by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Quilt - Penobska Oakwalk (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Quilt - Cowboys In The Void (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Lilac - So Young (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Total Slacker - Secret VHS Collection (MP3)

Quilt

2011 is winding down, holidays are on the horizon and bands, for the most part, stop touring till the new year. Not quite yet, but things are starting to slow down significantly. Which is a good chance to check out local acts if you're still itching to go see some live music this weekend.

Quilt are not local but it's a short trip down from Boston they're making to play Glasslands tonight (11/9), the record release party for their debut LP which came out on Mexican Summer this week. Like a lot of music on the label, there's a laid-back psych quality to the music and, as Andrew Sacher noted previously, Quilt have an undeniable late '60s Haight-Ashbury vibe. Maybe a few less flowers in their hair, but it's there. This kind of stuff also evokes New Zealand comparisons too whether they've ever listened to the Clean or Tall Dwarves before or not. It's a terrific record and you can download two tracks off it at the top of this post and the whole thing is up on Spotify. I heard good things about Quilt's shows at CMJ too.

Lilac

It's a pretty stacked bill tonight at Glasslands. Also playing are San Francisco's Lilac who appear to be jetting in just for this show. They've also got a psych-rock thing going on, but it's filtered more through '80s UK acts like Primal Scream, the Bunnymen and the Stone Roses. (Some Velocity Girl in there too maybe.) Organ-heavy and danceable. Lilac released their first EP over the summer which is pretty damn good and you can download the single "So Young" at the top of this post and watch the video below.

Also playing are instrument-destroying, '90s-loving locals Total Slacker who released their debut album, Thrashin', not too long ago. It's a little too '90s at times -- I'm surprised they don't have an Angelfire website -- but I can't deny it's a pretty fun record. The band they remind me the most of, and this is an obscure reference, is late '80s band Christmas who later morphed into Combustible Edison. There's a similar melodic and harmony style to what they did and Total Slacker do, not to mention a love of psychedelics. You can download album cut "Secret VHS Collection" at the top of this post (and watch the video below).

Still more bands playing tonight's Glasslands show: Dive, who seem to be playing every show everywhere these days, and Royal Baths.

I'm Turning Into

Tomorrow night (11/10) at Union Hall is a band who doesn't get enough attention. I'm Turning Into have been around for a couple years, having moved up from the DC area and quickly ingratiating themselves into the Bushwick indie community. (Two of them became My Teenage Stride's rhythm section what seemed like almost immediately.) The band's Parcel of Marbles was released on cassette (and digitally) this summer and is appropriately low-fi given the release format. More in a Robert Pollard kind of way, than the more recent garage scene that people associate with the low-fi tag. I'm Turning Into have plenty of pop smarts and its eminently likeable. You can stream the whole of Parcel of Marbles at the bottom of this post.

Also playing are Pre-War which is some sort of Conversion Party offshoot, and The Thieves.

ARMS

ARMS released their new album Summer Skills this week and they play a record release party for it this Friday (11/11) at Glasslands. Earlier this year, Todd Goldstein described the record as a "sort of sci-fi breakup album" and that comes through, I think, even without focusing on the lyrics. The fat synths give the record an epic, widescreen quality. You can download three tracks from Summer Skills via ARMS' Bandcamp site and get the whole record from your digital retailer of choice. Physical release is still TBD.

Also playing: TWII faves Hospitality, Franz Nicolay and The Building.

Moonmen on the Moon, Man

And finally, Friday is November 11 which makes it 11/11/11 which is kinda cool and might "mean something" to numerologists. (Though not as much as November 11, 1111 did. That was a party.) To the folks at Cake Shop, it's an excuse to have 11 bands play in one night. You might expect an appropriate cover charge, but it's actually half that. Yes $5.50 gets you in, probably the first time ever the door will have had to deal with coins which should make the door person real happy. Amongst the bands playing are Cake Shop house band Moonmen on the Moon, Man who have been gigging around a lot lately and have become pretty good. If you like early '90s indie like Eleventh Dream Day or Madder Rose, check 'em out. There's a whole bunch of songs up on their Bandcamp page to listen to.

Cake Shop is still looking for that 11th band (or maybe its a surprise guest?) but the rest of the line-up is American Darlings, Celestial Shore, Mainland, Birdhand, Young Heel, Corsair, Edelweiss, Night Manager and Normally Important.

That's it for this week. A few day-by-day picks follow for shows not covered above.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10

It's week two of Miniboone's Thursday's in November residency. If you go tonight you get a free copy of their just-released debut album, On Miniboone Mountain. You can download a couple tracks right now at their Bandcamp.

continued below...

Continue reading "Quilt, Lilac, Total Slacker, ARMS, I'm Turning Into, Moonmen on the Moon Man and more in This Week in Indie"

Georgia band Dead Confederate will take on Neil Young's "Tonight's The Night"... tonight (9/22) at Brooklyn Bowl. FREE before 7pm, though note there are two opening bands and the whole show starts at 8pm. If you want to win a free pair of tickets, email your first and last name to BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM with the subject "I want free Dead Confederate tickets". You'll be notified if you win. Dead Confederate play Poppped! Fest in Philly tomorrow.

The B Street Band celebrates Bruce Springsteen's birthday on a Rocks Off boat at BB KIng's tonight.

Tragedy: A Heavy Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees, who have played Brooklyn Bowl many times, and who have a member who runs Rocks Off, will play Bowery Ballroom on 11/12. Tickets are on AmEx presale now and go on general sale Friday.

Start Making Sense: Talking Heads Tribute play Mercury Lounge on 11/18. Tickets are on sale now.

As previously mentioned, tickets are on sale now for two Replacements tribute shows at Bowery Electric.

Tickets are also still on sale for the two Petty Fest shows (Bowery & MHOW).

The Indiana State Fair reopened Monday with a public memorial service for five people killed when a concert stage collapsed during a storm.

The fairgrounds were closed Saturday night following the accident, which occurred shortly before the country music duo Sugarland was to take the stage before an audience of about 12,000.

"While we will never forget this horrific event and those who perished, may we Hoosiers find the courage to unify, rebuild and re-emerge with a stronger heart," said Indiana first lady Cheri Daniels, who attended Saturday's concert and was one of several speakers at Monday's ceremony.

Audience members at the service honored victims with a moment of silence and later sang "Amazing Grace."
Officials Monday were focusing on grieving with victims and beginning repairs to get the fair back underway, Gov. Mitch Daniels told CNN.

"Our first instinct in Indiana is not to go rushing around, looking for scapegoats. It's to take care of business, take care of those who've been hurt and then, of course ... study to see if something could have done better and learn any necessary lessons," he said.

On Sunday he described the stage's collapse as a "freakish accident."

"I'm not saying that we're not going to find many things that could have been done differently," Daniels told CNN Monday. "I'm only saying that I know the people who run this operation. They think safety all the time, and I know that their hearts are broken that, in this case, this event took place as it did." [CNN]

Continue reading "5 dead from stage collapse @ Indiana State Fair (which reopened today with a memorial service)"

Just wanted to take a second to also say that our thoughts and condolences are with the people of Norway today.

The above is a selection of tweets from Norwegian musicians that have graced the pages (and stages) of BrooklynVegan in the past. Blabbermouth has a list of reactions from more in the metal community (from Norway and elsewhere), including the above-pictured message from Enslaved who said, "Our deepest condolences and thoughts go out to everybody touched by the fathomless tragedy that struck Norway yesterday. This is indeed a day for afterthought."

photos by Keith Marlowe and Harriet Roberts, words by BBG

Guitar Wolf

"I have just returned from seeing Guitar Wolf, the legendary jet rock and rollers from Japan. I have wanted to see this band since I first bought one of their albums at the seminal Wax Trax record store in Boulder, Colorado in 1998.(I think it was the first thing I ever got there oddly enough, along with a Motorhead compilation) So needless to say I was excited. I mean the thundering Link Wray riffs that made you ready to rumble with some Socs, the frenzied two to three minutes of every carnage filled song, and of course the amount of aliens killed in their cult film Wild Zero made me excited to see the men in black this evening.

And you know what...it wasn't that awesome." [nomoretvparty]

If you missed it, check out more pictures from Chaos in Tejas Day 1 (part 1 HERE and part 2 HERE), Day 2 (part 1 HERE and part 2 HERE), and the rest of Day 3 before continuing, below...

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas 2011 in pics, video & review (part 6)"

photos by Keith Marlowe and Harriet Roberts, words by BBG

The Spits

While I was going hardcore at Emo's, metal and garage were well represented at Red 7 on Thursday. Split across the venue's two stages, the outdoor patio was reserved as a Garage stage with The Spits, The Arrivals, Shellshag, TV Ghost (who are on tour with The Spits), High Tension Wires, and OBN III's, while the indoor stage housed metal from Hooded Menace (who played Union Pool before Texas), Undergang, Acephalix, Bone Sickness, and Mammoth Grinder. Pictures of many of the bands from from both stages at Red 7 are below.

Origin of M

After the show, I met up with Keith and Harriet to trek over to The Broken Neck, a DIY venue hosting an afterparty with Tragedy (who played Europa before Texas) and Origin of M. We arrived just in time, as they were letting one in and one out due to capacity issues. We were able to slide in after a short wait. Origin of M played a crusty hardcore set with some rock style leads (ala Thin Lizzy) and sounded good, though the singer's drunken ranting in Japanese was a bit off-putting/odd. Slamming beer after beer, he loved to crowdsurf almost as much as loved to rip beer-cans apart in his mouth and chew on the aluminum. Yum. Tragedy, as usual, were unbelievable despite a PA system that was clearly DIY (and on the brink of toppling over).

Chaos in Tejas continues. Pictures of everything else I did earlier in the night HERE. Mictures from Red 7 and Broken Neck, below...

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas 2011 in pics & review (part 2)"

by BBG

Tragedy fan at Europa (more by Konstantin Sergeyev)

No rest for the wicked. After a grueling weekend of heavy music at Maryland Deathfest (pictures of day 1 HERE, day two HERE, day three HERE, and day four HERE), I am looking forward to a mix of punk, hardcore, metal, crust, d-beat, and indie at Chaos in Tejas in Austin this week! Kicking off on Thursday (June 2nd) the four day festival features appearances from tons notables, day shows, after parties, and in-stores, some for free. Swing down for a blow by blow breakdown of what you should look for every day at the multi-venue music fest.

---

Thursday, June 2

Ah the start of the festival.... fresh legs and feet, and a hunger for tons of good bands. Thursday will sate your hunger too, as there are tons of great hardcore/metal shows to choose from. Shows tonight happen on both stages at Emo's, both stages at Red 7, at the Mohawk, Beauty Bar, Beerland and the Broken Neck.

Despite the high profile cancellation of Killing Joke at Emo's outdoor, CIT bounced back and added Cro-Mags to an already awesome lineup of rare appearances from strong>Asta Kask (Swedish d-beat), D-Clone (a rare show from these Japanese hardcore monsters), Veins (featuring Mark McCoy from Charles Bronson/Das Oath as well as Ian from Copremesis/Castevet), Double Negative (North Carolinian hardcore greats who released the awesome Daydreamnation last year), Vile Gash (brutal hardcore on Youth Attack), Japan'sThe Slowmotions, and NYC's Cult of Youth (dark folk with a great new LP on Sacred Bones) and Crazy Spirit (excellent hardcore with members of Perdition).

Thankfully, I can use my wristband from Emo's to hit up Red 7, right around the corner, where an awesome metal show will clash with an awesome garage show on the two stages. Finnish doomers Hooded Menace will headline on stage with Denmark's Undergang, crusty death metallers Acephalix (mems of the amazing Vastum), more death metal from Bone Sickness, and local death and rollers Mammoth Grinder. Meanwhile, the second stage will feature The Spits, the Arrivals, Shellshag, TV Ghost, and others. All of this means that I'll probably miss Converge/Title Fight/Touche Amore/Trap Them/Burning Love/the Menzingers at Mohawk and How I Quit Crack/The Indicator Dogs at Beauty Bar. At least I can end the night right with Tragedy and Origin of M at Broken Neck as part of an after-party. Yikes!

the rest of Thursday's schedule and what to do on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, below...

Continue reading "BBG's Guide to Chaos in Tejas 2011"

photos by Keith Marlowe, Konstantin Sergeyev & Sarah Coulter

Tragedy by Konstantin Sergeyev

Tragedy (not to be confused with the Bee Gees cover band who just announced a residency at Brooklyn Bowl) completed a round of dates, Maryland Deathfest included, at Europa in Brooklyn Tuesday night with fellow MDF-ers Citizens Arrest, Night Birds, and Teargas (who played Europa a few days earlier with Doom). Pictures from the Tuesday show adorn this post.

Citizens Arrest by Konstantin Sergeyev

Tragedy, Citizens Arrest, and Teargas fly down to Austin to play Chaos in Tejas this week. There they share a lineup with Autopsy, Mind Eraser, Omegas, Capitalist Casualties, and many others. Tickets for some shows are still available.

More pics from Europa below...

Continue reading "Tragedy, Citizens Arrest, Night Birds, Teargas @ Europa (pics)"

words & photos by BBG

Tragedy @ MDF

There's four days of this?

Maryland Deathfest 2011 (May 26-29 at Club Sonar) kicked off at the early hour of 4:45PM Thursday with a set from Witchaven, an LA thrash four piece that is currently on the road with Nocturnal (who play the 2nd outdoor stage today, 5/27). The band was followed by the blasting grind of Shitstorm, a fantastic side project featuring 2/3 of Torche and Eric from Capsule. Noisear followed Shitstorm. The New Mexico quintet played pieces from their recent Subvert The Dominant Paradigm (out now on Relapse). Miasmal (who have a new LP) was next, and their throwback nod to Swedish Death Metal of yesteryear was a good palette cleansing after two sets of grind destruction.

One of my favorite sets of the day followed. LA's Lack of Interest killed the stage with their lightning fast hardcore. The show was the band's first on the East Coast, and the crowd responded appropriately with singalongs. Flesh Parade followed LOI with a set of brutal grindcore while the MDF Party Brigade tore up the pit with inflatable items and costumes (like Teletubbies, Ketchup outfits, a shack boy and more).

Next was Extortion's speedy hardcore which represented well live, though the band had some technical difficulties... though no where near as many as Buzzov-en. Buzzov-en fried a bass head before they could even start, and took a little while to set up. I don't know how K.Lloyd could function on stage (he seemed a bit, um, impaired) but regardless they ripped a killer set.

Tragedy, as usual, was amazing. The band's crusty d-beat incited pits and stage dives. Between them and LOI, I would have been content with an excellent day of shows. Cathedral's last-ever US show closed out the evening. I have always like Cathedral, but was never as mad about them as some.... but Sonar's soundsystem did them right last night. They sounded amazing.

Today is Neurosis! More pictures from Day 1 are below...

Continue reading "Maryland Deathfest 2011 -- Day 1 in pics & review (Cathedral, Tragedy, Lack of Interest, Flesh Parade, Buzzov-en & more)"

by BBG

Tragedy at Studio B in 2009 (photo by Konstantin Sergeyev)

Tragedy will return to NYC, their first show since playing the now-defunct Studio B in 2009, to play Europa on May 31st with the recently reunited Citizens Arrest, Teargas (who also play Europa with Doom/Drop Dead), and Night Birds. Tickets are on sale.

The NYC date is in addition to Tragedy's appearance at Maryland Deathfest, which recently lost Goatsnake & Destroyer 666, and added Ghost & Nunslaughter. Tickets are still available for that too.

Citizens Arrest meanhile is in the studio recording new songs, Ted Leo included. They've been posting videos to prove it (here and here). The Brooklyn gig is their only upcoming show at the moment. They were supposed to be heading to Canada this week, but then they posted this:

"Unfortunately, Citizens Arrest will not be playing in Toronto on March 12 due to circumstances beyond our control. Sincere apologies to our fans in Canada who purchased tickets. We look forward to playing in Toronto and Montreal later this year if possible."

Continue reading "Tragedy playing Brooklyn after MDF, and with Citizens Arrest (who are recording new songs) "

by BBG

Tragedy fan at Chaos in Tejas 2008 (photo by joecurry666)

After an initial lineup was announced earlier this year, Chaos in Tejas is back for more with another set of bands confirmed for the June 2nd - 5th Austin festival. Get to booking your ticket if you're interested in seeing Kriegshog (from Japan, their last show ever), a Youth of Today reunion (Ray Cappo, Porcell, Ken Olden + a drummer who isn't Sammy), Low Threat Profile, Omar Souleyman, Hooded Menace, Lower Dens, Double Negative, FYP, Oneohtrix Point Never, Veins (their only show ever), Universal Order of Armageddon, and many many others. Oh, and by the way, the previously discussed Autopsy appearance will be their only US show of the year. Full list of bands playing the multi-venue party is below.

In related news, Low Threat Profile (members of Lack Of Interest/Infest/No Comment) released their debut LP via Deep Six Records before the new year. Pick it up at your favorite distro/webstore, like Tankcrimes or Phantom City.

Universal Order of Armageddon play NYC TWICE soon; on 1/21 at Cake Shop with Trophy Wife (and more TBA) and 1/22 at Death By Audio with The Body, Orphan, and (according to Youth Attack) Salvation. Take note, the lineups have changed since we first posted, and differ from what Kill Rock Stars has posted (click the link for Baltimore and Philly date info too).

Current Chaos in Tejas lineup (more announcements are due soon), below...

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas 2011 lineup expands (Kriegshog & Youth of Today included), Universal Order of Armageddon coming soon"

TONIGHT, FRIDAY, 10/29, AT DEATH BY AUDIO

PRE HALLOWEEN COVER SHOW
KISS ::: Boogie Boarder
THIN LIZZY ::: Passive Aggressor
NIRVANA ::: Reality War (Michael Jordan)
GREEN DAY'S DOOKIE ::: Freudian Slit
BLACK FLAG ::: Necking/Zulus
BABES IN TOYLAND ::: mems of Pygmy Shrews

Mr. Brownstone, a Guns n Roses cover band that comes in and out of retirement, is at Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday.

Cassie & Justin from the Babies will be the White Stripes on Sunday - the same (Halloween) day that Robbers on High Street will be ELO at Mercury Lounge where a Weezer cover band will open. Mouth Breather, a Jesus Lizard cover band, plays Fontana's. And at Union Pool:

SUNDAY, 10/31, AT UNION POOL

DAMN! a Halloween tribute to WHAM! (Max & Kev of Pizza Party on EVR)
THE CURE (Warm Ghost)
VIOLENT FEMMES (McDonald's)
ELO (Members of The Mad Scene and The Flaming Fire)
DANZIG/MISFITS (Members of Love as Laughter, Children, and Violent Bullshit)

The Fab Faux are performing The White Album in its entirety at Terminal 5 on December 11. Tickets go on sale at noon.

Zoso is playing 'The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience' at Music Hall of Williamsburg on January 29th. Tickets go on sale at noon.

And tribute bands are always playing BB King's.

by Chris La Putt

On January 28th, Tragedy (the all-metal Bee Gees tribute band), was slated to perform at Maxwell's in Hoboken but was abruptly cancelled. Rumors of band break-up were confirmed when it was announced in March that their last show would take place at the Bowery Ballroom on March 12th. I've never had the Tragedy experience before and thought it best to at least document it. I arrived early to see the Blondest (a Blondie cover band), Les Sans Culottes (a faux French Brooklyn-based band), and the Upper Crust (an aristocratic hard rock band dressed in period wigs and costume). It was bemusing display of outlandishment but all three bands paled in comparison to Tragedy and their resplendent metal debauchery of the Gibb brothers' music.

For the encore, Moby arrives and plays a coruscating melody on a sparkling Gibson Flying V. Tragedy's lead singer strips off his immaculate disco suit and displays to the crowd a one-piece string mankini barely covering his package and butt crack. The band's cover of Donna Summer's Hot Stuff reverberates throughout Bowery. As the barely clothed lead singer moons the crowd, a girl near me lays her hand on his ass cheeks and plays them as if they are some hairy bongo drums.

Tragedy is gone, but its members are still keeping busy. In fact, Tragedy Phil and Moby have formed a new rock band with Dave Hill called Diamondnsake (catch them at Highlline Ballroom on June 17th).

More pictures from the epic Bowery Ballroom show can be seen below:

Continue reading "Tragedy played their final show @ Bowery Ballroom w/ the Upper Crust, Moby & others - belated pics (NSFW)"

Henry Rollins @ Gramercy Theatre in 2007 (more)

tonight in NYC
* Louis CK @ Caroline's
* Jay-Z @ Nassau Coliseum
* Allman Brothers @ United Palace
* hip hop for Haiti @ SOB's
* Soulive @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Henry Rollins @ Irving Plaza
* Alkaline Trio & Cursive @ Nokia Theatre
* The National, Buke & Gass @ Bell House
* Glass Ghost, Inlets, Bell @ 92YTribeca
* Vaz, Todd, Pygmy Shrews @ Death By Audio
* Joseph Arthur, Nicole Atkins @ City Winery
* The Magnetic Fields, Darren Hanlon @ Town Hall
* My Robot Friend, Kingdom, Alex Moulton @ Galapagos
* Scout Niblett, Picastro, Center Divider @ Union Pool
* Hussle Club, Maluca, TV Baby @ Studio at Webster Hall
* Foreign Born, Free Energy, CLOVERS @ Knitting Factory
* Sam Mickens' Ecstatic Showband & Revue @ 174 Mott Street
* Alkaline Trio, Cursive, The Dear & Departed @ Nokia Theatre
* The Very Best, Theophilus London @ Museum of Natural History
* Kronos Quartet w/ Matmos & more @ Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall
* Girls & Boys w/ Wolfgang Gartner, Designer Drugs @ Webster Hall
* Levon Helm, Donald Fagen, The Duke & the King @ The Wellmont Theater
* Water Fai, Talk Normal, Moon Mama, Hard Nips, Olivia Mori @ Bruar Falls
* Ensemble Dal Niente, Jeremiah Cymerman, Toby Driver @ Issue Project Room
* Tragedy, The Upper Crust, Les Sans Culottes, The Blondest @ Bowery Ballroom
* Woods, Real Estate, Happy Birthday, Wild Nothing @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* New Madrid Faults, I Am The Heat, The Courtesy Tier, Ben Franklin @ Matchless
* Brit & The Cavalry, The Nouvellas, Beluga, The Anabolics, KC Quilty @ Spike Hill
Drink Up Buttercup, Letting Up Despite Great Faults, Million Young, No Place, Bruce Peninsula @ Pianos

Spike Hill hosts a tribute to Joan Jett & the Runaways Tribute.

W.A.S.P. was scheduled to play Gramercy Theatre in NYC last night, but cancelled last minute.

"My sons and I were waiting for the doors of the theater to open when [W.A.S.P. mainman] Blackie [Lawless] walked by in what seemed to be a foul mood. Shortly after, I was told by a person waiting on the line that the show has been cancelled. Then we found out that Blackie was at the tour bus and would sign autographs for everyone. And to his credit, he did. He signed many autographs and allowed pictures to be taken.

"Blackie was very nice to everyone but upset that the band would not be performing.

"I do not know the details but from what I overheard, the [band] was [not] at fault." [Blabbermouth]

Levon Helm's show at Wellmont Theatre tonight was originally scheduled during a snow storm.

Tickets go on general sale today for the Levon Helm / Willie Nelson show happening at Radio City Music Hall.

The all metal Bee Gees tribute band Tragedy is breaking up. Tonight at Bowery Ballroom is the last chance to see them.

Henry Rollins does spoken word at Irving Plaza tonight and tomorrow.

A PUNKCAST video of The Thrills performing "Whatever Happened to Corey Haim?" at Bar 13 in NYC on August 10, 2003, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday? "

photos by Samantha Marble

"Gigantic LED screens lit the stage as Passion Pit took the stage with entrance music pounding through the speakers, an evolutionary gesture. The crowd, a mixture of hardened hipsters with their battle stories and tweens with tickets bought on parental credit cards, lost their collective minds in that cocktail of excitement and uncertain celebrity usually associated with mid-level professional athletes and reality television stars. Passion Pit, the kids from Boston with that independent EP turned Columbia Records LP, proved as magnanimous as confident in their pose, saying something unspoken like, "Dear 3,000 people, thanks for buying tickets to see us. Appreciate it. Now we're going to light this place up, okay?"" [32Ft/Second]

Passion Pit pictures from night one are HERE and pics of night one opener Rural Alberta Advantage are HERE.

Passion Pit has shows in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Europe coming up, and they'll be back to tour North America with Mayer Hawthorne in late-March/April (no NYC dates yet). We already posted most of the dates. They are updated with more pictures from Sunday below...

Continue reading "Passion Pit played 3 nights @ T5 (Sunday w/ Tragedy) - pics & updated tour dates w/ Mayer Hawthorne "

members of Passion Pit @ Pianos on NYE (drivemycarlye)

Member of Passion Pit played DJ at quickly-sold-out party at Pianos in NYC on New Years Eve. Tonight (1/8), they kick off their sold-out three night run of live shows at Terminal 5 in the same town. Each night has a different set of openers with Sunday being the official WTF member of the set...

Fri, 1/08 w/ The Rural Alberta Advantage & Joy Formidable
Sat, 1/09 w/ Joy Formidable & Arms
Sun, 10/10 w/ Tragedy: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees & Brahms

On Monday, the band will be in Brooklyn filming a video. In March they'll kick off yet another tour of the United States, starting in Buffalo. Those dates below...

Continue reading "Passion Pit DJ'd New Years Eve, play 3 NYC shows this weekend (w/ varying openers), add more 2010 tour dates "

sadness...

Matador Records co-owner Gerard Cosloy was the owner and resident of a nearly 100-year-old home on Lindell Avenue [in Austin] that burned to the ground early this morning.

Cosloy and another person escaped a fire this morning at the home near the intersection of South Congress Avenue and West Live Oak Street, said Austin fire Captain Andy Reardon.

Fire officials received the call about 3 a.m., Reardon said, and crews arrived to find the entire house on fire. Police had to alert the people inside the home that it was on fire, Reardon said. The 3,888-square-foot home, which is estimated to be a total loss, was evacuated safely.

The two-story house was built in 1911, and is located in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood.

Officials said the fire did about $500,000 worth of damage. The cause is still under investigation, officials said.

Cosloy sounded shaken but calm this morning. "There are a lot of people who have a lot less than I do who deal with a lot worse, but this is pretty bad," he said.

Cosloy worked out of his home." [Austin Statesman]

Big Valley Jamboree - sunny on July 31, 2009 (Taylor and Kevin)

Big Valley Jamboree - knocked over toilets on August 1, 2009 (Taylor and Kevin)

"Family has identified Donna Moore of Lloydminster as the woman killed at the Big Valley Jamboree after the festival's main stage collapsed during a severe thunderstorm Saturday.

Moore's son, Mike Tebbe, spent Sunday together with family and said he was not prepared to talk about his mother yet.

Moore was a huge country music fan who was at the festival for the weekend, said friend Warne Noyce.

"She was pumped to go to Big Valley. It makes me sick to my stomach because she was such an awesome lady," he said. "She was hanging out watching music with people she loved."...

...Stage speakers fell on Moore, crushing her, after a wind gust of about 100 kilometres per hour toppled stage scaffolding." [Calgary Herald]

NYC had their own storms this weekend too, causing chaos and cancellations for outdoor music, but luckily no tragedies.

Videos from Big Valley below...

Continue reading "1 dead, 75 injured when storm causes stage collapse at Canadian music festival Big Valley Jamboree (videos)"

by Black Bubblegum

"Am bummed that I missed Tragedy at Studio B, , but I have to tell you..." -Ted Leo

Tragedy @ Studio B - July 12, 2009

Due to a layover on their way to Europe, crusty hardcore gods Tragedy did their part to help shutter the stages of Studio B on July 12th with a little help from Morne (mems-Grief, profiled here), Blacklisted, Brain Handle, and Brain Killer. I got to the venue moments after the great Blacklisted started. I unfortunately missed Brain Handle and Brain Killer.

"We don't take requests", vocalist George Hirsch quipped from on stage, not that the band needed to. Blacklisted ran through some favorite selections of older material, as well songs from the excellent Heavier Than Heaven, Lonlier Than God from last year. As far as stage presence and performance, Blacklisted as a band is as impassioned as Hirsch's lyrics, and the barefooted vocalist took command of the crowd with ease. I'm a big fan.

Morne followed with their crusty Amebix/early Neurosis slant, drawing from their new LP due on Feral Ward. Their sound has infinite potential, but I found them to be less than energetic on stage. Nerves? They had second billing above Blacklisted (which I didn't understand) and were sandwiched between two of the greatest current hardcore bands today.

Though there are a few notable exceptions to this rule (like Blacklisted), I think hardcore should have an element of danger to it. A fire. A pissed off quality transcends the musician's ability, propelling the music forward with an intangible, urgent quality. Tragedy has that rage, which is why this band is so compelling both on record as well as on stage. They did not disappoint on Sunday night, save for the fact that the sound was muddy at different vantage points and their show clocked in at under an hour. I could have gone for two.

"Lemme just put it this way. I usually follow the "No crowd-surfing/stage-diving for kids over 175lbs" rule pretty fucking strictly. It definitely makes the show more enjoyable for the majority. For Tragedy, I smashed that rule to fucking pieces for the first time in years. I definitely heard "Not Fucking Fodder", "Call to Arms", "The Day After", and "The Ending Fight". They also played one, possibly 2 new songs as well. Could this mean a new album? Who knows?! Shit dude, for a bunch of semi-drunk dudes they were tighter than Nancy Reagan's asshole and heavier than a 10 ton weight. EURO-FRIENDS: GO SEE TRAGEDY." [NGNV]

Continue reading "Tragedy, Blacklisted & Morne @ Studio B - pics & video "

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: The Almighty Defenders - Bow Down and Die (MP3)

It's supergroup day on BrooklynVegan. Some of it is catch up news. We have a new MP3 and tour dates from the new Black Keys-related Drummer band, and then there's the signing of Dum Dum Girls whose first live show over the weekend brought together member of four other bands. Jack White's new supergroup The Dead Weather is streaming their new album today, and we finally did a post on the Monsters of Folk album (Bright Eyes+My Morning Jacket+M Ward). Supergroups are not to be confused with side projects which were sort of a theme today too - first with Wolf Parade-related Handsome Furs, and then the Mazzy Star/My Bloody Valentine-related Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions (which I guess could be considered a supergroup too). Next up....

The Almighty Defenders (Black Lips + King Khan + BBQ)

The Almighty Defenders, a meeting of might between Atlanta garage goblins The Black Lips, Berlin-based soul punker King Khan, and Mr. BBQ himself, Mark Sultan. Conceived during the Lips' Berlin exile (after their VBS-documented ejection from India), the band's self-titled debut is a madcap, liquor-drenched revival, a blissfully fucked up realization of one of garage rock's most fitting collaborations. "Bow Down And Die," the "booming, chivalrous third song," is an off kilter, beer-swilling chant-along that borrows just as much from choral church music as it does from skuzzball rock n roll.

No tour dates for the Almighty Defenders yet, but The Black Lips will be at the July 26th Williamsburg Waterfront Pool Party, playing with Health, Grupo Fantasma and Trail of Dead. The Black Lips are actually one of the only artists to play a 'Pool Party' two years in a row. Ironically(?), when they played last year, it was on the same bill as King Khan. Maybe they'll bring him along again, or maybe they should just make an Almighty Defenders show which would be cool.

The Black Lips are also playing a few other festivals this summer, including Pitchfork Fest and Seattle's Capitol Hill Block Party. The band was recently featured on the soundtrack of the Gael Garcia Bernal & Diego Luna film Rudo Y Cursi, which came out in May. That disc includes contributions by Devendra Banhart, Juana Molina (who's playing tonight, July 8th, in Central Park) and even Bernal himself. Album art and tracklist for that below.

Bernal is hardly the only actor getting into music these days. Dead Man's Bones, the combo of actors Zach Shields and Ryan Gosling, is set to release a self-titled album, produced by Tim Anderson of I'm A Robot, October 6th on Anti-. Silverlake Conservatory Children's Choir, who you can see below, also pitched in vocals. Two videos of the band are below.

You can catch a different kind of supergroup in NYC at the Bowery Ballroom on August 1st. Dangerous, an "All Metal Tribute To Michael Jackson," features members of Tragedy (the "Heavy Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees" who are playing the Beach at Governors Island this summer) and the 2 Skinnee Js. Tickets to that are on sale now.

And if that's not enough...

Members of Led Zeppelin, Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age are working together on a new project...The as-yet-unnamed supergroup unites Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, and lead Foo Fighter (né Nirvana drummer) Dave Grohl. The trio are presently in Los Angeles, recording their debut album.[Guardian UK]

Check out Almighty Defenders videos, album art and tracklist, with Rudo Y Cursi album info and Dead Man's Bones videos, below...

Continue reading "Supergroup day continues: Zeppelin/Grohl/QOTSA, Almighty Defenders (Black Lips+King Khan), Dead Man's Bones, more"

by Black Bubblegum

"Now, if you were talking about the hardcore band Tragedy, then this particular post would've been worth a helluva lot more." - d | September 6, 2007 4:56 PM

Studio B is on the way out, but not before hosting at least one more concert. The crusty gods of Tragedy (ex-His Hero Is Gone) are scheduled to play there on July 12th with Blacklisted and Morne (ex-Grief) as part of Hardcore Gig Volume. Tickets are on sale.

Morne are releasing their new album Untold Wait on Feral Ward before heading out for a European tour (dates below). Untold Wait will feature Alicia Morgan (of 13, who is looking to compile a discography) as well as Kris Force (of Amber Asylum, who recently released Bitter River).

Tragedy formed in 2000, so not surprisingly, there is some controversy every time we post about a more-recently named band that is also called Tragedy, and who bill themselves as... an "All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees" (speaking of which, I need to fix the way I have the tag setup on this website...).

In other "tragedy" news, Sky Saxon, Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Andy Hughes, and Dom DeLuise & Ed McMahon all recently passed on. We posted six obituaries yesterday (2 of them belated).

The Bee Gees Tragedy have a show coming up at Governors Island this summer. All dates below...

Continue reading "Tragedy (Studio B) vs. Tragedy (Governors Island)"

"The Highline Ballroom, along with Liberty Event Management & Water Taxi Beach, is proud to announce the Beach on Governors Island. This unique venue will quickly become New York's premier live outdoor venue, resting on the coast of the New York Harbor, providing stunning views of Lower Manhattan. In addition to the concert area, the Beach will feature a café, several bars, and a shaded courtyard beer garden. The Beach isn't just a concert venue; it's an experience.

Governors Island, in the heart of New York Harbor, is only 800 yards from Lower Manhattan, and even closer to Brooklyn. The Beach @ Governor's Island, will operate in conjunction with NY Water Taxi, who will be providing continuous ferry service to the island for ticket holders on their fleet of boats." [The Beach on Governors Island]

The Highline Ballroom is proud to announce the addition of The B-52s to our second annual Governors Island Concert Series: The Beach on Governors Island. The B-52s on The Beach will be a rain-or-shine, all-ages performance scheduled for August 18th on beautiful Governors Island, located only 800 yards off of Lower Manhattan.

To add to the fun, the fifty-two girls (and "girls") attending the show dressed in the most creative beach or nautical attire (sailor suits, bikinis, marine uniforms, mermaid costumes, etc) attending the concert will be given free tickets to a future show at The Highline Ballroom.

Other acts at the Beach this summer include Erykah Badu on August 4th, and a free show with Tragedy, an "All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees". Many more shows TBA, but you can see the full lineup for now, below. Some shows are free. $52 tickets for Erykah Badu go on sale Saturday, June 27th at noon.

The Highline/AEG-produced shows aren't the only music events on Governors Island this summer, though not all events there happen on the beach. Folks on the Island will happen on the island, and, Punk Island, a Make Music NY event in its second year, took place there on Sunday, June 21st. How did that show go? It looks like, despite the rain, headliner Reagan Youth drew a pretty sizeable crowd. Videos below.

The B-52s performing "Love Shack" with country act Sugarland at the CMT Awards on June 26th, is also below, along with with the full Beach at Governors Island schedule with all upcoming B-52s tour dates...

Continue reading "concerts on the BEACH ON GOVERNORS ISLAND - Erykah Badu, the B-52s & more TBA ++ Punk Island happened"

the Homosexuals @ WNYU (more by Leia Jospe)

today in NYC
* DANCE
* DJ Bob Mould @ Southpaw
* Yeasayer & Ponytail @ NYU
* Little Joy @ The Wonder Bar
* The Forms & Javelins @ Union Hall
* Drew Daniel of Matmos @ Housing Works
* Butch Walker & Jesse Malin @ Maxwell's
* Lebowski Fest w/ Tragedy @ Irving Plaza
* Sunburned Hand of the Man @ Silent Barn
* The Homosexuals & The Octagon @ Cake Shop
* The Giraffes & Goes Cube @ Mercury Lounge
* Kaiser Chiefs & Oxford Collapse @ Webster Hall
* John Zorn Improv night @ The Stone (early & late)
* Girl Talk, The Death Set & CX Kidtronik @ Terminal 5
* Fredrik, Twi The Humble Feather & Django James @ Pianos
* Calexico, Bowerbirds, & The Acorn @ Tarrytown Music Hall
* The Calder String Quartet w/ Andrew W.K. @ Le Poisson Rouge
* AC Newman, The Oranges Band & Bird of Youth @ The Bell House

@ Housing Works: "Matmos's Drew Daniel will read from his book on Throbbing Gristle (Throbbing Gristle: Twenty Jazz Funk Greats, 33 1/3 Books), answer questions, and do a solo dance music/noise laptop performance (aka dance party)."

@ Le Poisson Rouge: The Calder Quartet featuring Andrew W.K. - Performing composed and improvised music for string quartet and chamber ensemble, as well as solo compositions to be announced, Doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm

@ The Stone: 8 and 10 pm - John Zorn Improv Night I--A Stone Benefit - John Zorn (sax) Scott Johnson (guitar) Ikue Mori (electronics) Jim Staley (trombone) Eyal Maoz (guitar) Trevor Dunn (bass) Ches Smith (drums) and many special guests. Come out and support The Stone! A night of wild improvisation East Village style to benefit The Stone. TWENTY DOLLARS.

@ Irving Plaza: Lebowski Fest New York Movie Party - Music by Tragedy (metal tribute to The Bee Gees), Creedence Clearwater Revival Revival plus a re-enactment of the Landlord's dance cycle by Paul Green. Followed by a screening of The Big Lebowski!

What else?

Photos by Tim Griffin

DOWNLOAD: Valley Lodge - All of My Loving (MP3)

Guided By Voices' Doug Gillard filled in as Dave Hill's "Paul Schaefer" at last night's 'Explosion' at the UCB Theater in NYC (Oct 16). Phil Costello who usually plays the part was off playing with his heavy metal Bee Gees tribute band Tragedy. Trivia time: Dave Hill (comedian AND musician) and Doug Gillard both played in the Ohio band Cobra Verde, but at different times. At last night's show, Doug and Dave played part of "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers (at the same time).

Moby, complete with "cock saddle" moustache, was the first to join Dave and Doug on the stage. They chatted and then Moby played a version of "Dust in the Wind". Next up was Walter Schreifels of Gorilla Biscuits, Quicksand and Rival Schools fame (P.S. Rival Schools are playing the BrooklynVegan party at Knitting Factory on October 25th). Walter spoke to Dave, Doug, and Moby. They all talked to each other and Walter played "Cats and Dogs" by Gorilla Biscuits.

There was a Chihuahua (which oddly wasn't the only dog in the room) (no cats though).

More pictures below...

Continue reading "Dave Hill, Walter Schreifels, Moby, Doug Gillard & abused chihuahua @ UCB, NYC - pics"

That's a snapshot of the action happening over in the Ween forums where the celebration and plane tickets are referring to the show happening at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn tonight (July 25, 2008). And as Dr. Rock pointed out, tonight is also the Valient Thorr show at Bowery Ballroom AND an after-Ween Sound of Urchin / Tragedy show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (it's not a free one though).