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Entries tagged with 'Concerts'
Posted Feb. 7, 2008,
Went to See Cat Power Last Night at Terminal 5
By Carol Lee
I dragged my Fashion Week-fatigued ass all the way over to Midtown West last night to catch Cat Power at Terminal 5! It was the first show of the Cat Power with Dirty Delta Blues tour they're kicking off for the new album Jukebox. It was a three-floor mob scene. The opening band was Appaloosa which I missed. Chan Marsahall looked casually great in her Flashdance-cut-up "France" T-shirt, Acme black jeans and one fishnet Chanel glove, while sporting a bouncy ponytail. Chan and the boys (Judah Bauer, Jim White, Gregg Foreman and Eric Paparozzi) played their hearts out but the sound system at Terminal 5 is just so terrible. T5 holds big-time sold-out shows all the time -- they should really have a top-notch system. Coupled with the weak sound was lots of feedback which was clearly annoying the band -- Chan at one point laid down on the floor and stopped a song. Oh well. But it was still really good to to see her. Michael Stipe was at the show on crutches. He said he injured his foot in a go-cart accident. Poor, Michael. Get well soon! Cat Power heads to Boston today to play at the Orpheum.
MORE PICTURES AFTER THE JUMP >
Posted Nov. 13, 2007,
PAPER TV: Chromeo-o-o-o-o in the Basement of Judson Memorial Church
By PAPERMAG Editors
PAPER's Emily Nerad interviews the infamous electro-jamz duo Chromeo (Patrick Gemayel and David Macklovitch) before they took to the stage at Judson Church. See what went down.
Posted Nov. 6, 2007,
Sufjan Stevens Takes The BQE to BAM
By Derek Loosvelt
Last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Howard Gilman Opera House, 32-year-old singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens premiered The BQE, his mind-blowing audiovisual homage to Robert Moses's 11.7-mile concrete thoroughfare that snakes through Brooklyn and connects it to Queens. As part of the 25th anniversary of its “Next Wave Festival,” BAM aptly commissioned Stevens -- an ambitious chronicler of place through chamber-pop folk music with plans to write a record about each of the fifty states -- to compose new music about the borough he now calls home.
At first (and fourth) glance, the BQE seems like an unlikely slice of Brooklyn about which to compose a piece of orchestral music; any mention of the expressway to someone who's lived in one of the outer boroughs east of Manhattan for a few years will immediately conjure up images of ubiquitous orange cones, pot holes, traffic jams, construction signs, torn tires, chicken bones, shreds of upholstery, boarded-up warehouses, crumbling tenements, and dilapidated billboards. But this is exactly why it was chosen by Stevens, who's previously written beautiful music about other not-so-pretty, man-made structures that often interfere with Mother Nature's designs, including those in Detroit, Flint, and Romulus -- cities in Stevens' (and my) home state of Michigan on his 2003 gem of an album Greetings from Michigan. As he's done with those subjects, Stevens didn't tackle his latest head-on, but instead came at the BQE from various angles and with numerous pieces of modern machinery, including 38 musical instruments, 16-millimeter and Super 8 cameras, and five adept hula-hoopers. (Stevens played the piano during the show but didn't sing; "The BQE" is a seven-movement instrumental piece.)
Posted Oct. 17, 2007,
Regina Spektor at Hammerstein: "Someone Next Door's Fucking to One of My Songs"
By Alexis Swerdloff
Last night, I kicked off CMJ by catching Miss Regina Spektor at Hammerstein Ballroom. "I'm home!!" the New Yorker cried as she skipped on stage. She fumbled a bit throughout the set, but in an endearing way, saying, "I'm just so overwhelmed... My friends and family are all here..." Spektor, who has been touring her gem-filled masterpiece Begin to Hope since its summer 2006 release, played a mix of oldies and newbies... I saw Spektor in the spring of 2006 at Warsaw and seeing her a year and a half later at Hammerstein, it was interesting to see how her fans have changed and seriously increased in quantity! Last night's crowd seemed younger than I remember. Or maybe it's just that I'm older... Anyway, this all may have something to do with the fact that her songs have been all over the radio and TV (on JC Penney commercials, Grey's Anatomy and Weeds) of late, but at both shows her fans were rabid and they tend not to sing, but actually shout along to her songs. Even the ones partly in Russian! Her song, "Bobbing for Apples," was quite the crowd pleaser, with the audience hollering along to the lyrics: "Someone next door's fucking to one of my songs." Which is actually a pretty cool concept... Her softer, more ballad-y songs "Us" and "Samson" were audience favorites as well. All in all, a delightful show... but when's the new album coming out...? We want more!!
P.S. Regina was a Beautiful Person back in 2004!
P.P.S. Here's a music video for "Us":
Posted Sep. 19, 2007,
Los Fieros Furnacios at Mercury Lounge
By Alexis Swerdloff
Last night, I attended a "secret" Fiery Furnaces show at Mercury Lounge. It was really special and cool to see one of my favorite bands in such an intimate setting. Woo! Even if the crowd was a little on the staid side. They played all songs off their new album (out Oct. 8) Widow City save for one, "Evergreen." The newbies are pretty insane -- three of our favorites (which they played) are "Clear Signal From Cairo," "Ex-Guru" and "My Egyptian Grammar." Several things about the show:
1. I bought the T-shirt pictured above. Isn't that awesome?
2. My friend Laura noticed that Eleanor was sporting a wedding ring -- could she and longtime boyfriend, Franz Ferdinand lead singer Alex Kapranos, have tied the knot??
From the new album: "Duplexes of the Dead" -- Fiery Furnaces (Widow City)
An old chestnut: "Waiting to Know You" -- Fiery Furnaces (Blueberry Boat)
Posted Sep. 11, 2007,
Music Hall of Williamsburg: Everyone's New Favorite Venue!
By Shanon Kelley
It's been a while since I posted but I figured that since it was Fashion Week, most people wouldn't notice a lack of music blogs. But for those that still care, The Music Hall Of Williamsburg opened last week. Yay! I've been there twice already and it's fabulous. I saw the venue openers, Against Me!, and then Patti Smith the following night. Smith was set to open the venue last Tuesday, but due to construction set-backs and an overabundance of dust, she decided to wait a few nights.
Posted Aug. 23, 2007,
Mika Miko and The Death Set Live... in Baltimore!
By Shanon Kelley
The final stop on my grand road trip was Baltimore, Maryland. I hadn't been there since college and the only thing I remembered was that 1) John Waters lives there, and 2) the local brew of choice, National Bohemian (aka "Natty Bo") costs roughly 50 cents a can. This time around, however, I was most interested in the music scene. It's pretty awesome. Imagine if the entire music scene for NYC was that of East Williamsburg -- i.e. the loft party/punk band/crappy sound/sweaty kids scene -- and you'd hit the nail on the donkey for what the entire scene in Baltimore is like. It's cool, but it definitely made me appreciate the diversity of NYC a bit more.
Anyhoo, while I was in town I went to a loft space called Floristree and caught The Death Set (pictured below) and the amazing all-girl punk rock quintet, Mika Miko. They kicked ass! I only have one decent photo (pictured above) of one of the lead singers shaking it while shouting into her phone mic. They're amazing. Seriously. Go see them!
Posted Aug. 17, 2007,
Justin Timberlake Made Me Cream, I Mean, Scream Last Night
By Carol Lee
Last night my friend Cheryl and I went to see Justin Timberlake at Madison Square Garden for the "Futuresex/Loveshow" concert. And, ladies, what can I say, JT is H-O-T!!! Good Charlotte opened but we only caught the last song "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous." It was a sea of orgasmic, screaming (and sometimes puking and crying) girls, drunk moms, cell phones and digi-cams -- and I loved every second of it! From "What Goes Around" to "Sexy Back" (the finale) with a few ballads thrown in (including the amazing "Cry Me a River"), Justin was a tour-de-force sex bomb! He wore a dark three-piece-suit for the first half of the show, the blazer was gone at some point and he came back on after a break decked out in a light grey three-piece finished with a fedora.
The show was being shot for an HBO Special (watch it and look for me and Cheryl on 9/3) and we were warned ahead by JT's manager that if you're there with someone you're not supposed to be with you should beware.
Posted Jul. 30, 2007,
Devotchka Live at Spiegeltent
By Shanon Kelley
Last week I saw Devotchka play live at the Spiegeltent. This venue seem to be a perfect fit as this is the second year in a row they've performed here. Perhaps it's because they were originally a backing band for burlesque shows, or perhaps it's because their music (to quote from Wikipedia) "fuses Romani, Greek, Slavic, Bolero, and Mariachi music with American punk and folk roots." Both characteristics fit the Spiegeltent ideology, but who cares, really, because it's a perfect fit -- period. Their show was exuberant and quite delightful. Go see them if you ever get the chance, otherwise check them out on their MySpace page.
Posted Jul. 27, 2007,
Pelican Brief
By Alexander Cumming
After an hour or two of dodging thrown beers at my favorite LES bar Local on Tuesday night, I headed to Bowery Ballroom for the main event -- instrumental Chicago math-riff four-piece Pelican, back in NYC for two shows after a whole lot of touring. We missed most of opener Earth, who are now much less drony and not entirely like the Earth I remember, but Pelican did not disappoint. Their latest record, City of Echoes, is both their shortest and their most subtle, mature full-length to date, and the songs really shone live. On their previous two albums (and massive 30-minute EP March Into the Sea) Pelican displayed a real knack for complex arena bombast, but the new material, while the songs are much shorter, show that Pelican
can spread out and write quieter music that still fits in with their louder stuff. It's still dark and heavy, but more coherent, and occasionally beautiful, even when it hits you at top volume.
Pelican pretty much tore the place down. Guitarists Laurent Schroeder-Lebec and Trevor de Brauw are tighter than ever, audibly matured and comfortable at laying down alternately vicious and shimmering guitarwork. They played a good mix of new and old stuff, barely speaking between songs, though clearly having as good a time as we were. While not as crazed as some of their Hydrahead Records cohorts, Pelican live is relevatory, complex and satisfying. We left the place happy and half-deaf, and I can't wait to see them again.
Posted Jul. 24, 2007,
Siren Festival!
By Shanon Kelley
This Saturday I headed to Coney Island for what could quite possibly be the last ever Village Voice Siren Festival. PAPER chum Alexis Swerdloff joined me for what was a delightful variety of bands. My favorites were Scotland's The Twilight Sad, Atlanta's The Black Lips, and Brooklyn's very own Matt and Kim.
Alexis here: I joined MY PAPER chum Shanon Kelley on Saturday for a lovely day on Coney Island for the Siren Fest... while we weren't able to finagle our way in to see MIA (they weren't letting press people in after a certain point cause it was so crowded -- boooooo), there were other bands that were wonderful. Notably The Noisettes, Lavender Diamond and Matt and Kim. The Noisettes' lead vocalist Shingai Shoniwa is the hottest thing I've seen recently. She jumped around the stage like a crazy person, which was refreshing. Becky Stark (of Lavender Diamond)'s cooing didn't quite translate to the big outdoor Siren setting, but she still managed to put on a good show, and she didn't let the bad sound interfere with her trademark inter-song banter. During this show, she went on and on about starting an eco-friendly amusement park. The Matt and Kim show was insane, with rabid fans jumping the barriers and getting shaken up by security. It was pretty rock 'n' rollin. There is something just so picturesque and soothing about watching a good show as the Cyclone looms overhead. I've been to the Siren Fest every year since 2002, and it's always such a wonderful way to spend a Saturday in mid-July!
Posted Jul. 23, 2007,
Get Your Arcade Fire Tix Early!
By Alexis Swerdloff
Just got a press release announcing that Arcade Fire are playing a show at Randall's Island with LCD Soundsystem on October 6th. While tickets go on sale to the general public Jul. 27th, the 'Fire will make a limited number of tickets available from Jul. 24-26 through their website. As we all know, it was nearly impossible to get tickets to their five-night Judson Memorial Church stint back in January, so we suggest getting in on the ticket action early. Just a friendly suggestion from your friends at PAPERMAG.com!
Posted Jul. 17, 2007,
Stick a Pitchfork in Me: The 2007 Pitchfork Music Festival, Day Two
By PAPERMAG Editors
PAPERMAG correspondent Justin Goncalves packed a toothbrush and a dream and headed Midwest-ward to check out the indie rock wet dream that is the 2007 Pitchfork Music Festival. Here’s his report from the front lines.
Saturday's lineup brought with it a more conventional festival experience, including a marathon lineup of acts and an eccentricity of genres unique to this Pitchfork Music Festival (last year's was a very heavy, concentrated dose of indie rock). With sets from Grizzly Bear, Battles, Iron & Wine, Clipse and Girl Talk, Saturday had the potential to rock my socks off.
The day started with a relatively straightforward set from Glasgow-based band The Twilight Sad. Singer James Graham had no qualms about his accent as the quartet played tunes from their April Fat-Cat Release Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters.
Posted Jul. 16, 2007,
Stick a Pitchfork in Me: The 2007 Pitchfork Music Festival, Day One
By PAPERMAG Editors
PAPERMAG correspondent Justin Goncalves packed a toothbrush and a dream and headed Midwest-ward to check out the indie rock wet dream that is the 2007 Pitchfork Music Festival. Here’s his report from the front lines.
If ever there were a reason to venture out to Chicago, the first night (Friday, Jul. 13) of the 2007 Pitchfork Music Festival was it. On paper, "Don't Look Back" -- a joint venture with All Tomorrow's Parties, featuring various and legendary bands playing their legendary albums in full -- seemed nothing short of a spectacle. With Slint's Spiderland, GZA/The Genius' Liquid Swords, and, for the first time on American soil, Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation, I was excited, to say the least. Unfortunately, whether it was because of insurmountable expectations or the sound problems that plagued the festival throughout the weekend, Friday night's showcase was thoroughly underwhelming, with the lone exception being the seemingly infallible Sonic Youth.
Posted Jul. 12, 2007,
Bonde Do Role Do It Right!
By Shanon Kelley
Brazil's Bonde Do Role (pronounced BON-jay) play a crazy mix of favela music, hip hop and dance. And while I know that everyone here has probably already heard of this amazing trio, I only just saw them live for the first time this past Tuesday at the Spiegeltent. One of my very first Papermag blogs was about them, in fact, and how they were the first band to be signed to Diplo's label, Mad Decent. Their live show was fabulous, the only thing that bothered me was the fact that the audience was more concerned with photographing them than with dancing! They'll be playing the Music Hall of Williamburg (the new and improved North Six) on September 15th. Go see them and dance!
Posted Jul. 10, 2007,
Eye from Boredoms Is Magic.
By Carol Lee
I've been a fan of Boredoms's since the early 90s and gone to many of their shows over the years. So this past Saturday (07/07/07), my friends and I went out to Dumbo to witness the 77BOADRUM spectacle and we had the time of our lives!!! As N.Y. Doll reported yesterday, the 77BOADRUM blow out was the show to end all outdoor concerts -- a drum circle with 77 drum kits bookended by the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges!!! It was completely mindblowing and magical. Everything came together -- the weather, the location, the people... though there were many who didn't get in after waiting on line for hours. My hat's off to Hisham Baroocha who was the glue of this very sexy event. Watching Eye from Bordoms orchestrating the 77 disciples, I believed I was in the presence of a true mad genius. He generates such great energy, power and sexual vibes that my friend Kazumi kept saying, "I need to go home and take a cold shower!" You really should have been there. It was SPECIAL!
Posted Jul. 6, 2007,
PAPER TV: McCarren Pool Is The Summer's Hottest Spot
By PAPERMAG Editors
PAPER's Natalia Leite and Shanon Kelley head to McCarren Park Pool in Williamsburg to check out the parties and the bands, and to discover what exactly it is that's bringing out the crowds.
Posted Jun. 26, 2007,
Panda Bear Live at Bowery Ballroom
By Shanon Kelley
This last Saturday I went to see Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox) at the Bowery Ballroom. It was by far the easiest set up I'm sure the Bowery has ever had to do -- Noah performs with nothing but a few machines with knobs and such (I'm not an equipment expert, OK?). He performed pretty much everything off of his latest album, Person Pitch, and even a few altered versions of songs off the forthcoming Animal Collective album, Strawberry Jam. The entire set was also accompanied by video that was fairly amazing and included some scenes of people have sex on a roller coaster -- need I say more?
Noah's music, while seemingly dull to those not paying close attention, is full of nuances and intricacies that change every time he plays. His melodies blend from one song to the next and at times it's difficult to distinguish between his singing and his soundscapes. I was completely enthralled throughout. His creativity knows no bounds and I firmly believe that he (along with his Animal Collective comrades) is one of the most innovative and creative musicians around today.
Go see him!
Posted Jun. 18, 2007,
O'Death Live at Luna Lounge
By Shanon Kelley
Saturday night the wily boys of the New York band, O'Death, played at the semi-newly opened Luna Lounge in Williamsburg. The show was a record release party for their new album, Head Home. For those of you that haven't heard O'Death, picture a ukelele, an electric fiddle, a banjo, a drum set with broken cymbals, and a lead singer with a voice reminiscent of an 80-year-old smoker. Put them all together and you've got O'Death -- a modern band with an old-timey twang sound complete with communal singing and stomping. Their albums are something else, but it's their live shows that make this band so good. It's an experience, in other words, right down to their frenzied fans who shout along to every song and practically start moshing. It's a regular hoot-a-nanny!
In fact, there guys are so good that I interviewed them for PAPER TV. Be on the look out for that in a few weeks. In the meantime, here's a shot of the band during our interview. They were all so sweet! Check them out at the Citysol (free) Festival on July 14th, or better yet the Spiegeltent on August 29th. Either way, don't miss these guys!
Posted Jun. 13, 2007,
A Showbiz Week...
By Kim Hastreiter
Wow. what a busy week. The madness began on Sunday night at The Box, where we celebrated our coverboy Rufus Wainwright's new CD with a performance and party. It's all been feeling very cabaret lately -- The Box decor, Rufus crooning at the piano... PAPER girlfriend Sarah Flicker stopped by and just aesthetically fit into that joint. She was all jittery because her Citizens Band would be performing Tuesday (last night) at the Highline Ballroom. I guess Sarah was nervous because it was her first time on a trapeze since giving birth to her baby girl Arrow a couple of months ago.
Last night we went to see the band and they were fantastic. Hormones were raging with two pregger performers: Jorjee, who is ready to pop this week, and Karen Elson, who disguised her big belly well (she's due in August). Sarah was fantabulous and looked amazing. Actually, I was also blown away by Karen's voice. This girl has been practicing. I see a big musical future for her for sure. But the mindbender was definitely Angela McClusky, whose deep husky, soulful voice gave me goosebumps.The audience was fashioned out for sure. We sat next to Anna Sui, who told me she's leaving for Thailand this week and Paul Cavaco (creative director of Allure). Bruce Weber was at the next table as well and supposedly Italian Vogue was there shooting them. We went with our friend Sarah, who has the great shop Colette in Paris. Colette has turned ten years old so PAPER is giving a little luncheon today to celebrate. Sarah and her mum (Colette) are in town to celebrate with us.
Posted Jun. 5, 2007,
Lovefoxxx and a Bodysuit Make a Great Pair
By Shanon Kelley
I went to the CSS show the other night at Irving Plaza. It was a tough choice between them (my buddies) and Animal Collective (my idols), but in the end I opted for seeing the Brazilian cuties. It was good decision! CSS brought the house down, as did their openers, Tampa's Yo Majesty, a hip hop trio of black lesbians.
My favorite part of the night (and the reason for this blog) was Lovefuxxx's outfit. We all know that the CSS leading lady likes to wear bodysuits while she performs, but this one topped them all! It was specially made for her by a friend/designer in Brazil. It's covered in thousands upon thousands of rainbow sequins. Love it!
And you know who else love's it? Donita Sparks! That's right, the lady of L7 fame loves CSS and did a mash up of "Alala" and "Pretend We're Dead." Listen to it on their MySpace page.
Posted May. 25, 2007,
Dorit Chrysler: a Wizard, a True Theramin Star!
By Ann Magnuson
When I was in NYC I performed at East Coast impressario Earl Dax's cabaret event "Off The Cuff" (at Rose Live Music in Brooklyn last Sunday night). That Earl really knows how to curate a show! I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with the talented likes of MEOW MEOW, Adam Dugas and deliciously acerbic author Cintra Wilson. Everyone on the bill was drop-dead entertaining but it was the winsome theramin player Dorit Chrysler that left me stunned! Wow! This girl is the bee's knees!!! Imagine if Marianne Faithfull and Nikola Tesla had a love child, with Jane Birkin as the nanny and Bjork as the wayward Girl Scout leader! The video above doesn't begin to capture Dorit's captivating charisma but it's the best I could find on YouTube. The one below, with it's trippy old-time monster movie imagery, somehow does convey the eerie and mesmerizing effect she and her otherworldly instrument have on an audience!
Posted May. 23, 2007,
About Last Night... Strippers, Max Fish, RTX, China Chalet & Closing Party at Participant
By Carol Lee
This is more like "About Many Nights Last Week..." PAPER's incorrigible Carlo McCormick and I had a raunchy date last Tuesday at Headquarters strip club where they were having a book signing party for Filthy, Funny and Totally Offensive. A few cocktails, an egg roll, a lap dance and an awkward encounter with a co-worker later, we headed down to -- you guessed it -- Max Fish where I ran into more people including my friends Simon and Sophie. They were both wearing fun sunglasses (pictured above). Then I cruised on over to see Jennifer Herrema's band RTX at Club Midway where I ran into an old friend Jess Holzworth who's been holed up on Sonoran Desert out in Arizona for the past few years. She's been on the road with Jennifer who's on tour to promote the new album Western Xterminator. I missed The Jewish who opened for RTX.
Posted May. 22, 2007,
Lady Sovereign's Breakdown at Studio B
By Shanon Kelley
Everyone's talking about it! The so-called "breakdown" of Lady Sovereign at Studio B this past weekend. Apparently she complained about a number of things, some of which included: the fact that she was only playing the gig because of how broke she was, how America "fucks you up" and, well... It's all just too sad to bother explaining. I don't really know what to think of it, but I'm honestly considering banning all British female performers from my iPod (this, plus Lily Allen's MySpace confessions are just too much). Here's the video:
Amendment: Since this video was put up it was taken down from youtube (no doubt by the powers that be, aka Lady Sovereigns management). For those of you that haven't seen it yet, it included a 5 minute rant from the Sov about everything I mentioned above, along with booing from the audience when she finally stormed off-stage after making fans wait for hours and then only playing two songs. My favorite part was a fan's outcry of "Yea fucking right!" after she claimed to be so broke that her landlord was going to kick her out of her flat.
Posted May. 18, 2007,
The $15,000 Concert
By PAPERMAG Editors
Here's a report from your special correspondent Gary Pini....
While you're sitting on scalding concrete at the Siren Festival this summer or waiting in line to hear your favorite DJ at PS1, pause for a minute and close your eyes. Imagine what suffering the unfortunate music fan in the Hamptons is going through. No Ruff Club, no Panty Party, no Mr. Black and barely a live venue in sight. But Wait! The $15,000 per person concert series is coming to save the day . The line-up includes Prince, Billy Joel (at least he won't have drive far), Tom Petty, James Taylor and Dave Mathews. We are falling asleep just thinking about it. And to be sure that you get your money's worth, the promoters (Bulldog Entertainment) promise more perks than the artists' dressing rooms: valet parking, celebrity chefs and even Moroccan pillows. Yes, we make fun now, but in 2037 we'll be first in line for the $150,000 tickets to see the Battles, CSS, Klaxons, Feist and Bonde do Role.
Posted May. 17, 2007,
Siren Fest Initial Lineup Announced
By Shanon Kelley
Well, well, well, it's about time! Despite the fact that the date for the 7th Village Voice Siren Music Festival has been known for quite some time (July 21st), the initial lineup wasn't announced until yesterday. I supposed we shouldn't be surprised, however, considering the fact that many doubted if it would happen at all, considering that this summer will be the very last for Coney Island's Astroland.
But in any event, this year looks good so far! Set to perform are the New York Dolls, We Are Scientists, Matt and Kim, The Black Lips, Dr. Dog, Noisettes, Lavender Diamond, The Detroit Cobras, Elvis Perkins and The Twilight Sad. Not too shabby, eh? It's definitely enough to possibly maybe entice me to deal with the insufferable heat!
Posted May. 14, 2007,
Summer Shows!
By Shanon Kelley
This years picks for Summerstage, River To River Festival and Celebrate! Brooklyn were looking a little thin last time I checked. The most promising shows I noted were Animal Collective at the South Street Seaport on June 1st (a free show!) and The Decemberists and Grizzly Bear at Central Park's Summerstage July 17th. Another promising one includes Battery Park's annual July 4th free show, this year featuring The New Pornographers. And for those of you wondering about the Siren Music Festival (slated for July 21st), the lineup hasn't been announced yet. Everyone keep their shirts on.
These can barely touch the epic-ness that was last year's New York summer show bonanza, so I was delighted when JellyNYC finally announced the McCarren Park Pool Parties free show lineup. This year's lineup will include Blonde Redhead, Ted Leo/Rx, The Thermals, Ghostland Obervatory, Octopus Project, Man Man, Illinois, I'm From Barcelona, Dengue Fever, THE RUB DJs and more to come. YAY!
Another exciting venue this year is Spiegeltent. The famous cabaret/salon tent will be making its second summer appearance downtown at the Fulton Fish Market with several unique shows and performances. Some exciting ones include the Shout Out Louds, DeVotchka (who played last year as well), Lady Sovereign, Badly Drawn Boy, Jose Gonzalez and O'Death -- Oh my!
So there you have it! The summer is finally starting to look up -- no thanks to you, Summerstage and Celebrate! Brooklyn...
Posted May. 11, 2007,
About Last Night... Albert Hammond Jr. at Hiro
By Shanon Kelley
Last night I had the extreme pleasure of seeing Albert Hammond Jr. (of The Strokes fame) play a free show at the Hiro Ballroom. I have to admit that while I'm a fan of The Strokes, I'm an even bigger fan of Albert Hammond Jr. I can't put my finger on it, but there's just something about him. Perhaps it's his sincere and sweet music. Or perhaps it's the fact that he wore reading glasses while performing. In any event, his performance was perfection! And it was all free, including the VIP pre-party thrown by Going.com that included free drinks and food at The Cabanas, upstairs at the Maritime Hotel. While enjoying the freebies, I ran into the adorable Amylu, of Nacotheque. Overall, the night was a great success! If you haven't seen Albert Hammond Jr. yet, I suggest you get on it!
Photo from Brett Beyer Photography's Flickr page.
Posted May. 7, 2007,
I'm From Barcelona Finally Coming To The US!
By Shanon Kelley
Yes, yes, YES! I've been waiting quite a while for the 29 member (!) Swedish ensemble, I'm From Barcelona, to come Stateside. Their infectious pop music is just what the doctor ordered for the summertime, so it's no surprise that their first New York show will be at McCarren Park Pool on August 5th as part of JELLYNYC's Pool Party free concert series. Hooray! High fives all around! If you don't have their debut album, Let Me Introduce You To My Friends, you should definitely get it. Plus, as an added bonus, everyone in the band (including red-haired frontman Emanuel Lundgren) is so darn cute! It must be those crazy Swedish genes...
Here's their video for the lovely song, "We're From Barcelona." You can listen to more at their MySpace page.
Posted May. 3, 2007,
Coachella Rocked My World: Part Two
By Shanon Kelley
Here are the rest of my fantasmical photos... Pictured here are Paris Hilton and CSS and Luiza Sa (of CSS) and Le Tigre's JD Samson.
Posted May. 2, 2007,
Coachella Rocked My World: Part One
By Shanon Kelley
I just got back yesterday morning from an amazing weekend at Coachella. During the three-day-long festival I had the extreme pleasure of staying with the Brazilian cuties of CSS. We partied and played all weekend (and I even saw some great music in between). Other celebrities and musicians that I saw (and that were seen) include Amy Winehouse and Kelly Osbourne walking hand in hand, Vincent Gallo, Jeremy Scott, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore (talking to Arcade Fire and then making out with an Arctic Monkey), Perry Farrell, Courtney Love, Jason Statham (actor from Snatch and The Transporter), Danny DeVito, Lindsay Lohan, Steve Aoki, Mark Hunter, Cory Kennedy, Busy Phillips and Scarlett Johansson (singing with the Jesus & Mary Chain and then later driving home with Cameron Diaz).
My favorite siting by far was Gogol Bordello frontman Eugene Hutz. I was eating a slice of pizza in the shade of the press tent when he walked by. I didn't know what I was doing at the time but I suddenly yelled out "Hey!" with a stuffed mouth. He smiled and walked over, at which point I didn't know what else to do but smile and blurt out with a mouth full of food that I loved his band.
(Above two photos of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne of Arcade Fire and Lily Allen and her boyfriend)
Click below to see the first insallment of my Coachella photo extravaganza:
Posted Apr. 26, 2007,
Coachella Here I Come!
By Shanon Kelley
I'm off to the desert later this afternoon, kids! For the next three days I will be putting on 45 SPF sunblock every half hour to protect my porcelain Irish skin from the hot sun. To be quite honest, I'm actually a bit nervous about the heat -- but who cares? I'm going to Coachella!
It's going to be quite the festival this year what with Bjork, The Jesus & Mary Chain and of course the main attraction and my ultimate reason for attending this year -- Rage Against the Machine! Other favorites scheduled to perform include The Arcade Fire, CSS, Explosions in the Sky, Interpol, Grizzly Bear, Air, Mika, Pop Levi, Peter Bjorn and John, !!!, The Rapture, LCD Soundsystem and Blonde Redhead. My head is spinning already from the thought of so much amazing music all in one same place!
If you're not going, weep not! You can watch it all live and online at the AT&T Blue Room, April 27-29.
Posted Apr. 25, 2007,
Spinal Tap to Reunite!
By Shanon Kelley
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! The mock heavy metal band, Spinal Tap (immortalized by the ever-talented Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer) are reuniting to save the earth from global warming. The band itself, which includes Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls, are playing as part of the Live Earth concert series at Wembley Stadium on July 7th. Man. Sometimes I really wish I lived in London.
Also in attendance will the fake documentarian Michael DeBergi, otherwise known as Rob Reiner. Apparently he's put together a new 15-minute film about the band's reunion which will air at the concert and also at the Tribeca Film Festival. "They're not that environmentally conscious, but they have heard of global warming," said Reiner. Oops, I mean DeBergi. "Nigel thought it was just because he was wearing too much clothing -- that if he just took his jacket off it would be cooler."
The new film focuses on what the boys have been doing with their lives since the band broke up -- Nigel has been raising miniature horses to race, but can't find jockeys small enough to ride them; David is now a hip-hop producer who also runs a colonic clinic; and Derek is in rehab for addiction to the Internet. Awesome!
Thanks to wtopnews.com for this tasty little tidbit of information. And thanks to imdb for the following quotes from This Is Spinal Tap!:
Posted Apr. 24, 2007,
Jesus & Mary Chain Playing Webster Hall!
By Shanon Kelley
That's right! You read that correctly, Jesus & Mary Chain are adding more shows to what was originally going to be only a two-show reunion (they're playing in California twice this week -- Friday at Coachella). The only other North American stops are two nights at Webster Hall, May 21st and 22nd. There is a God!
JAMC haven't played together since 1998 when they broke up during a show. When looking back at that show, Jim Reid said, "I suppose you could say this is another good reason for our reformation, cause that was no way for the Mary Chain to end." Indeed.
Tickets aren't on sale yet, but I can already feel my wallet being emptied out. Who cares, though, it's the Jesus & Mary Chain! This band is arguably one of the most influential bands of the last three decades. And boy are we lucky that they're gracing New York with their presence.
Posted Apr. 20, 2007,
Tussle Live At Webster Hall
By Shanon Kelley
Last night my buddies from San Francisco, Tussle, played Webster Hall (opening up for Hot Chip). A four man all instrumental group, Tussle bangs the hell out of two (TWO!) drum kits along with a bass and some synthesizers. Their music is tightly constructed and appears effortless. In fact I don't think I've ever heard such addictive rhythm. It's practically impossible to not shake your booty when you hear them. Our very own Senior Editor, Carlo McCormick, is quite obsessed with them.
Since being asked by Hot Chip (who remixed their track, "Flicker") to play with them during a leg of their tour, Tussle has had the opportunity to gain more exposure than they've ever had before. It's great for them, yes, but I'm not sure if larger venues are the best place to see them for the first time. Of course, that's just me being selfish and wanting to see my friends play at a house party where people can really get their dance on. Lucky for me, then, that after their tour with Hot Chip they'll embark on their own tour which will bring them to the Cake Shop May 11th. Go see them! ...and listen to them on their myspace page!
Posted Apr. 16, 2007,
About Last Night... Of Montreal Karaoke!
By Shanon Kelley
Saturday night was quite possibly the best night of my life. Of Montreal! Karaoke! Michael Showalter! David Wain! Paul Rudd! These things are incredible on their own, but together at Studio B they equalled perfection.
Michael Showalter (as himself and also as one of his characters from Wet Hot American Summer, Alan Schemper) hosted the night. Of Montreal played an amazing set featuring songs mostly from Hissing Fauna and Sunlandic Twins. Kevin Barnes and company are amazing performers, with shows that get more theatrical every time I see them. This time there was a gimp that adorned over-sized crustacean body parts and danced on stage while the band played. Barnes even got on his shoulders at one point -- while singing!
After their set there was a brief intermission followed by Of Montreal Karaoke! The band had picked a set of standard Karaoke songs (ie "Rasberry Beret," "Sweet Child Of Mine," "Blister In The Sun," etc) that they would play while attendees sang! It was incredible. The highlight of the night was definitely Paul Rudd and David Wain's surprise performance of Boston's "More Than A Feeling." The crowd went insane.
What's more, NY Doll went a little bit nutty herself. I was standing by the bar when Paul Rudd first walked in. I was basically in a Paul Rudd/David Wain sandwich at one point (see pics at right). Swoon!
Posted Apr. 13, 2007,
The Libertines Reunite!
By Shanon Kelley
Or at least for one performance in London. Pete Doherty and Carl Barat sang 12 Libertine songs the other night to some crazed British fans. It's not certain whether or not the band will actually get back together. Frankly, if I were Barat I would be on the fence about the whole situation. On the one hand they were best friends and made incredible music, but on the other hand Doherty's a functioning heroin addict who has stolen from him before. It's a tough call! Here's them singing "Tell The King" and "Don't Look Back Into The Sun."
Posted Apr. 13, 2007,
Urban Outfitters and Indie Rock Come Together as One
By Shanon Kelley
I received this press release in my inbox the other day:
"After launching a brand partnership to support non-commercial radio at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, TX, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) and Urban Outfitters (URBN) announced some of the 13 bands who will make the upcoming “Free Yr Radio” Tour. “Free Yr Radio” is a series of free, in-store performances by some of the biggest indie music names at Urban Outfitters locations across the country. The tour, part of the multi-phased “Free Yr Radio” campaign that will channel much-needed funding to participating independent radio stations, kicks off April 15th at the Chicago Urban Outfitters with a performance by British psychedelic-progressive-pop trio, Klaxons, who will perform songs from their U.S. debut, Myths of the Near Future.
The tour will hit 12 additional markets through July 21 with a stellar lineup including: The Ponys (Lawrence, KS), Voxtrot (Houston, TX), Long Winters (Seattle, WA), The Rapture (Philadelphia, PA), Rogue Wave (Santa Cruz, CA), Tapes N Tapes (Minneapolis, MN), Dinosaur Jr. (Boston, MA), Annuals (Raleigh/Durham, NC), along with others to be announced soon.
Each performance will be co-presented by a local non-commercial radio station that will benefit from the campaign’s fundraising. Participating stations will be able to award one of their listeners with a brand new Toyota Yaris, presented with a check which can be used towards modifications suggested by the station’s Free Yr Radio band. Stations will also receive proceeds from a “Free Yr Radio” compilation CD that will be released at the end of the year-long program."
Hmmm, okay, well, erm, I hate to admit this but... this is pretty cool!
Check out www.FreeYrRadio.com for more information.