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Sleigh Bells Announce Reing of Terror Album Details, Tour with Diplo

2011-12-07T18:56:00.001-05:00

Watch The Teaser Video & Get Tickets:
http://reignofterror.tv

Sleigh Bells will release their sophomore album, entitled Reign of Terror, on February 14th, 2012 on Mom + Pop Music. Produced by guitarist Derek Miller, and written by Miller and singer Alexis Krauss, Reign of Terror is the highly anticipated follow up to 2010’s Treats. Prior to Reign of Terror’s release, Sleigh Bells will embark on a full tour of Florida, where Miller grew up, with fellow Floridian Diplo and Brooklyn’s Liturgy. Dates below.

Upon unleashing Treats into the world, Sleigh Bells quickly became the most exciting new band to emerge from their hometown of New York City. Treats’ deft, stylish combination of genres, sounds, and dynamics was simply unprecedented. The album’s own extreme volume was matched by the deafening roar of praise, landing the band everywhere and putting the record on over 50 year-end lists for 2010. Sleigh Bells toured behind Treats relentlessly, opening for the likes of LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, Yeasayer and Major Lazer before headlining their own shows, many of which sold out in mere minutes. They played lauded, exhilarating sets at festivals around the globe, confirming their status as a sheer tour de force on the stage.

It is this intense live energy, coupled with the continued desire to carve out new musical terrain, which runs throughout their new album, Reign of Terror. Engineered by Shane Stoneback, who helped to record Treats, songs on Reign of Terror are as crushing and authoritative as their title suggests; they’re effortlessly robust and heavier than any of the band’s previous output, but more melodic as well, the sonic equivalent of a beautiful shotgun to the head. Packed densely with stomping beats, shredding Jackson guitar riffs, sinister ribbons of Alexis Krauss’ candy-coated vocals, and the cries of a pep rally gone terribly wrong, Reign of Terror is a record that, like its predecessor, redefines everything you think music can be.

Tour Dates (w/Diplo):
2/3/12 Gainesville, FL @ Florida Theater
2/4/12 Tampa, FL @ The Ritz
2/6/12 Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall
2/7/12 Tallahassee, FL @ The Moon
2/9/12 Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird Live
2/10/12 Orlando, FL @ Firestone
2/11/12 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
2/14/12 Miami, FL @ Grand Central
Tickets: http://www.reignofterror.tv

Track List:
01 True Shred Guitar
02 Born To Lose
03 Crush
04 End Of The Line
05 Leader Of The Pack
06 Comeback Kid
07 Demons
08 Road To Hell
09 You Lost Me
10 Never Say Die
11 D.O.A.

For More Information:
http://www.reignofterror.tv
http://www.facebook.com/sleighbells
http://www.twitter.com/sleighbells

11.17.11 | The Kooks | Webster Hall

2011-11-17T23:30:00.000-05:00

Playing two sold-out shows at Webster Hall, The Kooks brought Britain back on the map with their cheery guitar rhythms and signature vocal sound. Complete with moves like Mick Jagger, frontman Luke Pritchard strutted around the stage in similar fashion, expertly cranking out old favorites as well as songs from their latest album, Junk of the Heart. Frequently throughout the night, I felt like I was in a different era, the one where there were four similarly mop-topped boys feverishly playing their instruments for a slew of girls (and in the aughts version, quite a few dandier boys). Such was the case especially when they played such hits such as "Naive" and "She Moves In Her Own Way". However, newer songs were also well-received, like "Is It Me" and "Mr. Nice Guy".

The new album shows a natural progression in the maturity of the band. Whereas their first two albums capitalized on the snotty mix of punk rock with brit pop, the new album seems to take a calculated effort at challenging the band to write meatier rock songs. While there are still plenty of their signature catchy pop songs, the album reveals that maybe these Brit boys have grown up.

Ingrid Michaelson Announces New Album 'Human Again' Out January 24th

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

Stream "Ghost" At EntertainmentWeekly.com

Ingrid Michaelson will release her eagerly awaited fourth album Human Again January 24th on Cabin 24 Records/Mom+Pop Music. Fans can download the debut single, “Ghost,” on iTunes and Amazon now as well as stream the track at EW.com.

Human Again, produced by David Kahne (Regina Spektor, Paul McCartney), is a triumph in aural range, the music veers from orchestral to percussive, while her accompanying voice swells from contralto to soprano. These darker, impassioned songs plumb the breadth of human emotion and throw a wrench in Michaelson’s reputation as the crafter of dainty love songs. One of the most gutting is the album’s first single, “Ghost,” a hushed reflection on lost romance that unfurls ruefully from its opening line.

“The album is called Human Again because it’s taken me a very long time to be happy,” explained Michaelson. “The music on this album might surprise some people. I was really singing out, physically; I was writing about a really dark time in my life.”

Eager fans quickly sold out Ingrid’s 5th annual “Holiday Hop” during the fan club presale earlier this month. The annual holiday-themed concert, which has received rave reviews, will be held on December 10th at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg. Later this month Ingrid will fulfill a lifelong dream when she performs on the 85th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airing live on NBC.

Michaelson’s music, often about love and relationships, has wafted out of televisions across the world in handfuls of Grey’s Anatomy episodes (not to mention countless other series since such as American Idol, Parenthood, and So You Think You Can Dance), in an affecting Google Chrome ad, on VH1 as an artist “You Outta Know” and, most recently, the trailer for the award-winning film Like Crazy. The New York Times marveled that she was “singing her way from obscurity to fame.” Billboard trumpeted her as the face of the new music business. NPR declared, “Ingrid Michaelson is everywhere.”

Ingrid has performed on Good Morning America, Live with Regis & Kelly, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Rachael Ray Show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. All of Ingrid’s music is released via her own Cabin 24 Records label which has sold nearly 750,000 albums and over 3 million singles to date. Cabin 24 Records will release Human Again as part of a unique marketing and distribution arrangement via Mom+Pop Music.

Pre-Order Human Again On iTunes

For More Information:
http://www.ingridmichaelson.com
https://twitter.com/ingridmusic
http://www.facebook.com/ingridmichaelson

10.01.11 | Ben Harper | Terminal 5

2011-10-02T17:35:00.000-05:00

Hoping to snag a good spot to see Ben Harper, I arrived early enough to catch the opener, Grace Woodroofe. I immediately regretted this decision once I had procured a spot and was able to watch her "perform". Deceived by her deep mature voice, her stage antics were more age appropriate to that of a teenager singing into a hairbrush in her bedroom. Not knowing the proper etiquette for a musician on stage, she chose to imitate the idea of the rock star, by thrashing about with her hair covering her face, and then immediately realizing that this was impractical and constantly tucking her hair behind her ears. One cannot blame Woodrofe for feeling giddy, as she was discovered at 16 by Heath Ledger, and skyrocketed to first in line to have her album produced by Ben Harper. Sure she may be his protege (or something more?) but she needs a few more years in the oven before they should let her open for such a commanding artist such as Ben Harper.
This was my first time seeing Ben Harper live, and he certainly lived up to the acclaim. He opened his set with a cover of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine", a thrilling intro to his dynamic vocal range. He then proceeded into a number off his new album, Give Til It's Gone. His set ranged from old favorites like "Diamond's On the Inside" and sure to be new favorites like "Rock N' Roll is Free". There were crazy, twenty-minute solos by all members, a blazing rendition of "Lay There & Hate Me" and a poignant moment when he played "Masterpiece". For the encore, he opened with, "Another Lonely Day" which was followed by Neil Young's "Helpless", which featured Woodroofe again in a much more fitting setting. The band also played a cover of Led Zeppelin. The set was a little heavy on the covers side, but it allowed the musicians to shine. It felt like you were sitting in on a jam session, and witnessing something organic.

Set list: October 01, 2011, Terminal 5, NYC

08.01.11 | Lykke Li | Central Park Summerstage

2011-08-02T19:48:00.003-05:00

Image courtesy of Vincent Cornelli via Brooklyn Vegan

A humid dusk settles over Central Park Summerstage. What better scene for Lykke Li, the Swedish songstress, to seduce a group of fawning New Yorkers?

Unfortunately I had to sit through the opener, Timber Timbre, who was as annoying as the mosquitoes and dragonflies flying over head. The lead singer also spent the entire set in a beekeeper get up, which did not gain him any sympathy.

Finally, after waiting the allotted 45 minutes while I contemplated if I wanted an overpriced beverage or ice cream, Lykke Li et al appeared on the stage amid a swarm of fake smoke and billowing drapery. She opened with "Jerome", a somewhat soft opening number in my opinion, but soon picked up the pace with "Breaking It Up". She played a good mix of numbers from Youth Novels and Wounded Rhymes, with singles from both albums being well-received in equal measure.

As a performer, she was about as enthralling as a pair of hot pants and a muu muu can be. It would have been nice if she engaged more with her band or the audience. The entire act seemed a bit routine, despite her reassurances that she was "so happy to be here". Nevertheless, she performed flawlessly, as one would after playing the same songs repeatedly. Her live performance closely mirrored the studio versions, but sometimes you just want to see the face behind the voice.

04.30.11 | Of Montreal | Webster Hall

2011-05-01T09:22:00.010-05:00

Having missed Of Montreal last year with the infamous incident of Susan Sarandon spanking lead singer Kevin Barnes, I quickly bought tickets to last night's show as soon as they were available. Although there were no celebrity shenanigans, the evening was nevertheless entertaining.

The band played through songs off albums old and new with a tone casual nonchalance, as they had no doubt played through the same songs many times before to the same reaction. The real treat was watching the back-up dancers and their ridiculous routines and costumes, and witnessing secondary members of the band have their moment in the spotlight.

02.24.11 | Yellow Ostrich | Piano's

2011-02-25T12:15:00.002-05:00

In the small, intimate back space of Piano's on the Lower East Side, I caught the last night of Yellow Ostrich's residency. I made my way into the room in time to see the opening band, and immediately regretted my decision in doing so but at that point had already found a nice spot in the small room so leaving was not an option. I don't remember what they were called, but they were certainly memorable in how awful they were. It was clear they wanted to be the Fleet Foxes or Bon Iver, but clearly fell short. Even with an ear infection I could tell that the harmonies were way off. The superfluous band included a female "musician" if you could call her that because she mostly just tapped a few notes on the keyboard and plucked a few strings here and there on the violin. Mostly she just stood around with a stupid grin on her face. This rag-tag bunch looked like they were randomly plucked off their fixed-gear bikes plopped in front of instruments and didn't know what to do with them. I think the lead singer is better off exploring solo opportunities.

Yellow Ostrich took the stage with whimsy and shy charm. Lead singer Alex Schaaf was a friendly host for the evening, leading the audience through a number of songs off The Mistress as well as a few old favorites. Seeing them live was a treat, as you get to witness the vocal looping in action. Despite one stumble when the loop didn't lock, the band carried the show with confidence. The band recently left for a national tour with Say Hi. I look forward to following their success.

10.23.10 | Me First and the Gimme Gimmes | Music Hall of Williamsburg

2010-10-24T08:19:00.000-05:00

Saturday night marked the last night of this year's CMJ and I closed it off with a throwback to my punk rock days at the Fat Wreck Chords showcase. To prepare myself for the long night of music ahead, I remembered last night's mistake and ate way too much Thai food (which was possibly the other mistake one could make, especially before a punk show).

The first five bands all sounded the same and I'm not just saying that because I'm a jaded old fart now. Punk rock today isn't the same as it was 10 years ago. In fact, it was 10 years ago that I went to my first concert, Pulley and Millencolin at the now defunct Graceland. Now listening to the bands on Fat Wreck's roster I'm disappointed with the lack of originality. So thank god for Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, a hodge-podge of punk purveyors from Lagwagon, Swinging Utters, No Use for a Name, and of course, NoFX. They took to the stage with charismatic indifference in their Hawaiian shirts. Fat Mike had a drink holder on his microphone and spent more of the show talking than playing. Their set was probably equal parts music and banter. But being who they were, the performance was only fitting.

Photos courtesy of md

Fat Mike

Chris Shiflett

Spike Slawson

The band takes a break

10.22.10 | Nada Surf et al | Mercury Lounge

2010-10-23T08:58:00.001-05:00

CMJ took over New York this week, bringing hundreds of bands and industry players to town. Last night I went to the Paradigm show at the Mercury Lounge. A tip for next year: eat before you go! Since these showcases typically start at 6:30 with venues not serving food and not allowing re-entry, you’re basically left to sustain yourself on booze and olives if you can swing it.

The set started with Australian band Ume, which featured a forgettable female vocalist. It could have been because I was too distracted by my hunger, but I didn’t really remember anything about this band. Next up was Blair, which md described as “an ipod commercial”, which was true. However she reminded me of 90s female singer-songwriters mixed with a bit of Feist, and I thought the songwriting was solid. The peach colored pants were unforgivable though. Following Blair was an artist by the name of JBM, which md described as “subway music” in that he played all the instruments himself (looping and such). However subway musicians keep me more interested than JBM, as I found myself being lulled into a trance by the slow, methodical music. The next band was a stark contrast to JBM. Reptar, from Athens, GA which they never failed to remind us of after every song, was very schticky with costumes and choreography and a lead singer who imitated David Byrne. I felt they relied too heavily on sampling loops and novelty. Their best song was the last song in which they did not use a recorded beat.

Finally the real bands took the stage. First up was Francis and the Lights, a much hyped-about band. Sure they were a little schticky as well (the lead singer’s name is Francis Farewell Starlite), but he definitely had a great stage presence and was highly entertaining to watch. I would highly recommend seeing them live, even if you don’t like their music style. Next was Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. another up and coming band. Their stage set up was very whimsical with light-up letters, light-up jacket and a telephone microphone. Their live show is much more energetic than their albums, and those expecting to hear the same sound will be disappointed. Finally at 1 AM, headliners Nada Surf took to the stage of the undersized Mercury Lounge. They played a good mix of old songs, newer songs, and covers. Nada Surf remind me of a time when rock music was rock music, without the decorations and embellishments, just rock. After an eclectic evening filled with bands that were trying too hard, Nada Surf closed the night with the reassurance that nothing can replace music for the sake of making music.

Francis and the Lights
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

Nada Surf

09.30.10 | Belle and Sebastian | Williamsburg Waterfront

2010-10-01T20:15:00.000-05:00

After playing chicken with the weather (Tropical Storm Nicole to be exact), Belle and Sebastian were able to take the stage without any interruption. It was the band's first time in New York since 2006. Playing against an orange-red sky, Belle and Sebastian played songs off their new album Write About Love as well as plenty of classics. At one point during the set, Stuart Murdoch threw out goodies for the kiddies and brought fans up on stage to clap along. After a stellar hour and a half set, Belle and Sebastian bid good night to Brooklyn, hopefully to return again much sooner than last time.

Set List:
I Didn't See It Coming
I'm a Cuckoo
Step Into My Office, Baby
Like Dylan in the Movies
I'm Not Living in the Real World
Piazza, New York Catcher
I Want the World to Stop
Lord Anthony
Sukie in the Graveyard
We Rule the School
Another Sunny Day
The Loneliness of a Middle Distance Runner
Write About Love
There's Too Much Love
The Boy with the Arab Strap
If You Find Yourself Caught in Love
Judy and the Dream of Horses
Sleep the Clock Around

Encore:
Me and the Major
Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying

New Belle and Sebastian

2010-09-08T12:19:00.004-05:00

Belle and Sebastian recently announced a new album entitled Belle and Sebastian Write About Love to be released October 11th in the UK and October 12th in North America via Matador Records. The album features guest vocals from Norah Jones (my neighbor) and Carey Mulligan (Oscar-nominated actress for An Education and in the upcoming film, Wall Street).

Listen to the title track: "Write About Love"

The tour in support of the album kicks off September 30th in Brooklyn.
09/30 – Brooklyn, NY – Williamsburg Waterfront
10/02 – Las Vegas, NV – Matador at 21
10/03 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
10/07 – Mexico City, MX – Vive Cuervo Salon
10/08 – Mexico City, MX – Vive Cuervo Salon
10/09 – Guadalajara, MX – Teatro Estudio Cavaret
10/11 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
10/12 – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall
10/14 – Washington, DC – DAR Constitution Hall
10/15 – Boston, MA – Wang Theatre
10/17 – San Francisco, CA – Treasure Island Festival
10/19 – Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Hall
10/20 – Seattle, WA – Benaroya Hall
12/01 – Belfast, IE – Ulster Hall
12/03 – Dublin, IE – Grand Canal Theatre
12/05 – Gateshead, UK – Sage Gateshead
12/07 – Birmingham, UK – Birmingham Symphony Hall
12/09 – Bournemouth, UK – Apollo
12/10 – Minehead, UK – The Bowlie Weekender 2
12/14 – Leicster, UK – De Montfort Hall
12/16 – Bristol, UK – Colston Hall
12/20 – Glasgow, UK – Barrowlands
12/21 – Glasgow, UK – Barrowlands

08.04.10 | Hot Chip | Central Park Summerstage

2010-08-05T09:03:00.001-05:00

Central Park Summerstage

Ahh, summer outdoor shows. As this is my first summer in New York City, when I think of summer concerts I think of the cool summer nights that I grew comfortable with in Seattle, with the marine air and the lush grass accompanying the music. Not so in New York. Wednesday's show at Central Park Summerstage was hot and humid and increasingly smelly. I arrived and immediately bee-lined for the bleachers so as to avoid the sweaty masses. Because the only thing worse than bathing in one's own sweat is swimming in the sweat of 500+ strangers.

I caught the latter half of Hercules and Love Affair, a much hyped NY-based group. Their music can only be described as something you would listen to while having surgery or something, music intended to put you into a trance. They had two back up dancers and various superfluous singers. Though they had a good energy and visually engaging performance, their live sound is noticeably inferior to their recorded music.

Hot Chip

After a well-executed stage change, Hot Chip took the stage. As usual, they were amazing even without singer Joe Goddard who was away on paternity leave. The altered set still accommodated for Goddard on a few tracks by way of video.

photo courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan by way of Amanda Hatfield

Set List:
1. Boy From School
2. One Pure Thought
3. Thieves in the Night
4. One Life Stand
5. Over and Over
6. Hand Me Down Your Love
7. Alley Cats
8. Take It In
9. We Have Love
10. Hold On
//Encore
11. I Feel Better
12. No Fit State
13. Ready for the Floor

NPR Features Forthcoming Menomena Release Mines on Exclusive First Listen

2010-07-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Menomena, the acclaimed Portland, OR art-rock trio, will release their fourth full-length record, Mines, tomorrow on Barsuk Records (and July 30th in Germany, and August 2nd in the UK and the rest of Europe, all on City Slang). The record is now streaming in its entirety as part of National Public Radio’s Exclusive First Listen series.

Listen to Menomena’s Mines [Barsuk Records] in full on NPR:
Listen to Mines

Download and share Menomena’s “TAOS” from Mines [Barsuk Records] courtesy of Stereogum: "TAOS"

Mines, the follow-up to the acclaimed Friend and Foe (which Pitchfork awarded the vaunted “Best New Music” title and scored an 8.5), is already being lauded as a deeply captivating and unconventional album. Alternative Press called Mines “meticulously crafted” and gave the record four stars, and Paste Magazine was moved to note that “on Mines full-blown insanity finally breaks free of the straightjacket.”

Menomena on tour:

September:
10 – Seattle, WA – Showbox at the Market *
11 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom (Musicfest NW)
14 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall *
16 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theater *
17 – San Diego, CA – Casbah *
18 – Tempe, AZ – Clubhouse *
21 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre *
22 – Omaha, NE – Waiting Room *
23 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater *
24 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon *
25 – Chicago, IL – The Metro *
27 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom *
28 – Toronto, Ontario – Mod Club *
29 – Montreal, Quebec – La Sala Rossa *
30 – Boston, MA – Royale *

October:
1 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
5 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
6 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club *
7 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle *
8 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse *
9 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge *
11 – St. Louis, MO – Luminary Arts
12 – Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck
14 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
15 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
16 – Boise, ID – Neurolux

* w/ Suckers

Free Williamsburg Waterfront Pool Party Line-up Announced

2010-07-10T15:16:00.005-05:00

06.27.10 | Islands | MHOW

2010-06-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

For the last night of the Northside Festival, I attended the show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The first band was Steel Phantoms, a local act (which doesn't really mean anything when local means Brooklyn). I thought that their overall performance was rather stiff, the only one with any character being the drummer, Aaron Harris, who did double duty playing with his former band, Islands. Though they clearly had strong compositional skills, the vocal line in most songs fell flat. It didn't help that one vocalist sounded like the Killers' frontman, and the other vocalist sounded like the lead singer of NoFX. I think they were trying to do too much musically, and thus ended up sounding disjointed.

Active Child:

On the other hand, the second band, Active Child, was really bizarre and clearly thought they were better than they actually were. It all started when a grown-ass man started playing a half-size harp, shredding as it if were a guitar. Well it certainly would've sounded better on a guitar. It didn't help that he burst into an operatic falsetto aria. The male falsetto is an ambitious thing to accomplish successfully, and only a few can pull it off (Mercury, Valli, Jackson, to name a few). Needless to say Active Child fell flat (how do you like that musical pun!) So we have a man playing the harp, singing opera, and all this on top of a drum machine. I can't fathom that no one, at any point in their career, ever stopped them and said, really? You seriously are going to go out and sell this music? I had hoped that Active Child would give up the Madame Butterfly after a few songs, but he trilled like a canary through his
entire set. I was not the only one that was relieved when they left the stage.

Islands:

Finally, after much anticipation, Islands took to the stage. I was looking forward to seeing them, more so because I like lead singer Nick Thorburn's previous band, The Unicorns (now defunct sadly) much more. But a band is 75% the lead singer, so I naturally took a liking to Islands. Thorburn, who goes by the moniker Nick Diamonds, is a modern day Bowie, in sound and stature. They played the requisite hits from new album Vapours like "No You Don't" and the title track. I was also pleased to hear songs from the only album I own, Arm's Way, including "Creeper" and "The Arm". They also debuted live a few songs from former albums. Since this band seems to go through a lot of line-up changes, I am happy to have been able to see them in this incarnation and look forward to seeing what Thorburn dreams up next.

And now, the crazy music video for "No You Don't" starring Michael Cera.

And now for something cali meets boston meets staten island

2010-06-25T11:00:00.000-05:00

Boston’s own electro-pop ambassadors Passion Pit have been known for decent reworks of club favorites. The latest addition to their already impressive catalogue of remixes is a dancefloor-friendly interpretation of Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg’s ode to Californian beauties. Check it out below. Thanks MFR.

Or, P.S. 22 covers Passion Pit:

Local Natives Unleash Gorilla Manor Stems, Cover Television Classic For Aquarium Drunkard

2010-06-24T06:58:00.000-05:00

This is pretty neat: Local Natives, current darlings of the summer festival circuit and the proud parents of the critically-acclaimed Gorilla Manor,have launched a microsite where artists and fans can snag stems of songs from the band’s Frenchkiss Records debut. In exchange for a few personal details (name, email, postal – voilà!), prospective remixers can download stems for Manor standouts “Wide Eyes,” “World News,” “Camera Talk,” and “Who Knows Who Cares.” And that’s just the first batch – more will be uploaded later this summer. Artists and fans can submit their re-envisioned track and the best will show up on the player for the world to listen to. Labelmates and recent touring partners Suckers have donated their remix of “Wide Eyes” as the inaugural submission.

Download Stems and Remix Local Natives:
http://thelocalnatives.com/stems/

In other news, the folks at Pitchfork have posted Local Natives’ cover of Television’s “Careful.” The tune comes from Aquarium Drunkard’s Television tribute album L’Aventura. Much like the blog’s love-letter to Macca’s RAM, the tribute is a medley of covers from the Television album Adventure and features bands from all over Los Angeles trying their hand at the quintessential New York post-punk progenitors’ brand of angular rock. In addition to being able to download the album for free from Aquarium Drunkard, fans also have the option to donate to the Silverlake Conservatory of Music in exchange for the tracks. The conservatory is a non-profit music school offering affordable music lessons, and scholarships for children that include instruction and instruments. One hundred percent of donations go to the school.

Listen to the Local Natives Cover of “Careful” on Pitchfork:
http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/14527-careful-television-cover/

Download L’Aventura from Aquarium Drunkard and Donate:
http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2010/06/22/laventure-a-los-angeles-music-sampler-2010/

06.21.2010 | Make Music New York: General Elektriks | Hiro Ballroom

2010-06-22T00:00:00.002-05:00

As part of Make Music New York, a "unique festival of free concerts in public spaces throughout the five boroughs of New York City", I attended the French contribution at the Hiro Ballroom (oddly, a Japanese-themed club). A logical choice seeing as how Make Music New York is based on France’s “Fête de la Musique,” a national musical holiday inaugurated in 1982, but has now spread internationally.

I arrived in time to catch La Grande Sophie who I can only place in the American equivalent as somewhere between Paula Cole and Rachel Yamagata but with the grand aim of being like Feist. As this means that she ultimately falls between two artists that je n'aime pas, I cannot say that I was sad to see her leave the stage. I will say that I did enjoy the jazz influences in her music and the varied percussion knick-knacks she brought to the stage.

In an almost 180 degree change in musical styling, the next act, General Elektriks brought a raucous energy to the stage. The band is essentially a solo project conceived by Hervé ‘RV’ Salters, a French expat who now resides in the Bay area (by way of Seattle) and whose impressive resume includes collaborations with Femi Kuti, Blackalicious, and Lyrics Born. GE's performance was stimulating both auditorily and visually. Salters' clearly classical training is apparent in the way he owns the keyboard, comfortably navigating through jazz chord progressions and baroque keyboard solos. And he does it all while jumping about three feet in the air! He was not the only star of the stage though. His four man backing band included a guy wailing on the xylophone and a bass player who looked like a cross between Jimi Hendrix and a Harlem Globetrotter. With such diverse instrumentation which included the aforementioned xylophone in addition to guitar, bass, drums, MPC, and maybe three keyboards, it's no doubt that the end result mixed multiple genres. Throughout their set I heard punk mashed with funk, pop mixed bossa nova, and even some DragonForce. Unfortunately their recorded tracks do not do them justice; one must see them live to fully appreciate the spectacle that is General Elektriks. They are on tour now in Europe, so for those state-side, amuse yourself with this video:

As an aside, it seems crazy Hendrix/Globetrotter dude appears to wear the exact same outfit to every show.

Summer = Free Shows

2010-06-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

Free shows, and a couple not free shows but worth the extra buck:

Central Park SummerStage shows

Manhattan SummerStage shows

Brooklyn SummerStage shows

Bronx SummerStage shows

Gone to Governors Island

Celebrate Brooklyn @ Prospect Park Bandshell

Seaport Music @ South Street Seaport

Williamsburg Waterfront @ East River Park

Central Park SummerStage shows

Mon, 6/14 Baaba Maal and Playing for Change 7:00pm
Tues, 6/15 Benefit Show: John Butler Trio and State Radio 6:30pm
Sat, 6/19 NYCPride Rally featuring Me?shell Ndegeocello, Martha Wash NY Gay Men?s Chorus, Vickie Shaw, Billie Myers and Bruce Vilanch 4:00pm
Sun, 6/20 Salif Keita, Tabou Combo and Lo?Jo 3:00pm
Wed, 6/23 George Wein's Carefusion Jazz Festival: McCoy Tyner Quartet with Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding and Francisco Mela The Stanley Clarke Band with Hiromi 7:00pm
Sat, 6/26 Tinariwen, Omar Souleyman and Toubab Krewe 3:00pm
Sun, 6/27 Gil Scott-Heron 3:00pm
Sat, 7/3 Istanbulive II: The Sounds of Turkey with Kenan Dogulu, mor ve otesi and Ilhan Ersahin?s Istanbul Sessions with Burhan Ocal and Tulug Tirpan, Sukriye Tutkun and DJ Salih Saka 3:00pm
Wed, 7/7 Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich and Fussible, El Guincho and Anita Tijoux 7:00pm
Sat, 7/10 Profitas, Maldita Vecindad and The Pinker Tones 3:00pm
Sun, 7/11 Jimmy Cliff, Trevor Hall and Victor Démé 3:00pm
Sat, 7/17 Raphael Saadiq 3:00pm
Sun, 7/18 Family Day featuring Ralph?s World, Bethany and Rufus and Cirquetacular 3:00pm
Wed, 7/21 Comedy Central Park The Daily Show and Friends Hosted by Lewis Black with John Oliver, Rob Riggle, Wyatt Cenac, Adam Lowitt and Rory Albanese 8:00pm
Fri, 7/23 Sat, 7/24 The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 8:00pm
Sun, 7/25 Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba, Burkina Electric, Fool?s Gold and DJ Frank of Voodoo Funk 3:00pm
Mon, 7/26 Benefit Show: The Flaming Lips 7:00pm
Tues, 7/27 Wed, 7/28 Benefit Shows: The Black Keys and The Morning Benders 6:30pm
Sat, 7/31 Jovanotti, Los Amigos Invisibles and Natalie Lafourcade 3:00pm
Sun, 8/1 St. Vincent, tUnE-yArDs and Basia Bulat 3:00pm
Wed, 8/4 Benefit Show: Hot Chip, Hercules and Love Affair and Holy Ghost! 6:30pm
Sat, 8/7 The Clark Sisters & Kierra Kiki Sheard 3:00pm
Sun, 8/8 The xx, Chairlift and Jack Peñate 7:00pm
Tues, 8/10 Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Dancin? Downtown Concert Winners 8:00pm
Wed, 8/11 Benefit Show: Gov't Mule 6:00pm
Sat, 8/14 Bachata Fest featuring Andy Andy, Luis Miguel de la Amargue, Elvis Martinez and Alexandria 3:00pm
Sun, 8/15 Public Enemy with 7th Octave and Blitz the Ambassador 3:00pm
Sat, 8/21 Chrisette Michele, Mario and Tamia 3:00pm
Sun, 8/22 The Specials - 30th Anniversary Tour with Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears and $mall ¢hange 3:00pm
Tues, 9/21 Benefit Show: Pavement 7:00pm
Sun, 9/26 The Black Sea Roma Festival featuring Mahala Rai Banda, Técsöi Banda Selim Sesler & The NY Gypsy All-Stars and The Yuri Yunakov Ensemble 3:00pm

Brooklyn SummerStage shows

Betsy Head Park
Wed, 6/2 Roy Ayers with DJ Jon Quick 7:00pm
Wed, 6/9 Nice and Smooth and The Awesome 2 7:00pm
Thurs, 6/17 The Felix Hernandez Rhythm Review 7:00pm

Red Hook Park
Tues, 6/1 Jay Electronica 7:00pm
Tues, 6/8 Frankie Negrón 7:00pm
Tues, 6/15 Dan Deacon 7:00pm

Rochdale Park
Fri, 7/23 The Main Ingredient with Cuba Gooding Sr. 7:00pm
Fri, 7/30 Total Praise 7:00pm

Von King Park
Wed, 6/16 Big Daddy Kane with DJ Jon Quick 7:00pm

Bronx SummerStage shows

Crotona Park
Wed, 6/23 Brand Nubian 7:00pm
Wed, 6/30 DJ Kool Herc 7:00pm
Thurs, 7/8 TKA, Corina and Noel : The 30th Anniversary of Fever Records 7:00pm

Soundview Park
Tues, 6/22 Eddie Palmieri y La Perfecta II 7:00pm
Tues, 6/29 Papa San 7:00pm
Tues, 7/6 The Felix Hernandez Rhythm Review 7:00pm

St. Mary's Park
Thurs, 6/24 Conjunto Clásico 7:00pm
Sun, 6/27 Family Day featuring Jose Ortiz and Bombayo with special guest Dan Zanes and Jose Conde?s Baby Loves Salsa Noon
Thurs, 7/1 La Orquesta De La Gente and 8 y Más: A Tribute to Héctor Lavoe 7:00pm
Wed, 7/7 Hector Tricoche and Chris Alfinez 7:00pm

Manhattan SummerStage shows

East River Park
Tues, 8/4 George Lamond, Judy Torres, DJ Lucho 7:00pm
Thurs, 8/12 White Rabbits 7:00pm
Thurs, 8/19 Our Latin Thing with DJ Lucho: A Tribute to The Fania All-Stars 7:00pm

Highbridge Park
Tues, 8/3 Elvis Martinez 7:00pm
Tues, 8/10 Bachata Heightz 7:00pm
Tues, 8/17 Alexandra and Daniel Monción 7:00pm

Jackie Robinson Park
Wed, 8/11 Doug E. Fresh and DJ Dee Wiz 7:00pm
Wed, 8/18 Tye Tribbett 7:00pm

Marcus Garvey Park
Thurs, 8/5 Gil Scott-Heron 7:00pm
Fri, 8/6 Sat, 8/7 blood pudding: a play by Sharon Bridgforth 8:00pm
Sat, 8/28 The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival featuring McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Scott, Jason Moran and the Bandwagon and Revive da Live: Charlie Parker Revisited 3:00pm

Tompkins Square Park
Sun, 8/29 The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival featuring James Moody, Catherine Russell, Vijay Iyer and The JD Allen Trio 3:00pm

More info on City Parks Foundation SummerStage concerts here.

Gone to Governors Island
Sat, 6/19 The Morning Benders, with Freelance Whales and Wild Nothing
Sat, 6/26 Matinee NYC Pride 2010
Wed, 6/30 Passion Pit, with Tokyo Police Club, We Were Promised Jetpacks, and Suckers
Sat, 7/3 Portugal. The Man, with Alberta Cross
Sun, 7/4 She & Him, with Oakley Hall
Sat, 7/10 Lucero
Fri, 7/16 Caribou & Phantogram, with The Chain Gang of 1974
Sat, 7/17 Dr. Dog
Wed, 7/21 Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Sat, 7/24 MIA, with Die Antwoord, Skream, Benga, Rye Rye, Sleigh Bells, Theophilus London, Borgore, Destructo, 12th Planet, Nguzunguzu, Ninjasonik & more
Fri, 8/6 Corinne Bailey Rae
Sat, 8/7 Local Natives, with We Barbarians
Sun, 8/8 Josh Ritter, with Justin Townes Earle and Dawn Landes & the Hounds
Thurs, 8/12 Grizzly Bear, with The Walkmen and Gang Gang Dance
Sat, 8/14 Neon Indian
Sat, 8/28 Rock the Bells: Snoop Dogg / A Tribe Called Quest / Wu-Tang Clan / Ms. Lauryn Hill and more
Sat, 9/11 Panda Bear
More shows TBA. More info here.

Celebrate Brooklyn
Thurs, 6/17 Eugene Mirman and Pretty Good Friends
Fri, 6/25 Kid Koala: Short Attention Span Theater vs. The Slew and Hess Is More
Tues, 6/29 Passion Pit
Fri, 7/9 Ozomatli with Fidel Nadal and Toy Selectah
Sun, 7/11 The Roots and Talib Kweli
Tues, 7/20 Rufus Wainwright
Tues, 7/27 The National
Fri, 7/30 The Swell Season and The Low Anthem
Sat, 7/31 Sonic Youth with Grass Widow and Talk Normal
Mon, 8/2 The Dead Weather
Thurs, 8/5 Metric with Joan as Police Woman and Holly Miranda
Sat, 8/7 Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, with Budos Band
More info here.

Seaport Music, part of the River to River Festival
Sat, 6/26 Apples in Stereo
Fri, 7/2 Yellowfever and Woven Bones
Fri, 7/9 Bear in Heaven and Zola Jesus
Fri, 7/16 Thee Oh Sees with Golden Triangle and Oh Cow
Fri, 7/23 Free Energy with Best Coast and Loose Limbs
Fri, 8/6 Yacht
More info here.

Williamsburg Waterfront (formerly McCarren Park Pool concerts)
Not free, but you get to see really great bands with a really great backdrop.
Sun, 6/20 Band of Horses, with Grizzly Bear and Karen Elson
Fri, 6/25 Silversun Pickups
Fri, 7/2 Faith No More
Mon, 7/5 Faith No More
Fri, 7/16 Weezer
Fri, 7/23 Modest Mouse
Fri, 7/30 Primus with Gogol Bordello
Sat, 7/31 Nas & Damian Marley
Fri, 8/6 Keane
Fri, 9/10 Spoon
Sun, 9/19 Pavement
Thurs, 9/30 Belle & Sebastian
More info (including free Sunday shows TBA) here.

Announcing: Free show with Interpol, Mark Ronson + more

2010-06-13T23:54:00.000-05:00

Free show with:
- Interpol
- Mark Ronson
- Sleigh Bells
- Neon Indian
- The Rapture
- Die Antwoord
and soooo much more courtesy of The Creators Project. Registration ends at 11:59 June 14 and does not guarantee admission.

Miniature Tigers "FORTRESS" Out 7/27

2010-05-24T20:37:00.004-05:00

Tour With Free Energy Starts 5/26 in Cambridge, MA

Hmm, where should we start here? The part where Miniature Tigers stay up all night with Neon Indian, fine-tuning the laser-like synths of their new single, “Gold Skull?” Yeah, that sounds about right. A song Stereogum has the exclusive debut on here.

“I won’t forget that experience,” says Miniature Tigers frontman Charlie Brand. “I remember the sun coming up and everyone in the room singing along. [Drummer] Rick [Schaier] was almost asleep on the floor as he did harmonies.”

While that part was captured during the Manhattan-bound mixing stages of Miniature Tigers’ second album - FORTRESS which is due July 27th on Modern Art Records through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group - the rest of the record was tackled at Dreamland, a converted 19th-century church that’s hosted everyone from Beach House to the B-52s. As you might imagine given its location—deep in the woods of Upstate New York—this led to some other late nights, ones that involved abject terror. But hey, that’s what happens when you decide to watch The Shining in a place that could double as a Friday the 13th set.

“That movie put us in a weird headspace,” explains Brand, “so we decided to go nuts on ‘Mansion of Misery’, starting with the drums. We also wailed on the guitars, making everything as loud as we possibly could.” The result is one hell of an curtain-raising cut, as heavenly harmonies and tension-building effects segue into a sudden explosion of crushed cymbals and powder keg chords. So while it’d be easy to draw the usual reference points here (the two B’s: Brian Wilson and the Beatles), something’s a little off about Miniature Tigers’ indie pop presentations, whether we’re talking about the delirious chorus lines of “Bullfighter Jacket,” the hooting and hollering of “Lolita,” or the ’shroom-munching waking dream of “Coyote Enchantment.” And reigning in all the chaos, why, it’s none other than Chris Chu of the Morning Benders, applying the same widescreen approach that worked wonders on his own Big Echo LP.

“We like to push what doesn’t work sometimes,” says Brand, “and he helped balance that out for us. Chris is also very organized, focused and serious, which is nice, because we aren’t at all.” That’s not totally true. After all, the band’s come a long way since Rolling Stone named them one of MySpace’s 25 best artists in late 2006. For one thing, Brand and Schaier finally have a steady lineup now, rounded out by guitarist Algernon Quashie and bassist Alex Gerber. The band played over 200 dates last year supporting their debut album Tell It To the Volcano with the likes of The Morning Benders, Bishop Allen, The Spinto Band and then there was the Ben Folds tour where Brand figured out what not to say onstage in front of their biggest crowds yet. “I made a weird joke about being on acid at this college basketball arena,” he says. “I don’t even remember what I was talking about. I was dying up there.” He won’t be any longer.

Pre-order the album: Fortress

Tour Dates:
w/Free Energy
5/26/10 Cambridge MA Middle East
5/27/10 Hamden CT The Space
5/28/10 Philadelphia PA First Unitarian Church
5/29/10 New York NY Bowery Ballroom
5/30/10 Washington DC Rock And Roll Hotel
6/1/10 Chapel Hill NC Local 506
6/2/10 Charlotte NC Snug Harbor
6/3/10 Atlanta GA The Star Bar
6/5/10 Houston TX Eleanor Tinsley Park
6/6/10 McAllen TX Cine El Rey Theaer
8/6/10 Chicago IL Lollapalooza

05.05.10 | Shout Out Louds | Webster Hall

2010-05-05T20:04:00.000-05:00

Freelance Whales

Shout Out Louds
The evening began with local band, Freelance Whales. A friend had recommended them to me, and after listening to a few tracks online, I was interested to see their live show. What I came away with, is that the band is not ready to perform at this caliber of tour, at this sort of venue. While I like their music, I think it is too referential, calling on their more established forefathers like Loney Dear and the Fruit Bats. Freelance Whales are too caught up in regurgitating their album on stage, maintaining every fade out and five part harmony. There are too many bells and whistles, too much damn whimsy, that detracts from their potential as performers. Their stage presence is locked in dumbfounded awe at their grand luck in being able to land the opening gig for the Shout Out Louds. I will check back in a few years after the Freelance Whales have grown some hair on their chest to see what they have to offer.

As I waited for the Shout Out Louds to come on, smoke began filling the club. Loud banging and whirring as white smoke billowed out. It was just the smoke machine, bringing it back to pre-smoking ban days. Then the sounds of strings tuning, a sound I remember fondly from my days playing in the youth symphony. The tuning went on for a good ten minutes, and from the smoke rose the Shout Out Louds, looking dapper as ever, dressed in white. Their 60 minute set list included many old favorites and a few off the new album Work. Though on their albums they may sound frail and mellow, their live show is great!

Full set list:
1999
Stones
The Comeback
Play the Game
Tonight I Have to Leave It
Moon
Show Me Something New
Candle Burned Out
Please Please Please
Fall Hard
Too Late Too Slow
Go Sadness
Normandie
South America
Very Loud

Encore:
Impossible
Dreaming
Walls

Hmm I just read some reviews about them/the show and someone commented that they are just a Cure cover band. I'm surprised I didn't hear the Cure connection until now. But yeah, they're right. That explains why I like them.

05.04.10 | Chick Corea | Blue Note

2010-05-04T19:57:00.000-05:00

I had the opportunity to go see the legendary Chick Corea, at the Original Blue Note Jazz Club in Greenwich Village. The event felt very old New York, enjoying dinner and listening to jazz and oh yeah the $100 tab I ended the night with. Our table was right behind Chick, and it was enthralling to see his fingers fly across the keys with the greatest of ease. He only played about 5 songs which was disappointing on top of the fact that he was wearing track pants, but it was great to have been able to hear such a talented musician perform. Three degrees of separation from Miles Davis!

Happy Birthday rg!

2010-04-30T20:05:00.004-05:00

The Black Lips to Take Other Atlanta Musicians to Task on Basketball Court

2010-04-30T19:23:00.002-05:00

Now here's something different: The Black Lips will receive $5,000.00 for their participation in the Converse Band of Ballers basketball tournament tomorrow, the whole of which they will donate to the Auditory Verbal Centre Inc. The AVC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of deaf children, some of whom have been outfitted with cochlear implants. More info on the charity can be found here: Auditory Verbal Centre

The Black Lips are challenging the other players to do the same with their participation fees.

The band created a hilarious video to promote their involvement in the tournament. Check it out: You Tube

OK Go: Can Viral Videos Be More Than Just Viral Videos?

2010-04-27T19:55:00.000-05:00

Engaging article in New York Magazine this week about OK Go: "How OK Go Are Rewriting the Pop-Band Rule Book, One Extraordinary Video at a Time"

It is certainly interesting to theorize as to why OK Go, with their wildly successful videos, have not been able to translate that success to album/mp3 sales. My thoughts are simply that OK Go are not that interesting musically. There is nothing particularly unique or memorable about their music. Sure it is entertaining and pleasant to the ears, but it's not something I often select to listen to. As such OK Go is faced with a challenge. They can either try to remain profitable by finding a way to translate their video's page views into revenue, or strengthen the music behind the videos to garner fans the traditional way. From the looks of it, OK Go is abandoning the traditional model. Let's just hope it works.

04.23.10 | Hot Chip | Terminal 5

2010-04-24T19:31:00.000-05:00

I was super super stoked to be able to see Hot Chip. However I first had to suffer through Gang Gang Dance. The experimental band bumbled through a number of songs that sounded the same. I don't know if there were technical difficulties or what, but lead singer Liz Bougatsos' voice could only be heard in intermittent shrieks. Also the guy dancing and waving a flag in the back was really distracting. I know they're "experimental" and all, but it was very unpleasant to listen to and I couldn't wait for it to end.

Finally, Hot Chip took the stage with much fanfare. And oh man they were so awesome. Alexis Taylor was rocking some purple pants. There was such great energy from the band and the audience, it is definitely an experience not to be missed. Hot Chip is now one of my favorite concerts of all time, and a band that I will not hesitate to see over and over (I'm so clever).

Their set list did not disappoint:
Hand Me Down Your Love
One Pure Thought
Thieves in the Night
Brothers
One Life Stand
Over and Over
Alley Cats
And I Was a Boy From School
Take It In
We Have Love
Hold On

Encore:
She Wolf – Shakira Cover (seriously! it was so awesome! He used this mouthpiece voice changer thing, I don't know what it was called but it looks like fun)
I Feel Better
No Fit State
Ready for the Floor

04.06.10 | Dr. Dog | Soho

2010-04-06T21:55:00.002-05:00

This is a horrible picture taken on my phone from the back of the room, my apologies
Okay okay I was at the Apple Store in Soho, but hey it was a free show with Dr. Dog, playing songs off their new album, Shame, Shame. I hadn't actually heard any of their music until the night before when I brushed up on them in preparation, but I was really happy with what I heard. They reference a time in music history when rock was real rock, when musicians were talented and knew their way around their instruments. It was a refreshing sound, and I am definitely going to pick up their album. You should too!

Buy it here: Shame, Shame on Amazon
Not so spontaneous? Listen here first: NPR First Listen

Btw, the ipad is a clever marketing ploy don't fall for it!

03.02.10 | Flogging Molly | Hammerstein Ballroom

2010-03-03T11:10:00.000-05:00

In a bit of a throwback to high school, I saw punk legends, Flogging Molly at the Hammerstein ballroom. The show opened with a band out of Kansas City, the Architects. They were okay, nothing special to write home about. The next act, Frank Turner, was alright as well, but could have been better if he didn't play the songs on an acoustic. The bland performances by these two openers make me sad that there is no new, quality, punk rock these days. Bands like Panic at the Disco and Fall Out Boy have truly taken what was left of punk rock and pop punk and for lack of better term, completely shat on it and ruined whatever was left of the commercial punk existence.

So thank god for bands like Flogging Molly who continue to churn out respectable punk. The audience was filled with fans both old and young and it was good to see the timelessness of Flogging Molly. They played old classics and songs off the newer album without missing a beat. They played for possibly an hour and a half, and I was tired, but not these middle-aged rockers! (Dave King is 49). All in all, I was thoroughly impressed by their performance, and who knows, if I'm feeling really nostalgic, I'll go to Warped Tour this year.

01.10.10 | Passion Pit | Terminal 5

2010-01-10T12:09:00.003-05:00

This was my second time seeing Passion Pit in two months, and to be honest, not much had changed since. Nevertheless, I love Passion Pit and their live shows are a lot of fun, just because you are surrounded by hundreds of like-minded people all dancing to their hearts content. With an EP that started out as a Valentines Day gift for a girlfriend, and a full-length Manners under their belt, it is impressive to see all the well-deserved popularity and recognition they have received. I am definitely looking forward to hearing what they come up with next.

Larger Than Life...in 3D

2009-12-08T18:55:00.004-05:00

FREE GOODIE GIVEAWAY! KEEP READING!

Music fans now have the ability to experience their favorite bands--in
glorious 3D digital technology--by going no further than their local
movie theatre. This December, the first in a series of 3D concert
events will debut with the digital cinema 3D release of “Larger Than Life...in 3D” Featuring Dave Matthews Band, Ben Harper and Relentless7, and Gogol Bordello.

Shot in Digital 3D--which renders a cinema quality comparable to that
found in this fall’s other big 3D releases (A Christmas Carol and Avatar)--the format essentially brings viewers onstage, giving them a stunning 360◦ view of each live performance. Filmed by inconcert3d at critically acclaimed music festivals this summer, the performances include Dave Matthews Band--the highest-grossing American act of all time-at the 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival in Texas, Grammy-award winning artist Ben Harper and Relentless7 at the Mile High Music Festival in Denver, and internationally acclaimed Gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello at All Points West Music & Arts Festival in New Jersey.

More info, including theaters: www.inconcert3d.com

Trailer:

But best of all, I'm giving away a prize pack for this event! Not only do you get free passes for YOU and a FRIEND, YOU and said FRIEND also get free t-shirts AND free posters! All you have to do is email me with your name, age, and mailing address, and a winner will be chosen at random at 11:59pm tomorrow.

12.02.09 | Phoenix + more | Hammerstein Ballroom

2009-12-03T20:41:00.005-05:00

Or, what I like to call, MY DREAM LINE-UP: Manchester Orchestra, Passion Pit, and Phoenix. Oh and Jack's Mannequin was thrown in the mix too.

I arrived in the middle of Manchester Orchestra's set. As you may recall, I saw them about three months ago at the Kia Soul event. They were just as good this time, and this time I knew all the songs! I really like them because they are a lot heavier than a lot of the other new indie bands on the circuit.

Next up was Jack's Mannequin, aka the Andrew McMahon show. They were a bit out of place on this bill, but enjoyable nonetheless. I was not really familiar with Jack's Mannequin before the show, but I recognized a few songs from TV shows or something. OF course, I was a big fan of Something Corporate back in the day. McMahon has a very distinctive voice, and he fully commands the stage and the bands he plays with. Like with Something Corporate, Jack's Mannequin is really just a vehicle for McMahon to shine. He is a true performer, leaping around the stage, jumping on the piano, etc. They brought me back to my pop punk youth and I enjoyed the nostalgia.

Back to the indie hipster goodness: the much acclaimed Passion Pit took the stage. Though not as glossy sounding live as their albums, they still brought the dance party. It was great to join in and sing along with the entire audience on songs like "Sleepyhead" and "Smile Upon You". I am looking forward to seeing them again in January at Terminal 5. Full set list:
1. Make Light
2. I've Got Your Number
3. Let Your Love Grow Tall
4. Little Secrets
5. To Kingdom Come
6. Moths Wings
7. Sleepy Head
8. Smile Upon You
9. The Reeling

I was especially excited to see Phoenix, a band from my new favorite foreign city (Paris). Earlier that night they were nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. They were absolutely amazing live, and the set list was a perfect mix of jovial 80s synth-pop and sexy cigarette-filled lounge music. Full set list:
1. Lisztomania
2. Long Distance Call
3. Lasso
4. Fences
5. If I Ever Feel Better
6. Girlfriend
7. Love Like a Sunset
8. Armistice
9. Too Young
10. Consolation Prizes
11. Rome
12. 1901

The entire time I felt like I was in a John Hughes movie at the high school dance scene. Case in point:

11.06.09 | Girls | Bowery Ballroom

2009-11-07T13:58:00.001-05:00

I had the chance to check out new band Girls out of San Francisco. Their album, titled Album (oh so clever boys), has been much hyped on Pitchfork and other media outlets. In fact, when I cautiously searched online for "Girls", their myspace page came up first! I think that is a true testament to their buzz. Their live show was very well-executed though I felt that their faster songs like "Lust for Life" were much more enjoyable than slower songs like "Lauren Marie".

Halloween Mix!

2009-10-31T08:26:00.001-05:00

Halloween is my favorite holiday so it is only fitting that I make a Halloween mix for the occasion.

"For Halloween" No Kids: No Kids and I are on the same page.
"So Haunted" Cut Copy: Very haunting.
"Banshee Beat" Animal Collective: Animal Collective are pretty crazy to begin with, and this song is extra out there.
"A Day in the Life" The Beatles: The song starts out innocently and melodically enough, but then bursts into an intense, agitated crescendo. After some silence and you think the song is over, you get the creepy repeated lick at the end, symbolizing that the record has reached the end.
"Pet Sematary" The Ramones: Cos who wants to buried in a pet semetary?
"The Boogie Monster" Gnarls Barkley: A spooky song complete with ominous laughter.
"Same Ghost Every Night" Wolf Parade: At least you are used to the ghost by now.
"Thriller" Michael Jackson: Can't go wrong with a classic.
"Hunting for Witches" Bloc Party: Weird blips and bleeps, a groovy uptempo - can't go wrong in my book!
"Chrissie Kiss the Corpse" Of Montreal: The band is known for somewhat morbid titles and accompanying album titles (Satanic Panic in the Attic, Skeletal Lamping).
"I Want to Be Buried in Your Backyard" Nightmare of You: A love song, but very creepy if you think about it.
"Walking With a Ghost" Tegan & Sara: The message here being that you can't escape.
"Monsters" The Boy Least Likely: Sure they're singing about children and how all their friends are having monsters, I mean children, but really the two are synonymous.
"Attack of the Ghost Riders" The Raveonettes: The headless horseman for the 21st century.
"Satan Said Dance" Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: This song's possessed!
"Cemetery Gates" The Smiths: Not surprised that Morissey would be hanging around cemetery gates.
"Butchers Tale (Western Front 1914)" The Zombies:No Halloween mix is complete without the Zombies.
"The Monster Mash": How could I resist?

10.25.09 | Girl Talk | Pier 94

2009-10-25T22:56:00.005-05:00

This was my third time seeing Girl Talk, and to be honest, seeing him live once is enough. Since his music consists of him mashing tracks together, the experience is not much different than his CD. However, since the tickets were free (thanks again Kia!) I couldn't pass it up.

I previously saw Girl Talk at the Capitol Hill Block Party in 2008 and at Sasquatch Music Festival in 2009, both outdoor venues. This time I experienced the party from inside a giant warehouse on the West Side Highway. This allowed for a giant screen flashing images of everything from hamburgers to "Krak Attack" and free-form text. In addition we were bombarded with:
-toilet paper
-confetti
-water
-inflatable wiggly tube filled with confetti
-giant balloons filled with confetti

-big inflatable pillow

It was a fun show and I had the opportunity to hear some new music.

Party on!

10.21.09 | Andrew W.K. | CMJ Music Festival

2009-10-21T15:36:00.000-05:00

Andrew W.K. spoke today as the keynote speech for CMJ Music Festival. He began by coming to the podium and proceeding to speak for about 5 minutes in the most awkward and disjointed manner. All starts and stops and silences. You could feel the audience squirming uncomfortably, not sure if it was real or not. (It wasn't). He then spent about 10 minutes doing what can only be described as interpretive dancing with a chair. He raised it high above his head and shook it. He air punched through the legs. He shimmied across the stage on it. He ended with ripping the seat out and tossing it to the other side of the stage. With that out of the way, he took to the podium and accepted questions. I sat through the entire production wavering between really confused and mildly bemused. But after it all, I admit I was inspired and somewhat motivated. He really emphasized the importance of giving 100% to whatever you aspire to do, especially your career. Many questions came from struggling artists and he encouraged them to give everything if it's something one really wants. The presentation ended with a musical riddle on the piano: G-A-B-B-A G-A-B-B-A _______. And a piano rendition of "Party Hard". So let's get a party started!

Unreleased track from Say Hi

2009-10-13T14:56:00.003-05:00

Say Hi is Eric Elbogen. His latest effort, the brilliant Oohs & Aahs, was released on Barsuk this past spring. Eric has been hitting the road extensively in support of Oohs & Aahs through most of 2009 with the ever-evolving cast of musicians that make up Say Hi on the road. The road warriors began another tour recently opening for fellow Barsuk artist David Bazan. (Eric is pulling double duty on this touring as a member of Bazan's backing band!)

In honor of the extensive coast-to-coast tour, Say Hi is offering the unreleased demo recording of "November Was White, December Was Grey". This solo, stripped down version, accentuates the wonderful song craft of this uniquely Northwest anthem. If you've ever experienced a Washington winter, you will know what Eric (a Seattle native) is talking about!

Download: "November Was White, December Was Grey (demo version)" - Say Hi

Say Hi + David Bazan Tour Dates
10/13 Orlando FL The Social
10/14 Atlanta GA Drunken Unicorn
10/15 Chapel Hill NC Cat's Cradle
10/16 Washington DC Black Cat
10/17 Philadelphia PA Kung Fu Necktie
10/18 New York NY Bowery Ballroom
10/20 Cambridge MA TT the Bear's
10/21 Montreal QC Il Motore
10/22 Toronto ON Lee's Palace
10/23 Pontiac MI Pike Room
10/24 Chicago IL Schubas
10/25 Champaign IL Highdive
10/27 Madison WI High Noon Saloon
10/28 Minneapolis MN Turf Club
10/29 Iowa City IA The Picador
10/30 Lawrence KS Jackpot Saloon
10/31 Omaha NE Slowdown
11/01 Denver CO Hi Dive
11/02 Salt Lake City UT Kilby Court
11/05 Vancouver BC Media Club
11/06 Portland OR Mississippi Studios
11/07 Seattle WA Neumos

This Just In!

2009-09-23T12:32:00.001-05:00

*UPDATE!* They were indeed married in Carnation on a farm with a rose garden (the roses, unfortunately, had been eaten by a deer a few days earlier). The menu, catered by Tom Douglas Restaurants, was all vegan, though there was a chicken option. Guests included John Krasinski, James Franco, Natalie Portman, and the members of Rilo Kiley. In addition, the DJ spun in vinyl only. I really wanted to not believe that they were together, but I guess now I have to face reality. Hipster superpowers unite!

----------------
Ben Gibbard and Zooey Deschanel are getting married today in Carnation, WA. More info to come!

09.05-07.09 | Bumbershoot Music Festival | Seattle Center

2009-09-18T00:45:00.007-05:00

Bumbershoot is Seattle's premier urban music festival. Spanning three days, the event features music, comedy, literature, film, food, and more. So in the tradition of my cop out posts, here are some haikus about the event!

True to form, Bumber-
shoot lived up to its name
for it rained every day.

Matt & Kim rocked as
usual, shouting out to
local friends and fans.

Like U.S.E. whose
performance was a let down
unlike their CD.

Seeing De La Soul
was a treat. They got the people
up on their feet.

Local neo-jazz
group Vunt Foom backed local hip-
hop Common Market.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs rocked the
mainstage. Karen O has a
killer stage presence.

Best act of the fest
was definitely David
Cross. Hilarious!

David Cross reading from his book

Yeah Yeah Yeah's show included confetti and giant eyeballs

08.20.09 | Manchester Orchestra | Some warehouse in SODO

2009-08-30T00:41:00.000-05:00

Thank you to Kia for bringing us Manchester Orchestra and lots of free booze! Go buy their CD, it is amazing!

07.19.09 | Death Cab for Cutie | Marymoor Park

2009-07-23T21:49:00.005-05:00

Hometown heroes Death Cab for Cutie have come a long way from their early days playing parties in the border town of Bellingham, WA. Now they sell-out two nights at large outdoor venues like Marymoor Park.
The evening was a stellar line up, with Ra Ra Riot and The New Pornographers supporting. I was able to slip in just in time to catch the last song of Ra Ra Riot's set, which was "Ghost Under Rocks". For more Ra Ra Riot coverage, see my review of their show a few months ago.
Next up was The New Pornographers who I was really excited to see. They started their set with "My Rights Versus Yours" which sounded great live with the syncopated tambourine.
And now the main event. Like true rockstars, they entered the stage after much anticipation. The first thing I noticed was how thin Ben had become! Gone were the glasses and boyish face. I suppose that is the price to pay for being engaged to Zooey Deschanel. Death Cab can do no wrong in my book. Below is their epic playlist for the evening.

1. Marching Bands of Manhattan
2. The New Year
3. Why You'd Want to Live Here
4. Crooked Teeth
5. No Sunlight
6. Company Calls
7. Summer Skin
8. Grapevine Fires
9. I Will Possess Your Heart
10. I Will Follow You Into the Dark
11. Title and Registration
12. Little Bribes
13. Calf
14. Pictures in an Exhibition
15. Steadier Footing
16. Sound of Settling
Encore
17. Brothers in a Hotel Bed
18. 405
19. Soul Meets Body
20. Transatlanticism

06.14.09 | The Constantines | Neumos

2009-06-20T16:08:00.007-05:00

The last night of Noise for the Needy featured local band Hey Marseilles, Long Beach natives Cystal Antlers, and Canada's the Constantines. I was lucky to be involved with this year's Noise for the Needy festival. The event happens once a year in Seattle, in which local and global bands come together to perform pro bono with all proceeds benefiting a different nonprofit each year. This year's beneficiary was Transitional Resources which provides housing and support for adults with mental illness.

After a late start, Hey Marseilles took the stage with their cheery folk pop. The band included a cello and a violin and various other peripheral players.

Next up was Crystal Antlers. They were fucking epic. Their music can only be described as neo-punk, like a more raw version of Explosions in the Sky fused with jazz influences. I was blown away enough to fork over an uncalled for $12 for a CD.

Finally, the Constantines, who are described as "Fugazi meets Springsteen".

05.25.09 | Sasquatch Music Festival | The Gorge

2009-05-28T22:37:00.009-05:00

Economy be damned, Sasquatch lives on in 2009, with the first two days selling out and Day 3 quite full. After a three hour drive over the mountains, I arrived to the blistering dry heat of eastern Washington. Of course, I promptly cooled off with a nice cold one. Unfortunately I was too busy drinking beer to remember to bring my precious iPhone, and subsequently left it in the oven of a car all day (it was not melted when I returned, phew!)
Having arrived just as Grizzly Bear were finishing up on the Main Stage, I headed over to catch Bishop Allen on the Wookie stage. Their carefree music helped to cool the crowd down. I caught a couple songs before heading to the Main Stage for Santogold.

She was a great live performer, engaging with the crowd by offering helpful advice ("Don't eat Burger King before getting on stage") and recognizing a fan who had been at her show the previous night. Check out the interesting bodysuit she is wearing.

Following her was Gogol Bordello, the gypsy punk band. They were really fun! Their violinist, sporting a full white beard, shredded the strings in a leather vest. They played my favorites like "Think Locally, Fuck Globally" and "Start Wearing Purple".

After their set I hurried over back to the Wookie stage to catch a bit of Blitzen Trapper. They were enjoyable, but not memorable. Hard to make a lasting impression being the band after Gogol Bordello!
More dashing ensued back to the main stage for Fleet Foxes. Though there is no denying FF's unique pastoral sound, the effect falls flat in an outdoor setting because it exposes the artificiality of it.
Next up was Silversun Pickups, whom I enjoyed very much.

Back to the other stage for some Girl Talk. I have to admit, he loses his novelty the second time around. It wasn't as exciting and spontaneous this time, knowing that he would bring audience members on the stage to dance. There was a dude in a green suit though dancing, see if you can find him in the picture!

To the lawn again for Erykah Badu. After what seemed like eternity she came on stage in an interesting ensemble of hoodie up and a top hat over the hood. She was in-ter-est-ing. I remember her vaguely from the early 90s; it is not clear what she has been up to since then, but probably a lot of pot smoking.
We closed out the night with Explosions in the Sky, who were undoubtedly pretty fucking epic. Might I just note that there is nothing more uncomfortable than falling for a false ending. Seriously it's like the worst blue balls.

05.21.09 | Lady Sovereign, Chester French | The Crocodile

2009-05-24T01:40:00.004-05:00

I arrived at The Croc to catch the last song of local MC, Hollywood. Boisterously commanding the stage in sunglasses sans shirt, he proved to be quite entertaining. Throughout the rest of the night he would mischievously poke his head out from behind the curtain, and ultimately being recognized, or in the case of Chester French, brought out on stage to freestyle along.

Speaking of Chester French, I wasn't (and still am not) quite sure what to make of them. With their backing band The Perverts, Chester French is comprised of singer D.A. Wallach and guitarist Maxwell Drummey (who is married to the lush socialite Peaches Geldof, daughter of Bob Geldof, who spoke at my graduation...) Their music possessed the cocky air that only being young can bring and bordered between legitimacy and comedy. The lyrics were mostly tired rhymes ("hand" and "man"? Come on now! Oldest trick in the book!) or ridiculous ("my penis tip touched her cheek", "she craves affection, so i use protection"). But boy did they know how to entertain. Wallach brought a poor girl on stage and forced her to dance through their whole set (my friend deemed her moves Molly Ringwald). He was able to invoke the audience to clap their hands with a disturbingly terse command of "Hands up!" Their style would be more suited to teenage girls, and not the bevy of middle aged lesbians who came out (pun not intended) for Lady Sovereign.

Beginning the beats was DJ Annalyze and after much chanting of S-O-V, the "biggest midget in the game" hopped on stage. For the record, she did not have a side ponytail as you can see in the photo above. She also is quite petite. Despite her small stature, her stage presence is definitely one to be reckoned with. She flawlessly displayed her lyricism, never missing a beat, which was impressive as grime music tempos typically loiter around 140 bpm. The crowd crowed along to "Love Me or Hate Me" and "Random" and responded to her "S-O" with a resounding "Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Probably because she is intimidating, to me at least. She sprayed beer on the audience twice (hooray) and poured beer into an audience member's eager mouth. Much of the audience seemed to be middle aged lesbian women who could not dance and thus spent much of the evening flapping their butterfly wings and jelly roll, cottage cheese asses around me and into me. Thank god Lady Sovereign was a thoroughly captivating performer or else I would not have put been able to put up with that manhandling for the whole set.

05.20.09 | Tiger Beat, Matt & Kim, DJ AM | Neumos

2009-05-23T00:12:00.010-05:00

Bacardi brought the party with their B-Live tour featuring Matt & Kim and DJ AM. Upon entering, we received Bacardi tokens that we could redeem for free stuff. I got posters, earrings, and hit up the photo booth. After standing in line for like 30 minutes, we were told that they were out of t-shirts (which they were screenprinting on the spot)!

Getting the party started was Seattle by way of Baltimore DJ, Tiger Beat. He was amazing! And really hot! He consistently mixed good, danceable material that combined classics like Michael Jackson and Journey with recent songs from Lil' Wayne, Enur, and others. I will definitely check him out again.

Next up was Brooklyn's Matt & Kim. The last time I saw them was two years ago I believe, when they were opening for the French Kicks. This time around, it is clear that Matt & Kim have really come into their own. They exude much more confidence on stage and their energy of course is unbelievable. Though their set was short, they kept the crowd going with their rambunctious tunes.
Following was Drop the Lime, a DJ who seemed out of place because he played mostly techno, frenetic beats. I opted to go oogle Tiger Beat at the bar next door where he was holding it down.

Finally DJ AM came to the stage. I admit, part of the reason I wanted to see him is because he is kinda famous, having dated Nicole Ritchie and Mandy Moore, and was recently in the news for surviving a plane crash. He was good, but no better than Tiger Beat. Okay, maybe I'm just in love with Tiger Beat...
It was a super fun night - and free free free! (Mostly.) Hey Bacardi - next time offer free drinks!

05.01.09 | Dark Was the Night | Radio City Music Hall

2009-05-07T17:28:00.004-05:00

Seeing a show at Radio City Music Hall is something one should do at some point in one's life. The hall is beautiful and expansive, and the acoustics are spectacular. It's like you're sitting in a womb and having music beamed at you from all directions. And what better show to experience than Dark Was the Night, a show benefiting AIDS research. The all-star line up included Dirty Projectors, David Byrne, Feist, Bon Iver, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, My Brightest Diamond, David Sitek of TV on the Radio, and the National, who organized the event.

Dark Was the Night is the name of this year's album, produced by the Red Hot Organization, the "leading international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture." The album features many collaborations between different artists, and this was the most unique element of the show. David Byrne joined the National onstage, Bon Iver brought out Feist, members of different bands were appearing on and off in each others sets that I can't even really remember now who was the main act.

The best performance in my opinion, was from Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond. She performed a haunting cover of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good". Below is a video from another performance.

The National were probably the greatest disappointment of the evening, with a mostly forgettable performance. Dave Sitek performed a charming version of the Trogg's "With a Girl Like You" backed by a big band. David Byrne brought out a drum line to perform some songs from previous Red Hot compilations. He was positively endearing on stage, wearing an interesting red white and blue dress shirt and sporting silver locks that kind of shot straight up on his head. Bon Iver was amazing live. Not only is lead singer Justin Vernon's vocal range spectacular, the rest of the band all possess stellar pipes. Hearing their velvety vocals in the hall was surreal. Their album does not do them justice; one must see them perform live to truly appreciate them. I feel like their vocal style is similar to Fleet Foxes, but whereas Fleet Foxes sound better on disc (with the benefit of good production) Bon Iver truly shine live. Feist took the stage next, and played a set of all covers. I had been hoping to hear some Feist tunes, but the covers were nice, and elicited a coffee-shop feel, as she manned the stage alone with her guitar, only calling on Bon Iver to join for "Train Song". Closing out the evening was Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. If you haven't heard of Sharon Jones, she channels the soul singers of the past to life in the present. The woman really commands the stage. Not only was her voice deep and rich, her moves were pretty hot too. In commemoration of James Brown's birthday that day, she strutted around the stage doing some of his signature moves. Finally, all the previous acts were brought out on stage to perform "This Land is Your Land" as a nod to Pete Seeger, who was having a 90th birthday concert at Madison Square that same evening. Part way through the performance, Sharon Jones came back on stage to "burst their bubble." She proceeded to blast through a soulful rendition of the song, while the indie superstars chimed in wherever they could. It was an amazing, one-of-a-kind show.

David Byrne takes the stage

You Know You're Getting Old When...

2009-04-29T00:02:00.002-05:00

Artists (ahem Flo-Rida) start sampling songs from when you were young.

Exhibit A
Flo Rida "Right Round"

Borrowing:
Dead or Alive "You Spin Me Round"

Exhibit B
Flo Rida "Sugar"

Borrowing
Eiffel 65 "Blue"

Incidentally, Flo Rida is pushing 30, which puts him right at the pivotal point when one realizes one is actually old.

Honk! Fest West 2009

2009-04-13T23:31:00.016-05:00

Yellow Hat Band

Yellow Hat Band dancers

Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band

LSJUMB

LSJUMB Drum Major

Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band

Carnival Band

Beatcrunchers: amazing! Live beats with an MC

the Harlequin Hipsters w/ Orkestar Zirconium

03.31.09 | Rachel Yamagata

2009-04-01T23:50:00.006-05:00

This was my first show at the recently re-opened Crocodile Cafe, and it has definitely gotten a face lift. It now seems to be twice as big as the previous version. The stage and the bar have rotated 90 degrees. They took out the obnoxious giant pole that took up about half the view of the stage. The overall decor is very swanky, as evidenced by the slick black and white bathrooms! However, they need much more seating area. Standing sausaged between strangers for two hours is not fun (for most), and even less fun in heels. It was sometimes alleviated by Rachel's tunes, but during the stark acoustic numbers all I could think about were my throbbing feet!
I found myself bored (or maybe just distracted) during the slower numbers. However I really can't blame it all on my poor choice of footwear. When she plays these songs there is nothing to differentiate her from the bevy of other female, folksy, solo artists with long dark brown hair with the bangs in the eyes and the husky, cigarette-worn voice. And it doesn't helpthat when I was searching for more information about her on the internet something came up with her and Sara Bareilles in the same sentence. What she lacks in originality she compensated with a pleasantly orchestrated performance. The stage was decorated with flowers and stuffed animals. She thoughtfully balanced solo numbers with full band numbers. Her guitarist, Kevin Devine was insane during the closing song. The encore ended with the potential to be poignant - she brought a fan on stage to sing "Reason Why" with her - unfortunately, the girl was not that great in my opinion. While the girl knew how to sing in tune, she unfortunately she mistook the stage of the Croc to be an American Idol audition and added obnoxious Mariah Carey -esque vocal warbles after every.single.verse.
Rachel Yamagata's demographic seems to lie largely within the Asian and lesbian community, which is the inevitable result of being partially Asian in a mostly white indie music industry and being a female singer-songwriter. (See Thao with the Get Down Stay Down on how to avoid being typecast.) But for those of you who are not in this demographic, you may recognize her songs from one of the many popular teen television shows in which her music is licensed, which is not surprising if you think about it, as most of her songs are about breakups. So, damn, Rachel Yamagata is probably loaded from licensing royalties!
All in all, a good show, but one that would have been better enjoyed seated, and with a fruity cocktail in hand.
Pictures to come, if I can figure out how to get them off my iphone and onto my computer...

"Worn Me Down" (is she lesbian or not dammit??)

Snarky comment: she's really put on some weight...I wonder if she's preggers...

3.19.09 | Bloc Party | House of Blues

2009-03-30T23:09:00.004-05:00

brought to you by rg via gk

Our roving reporter recently saw Bloc Party at House of Blues. "The best part of the show was when they played "Like Eating Glass", which was the last song of the second encore. It's one of my favorite songs in general and I'd been waiting to see it live for 3 years," Ruby said. In general, "I felt like a lot of the new stuff was sloppy, or it had too much reverb to be able to tell," she added. I too, favor the older albums to Intimacy or even A Weekend in the City.

One of the more memorable elements of the show was that "the drummer wore no shirt and short shorts, which was amusing." One interesting observation was in regards to "Positive Tension" which they played in the first encore. "The bass line in that song is so solid. It's too bad though, to have seen it now, and not when the album first came out because the urgency of Silent Alarm is clearly gone from Bloc Party, and that's what makes the album so good... so even though it was great to see the song live it was a bit tired, like it wasn't relevant in his life nearly as much any more."

How has Bloc Party changed? See my review of their show from two years ago!

2.25.09 | Ben Kweller

2009-03-01T20:57:00.004-05:00

brought to you by rg via gk

Ben Kweller is an endearingly charming, goofy, and all-around delightful showman. He began his set with "Walk On Me" off of Sha Sha which was awesome. For those that are not aware, Ben Kweller has taken a turn towards the south for his newest album, fully embracing and molding country music to the BK sound. Though the thought of country may cause some to shudder (gk), rg was "pleasantly surprised" by the new material. The effect of this new musical exploration was "not hokey", but trying to picture Kweller in a tight, button-down shirt with an eagle on it only adds to his already quirky image. The most memorable moment for rg was during the song "Thirteen" about his now wife, Lizzy. "His voice was so crisp and clear, the harmonica and piano were perfect together," rg remembers. One could not ask for a more beautiful arrangement.

2.18.09 | M. Ward | Somerville Theater

2009-02-28T15:22:00.005-05:00

I recently sat down (in spirit) with rg to hear about the M. Ward show. Here are her experiences.

Opening for M. Ward was Oakley Hall, a band that "didn't strike me as very memorable," explains rg, "although I did enjoy their song 'Angela'." Well if that's the case, let's skip to the main act!

Somerville was one of the first cities on the Hold Time tour so it was clear that some kinks were still being worked out. Though it was sometimes a little sloppy, the effect was not bothersome, but more so endearing. He started the set off with the title track off the new album, which was nice. A couple songs in featured just Matt on guitar. Moments later a guy non-chalantly walks up and begins whistling for "Lullaby and Exile". "It was so sweet, this guy just walked on and started whistling and it really complimented M. Ward's singing," rg raved. The set list was a good mix of old and new, with all major albums represented. One of the singers in Oakley Hall joined M. Ward for "Never Had Nobody Like You", a tune now more known (unfortunately?) because of his She + Him counterpart, Zooey Deschanel's, vocal accompaniment. The encore ended with "Rave On", an excellent choice for the last song which could only be described by rg as "man, oh man."

2.25.09 | Ra Ra Riot | Neumos

2009-02-27T00:56:00.003-05:00

with Cut Off Your Hands and Telekinesis

I slipped in to Neumos just as Cut Off Your Hands, a band here all the way from New Zealand. Though their music was mostly forgettable, their on-stage antics were anything but. I was fascinated with lead singer Nick Johnston's performance. He eagerly pounded on the snare drum while singing in woeful peals. His mannerisms varied from coy to bashful. At one point he leapt from the stage with his microphone into the crowd, not missing a note for a second. He made it past the over 21 barricade but faltered a bit on his return when he tried to throw the microphone back onto the stage but it instead hit the overhead lighting fixtures and crashed onto the crowd, of course ending its useability.

After only a short reprieve, Ra Ra Riot took the stage. Hailing from upstate New York, the band looks like they could be your college roommates. They recently signed to Seattle based Barsuk Records, and apparently their last album, The Rhumb Line was recorded in a small town outside of Seattle, Woodinville.
Notes cos I'm too tired to write more right now.
- Electric violins and cellos are really cool looking
- Best line overhead: "Oh god, they are so tight."
And on that note...until next time.

Glasvegas

2009-02-18T00:40:00.007-05:00

I think a haircut is in order

I recently picked up the much hyped album from Glasvegas at a Circuit City free-for-all (go before it's all gone!!!). If you haven't heard of Glasvegas, they are what can be described as post-emo, if you will. This new breed of emo for adults combines the traditional desperately earnest lyrics on top of the highbrow intellect of richly woven music.
Admittedly I'm a sucker for warbling woe sung in a Scottish accent, but what intrigued me upon listening to the album more closely are all the nursery rhyme allusions. They poke at our insecurities and shake us back to our inner-child core by hauntingly throwing in a line from "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" or "You Are My Sunshine". No doubt these songs, elicit memories of one's youth when things were undoubtedly much more carefree. Glasvegas has effectively capitalized on nostalgia.

New Year, New Resolution

2009-01-30T00:46:00.003-05:00

Okay granted it is almost the end of January... but I'm back on the wagon folks!

***UPDATE: I ended up going as Rihanna, complete with my face done up in cuts and bruises. Some may call that inappropriate, I call it brilliant.***

So I'm going to a party in a few weeks in which the theme is "Dress as Your Favorite Music Video". A few ideas and suggestions so far:

Beyonce "Single Ladies"

Verdict: While the bionic arm is cool, a unitard is not.

Missy Elliot "The Rain"

Watch more Supa Dupa Fly videos on AOL Video

Verdict: Really quite unattractive.

Suggestions greatly appreciated!

The Break-Up Mix

2008-09-28T22:16:00.003-05:00

Everyone's got one, so here is my contribution to the angst. Of course, about 90% of most songs these days are about breakups and heart break, etc etc, so it was hard to narrow it down to just these 18 tracks.

1. "Up Against the Wall" Peter, Bjorn and John
2. "The Love I'm Searching For" The Rentals (covered here by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
3. "If You Don't, Don't" Jimmy Eat World
4. "No One's Gonna Love You" Band of Horses
5. "Does This Mean You're Moving On?" The Airborne Toxic Event
6. "Baby It's You" The Beatles
7. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" Diana Ross and the Supremes
8. "Shut Up and Let Me Go" The Ting Tings
9. "I'm Not Over" Carolina Liar
10. "Call It Off" Tegan and Sara
11. "I Don't Want to Get Over You" The Magnetic Fields
12. "This Month, Day 10" Cansei De Ser Sexy"
13. "You Think You're a Man" The Vaselines
14. "Breakin' Up" Rilo Kiley
15. "I'm a Lady" Santogold
16. "Fidelity" Regina Spektor
17. "Do You Love Me Still?" The Kooks
18. "Lately" The Helio Sequence

and a shout out to the classics:
- "Song for the Dumped" Ben Folds
- "Screaming Infidelities" Dashboard Confessional
- "Caught Out There" Kelis

Download the full mix here: 2scene4thescene's Break-Up Mix

What would be on your break-up mix?

The Airborne Toxic Event

2008-08-14T01:30:00.004-05:00

Alright so the blog has kind of been missing in action for awhile, and I apologize for that. But I just had to come on and spread the love for The Airborne Toxic Event. I haven't gotten excited about a band in awhile, but I am really impressed with this group. Highly recommended if you are a fan of The Honorary Title; similar vocal style, comparable lyrical content. My favorite song so far is "Does This Mean You're Moving On?".

Check out their myspace here: Myspace: The Airborne Toxic Event
...and their Wikipedia entry: Wiki: The Airborne Toxic Event

Hot Child Summer in the City

2008-05-21T13:53:00.001-05:00

Or not, if you live in Seattle.

But really, when summer actually hits Seattle, the weather is awesome, and on top of that, the music festivals truly validate why most of us want to live here. Here are a few to check out:

May 24-26 | SASQUATCH MUSIC FESTIVAL | Gorge Amphitheater
siiiiiiick line up! I'll be there on Monday to see The Mars Volta, Built to Spill, The Hives, and more!

May 23-26 | NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE | Seattle Center
Tons of artists of not only folk music, but klezmer, polka, you name it. Plus arts and crafts and food!

June 13-14 | GEORGETOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL | Georgetown
Lots of local bands

July 12-13 | SUB POP FESTIVAL | Marymoor Park
Celebrating 20 years of the label's existence, this festival features many past and present Sub Pop artists such as Iron & Wine, Flight of the Conchords, The Gutter Twins, Wolf Parade, Green River, Fleet Foxes, and the list goes on!

July 25-27 | CAPITOL HILL BLOCK PARTY | Capitol Hill, Pike St
Vampire Weekend, Les Savy Fav, Girl Talk, The Hold Steady, plus lots of others!

Aug 30-Sep 1 | BUMBERSHOOT | Seattle Center
The definitive Seattle music festival, this year's line up includes Band of Horses, Beck, Stone Temple Pilots, M. Ward, Del the Funky Homosapien, and more, not to mention literature, visual arts, dance, and comedy!

Now, let's just hope it's not raining on these days!

Northwest Radio 4.30.08: Farewell Show

2008-04-30T21:51:00.003-05:00

Well, all good things must come to an end, and tonight marked the end of my radio show, Northwest Radio. Hopefully I can continue the show at another station! Subsequently, the show was a little different but I did play many tracks from some of my favorite NW artists like Minus the Bear, The Postal Service, and Band of Horses. I also played a song by my friend Harrison who records by the moniker: Catacomb Kid. The show also featured new music by Flight of the Conchords. I played "Bowie" and it is hilarious! Be sure to check it out.

It's been fun! Again, if anyone is hiring, I am still unemployed!

Full playlist here: 4.30.08

Northwest Radio 4.23.08

2008-04-23T22:26:00.002-05:00

Tonight's show featured northwest artists The Divorce (Seattle), The Dandy Warhols (Portland), Stars of Track and Field (Portland), and Colin Meloy of the Decemberists (Portland).

Full playlist here: 4.23.08
Listen online for the last time! Next Wednesday 8-9pm central at WRVU

Northwest Radio 4.16.08

2008-04-16T21:22:00.002-05:00

Tonight's show featured northwest artists The Cops (Seattle), Built to Spill (Boise), Man Plus (Seattle), and Common Market (Seattle). Only one or two shows left folks, so please listen while you can!

Full playlist here: 4.16.08
Listen online every Wednesday 8-9pm central at WRVU

Northwest Radio 4.09.08

2008-04-10T00:34:00.002-05:00

Tonight's show featured northwest artists The Transmissionary Six (Seattle), The Hands (Seattle), The Posies (Bellingham), and Menomena (Portland). After my show I got to sit in on the in-station performance by Nashville band, Millionaire Magicians. Check out the band's myspace where you can download their EP.

Full playlist here: 4.09.08
Listen online every Wednesday 8-9pm central at WRVU

Northwest Radio 4.02.08

2008-04-02T23:01:00.002-05:00

Tonight's show featured northwest artists like Thee Emergency (Seattle), Panther (Portland), Yes Oh Yes (Bellingham), and Natalie Portman's Shaved Head (Seattle).

Full playlist here: 3.26.08
Listen online every Wednesday 8-9pm central at WRVU

Northwest Radio 3.26.08

2008-03-27T22:41:00.003-05:00

This week featured northwest artists such as 764-HERO, Tiny Vipers, Modest Mouse, Harvey Danger, and NEW DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE! Check out the single from their forthcoming album Narrow Stairs (5/13), "I Will Possess Your Heart".

Full playlist here: 3.26.08
Listen online every Wednesday 8-9pm central at WRVU

Northwest Radio 3.19.08

2008-03-20T00:51:00.009-05:00

Tonight's show featured northwest music by Sera Cahoone, whose album Only As The Day Is Long was released Tuesday, As well as The Pharmacy, Blitzen Trapper, and Vancouver B.C. band Black Mountain. I'm also really loving the track "My Sunken Treasure" by The Duke Spirit.
Playlist archive here
Listen online every Wednesday from 8-9pm CT at WRVU

The Melodion: The New Indie Rock Instrument

2008-03-16T21:56:00.004-05:00

You thought the cowbell was cool, well just check out the melodion, making waves on many an indie band track.

Ratatat

Devotchka

Holy Fuck

I have a melodion too! But I will spare you a picture of myself playing it...

Northwest Radio 3.12.08

2008-03-12T21:40:00.002-05:00

Back to the show this week after a brief hiatus for spring break. This week's show featured new music from Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Grand Archives, the Thermals, and New Faces, this year's winner of EMP's Sound Off! under 21 battle of the bands.
Playlist here: 3.12.08
Listen online every Wednesday from 8-9pm CT at WRVU.org

Northwest Radio 2.27.08

2008-02-27T23:15:00.003-05:00

Tonight's show featured northwest music by The Gossip, Death Cab for Cutie, Minus the Bear, and the artist formerly known as the Microphones. No show next week cos I'm gone for spring break, but I'll be back March 12! 8-9 pm central! www.wrvu.org!
Playlist here: 2.27.08

Sasquatch Music Festival 2008

2008-02-26T00:10:00.003-05:00

The line-up for this year's Sasquatch Music Festival in good ol' George, WA has been announced! The festival takes place over Memorial Day Weekend and features headliners like R.E.M., the Cure, and the Flaming Lips plus plenty of other sweet ass indie bands. Tickets go on sale March 8th. I will see you there!

Sasquatch 2008

Northwest Radio 2.20.08

2008-02-20T23:52:00.000-05:00

Tonight's show featured northwest music from The Shins, Coconut Coolouts, Arthur & Yu, and the new Helio Sequence.
This week's top tracks:
Tender Forever "How Many"
The Ting Tings "Great DJ"
Apes and Androids "Make Forever Last Forever"

Playlist here: 2.20.08
Listen online every Wednesday 8-9pm Central at WRVU

Northwest Radio 2.13.08

2008-02-13T23:34:00.000-05:00

Tonight's show featured northwest artists such as M. Ward, whose album with Zooey Deschanel (as She and Him), Volume 1 comes out on March 18th. I also played The Long Winters, and a cover of John Lennon's "Grow Old With Me" by the Postal Service. A new band out of Seattle that I'm really excited about is Throw Me the Statue. I played their song "About to Walk". Their album, Moonbeams, comes out on Tuesday on Secretly Canadian.
Check out the full playlist here.
Listen online every Wednesday from 8-9pm central at www.wrvu.org.

P.S. Happy Valentines Day!

SXSW Announces Bands

2008-02-12T00:10:00.000-05:00

Holy crap! The full list of bands playing at SXSW has been released and it is hefty! Check it out here: Full SXSW band list
SXSW 2008 homepage: SXSW

Northwest Radio 2.06.08

2008-02-06T22:40:00.000-05:00

Tonight's show featured Seattle bands The Fruitbats, The Blakes, and Dolour, as well as the new Chris Walla solo album, Field Manual. Playlist archive available here: www.wrvu.org

Northwest Radio 1.30.08

2008-01-30T23:02:00.000-05:00

Tonight's show featured Band of Horses, The New Pornographers, Brandi Carlile, and Say Hi. Other hits were the Diplo remix of Ray Charles "I Got a Woman", "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You" by Black Kids, and "Starlett Johansson" by the Teenagers.

Listen online at www.wrvu.org

New mp3 Source

2008-01-24T21:23:00.000-05:00

I just happened to chance upon this neat site: mp34u. Pretty much it's a database of legal mp3s that are on the internet, that bands or labels have put up. This website locates them on one site for our easy use. The only downside is that there are only about 3,300 mp3s listed, and many of them are individual unsigned bands who are hoping to spread their music. But I was able to find some good nuggets in there, and with more proliferation and participation in the website, it will only get better.

Northwest Radio 1.23.08 Playlist

2008-01-23T22:00:00.000-05:00

Tonight's show featured northwest bands such as The Blue Scholars, Aqueduct, Hot Hot Heat, and Fleet Foxes*. Full playlist available soon.

*Props to our very own rg for totally calling the success of Seattle's Fleet Foxes, who have just been signed to Sub Pop Records. Look for a full length this summer.

Northwest Radio

2008-01-20T20:28:00.000-05:00

Heyyy everybody! Listen up! Every Wednesday from 8-9pm Central Time, I'll be doing my radio show, Northwest Radio, featuring songs from Pacific Northwest artists. Listen at 91.1 WRVU Nashville or online at www.wrvu.org

On the 12th Day of Christmas

2007-12-24T02:51:00.000-05:00

"Christmas Isn't Safe for Animals" Of Montreal

Happy Holidays everyone!

On the 11th Day of Christmas

2007-12-23T01:38:00.000-05:00

"12-23-95" Jimmy Eat World

On the 10th Day of Christmas

2007-12-21T14:52:00.000-05:00

"Christmas Reindeer" The Knife

On the 9th Day of Christmas

2007-12-21T14:26:00.000-05:00

" Heartbeats (The Knife Cover)" Scala and Kolacny Brothers

On the 8th Day of Christmas

2007-12-20T21:07:00.001-05:00

"Valerie" Amy Winehouse + Mark Ronson

On the 7th Day of Christmas

2007-12-19T21:32:00.000-05:00

"Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" The Ramones

On the 6th Day of Christmas

2007-12-18T00:30:00.000-05:00

"Christmas At Hogwarts" John Williams from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

On the 5th Day of Christmas

2007-12-17T09:02:00.000-05:00

"Careful" Hot Chip

On the 4th Day of Christmas

2007-12-16T00:33:00.000-05:00

"Sunday Morning" K-OS

On the 3rd Day of Christmas

2007-12-15T10:38:00.002-05:00

"Just Watch the Fireworks" Jimmy Eat World

On the 2nd Day of Christmas

2007-12-14T00:58:00.000-05:00

"No Christmas While I'm Talking" The Walkmen

12 Days of Christmas

2007-12-13T00:48:00.000-05:00

So we know we've been slacking a bit on the blog, so to make it up to you, we're bringing you 12 musical nuggets for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Think of it as an advent calendar - you never know what you're gonna get next. (Ya know, chocolate=mp3s... I don't actually know anything about advent or advent calendars except that it's a fun weight watching mechanism). The songs may not be explicitly holiday related, but they remind me of the time of year, and hopefully they'll mean something to you too.

Today's nougat: "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" Billie Holiday

Just Jack "No Time"

2007-11-06T11:09:00.001-05:00

Scene Rules 101: A Rant

2007-10-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

To be scene is to be indie. But what exactly does indie mean? Literally, it means independent, so that means music that is put out directly by the artist and not supported by the label, or perhaps a film that is not funded by a major production company but rather by a company that solicits investors for their film projects, or funds it out of their own pocket along with the help of their sorry friends and family. Most things that people consider indie are not actually indie, but they fit the image of what one perceives to be indie. I would just like to point out a few things that are NOT INDIE PEOPLE. You know why? Because there are probably 2.3 million other people ages 18-24 who like the same thing and think that they are indie because no one in their social circle likes the combination of Rushmore, Elliot Smith, and Charles Bukowski. Here is a rudimentary list that I am sure I will add to on another day when I am slightly buzzed and mostly bitter.

-   Wes Anderson films: Okay yeah, he’s a cool director, he does some nifty things, he’s all about the angst and confusion, but really, in the grand scheme of things, so are many other directors, they just don’t put it out there like hey, if you’re looking for a movie about feeling sorry for yourself, check this one out.
-   Chuck Palahniuk books: Uggggh so over him. Fight Club was good, Invisible Monsters was good. But when Panic at the Disco is quoting him you know that he’s gone to shit.
-   Radiohead: I don’t even think Radiohead is considered indie, but I just felt like this was a good time and place to go off on them because I just do not like them. I really don’t understand what’s so great about them. Someone, please enlighten me.
-   Poetry: Dude everyone can write poetry! It doesn’t have to be good but rhyme a couple lines and there ya fucking go. Also, writing really “profound” (aka shit that makes no sense!) things like “Every day I cry when I look into my bowl of Choco Krispies and see that the world is so fractured and I am but one fragile soul staring into space.” Damn, that there is good poetry. Really if there’s one thing everyone should know by now is that writing will get you about as far as your bathroom where you’ll be hugging the toilet bowl cos it’s your last friend in life.
-   Donnie Darko: Omg, not even going to go there.

Don’t despair friends, there are still some things to hold sacred in the crazy world we call indie street life.
-   Clove cigarettes + Vermouth (scene points if you know what I’m referencing!)
-   Black coffee
Still cool kids, still cool.

Keep it real,
gk

The Go! Team || Proof of Youth

2007-09-11T15:01:00.000-05:00

1. Grip Like a Vice
2. Doing It Right
3. My World
4. Titanic Vandalism
5. Fake ID
6. Universal Speech
7. Keys to the City
8. The Wrath of Marcie
9. I Never Needed It Now So Much
10. Flashlight Fight
11. Patricia's Moving Picture

The Go! Team's sophomore album, Proof of Youth (Sub Pop) is in stores today. As the follow up to Thunder, Lightning, Strike it has a lot to prove. Unfortunately, it seems to fall short of the standards set by their first full length. This album lacks the sprightly, energetic ingenuity of Thunder. The problem with this new album is that much of it sounds the same and no risks are taken with the record. I love The Go! Team, I just wish that they would truly embrace their seemingly adventurous nature and branch out.

Scene Points: 5, if you haven't heard of The Go! Team then you are just lame.

Rap Battle 2007!

2007-09-11T07:41:00.000-05:00

Today 50 Cent's album, Curtis goes head to head with Kanye West's album, Graduation.
Click here to read about 50's challenge to Kanye on who can sell more albums
So who do you support?
"Stronger" Kanye West
"Ayo Technology (ft. JT & Timbaland)" 50 Cent
For me it is a tough decision. I definitely like 50's single better than Kanye's, but the genius of it is really only due to the dynamic duo, Timberlake and Timbaland, who seem to have the Midas touch. His label was also smart to release the single closer to the album date, because by now, I am sick of Kanye's cocky "Stronger". He too, relies on a better artist (Daft Punk) to provide the hook and theme for his song, but his own originality seems to flounder at times with lines like, "I'll do anything for a blonde dyke". (Um, is that so?) But as for who is more likely to sell more albums, I think the win will be in Kanye's favor. For not only is he a hip hop artist, he courts us rock and rollers, whereas 50 plays it safe by jumping in bed with pop stars.

Now get out there and consume, consume, consume!

Back to School Mix

2007-09-09T11:53:00.001-05:00

Back to schoooool, back to schoooool. Another year is beginning, and luckily for me, it is (hopefully) my last. I've compiled a brief mix of fun tunes to get your school year off to a good start. And remember folks, I am unemployed, please hire me.
"Heart it Races" Architecture in Helsinki
"I Wanna Know Girls" Portastatic
"Boyz" M.I.A.
"We Are Your Friends" Justice

Shows Shows Shows

2007-08-13T17:42:00.000-05:00

rg has been on my case for not posting, and it's true, i'm kinda lame sometimes. So here are some haikus about the last few shows I went to:

Projekt Revolution Tour
Lots of creepy kids
Fat chicks in tight black clothes gross
Blinded many times

Who the hell is Him?
TBS was out of place
MCR likes fire

Linkin Park is old
But they bring back memories
Of middle school angst

The Format, Honorary Title, Steel Train, Limbeck, Reuben's Accomplice
What the fuck so hot
Why is Neumos so sweaty
Heard of temp control?

Steel Train is groovy
They are my favorite band
Only caught three songs :(

Limbeck is country!
Ack! Run! Okay back for some HT
He* and Kelly O?

*Saw him on the street the next day!

Subtle, Foscil
Foscil was awesome
The clarinet ain't that bad
You can rock the reed

Subtle was crazy!
The guy is very scary!
He liked my friend's girl.

It's Finally Here!

2007-07-07T16:36:00.000-05:00

The full Bumbershoot '07 line-up, complete with stages and times, was posted freshly today, perhaps to jump on the 7.7.07 train. Other festivities today include the Live Earth concerts and the announcement of the New Seven Wonders.

Bshoot additions include +44, Fergie, John Legend, Step Cousins

The New Black

2007-06-27T14:26:00.000-05:00

Green is the new black for nearly everyone the past year. Online environmental newsletter/blog Grist offers its top 15 Green Musicians and Bands.

How It All Started

2007-06-21T00:25:00.000-05:00

This blog is based upon a long standing bet rg and I have, about who is more, how should I say it, 'scene'. We've developed a highly technical point system granting points for various occasions of one-upping. One way to keep each other on our toes, is the Scene Mix Challenge, in which we exchange CDs with 10 tracks designed to stump the other person as to what artist and song it is. Points are awarded for naming the correct artist and/or track name. We've now decided to let you join in on the fun, or at least witness the onslaught for yourselves. Email us at 2scene4thescene@gmail.com for a copy of the scene mixes.

Here's what went down during the Spring 2007 Scene Mix Battle:
gk
Sad Sad City - Ghostland Observatory
Blonde on Blonde - Nada Surf
Seaweed - Fruit Bats
Friendly Fire - Sean Lennon
I'd Like To - Corinne Bailey Rae
The Great Salt Lake - Band of Horses
Sideways - Citizen cope
Brighter Than Sunshine - Aqualung
Through a Keyhole - Walter Meego
Panda Panda Panda - Deerhoof
rg scored: 4 points

rg
Razzle Dazzle Rose - Camera Obscura
Summer in the City - Regina Spektor
Always for You - the Album Leaf
Kissing Families - Silversun Pickups
Sorry Signs on Cash Machines - Ben Kweller
Butterfly - Mason Jennings
Burnt Offering - Blue Scholars
Never Been Done - Ron Sexsmith
Mr November - the National
While You Were Sleeping - Elvis Perkins
gk scored: 3 points

I have no idea who exactly is in the lead at the moment, but I contend that I am so neh.

Keep it Comin'

2007-06-16T07:45:00.000-05:00

Local sweethearts Fleet Foxes put four new tracks from their much anticipated debut release up on their myspace page yesterday. The posted songs are rich with multi-layer harmonies and lots of tambourine to keep you movin and shakin. Pecknold's voice keeps it clear tone even in falsetto. The guys even seem to have listened to my advice about the glockenspiel. The tracks keep you itching for more from these young Seattlites, even teasing you a little bit because the release date is still unknown.

Pick Your Poison

2007-06-09T22:27:00.001-05:00

Fresh additions to the 2007 Bumbershoot Festival have been added. Among them include local favorites (and previous target of my attack on glockenspiels) Fleet Foxes as well as other favorites, the likes of whom include Andrew Bird, Kings of Leon, and Art Brut, just to name a few. If you have to pick only one day I would suggest Sunday, but Friday does have DeVotchKa and Gogol Bordello on the docket and Monday offers Ted Leo + the Pharmacists as well as Lupe Fiasco and the remaining members of Wu-Tang. So choose wisely. See you there