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Rock the Bells 2012 full lineup (Nas, Kendrick Lamar, ASAP Rocky, Dipset, Schoolboy Q, Missy Elliot, Wiz Khalifa, much more)

Nas @ Rock the Bells (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

That didn't take long. We just announced the intitial lineup. Check out the almost-full thing below...

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Wild Belle live in Brooklyn now, played 'Internet Week' with MNDR (pics)

photos by Ryan Muir

Wild Belle @ Internet Week

I thought it was a little weird that Chicago band Wild Belle was playing a random NYC show, aka the Internet Week party that happened at "IWNY HQ" on Mercer St. Monday night with MNDR, but then I just read this:

EMI Music Publishing has signed a global songwriting deal with hotly tipped American duo Wild Belle.

The agreement, which is effective immediately, was sealed by EMI Music Publishing UK's Guy Moot, president UK and European A&R, and Dan Lloyd-Jones, VP A&R, with EMI Music Publishing North America's Jon Platt, president of North American Creative.

Originally from Chicago and now hailing from Brooklyn, New York, the sibling duo of Natalie Bergman and Elliot Bergman started gathering a fan base after posting their first track to their Bandcamp page, 'Keep You', earlier this year.

Roger Faxon, EMI Group CEO, said: "EMI is the perfect home for Wild Belle and I'm thrilled that Natalie and Elliot have chosen to join us.

Here are some pictures from their new hometown show. More below...

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Rock the Bells 2012 dates, venues & some artists announced

"If you a real hip-hop head RT!! #RocktheBells2012" - Nas

Turing hip-hop festival Rock the Bells announces:

Boost Mobile in association with Guerilla Union have announced the return of the ROCK THE BELLS 2012 FESTIVAL SERIES powered by BlackBerry. The world-class platform will feature an array of seminal and flourishing artists over an expanded two-day period in four major North American markets, including headliners Kid Cudi, J Cole, Wiz Khalifa, Atmosphere and more, with special guests Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

The only touring hip-hop festival will kick off in San Bernardino, CA on August 19 and 20 at the NOS Events Center. The festival will then make its way to Mountain View, CA on August 25 and 26 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre and will wrap on the east coast in Newark, NJ on September 1 and 2 at PNC Arts Center.

ROCK THE BELLS and non-profit organization Hip Hop and Hope for Haiti have joined forces to shine light on the disaster-stricken country and to provide continued relief efforts; that of which have progressively decelerated.

I'm pretty sure PNC Bank Arts Center isn't in Newark, and actually even farther from NYC (where the festival used to happen), but whatever.

In addition to what is listed above, Hit Squad is also playing. ~~Full lineups TBA soon~~ (possibly at the launch party happening in California tonight)

UPDATE: Full LINEUP ANNOUNCED.

The list of dates with on-sale dates is below...

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Vattnet Viskar and Yellow Eyes played Lit Lounge (pics)

by BBG

Vattnet Viskar

Vattnet Viskar and Yellow Eyes teamed for a Broken Limbs Recordings showcase at Lit Lounge last night (5/14). Black metal was the theme of the evening, with Yellow Eyes shooting for Weakling/Drudkh-style grandiosity while Vattnet Viskar attacked similar influences with a distinctly punk rock ethos. Yellow Eyes, who were playing their first NYC show, were impressive, especially considering their minimal experience as a live unit, but Vattnet Viskar was downright venomous.

More pictures from the night are below, alongside streams from both of their recent releases.

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Lemonade releasing 'Diver,' playing a show w/ Elite Gymnastics (who are making their NYC debut); Sleigh Bells touring

DOWNLOAD: Elite Gymnastics - "So Close to Paradise 3" (Physical Therapy Remix)
DOWNLOAD: Elite Gymnastics - "Here In Heaven 4 & 5" (CFCF Remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: How to Dress Well - "Here In Heaven 3" (Elite Gymnastics Cover) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Elite Gymnastics - "Minneapolis Belongs To You 3" (LOL Boys Remix) (MP3)

Elite Gymnastics

Brooklyn's Lemonade, whose new album Diver comes out later this month via True Panther, will play a local show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 2 with Teengirl Fantasy and Elite Gymnastics. Tickets go on sale Wednesday (5/16) at noon.

Last month, Lemonade released a 12" for Diver single, "Neptune" featuring remixes from Mike Simonetti, Sinjin Hawke, Pasternak, and Jacques Renault. Grab the original HERE and stream all four remixes below.

The MHOW show will be the first NYC show for Minneapolis K-Pop influenced electronic duo Elite Gymnastics, who just wrapped up a tour with Sleigh Bells and Javelin. They've got a bunch of free releases on their tumblr, including the recently released RUIN 3, which compiles covers and remixes of tracks from the impressive RUIN 1 and 2, which have since been combined for a not-free vinyl release on Acephale. RUIN 3 includes remixes by CFCF, LOL Boys, and Physical Therapy and a cover by How to Dress Well, all of which you can download above or stream below. It also includes remixes by Natalie Bootleg and Anime Skyscraper, the latter of which you can stream below.

Their next release, RUIN 4, is available for pre-order at the Acephale webstore as a bundle with poster, buttons, and t-shirt. The CD includes two previously unreleased tracks from the RUIN sessions, all of RUIN 3, and more TBA.

Speaking of Sleigh Bells, they've announced a set of July tour dates that include Making Time 12th Anniversary HYPER-RAGER in Philly. All dates are listed, along with the above-mentioned streams, below...

Continue reading "Lemonade releasing 'Diver,' playing a show w/ Elite Gymnastics (who are making their NYC debut); Sleigh Bells touring" at brooklynvegan

Gold Panda released a new single (stream it), touring (dates)

by Andrew Sacher

UK producer Gold Panda (aka Derwin Schlecker) released a new single, "Mountain" b/w "Financial District," today (5/15) digitally via Ghostly in the US. It comes out on 7" vinyl on June 12. The artwork is above. Following in the footsteps of his excellent LP, Lucky Shiner, Gold Panda's deftly crafted headphone dance music sounds great as ever on these two new tracks. But the songs are also a slight left turn from his earlier work, subtly weaving hip hop influenced snares into his own beatwork. You can stream them both below or purchase the MP3s/pre-order the vinyl at the Ghostly webstore.

Gold Panda has a few North American club dates scheduled in between the slew of European festivals he's slated to play in the next few months. Those dates include a NYC show at Bowery Ballroom on August 2. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (5/18) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (5/16) at noon.

All dates and streams below...

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What's going on Tuesday?

Beach House @ ACL 2010 (more by Tim Griffin)

today in NYC
* Mickey Factz, Quest @ SOB's
* The Miracle Project @ 92YTribeca
* Bill Frisell @ Village Vanguard
* Arrington de Dionyso @ The Stone
* private Polica show at Pianos
* Cola Jet Set, The Pernnials @ Cake Shop
* Beth Orton, Selah Sue @ Joe's Pub
* Beach House, Zomes @ Bowery Ballroom
* Sea of Bees, The Loom @ Mercury Lounge
* Matana Roberts, Ches Smith @ The Stone
* Jon Benjamin @ Comic Book Club live @ Pianos
* Bowmont, Night Panther, Joywave @ Pianos
* Ramblin' Jack Elliott @ Highline Ballroom
* Chris Gethard, Broad City, more @ Union Hall
* James Morrison, Honeyhoney @ Webster Hall
* The Maine, Lydia, Arkells @ Santos Party House
* Regina Spektor, Only Son @ United Palace Theatre
* Man Forever, Colin L. Orchestra, Nymph @ Le Poisson Rouge
* Charalambides, Decimus, Tom Carter, Pigeons @ Death By Audio
* Mares of Thrace, Batillus, Sky Burial, Mortals @ Saint Vitus
* Power Trip, Reign Supreme, Brain Slug, Crushed @ The Acheron
* Rustie, Mess Kid, Kilo Kish, Spaceghostpurrp @ Santos Party House
* Japanther, Night Manager, Wild Yaks, EULA @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* Leda, Young Unknowns, Emerald Lakes, Cindy Lou Gooden @ Big Snow Buffalo Lodge
* The Hundred in the Hands, Erika Spring, Vorhees, Jacques Renault @ Glasslands
* Doe Paoro, Cat Martino, Shenandoah and the Night, Steel Phantoms @ Cameo Gallery
* Imaginary Cities, HITS (formerly Jump into the Gospel), Magic Wands @ Mercury Lounge
* Kristen Schaal, Janeane Garofalo, Christian Finnegan, Liam McEneaney @ The Bell House
* Weasel Walter, Elliott Sharp, Water Towers, Ashcan Orchestra, Turner Williams @ Zebulon

Check out some kids doing Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" in tribute to MCA, below...

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Tuesday?" at brooklynvegan

Total Slacker covered Grimes, going on tour w/ Night Manager

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Total Slacker - Oblivion (Grimes cover) (M4A)
DOWNLOAD: Total Slacker - Brain Slime (M4A)

Total Slacker are about to head out on the road with Night Manager. Before they do, they'll play with Heaven's Gate and Turnip King at Cheap Storage in Brooklyn on June 2. Tonight (5/15), Total Slacker will DJ between sets at the Japanther/Night Manager/Wild Yaks/Eula show at the Studio at Webster Hall.

For the tour, Total Slacker have recorded a cover of Grimes' single "Oblivion" which we have for you, hot off the mixing desk (they finished it this afternoon) and free for you to download at the top of this post. Keeping the signature bass line intact, the band's version slowly builds to a post-punk crescendo that wouldn't have sounded out of place in fog machine filled dancefloor in 1981.

Additionally, Total Slacker have given us "Brain Slime," the a-side to the band's new single which is being released on Japanese label Sixteen Tambourines. The cover art for the single is below. The Brooklynites also have a UK split 7" with Friends due out this summer.

Total Slacker tour dates are below.

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Austra planning North American tour, playing MHOW

Austra at Empty Bottle (more by Chris Hershman)

Currently on tour in Europe, Austra just announced some select North American dates, including September 19th at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets for the Brooklyn show go on AMEX presale at noon on May 16th and regular sale on Friday. All dates are listed below.

In between the European and North American shows, Katie Stelmanis will take a break while her bandmates tour with TRUST (who are playing shows with Light Asylum, including a 7/8 date at Music Hall of Williamsburg).

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Man Forever going on tour, playing guest-filled show tonight

Man Forever will celebrate the new LP Pansophical Cataract, out now via Thrill Jockey, with a NYC show TONIGHT at Le Poisson Rouge (5/15). The special outing at the Manhattan venue will double as a tour kick-off and is promising appearances from Greg Fox (Guardian Alien, ex-Liturgy), James McNew (Yo La Tengo), Shahin Motia (Ex-Models, Oneida), Richard Hoffman (Sightings), Sarah Richardson (Creeping Nobodies), Bryan Devendorf (The National), Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Ryan Sawyer (Stars Like Fleas). Tickets are still available for the show. Colin Langenus Orchestra and Nymph open.

Look for members of Besnard Lakes, DD/MM/YY, Tortoise, Brokeback, Turn to Crime, White Gregg, Pelt, Cave, Terminal Lovers, Scarcity of Tanks, The Apes, and many more to serve as collaborators on the tour dates listed below.

The tour ends with a homecoming show at Issue Project Room on June 29th. The band will also bless The Stone on July 11th.

Man Forever features Kid Millions, who performed as part of Oneida for NYCTaper's 5th anniversary show (with Man Forever collaborators Greg Fox and James McNew) at 285 Kent over the weekend. Did you go? How was it?

All tour dates, a recent video for "Surface Patterns", and details on "Being Man Forever", are below.

Continue reading "Man Forever going on tour, playing guest-filled show tonight" at brooklynvegan

The Hundred in the Hands released new single and video, touring, playing Glasslands tonight (win tickets!)

by Andrew Sacher

The Hundred in the Hands at Bowery Ballroom in 2011 (more by Chris La Putt)

Brooklyn duo The Hundred in the Hands, are set to release their new album, Red Night, on June 12 via Warp. They're also releasing a 12" single for album track, "Keep It Low," which you can stream below. That 12" comes with remixes by Andy Stott, Optimo, and Patten. On Andy Stott's remix, he takes the already dark song and strips it down to focus more on the low end, which darkens the tone even more. The video for that remix is below.

The Hundred in the Hands are kicking off an international tour in Moscow on Friday (5/18), but before they head out they'll play a local show TONIGHT (5/15) at Glasslands with Erika Spring (of Au Revoir Simone), Vorhees, and Jacques Renault. Tickets are available and we're also giving away a pair. Details on how to win are below.

On their tour, they'll return to NYC for a show at Mercury Lounge on June 20. Tickets for this show are not on sale yet but check ticketmaster for updates.

All dates, video, stream, and contest details below...

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Behemoth, Watain, The Devil's Blood, In Solitude, and Evoken played Irving Plaza (pics)

photos by Greg Cristman; words by BBG

Nergal (sans makeup)

Saturday night (5/12) at Irving Plaza was the final night of the Decibel Magazine tour, featuring names like Watain, The Devil's Blood, In Solitude and most notably, the return of Behemoth following Nergal's battle with leukemia. The sign on the door that read "sold out" was more than just a triumph for the bands, it was a personal triumph for Nergal too.

Local doom greats Evoken opened the show as part of a string of dates for the band with the tour, but sadly we missed them. Pictures from the remainder of the show are in this post.

Watain is currently on the road with Black Anvil. Meanwhile, The Devil's Blood is preparing to play Maryland Deathfest next weekend. Hopefully, their troubles are behind them.

--
Watain @ Irving Plaza

If you weren't at Behemoth on Saturday, maybe it's because you were at one of the other notable heavy shows going on the same night, like Tragedy/Boston Strangler/Perdition/Sickoids at Le Poisson Rouge (pictures).

More pictures from Irving Plaza are below...

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Bill Ward is officially out as drummer for at least part of the Black Sabbath tour

It's official.

Dear Sabbath Fans and Fellow Musicians,

I sincerely regret to inform you that after a final effort to participate in the upcoming Sabbath shows a failure to agree has continued. At this time I have to inform you that I won't be playing with Black Sabbath at the Birmingham gig dated May 19th, 2012, nor will I be playing at Download on June 10th, 2012. Further, I will not be playing at Lollapalooza on August 3, 2012.

Read the rest of Bill Ward's note below. Hopefully they can come to terms for some later dates.

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C.L.I.T. Fest happens in NJ; Hilly Eye played a benefit (pics); Leda play tonight (and other dates)

photos by Andrew St. Clair

Hilly Eye @ Acheron

Hilly Eye (Amy Klein and Catherine Tung) played a Permanent Wave presented benefit for C.L.I.T. Fest at Acheron last Friday (5/11) with Claire's Diary, Lost Weekend, and The Shivering Brigade. Pictures from that show are in this post.

As mentioned, Hilly Eye signed to Don Giovanni, and their debut 7" will be out on the label next month. Stream the a-side of that 7", "Jacob's Ladder," below. The duo will play a release show for the 7" at Cake Shop on June 9 with Shellshag, Necking, and Queening. The flier for this show is below.

Meanwhile, Amy Klein's other band, Amy Klein and the Blue Star Band, have changed their name to Leda and they've got a show TONIGHT (5/15) at Big Snow Buffalo Lodge with Cindy Lou Gooden, Young Unknowns, and Emerald Lakes. The show is a Permanent Wave benefit for Hollaback, "an international movement using mobile technology to end street harassment against women and LGBTQ folks." Doors are at 8 PM for tonight's show.

Leda also have upcoming shows at Cuddle Cave on Saturday (5/19) and Union Pool on June 1.

Speaking of C.L.I.T. Fest (Combating Latent Inequality Together), it's going down from July 13-15 in Highland Park, NJ. The festival is "a three day DIY event that showcases bands, workshops, tablers, and artists across the country to actively combat againt sexism, homophobia,transphobia, racism, and other forms of discrimination." All proceeds go to Women Aware. Bands playing include Screaming Females, Shellshag, Trophy Wife, Slingshot Dakota, Thulsa Doom, Lost Weekend, and more. The full lineup is listed below. Ticket info TBA.

More pics from the Acheron show, song stream, and C.L.I.T. fest lineup below...

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NYC Popfest 2012 in preview (part 1): Burning Hearts, Orca Team, Speedmarket Avenue, Saturday Looks Good to Me & more

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Popfest Mix (ZIP)

Burning Hearts @ NYC Popfest 2009 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

It's NYC Popfest time again. Popfest happens Thursday - Sunday (May 17 - 20) at various venues around Manhattan and Brooklyn. You can still get 4-day Festival Passes ($50) that will get you into all the weekend's shows, or you can buy tickets to individual shows.

There's a couple quick ways to check out all that's going on: Popfest has put together a free downloadable mix (linked above) with all the bands playing this year; and I put together a Spotify playlist with a couple songs from all the Popfest bands that have songs available on the service. If that's not enough, here's a little more about what's ahead, and this post covers Thursday and Friday night's shows. Saturday and Sunday preview will be later this week.

THURSDAY, MAY 17 (CAKE SHOP)

Like usual, Popfest kicks off Thursday (5/17) at Cake Shop. Headliners are Finland's Burning Hearts who were last here for Popfest 2009. The band's new album, Extinctions, mixes shimmery synths, jangly guitars and cooing guitars. You can stream the whole album at the bottom of this post. Burning Hearts also play a free show at LES store Ivana Helsinki (251 Elizabeth St.) and the Rock Shop on Monday (5/21) as part of a post-Popfest hangover show with Vancouver's Sleuth, the Philippines' Outerhearts and Orca Team (more on them below),

Staying in the same part of the world, Swedish powerpop band Speedmarket Avenue are also playing Thursday night. It's been four years since the band released their last album but, but a recently posted new song on their website gives hope for new musical activity. Hopefully we'll get a preview of their new album this week.

The rest of the Thursday Cake Shop lineup is from New York: Dear Marje and The Marshmallows are in the classic Tiger Trap style cute indiepop vein; Heaven's Gate (ex-Sweet Bulbs) veer more shoegaze.

Orca Team

FRIDAY, MAY 18 (KNITTING FACTORY)

Friday night is at Knitting Factory with headliners Michigan's Saturday Looks Good to Me who haven't played NYC since the band dissolved in 2008. Main man Fred Thomas is promising a new album, so good to hear this will be more than just remember when.

For me the band I'm most excited to see Friday is Pacific Northwesterners Orca Team whose music is like a '50s dance party on a submarine with Tim Gane piloting. Their new album, Restraint, is out June 14 on the Happy Happy Birthday to Me label and is a little less specifically retro (and all the better for it). If you can't make it Friday night, Orca Team play two non-Popfest shows while here: a free show at XPO 929 (aka Party Expo) on Saturday (5/19) and they're also playing that 5/21 show at the Rock Shop with Burning Hearts and others.

Also playing Friday night are organ-fueled partiers Cola Jet Set from Barcelona, who sing in Spanish and maintain an impeccable wardrobe. The band also play a FREE show at Cake Shop tonight [5/15]).

Plus at Knit: Houston, TX's danceable and swooning Wild Moccasins; and the fuzzed-out sugarpop of Philadelphia's Catnaps.

As I said above, look for a preview of Saturday and Sunday's Popfest events later in the week. Meanwhile, the full NYC Popfest schedule (bands, set times, etc) is below.

Continue reading "NYC Popfest 2012 in preview (part 1): Burning Hearts, Orca Team, Speedmarket Avenue, Saturday Looks Good to Me & more" at brooklynvegan