Islands & Blonde Redhead @ Terminal 5
* bands playing as tribute bands @ Death By Audio
* Surprise Me Mr Davis (mem The Slip) and The Benevento/Russo Duo @ B.B. Kings
* Grandmaster Mele Mel, Mickey Factz, Ninjasonik, Trouble & Bass, more @ Studio B
* Semi Precious Weapons, The Johns & Titus Andronicus @ Public Assembly
* Deerhoof, Akron/Family, Dirty Projectors, Deer Tick & more @ Knitting Factory
* Andrew WK, Gang Gang Dance, Bad Brilliance & Ted Leo @ Santos Party House
* RUDE year's eve w/ HEARTSREVOLUTION & Nick Catchdubs @ Glasslands
* Famous Friends & Palms Out Sounds - Kill The Noise, AC Slater & others @ Europa

Tonight is your last chance ever to go to Knitting Factory's Manhattan location.

Tonight might be one of your last chances ever to go to Studio B.

Tonight might be your last chance ever to see Dirty on Purpose live.

Ted Leo is the secret guest at the Santos Party House show. Ted Leo is no longer the secret guest at Santos Party House.

Lissy Trullie cancelled her Santos appearance, but Hearts of Darknesses was added.

The Damned cancelled their New Years Eve show.

What else?

New Years Eve at Death By Audio is all regular bands playing as tribute bands for one night only. The Deep & Holy Sea will be The Replacements, Asa Ransom are The Clash, Necking will be Black Flag, Love or Perish are the Misfits, Liturgy are Black Sabbath, So So Glos are playing as a mystery band, AND a mystery band are playing as Weezer. E4e1 drops the hint that the mystery band is "Shakespearean". Titus Andronicus will already be in the neighborhood. The cover is just $2.00.

Speaking of the neighborhood, a member of Titus recently played there with Ted Leo who is also someone's New Years Eve mystery guest in Rhode Island.

Ted Leo doing indie rock karaoke @ Studio B (more by Ryan Muir)

I just gave a hint, but now I can confirm (what I just found out today) - Ted Leo is the mystery guest at Santos Party House tonight (New Years Eve). Andrew WK, partial owner of the club, is also on the bill.

UPDATE: Ted is no longer playing the show

That's Ted playing his recent show at Studio B in Brooklyn in the above pic. Ted played a set and was the backing band for a set of karaoke. The NY Mag-sponsored event was hosted by Andrew WK, who, also did some karaoke with Ted. Video below...

Continue reading "Ted Leo = special guest @ Santos, Andrew WK sings karaoke"

Gothamist: So you're curating this New Year's Eve show. What does curating a concert entail?

Miles Seaton of Akron/Family: Oh, man, you should ask my girlfriend; she's a curator. The Knitting Factory wanted us to get all the bands together for this last night at the club, and it's been a lot of back-and-forth during a really busy time for us and the club. But it means the opportunity to have Dirty Projectors and Deerhoof play, and also our friend Greg Davis and our other friends like Megafaun play. And also, to keep an eye on what the night looks like for people and the pacing of the night.

How is this going to work in terms of set times? Are people going to have to choose between Deerhoof, Dirty Projectors and Akron/Family?

You know, that's the thing that curating would normally entail but we haven't really had a chance to communicate with the club a lot about the production end of things. So I can't answer that, to be honest with you. But I imagine they'll try to stagger it a bit, you know; start one show on the hour and another show on the half hour. And we also just got two of the guys from Oneida to play; they call themselves Groover's Paradise.

P.S. I think the special guest at Santos Party House recently played Market Hotel

"Unfortunately due to sickness the band have had to cancel the shows ...The band very much regret this unfortunate and unavoidable situation... [The Damned]

DOWNLOAD: Diana Krall - What Are You Doing New Years Eve (MP3)

Rude Bear @ a Muggabears show (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

• Grandmaster Mele Mel, Mickey Factz, Ninjasonik, Trouble & Bass, and more @ Studio B
• The World Famous Pontani Sisters @ The Bell House
• RUDE year's eve HEARTSREVOLUTION (Live+DJ set) plus Nick Catchdubs / Bubblyfish / RUDE (DJ set) / hosted by RUDE BEAR @ Glasslands Gallery
• Surprise Me Mr Davis (members of The Slip) and The Benevento/Russo Duo (late show) @ BB King's
• Famous Friends & Palms Out Sounds Present NYE 2008! featuring Kill The Noise / AC Slater / The American Dream Team / Udachi / Bradley D & VDRK / Hosted by Chaz & Jason Pants of Palms Out Sounds @ Europa
• EVERYTHING ELSE

Like Kings of Leon did before them, My Morning Jacket have now "reconfigured their production to make available some amazing seats for their show on December 31. It's your chance to get the best seats in the house!"

The picture above is the cover of the new "Live From Bonnaroo 2008" DVD (that MMJ appears on). The trailer and tracklist for that, and all MMJ dates, below...

Continue reading "My Morning Jacket releases more "amazing" MSG tickets. It's the old "reconfigured production", new Bonnaroo DVD "

by Black Bubblegum

The English Beat

Yesterday we were talking about a reunion of The Specials, as part of their 30th anniversary. The band aren't touring in the US (so far), but another pair of 2 Tone bands are... The English Beat and Bad Manners. Tickets are on sale for a NYC show at Irving Plaza on Feb 6th, 2009... part of a larger late-January/early-February tour that will also take the band to The Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale on Feb 5th. And if you haven't planned your New Years Eve yet, The English Beat are also playing The Klein in Bridgeport, CT, on December 31, 2008 (tickets here).

For those of you who like your ska in heaping doses, The Knitting Factory has your fix with "3 Floors of Ska" on Dec 29th featuring Westbound Train, King Django, Hub City Stompers, Bluebeats, Royal City Riot, Bigger Thomas featuring Roy Radics, Void Union, Allstonians, The Attack & Skanotto. Tickets are also on sale.

All English Beat tour dates below...

Continue reading "The English Beat tour dates & the last 3-floors of ska @ KF"

DOWNLOAD: Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus (MP3)

photos by Michael Gruen

so, like I used to have this beard you see.. (Patrick Stickles @ Market Hotel)

Titus Andronicus's Patrick Stickles played a solo show at Market Hotel in Brooklyn last night - he was opening for his friend Ted Leo who also played solo (and solo Cale Parks was also on the bill) (12/15). As you can see, Patrick is now without beard.

As previously posted, Titus Andronicus are playing a home-state show at Maxwell's on January 14th followed immediately by a national tour with Los Campesinos!, BUT FIRST: another NYC New Years Eve option:

Public Assembly & MEANYFEST USA present New Year's Eve Blow Out Party!

24 hour liquor license means party all night into the afternoon the next day!!!

Performances by:
*SEMI PRECIOUS WEAPONS @ 1:30
*THE JOHNS @ 12:30
*TITUS ANDRONICUS @ 10:30
+ Plus DJ VHS (LADY GA GA)!!

Continue reading "Titus Andronicus - beardless pics & a New Years Eve show"

Andrew WK (@ Studio B) (by Zach Dilgard) (more)

New Tears Eve @ Santos Party House in NYC
Serving booze until 8:00 AM, January 1st. Live performances upstairs with Andrew WK, Gang Gang Dance, Lissy Trullie, Bad Brilliance and Lemonade PLUS A MYSTERY SURPRISE GUEST! Upstairs will also feature spinning by Manderson, Andrew Kuo, Josh Wildman and Spencer Sweeney plus more DJ's TBA. Downstairs, Presented by Prime Time, will feature Invisible Conga People, Mike Simonetti, Eamon Harkin and James ^$#*@ Friedman. Champagne toast at midnight featuring an unprecedented 96-second countdown! With your hosts MISSHAPES! Entry is $20 after 4 AM. Please be 21 years of age or older with valid ID.

Lemonade recently played a show at The Annex.

Bad Brilliance recently played a show (with Andrew WK) at Terminal 5.

Knitting Factory recently added different price options for their New Years show.

Who will be the MYSTERY SURPRISE GUEST?

1. $35.00 gets you general admission to the previously announced show.
2. $65.00 gets you general admission + "complementary drinks (beer, wine & well) all night".
3. $100 gets you "VIP/balcony admission plus complementary drinks (beer, wine & well) all night"

Continue reading "Knitting Factory selling 3 types of New Years Eve tickets"

Gang Gang Dance @ Santos Party House (11/29/2008) (more by Tim Griffin)

Gang Gang is often mentioned in the same breath as leftfield acts like Black Dice and Animal Collective. Like those groups, they approach their music-an amalgam of insistent percussion, experimental rock, and electronics-in an untamed manner. That is, creating sounds on the spot rather than considering them beforehand. "When I think about how our band started, we were really just, like, feral," explains DeGraw, speaking contemplatively in hushed tones and drawing frequently from a pack of Camel Lights. "Not even composing songs, just making a racket." [XLR8R]

Continue reading "Gang Gang Dance - Tour Dates (New Years Eve @ Santos)"

Continue reading "holiday greetings from Wayne Coyne, Oklahoma New Years"

PB: Which English bands inspired you?

Dickies guitarist Stan Lee: I liked The Damned and The Buzzcocks. I saw The Damned at the Starwood [LA] when there was about 14 people watching them. And I went 'Yeah - I'm going to start learning to play guitar'.

Coney Island High Presents
The Dickies New Year's Eve Show 12/31/08 at 10 pm
The Room at The Bowery Electric, 327 Bowery
between 2nd & 3rd Streets, New York, NY 10003
Directions: 6 at Bleeker St; B, D; F, V at 2nd Ave; N/R to 8th Street.
PHONE: 212.228.0228
21+, no refunds.
Includes "Black Door" Detention Dance Party after show Coney Island High DJs spin all night long.

Continue reading "Dickies New Years on sale, updated Damned tour dates"

Akron/Family curates New Year's Eve! Featuring performances by Deerhoof, Akron/Family, Dirty Projectors, Deer Tick, Megafaun, tons more & very special surprise guests - a full-club farewell to the Leonard Street Knit! - Knitting Factory

If you haven't been following along, this will also be the last show at Knitting Factory's Manhattan location, ever. Infinity Window is one of the tons more.

I hadn't heard the ambient music of Infinity Window before today. So far so good. And though they don't really seem like much of a live band, their (Taylor Richardson and Daniel Lopatin) tour dates are pretty interesting:

Dec 13 - NY Eye and Ear Fest, Brooklyn, NY
Dec 15 - Glasslands, Brooklyn w/ Sun Circle, Soft Circle, Bird Show
Dec 31 - Knitting Factory NYE NYC, New York

Continue reading "Infinity Window - New Years Eve @ KF & other tour dates "

"Indie rock act Akron/Family will release its fourth album in April through Dead Oceans/Secretly Canadian, Billboard.com has learned. The as-yet-untitled set is the follow-up to 2007's "Love Is Simple" and is the first studio recording the group has done as a three piece.

"There were other record labels that we liked, but Dead Oceans/Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar was our number one first choice. It was really exciting that they were interested in us," multi-instrumentalist Miles Seaton tells Billboard.com. Akron/Family had previously recorded for Young God."

Dirty Projectors released their last album on Dead Oceans, and their next confirmed show is this Thurday in Brooklyn with Dan Deacon and ensemble.

* The Rub is at Southpaw
* Prince Paul is DJing the Delancey
* Joan as Policewoman is playing the Stone
* Chuck Berry is playing B.B. King Blues Club and Grill

AND everything else. What are you doing?

Joan as Policewoman will play shows at 8 and 10 pm at the Stone in NYC on New Years Eve. The 'Annual End The Year Improv Night' with John Zorn happens at the same venue three nights earlier. Other names on the Stone's schedule for December (curated by Jennifer Charles) include Gary Lucas, Erik Friedlander, Doveman, Alan Licht, Hal Willner's Parade (Yuka Honda & Sean Lennon), Elysian Fields, JG Thirwell, and Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog (tonight, Sunday December 7th).

January's schedule, curated by Craig Taborn, doesn't have many names
I recognize, but February, curated by Shannon Fields of Stars Like Fleas, has Twi the Humble Feather, Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio, Chris Schlarb, Diane Cluck, Jon Natchez, Kelly Pratt, Lexie Mountain Boys, Megafun, John Zorn, Ecstatic Sunshine, Sam Amidon, and Tristan Perich,

For other NYC shows on New Years Eve, browse HERE.

Joan Wasser (as Policewoman) and at least one band member also contribute to Gramercy Arms.

Marc Ribot is also playing December 9th at Blue Note and December 11th at Knitting Factory.

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: The Dickies - "Manny, Moe And Jack" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Dickies - "Can Ya" (MP3, Early version of "I'm A Chollo")

Happy Punk New Year! Punknews is reporting that The Dickies have added a New Years Eve show at Bowery Electric (the bar co-owned by Jesse Malin) followed by an already-on-sale night of raucous rampaging at Southpaw on Jan 2nd. Bowery Electric details are scare, but assuming it's true, that means that New Year's Eve offers a PAIR of 70s punk pioneers to choose from... as we know that The Damned are set to blast off at Gramercy (as well as on Dec 30th).

Continue reading "The Dickies playing, LA, Southpaw & NYC New Years Eve?"