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Fun Fun Fun Fest announces first five artists for 2013 edition: The Julie Ruin, Bonobo, Judge, The Walkmen, and Ice-T

As mentioned on BV Austin, Fun Fun Fun Fest just announced the first five artists who will play the eighth edition of the fest, which happens at Austin's Auditorium Shores on November 8, 9 and 10. This year's line-up will include The Julie Ruin (who just played Northside), The Walkmen (ditto), Bonobo, Judge, and Ice-T. A limited number of FUN2 Early Bird discounted tickets are on sale Thursday morning (6/20) at 10 AM Central.

Meanwhile, FFF is also playing "Guess the Fest" where they invite you to name 20 bands/comedians you think will play FFFF8. The person with the most right answers will win airline tickets to Austin and deluxe "Homie Passes" for two. You can enter until July 2 and GtF's website has all the details.

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James Gandolfini, RIP

Three-time Emmy winner James Gandolfini has died in Italy at the age of 51 of a possible heart attack. According to HBO, he was on vacation at the time. The "Sopranos" actor appeared recently in "Zero Dark Thirty" and "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone." He had been working on Fox Searchlight's "Animal Rescue," now in post-production, HBO show "Criminal Justice" as well as CBS show "Taxi 22." - [Variety]

Sad, sad news. Rest in peace, James.

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stream TV Girl's new EP, 'Loney Women'

by Bill Pearis

Last year, San Diego duo TV Girl released the wildly clever and sample-heavy "mixtape" The Wild, The Innocent, The TV Shuffle free to the internet. Trung Ngo and Brad Petering have just followed that up with a new EP, Lonely Women, featuring five songs that mix hip hop beats with indiepop melodies and bitter/funny lyrics. A spoonful of sugar, they say. No snarky activity book with this one, and no easily-identifiable samples either. But their melodic abilities are still in full effect. You can stream the whole thing below.

TV Girl have a couple live dates coming up, but none on the East Coast. We need to get them out here. Tour schedule and EP stream are below.

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Limp Wrist/Crudos singer Martin Sorrondeguy showing photos from his 'Get Shot!' book in NYC next week

by Fred Pessaro

Martin Sorrondeguy with Crudos at Chaos in Tejas 2013 (more by Fred Pessaro)

Martin Sorrondeguy delivered awesome sets as a member of Crudos at Chaos in Tejas last month and with Limp Wrist twice this weekend, but now he'll bring another passion to the forefront next week: photography. As discussed at BVA, Sorrendguy has released the amazing Get Shot!, a compilation of photography by the punk frontman shot at various shows in the past 20+ years. Many of these photos, and others, will be front and center at an exhibition on June 24 at Superchief Gallery. The free show -- one night only -- opens at 5PM and Sorrendguy will have prints, his book, and latest zine available for purchase. Flyer is below.

If you missed Limp Wrist over the weekend, you can watch video from Union Pool and LPR below.

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John Grant's Mercury Lounge show moved to Bowery Ballroom; Empress Of opening (updated dates)

John Grant at LPR in April (more by PSquared Photography)

Folk-turned-synth-pop musician John Grant recently kicked off his North American tour, which is set to come to NYC soon for a show on July 1. That show was initially set to happen at Mercury Lounge but has been moved to the larger Bowery Ballroom. NYC art pop singer Empress Of has been added as an opener to the show too. Tickets for the Bowery Ballroom show are available, and all tickets purchased for Mercury Lounge will be honored.

Updated dates are listed, along with a video, below...

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Willie Nelson touring, played w/ Neil Young on CMT (watch)

Willie Nelson at Wellmont Theatre in 2012 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Country music legend/activist Willie Nelson will be airing a special, Willie Nelson & Friends, that he taped at Jack White's Third Man Records on CMT next week (6/23) for their Crossraods series. Willie will be appearing with a number of guests on the show, including Neil Young, who joined him to perform "Long May You Run." Check out a video of Neil and Willie playing that song below (via Stereogum).

Willie Nelson also has a number of tour dates scheduled this year. He just played Montauk's Surf Lodge last week (6/9) and he'll be returning to the NYC-area for shows at Port Chester's Capitol Theatre on September 18 and 19. Tickets for night 1 and night 2 go on sale Friday (6/21) at noon.

All tour dates are listed, along with the CMT video, below...

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Reggie Watts performing at benefit w/ Todd Barry & more this week, another w/ Daniel Kitson & more in July

by Klaus Kinski

Daniel Kitson

826NYC is a nonprofit tutoring center dedicated to helping students, ages 6-18, develop their writing skills in the realm of creative writing, expository writing and English as a Second Language. The 826NYC writing center provides free, daily, one-on-one tutoring sessions for students in need of after-school help. It also offers a free publishing resource to students, where volunteers are available to assist them in creating their own story collections, zines and other extracurricular student publications. In order for 826NYC to keep their vast array of programming free, they often throw insane comedy/music fundraisers in Brooklyn. 100% of the time the shows are more than worth the price of admission; but knowing your money is going to help childhood literacy makes dropping some coin on the event that much easier.

True to form, 826NYC has a fundraiser coming up on Wednesday July 10 at the Bell House featuring a pretty unbelievable line-up. The evening will be hosted by Sarah Vowell and Eugene Mirman and will feature sets by BV fave Reggie Watts, another BV fave Daniel Kitson(!), and more special guests. If you haven't seen Daniel Kitson... my Cod... dude, he's the greatest. Quite simply, one of the most brilliant and talented comedians to come out of the UK ever. Not kidding. Tickets are a reasonable $40 and on sale NOW. Get em while they're hot, because this bad boy is going to sell right the F out.

Meanwhile Reggie Watts will perform at another benefit at the Bell House on Thursday (6/20) that's also with Wyatt Cenac, Todd Barry, Max Silvestri, Sara Schaefer and Crappy Cinema Council duo Jim Vanblaricum & Jim Crocamo. This one benefits New York City Coalition Against Hunger's Craig Murphey Fellowship Fund. Tickets are $15 and still available.

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listen to Mu-Ziq's first new album in 6 years, 'Chewed Corners'

by Andrew Sacher

While we've all surely heard all of the hullabaloo surrounding the new Boards of Canada album, that's not the only big comeback happening in IDM this year. Veteran producer/Planet Mu founder Mike Paradinas aka μ-Ziq (pronounced "music") is back with his first album in six years, Chewed Corners. The album won't be out until next week (6/24), but you can stream it in its gorgeous entirety below (via XLR8R).

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JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound released 'Howl,' made a video starring Aubrey Plaza, playing NYC after Firefly fest (dates)

JC Brooks at BV Chicago SXSW 2013 (more by Sara Pieper)

Chicago's self-described "post-punk soul" band JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound released their third full-length, Howl, last month via Bloodshot Records. The LP was tracked at Montreal's famed Hotel2Tango Studios by producer Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, Godspeed You! Black Emperor). You can stream the whole album via Spotify or Rdio. The band, who played BV Chicago's SXSW 2013 day party, also just made a video for "Rouse Yourself" that stars Jake Johnson (The New Girl) and Aubrey Plaza (Parks & Recreation) which you can watch over at Entertainment Weekly.

This weekend, JC Brooks and The Uptown Sound will be on the East Coast for the Firefly Music Festival, and will then hit NYC for a show at Mercury Lounge on Saturday (6/22) with The Bottom Dollars. Tickets for that show are still available. All upcoming dates are listed below...

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Andrew WK attempting to set record for "Longest Drum Session in a Retail Store" today in Times Square

Andrew WK at Santos in May (more by Dan Bracaglia)

Professional partier Andrew WK is in the midst of some shows singing in Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg (he already did one in NYC), and today he'll attempt to set a drumming world record. At 7 PM today (6/19), Andrew will head to the Oakley Store in Times Square and attempt to drum for 24 hours straight until Thursday at 7 PM, to set the record for "LONGEST DRUM SESSION IN A RETAIL STORE."

Throughout his session, he'll be joined by other drummers, including Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Marky Ramone (Ramones), Questlove (The Roots), Liberty DeVitto (former drummer for Billy Joel), and some serious hard hitters like Nick Jonas (Jonas Brothers) and Zac Hanson (Hanson). Plus there will be some surprise guests joining him along the way too.

The session will be hosted by OMusicAwards.com, aka the people who were also behind the Flaming Lips world record attempt. If you can't make it to Times Square, you can also watch the session stream live at the O Music Awards website. More information on O Music Award's blog and Andrew WK's site.

The next NYC stop on the Andrew WK/Marky Ramone tour happens on October 3 at Irving Plaza (tickets).

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Whirr releasing a new mini-LP, announce tour (dates, stream)

by Andrew Sacher

California shoegazers Whirr (whose Nick Bassett used to be one of the revolving members in post-metal crew Deafheaven) are set to release a new mini-LP, Around, on July 9 via Graveface. The first single from that release, "Swoon," is total shoegaze in terms of atmosphere, but the music itself is darker, heavier, and more similar melodically to a band like Hum than MBV. Check that song out below.

Whirr will be supporting the new mini-LP with a tour this summer. Many of the dates on the tour are with Nothing, including the NYC show happening on August 13 at Saint Vitus. Tickets for that show are not on sale yet, but check Ticketfly for updates. All dates are listed below.

Meanwhile, Nothing also open for Deafheaven when their tour with Marriages comes to NYC for a show at Saint Vitus (7/2) (IO Presents). That show is totally sold out.

All Whirr dates are listed, along with that song stream, below...

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Famous Class releasing 'Live at Death by Audio 2012' flexi book w/ Ty Segall, METZ, Thee Oh Sees, APTBS & more

It probably goes without saying that long-running Williamsburg DIY spot Death by Audio gets a lot of good shows. Many of those are recorded -- you may have noticed a microphone sticking out of the drop-ceiling tiles. DbA has cherry-picked a dozen of the best moments from last year for a book of flexis simply titled Live at Death by Audio 2012 that is being released by Famous Class at the end of July. That's the cover art above.

Bands featured include JEFF the Brotherhood, METZ, Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, and A Place to Bury Strangers. It also features art by Brian Chippendale, Dave Singley, Perry Lubin, Matt Leins, Ron Rege Jr, Jon Vermilyea, and Brendan Nakahara.

Pre-orders are available now and comes with not only a digital version of the flexis but also a recording of the full Oh Sees / Ty Segall show. Full track list below.

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watch a video from Black Tusk's new EP ++ tour dates

by Fred Pessaro

Black Tusk at The Studio at Webster Hall, May 2013 (more by Keith Marlowe)

Ready for this one? Black Tusk only have four tour dates right now, and none are in NYC. I know thats a hard pill to swallow considering the hard-touring nature of this Savannah swamp metal band.

But Black Tusk still isn't taking a true break though, readying the release of Tend No Wounds, a new six-song EP via Relapse on July 23, 2013. Head below for the video for "In Days of Woe" along with a shockingly small amount of tour dates.

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Mikal Cronin, Fat Tony & more played the Bruise Cruise during NXNE (pics); watch Mikal Cronin play P4K offices today

photos by David Andrako

Mikal Cronin

We already posted pictures of the Mikal Cronin/Shannon & the Clams show from day 3 (6/15) of Toronto festival NXNE, and that same day we also caught Mikal on the annual M for Montreal / Panache Bruise Cruise during NXNE with Toronto locals Odonis Odonis, Montreal's We Are Wolves, and rapper Fat Tony (who also played Yonge-Dundas Square). PIctures from that Bruise Cruise are in this post.

Mikal Cronin and Fat Tony both play NYC soon too.

Mikal Cronin is currently in NYC and will be playing live at the Pitchfork offices at 3 PM today (6/19) which will be webcast live. WATCH IT BELOW.

If you haven't been keeping up with our NXNE coverage, check out pictures of day 1, day 2, more day 2, day 3, and day 4. More pictures from the Bruise Cruise on day 3 below...

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tonight's $1 J. Cole show is at Irving Plaza

J Cole at Pier 36 in 2010 (more by Andrew St. Clair)

As mentioned, rapper J. Cole released his new album, Born Sinner (listen on Spotify), this week and is celebrating with $1 shows in select North American cities. The venue for each show is being announced day-of, and it's been announced that tonight's NYC show will be at Irving Plaza, and the only way to get in is to go down to the venue and pay the $1 at the door, starting NOW (2 PM). Wristbands are being given out - first come, first served.

(UPDATE: this post originally said there were two shows tonight, and while you never know what might happen, we are now being told it's actually just one show for now).

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