brooklynvegan

What's going on Tuesday?

Broken Bells

tonight in NYC
* Soulive @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Men, Light Asylum @ Mercury Lounge
* Dam-Funk, DJ Spinna @ Bowery Ballroom
* Emanuel And The Fear @ Gramercy Theater
* John Brown's Body, Echo Movement @ Maxwell's
* Capsula, Cavalier Rose, Orange Opera @ Pianos
* The Magnetic Fields, Laura Barrett @ Town Hall
* Glass Ghost, Flotilla, Jason Anthony Harris @ Cake Shop
* The Silent League, Brasstronaut, Callmekat @ Littlefield
* Jessica Sligter, Which Way East, Black Sea Hotel @ Zebulon
* Broken Bells, Plants & Animals @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
* Big Terrific Show w/ Max Silvestri, Gabe Liedman and Jenny Slate @ The Cameo
* Santino Santino, Himalaya, The Shining Twins, Baby Fangs @ (late) Glasslands
* Choir of Young Believers, Spleen United, The Loom, The Right Ons @ Union Hall
* Total Slacker, Prince Rama, Quiet Hooves, Bubbly Mommy Gun, Ambergris @ Silent Barn
* Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Suckers, Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers @ (Le) Poisson Rouge
* Dream Diary, Cloud Nothings, Fluffy Lumbers, McDonalds, Free Kisses @ Monster Island Basement

She & Him's new video for "In The Sun" below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?" at BrooklynVegan.com

Jim Jones Revue (ex-Thee Hypnotics) & Kid Congo Powers (ex-Cramps/Nick Cave/Gun Club) playing SXSW, other shows

by Andrew Frisicano

Jim Jones Revue...

Speaking of the BrooklynVegan/AnSO Thursday day party at Austin's Spider House (full schedule here), London's Jim Jones Revue will be taking to one of the stages (right before Cheeseburger). The garage rock powerhouse, whose first record came out in 2008 and who are currently working on a new album with producer Jim Sclavunos from The Bad Seeds/Grinderman, will be making their US debut at the festival.

Since forming The Revue in 2007, Jim Jones - the jet-fuelled ex-Thee Hypnotics vocal powerhouse - has led his band through a hurricane of live shows and the recording of their first, bone-shattering LP. [Their February 4th set at London's Jazz Cafe] was predominantly made up of material from that album: a relentless meld of flame-grilled rock'n'soul and punk-R&B. In fact it's rumoured that the Jazz Café had to hold back on the band's usual volume for fear of broken eardrums and complaints from the entire postcode.

What makes the Jim Jones Revue such an exciting live prospect is their heady mix of quality songs and unpredictability. Their mining of the pre-1960 rock'n'roll sound serves them well. You feel that you've lived with these songs for a long time, yet, in a live setting, their material doesn't feel constrained by category. It just makes you stand up and listen before knocking you off your feet. [Mojo]

On the same stage will be Kid Congo Powers (aka Brian Tristan of The Gun Club, The Cramps and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds)...

WOW. The Kid did it again. All the uber cool chops and camped up suss we've come to know and love from this true legend. Yep that's right Legend, an over used word in describing musicians for sure but hell when you've spent your life playing with three of the greatest front men of all time - Lux Interior, Jeffery Pierce and Nick Cave - you must have done something right. No one can tell me its not a justified description for someone who was in not only one LEGENDARY band but three - The Cramps, The Gun Club and Nick Caves Bad Seed's.

These days Kid Congo is hipper than ever with his own band The Pink Monkey Birds, who's charming, sexy mix of 50's Rockabilly, 60's Garage Trash, 70's Vegas Lounge Muzak, 80's Post Punk all put together with an authentic Hispanic twist - serves up some serious cool medicine both on record and live. [Splash One]

The two acts also team up again for an official showcase with The Bellrays and more at Prague later that night. Both have other shows on the docket as well. Videos of both (including Jim Jones at the above-described gig) and their full Austin schedules are below...

Continue reading "Jim Jones Revue (ex-Thee Hypnotics) & Kid Congo Powers (ex-Cramps/Nick Cave/Gun Club) playing SXSW, other shows" at BrooklynVegan.com

Eddie Argos's band Everybody Was In The French Resistance....Now - album out, videos, SXSW/NYC dates

by Andrew Frisicano

Everybody Was In The French Resistance....Now, the project of Art Brut's Eddie Argos and Dyan Valdés from The Blood Arm, put out Fixing the Charts, Volume One, a collection of 12 poppy, parodic songs on Cooking Vinyl earlier this year.

"Argos employs much irony and humour in his songs but there's often a kernel of truth at the heart of the situation he portrays. Although the track which uses the band name as a hook ('Creeque Allies') takes an 'Allo 'Allo approach to history ("the Nazi occupation/ was an awkward situation"), the lyrics also work as a tribute of sorts to the French resistance, while 'G.I.R.L.F.R.E.N (You Know I've Got a)') is a funny but biting response to Avril Lavigne's concept of sisterhood." [SoundsXP]

Videos of some of those ditties live are posted below.

~~No US tour dates yet, but~~ they'll play five shows at SXSW this year, and then UPDATE: do a proper tour of the US in May. On the afternoon of Thursday, March 18th, they play the BrooklynVegan/AnSo day party at Spider House. Also at the show will be 19 bands including Cheeseburger, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Tyvek, Thee Oh Sees, Golden Triangle, Kid Congo Powers and Jim Jones Revue.

Tickets are on sale for a May 12th show at Mercury Lounge and a May 13th show at Union Hall in Brooklyn. All dates TBA.

Videos and their full SXSW schedule are below...

Continue reading "Eddie Argos's band Everybody Was In The French Resistance....Now - album out, videos, SXSW/NYC dates" at BrooklynVegan.com

Gorguts return (NYC show w/ Krallice, Portal, Bloody Panda)

by BBG

Colin on stage with Krallice (more by Paul Birman)

It's with the utmost pride that I am proud to announce that BrooklynVegan will team up with The Blackened Music Fest and Knitting Factory on May 26th for the return of the legendary Gorguts (!) with Brooklyn black metal greats Krallice, the NYC debut of the darkness that is Portal, and the return of Bloody Panda! Tickets are on sale.

FYI, Gorguts is now made up of half of the current members of Dysrhythmia (Colin and Kevin), along with John Longstreth (Dim Mak, Origin, The Red Chord) and Luc LeMay (original Gorguts). Colin of Dysrhythymia will do double duty that night, as he also plays guitar with Krallice.

Krallice ss also confirmed for another NYC show on April 18th, this time with Ludicra, Castevet, and Attake. Tickets are on sale for the BV/Osiris production.

Continue reading "Gorguts return (NYC show w/ Krallice, Portal, Bloody Panda)" at BrooklynVegan.com

Blacklisted, Gods & Queens, Tiger Flowers & Chambers @ Cake Shop in NYC - pics

words by BBG, photos by Brian Reilly

The progressive hardcore of Blacklisted and the noisy post-hardcore of Gods & Queens crash landed in NYC on Saturday, March 6th, at Cake Shop as part of a BV/1000 Knives production. Support came from dissonant hardcore greats Tiger Flowers and stoner punks Chambers. It was Blacklisted's second appearance in close to two months (last time was with The Hope Conspiracy). The show was one of the last of a string of dates for Blacklisted and Gods & Queens, culminating in a final homecoming show the next night in Philadelphia.

Blacklisted are one of many bands scheduled to play United Blood in Richmond, Virginia on March 26t. Also on the bill: Madball, Death Threat, Mind Eraser, Paint It Black, Alpha and Omega, and many others.

More pictures from the NYC show below...

Continue reading "Blacklisted, Gods & Queens, Tiger Flowers & Chambers @ Cake Shop in NYC - pics" at BrooklynVegan.com

RJD2 playing Highline Ballroom w/ Break Science & Happy Chichester (pics), continues on tour (dates)

words by BBG, photos by Bryan Reilly

RJD2, not holding an MPC or a turntable

[Rjd2] first appeared in a robot suit, introducing himself using voice-processing software before jumping to his rig of turntables, samplers, and computers for a virtuoso half-hour mix of hip-shaking beats and fist-pumping hooks. Beneath a screen showing clips from B-movie horror films, shoot-'em-up gangster flicks, and '60s mod-rock performances, Rjd2 seamlessly worked in bits from throughout his catalog, from Deadringer's "Good Times Roll Pt. 2" to The Colossus' "Let There Be Horns."

But when he brought out a band and picked up an electric guitar for a 15-minute set of funk instrumentals and soul jam songs, the show lost momentum. While perfectly adequate, Rjd2's guitar-playing and singing on songs such as "Work It Out" lacked the crunch and euphoria of his DJ set.

The rest of the 90-minute show fared better and moved less jarringly from solo turns to duo work with drummer Sam Brown to a pair of full-band songs with singer Aaron Livingston. It flowed from visceral beats to dubbed-out spacey interludes to focused songs while rarely losing the groove - until the encore. Rjd2's range is impressive, but it needn't include an acoustic guitar ballad. - [A review of the Philly date via Philadelphia Inquirer]

RJD2 played Highline Ballroom on Sunday, March 7th, with Break Science and Happy Chichester as part of an ongoing tour to promote his new album The Collossus on RJD2's own imprint RJ's Electrical Connections. Pick it up in various forms.

He recently dropped a video for the track for the very 2001-esque "A Spaceship For Now" which is in addition ot "Let There be Horns" which surfaced earlier this year. Both are viewable below, along with full tour dates and a more pics from Highline Ballroom...

Continue reading "RJD2 playing Highline Ballroom w/ Break Science & Happy Chichester (pics), continues on tour (dates)" at BrooklynVegan.com

Tanlines, Lemonade, Janka Nabay, Pictureplane & more played Monster Island (pics), touring (dates including SXSW)

Most awesome show tonight for @truepanther with Lemonade + Tanlines + Blondes + Pictureplane and new fav beats man Janka Nabay.-ilirjana

photos by Erez Avissar

Tanlines...

Tanlines, Lemonade and Janka Nabay played a co-release party at Monster Island on Friday, March 5th for each of their three EPs. Tanlines' Settings is out March 9th (today) on True Panther Sounds/Matador Records, as are Lemonade's Pure Moods and Janka's Bubu King EPs. Also at the show were Pictureplane and Blondes.

The show took place right before Pictureplane played two more NYC shows, but with Washed Out and Small Black (the beginning of the three bands' tour together).

Tanlines play NYC again this Friday (3/12) at Eyebeam's Mixer: Olympiad (540 W 21st St) with Maluca and many many visual artists ("Artists, designers, musicians, engineers, and hackers alike will stage events that evoke the passion, the drive, the danger, and the majesty of competitive sport and mass spectacle. Join one of the five competing nations, and race for Olympic glory!") Tickets are on sale.

Lemonade is on tour with MNDR and These Are Powers, and plays Mercury Lounge on march 29th with Delorean and Brahms (tickets are on sale).

Most of the band mentioned here are heading to SXSW. Delorean, Lemonade, and Tanlines all play the True Panther showcase Todd P is hosting at Cheer Up Charlie's on March 18th. Tour dates for all of the above bands and more pictures are below...

Continue reading "Tanlines, Lemonade, Janka Nabay, Pictureplane & more played Monster Island (pics), touring (dates including SXSW) " at BrooklynVegan.com

Real Estate played a 'secret' apt show w/ Family Portrait, Alex Bleeker & the Freaks, playing more shows (dates)

Thanks @realyrealestate, family portrait, alex bleeker + freaks & ALL who came to MICRO-PIXEL-RITES party! Even the cops showed up! -georgiakral

photos by Rhiannon Marino, second set by Erez Avissar

Real Estate were the not-so-secret guest at the Alex Bleeker & The Freaks/Family Portrait apartment show in Bushwick on Saturday, March 6th. Alex Bleeker is also a member of Real Estate.

All three of those bands will be at SXSW. Alex Bleeker & Family Portaits' Austin shows include the Micro-Pixel-Rites Showcase at 1204 Salina Street on Thursday, March 18th. A flyer and video-trailer for that are below.

According to the schedule below, Real Estate will be cramming ten sets into their four-day Austin trip (none of which are even one of our seven parties unfortunately). But before that, they're playing this Friday, March 12th at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Woods (who they're touring with), Happy Birthday and Wild Nothing. That show is sold-out, and sadly no longer includes the Bitters - you'll have to catch Bitters down South or with Best Coast in NYC on April 6th and 7th.

All tour dates and two full set of pictures are below...

Continue reading "Real Estate played a 'secret' apt show w/ Family Portrait, Alex Bleeker & the Freaks, playing more shows (dates)" at BrooklynVegan.com

Shout Out Louds played Pianos & White Slab (pics, setlist)

photos by Dominick Mastrangelo

Shout Out Louds @ White Slab

One night after they played MHOW, Shout Out Louds played a not-so-secret free show at Pianos. One night after they played a pretty-much-secret private show at White Slab. Dominick went to all three. At Pianos they played a slightly shorter and Work-heavy set (just two older songs), but Dominick said it was "just as good as the night before". At White Slab they only played five songs for those who managed to get in. The Pianos setlist and more pictures from both of those shows, below...

Continue reading "Shout Out Louds played Pianos & White Slab (pics, setlist) " at BrooklynVegan.com

Kreator & Voivod played Nokia Theatre in NYC w/ Evile & Nachtmystium (pics), continue on tour (SXSW & other dates)

words by BBG, photos by Samantha Marble

Snake of Voivod!

As Kreator took the stage to "Choir of the Dammed," you could feel the excitement and adrenaline building in the venue. The band played with dead on accuracy, flawlessly mixing favorites from all eras to celebrate their 25th year in existence. There was extensive headbanging and a barrage of devil horns being thrown by the masses all night long. During the night, Mille informed us that after this leg of the tour, Kreator are heading back to Europe to do some summer festivals and then Kreator will get working on a new album.
Kreator played roughly an hour and twenty minutes and as the night came to a close, Mille had every voice in the venue bellowing "HATE" to introduce 'Flag of Hate" because when in New York at a Kreator concert on a Saturday night, how else do you show appreciation for the German Thrash veterans? - [MetalMachine.net]

A veritable thrash-topia converged at Nokia Theater on 3/6 when legends Kreator shared the stage with Voivod, Evile, Lazarus AD, and the not-thrash-but-still-great Nachtmystium. The show was part of an ongoing tour for the thrash legends, which will terminate soon and culminate in Voivod taking on Austin during SxSW. The band is scheduled to play the official Relapse showcase on 3/17 at Red 7 but will also play the BrooklynVegan/M for Montreal party at Galaxy Room on 3/20 (at the same time as our Red 7 party... decisions).

More pics and some video from the NYC show (including shots of Kreator and Voivod's setlists), flyers and dates below...

Continue reading "Kreator & Voivod played Nokia Theatre in NYC w/ Evile & Nachtmystium (pics), continue on tour (SXSW & other dates) " at BrooklynVegan.com

Ari Marcopoulos @ the Whitney, Demolished Thoughts & other Sonic Youth-related happenings

still from Ari Marcopoulos's film Detroit...

Ari Marcopoulos's photographs and videos capture the rhythm and feel of diverse youth-oriented subcultures from snowboarding to underground music. His honest portraits depict, as he has stated, "something that just stands for life lived." This evening, he brings together musicians from the electroacoustic improvisation scene, including Orphan and Yellow Tears, for a night of performance and noise. [Whitney]

Participants in the "performance and noise" described above will also include Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon. It'll happen at the museum at 7:30pm on Friday, March 26th during the museum's pay-what-you-wish Fridays (6-9pm). That's less than a week before Thurston, drummer Ryan Sawyer and Daniel Carter play Rose Live Music.

In other SY news, the Thurston-led hardcore band re-forming for SXSW, Society's Ills, has changed is name to Demolished Thoughts (the lineup is still Thurston Moore: Vocals, J Mascis: Guitar, Don Fleming: Guitar, Andrew W.K.: Bass, Awesome Allison: Drums). They're playing at the Ecstatic Showcase on Friday, night (3/19) and a Mog day party on Saturday at the Mohawk (with the Black Keys). For their set, they'll expand on their 7 Seconds repertoire with a mix of hardcore selections from scenes that include Boston, Detroit, LA, DC and NYC.

Back in NYC, Lee Ranaldo, photographer/artist spouse Leah Singer and their two sons will be performing at IVANAHelsinki & Love Contemporary pop-up store (238 Mulberry St btwn Spring + Prince) on Sunday, March 14th. The event, titled "What Is That Little Black Thing I See There In The White?" features Lee Ranaldo/Leah Singer/Sage Ranaldo/Frey Ranaldo doing "Music/Movies/Candy/Paper Cutting." It's all ages and runs from 4-6:30pm.

Videos of some recent Lee Ranaldo sound performances are below...

Continue reading "Ari Marcopoulos @ the Whitney, Demolished Thoughts & other Sonic Youth-related happenings " at BrooklynVegan.com

Suckers kicking off tour to SXSW, announce Frenchkiss signing, added to Local Natives spring tour (dates)

Brooklyn four-piece SUCKERS will be releasing their debut full-length, Wild Smile, on June 8 through NYC tastemaker label Frenchkiss Records (Les Savy Fav, The Dodos, Local Natives, The Antlers and more). The album was recorded, produced and mixed in NYC by Chris Zane (Passion Pit/Walkmen), except for "It Gets Your Body Movin'" (produced by Anand Wilder and Chris Moore) and "Save Your Love For Me" (Chris Moore), and was mastered by Joe Laporta (Vampire Weekend). SUCKERS will also be joining labelmates Local Natives for tour dates in May - scroll down for dates.

The first single from the album, yet to be announced, will be released in April. In the meantime, check out the SUCKERS' cover of The Raveonettes track "Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)" from their album In and Out of Control (out now on VICE Music).

Coincidentally, Suckers will also share a bill with Local Natives at the BrooklynVegan/M For Montreal SXSW day party (3/20 @ Galaxy Room). Not coincidentally, they'll share a bill with Local Natives at the Frenckiss showcase happening at the same venue the night before.

Suckers' pre-SXSW tour with Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers kicks off at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC on March 10th. Tickets are still on sale. Suckers' tour with Local Natives kicks off April 22nd and hits NYC for two now-SOLD OUT shows at Bowery Ballroom. New album tracklist and all dates below...

Continue reading "Suckers kicking off tour to SXSW, announce Frenchkiss signing, added to Local Natives spring tour (dates) " at BrooklynVegan.com

Sage Francis - new Anti-album & 2010 tour dates

[On new record Li(f)e] Sage Francis' biting and sardonic wordplay now further empowered by talented musicians including producer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron and Wine) and Jim Becker and Tim Rutili of acclaimed Chicago outfit Califone. Francis has also enlisted a roster of uniquely talented songwriters including exGrandaddy frontman Jason Lytle, Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie, Tim Fite, members of Calexico, DeVotchKa, and Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse - each of whose compositions were then interpreted by Francis and the band. [Sage Francis news]

Sage Francis plays SXSW on March 18th then takes a break until May when he launches a North American tour stretching from Boston on May 12th to NYC's Webster Hall on June 25th. Joining him on the road will be B. Dolan and Free Moral Agents (a group that features Ikey Ownes of the Mars Volta). Tickets to Webster Hall go on AmEx presale starting Wednesday, March 10th at noon. General sale starts Friday at noon.

The album, with the Shepard Fairey cover art posted above, comes out May 11th on Anti-/Epitaph Records. All tour dates and videos (including one of Francis collaborator B. Dolan and Providence's What Cheer? Brigade street band performing a song off his new Fallen House, Sunken City live) are below...

Continue reading "Sage Francis - new Anti-album & 2010 tour dates" at BrooklynVegan.com

Titus Andronicus, Parts & Labor, The Babies & Cloud Nothings played Bowery Ballroom - pics & more dates

DOWNLOAD: Titus Andronicus - A More Perfect Union (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Titus Andronicus - Four Score And Seven (part one) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Titus Andronicus - Four Score And Seven (part two) (MP3)

by Andrew Frisicano

Titus Andronicus celebrated the release of their new record, The Monitor, with a headlining show at Bowery Ballroom on Saturday, March 6th. The album's raucus, conceptual layers peeled back on stage to reveal the taut five-piece underneath. For two members of the band, keyboardist David Robbins and violinist/guitarist Amy Klein, it was only their third show with the group. The warm reception to the new-album tunes - with sing-alongs from the amazing, stand-out album opener (above) to its amazingly-depressing closer - no doubt set the bar high for the band's upcoming slew of album-supporting shows (including BrooklynVegan Emo's day party on Wednesday, March 17th in Austin).

On stage, frontman Patrick Stickles brought along an American Flag, but left out the LP's guests and Lincoln quoting transitions. He did a bit to humanize the record's kitch, sending a song out to his brother in the Navy, who he credited for getting the band on their whole nautical kick (a bit more personal than the Ken Burns doc and other sources often mentioned). He also did his part to play den mother to the young crowd - it was the first time I've ever heard anyone in a band tell an audience, "It's time to start to thinking about winding down."

In a lot of ways the 1.5+ hour show seemed like the opening of a new book for the band. The melding of History and personal history is something that The Monitor does without shame, and with both those arcs closed, the Bowery show felt like a new beginning. As part of the encore, Patrick treated us to a solo cover of the Replacements' "Treatment Bound" (which you can get from NYCTaper).

The openers were all great: Cloud Nothings played rough-around-the-edges power pop; Vivian Girls/Woods side-project The Babies are quickly becoming one of my favorites with popppy mid-set combos like "All Things Come to Pass" and "Meet Me in the City;" and Parts & Labor's effects/synth-laden sound added some eclecticism to the show. Cloud Nothings and Parts & Labor both have shows in NYC and elsewhere coming up, which are laid out below along with more pictures from the show...

Continue reading "Titus Andronicus, Parts & Labor, The Babies & Cloud Nothings played Bowery Ballroom - pics & more dates" at BrooklynVegan.com

Megaphonic Thrift, Casiokids, Choir of Young Believers & other Scandinavian bands playing SXSW, NYC, other dates

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Megaphonic Thrift - Acid Blues (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Good The Bad - 004 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Pirate Love - A Kiss Hello (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Choir of Young Believers - Action/Reaction (MP3)

Casiokids

By now you hopefully you know that Norway's awesome Casiokids are playing our Brooklyn Vegan Pre-SXSW party, alongside Let's Wrestle, The Wave Pictures, Banjo or Freakout and WhoMadeWho. There's now also free PBR for an hour or two (exact details on that soon). And I'll be DJing in between sets. It's all very exciting, isn't it? There are still some tickets available -- only $8.

In that previous post about Casiokids, we mentioned a compilation of the band's 2009 singles called Topp stemning på lokal bar that was, as of that writing, only coming out in Norway. The band have since announced that they've signed to Polyvinyl in the U.S. who will release the album, complete with bonus disc of remixes just like in Norway.

The Knitting Factory show is actually one of three that Casiokids will be playing in NYC before they head to Austin for SXSW. They will also play Pianos this Saturday (3/13) along with Banjo or Freakout, Denmark's synth-rock quintet Spleen United and our Italian friends A Classic Education. Casiokids also play Littlefield on Sunday (3/14) afternoon for an all-Scandinavian party that again features Spleen United, plus Denmark's only surf/flamenco band, The Good The Bad, and The Megaphonic Thrift.

The Megaphonic Thrift are made up of members of Casiokids and The Low Frequency in Stereo and are definitely of the '90s indie rock variety (in this case think GBV or Dinosaur Jr.) that seems to be coming back into style lately. You can download their single "Acid Blues" at the top of this post. Their debut, Decay Destroy, just came out in Norway and is available here through your favorite digital store. I haven't seen them play yet, but BV caught them at by:Larm and said they were pretty good. Pictures from their February 18th show at Oslo club Sub Scene are below.

In addition to the Littlefield show, Megaphonic Thrift are playing Sunday night (3/14) at Bowery Electric and then on Monday night at Santos Party House for a Oya Fest / Oh My Rockness party with fellow Norwegians Pirate Love (High energy, Hives-ish garage) and Hanne Hukkelberg (orchestrated pop), plus The Depreciation Guild. Mind you this is the same night as our Knitting Factory show, so Megaphonic Thrift will play Santos then certain members will race across the Williamsburg Bridge to join their Casiokids bandmates in time for that set. It's all going to work out fine.

Pirate Love will be back after SXSW for a couple shows with UK garage act Thee Vicars. Catch them at Cameo Gallery on March 26 and Lit Lounge on March 27.

Spleen United @ CMJ 2009

The aforementioned Spleen United are also playing this Wednesday (3/10) at Union Hall with fellow Danes Choir of Young Believers. I caught Spleen United at CMJ back in October and they reminded me of the kind of band that 20 years ago would've been on Wax! Trax! or Play it Again Sam records -- the poppier side of goth/industrial. They've had #1 albums in Denmark I've since learned. With multiple percussionists, they put on a pretty good live show too.

Choir of Young Believers were also here at CMJ. Their debut, This is for the White in Your Eyes, is elegiac folk that gets the band compared to Fleet Foxes quite a bit but CoYB are a bit more instrumentally varied and grandiose than Robin Pecknold and co. It really is a lovely record. The Union Hall show also features The Loom (who played that BV loft show during CMJ 2009) and Spain's The Right Ons. Choir of Young Believers also play Pianos on Thursday (3/11) with Brooklyn's ARMS who are worth checking out in their own right.

Choir of Young Believers

That's more than enough for one post. Below are videos, flyers and tour dates for some of the bands mentioned here...

Continue reading "Megaphonic Thrift, Casiokids, Choir of Young Believers & other Scandinavian bands playing SXSW, NYC, other dates" at BrooklynVegan.com