photos by Natasha Ryan

Everything in Casablancas's long, hard year as a soloist has carried a steep learning curve, from touring by himself to getting the album into stores. For example, RCA is co-releasing his solo album, yet, he says, "they're not the label I signed with. The people change all the time. They're nice, they're cool, but honestly they don't do shit." So he did most of the work through Cult Records, the label he started for Phrazes and financed himself, and it didn't turn out much better. "You have all these dreams. I still like the plan, but it was executed terribly."

And then there's the Strokes. Theoretically, they are putting out a fourth album. "It's coming!" he says. [NY Mag]

Continue reading "Julian Casablancas, Tanlines & Telepathe @ Terminal 5 in NYC (night 2) - pics "

photos by Chris La Putt

"Ok, so in talking about the show with some old Strokes fan friends, people have express surprise at the fact that I enjoyed the show so much because...well, it's just not the same without all the other Strokes. To that point I say this: No, it's not The Strokes, but in my opinion, Julian is pretty much one of the best things about the band in the first place, so going to see a Julian Casablancas show is kinda like a Strokes show, but without all the other distractions.

That said, Julian's music is much different than the regular Strokes fare. I like to think his solo work is more pop-based, and a little bit more carefree than Strokes songs. I also think his lyrics are more playful, the song structure more complicated and interesting, and the imagery more vivid. Perhaps that's more of a reflection of his maturation as a songwriter than anything else, but any way you slice it, the solo stuff is great and you should be so lucky to see him perform it live.

The show last night wasn't as elaborate as the ones he did in his LA residency (you know, the one that he felt were a fiasco) which included set pieces, costume changes, and an intermission, but it was polished, smooth, and successful. He truly seemed like he was having fun, and the crowd was enjoying it.

He seemed relaxed and at ease with himself and the songs -- a very different energy than the one I remember when he plays with The Strokes. At Strokes shows, so much of the show is propelled by each of the band member's energy bouncing off and pushing one another forward. At a Julian Casablancas show it seems much more like Julian is puttering along, guiding his backup band, and the pace of the show with the slow and steady push of his own internal performance propeller." [The Modern Age]

Continue reading "Julian Casablancas, Telepathe & Tanlines @ Terminal 5 in NYC (night 1) - pics & setlist"

DOWNLOAD: Burns - First Move (Fred Falke Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Sounds - No One Sleeps When I'm Awake (Disko Dali Remix) (MP3)

Kings of Convenience @ Bowery Ballroom - Sept 10 (more by Fresh Bread)

While my favorite show from last week was definitely Kings of Convenience at Bowery Ballroom, Tonight We Ride at Santos (which I headed to immediately afterward) was quite good too. I caught most of Human Life's set which was very upbeat and energetic, but the vocals reminded me of radio "club hits" a bit too much. After set-up and a brief transitional dj set in between, the Glass went on around 12:30. The duo of DJ Wool and Dominique Keegan opened their set with one of their new songs "Wanna Be Dancin' " which was a little on the quiet side. Things picked up by the next track which was "Come Alive" and only got better with each song. Superhero (which is the Glass' next single, due out next month) was amazing and really stood out. The Glass followed with some earlier tracks, "Won't Bother Me" and "Mad At You", rounding out a great set of both new and classic material.

continued...

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (part 1) (Datarock, Esser, Burns, the Glass, the Sounds, Disko Dali & more) "

photos by Tim Griffin and Chris La Putt

"It was announced during Vampire Weekend's rain-soaked but well-attended 6 p.m. set on the main "Blue Comet" stage that due to the weather, single-day Friday tickets would be accepted for festival entry on Saturday and Sunday. This elicited quite a few cheers, presumably from those who had not already purchased weekend tickets. While the early afternoon had been hot and sunny, allowing for clear views of nearby Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, the storm clouds rolled in rapidly just as Fleet Foxes took the stage at 3:30 p.m. The wind, rain and thunder actually worked as fitting accompaniments to the band's dramatic harmonies, a fact not lost on the Foxes themselves. "We kind of look like a guild of wizards here to deliver an ominous warning," said drummer J. Tillman, one of several bearded members of the band. ""I'm going to leave the stage on a horse." [Billboard]

Continue reading "All Points West 2009 - Day One in Pictures"

the Dead Milkmen @ Fun Fun Fun Fest (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Pissed Jeans @ Market Hotel
* The Felice Brothers @ Webster Hall
* The Juan Maclean @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Throbbing Gristle @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Acid Mothers Temple @ Mercury Lounge
* Real Estate, Boo and Boo Too @ Cake Shop
* The Dead Milkmen, Corn Mo, 375 Lover @ Warsaw
* Damien Jurado & Laura Gibson @ the Bell House
* Stereo Total & Leslie & The Lys @ Irving Plaza
* The Wooden Birds, Cale Parks, Sam Izdat @ Union Hall
* Of Montreal, Janelle Monae & Ladybug Transistor @ MHOW
* Merce Cunningham event w/ Sonic Youth & John Paul Jones @ BAM
* TK Webb and The Visions, Von Haze, Pure Horsehair @ Union Pool
* Great Lake Swimmers, Larkin Grimm, Kate Maki @ Bowery Ballroom
* Chain and the Gang, The Hive Dwellers, City Center @ 92YTribeca

Today is also the first day of Coachella.

Saturday is Record Store Day.

Telepathe played their record release show at the Annex the other night. Videos below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Fucked Up @ Culture Shock '08 (more by Leia Jospe)

SUNY Purchase's annual Culture Shock Festival is taking place this year on Friday, April 17th and Saturday, April 18th.

Both headliners for the ninth annual fest will be hip-hop acts. Rapper/actor Drake will end Friday night's show, while Saturday's top act will be the Cool Kids (who are also playing All Points West).

You may remember 2008's Culture Shock as the festival where the mild mannered Canadians in Fucked Up "almost got arrested and their set got cut short" (as one commenter succinctly put it). Hopefully NYHC staples Murphy's Law will help make this year just as memorable (they are playing on Friday).

Culture Shock may or may not be open to the public/non-students -- a fact that sparked much debate last year.

The Tallest Man On Earth, currently on tour from Sweden (and in NYC as we speak), plays the fest on Saturday. Full 2009 line-up below...

Continue reading "SUNY's Culture Shock this weekend - here's the 2009 lineup "

Bishop Allen @ Other Music - March 10, 2009 (Modern Mystery Blog)

Record Store Day (April 18, 2009) at Other Music...

Continue reading "Other Music's 2009 Record Store Day schedule "

DOWNLOAD: Telepathe - So Fine (Lauren Flax remix) (MP3)

photos by Tim Griffin

Crocodiles came through town and played Bowery Ballroom on Thursday (4/2) with Tyvek and Asobi Seksu, and a show two days later at Pianos with Tweak Bird.

Stealing liberally from the Jesus an Mary Chain and Spacemen 3,not to mention various other psych rock bands, San Diego duo Crocodiles aren't doing anything new, but they do it very well. Dressed in skinny denim and sunglasses and bathed in red light, Charles Rowell and Brandon Welchez look like a lost 1986 Creation Records press photo. It's all two-chords, feedback, reverb, and excruciating volume set against a dimestore drum machine beat. And it all works pretty brilliantly because, like fellow West Coast-ers The Soft Pack, they have one element that can't be ripped-off from someone else: attitude. All that's missing is strobe lights and smoke machines. Though it would probably work just as well with a full band. [Bill Pearis]

That tour runs through May 5th. Crocodiles' debut album, Summer of Hate, will come out on April 28th via Fat Possum Records. Tracklist below.

Then later in May, Crocodiles will return to NYC AGAIN - that time to play two shows with Holy Fuck and A Place to Bury Strangers. Tickets for both Friday, May 22nd at MHOW and Saturday, May 23rd at the Bowery Ballroom are on sale.

Telepathe's next show is scheduled for April 15th at The Annex in NYC. The gig will be a record release show a for the band's debut, Dance Mother, coming out April 14th on IAMSOUND. The record is "produced by Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio and comes with cd-only remixes from Chairlift, The Big Pink and Atticus Ross (Nine Inch Nails producer)." Dance Mother single "So Fine" is remixed above - the video for Telepathe's version is below.

Telepathe also has European/Japan dates scheduled, a June North American tour, and an appearance at All Point West scheduled. All tour dates, videos, and more Crocodile pictures below...

Continue reading "Crocodiles played Bowery Ballroom (pics), replaced Telepathe on the Faint/Ladytron tour (dates) "

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...

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)"

DOWNLOAD: Let's Wrestle - I Won't Lie to You (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Gary War - Zontag (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Savoir Adore - We Talk Like Machines (MP3)

Keren Ann @ Joe's Pub in November (more by Tim Griffin)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* Gary War @ Glasslands
* Kimya Dawson @ Europa
* Busta Rhymes @ BB King's
* Razorlight @ Hiro Ballroom
* Maserati @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Allman Brothers @ the Beacon
* Savoir Adore @ Death by Audio
* Black Lips & Let's Wrestle @ MHOW
* Calexico & Keren Ann @ City Winery
* Pela & Holly Miranda @ Mercury Lounge
* Cursive, Bear Hands & Manana @ Bowery Ballroom
* Scion A/V - Kitsune Pioneer CD release party @ the Studio
* Metro PCS 5 Boro Tour with Common, J Sullivan, and Serani @ BAM

Calexico and Keren Ann also are playing the REM show tomorrow. Kimya Dawson is too.

Calexico also have a show coming up at Radio City.

See what Bill said about Savoir Adore.

Andy Milonakis discusses Telepathe in the video below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?"

1349 @ Nokia Theatre in 2008 (more by Ryan Muir)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* 1349 @ BB King's
* Les Paul @ Iridium
* Red Fang & Early Man @ Maxwell's
* Jason Anderson @ Pete's Candy Store
* Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers @ Santos Party House
* Pwrfl Power, The Silent League & others @ Glasslands
* Leo Allen, Reggie Watts & other comedians @ Lolita Bar (8pm, free)
* Janeane Garofalo, Eugene Mirman & other comedians @ UCB (11pm, free)
* Dan Auerbach, Hacienda & Those Darlins @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Cloud Room, Maps & Atlases, Pattern is Movement & So Many Dynamos @ Mercury Lounge

It snowed a lot!

Fresh off their appearance at the Scion Rock Fest in Atlanta this past weekend, Norway's 1349 bring their metal (and makeup) to BB King's tonight.

Look for My Morning Jacket's drummer in Dan Auerbach's band.

Congrats to the winners to today's U2 Letterman tapings. U2 is playing Fordham Friday.

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon premieres tonight with Van Morrison who just played two shows at the Theater at MSG over the weekend. Fallon's house band the Roots have a bunch of shows coming up at Highline Ballroom.

Lambchop played a secret show for the CIMS / AIMS convention in Nashville, TN on February 27th. Video below...

Antony Hegarty talked about his involvement in Lou Reed's "Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse", in the video below...

Diplo talks about Telepathe, in the video below...

Continue reading "What's going on Monday? (snow!)"

Teengirl Fantasy (photo by josh sisk)

You don't hear too much from Celebration lately. Well, not totally true. The Baltimore band, known for being tight with Brooklyn's TV on the Radio, are credited as collborators on the new Holly Miranda album that was co-produced by TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek. And this Saturday night, February 21st, Celebration plays a Brooklyn show at Glasslands - the very venue members of TV on the Radio have turned up to play with their side projects in the last few weeks. TV on the Radio also have a NYC show coming up. Holly Miranda has a couple too.

Sound Fix Records, the venue, is not long for this world. Upcoming free shows there include a Friday night (tonight) performance by The Forms, and a Saturday one by Howlies. Tonight's Forms show, presented by Guilt by Association, also doubles as a Sound Fix benefit show, so look for the tip jar as its being passed around. Howlies' record "Trippin With Howlies" is out now. That is the occasion they'll be celebrating when they come back to town to play Death By Audio on February 26th.

Telepathe have been added to the Ladytron and Faint tour in April. That means they'll be playing Webster Hall on the 10th and 11th of that month. No need to wait that long though. In addition to some shows at SXSW in March, you can catch Telepathe twice in NYC this weekend, courtesy of Todd P. Tonight, February 20th, the show is at Market Hotel with These Are Powers, Teengirl Fantay, Soft Circle and Katie Eastburn. Saturday they play with Teengirl Fantasy, Hawnay Troof, and Silk Flowers at 92Y Tribeca. Todd P says...

Especially excited about the 2 shows this weekend featuring TEENGIRL FANTASY from Oberlin, Ohio. Teengirl Fantasy, aka Logan Takahashi and Nick Weiss, are two young guys currently attending Oberlin College, together they make drum machine and sampler heavy dance music that steals as much from the underground noise scene as it does from the dance world. Teengirl Fantasy smash those influences to make transcendently catchy adrenaline anthems that get everyone dancing.

Continue reading "Forms, Howlies, Telepathe, Celebration & Teengirl Fantasy"

Tickets are on Am Ex presale (@ noon) for the recently added Primal Scream show at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

The Am Ex presale begins at noon for the three X shows at Bowery Ballroom: May 29, May 30, May 31, and the three day pass.

Three day passes are also on sale for No Fun Fest @ Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Tickets are on Am Ex presale (@ noon) for the Junior Boys / Max Tundra show coming up at Webster Hall.

Razorlight is playing Hiro Ballroom on March 10th. Tickets are on sale.

Ray Lamontagne has added a 2nd show at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair. The new March 31st date is on sale.

Cucu Diamantes (Of Yerba Buena) is playing Bowery Ballroom on March 19th. Tickets are on sale (@ noon).

Tickets are on Am Ex presale (@ noon) for the Electric Six show at Bowery Ballroom

Tickets are on sale (@ noon) for the Ladyhawke show at Bowery Ballroom.

Deer Tick was officially added to the Jason Isbell show at Bowery Ballroom on February 26th. Tickets are still on sale.

No Age talks about Telepathe in the video below...

Continue reading "Primal Scream, X, Junior Boys, Razorlight, Electric Six... TIX"

Beirut's recent secret show @ Coco66 (more by Ryan Muir)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* TMBG @ LPR
* Beirut @ Vassar
* Rafter @ Cake Shop
* Antibalas @ Southpaw
* DJ Rafter @ Union Pool
* Loney Dear @ Sound Fix
* Cheech & Chong @ Radio City
* Knight School @ Don Pedro's
* Joseph Arthur @ The Bell House
* Loney Dear & Arms @ Union Hall
* Rumanian Buck and/or Tzgani @ Pianos
* Simone White & Sharon Van Etten @ Joe's Pub
* Gogol Bordello movie screening @ 92Y Tribeca
* Pretty & Nice and The Thermals @ the Bell House
* Cerebral Ballzy, Telepathe & Popo @ Chief Bodega
* Magik Markers, Sightings & Eskimo King @ Glasslands
* Metallica, Machine Head & The Sword @ Prudential Center
* Guilt by Association party @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Aa, Jonas Reinhardt, Arp, Soft Circle & White Hills @ Death By Audio
* Future Islands, the So So Glos, Screaming Females, Boogie Boarder @ Monster Island

The late-late Thermals show is sold out, but the late-late MusicSnobbery show at Joe's Pub still has tickets available.

Tzgani, billed as Rumanian Buck tonight at Pianos, is a repository for all of the self-made and home-recorded musical ephemera of Aaron Lazar of The Giraffes."

First person to email BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Guilt) right now will get a free pair of tickets to the show at Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight. Takka Takka, Jukebox the Ghost, Lowry, and Robbers on High Street are all on the bill.

Telepathe's new video for "So Fine" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Saturday?"

92YTribeca (200 Hudson Street, New York, NY) is hosting two music shows tonight (1/24). The first is at 8PM, is free, and will feature a rare performance by Boston's Dave Godowsky. The second is at 8:30, a benefit for Showpaper, and is being brought to Manhattan by none other than Brooklyn's Todd P (and Manhattan's Less Artists More Condos, and Showpaper, and everyone else involved in promoting it). Asa Ransom, The Muggabears, Sigmund Droid, and Nymph are all playing the $10/all-ages bill.

Also coming up at the new downtown venue:
Jan 30 - Gogol Bordello: Non Stop / NYC Premier Party
Feb 06 - These Are Powers, Bird Names
Feb 17 - Medeski Martin & Wood
Feb 21 - Todd P Presents: Telepathe, Teengirl Fantasy, Hawnay Troof, Silk Flowers
Feb 27 - White Magic

Gogol Bordello Non-Stop documentary trailer below...

Continue reading "Todd P enters Manhattan, Dave Godowsky, Gogol Bordello the movie & other NYC shows coming to 92YTribeca"

They're not the most popular live band in NYC, but Telepathe do manage to land on a lot of good bills. One such good bill was one of the recent TV on the Radio shows at Masonic Temple. They also recently toured with Diplo, and they're opening one of the upcoming Vampire Weekend shows at Terminal 5. Tonight, November 20th, they play with Violens at Mercury Lounge. For that one I have two pairs of ticket to giveaway. Details on how to win and all Telepathe tour dates below...

Continue reading "Telepathe - 2008 Tour Dates, tonight w/ Violens, WIN TIX "

photos by Tim Griffin

Vampire Weekend shows
Dec 3 @ Terminal 5 w/ The Teenagers
Dec 4 @ Terminal 5 w/ Telepathe
Dec 6 @ Terminal 5 w/ Fiasco & Air Bombay
Dec 8 @ Wellmont Theater w/ Ra Ra Riot

Continue reading "Vampire Weekend openers, Woodies pics w/ Chromeo "

by Showtrotta

DOWNLOAD: Diplo vs Telepathe Mad Decent mix (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Little Jinder - Polyhedron (Black Holes Remix) (zSHARE MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Little Jinder - Polyhedron (The Boys and Girls Club Remix) (zSHARE MP3)

Boy 8 Bit

Thursday night (10/16) I'm most looking forward to seeing Diplo, Abe Vigoda, Telepathe, and Boy 8-Bit at Webster Hall. The show is part of the Mad Decent 2008 Tour. Out of those four Abe Vigoda (who played a couple of other shows in the NYC area this week) and Telepathe (who played the Seaport in July among other places recently) haven't really been on my radar. I just recently heard a couple of Telepathe tracks and wasn't into them. With Diplo, things have been the opposite as he and his label, Mad Decent, are inescapable at this point. After trying to avoid him for a long time, catching a little bit of one of his dj sets at Studio B, and hearing a good mix he had done back in March (which you can download from one of my posts from last month) I have finally yielded to the Diplo hype. Removed from all of that, out of those four acts, I highly recommend Boy 8 Bit. Back in March he swung through New York with very little warning, delivering a refreshing set of both old and new UK bangers to a very appreciative crowd assembled at Glasslands for a Thursday night Trouble & Bass party...

Continue reading "Diplo & Boy 8 bit kick off tour, the Thursday night in Dance"

photos by Chris La Putt

Abe Vigoda @ The Yard, Brooklyn, NY - July 12, 2008

"Mad Decent presents DIPLO w/ Abe Vigoda, Boy 8 Bit, Telepathe, and Special Guests". That's how the tour that kicks off October 16th in NYC is being billed. Tickets for the Webster Hall show are now on sale (@ noon) (you can check the presale too).

Diplo/Mad Decent recently contributed to a RMXOLOGY CD and a Sunny Day Sets Fire remix EP.

Telepathe also has a NYC show scheduled with TV on the Radio.

Abe Vigoda was in NYC in July. One of the shows they played was at South Street Seaport. Another was at The Yard. More pictures from The Yard show, and all tour dates (and the Mad Decent tour poster), below....

Continue reading "Mad Decent 2008 tour dates (Diplo, Abe Vigoda & Telepathe)"

TV on the Radio @ Masonic Temple in Brooklyn
Oct 14 - w/ The Dirtbombs (SOLD OUT)
Oct 15 - w/ Telepathe (SOLD OUT)
Oct 16 - w/ Dragons of Zynth (on sale Thursday @ noon)

All dates below...

Continue reading "TV On the Radio - a 3rd Brooklyn show, updated tour dates "

photos by Chris Tuite

More pics from Friday's show below...

Continue reading "Abe Vigoda @ South Street Seaport, NYC - pics"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

TRUE STORY: A middle-aged businessman walked up to us during Telepathe's set at the tourist-and-after-work-people-mixed-with-Todd-P-like-show at the South Street Seaport on Friday (July 11, 2008). He asked, "Is it just my age, or does this band SUUUUUUUCK?" We told him that, for the most part anyway, it wasn't just his age. I'm not sure if he stuck around long enough to catch (speaking of age) No Age. Telepathe might have some good songs, but they don't do them any justice live. More pictures from their set below...

Continue reading "Telepathe @ South Street Seaport, NYC - pics"

Telepathe

Saul Williams is sharing a bill with Telepathe at SOB's in NYC on July 16th. Tickets are on sale. All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Saul Williams - 2008 Tour Dates (NYC w/ Telepathe)"

This has turned into THIS.........

Continue reading "Mid Summer Outdoor Party @ The Yard - July 12, looks nuts"

No Age @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC - May 6, 2008 (more by Leia Jospe)

Now that the Bowery show is in the past, it has been confirmed that No Age will be playing a free show at South Street Seaport on July 11th. Abe Vigoda and Telepathe are opening. All tour dates below....

Continue reading "NO AGE, Telepathe & Abe Vigooda playing South Street Seaport, other 2008 TOUR DATES, Mika Miko, High Places"