Lissie Releases 'Back to Forever' (Fat Possum) CD on Oct. 8th / Show at Webster Hall on Nov. 25th

Lissie made a number of "Best of" lists in 2010 with her full-length debut Catching a Tiger and the follow-up to that disc, Back to Forever, will be release on Oct. 8th.   Back to Forever was recorded late last year at The Garage in Topanga Canyon, Seahorse Sound Studios in downtown Los Angeles and Brotheryn Studios in Ojai, California. Special guests Catherine and Allison Pierce of The Pierces and Barbara Gruska (The Belle Brigade) are featured on backing vocals.

Back to Forever, produced by Garret "Jacknife" Lee (R.E.M., Snow Patrol, Silversun Pickups), is every bit as frank as 2010's Catching A Tiger, but reflects an added objectivity and depth. In short, the Quad City native has grown into the Mezcal-and-cigarettes voice that that was so riveting on her debut album. The first taste of the new album came earlier this year when the song "Shameless" was posted as a free download and Lissie has now followed that with a video for the song "Further Away (Romance Police)" - which MOJO called"brilliant". This song is already a Top 20 hit in the UK, where BBC Radio 2 put it on the "A List" and named it "Record of the Week".  Lissie will be performing this song on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on Wednesday, October 9.



Lissie was in town last weekend for a show at Central Park (video from the show follows) with City and Colour and, on November 21, Lissie will kick off a North American tour at Adelaide Hall in Toronto. The headline run will include a show at Webster Hall in New York City (November 25) and an evening at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles (December 9). Kopecky Family Band and Purple Apple will be supporting as noted on the itinerary below. Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, September 27, at www.lissie.com/gigs.




LISSIE - FALL 2013 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
Oct 5 - Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
Oct 12 - Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
Nov 21 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ Adelaide Hall
Nov 22 - Boston, MA @ Royale Night Club *
Nov 24 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
Nov 25 - NYC @ Webster Hall *
Nov 27 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre ^
Nov 29 - Chicago, IL @ Park West ^
Nov 30 - Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway Theatre ^
Dec 2 - Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre *
Dec 3 - Salt Lake City, Utah @ Urban Lounge *
Dec 5 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile *
Dec 6 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *
Dec 7 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent *
Dec 9 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre *
Dec 11 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues *
Dec 12 - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory *
* Kopecky Family Band supporting
^ Purple Apple supporting

Links:
Lissie

California Wives: Manchester's NO CEREMONY Posts Remix of 'Marianne' (from 'Art History' - Vagrant)

Chicago new-­wave quartet California Wives released their debut Art History (Vagrant Records) last month and Manchester's NO CEREMONY just posted a chill remix of "Marianne", the original version is on the band's debut album Art History.

The band just finished their Fall tour with Diamond Rings and Stars last week in San Francisco and new tour dates will be announced soon. In the interim, check out this acoustic version of "Marianne" from California Wives' appearance on "Good Morning Arkansas".



Links:
California Wives

Stars - Live Photos from Webster Hall, NYC 9-22-12

There is something exciting about the energy of a sold-out show. Stars headlined a sold-out show at Webster Hall last month in support of their sixth full-length album, The North, which came out at the beginning of September via ATO Records. Paste Magazine gave the new disc a "9" and said "The North offers the same sense of depth and darkness that first propelled the five-piece into the limelight with singles like “Ageless Beauty” and “Your Ex-Lover is Dead,” but with an increased sense of awareness and age. The band has grown. The music has evolved. But the message of feeling alive despite all odds is more apparent than ever." Prior to the show, I hadn't heard any of Stars' music so it might of helped if I had listened to the new disc but I really enjoyed watching the crowd sing along to every song and feeling the floor at Webster Hall bounce under the weight of the people "pogoing" in place.



The live video below (is there ever a concert that doesn't end up on YouTube?) does a pretty good job of capturing the energy of the show.



Stars Fall Tour Dates
10/09/12 - Lawrence, KS, Bottleneck
10/10/12 - Tulsa, OK, Cain’s
10/11/12 - Little Rock, AR, Revolution Room
10/12/12 - Houston, TX, Fitzgerald’s
10/13/12 - Dallas, TX, Granada
10/14/12 - Austin, TX, Austin City Limits
10/17/12 - San Diego, CA, House Of Blues
10/18/12 - Los Angeles, CA, The Mayan Theater
10/19/12 - Santa Cruz, CA, Rio Theatre
10/20/12 - San Francisco, CA, The Fillmore
10/21/12 - Uptown Theatre, Napa, CA

Links:
Stars

Diamond Rings - Live Photos from Webster Hall, NYC 9-22-12 (Astralwerks)

I've never heard of Diamond Rings prior to seeing him open for Stars at Webster Hall. In talking with the woman next to me, she described him as sounding like Vanilla Ice. Haircut aside, I think a more relevant comparison is to either Klaus Nomi or David Gahan.



For anyone who also hadn't heard of Diamond Rings, here is some background from Wikipedia on the artist: "John O'Regan (born July 6, 1985) is a Canadian artist and musician best known by his stage name Diamond Rings. In addition to writing, recording, and producing his own music, he is also noted for transcending traditional representations of gender and identity in his live performances and videos...His debut full length album, Special Affections, was released in North America on October 25, 2010, by Montreal's Secret City Records. Lead single "Something Else" was released a month prior and features a cover of the Milla Jovovich song "The Gentleman Who Fell," with string arrangements by Canadian musician and Polaris Prize winner Owen Pallett. Diamond Rings has since signed with New York City-based Astralwerks Records a division of Virgin/EMI Records, which re-released Special Affections on June 21, 2011."



Diamond Rings' October Tour Dates
10/09/12 - Lawrence, KS, Bottleneck w/ Stars
10/10/12 - Tulsa, OK, Cain’s w/ Stars
10/11/12 - Little Rock, AR, Revolution Room w/ Stars
10/12/12 - Houston, TX, Fitzgerald’s w/ Stars
10/13/12 - Dallas, TX, Granada w/ Stars
10/14/12 - Austin, TX, The Mohawk
(Austin City Limits Official After-Party w/ Friends)
10/17/12 - San Diego, CA, House Of Blues w/ Stars
10/18/12 - Los Angeles, CA, The Mayan w/ Stars
10/19/12 - Santa Cruz, CA, Rio Theatre w/ Stars
10/20/12 - San Francisco, CA, The Fillmore w/ Stars
10/26/12 - Chicago, IL, Empty Bottle w/ Gold Fields
10/27/12 - Minneapolis, MN, 7th Street Entry w/ Gold Fields
10/28/12 - Madison, WI, The Frequency w/ Gold Fields
10/30/12 - St. Louis, MO, Off Broadway w/ Gold Fields
10/31/12 - Nashville, TN, The Hi-Watt w/ Gold Fields

Links:
Diamond Rings

California Wives - "Art History" CD Review / Live Photos from Webster Hall, NYC 9-22-12

Chicago new-­wave quartet California Wives released their debut Art History (Vagrant Records) earlier this month and the band's tour brought them to Webster Hall on Sept. 22nd, opening for Stars.

For Art History, the band worked with producer Claudius Mittendorfer (Interpol, Neon Indian, Wild Nothing) for the eleven tracks that present a cohesive gallery of modern‐day pop portraits framed with a retro '80s fit. The new Art History CD follows the band's 2010 EP "Affair", which won over local and national press, with My Old Kentucky Blog raving, "This could be the next buzz band everyone is talking about."

For folks like me who "shot up" on college radio in the 80's, this disc has an immediately recognizable post-punk sound with a gauzy shoe-gazer core which the band is able to build upon with some incredibly catchy hooks and melodies. I haven't given a lot of thought to an end-of-year list as of yet but, as this disc hasn't yet left my iPod, Art History will likely be toward the top of the list.

The disc starts with two of its strongest tracks - "Blood Red Youth" and "Tokyo" - before heading into the wistful indie-pop of "Marianne". "Blood Red Youth" sets the tone for the disc with its 80's-sounding New Wave synthesizers coupled with strong guitar lines and a driving beat. "Tokyo" is a bit more chipper and sounds somewhat like a Smashing Pumpkins song, though, with more self-restraint and less bombast. This track also pulls some ringing guitar lines out of the shoe-gazer swirl. Adding to California Wives' big sound, guitarist/vocalist Jayson Kramer sings in an understated voice so that his vocals become another "instrument", guiding the songs and melodies but never riding on top of them. The band is also able to replicate the 'big sound' of their new disc in concert. Below is a live clip from the show at Webster Hall that I found on YouTube.



Overall, the disc doesn't stray far from its core - "The Fisher King" is swirling and moody and sounds like a cross between The Cure and the Cocteau Twins, "Los Angeles" sounds like it could have come out of The Church's back catalog, and "Photolights" has the atmospheric ambiance and ringing guitar lines of U2's Joshua Tree coupled with a nagging New Wave synth line. While the disc comes close to capturing the urgency and energy of the opening tracks on "Purple" some of the other tracks on the back-half of the disc sag a bit. "Better Homes" gets a bit too close to 70's schmaltz rock and "The New Process" sounds strangely like post-Waters Pink Floyd (the later isn't a bad thing, just unexpected).

All-in-all though, it is a strong disc from a band that shows a lot of potential.



California Wives' tour with Stars and Diamond Rings run through the Midwest and West Coast next month. Here is a link to upcoming tour dates.

Links:
California Wives

California Wives Release Video for "Purple" / Show at Webster Hall on September 22nd

Chicago new-­wave quartet California Wives released their debut Art History LP last week (Vagrant Records) and have just released their first video for the song "Purple". The video uses artwork submitted from fans and other artists throughout the video.

The band worked with producer Claudius Mittendorfer (Interpol, Neon Indian, Wild Nothing) for Art History and the eleven tracks present a cohesive gallery of modern‐day pop portraits framed with a retro '80s fit. The new disc follows the band's 2010 EP "Affair", which won over local and national press, with My Old Kentucky Blog raving, "This could be the next buzz band everyone is talking about." Joy Division / New Order's Peter Hook also took notice, appointing the band to open his headlining set at The Light at Chicago's Metro Cabaret.



California Wives are playing Webster Hall on September 22nd along with Stars and Diamond Rings. Tickets are $29 in advance and $34 (DOS). Every ticket includes a digital version of Stars' new album The North.

Links:
California Wives

California Wives: Chicago New-Wave Quartet Releases "Blood Red Youth" from Debut Album as Free Download / Show at Webster Hall on Sept. 22nd

Chicago new-­wave quartet California Wives has announced the release of its debut Art History LP, out on September 4 with Vagrant. The band worked with producer Claudius Mittendorfer (Interpol, Neon Indian, Wild Nothing) for the eleven tracks that present a cohesive gallery of modern‐day pop portraits framed with a retro '80s fit. The new Art History LP follows the band's 2010 EP "Affair", which won over local and national press, with My Old Kentucky Blog raving, "This could be the next buzz band everyone is talking about." Joy Division / New Order's Peter Hook also took notice, appointing the band to open his headlining set at The Light at Chicago's Metro Cabaret.



Lead-off Track from Art History


"I felt like I was asleep for years," says California Wives' lead vocalist / keyboardist Jayson Kramer of his decision in 2009 to leave behind a promising career in medicine for a professional go at music. "I was completely honest with myself for the first time in my life and recognized that I had no desire to go on with medical school." Around this time he moved back to his hometown of Chicago where he was introduced to drummer Joe O'Connor, and bassist Dan Zima. It was via their shared appreciation of music and compatible chemistry that California Wives was formed in 2009, with the current lineup being cemented in 2012 upon the new addition of lead guitarist Graham Masell.

California Wives are playing Webster Hall on September 22nd along with Stars and Diamond Rings. Tickets are $29 in advance and $34 (DOS). Every ticket includes a digital version of Stars' new album The North.

Links:
California Wives

WATERS Plays Sold-Out Show at Webster Hall on March 29th / Live HearYa Session Tracks Posted as Free Download

DOWNLOAD: WATERS - "Take Me Out to the Coast"
DOWNLOAD: WATERS - "For the One" (Live HearYa Session)

On the heels of a European tour supporting Nada Surf, WATERS has announced their 2012 SxSW schedule. The band will perform eight times over four days at the Austin festival next week; a full schedule is below that offers ample opportunity to catch WATERS' blistering live show.

Today, HearYa blog posted their live session with WATERS, recorded in Chicago in late November during the band's tour supporting Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Three live versions of debut LP Out In The Light (September 2011, TBD Records) tracks - "Take Me Out To The Coast", "Ones You Had Before", and "For The One" - can now be downloaded as free MP3s.

Before heading to Austin next week, WATERS will perform at the Clift Hotel in hometown San Francisco this Saturday night, March 10th, as part of the hotel's Clift Sessions presented by IAMSOUND series. The show is open to the public and free with RSVP (21+, doors 9pm, showtime 11pm). Following the band's SxSW run, they will hit the road to support Delta Spirit beginning March 19th in Little Rock, AR, and running through May 12th in Solano Beach, CA. The tour includes a sold out show at Webster Hall in New York, NY, on March 29th.

WATERS tour dates:
MAR. 14 -- AUSTIN, TX -- BREW EXCHANGE
(Satellite LA and Popantipop present Seanow! - 5:30pm set)
MAR. 14 -- AUSTIN, TX -- RED7
(Sony Electronics/RED Official Showcase - 9:30pm set)
MAR. 15 -- AUSTIN, TX -- BEAUTY BAR
(HearYa presents SxSWeetland - 2:25pm set)
MAR. 15 -- AUSTIN, TX CHEERS
(The Treehouse Diddly - 5:45pm set)
MAR. 16 -- AUSTIN, TX -- PECKERHEADS
(My Old Kentucky Blog Party - 2pm set)
MAR. 16 -- AUSTIN, TX -- W HOTEL
(Nylon Magazine Party - 5:30pm set)
MAR. 16 -- AUSTIN, TX -- HGTV STUDIO
(HGTV Official Showcase - 9pm set)
MAR. 17 -- AUSTIN, TX -- PECKERHEADS
(Baeble Music Party - 5pm set)
MAR. 19 -- LITTLE ROCK, AR -- REVOLUTION MUSIC ROOM*
MAR. 20 -- ST. LOUIS, MO -- THE OLD ROCK HOUSE*
MAR. 21 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- FINE LINE MUSIC CAFÉ*
MAR. 22 -- MILWAUKEE, WI -- TURNER HALL*
MAR. 23 -- CHICAGO, IL -- METRO*
MAR. 24 -- INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- RADIO RADIO*
MAR. 26 -- CLEVELAND, OH -- BEACHLAND BALLROOM*
MAR. 27 -- BOSTON, MA -- PARADISE ROCK CLUB*
MAR. 29 -- NEW YORK, NY -- WEBSTER HALL* (SOLD OUT)
MAR. 30 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA -- UNION TRANSFER*
MAR. 31 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- 9:30 CLUB*
APR. 2 -- CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA-- JEFFERSON THEATER*
APR. 3 -- CARRBORO, NC -- CAT'S CRADLE*
APR. 4 -- ASHEVILLE, NC -- GREY EAGLE TAVERN*
APR. 6 -- NASHVILLE, TN -- CANNERY BALLROOM*
APR. 7 -- ATLANTA, GA -- THE MASQUERADE (Hell Stage)*
APR. 9 -- BIRMINGHAM, AL -- WORKPLAY THEATER*
APR. 10 -- NEW ORLEANS, LA -- ONE EYED JACKS*
APR. 12 -- HOUSTON, TX -- FITZGERALD'S (Upstairs)*
APR. 13 -- AUSTIN, TX -- EMO'S EAST*
APR. 14 -- DALLAS, TX -- GRANADA THEATRE*
APR. 30 -- SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- URBAN LOUNGE*
MAY 1 -- BOULDER, CO -- FOX THEATRE*
MAY 2 -- BOISE, ID -- THE NEUROLUX*
MAY 4 -- SEATTLE, WA -- NEUMO'S*
MAY 5 -- PORTLAND, OR -- WONDER BALLROOM*
MAY 6 -- VANCOUVER, BC -- ELECTRIC OWL*
MAY 8 -- SACRAMENTO, CA -- ACE OF SPADES*
MAY 10 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- FILLMORE*
MAY 11 -- LOS ANGELES, CA -- THE MUSIC BOX (Henry Fonda Theater)*
MAY 12 -- SOLANO BEACH, CA -- BELLY UP*
* supporting Delta Spirit

Links:
WATERS

Toilet Boys Open For Guns N' Roses @ Webster Hall (The Ritz) on Feb. 15

Toilet Boys will open for the legendary Guns N’ Roses at their sold out show at The Ritz (Webster Hall) on Wednesday, February 15th in New York City. Ironically, The Ritz (Webster Hall) was the location of Toilet Boys last big New York show prior to their European tour in January 2003 after which Toilet Boys disbanded and went their separate ways. Now almost 10 years later after reuniting, Toilet Boys return to perform in the iconic location of their last major NYC show.

Toilet Boys are the infamous neo-punk Glam Rock band that has toured the US, Europe, and Asia with Blondie, The Ramones, Rancid, The Damned, Joan Jett, Motorhead, The Donnas and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The last great NYC rock n’ roll band, Toilet Boys grew out of the iconic club scene of Don Hill’s and CBGB’s where legends were born.

With one foot in a limo and the other in the dark heart of the NYC club scene, Toilet Boys have whipped crowds into a frenzy everywhere from the bullrings of Spain to the kinkiest, sexiest parties in the US to Madison Square Garden.

Revered by the New York Post, LA Times, and Rolling Stone, Toilet Boys have been deemed “a New York Rock Legend”. The UK’s NME states, “Miss Guy and the boys made rock history with their first visit to London."

Having reunited in Spain at the 2010 Azkena Rock Festival where they shared the stage with KISS, Bob Dylan, Slash and The Hives, Toilet Boys are currently writing new music and working on a cutting-edge stage show. A sight to behold, Toilet Boys are back!



Links:
Toilet Boys

WATERS (x-Port O'Brien) Announces Spring Tour / Show at Webster Hall on March 29th

Following winter dates supporting Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, WATERS has announced a lengthy new run of spring tour dates supporting Delta Spirit. The tour will travel throughout the US and into Canada, and launches on March 19th at the Revolution Music Room in Little Rock, AR, before wrapping up on May 11th at The Music Box in Los Angeles, CA. The dates include a March 29th New York show at Webster Hall.



WATERS - whose debut LP Out In The Light was released in September via TBD Records - filmed a live session for Quit Mumbling while in Los Angeles this past fall, and stripped-down versions of album tracks "Mickey Mantle" (below), "For The One", "Back To You" and "O Holy Break Of Day" are posted on Quit Mumbling's site.



WATERS Tour Dates:
MAR. 14-17 -- AUSTIN, TX -- SXSW
MAR. 19 -- LITTLE ROCK, AR -- REVOLUTION MUSIC ROOM*
MAR. 20 -- ST. LOUIS, MO -- THE OLD ROCK HOUSE*
MAR. 21 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- FINE LINE MUSIC CAFÉ*
MAR. 22 -- MILWAUKEE, WI -- TURNER HALL*
MAR. 23 -- CHICAGO, IL -- METRO*
MAR. 24 -- INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- RADIO RADIO*
MAR. 26 -- CLEVELAND, OH -- BEACHLAND BALLROOM*
MAR. 27 -- BOSTON, MA -- PARADISE ROCK CLUB*
MAR. 29 -- NEW YORK, NY -- WEBSTER HALL*
(Tickets are $20 and go on sale on Fri., Jan 13th at 12PM)
MAR. 30 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA -- UNION TRANSFER*
MAR. 31 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- 9:30 CLUB*
APR. 2 -- CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- JEFFERSON THEATER*
APR. 3 -- CARRBORO, NC -- CAT'S CRADLE*
APR. 4 -- ASHEVILLE, NC -- GREY EAGLE TAVERN*
APR. 6 -- NASHVILLE, TN -- CANNERY BALLROOM*
APR. 7 -- ATLANTA, GA -- THE MASQUERADE (Hell Stage)*
APR. 9 -- BIRMINGHAM, AL -- WORKPLAY THEATER*
APR. 10 -- NEW ORLEANS, LA -- ONE EYED JACKS*
APR. 12 -- HOUSTON, TX -- FITZGERALD'S*
APR. 13 -- AUSTIN, TX -- EMO'S EAST*
APR. 14 -- DALLAS, TX -- GRANADA THEATRE*
APR. 30 -- SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- URBAN LOUNGE*
MAY 1 -- BOULDER, CO -- FOX THEATRE*
MAY 2 -- BOISE, ID -- THE NEUROLUX*
MAY 4 -- SEATTLE, WA -- NEUMO'S*
MAY 5 -- PORTLAND, OR -- WONDER BALLROOM*
MAY 6 -- VANCOUVER, BC -- ELECTRIC OWL*
MAY 8 -- SACRAMENTO, CA -- ACE OF SPADES*
MAY 10 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- FILLMORE*
MAY 11 -- LOS ANGELES, CA -- THE MUSIC BOX (Henry Fonda Theater)*
* supporting Delta Spirit

Links:
WATERS

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Live Photos from Webster Hall, NYC 12-7-11

Confessions of a heretic…I went to last week’s Clap Your Hands Say Yeah show to see WATERS as I really had no idea what CYHSY sounded like. I watched the energy of the sold-out crowd explode when the band took the stage but, for whatever reason, the band’s music just wasn’t my cup of tea.







I was trying to get a feel for the band’s music during the first few songs and, for whatever reason, i couldn't shake the jam band comparisons. CYHSY are certainly talented musicians but I have an innate bias against anything that even remotely resembles a jam/Further Fest band.





CYHSY released their third disc. Hysterical. in September and just finished up a series of US and Canadian tour dates. The band is off the road now but are heading to Japan followed by Europe in January.

For anyone who missed the band this time out, they have posted live performances of songs from Hysterical to their website (link below).

Ketamine and Ecstasy from CYHSY on Vimeo.

Links:
Clap Your Hand Say Yeah

WATERS (ex-Port O'Brien) - Live Photos and Review, Webster Hall, NYC 12-7-11

I think I made a mistake not seeing WATERS when they came through in both June and October for shows at Mercury Lounge. In a live setting, the band’s songs have a raw energy that wasn’t fully captured on the band’s debut CD and frontman Van Pierszalowski plays guitar with an intensity that reminds me of Evan Dando when The Lemonheads were first starting out.







The band stuck primarily to the upbeat, guitar and drums powered rock numbers from their recently released debut album, Out in the Light, but slowed things down toward the end of their set when Van doned an acoustic guitar.



While the band held the attention of the sold-out crowd, the energy behind the songs would have turned the room into a communal sing-along in a smaller space. Perhaps thinking the same thing, Van and band unplugged and took their instruments into the center of the crowd to play their final song, “Mickey Mantle”, acoustically. Reminding me a bit of the Port O’Brien shows of yesteryear, before starting the song, Van coached the crowd to sing along on the chorus.

WATERS canceled its European tour due to health reasons but have a month of dates booked in Europe for next February with Nada Surf.

Feb 7 - King Tuts Glasgow, UK ^
Feb 8 - KOKO London, UK^
Feb 10 - Melkweg Amsterdam, NL ^
Feb 11 - Le Splendid Lille, FR^
Feb 12 - AB Box Brussels, BE^
Feb 14 - La Bataclan Paris, FR ^
Feb 15 - Le Krakatoa Bordeauxm FR ^
Feb 16 - Le Bikini Toulouse, FR^
Feb 18 - La Riviera Madrid, SP^
Feb 19 - Apolo Barcelona, SP ^
Feb 20 - Le Transbordeur, FR ^
Feb 22 - Posthof Linz, AUT^
Feb 23 - Bloom Club Milan, IT^
Feb 24 - Komplex Zurich, SWI ^
Feb 25 - Backstage Werk Munich, GER ^
Feb 26 - Huxleys Berlin, GER ^
Feb 27 - Markthalle Hamburg, GER ^
Feb 28 - Live Music Hall Cologne, GER ^
^ w/ Nada Surf

Links:
WATERS

Radical Dads: Photos & Review from Webster Hall, NYC 12-7-11 / Upcoming Shows on 12-15 & 16

DOWNLOAD: Radical Dads - "Skateboard Bulldog"
"This song was inspired by a real canine I met at a skate park in Astoria, Queens. He tried to steal my board, then got distracted by someone else's board, then jumped back on his own and innocently cruised the concrete as if he hadn't just tried to kill the sesh. A quick Internet search will show that many types of animals are capable of riding skateboards, but only the bulldog can be bred to shred." -- Guitarist Chris Diken

Brooklyn's Radical Dads opened the sold-out Clap Your Hand Say Yeah show last week at Webster Hall. I'm not that familiar with the band's music but will make a point of hunting down the band's debut disc Mega Rama. The band also has a new 7", "Skateboard Bulldog", posted above. The band's music has a 90's post-punk sound that sounds like some of the bands that came out of the post-harDCore DC scene in the 90's (Velocity Girl and Tsunami are the first two bands that come to mind).









Radical Dads are playing Whatever Blog's holiday party on Dec. 15th @ Cake Shop along with Hilly Eye (ex-Titus Andronicus), EULA, and Libel. Cover is $8 and Radical Dads go on at 11PM. The next night, Radical Dads are playing Brooklyn Night Bazaar (149 Kent Avenue) along with Fucked Up, DOM, Big Troubles and Caged Animals. Tickets are $10 and doors are at 5PM.

Links:
Radical Dads

Band of Skulls Releases Second Track - "Sweet Sour" - From Forthcoming Sophomore Album (out Feb. 21st)

Sweet Sour by Band of Skulls

Southampton’s Band Of Skulls have just posted the second track from their forthcoming sophomore disc Sweet Sour (out Feb. 21st on Vagrant Records). and the band is kicking off a US tour in March next year with shows at Webster Hall and Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Sessions for Sweet Sour started in January of this year when the trio returned to the cradle of their first album, their home studio in Southampton. The creative juices soon started flowing, and the three songwriters – Marsden, Hayward and Richardson – were collaborating more fully than ever before. Scraps of melodies, lyrics and riffs fell into place, and complete songs began to emerge: the slow-burning album opener "Sweet Sour", rockers "Lies" and "The Devil Takes Care Of His Own". The results were designed for bigger crowds. “We wanted to write material that’s primed for where we’d got to,” says guitarist/vocalist Russell Marsden. “Beefier songs for bigger stages.”

By the time they reached Rockfield, the legendary residential studio in Wales, the band were primed to road-test the new material, playing a handful of US dates in a break from the album sessions. The response was electrifying: at the Beachside Festival in San Diego, one over-zealous fan rocked out so hard during new track, "You’re Not Pretty But You’ve Got It Going On" he was tasered by the police. “I guess he was having too much of a good time,” shrugs bassist Emma Richardson. “It felt like a real moment”. Later, a performance at the Bonnaroo festival went on to shape the album’s character. “The new songs went down so well there we decided to incorporate some of the mistakes and mishaps into the studio versions,” says Marsden. “We had Ian [Davenport, returning Baby Darling... producer] jumping on top of our Fender amps to recreate one bit where the reverb was crackling and making weird noises. All the gear still had the dust and mud on it from the festival, so the dirt was there – a bit of filth from the road that made it onto the record.”

Band of Skulls had previously released the track "The Devil Takes Care of His Own" (from the forthcoming album) and have now followed this up with a video for the song.



Band of Skulls' show at Webster Hall is on March 22nd and tickets are $20. The band's show at Music Hall of Williamsburg is on March 27th and tickets are also $20.

Links:
Band of Skulls

Bobby Birdman Announces New 7" // NYC Show with YACHT on April 27th

DOWNLOAD: Bobby Birdman - Only For A While (from 2009's New Moods)
STREAM: Bobby Birdman - "Dub Walk" (click-through to KRecs Tumblr page)

Bobby Birdman (aka Rob Kieswetter from YACHT's backing band The Straight Gaze) announced a new digital 7" ("Don't Walk Away" / "Dub Walk") and is opening for YACHT at Webster Hall on April 27th.

"Don't Walk Away" has a pulp-noir vibe which features Birdman's clear vocals on top of surf-guitar lines and an underlying pulsing bass. K Records said: "[t]his “Dub Walk,” if you will, is the B side of Bobby Birdman’s upcoming Dub Narcotic Disco Plate entitled “Don’t Walk Away” (DBN124, dropping on 6/21/2011). “Dub Walk” features none other than Selector Dub Narcotic, the nom de plume of Calvin Johnson, remix superstar." Johnson deconstructs the songs down to its most basic form (bass and drums) and swaps Birdman's vocals for what sounds like a keyboard and occasionally fuzzed-out vocal snippets. These slow-burning grooves will either get the dance floor moving or the make-out session started.

Getting back on track, Bobby Birdman is playing with YACHT (who will be previewing their new album) and Light Asylum at Webster Hall next Wednesday (April 27th) and tickets are $16.

Links:
Bobby Birdman

Gang of Four Play David Letterman Show and Webster Hall Tomorrow Night (Feb. 8th)

2/11: Updated to include Letterman video

Gang of Four played their first US show since 2005's reunion tour on Feb. 4th at Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia. The band is making an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman tomorrow night to play "Never Pay for the Farm" prior to their headlining show at Webster Hall. There are still tickets available for the Webster Hall show which are $37 (DOS). Hollerado is opening the show and doors are at 7PM.

Below is the setlist from Saturday night's show in Philadelphia:
- Never Pay for the Farm
- Not Great Men
- Ether
- I Parade Myself
- Paralyzed
- A Fruitfly in the Beehive
- Anthrax
- What We All Want
- I Party All the Time
- Why Theory?
- You Don't Have to be Mad
- We Live as We Dream, Alone
- To Hell With Poverty
- Do As I Say

Encore:
- Return the Gift
- I Love a Man in a Uniform
- Damaged Goods

Encore 2:
- Natural's Not in It



Links:
Gang of Four

Lissie Announces Winter Tour Dates // Show at Webster Hall on Jan. 28th

Lissie played to a sold-out crowd at Hiro Ballroom during CMJ and she is now coming back through Canada and the States on a Dec/Jan Winter tour. The local tour stop is at Webster Hall on January 28th and tickets are $18 in advance and $22 (DOS).

At the Hiro Ballroom show, Lissie played the entirety of her "Why You Runnin'" EP and six tracks from Catching A Tiger. While Lissie has been getting a lot of publicity for her cover tunes (which include songs by Lady Ga Ga, Led Zeppelin, Metallica), Lissie included only two covers in her set. The first was a cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Waiting Around to Die" on which she duetted with opening act Dylan LeBlanc. (If you look closely at the photos below, you can see LeBlanc reading the lyrics off his iPod). The second was a cover of Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness". The full set list is below.



Set List:
- Wedding Bells
- Worried About
- Here Before
- When I'm Alone
- Waiting Around to Die (w/ Dylan LeBlanc)
- Bully
- Cuckoo
- Record Collector
- Everywhere I Go
- In Sleep
- Little Lovin'

Encore:
- Oh Mississippi
- Pursuit of Happiness

Lissie North American headlining tour dates:
DEC. 29 -- VANCOUVER, BC, THE BILTMORE CABARET
DEC. 30 -- PORTLAND, OR, DOUG FIR LOUNGE
DEC. 31 -- SEATTLE, WA, SNOQUALIMIE CASINO
JAN. 15 -- LOS ANGELES, CA, THE MUSIC BOX
JAN. 17 -- DENVER, CO, BLUEBIRD THEATER
JAN. 19 -- DAVENPORT, IA, REDSTONE ROOM
JAN. 20 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN, CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER
JAN. 22 -- CHICAGO, IL, LINCOLN HALL
JAN. 24 -- TORONTO, ON, THE OPERA HOUSE
JAN. 26 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA, FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH-SANCTUARY
JAN. 28 -- NEW YORK, NY, WEBSTER HALL
JAN. 29 -- BOSTON, MA, PARADISE ROCK CLUB
JAN. 30 -- WASHINGTON, DC, 9:30 CLUB
FEB. 01 -- CARRBORO, NC, CAT'S CRADLE
FEB. 02 -- ASHEVILLE, NC, THE ORANGE PEEL
FEB. 03 -- NASHVILLE, TN, MERCY LOUNGE
FEB. 05 -- ATLANTA, GA, THE LOFT
FEB. 07 -- BIRMINGHAM, AL, THE BOTTLETREE
FEB. 08 -- NEW ORLEANS, LA, THE PARISH AT HOUSE OF BLUES
FEB. 10 -- AUSTIN, TX, ANTONE'S NIGHTCLUB

Links:
Lissie

Gang of Four Post Free Three Track EP // Show at Webster Hall on Feb. 8th

Gang of Four is releasing Content on Jan. 24th next year which is their first disc of new material in sixteen years. It will be available in a standard CD release and on vinyl. It will also be available in a limited edition "Ultimate Content Can" which contains six booklets:

1. the first containing the new album on CD
2. the second featuring an art piece that Andy and Jon have created to depict the last 40 years of world history (composed of a series of twenty drawings and montages),
3. the third, a book of lyrics
4. the fourth, a book of Rotoscoped photographs of the band's emotions
5. the fifth, a book containing sachets of Jon and Andys' blood
6. lastly, a scratch and sniff booklet which reflects the key areas of human activity.

In the interim, the band just released a free three-track EP of unreleased material through the Guardian's website (download widget is in the right nav bar). The tracks consist of a reworked version of the classic "Glass" (from their debut album Entertainment), a brand new song ("Sleeper") and a remix of the Content track "I Party All the Time". Click over to the Guardian site as the band wrote a detailed overview/history of each of the three tracks.

Gang of Four is kicking off a North American tour in February and the local tour stop is at Webster Hall on Feb. 8th. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 DOS.

Gang of Four: North American Tour Dates
Feb. 4: Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON
Feb. 5: Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Feb. 7: Paradise, Boston, MA
Feb. 8: Webster Hall, New York, NY
Feb. 9: 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
Feb. 11: Metro, Chicago, IL
Feb. 12: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
Feb. 15: Venue, Vancouver, BC
Feb. 16: Showbox @ the Market, Seattle, WA
Feb. 17: Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
Feb. 19: The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
Feb. 20: House of Blues, Anaheim, CA
Feb. 21: Music Box, Los Angeles, CA

Links:
Gang of Four

Deerhunter: Live Video from Webster Hall, NYC 10/15/10

The folks at BAL continue to produce some impressive live videos. One of their latest is from Deerhunter's show at Webster Hall which took place earlier this month.

The video below captures the first three songs from their set: "Desire Lines", "Hazel Street" and "Never Stop". There is a second video on BAL's site (link above) which has the songs "Memory Boy", "Rainwater Cassette Exchange" and "Don't Cry".

Links:
Deerhunter

Hopewell Play Union Pool on Oct. 22nd // Nov. Tour with The Dandy Warhols // Live Album Out Nov. 2nd

Hopewell has been blending vintage fuzz pedal jams with their early space rock and shoegaze roots for over a decade. Their tumultuous canon is the perfect cinematic bridge between the psychedelia of ‘90s acts like Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev and the genre's new generation, including Dungen and Serena-Maneesh. 2010 finds Hopewell releasing their first live album to coincide with a North American tour alongside The Dandy Warhols. Using recordings culled from their epic three-night engagement at Truck Festival America in May 2010 and their 2009 performance at All Tomorrow's Parties NY, Hopewell Live Volume 1 is a snapshot of the present-day band: Atypically, Hopewell’s music becomes heavier and more abstract as the band gets older. The modern version has two drummers, often employs a choir and horns, and is infamous for bludgeoning audiences into stunned silence with its brilliantly strange and unpredictable psych-rock orchestration.

Live Volume 2, slated for early next year, is a retrospective gaze back to the joyful noise of yore. The long-time line-up of Jay Green, Tyson Lewis, Rich Meyer, Lyndon Roeller and Jason Russo revisits with apparent glee, its outsider pop songs perfected over years in dingy rehearsal spaces from Hopewell Junction, NY to Brooklyn. Hopewell Live Volume 1 celebrates a self-made career that exploded into collaboration with super-producer Dave Fridmann, a 2001 BBC Peel Session, touring the UK’s festival circuit, opening for My Bloody Valentine & being hand picked by the Flaming Lips for All Tomorrow’s Parties.

Hopewell Tour Dates
10/22 Union Pool - Brooklyn, NY (Tee Pee Records CMJ Showcase)

all following dates with The Dandy Warhols:
11/06 Webster Hall - New York, NY
11/07 Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA
11/09 Rams Head Live - Baltimore, MD
11/10 The Orange Peel - Asheville, NC
11/11 Center Stage - Atlanta, GA
11/13 Granada Theatre - Dallas, TX
11/14 End Of An Ear Records - Austin, TX
11/14 La Zona Rosa - Austin, TX

Links:
Hopewell