New York Music News

Welcome to Brooklyn?

D-Day is finally upon us.  We’ve been hearing for years about the benefits and burdens that the Barclays Center would impose on Brooklyn.  And, tonight, we will see who was right all along.  We’re hopeful that the good will outweigh the bad, because if the nay-sayers predictions transpire, we’re all doomed.  We still have to live here.

Today’s biggest worry:  TRAFFIC.  Will Jay-Z’s opening night performance result in even more gridlock at the notoriously painful Atlantic Ave/Flatbush Ave intersection?  That remains to be seen, but it seems unlikely that things will go off without a hitch.

Even still, police and soldiers (really!) are maintaining a presence just in case.  A few protesters, angry over what the opening of the Barclays Center means for the Brooklyn vibe, came out today to show their lack of support.

And just what will the Barclays Center do for or the Nabe?  Jobs?  Maybe.  Hooters?  Maybe.  But concerns over the rumored Hooters and like establishments probably stem less from outrage over big-breasted waitresses glistening with sweat and hot sauce and more from the worry that Brooklyn is just becoming another Manhattan.  Or worse.

Either way, this train has left the station, and we’re all on board whether we like it or not.

2012, New York

We shed a tear as WIN WIN finished out their September residency at Piano’s last night.  The trio – Spank Rock producer XXXChange, Chris Devlin of Devlin & Darko, and video artist Ghostdad – create the perfect storm of electronic pop.  Foudroyant sounds and superposed visuals drip down your spinal cord, inducing euphoria that makes you want to both dance and lay on your back and drift off like Samuel Taylor Coleridge on his way to Xanadu.  Either way, it’s WIN WIN.

rocking the glasses off
Click to see gif

Sit back, light one up, and take a listen to “AFTER THE WAIT ” off the new album Double Vision out on Vice October 16, 2012.

2012, New York

New York Music News hangs with the rhythm section, Aaron McVeigh and Daisy Caplan, of Foxy Shazam on their tourbus before their show with Slash at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

2012, New York

These burly Canadians from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan rock.  And rock hard.  In a packed house of varying ages at Bowery Ballroom last Saturday, September 22, The Sheepdogs enthralled us, playing hits from their recently released self-titled album and also jamming into oblivion.  Many cigarettes were needed at the end.

The Sheepdogs are wrapping up the U.S. leg of their tour with Black Box Revelation at the end of October at the Voodoo Music Experience in NOLA.  Then, it’s back to Canada with Yukon Blonde.

So. Much. Sound.  And that’s not a bad thing.  Black Box Revelation, or BBR as they are affectionately called, bring the Rock back to Rock & Roll.  The duo, consisting of guitarist Jan Paternoster and drummer Dries Van Dijck,  are mesmerizing to watch, their chemistry palpable.  And did I mention they are from Brussels, Belgium?

BBR has been touring like mad recently, playing with Canadian rockers, The Sheepdogs.  Their set last Saturday at Bowery Ballroom was a non-stop, in your face (in a good way) noisefest.  Van Dijck banged on the drums with a big grin, alternating a maraca for a drumstick in his right hand.  Paternoster brought an equal amount of energy to the stage.  Impossible to watch without a smile on your face.

Their tour finishes out at the end of October in NOLA for Voodoo Music Experience.

2012, New York

It’s been nearly a month since Violator founder Chris Lighty’s death, but the hip-hop mogul’s friends and family still have unanswered questions.   Though the New York City Medical Examiner ruled Lighty’s passing a suicide, 50 Cent and Lighty’s family have hired attorney Scott E. Leemon and private investigator Les Levine to review the circumstances surrounding the death.  MyFoxNY reports that 50 Cent is funding the investigation.  In an interview, 50 Cent stated that Lighty’s mother asked him for help:  ”I couldn’t tell her no. . . because she kind of needed closure.”

New York News | NYC Breaking News

Reports surrounding Lighty’s death indicated that he had financial hardships and that he and his estranged wife, Veronica, were arguing moments before he allegedly shot himself.  But 50 Cent, who Lighty managed for years, does not believe Lighty’s money troubles were all that severe.  Lighty had recently booked a 2013 International Tour that would have netted him “easily four, four and a half million,” according to 50 Cent.

“The investigation is being lead by private investigator Les Levine and is in its’ extreme early stages. It is being initially funded by 50 Cent with the hope of others helping,” Leemon told allhiphop.com. “If anyone in the public has information about Chris’ death it may be emailed to: tips@leemonlaw.com.”

Ray Tamara/Getty Images via rollingstone.com

What is Ninjasonik?  NYMN kicked it with the duo in Brooklyn before their show at Afropunk Fest in August 2012 and got some answers.

What happens when you cut Green Day’s set by 20 minutes to give Usher more time?  Billie Joe happens.  The singer had some choice words for the organizers of Las Vegas’s iHeart Radio Music Festival on Friday before awkwardly smashing his guitar on the stage.

Photo: greenday.net

Gawker provided the transcription:

Oh, fuck this shit. I’m gonna play a fucking new song. Fuck this shit. Give me a fucking break. One minute left. One minute fucking left. You’re gonna give me one fucking minute? Look at that fucking sign right there — one minute. Let me fucking tell you something, let me tell you something, I’ve been around since fucking 198-fucking-8. And you’re gonna give me one fucking minute? You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me! You’re fucking kidding me. What the fuck! I’m not fucking Justin Bieber, you motherfuckers. You’ve gotta be fucking joking. This is a fucking joke. I got one minute — one minute left. Oh, now I got nothing left. Let me show you what one fucking minute fucking means. [smashes guitar] One minute. God fucking love you all. We’ll be back

Just two days after the tantrum, AP reported that Billie Joe would be heading to rehab and that some of the band’s upcoming appearances would not happen.  No word on what exact substance(s) Armstrong is seeking treatment for, but it’s probably safe to assume that it’s not hasheesh.

Diamond Rings performing “Runaway Love” on KCRW

DIAMOND RINGS FALL TOUR DATES W/ STARS
9/20 Portland, ME Port City Music Hall
9/21 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
9/22 New York, NY Webster Hall
9/23 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
9/25 Charlottesville, VA Jefferson Theater
9/26 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
9/27 Charlotte, NC Visulite Theatre
9/28 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
9/29 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
10/2 Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall
10/3 Cincinnati, OH 20th Century Theater
10/4 Indianapolis, IN Deluxe at Old National Centre
10/5 St. Louis, MO Plush
10/6 Columbia, MO The Blue Note
10/9 Lawrence, KS The Bottleneck
10/10 Tulsa, OK Cain’s Ballroom
10/11 Little Rock, AR Revolution Music Room
10/12 Houston, TX Fitzgerald’s: Upstairs
10/13 Dallas, TX Granada Theater
10/17 San Diego, CA House Of Blues
10/18 Los Angeles, CA Mayan Theatre
10/19 Santa Cruz, CA Rio Theatre
10/20 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore

DIAMOND RINGS HEADLINING TOUR DATES
10/14 Austin, TX The Mohawk
10/26 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
10/27 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry
10/28 Madison, WI The Frequency
11/1 New Orleans, LA Circle Bar
11/2 Austin, TX Fun Fun Fun Fest
11/4 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
11/14 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
11/15 Seattle, WA The Crocodile
**More dates to be announced soon!
**10/14 Austin, TX date is an official Austin City Limits after-show

2012, New York Music News

Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It

FALL TOUR DATES
9/22 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
9/23 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
9/25 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater
9/26 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
9/27 – Charlotte, NC – Visulite Theatre
9/28 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
9/29 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge
10/2 – Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall
10/3 – Cincinnati, OH – 20th Century Theatre
10/4 – Indianapolis, IN – Deluxe @ Old National Centre
10/5 – St. Louis, MO – Plush
10/6 – Columbia, MO – The Blue Note
10/9 – Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck
10/10 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom
10/11 – Little Rock, AR – Revolution Music Room
10/12 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s Upstairs
10/13 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theatre
10/14 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits *
10/17 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
10/18 – Los Angeles, CA – Mayan Theater
10/19 – Santa Cruz, CA – Rio Theatre
10/20 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
11/7 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theatre
11/8 – Seattle, WA – Showbox
11/9 – Victoria, BC – Save on Centre # *
11/10 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena # *
11/12 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place # *
11/14 – Calgary, AB – Stampede Corral # *
11/15 – Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place # *
11/17 – Winnipeg, MB – MTS Centre # *
11/19 – London, ON – John Labatt Centre # *
11/23 – Kingston, ON – K-Rock Centre # *
11/24 – Toronto, ON – Air Canada Centre # *

2012, New York

Photo: MTV News

The interwebs were astir today with rumors that LMFAO would no longer be annoying people making music.  But then, just as the world let out a collective sigh of relief, the duo’s publicist shattered their dreams, telling SPIN that the breakup rumors were false.

Redfoo, one half of the duo, reportedly told an Australian site:  ”I feel like we’ve been doing this for so long, five or six years.”  (Too long?) Redfoo also indicated that he and SkyBlu were going in “different directions.”  The site then, audaciously, jumped to the conclusion that LMFAO were finally answering our prayers calling it quits.

Though the duo remains in tact, it may be sometime until we hear any new music from them.  But masochists fans can take comfort that Mr. Redfoo has designs on a solo career and, of course, fashion.  We can’t wait!

2012, New York

[insert pun re Criminal here]

TMZ reports that the 35 year old star (who shares a birthday with yours truly) was arrested Wednesday in Sierra Blanca, Texas after police found hasheesh. The singer was en route to play at the Moody Theater for Austin City Limits Live (now postponed) when she took a mandatory detour to the Hudspeth County jail. Ambrosia Healy, a publicist representing Ms. Apple, declined to comment to SPIN and indicated that no statement would be forthcoming. Aside from the postponement of tonight’s show in Austin, it is unclear if the remainder of her tour will be affected.

Ms. Apple’s arrest has put her in good company. Police in Sierra Blanca (German for “a dolphin’s anus,” just ask Ron Burgundy) have a rather intolerant history with THC-loving musicians, arresting both Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg on similar charges.

UPDATE:  According to the Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Office, a drug sniffing dog smelled something suspicious on Ms. Apple’s tour bus during a routine check of U.S. citizenship.  Upon inspection of the vehicle, police found small amounts of marijuana and hasheesh, which Ms. Apple admitted were hers.  The officers took Ms. Apple immediately into custody, and the bus’s remaining seven passengers were allowed to continue on.  Ms. Apple was released on Thursday on $10,000 bond.

He’s My Brother She’s My Sister will be returning to NYC on Wednesday, October 24th at The Mercury Lounge (9pm) and Thursday, October 25th at The Knitting Factory (9pm). The band signed to Park the Van Records for the 2013 release of their debut LP, Nobody Dances in this Town, and are embarking on a 7-week long nationwide tour behind the album, including a performance at Austin City Limits. 

Featuring sibling vocalists and a tap dancing drummer, HMBSMS is a hearty combination of folk, glam rock, blues, the theatrics of cabaret, and the hip shake of rock-a-billy. Brother and sister Robert (guitar/kick drum) and Rachel Kolar (tambourine) split vocal duties, Lauren Brown adds full-body percussion with simultaneous drumming and tap-dancing, Oliver Newell plucks the stand up bass and Aaron Robinson plays lead guitar on a lap slide. In the past year, the band has played 150+ live performances with near-capacity crowds in 16 major US cities, including a sold-out show at the Knitting Factory this past January, and have shared the stage with Neko Case, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Charles Bradley, The Blow, Local Natives, Dawes, Dr. Dog, My Morning Jacket, and many others.

Fort Lean To Release Change Your Name EP On October 30th

Psychedelic new video for “Sunsick”

Fort Lean – “Sunsick” Video from stereogum on Vimeo.

Brooklyn-based quintet Fort Lean are excited to announce that they will release a 5-song digital EP titledChange Your Name on October 30^th,which was produced by Chairlift’s Patrick Wimberly. This new EP finds Fort Lean exploring and expanding on the sound they established in their debut recordings, touching on stylistic ground from power-pop and soul to ’70s rock.

Anchored by the powerful vocal delivery of singer Keenan Mitchell, these new songs mark a more confident and fully formed sound for the band. While the first recordings were done in the span of just a few days, these new songs were given ample time to grow and develop under the guidance of Wimberly. Wimberly’s influence expanded the band’s scope, resulting in a richer and more nuanced sound, with clearer, crisper details incorporated into their signature high-energy approach. With material for a full-length already in the works, Change Your Name represents a large and significant step forward in the progression of Fort Lean’s journey.

Fort Lean has been widely lauded for their passionate and engaging live shows, which they spent the summer perfecting while on tour with Bear Hands and Passion Pit. New York Times noted after a show last year, “Keenan Mitchell, has a huge, glorious voice – washed out but not sleazy, embodying hope and triumph. He’s a classic romantic, and time and again during this show, he appeared as if he might burst.” This fall, fans can check out their big, powerful live performances, as they hit East Coast cities opening up for Yellow Ostrich. The full list of tour dates can be found below.

Change Your Name is the follow up to Fort Lean’s critically acclaimed eponymous 2011 EP and 2012 7″ single, Sunsick, which were hailed for their mature, gritty sound and tightly structured rock ‘n roll gems. “Their indie rock is sleeves-rolled-up, no-nonsense jukebox fare, anchored by wild-maned frontguy Keenan Mitchell’s massive, vein-popping vocals,” hailed SPIN, while NYLON declared, “It’s selfish, we know, but once we got a taste of what they’re capable of from their self-titled EP, we’re dying for more of their grunge-sun sound.” Stereogum has praised their “clean power-pop” that “few can match,” and NME was wowed by their “moody, atmospheric brand of space rock, helped by their singer’s dramatic and uber-confident voice.”

Change Your Name Tracklisting:

1. All The Lights

2. The Mall

3. Envious

4. Do You Remember

Tour Dates:

10/26/12 – Philadelphia PA – Kungfu Necktie w/ Yellow Ostrich

10/27/12 – Washington DC – Black Cat w/ Yellow Ostrich

10/28/12 – Raleigh NC – King’s Barcade w/ Yellow Ostrich

10/29/12 – Athens GA – Caledonia Lounge w/ Yellow Ostrich

11/1/12 – Brooklyn NY – Glasslands (EP Release Show

2012, New York Music News

2012, New York Music News

2012, New York Music News

GOVERNORS BALL MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES DATES FOR 2013
SATURDAY JUNE 8TH AND SUNDAY JUNE 9TH IN RANDALLS ISLAND PARK

3RD YEAR OF ANNUAL EVENT TO BUILD UPON STUNNING SUCCESS OF
NEW YORK CITY’S PREMIER MUSIC FESTIVAL

EXPANDED LINEUP, PERFORMANCE AREAS, AND ATTRACTIONS EXEMPLIFY FOUNDERS ENTERTAINMENT’S COMMITMENT TO FAN EXPERIENCE

Founders Entertainment is thrilled to announce the dates for the 2013 Governors Ball Music Festival. The 3rd annual installment of the successful New York City festival will take place Saturday, June 8th and Sunday, June 9th in beautiful Randall’s Island Park, and feature the best in indie, hip-hop, electronic music, rock, pop, and more. Governors Ball will continue to build upon the incredible success of the past two years, incorporating additional performance areas to the festival grounds, expanding the scope and strength of the line up, and adding to and improving existing attractions and activities including art installations, games, gourmet food trucks, craft beer, wine vendors, and much more. Founders Entertainment is committed to presenting Governors Ball audiences with the very best a music festival has to offer, and looks forward to the 2013 festival.

In its sophomore year Governors Ball made the jump from a one to two day festival, further cementing its place as the preeminent music festival in New York City, and one of the premier music events in the North Eastern United States. With both 2-day General Admission and VIP tickets sold out, energetic crowds poured into the grounds each day to enjoy amazing food, craft beer, art installations, fun activities, and an incredible lineup of musicians including Beck, Passion Pit, Kid Cudi, Fiona Apple, Modest Mouse, Explosions In The Sky, Duck Sauce, Chromeo, Atmosphere, and more.

The amazing vibe of the fans at the festival, and well executed work of the burgeoning event promotion company Founders Entertainment drew positive remarks across the board from media in attendance, including reviews from New York Times, Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, Spin, Consequence of Sound, and Huffington Post among many others.

“It was difficult to decide what to write about because there is only so much you can say about people having a great time.” – Conseqeuence of Sound

“It’s hard not to gush about the fest because save for some spotty sound during Modest Mouse, the experience was pretty sublime. There were VIP tents at each stage I only glimpsed from the outside, but the truth is the whole fest felt like a VIP experience” – Huffington Post

Visit www.govball.com for information and photos from 2012.

Stay tuned for further information on Governors Ball 2013 in the months to come.

2012, New York Music News

ICYMI – Recap Of Yesterday’s Headlines:

FREEBIES:

Glamour Kills Sampler

suno))) from Hopscotch Festival

ALL EARS:

Listen to track from Danny Brown’s Bruiser Brigade

Stream the new Green Day album here (soon)

Stream Efterklang’s new album

Stream Cave Painting’s debut album

VIDS FOR THE KIDS:

Frank Ocean’s “Pyramids”

COME ON DOWN:

Extra tickets released for Gossip at Brooklyn Bowl on 9/27

TONIGHT’S ITINERARY

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA can confirm they will release their second compilation album entitled ‘UNTIL NOW’ on OCTOBER 22ND 2012. The album will form the official soundtrack to One Last Tour, which will be announced on SEPTEMBER 24TH (go to www.onelasttour.com for more information). The follow up to their double gold-selling mix album ‘Until One’, the album will feature a unique collection of Swedes’ original tracks, remixes, exclusive collaborations, club favourites and solo productions.

‘UNTIL NOW’ highlights include the latest SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA single ‘DON’T YOU WORRY CHILD’ (feat John Martin) – released last week – which was debuted to 65,000 people at the band’s recent UK farewell Milton Keynes Bowl show, the previously unreleased Coldplay Vs Swedish House Mafia ‘Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall’, global club anthems ‘Calling’ and ‘In My Mind’, Steve Angello and Third Party’s ‘Lights’, the Swedes’ exclusive remix of Usher’s ‘Euphoria’ plus more previously unreleased tracks. In the U.S. ‘UNTIL NOW’ will be released as a 23-track deluxe version as well as a 10-track standard version containing all the Swedes’ biggest hits. Track listing for both versions below.

Watch the video for ‘Don’t You Worry Child’

After exploding on to the scene in 2010, the Swedes followed up their huge genre-defining club track “One” with the Worldwide platinum-selling single “Miami 2 Ibiza” featuring Tinie Tempah, their first single to hit #1 on the Billboard club chart. Both tracks appeared on their 2010 compilation album ‘Until One’, which is still in the UK top 50 chart nearly two years after its release. The boys followed this with their second Billboard club chart topper and Grammy-nominated “Save The World” last Summer, also a huge hit around the globe. They ended 2011 playing to 20,000 people at New York’s Madison Square Garden which sold out in a staggering 9 minutes. 2012 so far has seen the release of the highest charting club track on Billboard club chart ever (#3) – “Antidote” – a collaboration with Pendulum’s Knife Party, a second bigger and better Masquerade Motel in Miami and the release of the incendiary “Greyhound” (an all-Swedish collaboration with Absolut Vodka). This Summer SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA bid a glorious farewell to the UK in spectacular fashion with their biggest headline show to date at Milton Keynes Bowl against a show-stopping backdrop of lasers, fireworks and flames.

In their second installment of Room 205, Sweden’s I Break Horses conjure an ebullient sea of shimmering synths and insistent beats in this exceptionally intimate live performance of “Hearts.” Inspired by the stark intimacy and rising euphoria of the song, set designer Tamarra Younis turned Room 205 into a soft cocoon of billowing muslin gauze. Thereafter, director Forrest Borie shot the entire performance through dozens of tiny glory holes cut into the fabric. But why? Well, as directors go, Borie’s a bit of a peeping tom. He wanted to capture I Break Horses doing what they do best-getting lost in the moment. The resulting video offers a beautiful, glowing snapshot of the band in all its blissed out glory.

kilo kish Announces Single On The Blue Rider

2012, New York Music News