by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Light Pollution - Good Feelings (MP3)

Light Pollution...

As mentioned previously, Montreal dance-pop band Think About Life play Mercury Lounge tonight, two days after playing an early set at the WBAR-B-Q on Sunday. Tickets are still on sale for that. It's a late show. The early show at the same venue features Casiotone For The Painfully Alone.

Opening the late show are Chicago's Light Pollution, who play a kind of synthy post-rock and whose debut LP, Apparitions, comes out June 8th on Carpark Records. That album's first single, "Good Feelings," a mid-tempo jam with appegiated synths under cymbal crashes and mountain-top vocals, is above. Its video is below.

Light Pollution have a few more shows this week too. They play Glasslands on Friday with electronica-pop bands of varying degrees: Keepaway, Memoryhouse, Tanlines and Psychobuildings. Saturday Light Pollution was scheduled to play at the still-closed Market Hotel - according to the band's Myspace, that show has been moved to Under 100, the sometimes-open venue that hosted Erykah Badu about a month ago.

Tanlines recently received a video for their song "Reinfo" from a fan, in the form of a video love letter/tour of the East Village. The band writes: "This guy who does a blog called Pitchfork Reviews Reviews randomly emailed us this video that he made for a girl named Anna. We like it, so now it's our official video!"

That, and a Light Pollution video and tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Light Pollution opening for Think About Life, playing with Tanlines, at Under 100 (not Market Hotel) & other shows"

photos by Ryan Muir

Erykah Badu @ Good Units

"Erykah Badu went for a stripped-down approach for her new "Window Seat" video. Literally: As the standout tune from New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh (out tomorrow) plays, Ms. Badu walks through downtown Dallas gradually removing all of her clothing until she is 100 percent nude. If that sounds familiar, Badu credits that Matt & Kim video from last year for inspiration. No word on what role, if any, Alanis Morissette played." [EW]

You can watch that new video at the end of this post which also contains pictures from the second of two secret-ish Less Artists More Condos-organized NYC shows that Erykah Badu performed at this weekend. The first show (Friday night) took place at Damon Dash's open-when-it-wants-to-be basement space in Tribeca, Under 100. Class Actress, Grooms, and Skeletons were all also on the bill (video below). At the second, Saturday night, a very late Erykah (she left the crowd-that-got-smaller-and-smaller waiting for almost 2 hours), played with Spank Rock, MNDR, and Tony Castles at Good Units in midtown. Things didn't go so well for Spank Rock (who played 2nd to last)...

"During the final song, Spank Rock rapped something along the lines of (and I am paraphrasing here so my head doesn't get chewed off by Spank Rock die-hards), "wanting to fuck a white girl till my dick turns racist." Needless to say, Spank Rock got booed off the stage, something I haven't witnessed at a show in a very long time [editor: you weren't at the Fader Fort for Salem then]. He even tried to worm his way into the front row next to these two ladies I was standing next to so he could watch Erykah Badu and the two women were clearly horrified as they quickly spread themselves out to ensure he would not be joining us." [According to G]

Pictures and the videos below...

Continue reading "Erykah Badu played Under 100 & Good Units w/ Spank Rock & MNDR (pics), released Matt & Kim-inspired stripping video"

"Then, Doom's crew pulls up 15 people deep. Everybody comes out of the car except for Doom" - Harry Knuckles

Is or isn't it DOOM in Chicago (by Dakota Blue Harper via Stop Being Famous)

The three-date Mos Def/DOOM tour, coming to NYC's Nokia Theatre Times Square on Friday, February 26th, has already been rescheduled. With its new dates, the first show happened February 13th at Chicago's Congress Theater. Now it's being speculated that DOOM, as in the past, sent a stand-in to perform his super-short lip-synced headlining set. The venue and promoters have responded to the claim that it was a fake DOOM.

There are rumors floating around that this past Saturday's DOOM show was performed by a person who was not DOOM. The promoters of the show: React, Cold Grums, Silver Wrapper and the Congress Theater understand the rumors and are NOT ignoring the issue.

At the current time, React, Cold Grums, Silver Wrapper and the Congress Theater DO NOT have any proof that the person who performed was not Daniel Dumile, a.k.a. Doom. The show was legally contracted and paid for in full. The show was officially listed on Doom's website. React, Cold Grums and Silver Wrapper are all independent promoters who pour their lives into our shows.

Circumstances beyond the promoter's and venue's control prevented the artists from arriving on time, and the promoters elected to keep the venue open late so that the show could go on.

React, Cold Grums, Silver Wrapper and the Congress Theater are conducting an investigation with the Talent Agency, Management and Legal representatives for Doom. Because the show was legally contracted and paid for in full, any breach of contract could result in serious legal action. Doom's representatives are also preparing a statement.

Regardless of any of opinions, compelling proof of the matter is needed to take legal action on it. Until the investigation reaches conclusion, and proof is in hand, the promoters will not issue any refunds. At the current time, it is a rumor. This issue is being treated with the utmost respect and consideration.

React, Cold Grums, Silver Wrapper and the Congress Theater will release a statement clarifying the results in the near future. [Chicago Now]

What that means for the show this Friday is anybody's guess. Tickets are still on sale if you want to find out in person.

Promoter Harry Knuckles from Cold Grums, who was aware of DOOM's spotty record beforehand, describes the situation from his point of view, below. Mos Def (who may or may not have been drinking a Rolling Rock at Under 100) (via) did manage to put in what looks like a solid performance (including a masked cover of DOOM's "Accordian"). And on top of that, DOOM has added more European dates to his schedule for this March. The statement, videos and tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Did DOOM actually play in Chicago? Will he play NYC with Mos Def? Was Mos Def drinking a Rolling Rock @ Under 100?"

Hey everyone,

TONIGHT'S SHOW IS CANCELED. THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT.

Check the Ava Luna myspace for future shows.
www.myspace.com/avalunaband

LAMC

It just feels like this place is messing with us or something or not. I don't know. Actually, I guess this show has moved to Silent Barn.

photos by Lori Baily

"I'll walk you through it, it's kind of funny. You know when you pass by a grocery store and there's this grate that goes into the floor and then there's this narrow metal staircase that goes down into the basement where they have storage and stuff? It's like that. First thing we had to do was fit the staircase with these wooden 2 x 4s so people wouldn't completely die when they went down. So we fixed the staircase, and we built a soundproofing wall in between the space and the street, which was totally remarkable. You couldn't hear anything from the street--we had a subwoofer going off, and Knyfe Hyts and Sleigh Bells were super loud. I was so happy. It totally dampened the sound and that's like two layers of 2 x 4's with insulation in the middle. We cleared everything out of his basement. There's no stage. In the back we put soundproofing blankets on the door and the door to the bar area. In the back there's a bar. We built a bathroom in the back so everything's contained to one floor. We can fit about 125 people comfortably." [Greg Finch to the Villge Voice]

Under 100's third and final show took place at the venue on Thursday, December 10th. Darlings, Dan Friel and These Are Powers were on the bill. More pictures from that show, below...

Continue reading "These are Powers, Dan Friel & Darlings played the LAST show @ Under 100 (in Damon Dash's basement) - pics "

Under 100 (more by Erez Avissar)

"Well, it's not that complicated, really. A phone call from Under 100 promoter Ariel Panero broke the news yesterday: two letters from the community board, a soon-to-be irate landlord, and a beyond irate Damon Dash, whose reaction upon reading our [the Village Voice] article about his venue yesterday was apparently to shut the whole place down. Other people we talk to say the place will be back, quietly, after a month or two time-out. Our guess is the truth of that prediction is very much in the air right now. Real sorry about this." [Village Voice]

Check out pictures from the third and final show, which was exactly a week before this closing announcement.

PREVIOUSLY: The Cool Kids, London Souls, Curren$y & friends (but not Blakroc) played Under 100 (pics) ++ a show there tonight

photos by Erez Avissar

"Damon "Dame" Dash co-founded Roc-a-Fella Records, helped launch the career of Jay-Z and discovered Kanye West. He's produced or executive-produced about a dozen films, including the well-received 2002 urban flick "Paid in Full" and the 2004 movie "The Woodsman," starring Kevin Bacon. And he started lucrative apparel lines like Rocawear and Rachel Roy, of which he is still part owner with his wife, the company's namesake.

But the 37-year-old Dash still says he gets snubbed by the music industry. Media reports last year about his alleged financial difficulties and legal problems probably didn't help. "My mistake was watching everyone else's careers and not watching mine,'' he says.

More important was his acrimonious split a few years ago with his old friend and business partner Jay-Z. "It was like, either you are on his side or on mine," he says. "And because of all that, there's resistance on every level with me and the shit just bugs me out." [Billboard]

New venue Under 100 (located in the basement of the Tribeca building where Damon Dash's office is located) is quickly becoming famous, after just two shows. The first, in November, featured sets by Sleigh Bells, Javelin & Knyfe Hyts 81 with help from Mos Def, Curren$y, and others. The second, just two nights ago (12/8), was rumored to include a performance by Blakroc (featuring Mos Def) who were on Letterman that same night. That didn't happen, but The Cool Kids, The London Souls, Curren$y (again), and some others did play. Mos Def and Damon Dash (again) were just hanging out. The third show is....

TONIGHT (12/10):

RSVP @ Lessartistsmorecondos@gmail.com
-- DARLINGS /// THESE ARE POWERS --
$ 7 bucks
09:00 pm Doors
09:30 pm DARLINGS
10:30 pm THESE ARE POWERS

More pictures from the last event, below...

Continue reading "The Cool Kids, London Souls, Curren$y & friends (but not Blakroc) played Under 100 (pics) ++ a show there tonight"

photos by Lori Baily

Mos Def / Sleigh Bells

first show at new tribeca venue "under 100," which is co-owned by greg finch of p4k tv, and is in damon dash's office basement. was a crazy night. dash's entourage rolled through in full effect, loved sleigh bells and javelin, two rappers (stally and curren$y) spit over javelin songs during an unexpected encore by popular demand. later in the evening, everyone went upstairs to watch javelin's set in dash's office and rumor was that both parties wanted to further jam. next thing you know, everyone's downstairs in the venue again and mos def et al are jamming with javelin and knyfe hyts! was a special night. - erez avissar

After the show I thought I heard that Mos Def played with Sleigh Bells (who are now also famous for M.I.A. and Spike Jonze reportedly coming to one of their shows) (though someone told me they think the M.I.A. part was a rumor started after a case of mistaken identity). I must have jumped to conclusions though because Mos Def actually only jammed with the other two bands at the Friday night show (11/20). Amazing weekend for guest appearances in NYC (the Roots and David Byrne played with Dirty Projectors at Bowery Ballroom). More pictures from Under 100 below...

Continue reading "Mos Def played w/ Sleigh Bells, Javelin & Knyfe Hyts 81 @ Under 100 in NYC - pics"

words & photos by Erez Avissar

MNDR (aka Amanda Warner) opened the Brooklyn show at Monster Island on Wednesday night (11/18). Shouting, singing and rapping over techno-centric beats, she showed respect to tour-mate Juiceboxxx as well as a strong influence by him. She fared better than her mentor though, who played a super-brief, possibly truncated, set of less than 20 minutes. Opening with his most well-known tune/statement of intent, "Thunder Jam #5", Juiceboxxx positioned himself in sort of a "me against the crowd/world" way, alienating himself from the audience. It was unfortunate, because a basement show like this one could have been the ideal place to see him.

Even without their signature boomboxes, Javelin brought much-needed positive energy to the room with highlights like expanded versions of "Mossy Woodland" and "Vibrationz", as well as their skewed "Into The Groove" interpretation and some worldly tropical beats that turned the place into a dance party. The energy stayed with the crowd, who were more than happy to stick around after and dance to pop hits, ranging from Olivia Newton-John to Jay-Z, courtesy of Todd P's iPod.

Javelin live is not to be slept on. Catch them Friday (TONIGHT) with Sleigh Bells (who played Le Poisson Rouge last night) at a new DIY all ages venue in Manhattan called "Under 100." Get there early - Javelin goes on first (9pm). More details about that show and pictures below...

Continue reading "Javelin played Monster Island w/ Juiceboxxx (pics), plays new venue Under 100 TONIGHT w/ Sleigh Bells & Knyfe Hyts"