photos by Jessica Amaya

"Wilco gets everything backwards.

Rock bands are supposed to start small, releasing music on obscure, independent labels, and working their way up to a major record company contract. Wilco, though, began their career on a major label subsidiary in 1994, divorced it to release 2001's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, signed to another subsidiary, and, four studio albums and one Grammy later, decided to start their own indie imprint, dBpm Records. Their first release on that label, The Whole Love, is out today." [The Atlantic]

Continue reading "Wilco release new album, played their 2nd Summerstage show w/ Nick Lowe in the rain (pics & setlist)"

UPDATE: This is all now cancelled/postponed (no new date yet)

"Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson" returns to Prospect Park for a third year in a row on Saturday, but not for long...

The Michael Jackson event will take place until 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Due to predicted hazardous weather, ALL Park facilities will close Saturday, August 27 at 2 p.m. and REMAIN CLOSED THROUGH SUNDAY AUGUST 28.

Saturday, August 27, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The Nethermead

Spike Lee, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks*, Spike DDB & The Republic of Brooklyn invite you to celebrate the birthday of Michael Jackson with a special celebration in Prospect Park.

*40 Acres And A Mule is documenting Michael Jackson's Birthday Celebration in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York on August 27th, 2011. By your presence in the Prospect Park - Nethermead Field area, you acknowledge that you have been informed that you may be photographed, recorded and videotaped. Further, by your presence there, you grant your permission for your likeness and voice to be included without compensation, credit or other consideration

Check out pictures from last year's Prospect Park party HERE.

update: Out in the Streets CANCELLED.

Despite tons of cancellations, as of Friday morning, MoMA is reporting that Saturday's PS1 Warm Up is rain or shine, and the organizers of this weekend's Out in the Streets Fest are saying the same.

Continue reading "PS1 Warm Up & Out In The Streets currently "rain or shine""

The Rib Rock Festivals scheduled for this Saturday, August 27th at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater and this Sunday, August 28th at the PNC Bank Arts Center have been cancelled due to safety reasons concerning Hurricane Irene.

Refunds are available at the point of purchase.

Wavves & GZA

"MTV has just announced that fuzz-rock band Wavves will serve as the guest composer for the first season of the network's new scripted comedy series, "I Just Want My Pants Back." In addition, music legend Nic Harcourt will serve as music supervisor for the series. The pilot episode, which is airing as a sneak peek following the "2011 MTV Video Music Awards," on August 28, at 11 p.m. ET/PT, will feature the exclusive world premiere of their new song "I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl." The series will officially debut on MTV in January 2012. .

Wavves' new EP, "Life Sux" will be released by Wavves' label Ghost Ramp on Tuesday, September 20th and features "I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl," as well as collaborations with Best Coast and members of the band F*cked Up.

As guest composer throughout the MTV series, Wavves will have 20 original compositions as well as songs from their unreleased EP. Following the sneak peek on Sunday night, viewers can visit www.soundtrack.mtv.com for a free download of "I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl" and a list of all Wavves songs featured in the show.

From acclaimed director and executive producer Doug Liman ("Mr. and Mrs. Smith, "Swingers," "Go," "Bourne Identity") and based upon David J. Rosen's critically acclaimed novel of the same name, "I Just Want My Pants Back" follows a group of friends as they navigate the minefield of their post-collegiate years. The series will feature 12 half-hour episodes.

Struggling with sex, love, career and friendship as a young twenty-something living in Brooklyn, the series follows Jason Strider, played by Peter Vack. Jason puts hanging with his friends, going to bars and hooking up above his entry level job where he's the lowest rung at a casting agency, and dreams of being in music journalism...but has no idea how to get there. It's not until a one night stand steals his heart and his pants, that he begins a quest to get his beloved jeans back, and hopefully the girl, while also growing up along the way.

The series also stars Kim Shaw as Jason's best friend 'Tina;' Jordan Carlos as 'Eric' and Elisabeth Hower as 'Stacey,' college sweethearts making it go of it as couple as they forge into their adult years; Sunkrish Bala as 'Bobby' the owner of the local bodega and will guest star Chris Parnell as 'J.B.,' Jason's no-nonsense boss at the casting agency.

"I Just Want My Pants Back" is based on the book by David J. Rosen. The series a co-production with Universal Cable Productions. The pilot was written by Rosen and directed by Doug Liman. Justin Levy, Clay Spencer and Polly Auritt are the executives in charge of production for MTV. Executive producers include Liman, David Bartis and Rosen. Gene Klein is co-executive producer.

Also, be sure to catch Wavves backing up GZA, the legendary founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, on Fuel TV's "The Daily Habit" tonight at 8pm PST / 11pm EST. They will be performing GZA's classic tune "Liquid Swords"."
[press release]

Feel like staying dry? You can head to Long Island on September 9th instead, or wait until Wavves returns to NYC as part of a tour with Fucked Up that has the two bands at Webster Hall on Saturday, September 24th. More dates TBA soon. All dates and new EP tracklist and cover art below...

Continue reading "Wavves still playing NYC tonight, touring w/ Fucked Up (dates), soundtracking MTV show, backing GZA, releasing EP"

Jonathan Toubin's shindig at Beekman Beer Garden tonight is cancelled, but may be rescheduled.

St Vincent's Met roof show tonight "WILL NOW TAKE PLACE IN A GALLERY SPACE WITHIN THE MUSEUM." Check out St. Vincent's brand new video HERE.

words by Zach Pollack, photos by Grant MacAllister

Sorry for the delay of our third and final installmet of Lollapalooza 2011 coverage, but here it is! Due to the major downpour on the Sunday of the fest, Grant's pictures were almost lost forever in a wet camera, but are now recovered. If you're just joining us, check out parts one and two first. Here is part three...

My third and final day of Lollapalooza (8/7) kicked off at Music Unlimited Stage with an opening set from Titus Andronicus. The Garden State punks began things by playing the opening track "A More Perfect Union" from their incredible 2010 LP The Monitor. Titus generally would make for a fantastic start to the day, but their sound was a bit off, and by the look on frontman Patrick Stickles's face, I think he agreed.

After Titus, I decided to calm things down and went to catch Lia Ices. This was my second time seeing the Brooklyn, NY-based songstress this year, but that did not make her less interesting. Lia's well trained voice fluttered effortlessly over the avant pop she produces. I must admit I was skeptical that she and her band would translate well to an outdoor setting. The four-piece shattered any and all of my doubts.

The next set I caught was Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.'s at the quite favored Google+ stage. The kitschy group are infectious and totally unavoidable. I stuck around for most of their set which included their handmade "Jr. Jr." light boxes on stage and, more importantly, bubble machines.

I then made my way over to watch The Cars, who again consist of their original lineup, except for Benjamin Orr who passed away in 2000. The Cars ran though many of their hits like "Just What I Needed," "My Best Friend's Girl," "Good Times Roll," and a few new ones too. I didn't initially plan on catching their set, am glad that I did.

I then headed to the Sony stage where Portugal. The Man were setting up. I had caught their aftershow with Wye Oak at the Double Door on the first night of Lolla, and they blew me away. I was psyched to hear so many cuts off of their 2009 LP The Satanic Satanist. I was NOT psyched to hear that their van and trailer (gear and all) had been stolen later on that night. The van and trailer have since been recovered... and so has most of the gear!

I left Portugal's set a bit early in order to make it to Best Coast at Google+. Frontwoman Bethany Cosentino entered the stage and jokingly stated, "Fuck you, we're Best Coast." Unfortunately halfway through their set storm clouds that were hanging over Chicago all day finally burst. It poured for a good hour, letting up just before Explosions In The Sky's set.

The Austin, TX-based post rock band entered the stage stating, "I think you just saw 'us,' but now we're going to play some music." I was glad to hear some of my favorite songs like "The Birth and Death of the Day," "Six Days At the Bottom of the Ocean," and "Your Hand In Mine." Their awesome set was more than enough to keep the muddy, sopping festival-goers around.

Everyone legitimately thought the rain had let up, so I headed across to Music Unlimited for Foo Fighters' headlining set. Their set included a handful of songs from the recently released Wasting Light LP and a bunch of older cuts too. A few songs in it started pouring again and I decided to leave the festival along with Grant whose camera had officially stopped working. Unfortunately that meant that I missed Perry Farrell (of Jane's Addiction and founder of Lollapalooza) joining the band on stage for a second during "Everlong," which included the Foos playing a piece of Jane's Addiction's "Mountain Song."

Day 1 pics are HERE and Day 2 pics are HERE. More pictures from Day 3, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Arctic Monkeys included, below...

Continue reading "Lollapalooza 2011 -- Day 3 pics & review (EITS, TPOBPAH, Best Coast, The Cars, Portugal the Man, Arctic Monkeys & more)"

today in NYC
* ASSSSCAT 3000 @ UCB
* Emily Wells @ Ace Hotel
* Beyonce @ Roseland Ballroom
* Hannibal Buress @ Knitting Factory
* Chixdiggit @ Rocks Off Concert Cruise
* C. Spencer Yeh, Meg Clixby @ The Stone
* Maya Miller, Mike Bernstein @ The Stone
* IDentity Festival @ PNC Banks Arts Center
* Donald Lawrence @ Central Park Summerstage
* Bob Dylan, Leon Redbone @ Convention Hall (NJ)
* Gore Orphanage, Matthew Mullane, ODO @ Bruar Falls
* Abraham King, Winter Family, The Pendulum Swings @ Zebulon
* Eraas, Voyageurs, ATM (Ted Mcgrath of Antimagic), Alan Watts @ Death By Audio
* 28th Annual Roots of American Music Festival w/ Bettye Lavette & more @ Lincoln Center Out of Doors
* A Troop of Echoes, Fiasco, Zvoov, PAK, Hadoken, Zevious, Cellular Chaos, Time Columns, Hero(n) of Alexandria, Mother Night, A Fucking Elephant, Carved Up, Hannibal Montana (The Night Wears A Sombrero Festival) @ Cake Shop

It's raining which is especially unfortunate for Lincoln Center Out Of Doors and the IDentity Festival which hits PNC Banks Arts Center with DJ Shadow, Modeselektor, Hercules and Love Affair, Holy Ghost!, and more. The festival will return to the NYC area on August 21 at Jones Beach.

What else?

photos by Jessica Amaya & words by Rachel Kowal

There's no question. The Age of Adz, Sufjan Stevens' bombastic game-changer-of-an-album is hugely divisive among fans and critics alike. Many balked at its sheer absurdity and accompanying oddball aesthetic. When I first heard the new album, I admit I was one of the skeptics. It was the gentle beauty of Michigan and quirky magnificence of Seven Swans that initially drew me in, but after seeing his performance at Beacon Theatre last fall, I was a convert. I drank the neon-colored, glow-in-the-dark Kool-aid, and I do not regret it.

Before Sufjan and his 14+ band mates claimed the Prospect Park Bandshell stage last night (8/3), the one-man glam artist Diamond Rings (John O'Regan) took his turn. Like Sufjan, O'Regan's show is just as much about his attitude and aesthetic as it is about his music. Dressed in a glittering silver crown and eye make-up reminiscent of Ziggy Stardust, O'Reagan helped pump up the crowd with his upbeat synthesis of samples, drum machine beats, and live guitar/keys.

Though the rain ceased a bit during Diamond Ring's set, by the time Sufjan and his band began to play, it had begun to steadily fall once again. But in a movement of crowd solidarity, umbrellas disappeared one by one as people traded in comfort for better sightlines.

As if in an effort to ease old fans into the post-apocalyptic landscape of glow-in-the-dark electrical tape, Sufjan Stevens kicked off his second Celebrate Brooklyn show not with a new song, but with "Seven Swans" (as he did the night before). Of course, it wasn't long before the nine-minute song began to get raucous.

And in what was just the first of many times throughout the evening, Sufjan slipped into the role of spiritual guide, sage, and motivational speaker. "Oh you are fierce warriors," he said, surveying the sopping magnitude before him, "You have the patience and fortitude and strength."

Sufjan followed the more mellow opening number with a string of songs from The Age of Adz, breaking up the new material only slightly with "Enchanting Ghosts" from last year's over-shadowed but excellent All Delighted People EP. Like last fall's show at Beacon Theatre, the scene was ridiculous. Psychedelic projections, wild costumes (including massive white wings for "Seven Swans"), and the carefully choreographed moves of Jessica Dessner (the sister of Bryce and Aaron of The National) provided abundant visual stimulation.

"I'd like to apologize for being so melodramatic, but I knew you had the heart and strength and soul to take it," Sufjan said as if anticipating a backlash. "So if you're feeling a little bit wet and disenchanted, I encourage you to move your butt."

At times Stevens comes across as a parody of himself and a bit of a megalomaniac, teetering on the edge of sanity... and maybe he is, or maybe he's just channeling the eccentricities of others.

Toward the middle of his set, Stevens explained that the inspiration behind both the fantastical scene on stage and much of the music was an "amazing outsider artist" from Louisiana that he had started studying a few years ago named Royal Robertson. "I decided to use him as my muse [...] and I just really wanted to capture in the frenetic sense the sound of the universe. I wanted to sound my barbaric yawp above the rooftops. And so I threw away the acoustic guitar, and I threw away the banjo, and I decided to surround myself with noise. And then through Royal Robertson I was able to contextualize all this mess into a sort of beautiful pop pageant."

Sure, The Age of Adz is an indulgent, schizophrenic mess, but it's a marvelous mess--especially in a live setting. The neon colors, the flashing lights, the trilling flutes, and dancing girls--it all just works... if you open yourself up to it, that is. Luckily, with the steady rain and steep ticket price (which benefits the Celebrate Brooklyn series), this was no place for haters.

"Tonight we celebrate Brooklyn. We celebrate rain. We celebrate ourselves. We sing the body electric. Am I quoting too much Whitman? I celebrate myself. I sing myself [...] every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. These are your songs this is your show. Thanks for being here." And with that, he launched into "Impossible Soul."

By turns life affirming and heartbreaking, his sprawling opus was clearly the grand finale of the set. Stevens and friends pulled out all the stops--especially DM Stith (on backing vox and keys) and Cat Martino. Though she provided backing vocals for much of the show, Martino (who also sings with Sharon Van Etten) left her post at the back of the stage for a spirited, soulful duet with Stevens, proving that she is more than capable of being the leading lady. (Look for Martino's second solo album, Yr Not Alone this fall.)

After donning an elaborate golden headdress for the auto-tune portion of the song, Stevens re-emerged wearing a crazy balloon costume that would even be a bit much for George Clinton. Then out of nowhere, inflatable dancing men--the kind typically found in side-of-the-road displays--popped up, sending cheers throughout the soaked but ecstatic crowd. As if the scene on stage were not enough, large, clear beach balls began to circulate the crowd.

Stevens concluded the show with a three-song encore of older songs, including the simple, quiet love song "The Dress Looks Nice On You" and of course, "Chicago."

One thing's for sure. As Stevens sings himself in "I Want To Be Well," he's "not fucking around."

More pictures and setlist from the Wednesday show below...

Continue reading "Sufjan Stevens played Prospect Park again, but this time w/ rain & Diamond Rings (pics & setlist)"

The Wake and Weekend were scheduled to play the free outdoor show at South Street Seaport this evening, July 8, 2011, but due to rain, the show has been moved to Littlefield in Brooklyn. Doors are now at 9pm, but the show is still free. Bands at 10 & 11.

Poor Chris La Putt braved the weather and went to the Seaport to capture the action. His picture of the non-event is above.

In related news, tonight's Yankees game is postponed for the same reasons and that means Derek Jeter will have to wait a little bit longer before attempting his 3000th hit.

P.S. Want to see Animal Collective for free at Merriweather Post Pavillion (the MD venue) on Saturday night? We're running a last minute contest for two tickets now at our Facebook.

The Bottom Line presents New York on my Mind tonight (6/22) at World Financial Center Winter Garden. The free River to River show was originally scheduled to take place in Rockefeller Park but has been moved due to weather. Performers include Rosanne Cash, Marshall Crenshaw, The GrooveBarbers, Garland Jeffreys, Willie Nile, Martin Rivas, Suzzy and Lucy Wainwright Roche, Catherine Russell, Vin Scelsa, Loudon Wainwright III, Dar Williams and many more.

Note that Tift Merritt's 7pm Madison Square Park show was also moved to the "rain location on the southern end of the park."

Other upcoming events at Rockefeller Park (weather permitting) include R&B singer Chrisette Michele on June 29, Poets House Annual Celebration with a lineup of poets (TBA) and musical guests Jose James and Bobbi Humphrey on July 6, and A Celebration for Jonathan Schwartz featuring a collection of singers paying tribute to Schwartz on July 13.

photos by Amanda Hatfield, words by Rachel Kowal

Thirty minutes before showtime, the forecast wasn't looking good. What started as a small shower soon escalated into a near downpour, sending a patchwork of different colored umbrellas springing up at McCarren Park Friday night.

Then it happened: the event that nearly broke Twitter. It began with a low rumble that quickly rippled through the crowd. Then, "OH MY GOD! DOUBLE RAINBOW!" Within seconds, every smartphone was tracked on the sky, and cries of jubilation and cheap sarcasm rang out. If you think Sharon Van Etten is a tough act to follow, try a double rainbow. But Yellow Ostrich was up for trying.

Soon after the buzz died down, the newly signed Barsuk trio took the stage. Somehow despite all the weather-related chaos that had transpired over the past 30 minutes subsided just in time for the show. A Northside miracle.

Recorded, Yellow Ostrich is a fine-tuned, feel-good indie machine, but in a live setting, front man Alex Schaaf and company aren't afraid to let down their hair a bit. Sure, you still get the carefully looped harmonies - a delight to hear in the excellent "Whale" - but the music also takes on a more desperate and raucous tone, especially on new songs like "The Shake Down."

As I watched the stage transform for Sharon Van Etten's set, my excitement grew - especially when I spied Aaron Dessner of The National fiddling around with wires. "Hello, everybody. Thanks for bearing the rain," Van Etten said by way of introduction. She began her set with "Peace Signs."

With her honest lyrics and down-to-earth demeanor, and soul-soothing voice, Sharon Van Etten makes quick work of winning over the crowd. (I mean the woman dedicated a song to her dad in honor of Father's Day. How nice, right?)

As an added bonus, the last three songs of her set featured two additional musicians - Ben Lanz (on trombone) and Aaron Dessner (guitar) who is apparently producing Van Etten's next record.

Then, after a brief interlude from our sponsor, Zach Condon and company emerged to a round of applause that almost seemed more fitting for a Justin Bieber show than for Beirut.

Though Condon composed much of his newer music with a 17-piece mariachi band in mind, the six people on stage impressively flushed out the sound by constantly rotating through an assortment of instruments, including: French horn, tuba, drums, trombone, trumpet, accordion, and piano. But it was the ukulele - the crux to much of his earlier catalog - that seemed to garner the most applause.

After two short sets, it was nice to see Beirut take their time on stage. The band enthusiastically played through their set - no doubt inspired not only by the dedication of the rain-braving crowd but also by the stunning scenery in the distance. "It's nice to be playing for the Chrysler and the Empire State Building," Condon remarked. Of course with such a healthy play time (19 songs, by my count), they covered both the standards ("Postcards From Italy," "Elephant Gun," "Nantes," "Scenic World," and "Mount Wroclai" to name a few) and a handful of newer songs.

Though I was tempted to stay longer, if there was an encore, I didn't see it. After missing out on Seapony twice last week, I dashed out of the park and over to Pianos, where I made it in time to hear the last five songs from the delightful Seattle group. For the record, it was totally worth it.

More pictures from the Beirut show below...

Continue reading "Beirut, Sharon Van Etten, Aaron Dessner, Yellow Ostrich & a double rainbow in McCarren Park (pics & review)"

Beirut, Sharon Van Etten, and Yellow Ostrich play a sold out (except to badges) Northside Festival show in McCarren Park tonight. The Books, Junip, and Doveman play a free show in Prospect Park. Both shows are rain or shine, though lightning could change that. Hopefully it doesn't rain too hard, or at all. 50% is still only 50%!

Best Coast and The Decemberists played Prospect Park in the rain earlier in the week, and that wasn't too bad.

actual crowd going to Central Park Thursday night (photo via Sasarella)

Stormy weather forced the cancellation of a concert by the Black Eyed Peas that was to take place on the Central Park Great Lawn on Thursday night for an expected audience of 60,000.

The concert's pre-show was canceled, and the main show's starting time was delayed twice due to the storms moving across the city, stranding thousands of fans on the streets of the Upper West Side. The gates were finally opened at 7:45 p.m., but about half an hour later, as lightning continued to streak across the sky and a light rain spattered the lawn, the concert was shut down.

Also scheduled to appear were Taylor Swift, Carole King, Tony Bennett, LL Cool J, [Deborah Harry] and others. [NY Times]

Continue reading "Black Eyed Peas Central Park concert cancelled"

photos by Diana Wong

you can see the rain in the light

Considering the band split apart in 1999 and most everybody in attendance bought tickets to the show a full year ago, there wasn't going to be anything keeping hardcore Pavement fans from Wednesday night's (September 22) concert at Rumsey Playfield in New York's Central Park. The weather certainly tried though, as a thick fog of humidity gave way to steady rain and a spectacular display of lightning (so spectacular, in fact, that the producers actually pulled the band off stage for 15 minutes half way through the set, for fear of lightning strikes).

With the weather threatening to derail the entire evening, Pavement found a completely new gear. Eschewing the sharp between-song banter that colored earlier shows on this reunion tour, the band tore through their set mostly in an effort to cram in all their songs but also because they remain clearly thrilled by the aspect of playing these tunes together again. ...Something clearly lit a fire under the asses of Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Scott "Spiral Stairs" Kannberg, Steve West and Mark Ibold, as they were feisty, firey and tight (despite a few false starts)...

"Thanks for sticking with us," Malkmus said at the end of the set. He was probably talking about the rain, but he could have been talking about the 10 years in between appearances that gave his quirky songs a new energy that he clearly enjoyed. Will Pavement make another album? It seems doubtful. But they sure do seem to like being in Pavement again. -[MTV]

Pavement round four kicks off tonight (9/23) at the also-sold-out Summerstage (but you can get a ticket for cheap outside) with Endless Boogie (who was one of the openers at the first show at Williamsburg Waterfront).

Times New Viking opened last night, and will be playing another show at the Meat Locker in Montclair, NJ TONIGHT (9/23). Times New Viking's other upcoming shows include a stint with the reunited Guided By Voices.

More pictures from last night's Summerstage show (including another of the setlist), below...

Continue reading "Pavement played Rumsey Playfield again (pics), with Times New Viking (who play the Meat Locker tonight) "

"Saw Pavement frontrow/center in the rain/thunder/lightening, got a setlist, made it 2 BK in time for YYYs at Secret Project Robot. Oh my god" - Jenn Pelly

"Ready to relive tonight's Pavement concert in the pouring rain. Can you make that happen? Kind of night that keeps me in love with my NYC." - Jenna Schnuer

"Pavement in the pouring, pouring rain. Best show ever." - Cara McDonough

Pavement @ Central Park Summerstage - Sept 22, 2010 (via Keith G)

Those who braved the weather Wednesday night ended up getting a still-great Pavement show, but a slightly shorter and much wetter one than the one the night before at the same Central Park venue. Lightning caused an unplanned intermission, but the show did go on after the break, even though the rain didn't stop.

Keith, who sent in the setlist (thanks!), reports that despite the break, "I'm pretty sure they played everything on the list. During the end of the show they played Linden, then Here, then Conduit to close out the show." More, including a full set of pics, coming later HERE.

Times New Viking opened what was the third of five Pavement reunion shows happening in NYC. Thee Oh Sees opened the night before. The first NYC show was Sunday night at Williamsburg Waterfront with Jenny and Johnny and Endless Boogie. Endless Boogie open again tonight (9/23). The final NYC show is Friday with The Beets.

Download the first show at NYC Taper.

Check out a 15 minute Big Ass Lens video from the first show, below...

Continue reading "Pavement played in the rain (NYC night 3 setlist)"

photos by Andrew St. Clair

After a tumultuous early evening (I'm sure you heard or experienced it), Cake took to the stage at Rumsey Playfield (Summerstage) in Central Park to play a round of jams last night (9/16) to a wet crowd. Raincoats were not an uncommon site. Though the heaviest of the precipitation had long since passed by the time the band had launched into their set, Summerstage did get its share of rain during the band's performance though reportedly it did not disrupt Cake's set which kicked off at 8pm (no opening band) (it was "an evening with Cake"). The played "The Distance", "Frank Sinatra", "Comfort Eagle" and other songs before eventually shuffling off stage after 10PM, with a 15 minute intermission in between.

The show is part of a larger tour for Cake, and was the first of a string of seven Summerstage shows that continue tonight with Ween. More pictures from last night, below...

Continue reading "despite the storm, Cake played Summerstage (pics) "

photos by Bao Nguyen & Chris Gersbeck

"Chromeo + Williamsburg Waterfront + Dance Party x Torrential Downpour = best summer show ever" - Diego

"chromeo killed it at the waterfront yesterday. who knew that umbrellas could be a dancing accessory?" - marc koz

"Chromeo was RIDICULOUS!!! Dancing in the rain at Brooklyn waterfront. Never had a better Sunday" - Ali

Despite the rain and potential lightning (Jelly can't catch a break), all four acts scheduled to play the free Pool Party at the Williamsburg Waterfront on Sunday got to play their sets. The bands, chosen by A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs' label Fool's Gold, were Telephoned, The Suzan, Kid Sister and Chromeo.

Senator Chuck Schumer, who earlier that day announced he helped restore the final Pool Party which is happening this coming Sunday (8/29) (Gucci Mane rumored to be one of the special guests), also made another appearance.

Pictures continue below...

Continue reading "Chromeo, Kid Sister, The Suzan & Telephoned played the Pool in the rain (Williamsburg Waterfront pics) "

Tombs @ the Studio in 2009 (more by Jason Jamal Nakleh)

today in NYC
* H2O on a boat
* Robert Black @ The Stone
* Ute Lemper @ Joe's Pub (early & late)
* Leon Russell @ Mexicali Live (NJ)
* Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio @ Jazz Standard
* Forest Fire, Oh Land, Normandy @ Glasslands
* Scott McMicken of Dr. Dog, Springs @ The Rock Shop
* Diddy, Rick Ross, Ciara & more @ Governors Island
* Hannibal Buress, King Sickabilly @ Knitting Factory
* Miya Masaoka, Mary Halvorson, Okkyung Lee @ The Stone
* Reid Paley Trio, Sam Chanse, Sugar Life @ Knitting Factory
* Nullsleep, Bit Shifter, Glomag, NO CARRIER @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Tombs, Radiation, Planks, Gods & Queens, Dawn @ Death By Audio
* Chromeo, The Suzan, Telephoned, Kid Sister @ Williamsburg Waterfront
* Metal Rouge, Sam Hamilton, Jane Austen, Greg Fox, Diablo @ Silent Barn
* Seaven Tears (Charlie Looker), Tartar Lamb (Toby Driver), Music of the American Avante-Garde (Bracken/Kidambi) @ Zebulon
* Religious To Damn, Fielded, Psychic Steel, Kevin Hufnagel @ Bruar Falls
* The Big Sleep, Fan-Tan, Sensual Harassment, Replicas, Michna (DJ Set) @ Cameo
* Mia Riddle, Pearl & The Beard, Madison Square Gardeners (Farm To Folk Fest) @ Union Pool (see below)
* New York Night Train's Ya Ya Yacht w/ DJ Mr. Jonathan Toubin & DJ Ian Svenonius
* Saviours, Priestess, Ramming Speed, Antidote [NYHC 1983], Rorschach DJ's, Hamsoken, Gatekeeper, Cult of Youth, Naam, Titan, Natur, Snake Sustaine, Primitive Weapons, Cleen Teeth @ Santos Party House
* K Holes, Electric Tickle Machine, My Teenage Stride, Food Stamps, Weekends, Weed Hounds, Shark?, Lost Boy, The Runaway Suns, The Caterpillers (and much more) @ Don Pedro (see below)

A lot to do today for a rainy Sunday at the end of a slow week.

Individual tickets are on sale today for the 2010-2011 NY Philharmonic concert season.

To make sure they don't get shut down, tonight's sold out H2O show happening on a Rocks Off boat is going to be dry ("Our First Ever NO BOOZE CRUISE - Straight Edge on the Hudson!"), which is ironic since those that step outside will probably not be dry at all thanks to the H2O coming down from the sky.

Good thing there's going to be a Pool Party on August 29th. Otherwise they would have went out on a rainy note. If it doesn't get cancelled, Chromeo, The Suzan, Telephoned, and previously-known-as "Special Guest" Kid Sister play the free show at the Williamsburg Waterfront today.

Today is the day The Specials were supposed to play in the rain at Central Park Summerstage.

Though there are still free events, there are no more free concerts on Governors Island this summer, which means tonight's potentially-soggy Diddy fans paid for their tickets. Same situation for the Jonas Brothers fans at Jones Beach.

Two indoor options today include "Farm to Folk Fest" at Union Pool (3-8pm) and "My Endless Summer" at Don Pedro from 4pm to 4am. Flyers and more information for both below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Sunday?"

Schumer @ the 1st Pool Party of 2010 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Summary: Senator Chuck Schumer (says he) saved the final, August 29th, Pool Party (that had been cancelled), OSA points out that they also found other financial donors to cover part of Jelly's tab, Assemblyman Lentol was working on this too, and OSA Board member Adam Perlmutter said "OSA looks forward to presenting diverse free programming in the future, from Chromeo to Copland". Today's Pool Party (with Chromeo) happens in the rain?

Press releases from Schumer and from OSA, in full below...

Continue reading "the final Pool Party is back on! (today's on the other hand...) "

photos by Andrew St. Clair

"The [Saturday night Governors Island HARD FEST] set started with "Steppin Up," with M.I.A. backed by about a dozen power drills as part of the rhythm track: noise triumphant. But M.I.A.'s vocals were often so buried in echo, and the bass so bloated, that her lyrics just became more of the din, and the songs that she segued together like a disc-jockey set were barely distinguishable. Instead of a barrage, it was a morass.

Her set was cut short by thunder and lightning, which she attributed to God and answered with a last defiant gesture: rapping "Born Free," which vows to speak her mind, a cappella as her backup group shut down. But an exodus from her set had begun well before the downpour." [NY Times]

In related news, the rained-on Modest Mouse show that happened one night earlier has been rescheduled, and the rained-on Williamsburg Waterfront show that happened one day later went on as planned, but later and in a different venue.

OK, so if you're following along, you saw: "Die Antwoord steal the show while topless girl dances (video), M.I.A. spits on a photographer (pics), rain, lasers & more... (HARD NYC in review - part 1)" which was followed by "Die Antwoord played MHOW & Governors Island (pics, video)" which was followed by "HARD FEST NYC in pics (part 2.5) (Ninjasonik, Rye Rye, Theophilus London, MIA & more)". That makes this post PART THREE, and it includes photos from the same artists as well as more crowd pics and Skream + Benga who played too. Those pictures, which include a shot of M.I.A,'s planned setlist, continue below...

Continue reading "M.I.A. promises free NYC show for HARD Fest ticket holders! (and here's another set of pictures from that show) "

photos by Chris La Putt

the race to Brooklyn Bowl

Chris got to Williamsburg Waterfront today just as they were making the announcement that things were moving to Brooklyn Bowl due to the rain. He, along with more people than could fit in the new venue, then raced to the new spot. He made it in, but only stayed for No Age who went on at 5:30. After that he left to make room for someone else who might want to catch Cap'N Jazz and Lightning Bolt more than him.

The rest of the show (which is still happening as this is being typed) is safe in Leia's hands (photographically speaking). Chris's pictures continue below...

Continue reading "Pool Party moving to Brooklyn Bowl (and No Age) in pics "

photos by Amanda Hatfield, words by Rachel Kowal

All day Friday, I kept an eye on the weather forecast, trying to determine if the show on the Waterfront would get rained out, but when I headed over, the sky was bright blue with promise.

Being an out-of-town opener is no easy task - especially when you're opening for a band with the reputation and discography of Modest Mouse. But Morning Teleportation, who are signed to Isaac Brock's label Glacial Pace, were more than equipped to handle the challenge. The Portland five-piece played punchy psychedelic music to match their colorful wardrobe, and they seemed to be having a great time doing it. Guitarist Tiger Merritt may have assumed most of the vocal responsibility, but the other members often sang along, off mic when they weren't singing back-up.

Morning Teleportation's music is engaging, but they also know how to show restraint. Instead of unnecessarily drowning the crowd in sound, they have a handle on their levels. Keyboard jingles, trumpet interludes, guitar riffs, and joyous vocals periodically crescendo and dissipate to create a dynamic sound that benefits from the distinctness of its layers.

At one point between songs, drummer Tres Coker dashed to the front of the stage, and leaned into the mic, saying, "Hey guys. We're playing at the Mercury Lounge soon [July 28th] and you should all come. All 7,000 of you." They may not have managed to build up much of a reputation yet, but the Mercury Lounge does seem like quite a small venue for a band of their talents and enthusiasm.

By the time Modest Mouse began to play, the weather had begun to take a sharp turn, but instead of focusing on the darkening sky, everyone was turned to face the stage. Modest Mouse kicked off their set with the slowly building song "Satellite Skin." After only a few seconds of playing, they suddenly stopped when part of their sound cut out. "That's not going to work, is it?" said Isaac Brock as the crowd expressed their anxious discontent. But the issue was quickly resolved. "We'll restart that song in a second. I'm really glad that didn't happen in the middle of it," countered Brock. But this fleeting technical issue wasn't the only obstacle of the evening. After just a couple of songs, Brock commented on the status of the weather, saying, "We might get a lightening storm [...] Let's hope that doesn't get shit shut down."

And with the unwelcome warning, they launched into "Fire It Up." Modest Mouse hasn't released a proper album since 2007 - just a smattering of singles and an EP last year. Their set list (the little we heard of it) pulled songs from throughout their extensive discography, but unfortunately, everything came to a screeching halt after the surprisingly apt song "Here It Comes" came to a close.

"Apparently, we have to take a 20 minute break. It's about safety - yours," said Brock wryly, when prompted by park officials. After the initial wave of grumbling had subsided, the crowd began to chant, "Fuck that shit." At which point, a woman's voice rung out over the PA, telling everyone to evacuate the park. "We must have 20 minutes since the last bolt of lightning," she said. As the stage lights went dim, I turned around and surveyed the sky. Black clouds hung menacingly over the Manhattan skyline, threatening to swallow it whole. This was the stuff from Armageddon movies. Suddenly, it became clear that all the flashing lights had not been benign camera flashes and stage lights, but regular bolts of lightening. Boos continued to ring out in the crowd as people assessed the situation. After another few minutes, an official jumped back on the PA and told everyone to proceed to the exits. For a minute, I was afraid we'd have a Drake incident on our hands, but then the rain started to fall, sending people scattering. Clearly, the show would not resume.

Sure, it was a real let down to hear only five songs (especially knowing that Brock surely would have continued if it weren't for park officials and safety regulations), but hearing him repeatedly sing the line, "Here it comes" as the sky took on a menacing shade made for quite a dramatic (if not disappointingly abrupt) conclusion.

Modest Mouse's current tour also included full, rain-free sets at the Pitchfork Festival in Chicago and at Wellmont Theater in NJ (pics coming soon).

Rain also caused Sunday's Pool Party at the Williamsburg Waterfront to have to change venues. More pictures and the setlist from Friday's short Brooklyn Modest Mouse show (we'll keep you posted if we hear anything about it being rescheduled), below...

Continue reading "Modest Mouse (all 5 songs of them), Morning Teleportation & a rain storm @ Williamsburg Waterfront (pics & setlist)"

...due to lightning

the Hip Hop Fest is underway (BKHipHopFest)

Opening DJ sets 12:00-1:25
1 The Crowd 1:25-1:35
2 Kalae All Day 1:40-1:50
3 Aquil 1:55-2:05
4 Those Chosen 2:10-2:20
5 Diamond District 2:25-2:40
6 Money Making Jam Boys 2:45-3:00
7 J Dilla Ensemble 3:05-3:20
8 Rakaa Iriscience/DJ Babu 3:25-3:40
9 Black Milk 3:45-400
11 Duck Down 4:05-4:35
12 Fashawn 4:40-4:55
13 Curren$y 5:00-5:20
14 Masta Ace 5:25-5:35
15 J.Period (plus special guests) 5:40-6:10
16 Pete Rock and CL Smooth 6:15-6:25
17 De La Soul 6:30-7:30
18 J Dilla Ensemble In Between Sets 1-8
19 DJ Parler In Between Sets 8-
20 Uncle Ralph McDaniels Host

The free show on Governors Island tonight is also Rain or Shine...

Today¹s concert is rain or shine. In the event of electrical storm or high winds management will work with local authorities to protect the health and safety of the artists and audience. In the event of lightning, this may include short delays of the performance.

Join us at The Beach for an awesome Rain Dance.

The 11th Annual Latin Alternative Music Conference at Central Park Summerstage is also Rain or Shine today. Lineup: Maldita Vecindad, The Pinker Tones, and Ocote Soul Sounds. Shows starts at 3pm.

Video of Jonny Corndawg (who plays Governors today) playing acoustic on a roof with Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes (who played a rain-free outdoor show in NYC on Thursday), below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest, Summerstage & Governors Island today - RAIN OR SHINE"