popwreckoning » new york http://popwreckoning.com without music, life would be a mistake. Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:15:36 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Baby Teardrops, Lawrence and Leigh, The Numismatics and more at Local 269, New York http://popwreckoning.com/2011/05/30/baby-teardrops-lawrence-and-leigh-the-numismatics-and-more-at-local-269-new-york/ http://popwreckoning.com/2011/05/30/baby-teardrops-lawrence-and-leigh-the-numismatics-and-more-at-local-269-new-york/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 19:18:07 +0000 Casey Osburn http://popwreckoning.com/?p=34366

Neeeeeeeeew York!

It feels like I always have to preface whatever review I’m doing. Weird right? Anyway, I’m currently tour managing for Kansas City locals . We’ve been out for five dates and still have 12 left. So far, it’s been completely awesome.

I’ve been trying to stay away from reviewing shows that we play because it seems a little biased since I’m on tour with them. BUT I could’t help myself for this show. The lineup is soooooo flawless.

The venue is in .

I missed the first act, but caught all of Chicago band . They reminded me a bit of Billy Talent with a touch of Atreyu-esque guitars. Catchy at times; straight up rock at others. They were fun to watch, especially the bassist and his sweet moves.

, whose name instantly reminded me of Kansas City DJ’s Nomathmatics. Their music, however, was dance-y and fun but completely different.  With a Violent Femmes vibe, the whole venue got out of their seats and danced along. I absolutely fell in love with their sound. All three are completely into what they’re doing and you can tell they’re just having fun with smiles on the whole time.

Ahh and Everyday/Everynight played next buuuuut since I’m on tour with them and I think their set is awesome every night, I can’t really say much about it without being biased. Check them out for yourself!

Girl/Guy duo Lawrence & Leigh pulled out an emotional set next. With only an acoustic guitar and piercing vocals, their songs had the normally chatty bar crowd on their seats, unable to look away. They had some folk-style songs and some that were more pop, overall a good mix. You could tell they truly enjoy the music they make,which is always nice to see.

Lawrence & Leigh did a Jeff Buckley cover and I’m pretty sure I saw a few people start to cry a little. That’s just how emotional their music would make anyone feel.

Jerad Tomasino, from Everyday/Everynight summed it up best when he leaned over to me and said, “They’re the kind of band you want to hug after their set. Not because you feel sad, but because you feel like you know them.”

Oh, did I mention that this lineup was AWESOME? It was a pretty great atmosphere too. Small bar with friends just hanging out enjoying the night.

headlined the night. They are the ones who got ED/EN on the show after meeting at SXSW. I had only heard a few songs from their website but was blown away after hearing them live.

It was hard for me to make this sentence into something that would sum up Baby Teardrops. So, I took the following straight from my notes: fun fun fun. Fun to watch. Fun to listen to. Catchy rock. I feel like that should be a new genre, it’s not pop but it’s not hard rock. It’s fucking sweet is what it is.
All photos courtesy of StudioN8 — www.studioN8.com

LINKS:
Athel | facebook
| facebook
The Numismatics | bandcamp | facebook
Baby Teardrops | website | facebook

 

Local269_01 Local269_02 Local269_03 Local269_11 Local269_17 Local269_22 Local269_27

 

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2011/05/30/baby-teardrops-lawrence-and-leigh-the-numismatics-and-more-at-local-269-new-york/feed/ 0 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Announce Fall North American Tour http://popwreckoning.com/2010/08/13/the-pains-of-being-pure-at-heart-announce-fall-north-american-tour/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/08/13/the-pains-of-being-pure-at-heart-announce-fall-north-american-tour/#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:22:22 +0000 Mary Chang http://popwreckoning.com/?p=27217

l-pains4’s have announced on their official website dates for a fall North American tour.

The band recently released a new single, “Say No to Love,” in June on .


Oct 20 – Paradise / Boston#
Oct 21 – / #&
Oct 22 – Pi Lam / #
Nov 04 – Venue / Vancouver^
Nov 05 – Vera Project / Seattle^
Nov 06 – Reed College / Portland
Nov 07 – EMU Ballroom / Eugene^
Nov 09 – Independent / San Francisco^
Nov 10 – Fresh and Fabulous Cafe / Oxnard, CA^*
Nov 11 – Loft @ UCSD / San Diego^
Nov 12 – Echoplex / Los Angeles^
# with
^ with Weekend
& with
* with , and

Photo: Mary Chang

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: website | myspace | @ Monolith Festival 2009, Saturday, September 12 | Interview with | @ Black Cat, 2009 | @ Irvine Auditorium

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/08/13/the-pains-of-being-pure-at-heart-announce-fall-north-american-tour/feed/ 0 The Dig – Electric Toys http://popwreckoning.com/2010/05/24/the-dig-electric-toys/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/05/24/the-dig-electric-toys/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 18:30:17 +0000 Mary Chang http://popwreckoning.com/?p=24299

Okay, so I readily admit it. I don’t listen to a lot of American bands. I do, however, have a defense: if you turn on your car radio in Washington, DC, scroll up and down the dial all you want, but you won’t be able to find a good station that plays all “new” American rock ‘n’ roll. (There is a rock station in the area that I like, but the problem is they play a lot of and , which is fine if you want to relive the ’90s but not if you want to discover new bands.) To seek out the next biggest American rock band, I’ve used one of two methods: either listen to the good mix of stuff played on 6music (through which I found out about , , and ) or show up early to gigs as to check out opening bands.

The latter method applies to how I found out about band , who supported in February at the 9:30 Club. I always feel bad for opening bands. Unless you happen to be lucky and are already famous before you’ve agreed to sign on to support a bigger band on their headlining tour, the venue is likely to be mostly empty when it comes time for you to play. This was true at the 9:30, but the Dig worked it like pros, and by the end of their set everyone around me was smiling, obviously converted into fans. Workhorses of the American rock world, this band has toured around the country a lot, and it showed in their pretty much seamless live performance. Live shows are one thing; but can the band deliver on record, on their debut Electric Toys? I would say yes, a resounding yes. One better: this debut effort was produced by , who has previously worked with (on their 1994 opus Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain) and . Intrigued?

Like New Hampshire band , the Dig features different members switching off for who sings lead. Bassist takes lead vocals on what I consider the more middle of the road radio-friendly tunes. “You’re Already Gone” tells the story about, from what I gather, the morning after but with a twist – the emotionally unavailable woman has split and the man is lamenting that she’s left so quickly. The result? A peculiar but wholly romantic tune (with lyrics like “I just want to hear you say good night again” and “all the city lights will light your skin“) with a wicked guitar groove. ()-like vocals feature in “Carry Me Home,” just that electric guitars are the prominent instrument on this song, not keyboards. ” The drums by drive “Sick Sad Morning” along as Mosseri pleads, “why don’t you pick up the phone?” and later yelps in yearning.

In contrast, guitarist David Baldwin sings lead on “I Just Wanna Talk to You,” a tune with almost Southern swagger. Take that, . “She’s Going to Kill That Boy” and “Two Sisters in Love” are equally searing, with rocking choruses. “He’s a Woman” has a psychedelic bent, with crashing drums and swirly guitars. These are the kind of songs you want to have along for a long car ride in the summer, windows rolled down, speakers blasting. The cover of Electric Toys features a red velvet cupcake, cream cheese frosting, and a perfect maraschino cherry. I highly recommend taking a great big bite. Dig in.

Electric Toys will be released in America on June 8 on Megaforce Distribution.

Track Listing
01. Carry Me Home
02. Two Sisters in Love
03. You’re Already Gone
04. She’s Going to Kill That Boy
05. Penitentiary
06. Sick Sad Morning
07. He’s a Woman
08. Look Inside
09. For All Your Sins
10. Shadow
11. I Just Wanna Talk to You
12. Feel Like Somebody Else

The Dig: myspace | @ 9:30 Club | The Joy Formidable / The Dig Live Performances / Webchat on May 10 | Thrice announce 2nd leg of Summer tour w/Kevin Devine, Bad Veins & The Dig

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/05/24/the-dig-electric-toys/feed/ 2 Vampire Weekend – Contra http://popwreckoning.com/2010/01/05/vampire-weekend-contra/ http://popwreckoning.com/2010/01/05/vampire-weekend-contra/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:30:33 +0000 Fahad Ashraf http://popwreckoning.com/?p=20818

Maybe you first received Vampire Weekend‘s self-titled debut like I did. Their African-inspired sounds were a sunny change and I listened to the a good few times and liked it; I tried to see them live but that proved impossible as, by the time I’d heard of them, they were already beyond cool. I read articles on their possible influences here and there and started checking out the world music section of used record shops, even buying a couple of discs. Then, inevitably, something else came along and the album got lost in the far recesses of my external hard drive. Ezra Koenig‘s voice popped up on a few tracks as a guest, most notably on the Very Best‘s Warm Heart of Africa. But to be honest, I didn’t really think I’d hear much about the band again, or that they’d regain the amount of attention they had got for their debut — after all they’re not new anymore, we all have read and (in my case) forgotten their story, and this time around would there be the novelty of a different sound to draw us in? My feelings may not be all that common though. I know at least some of my fellow writers are looking forward to new material by the band; but in a fast-moving popscene, new work by the “it” band of a few years ago might simply be lost in the shuffle. contra

Which would be a shame, as VW’s new one, , is a pleasant affair that’s well worth checking out. The band haven’t found a new gimmick, which is thoroughly appropriate — would anyone take them seriously if this time round they experimented with Indian raags or Indonesian gamelan (ripe for an indie makeover though it is)? No, instead VW have done the only thing they could do, which is update their sound slightly while still retaining the elements that make them who they are.

The biggest change to me is the band’s use of more electronic sounds. That might not sound too great to you if it was the afropop guitar that drew you in in the first place, but it’s really not bad. The rhythms retain their worldly vibe, and in a way the update makes sense — think of it as an afropop sound from the 90s instead of the 80s or something (sorry, despite recent purchases my knowledge of African music is still very limited); synths have been picked up, but the music has the same signatures as before, and besides it’s only noticeable on a few songs. Koenig’s distinctive voice grounds the album and is by now pleasingly familiar — on first listen, I really thought of it as his album less than as a band album. On further listen, though, it would be unfair to dismiss the musical contributions of the rest of the band, who provide a backing that ranges from manic on “Cousins” to soothing on “I think U R A Contra.” Themes of escape, regret, and loss are backed with some ornate string and piano arrangements, with a harpsichord popping up at one point as well. The band’s world seems to have expanded somewhat, or at least gotten less specific — I only heard one reference to Manhattan, and none to popular holiday destinations in the North East, despite the cover art featuring a preppy looking blonde girl complete with ruffled polo shirt.

A good effort then, and if you were a fan of their past work I’d recommend this album to you. Don’t let new single “Cousins” put you off, as that song is really more of an anomaly, and doesn’t represent this collection very well. I’m still hoping their stars have dimmed somewhat though — it’ll be easier to get concert tickets that way.

Track Listing:

  1. Horchata
  2. White Sky
  3. Holiday
  4. California English
  5. Taxi Cab
  6. Run
  7. Cousins
  8. Giving Up The Gun
  9. Diplomat’s Son
  10. I Think Ur A Contra

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2010/01/05/vampire-weekend-contra/feed/ 2 Amanda Palmer in Brooklyn: Portraits & Soundcheck http://popwreckoning.com/2009/11/23/amanda-palmer-in-brooklyn-portraits-soundcheck/ http://popwreckoning.com/2009/11/23/amanda-palmer-in-brooklyn-portraits-soundcheck/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:06:07 +0000 Dese'Rae Stage http://popwreckoning.com/?p=19603

Amanda Palmer is a force of nature. She’s inexhaustible, intense, and pretty fucking unstoppable. She just finished up a whirlwind east coast tour with ’s Nervous Cabaret, and she allowed me behind-the-scenes access before her show to make some and peep her , which included old school favorites, a danceable cover of the Ting Tings‘s “That’s Not My Name,” and an off-the-cuff first verse/chorus of St. Vincent‘s “Marry Me.” All of this when the woman had been in a car accident a mere hour beforehand. See what I mean? Force of nature. Board up your windows.





Amanda Palmer: website | myspace | @ highline ballroom | review

Photos (and words) by Dese’Rae L. Stage.

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2009/11/23/amanda-palmer-in-brooklyn-portraits-soundcheck/feed/ 1 Melissa Ferrick in NYC and Philly http://popwreckoning.com/2008/09/16/melissa-ferrick-in-nyc-and-philly/ http://popwreckoning.com/2008/09/16/melissa-ferrick-in-nyc-and-philly/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:28:33 +0000 Dese'Rae Stage http://popwreckoning.wordpress.com/?p=5248

I had a chance to not only interview, but also catch live twice last week. She’s doing a solo tour in support of her new , Goodbye Youth, which officially dropped on 9/10 at her show (also available today on iTunes).

Melissa Ferrick at the Bowery Ballroom, NYC, 9/10/08

Melissa Ferrick at the Bowery Ballroom, NYC, 9/10/08

DeseRae Stage

Photos: Dese'Rae Stage

The set is divided into two parts: Melissa plays the new album in its entirety, then there’s a brief intermission in which she changes her clothes and a bass drum is added to the stage, and she comes back out to play some older stuff. One of the highlights of the album, for me, is “When Thom Sings (Lake Effect Snow),” which she forgot to play at the Bowery show. She made up for it in Philly, though–it’s just as beautiful live as it is on the record, which makes perfect sense since the whole thing was a solo effort. Other noteworthy new pieces: “Getting Over You,” “John’s Field,” and her cover of Bush‘s hit, “Glycerine.”

World Cafe Live, 9/14/08

World Cafe Live, 9/14/08

During the second, shorter portion of the show, she heeds audience requests, but take note: no screaming out requests before she returns to the stage. She definitely seemed a bit irritated in Philly when fans screamed out “Freedom” more than once during the first half. She was totally justified in that, since she explained exactly how things were going to work the moment she set foot on the stage. She did, however, oblige when the time came.

fans got to see her do “Welcome to My Life” and “Drive,” which was fun, but by no means the best I’ve ever seen it. She once did a version of the song somewhere in Florida where she told the story of its origin that was easily ten minutes long. Philly got “Anything Anywhere,” a song I could listen to over and over again without tiring.

Bowery Ballroom, 9/10/08

My only disappointment, aside from the subtle notes of hostility found in the Philly crowd, was the absence of Ferrick classics like “‘Till You’re Dead” and “Will You be the One.” All in all, though, a good time with some really good music.

Oh, and while she only opened for Melissa in Boston and Philly, give Nova Scotia native a listen (I recommend “Dance if You Want To”). She hasn’t made a huge name for herself here in the States yet, but she will. Her voice and her lyrics are beautiful, and she’s funny as hell. She tours a lot, usually in conjunction with Edie Carey, who was also introduced to me years ago by Melissa. Keep your eyes open for her.

Rose Cousins at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, 9/14/08

Rose Cousins at World Cafe Live in , 9/14/08

Melissa Ferrick: website | myspace
Rose Cousins: website | myspace

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2008/09/16/melissa-ferrick-in-nyc-and-philly/feed/ 0 Black Swan Wines Present… Matt & Kim http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/23/black-swan-wines-present-matt-kim/ http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/23/black-swan-wines-present-matt-kim/#comments Fri, 23 May 2008 18:49:00 +0000 popwreckoning http://popwreckoning.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/black-swan-wines-present-matt-kim/ On Wednesday, May 28th, Black Swan Wines Present… a special performance by super cute duo Matt & Kim.

Music by DJ Never Forget & Terry D (Finger On The Pulse)
Black Swan Wine Bar
70 Greene Street (btwb Spring & Broome) 8-11pm

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/23/black-swan-wines-present-matt-kim/feed/ 0 Gnarls Barkley MySpace Secret Show at Irving Plaza http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/21/gnarls-barkley-myspace-secret-show-at-irving-plaza/ http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/21/gnarls-barkley-myspace-secret-show-at-irving-plaza/#comments Wed, 21 May 2008 18:06:00 +0000 popwreckoning http://popwreckoning.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/gnarls-barkley-myspace-secret-show-at-irving-plaza/ today announced indie rock super group as the opening act for MySpace’s 150th installment of the hugely popular franchise.

As previously announced, the show is being headlined by the Grammy award-winning duo . The genre busting act’s first US concert was a MySpace Secret Show, in the halcyon days of 2006. For this show, the group will be performing at Manhattan’s famed Fillmore at Irving Plaza.

In order to RSVP for the event, you must be friends with MySpace Secret Shows on MySpace. If you’re not already (we are!), friend them ASAP so you can get into Battles/Gnarls Barkley on June 8th!

MySpace Secret Shows: website
Gnarls Barkley: website | myspace | The Odd Couple review | watch “Going On”
Battles: myspace

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/21/gnarls-barkley-myspace-secret-show-at-irving-plaza/feed/ 0 MySpace Secret Show’s 150th Concert http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/15/myspace-secret-shows-150th-concert-3/ http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/15/myspace-secret-shows-150th-concert-3/#comments Thu, 15 May 2008 20:12:00 +0000 popwreckoning http://popwreckoning.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/myspace-secret-shows-150th-concert/

’s popular “” franchise will celebrate its 150th concert with a show headlined by , whose first live show was a MySpace , in City on June 8th.

MySpace: website | secret shows | (as if you needed the links)
Gnarls Barkley: website | myspace | The Odd Couple review | watch “Going On”

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]]> http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/15/myspace-secret-shows-150th-concert-3/feed/ 0 2nd Annual Willie Mae-ra-thon THIS Weekend http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/07/2nd-annual-willie-mae-ra-thon-this-weekend/ http://popwreckoning.com/2008/05/07/2nd-annual-willie-mae-ra-thon-this-weekend/#comments Wed, 07 May 2008 18:49:00 +0000 popwreckoning http://popwreckoning.wordpress.com/2008/05/07/2nd-annual-willie-mae-ra-thon-this-weekend/

Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls, a non-profit educational summer arts program serving girls ages 8-18 in City, is having their second annual Willie Mae-ra-thon this weekend on from May 8th-11th. The concert is a event used to raise funds used for scholarships to send girls to the summer camp. Six concerts featuring nearly 25 bands will be held over four nights at various venues in and Manhattan. In addition to the music, fans and supporters can enjoy crafts, tattoos (we’re thinking the temporary kind?), body paint and trapeze artists.

Silent Barn in Queens will be hosting a show separate from the Mae-ra-thon, but all proceeds will go directly to the summer camp. Samara Lubelski, The Mad Scene, The Vandelles, and Kate Ferencz will play the Silent Barn show and baked goods will be available all night.

Schedule for the 2008 Willie Mae-ra-thon:
Thu. May 8th @ Union Pool, $10 Suggested donation, 21+
Kissy Kamikaze 9PM , Dark Room 10PM, Slaywhore 11PM
Members of The Trapeze Loft Players in bewteen sets

Fri. May 9th @ The Glasslands Gallery, $10 Suggested donation, 21+
mercat 1PM, omega jarden 2PM, Adam Matta 3PM, 3 djs from the ladies of UBIQUITA! 4PM

Sat. May 10th @ Pete’s Candy Store, cover is free, 21+
Donations to the tip bucket go to Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls
Lisa Kasimow 8PM, The World Collective 9PM, the Minetta 10PM, (loiter) 11PM

Sat. May 10th @ The Silent Barn, sponsored by Horse+Dragon NYC
Kate Ferencz, The Vandelles, The Mad Scene, Samara Lubelski

Sun. May 11th @ Cake Shop, $10 Suggested donation
Early Show (all ages): Pandora’s Box, Honeychild, Magnolia, Aquila, Each Other’s Mothers
Late Show (21+): Renminbi, Wild Yaks, Vivian Girls, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson

Rock Camp is also launching a new campaign called: Willie Mae Top 100: Get Your Band on the Charts!
Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls is issuing an open invitation to bands, solo performers, and musical artists in New York City and beyond to donate the proceeds from one gig in 2008 to the Rock Camp Scholarship Fund.

Participating bands will be listed on the Willie Mae Top 100 Chart on williemaerockcamp.org, with hyperlinks to the artists’ page, website, or whatever link they choose. Artists will be listed in order of how much they donate, with optional listing information of where and when the gig happened, and how much was donated. Bands that want to rise up the charts simply donate proceeds from more gigs. The list will be launched by bands participating in this year’s Willie Mae-ra-thon. Need more information? Write to top100@williemaerockcamp.org.

Willie Mae-ra-thon: website

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