Crystal Stilts, Violens and Viva at 92YTribeca

Saturday night we went out to check out what 92YTribeca was all about. This free event was their soft launch of the new space and they had 3 local NYC/Brooklyn bands on the bill Crystal Stilts, Violens and Chairlift. We arrived and check out artworks by Matthew Thurber, Lauren Weinstein and Tom Hart and then went inside the music room to check out the Crystal Stilts. The standing drummer girl was a nice touch in contrast to the rest of the bands more laxidasical presence. But either the new venue hadn't dialed in the mixing or the bands vocalist wasn't able to project on top of their music.


After the first band we found were the real fun was in the theatre room were they were projecting Anna Biller's 2007 film Viva. Which was a beautifully done tribute to sexploitation films from the 1960s and 1970s. The film showed naked men and women entangled in orgies with comic one liners that had the whole audience up in laughter.



We returned to check out Violens set. The dimly lit stage didn't showcase the band to well as they bounced between rocking licks and dreamy and atmospheric jams. But once again either the new venue hadn't dialed in the mixing or the bands vocalist wasn't able to project on top of their music. I really love their recordings i've heard on the bands Myspace page but in this live setting a little of the dreamy ambience was lost. Both bands oddly had kind of a Smith's/Morrissey thread going on. We went back and checked out some more of the film Viva and took off into the night missing Chairlifts set.

The people running 92YTribeca were great. No meathead security guards. The bartenders were very nice and the drinks affordable. Overall the bands were fun to check out but the Viva film was the highlight of the evening. Be on the look out for more shows to come including the screening of Lou Reed's Berlin Live at St Ann's Warehouse and of course the opening night with John Vanderslice Live in Concert, with Michael Showalter on October 18th.

New Animal Collective Drops in January 2009

Animal Collective is set to release Merriweather Post Pavilion, their 9th full-length album, January 20th, 2009 on Domino Records. The album was recorded in early 2008 at Sweet Tea Recording Studio in Oxford, Mississippi with the engineering expertise of Ben Allen. The album will be available on CD, 2xLP and digital formats.

Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion Tracklist:
1. In The Flowers
2. My Girls
3. Also Frightened
4. Summertime Clothes
5. Daily Routine
6. Bluish
7. Guys Eyes
8. Taste
9. Lion In A Coma
10. No More Runnin
11. Brothersport

Vampire Weekend Fundraiser in NYC this Sunday

Vampire Weekend will perform at a Fundraiser in New York City with David Crosby & Graham Nash and Dan Reed.

Sunday, October 12
4:30p.m. VIP and Sponsor Reception
5:00p.m. Main Event
Panel Discussion to Follow

St. Raphael's Cathedral
502 W. 41st Street btw 10th & 11th
New York City

A Limited number of $50 general admission tickets available!
Click here to buy tickets now.

Admission $100
VIP Donor $500
Sponsor level $1,000

The night will kick off with an exclusive reception for sponsors and VIP donors, followed by intimate, short acoustic sets by the artists for all Music for Democracy supporters. The launch will also feature a panel discussion with Q&A on music and political activism hosted by Air America’s David Bender, and featuring Democracy for America Chair Jim Dean.
All proceeds go to Music for Democracy’s Be the Change Get Out The Vote campaign. www.musicfordemocracy.org/NYC

Coachella Dates Announced

Goldenvoice has confirmed the dates for this year’s COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL- Friday, April 17, Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19--to be followed a weekend later by STAGECOACH: California’s Country Music Festival, set for Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26. The two critically acclaimed events will again take place at the breathtakingly beautiful Empire Polo Field in Indio, CA, the same grounds where the COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL debuted in 1999.

Revenge of The Book Eaters NYC 2008

This year 826nyc brings us a great line up with Revenge of The Book Eaters. A story from IRA GLASS. New songs by DEPARTMENT OF EAGLES (members of Grizzly Bear who just played their debut show yesterday). Talking from DAVE EGGERS and KYP MALONE (TV On The Radio). A new play by JONATHAN FRANZEN*, read by BOBBY CANNAVALE, PATRICIA CLARKSON, PARKER POSEY, TUNDE ADEBIMPE, and the author. A duet with THAO NGUYEN and ZACH ROGUE (of Rogue Wave). Jokes by host (and Daily Show correspondent) JOHN OLIVER. And a very special appearance by PAUL SIMON. Tonight's event resides at Town Hall. Get Tickets Here

Echo & The Bunnymen- Ocean Rain - Radio City Music Hall NYC

The band came out and hammered out some hits opening with "Lips Like Sugar" and ended with "The Cutter." Ian McCulloch chatted a lot between songs. I could barely make anything out except he asked if the smoking ban was lifted. I sounded like he came off the set of Snatch.

Radio City Music Hall NYC - Set List:
Lips Like Sugar
Rescue
Bring on the Dancing Horses
New Song off forthcoming LP The Fountain
The Disease
All That Jazz
The Back Of Love
Zimbo
People Are Strange (The Doors)
Nothing Lasts Forever/Walk On The Wild Side (Lou Reed)/Wait Till The Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett)
The Cutter

They band stepped off stage then returned with an orchestra and performed Ocean Rain.

Silver
Nocturnal Me
Crystal Days
The Yo Yo Man
Thorn of Crowns
The Killing Moon
Seven Seas
My Kingdom
Ocean Rain

Radiohead - Reckoner Video

Radiohead - Reckoner - by Clement Picon

BAM TAKEOVER 2008 Sufjan Stevens covers Phil Collins with St. VIncent Pictures

Saturday night was probably one of the most interactive events I’ve been to in a while as the second annual Takeover took place at BAM, literally taking over the 4 floors of this performing arts space for this almost all-night party going from 9 PM to 4 AM. With bands chosen by Sufjan Stevens, music was presented by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus featuring Nico Muhly, St. Vincent, Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, and The Budos Band. On the second floor King Britt and Vikter Duplaix were spinning and if being there for the music wasn’t your main intention they also had movies playing all night with themes like “Bring Back the Draught!” (obviously beer related) featuring Beerfest, Strange Brew, The Saddest Music in the World, and The Fatal Glass of Beer Another theme was “Up All Night in 1985” featuring The Last Dragon and Perfect, Fright Night. The final theme was “The Reel World: Brooklyn” featuring Saturday Night Fever, She's Gotta Have It, and The Warriors Finally there was Lars von Trier's The Kingdom: Part I. Plus there was a rec room where you could play Guitar Hero and Wii games and register to vote.

Music highlights included seeing Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens get the crowd off their feet and clapping to her gospel songs with her amazing band. St. Vincent played several new songs and the one’s off her album Marry Me were hardly recognizable as she had a full live band playing highly orchestrated versions of those songs, which gave them new life. Highlight of the night was Sufjan Stevens coming out during her set to perform one of Phil Collins biggest hits “In the Air Tonight” as the crowd erupted after the big drum break. But it was The Budos Band that turned this seated venue into a dance party on fire as the audience were moved to shake their tail feathers. This was a very smart event that everyone watching had little time to get bored with, as there were so many options.

Words by DaVe Lipp Photos by Kevchino

DUMBO Art Festival

The Dumbo Arts Center (DAC) is pleased to present the D.U.M.B.O. ART UNDER THE BRIDGE FESTIVAL,™ sponsored by Current TV, now in its 12th year. Over the FESTIVAL weekend, art will be happening everywhere: streets, sidewalks, storefronts, elevators, lobbies, the water, the waterfront, parks, nooks, crannnies, on the NY Water Taxi, and more. Along with the 65+ new public art projects, over 100 local artists will open their studios to the public and at the new Galapagos Art Space, video_dumbo will feature a non-stop program of cutting edge video art from NYC and around the world.

The Deli Magazine are having a show/party on Saturday in Dumbo, during the Art Under the Bridge Festival. There will be something like 21 bands playing from 2pm until ?

Record Riot Returns!

The Brooklyn Record Riot! returns next Sunday, September 28th at The Warsaw in Greenpoint on Driggs Ave. The show runs from 11 AM til 8 PM. Admssion is $3. Early admission, from 9-11 AM, is $20. There are many of the same dealers as the 1st show and a bunch of new ones, as well. The show is sold out for dealers so there should, once again, be a great spread of goods. Food, Drink, Fun, DJ's, Records, etc.

BAM TAKEOVER Curated by Sufjan Stevens

My first weekend back in New York from California and despite the weather things are already shaping up. This Saturday, September 27 from 9pm – 1am Sufjan Stevens hosts Takeover at the BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and all night party featuring:

9:30pm - Brooklyn Youth Chorus (with Nico Mulhy)
10pm - Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens
11pm - St. Vincent
12am - The Budos Band

The tickets are only $20. For more info please visit here

The Menahan Street Band show and new LP

The Menahan Street Band is a collaboration of musicians from Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (Dave Guy, Homer Steinweiss, Fernando Velez, Bosco Mann), El Michels Affair (Leon Michels, Toby Pazner), Antibalas (Nick Movshon, Aaron Johnson) and the Budos Band (Mike Deller, Daniel Foder), brought together by musician/producer Thomas Brenneck (Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Budos Band, Amy Winehouse) to record hits in the bedroom of his Menahan St. apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn. With influences reaching beyond the funk/soul/afrobeat architecture of their other projects into the more ethereal realms of Curtis Mayfield and Mulatu Astatke, the Menahan Street Band creates a unique new instrumental soul sound that is as raw as it is lush.

Their debut album, Make the Road by Walking will be released on Dunham Records, Brenneck’s new imprint of Daptone Records, a joint venture devoted to bringing the Menahan Street sound from Brenneck’s bedroom out into the world. The album is marked by eerily quirky arrangements, featuring vibes, horns, piano, organ, percussion and even a strange bling sound that Brenneck creates by tuning and plucking the strings of his guitar on the wrong side of the bridge. However, it is not the textures themselves that make the new sound of Menahan Street so exciting, but rather the way the sounds are incorporated into the heavy rhythms and bold melodies of the compositions.

Download their instrumental jam:
Make the Road by Walking.Mp3

and also stream "Tired Of Fighting" below which was released on a 7-inch along with the song "Telephone Song" featuring Charles Bradley.


Check them out Live Friday, October 17 at Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY

The Coral Sea New LP & Shows

The Coral Sea have just finished their sophomore LP entitled FireLight and they will be performing some new tunes off the album during two back to back shows this weekend. The band have been busy this year working in the studio and performing shows with The Walkmen, Silversun Pickups and St. Vincent. Check out their video above for an acoustic tune off the new LP called "Honeybee," and if you haven't heard their debut Volcano and Heart be sure to pick up a copy.

Here are a few MP3's to check out off FireLight
More Than You Know.Mp3
I Know You'll Find A Way.Mp3

Friday Sep 26 at 9:00P Spaceland - Los Angeles, California
Saturday Sep 27 at 9:00P Mercury - Lounge Goleta, California

The Coral Sea frontman/singer/guitarist Rey Villalobos also plans to release a solo album in 2009.

Beach House Tour & New Single

Beach House release their very fisrt seven inch single. Carpark and Beach House present a limited edition single featuring the new song "Used To Be" from the Baltimore duo. Recorded over the summer of 2008 after many exhaustive months of touring, "Used To Be" contemplates the spiritual and physical effects of life on the everchanging road, love and getting older . The b-side is a four-track demo version of "Apple Orchard" (from the Beach House S/T album) recorded three years to the month before the new song. It's one of the first things Alex and Victoria recorded together as Beach House. With this tiny single, one can hear a small history of the band, where they came from, and where they're going.

Sep. 27 Big Sur, CA Fernwood Resort (Festival in the Forest)
Sep. 28 San Francisco, CA Swedish American Hall
Sep. 29 Santa Barbara, CA Muddy Waters
Sep. 30 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
Oct. 02 Boston, MA Mass Arts / Pozen Center +
Oct. 04 Montreal, QC Pop Montreal +
Oct. 06 Buffalo, NY Tralf Music Hall +
Oct. 08 Detroit, MI Museum of Contemporary Art +
Oct. 10 Chicago, IL Epiphany +
Oct. 13 Oberlin, OH Oberlin College +
Oct. 15 Philadelphia, PA Starlight Ballroom +
Oct. 17 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge +
Oct. 22 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge (Carpark CMJ Showcase)
Dec. 11 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
+ = as part of the Baltimore Round Robin Tour

Radiohead Rekoner Re/Mixes

Radiohead is at again with the Re-Mixes. This time it is the song "Reckoner," a tune that is in 4/4 time unlike the last remix they did of "Nude," which was in 6/8 time. Once again you can download the six individual tracks of vocals, piano, drums, bass, guitar and backing vocals but this time instead of reaming you for .99 cents each track you get all six for under a buck. Check it out at www.radioheadremix.com. Even Diplo stepped up for a remix.

Kevchino Blog Resumes

Sorry for the lack of content over the last two weeks. I had a family emergency out in California. I am back in NYC and will resume blogging shortly.

Oasis Cancel NYC Show

As a result of the incident (watch above) on Oasis' Canadian tour, when Noel was attacked by a stage invader Oasis, are now being forced to announce that tonight's show at Terminal 5, New York cannot go ahead as planned.

Noel fell heavily on to his monitor speakers when he was pushed suddenly from behind by his attacker and suffered bruising to his ribs and hip. Unfortunately, he still has not recovered from his injuries and so he will not be able to perform tomorrow.

All tickets can be refunded at point of purchase.

ATP New York Final Schedule

ATP New York http://www.atpfestival.com has confirmed the final schedule for its festival series in upstate New York.

FRIDAY 19TH SEPT – DON'T LOOK BACK

STAGE 1
BUILT TO SPILL - 11.20PM - 12.50AM
THURSTON MOORE - 9.15PM - 10.30PM
TORTOISE - 7.45PM - 8.45PM
MEAT PUPPETS - 6.00PM - 7.00PM
BARDO POND - 4.30PM - 5.30PM

STAGE 2
PATTON OSWALT - 10.30pm – 11.15pm
EUGENE MIRMAN - 10pm 10.25pm
MARIA BAMFORD - 9.30pm –9.55pm
JOE DeROSA - 9.00pm – 9.25pm

SATURDAY 20TH SEPT - CURATED BY ATP

STAGE 1
LIGHTING BOLT – 12.45am – 1.30am
SHELLAC 11.30PM – 12.30AM
LES SAVY FAV 10PM – 11PM
POLVO 8.45PM – 9.30PM
AUTOLUX 7.30PM – 8.15PM
EDAN with Guest Dagha 6.05PM – 7PM
FUCK BUTTONS 4.45PM – 5.35PM
THE DRONES 3.30PM – 4.15PM
APSE 2.15PM – 3PM

STAGE 2
THEE SILVER MOUNT ZION 9.45PM – 11.15PM
LOW 8.00PM - 9.00PM
OM 6.45PM – 7.30PM
HARMONIA 5.30PM – 6.15PM
WOODEN SHJIPS 4.15PM – 5.00PM
GROWING 3.00PM – 3.45PM
ALEXANDER TUCKER 1.30PM – 2.15PM

SUNDAY 21ST SEPT – CURATED BY MY BLOODY VALENTINE

STAGE 1
MY BLOODY VALENTINE - 12am - 1.30am
DINOSAUR JR. - 10.00pm - 11.00pm
MOGWAI - 8.15pm - 9.15pm
YO LA TENGO - 6.45pm - 7.30pm
MERCURY REV - 5.30pm - 6.15pm
EPMD - 4.15pm - 5.00pm
ROBIN GUTHRIE - 3.00pm - 3.45pm

STAGE 2
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE - 10.45pm - 11.45pm
BOB MOULD - 9.15pm - 10.00pm
TRAIL OF DEAD - 7.30pm - 8.15pm
SPECTRUM - 6.00pm - 6.45pm
GEMMA HAYES - 4.45pm - 5.30pm
LILYS - 3.30pm - 4.15pm
WOUNDED KNEES - 2.15pm - 3.00pm
LE VOLUME COURBE - 1.00pm - 1.45pm

Outside Lands - Broken Social Scene

Canadians, everywhere... and they blend in, just like us! This humongous, ever-evolving super group from Toronto brought more than just the sun out the last day of Outside Lands in San Francisco. The band had a huge crowd screaming in celebration of life and love. Best quote I've seen regarding Broken Social Scene: it's like going to the orchestra for the slacker generation."

Photo & Words ~ Dru

Outside Lands - Rodrigo y Gabriela

Master guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela showed off their gypsy flair, rocking flamenco and Mexico City roots the third and final day of Outside Lands in San Francisco, playing many songs from their most recent release, 2006’s Rodrigo y Gabriela. They also teased the crowd with excerpts of Metallica, Extreme, The White Stripes and finally an inspired version of Stairway to Heaven, also from the latest record.

Photo & Words ~ Dru

Free Chemical Brothers Download

The Chemical Brothers have a free download here in trade for your email address of "Hey Boy Hey Girl (Soulwax 2 Many DJ's Remix." The Chemical Brothers are playing a one off, free DJ gig at the Forever Heavenly Festival. They will be taking over the lobby of the Royal Festival Hall for one night only, playing a very special one off DJ set in the company of their old friends at Heavenly Recordings. This gig is ticketed but is entirely free.

Stereolab Video for Neon Beanbag

Stereolab and director Julian House teamed up and made a video for "Neon Beanbag," off their new album their new album Chemical Chords. Watch it here. Read our review of the LP here. If you pre-order their new LP you get a free 7 inch of "Spool of Collusion" and B-side "Forensic Itch" while supplies last.

Lykke Li plays free Amoeba Records LA show

Sweden's Lykke Li plays a free show tonight August 25th 6:30pm at Amoeba Records in Hollywood, CA.

Outside Lands - Sunday - Sharon Jones

No one was safe from Sharon Jones of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, who brought the traditional spirit of funk and soul to the final day of Outside Lands. She dominated the stage with blistering, howling vocals and an ecstatic performance. A number of backstage guests as well as audience members were commanded on stage, like this young man, whom she serenaded and dirty-danced with. "He's young," she said, "but I can show him."

Photo & Words ~ Dru

Outside Lands - Saturday - Happy B-Day to Kaki King

Kaki King nearing the end of her set at Outside Lands was surprised when the audience turned the tables and sang her a round of Happy Birthday. She said she'd remember the moment forever. She and the band will be back in San Francisco Oct 23 at the Independent and Oct 24 at the Fillmore with the Mountain Goats for the Last Happy Night Of Your Life Tour.

Photo & Words ~ Dru

Outside Lands - Friday

Northern California Bay Area festival Outside Lands kicked off Friday, Aug 25 in Golden Gate park to a crowd numbering over 60,000. A concert of this magnitude has not seen the light (or fog) of day in San Francisco since the proverbial Summer of Love over 40 years ago. Opening night saw some of the biggest draw bands such as Beck and headliners Radiohead, which were the first band in the park's history to ever play after dark (and who blew the power. Twice). A wide range of acts also performed, such as heavy bluesmen The Black Keys, reggae giants Steel Pulse, and Berkeley-based rapper Lyrics Born... a historic testament to the birth city of the band that started festival touring-- The Grateful Dead-- and the legendary concert promoter-- Bill Graham-- that changed live music forever. 

Photo & Words ~ Dru

Radiohead - Thom Yorke

Beck

The Black Keys

Photos by: Photos by Jeff Kravitz

Outside Lands Begins - Radiohead in SF

AT&T will be hosting live coverage at www.attblueroom.com/music and Kevchino music reviewer Dru will be sending in some posts!

Damon Albarn goes for the Monkey

September 23rd Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz, Mali Music, The Good, the Bad and the Queen) will release a new LP entitled Monkey, Journey to the West. Journey to the West is performed by both European and Chinese musicians and singers and produced by Damon Albarn. The LP is based on the opera Monkey Journey to the West, the album is a natural development of the art and music which Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn created with director Chen Shi-Zheng. All formats come with a lyric book in Mandarin with Pinyin and English translations. You can read our review here. Visit www.monkeyjourneytothewest.com for more details.

Sunset Junction 2008

If your in California, head for the gates to Silver Lake this weekend for 2008's Sunset Junction. Saturday's headliner Isaac Hayes was scheduled to headline at the Sunset Junction Music Festival before his death. The festival has announced that friend of Hayes and a legendary soul man himself, Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave) will perform in his place. The Festival takes place from 10am till 11pm both Saturday and Sunday, August 23rd and 24th.

Limited Edition Metallic Margarita Airline Guitar

EastWood Guitars announced the release of a Limited Edition Metallic Margarita Airline 2P Guitar today. They only made forty-eight of these bright green beauties. Twenty-Four with a Bigsby tremolo (Pictured Above) and twenty-four without. Pick one up at My Rare Guitars before they go.

New Atlas Sound virtual 7"

Visit here to download the new Atlas Sound free virtual 7" featuring "Holiday and b-side "S.S.C."

Stereolab "Spool of Collusion" 7" Inch

The cat is out of the bag Stereolab is still an amazing band proven by their new LP Chemical Chords. Read our review here. If you pre-order their new LP you get a free 7 inch of "Spool of Collusion" and B-side "Forensic Itch" (pictured above) while supplies last. Both tracks our not on the standard jewel case edition of Chemical Chords. And if you catch the Lab on tour this year you can pick up another tour only 7-inch which will include the tracks "Explosante Fixe" and "L`exotisme Intérieur."

Andrew Bird US Tour Dates

Unfortunately Andrew Bird's pair of intimate New York Hiro Ballroom shows are both sold out by the time I got to this post but other shows are still up for grabs. The October shows mark Bird's first NYC headline engagement since his sold out November 30, 2007 Beacon Theater date and are likely to feature selections from his as yet untitled next record, due out in early 2009 on Fat Possum. Upon the completion of the itinerary below, Andrew Bird will head back into the studio to put finishing touches on the new record.

08/24/08 - San Francisco, CA - Outside Lands Festival
08/31/08 - Vancouver, BC - The Stanley Park Singing Exhibition at Malkin Bowl
09/03/08 - Chicago, IL - Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park
10/02/08 - Tarrytown, NY - Tarrytown Music Hall
10/03/08 - Bethlehem, PA - Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University
10/04/08 - Ithaca, NY - State Theatre of Ithaca
10/06/08 - New York, NY - Hiro Ballroom
10/07/08 - New York, NY - Hiro Ballroom
10/08/08 - Portsmouth, NH - The Music Hall
10/09/08 - Albany, NY - Sawyer Theatre
10/10/08 - Northampton, MA - Calvin Theatre

Taken By Trees - Union Hall 8-12-08

Victoria Bergsman of Taken By Trees and formerly of The Concretes dropped in from Sweden to play Brooklyn's Union Hall. A mellow alternative to the Sold Out Bob Dylan show also in Park Slope. Victoria seemed as frighted as a school girl in a recital on stage but along with her band she delivered some nice ambient child-like tunes mostly off her LP Open Field. Check out her MySpace page to hear her take on Guns N' Roses "Sweet Child O' Mine."

Radiohead score new Palahniuk film Choke

Update: This story has been updates at AT/EASE.com saying that Radiohead is not doing a score for the film just including a song in the film.

AT/EASE.com Reports: Controversial Fight Club and Snuff author Chuck Palahniuk has revealed Radiohead have written brand new music for the soundtrack to the new movie adaptation of his book Choke.

Speaking to BBC 6 Music on the Shaun Keaveny Breakfast Show, Palahniuk explained it all came from his love of the band’s music, saying: “Clark Gregg, who directed the movie version of Choke which comes out on September 26 (in the US), he knew that I’d written Choke while listening to Radiohead’s Pablo Honey, with Creep, over and over and over.

“So Clark got Radiohead to contribute a song; to write a song for the very end of the movie, the final credits. Apparently Radiohead liked the movie so much, they’ve written the score, most of the ambient music throughout it. So it’s ‘Choke – with the music of Radiohead’“

When asked if he felt honoured to have such a respected band write music solely for his film, the author laughed, “I quit believing in my own life at this point! My life is just too incredible to be believable anymore. It’s a living dream.”

Palahniuk’s work is famous associated with alternative music, with his use of Pixies’ Where Is My Mind during the finale of the feature film adaptation of his novel Fight Club. See our review of Choke back in June here, sans Radiohead score.

Yeasayer Reveal Fall 2008 Tour

After nearly a year of incessant touring totaling over 200 shows we are happy to announce a wrap-up of sorts for the propagation of Yeasayer’s debut LP All Hour Cymbals. The gospel of YEASAYER spread through word of mouth (in some turf known as blogs) and the swapping of sounds. In celebration of what has been a splendid term on this continent we are pleased to announce the following in bullet point format:

Yeasayer will embark on two journeys through N. America, the Northeast/Midwest in October, and the West Coast in November. These shows will be Yeasayer’s first ever-headlining engagements.

Promised on this tour will be:
• brand new songs not heard on previous N. American tours
• a repaired voice for the son of Cricket, Anand Wilder
• new stage design incorporating projectors, lcd grids, and possibly a weather balloon

The LP format for All Hour Cymbals will finally be realized in late fall/early winter. The LP will include lyrics and will be pressed on 180 gram black vinyl. Yeasayer will be returning to the studio in early 2009 to begin recording the follow up to All Hour Cymbals. I have heard demos and they are mind slaying. The debut barely breached the surface of magnificence that is to come.



YEASAYER TOUR DATES
10/22/2008 Paradise, Boston
10/24/2008 Le National, Montreal
10/25/2008 Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
10/26/2008 The Blind Pig, Ann Arbor
10/28/2008 Bottom Lounge, Chicago
10/29/2008 Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee
10/30/2008 Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis
10/31/2008 Gardner Lounge - Grinnell College, Grinnell
11/19/2008 Richards On Richards, Vancouver
11/20/2008 Neumos, Seattle
11/21/2008 Aladdin Theater, Portland
11/22/2008 Bimbos 365 Club, San Francisco
11/23/2008 Troubadour, Los Angeles
11/25/2008 The Loft, La Jolla
11/26/2008 Rhythm Room, Phoenix
11/28/2008 Sheridan Opera House, Telluride
11/29/2008 Bluebird Theater, Denver
12/03/2008 Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Washington
12/04/2008 First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia
12/05/2008 Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Brooklyn
12/06/2008 Music Hall Of Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Hercules & Love Affair - NYC 8-8-08

Hercules & Love Affair has come to us from another New York – three decades ago, New York was a time of extremities and excess. With a massive debt crisis, nightmarish crime rate, and a crumbling factory industry, the city was crippled with some very low lows. But Vietnam was over, it was the dawn of gay pride, and women were winning the fight for their rights. People wanted to dance, dance, dance. Uptown, Studio 54 was flooded with starlets and wannabes. Downtown, The Loft and The Gallery housed epic parties with epic dancing to epic music. The effect of the New York disco scene and sound gave rise to the house, techno, and rave scenes which followed in the 1980’s and 90’s, and left an impression on the city for years to come.

Hercules and Love Affair's show Friday night at The Fillmore gave the audience a taste of what the high highs of a past New York used to be like. The show was a pastiche of elements from the past three decades of club culture in New York – and not dependent on nostalgia alone, Hercules was able to take these elements, and classily appropriate them to contemporary culture.

Opening with a cover of Daniel Wang's 1993 club classic "Like Some Dream (I Can't Stop Dreaming)," paying homage to one of New York’s left-field disco finest, the 8-piece band burst onto the stage with a combustion of pink helium balloons spilling out onto the audience. Nomi Ruiz took on vocals as the band merged the show’s opener into “True/False,” one of the closing tracks on Hercules’ recently released debut album. Switching back and forth with the petite, androgynous Kim Ann Foxman, the two made an engaging pair. At first, both Kim Ann and Nomi seemed a bit overcome by shyness and timidity; the audience didn’t seem quite sure how to react to the group at first, and kept quiet. But by the end of “Shadows,” there was a strong connection between Kim Ann, Nomi, and the audience which lasted for the rest of the show. Bordering on a style somewhere between feminine sophistication and tranny-tackyness in the best possible way, Nomi’s voice was a more-than suitable filler for the missing Antony Hegarty on “Blind,” The bands first single which has caught the ears of both critics and audiences alike, the live performance of “Blind” lived up to the excitement surrounding the recorded version, and was definitely the hit of the night. The boyish Kim Ann dedicated the sexy, slow-moving “Athene” to “all the girls,” and got down with a drum pad during the spacey, hypnotic, bass-pumping “Classique #2” which could have been taken directly from an old-school rave. The encore included “You Belong,” another one of Hercules’ club hits, and ended with “Hercules Theme.” By the end of the show, Nomi and Kim Ann had the entire audience singing along about the perils and triumphs of the transcendent Greek God.

As great as the music was, Friday night's show was just as much of a celebration of the queer culture surrounding it. On opposite ends of the stage were three vogue dancers, adding a flamboyant theatrical touch with moves taken straight from the New York City drag balls of the 1970's and 80's, where voguing originated. Many of the band members, including two live trumpet players, wore shirts adorned with the word "Banjee" underneath the band’s logo – a slang term used to describe a gay man of color who dresses in stereotypical urban fashion. Andy Butler, the main man behind Hercules and Love Affair, was perched at a set of keyboards and synthesizers, and with his platinum blonde hair, looked like he stepped out of a new-wave music video. Hidden behind the theatrics of Kim Ann, Nomi, and the dancers for most of the show, when he did address the audience towards the end of the night, he told them he was proud of his fellow New Yorkers for keeping the party going. “You guys are starting to make me think that New York is fun again!”

Watching members of a multiracial, pan-sexual band flaunting their strengths and sexuality while simultaneously expressing their earnestness and vulnerabilities provided an emotional wave of communication between the band members and audience. In recent years, there haven't been too many dance acts that have taken the party and have turned it into a heartfelt, sincere experience. It's refreshing to have a band like Hercules and Love Affair who can make exciting and edgy dance music and turn it into a joyful, inspiring, and meaningful live show.

Review & Photos by Alison McCarthy

Isaac Hayes RIP

Soul legend Isaac Hayes (Chef on South Park) was found dead in his home located just east of Memphis, Tennessee on August 10, 2008 as reported by the Shelby County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Department. A Shelby County Sheriff's deputy responded to Hayes' home after his wife found him on the floor near a still-running treadmill. Hayes was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, where he was pronounced dead at 2:08pm. We just saw him perform an amazing free show in Brooklyn's Prospect Park this June.

All Points West - Friday - Andrew Bird

Chicago's Andrew Bird was the most amazing surprise for me at the festival. I had heard his song "Heretics" off Armchair Apocrypha and loved it but just never got around to giving his music a thorough spin. His live set was amazing! His band consisted of Martin Dosh (check out his band Dosh) on Drums, bassist Mike Lewis and guitarist Jeremy all from Minnesota. Bird would construct songs plucking his violin recording it with a loop station then playing violin over sometimes adding guitar or Xylophone to it while he made tons of bird chirp and sung. Then his band would come in and flesh out the songs. His vocals at times were not unlike Thom Yorke, Tom Brosseau or Joey Burns of Calexico. He played a few new tunes "Non-Element" and "Skin Is Mine" off a forthcoming album. Sometimes his whistling would sound like a theremin or a melody from Ennio Morricone.

All Points West - Friday - Grizzly Bear

Believe it or not this was Brooklyn's Grizzly Bear's first time playing in New Jersey. Jersey got a great set performed for them with three new songs from their forth coming album. Not too shabby but those of you lucky enough to get tickets to their show this Saturday at Music Hall of Williamsburg should be in for a much longer and more intimate set.

Grizzly Bear Set List - All Points West - August 8th 2008
Fine For Now
Knife
Wide Eye Faltering
Two Weeks
Fix It
On A Neck On A Spit
While You Wait For The Others

All Points West - Friday -Radiohead

Radiohead killed it as always as New York and New Jersey got their first dose of In Rainbows live mixed into a twenty five song set. Thom Yorke was in a playful mood and thanked the crowd saying "Thank you New Joisey." in a Jersey accent! He also dedicated "Pyramid Song" to New York City, as he said "This song is dedicated to an extremly hectic city for those moments when you try and find some peace!"

I highly recommend for Saturday attendees to get your Radiohead real estate early on. We waited to long as you can see by the horrible photo. Those who thrive off alcohol in outdoor settings, beware the festival gives you a wristband with five pull-off tabs. Each tab is only good for one beer. So it's a five beer max . . . unless you create a work around. And last but not least, we took the Path Train from WTC to the Grove stop and walked in to the festival bypassing the Light Rail. It went pretty smooth both ways.

Radiohead Set List - All Points West - Friday August 8th 2008
15 Step
There There
Morning Bell
All I Need
Lucky
Nude
Arpeggi
The Gloaming
Optimistic
Videotape
Reckoner
Jigsaw Falling Into Place
You And Whose Army
Idioteque
Climbing Up The Walls
Bodysnatchers
How to Disappear Completely

1st Encore:
House of cards
Pyramid Song
Paranoid Android
Dollars and Cents
Street Spirit

2nd Encore:
Cymbal Rush (Thom Yorke song)
Just
Everything is in it's right place.

All Points West - Sunday Schedule

All Points West - Saturday Schedule

All Points West - Friday Schedule

Burial is not J. D. Salinger

The once unknown artist Burial released a statement on his MySpace blog that is he is in fact not the writer J. D. Salinger or DJ Fatboy Slim or even the cartoon drawing on his debut LP but his real name is Will Bevan. His site read:"hi for a while theres been some talk about who i am, but its not a big deal i wanted to be unknown because i just want it to be all about thetunes. over the last year the unknown thing become an issue so im not into it anymore. im a lowkey person and i just want to make some tunes, nothing else. my names will bevan, im from south london, im keeping my head down and just going to finish my next album, theres going to be a 12" maybe in the next few weeks too with 4 tunes. hope u like it, i'll try put a tune up later sorry for any rubbish tunes i made in the past, ill make up for it a big big thank you to anyone who ever supported me, liked my tunes or sent me messages, it means the world to me. big up everyone, take care, will ( burial )"

Bats for Lashes cover The Cure

UK darlings Bat For Lashes take on The Cure's "A Forest," on a new compilation entitled Perfect As Cats: A Tribute to The Cure. The tune only clocks in at a little over three minutes unlike the original which is over five minutes but the Lashes version uses hammer dulcimer to recreate the guitar melodies and some heavy tom tom drums at the end of the tune, along side of repeated shout's of "Hey!" which add some nice other-era Cure influences to the cover.

The LP will be released worldwide on October 28th, 2008 through LA indie label, Manimal Vinyl. The charity album (to benefit the Invisible Children organization) boasts 32 tracks from 32 artists ranging from UK bands Bat For Lashes and Jesu to American anglophiles The Dandy Warhols to newcomers like Hecuba, blackblack and Army Navy.

Bat For Lashes A Forest.mp3

Free David Byrne & Brian Eno Download!

Visit www.everythingthathappens.com to download the free track "Strange Overtones" off David Byrne & Brian Eno's forthcoming album Everything That Happens Will Happen Today.

Eli "Paperboy" Reed - Union Hall

Eli "Paperboy" Reed just returned from a string of shows across the pond and performed at Brooklyn's Union Hall this Friday night. Eli and his band The True Loves gave an amazing performance dishing out soul jams which got the whole basement dancing. Eli's extremely loud voice is reminiscent at times of Otis Redding and is as wild as Screaming J Hawkins or James Brown. If you missed this show it's OK. He's playing a free show next Sunday afternoon August 10th at McCarren Park Pool.

Mission Of Burma West Coast Dates

Mission Of Burma will be bringing their beloved Definitive Editions tour to the West Coast! Two day passes are available for both San Francisco shows. If you get your tix that way you get a Burma poster, which you can pick up at the merch table on the 26th! Pre-sale link is here:

The dates and which albums they will be playing are below:
9/25 - LA at Echoplex - Vs.
9/26 - SF at Independent - Signals, Calls & Marches
9/27 - SF at Independent - Vs.
9/29 - Portland at Doug Fir - Signals, Calls & Marches
9/30 - Vancouver at Plaza Nightclub - Signals, Calls & Marches
10/1 - Seattle at Neumo’s - Vs.