Bowerbirds played Mercury Lounge (pics) w/ La Strada (more dates) for Jeff Mangum (who wants to save a carousel)

May 1, 2009

DOWNLOAD: Bowerbirds – In Our Talons (MP3)

Bowerbirds @ Mercury Lounge

Bowerbirds, La Strada, Lost in the Trees and Bell played the Mercury Lounge on Monday, April 27th (one night before Bell and Bowerbirds played Monkey Town).

Not to get all TMZ, but according to Indy Week Blogs (who got all TMZ)…

Throughout the evening, a trickle of excited correspondence from members of both bands announced that a special guest had come to watch Bowerbirds’ set [at Mercury Lounge]: Neutral Milk Hotel leader/ de facto hermit/ “Salinger of indie rock” Jeff Mangum. There’s, of course, little to report about the appearance besides just that–no collaborations, no serious hangouts. Mangum just watched and, between songs, held his beer between his teeth to clap. Maybe he’ll come down to Chapel Hill later this year?

…which brings us to the carousel. Julian Koster and Jeff Mangum (“on behalf of Neutral Milk Hotel”) are working to save the Paragon Carousel in Hull, MA. You can help. Details below.

Bowerbirds’ second disc, Upper Air, comes out July 7th on Dead Oceans who said:

“Everyone struggles when they try to describe this music, including us, but we’ll try: it has the spirit of Richard and Linda Thompson, the currency of Devendra Banhart, the addictively sweet melodicism of Iron & Wine, but it churns with an underlying energy closer to a Beirut or something farther out, more raw, more wild.”

Bowerbirds are currently on tour with La Strada. The Neutral Milk Hotel note, more pictures from Mercury Lounge (including one of the setlist), and all tour dates, below…

Lost in the Trees…

La Strada…

Bowerbirds…

—

The Paragon Carousel is a beautiful machine that has been my dear neighbor for many moons. Now 81 years old, it is in need of a little love and attention in order for it to survive.

It is my sincere wish for the Paragon Carousel to be a part of the magic of long seaside summer afternoons for many years to come. But it might not get to.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where the great whirling contraptions of mechanical music and light are not as profitable to operate as other things, and carousels are worth much more taken apart and sold in pieces to museums, where one must pay to look at them behind glass, rather than having them simply existing in the world that we now all share.

I spoke with Jeff and Scott and Jeremy about this and they agreed that I should, on behalf of Neutral Milk Hotel, make an appeal to the good people who might have enjoyed the music made over the years, because we think you’d understand especially, and want to help.

We humbly ask you to vote!

The Paragon Carousel is competing with 24 other historic Massachussettes buildings for a grant of $100,000. The historic site with the most votes wins, and anyone anywhere can vote. We would love it if by our collective effort we could ensure the continuation of this grand place. It only takes a moment and you can do so here.

You are allowed to vote once a day untill May 17th . Your vote means a great deal to all of us at Elephant Six. Places like this are so special. They deserve to exist in the same world that we do. So we can visit them with our bodies, not just our memories and dreams.

We’d like to thank you for your help and for spreading the word.

~Julian Koster with Jeff Mangum on behalf of Neutral Milk Hotel

Bowerbirds – 2009 Tour Dates
05/01/09 Montreal, QC – Il Motore *
05/02/09 Toronto, ON – The Drake Hotel *
05/04/09 Chicago, IL – Schubas *
05/05/09 Bloomington, IN – Bear’s Place *
05/06/09 Newport, KY – The Southgate House – Parlour *
05/07/09 Asheville, NC – The Rocket Club *
05/08/09 Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 w/ Wes Phillips, *
05/22/09 Groningen, Netherlands – Vera
05/23/09 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
05/24/09 Brussels, Belgium – Maison Des Musiques
05/25/09 Paris, France – Point Fmr
05/26/09 London, UK – Borderline
05/27/09 Nantes, France – Spoutnik
05/28/09 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Festival
05/29/09 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Festival
05/30/09 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Festival
06/01/09 Carpi, Italy – Mattatoia
06/02/09 Pisa, Italy – Caracol
06/03/09 Basel, Switzerland – Volkshaus
06/04/09 Zurich, Switzerland – El Lokal
06/05/09 Ebensee, Austria – Kino
06/06/09 Vienna, Austria – Arena