Celebrate the Return of HardNYC by Downloading This MP3
February 26th, 2010
(Photo: Sean O’Kane)
Last year’s HardNYC show at Terminal 5 was so crazy that you just had to figure they’d be back this year. And you were right: Boys Noize and Major Lazer with Buraka Som Sistema, Proxy and Destructo are returning to Terminal 5 on April 3rd. Some tickets still remain, but you can get your pregame started early by downloading this version of Major Lazer’s “Bruk Out” Destructo remix by Gary Richards (Destructo) here.
Punk Rock Hits Northern Jersey
February 25th, 2010Dropkick Murphys – The Wellmont Theatre – February 24, 2010
Last night, just two dates into their St. Patrick’s Day Tour 2010, Dropkick Murphys tore through The Wellmont Theatre, with Strung Out and Larry and His Flask supporting. Both Strung Out and Dropkick Murphys have been at it for more than a decade, and the veteran punk-rock lineup brought an exciting one-two punch to a sold-out crowd at a venue still new to hosting such shows.
Dropkick Murphys’ set began dark with a single light on Scruffy Wallace playing the bagpipes. But before long a fury of guitars exploded, led by Al Barr’s gruff and barreling voice. About five songs in, the band played a great run of “The Warrior’s Code,” “As One” and then “Buried Alive.” They later dove into yet another great run with “Forever,” “The Dirty Glass” and “Black Velvet Band.” Throughout the night, Barr ran feverishly from side to side of the stage, while his bandmates shared microphones behind him. Ending the set, Dropkick Murphys played “Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced”—a song for the ladies, dozens of whom climbed onstage to sing along—and the Bostonian anthem “I’m Shipping Up to Boston,” which saw many guys from the crowd join together with the band. —Kirsten Housel
Photos courtesy of Kirsten Housel
Rocky Votolato Returns to Mercury Lounge
February 25th, 2010Rocky Votolato – Mercury Lounge – February 24, 2010
Like scoring tickets to a Yankees’ World Series game or to see Lady Gaga at Radio City, winning a crowd’s attention at a New York City concert can be difficult. But sometimes all it takes is a few earnest solo musical acts, one of them being a storied and exceptional artist from Seattle.
Playing Mercury Lounge for the first time in four years—and just the second show since his sixth LP, True Devotion, came out this week—Rocky Votolato mixed a heavy dose of the new with some of the very old. Most of his songs (especially the newer ones) have a personal tilt to them, dealing with mental struggles and medicated solutions. Yet the warm, encompassing music was never as brooding as the songs’ lyrics. The section of songs off the new disc specifically made for a powerful experience, with hopeful and faithful songs like “Sun Devil” and charged, anthemic songs like “Red River” arresting the audience’s attention.
Once ramped up, the set quickly—but satisfyingly—ended with those in attendance showing Votolato what they had been holding back all night. When he played “Makers” (an anecdotal tune about time spent with Allen Ginsburg on the Lower East Side), concertgoers sounded somewhat prideful, as if they had adopted Votolato as their own, and their passionate attention was their welcoming present. —Sean O’Kane
Photos courtesy of Sean O’Kane | seanokanephoto.com
Two Sets of the Sadies on Saturday Night
February 24th, 2010
The Toronto-based quartet the Sadies—brothers Dallas and Travis Good (the sons of Bruce Good, who performed with his two siblings as the Good Brothers, Canada’s preeminent country-rock band in the ’70s) alongside drummer Mike Belitsky and bassist Sean Dean—have been putting out music since 1998. But their sound is a little hard to pin down because they cover so much musical terrain: bluegrass, rockabilly, surf music and psychedelic rock. Plus they’ve earned even wider appeal by recording an album with R&B legend Andre Williams, serving as the backing band for Neko Case and having an instrumental featured on Adult Swim’s 12. oz. Mouse. There’s a lot going on with this band, which is why they’re doing two sets when they play Mercury Lounge on Saturday. So check them out, above, playing “Anna Leigh,” and then double your pleasure in person this weekend.
Grow a Pair: Win Free Tickets to See Wild Beasts on 2/26 or 2/28
February 23rd, 2010
The English rockers Wild Beasts are coming to town this weekend for a sold-out show on Friday at The Bowery Ballroom and a Sunday appearance at Music Hall of Williamsburg (tickets are still available for that one). The House List wants you to see these guys so much that we’re offering two tickets to the show of the winner’s choice. Want to Grow a Pair? It’s easy. Just fill out the form below, listing your name, e-mail address, which show you’re trying to win tickets to (Wild Beasts, 2/26 or Wild Beasts, 2/28) and a brief message explaining why you are no longer afraid of wild beasts. Eddie Bruiser, who’s not afraid of dogs but doesn’t care for cats, will notify the winner on Friday.
Mark Seliger and Rusty Truck – Mercury Lounge – February 22, 2010
February 23rd, 2010
Don’t Miss Dawes the Next Time They’re in Town
February 22nd, 2010Dawes – The Bowery Ballroom – February 19, 2010
The L.A.-based quartet Dawes played a handful of NYC shows last year, all of them as openers. But on Friday night, serving as headliners, they sold out the venerable Bowery Ballroom. Much has been made of their musical roots and the precociousness of their debut album, North Hills—most often mentioning Americana and alt-country, or comparing their sound to that which has come out of the legendary rock and roll neighborhood Laurel Canyon, comparing their evocative lyrics to those of the Band and comparing their harmonies to those of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Instead, though, let’s just go with this: If Dawes were a van, there’d be a DON’T COME A KNOCKIN’ sticker on the back bumper ’cause this band rocks.
The group is led by its 24-year-old frontman, Taylor Goldsmith, who has serious pipes, dexterous guitar skills and exuberance and stage presence to spare. (Plus, he resembles a beardless Charlie Day.) And although he sings and rips it on guitar, the rest of the band—Wylie Gelber on bass, Griffin Goldmsith (Taylor’s 19-year-old brother) on drums and Alex Casnoff on keys—is just as talented. The show began with a mellow one-two punch of “When You Call My Name” and “Give Me Time” before Taylor happily addressed the crowd: “Last February, we were the first of three bands to play here. And look at us now!”
But something special about this band is how easily they move from a slow song, like the harmonious new tune “So Well” to an upbeat one, like “My Girl to Me,” which really comes to rocking life onstage. Of course, the high point of the night was probably the band’s set closer, the anthem “When My Time Comes,” which inspired the most rousing, fist-pumping sing-along The Bowery Ballroom has seen in quite some time. That moment would have been a fitting end to the show. But this was Friday night in New York City, and the headlining Dawes didn’t disappoint with their two-song encore—a pitch-perfect take on Warren Zevon’s resplendent “Lawyers, Guns and Money” and a dreamy, swirling, jammed-out “Peace in the Valley.” It made for one hell of a Friday night. —R. Zizmor
Photos courtesy of Gregg Greenwood | www.gregggreenwood.com
Reinterpreting the Girl-Group Sound
February 22nd, 2010Dum Dum Girls – Mercury Lounge – February 21, 2010
Dum Dum Girls are the handiwork of Kristin Gundred, a.k.a. Dee Dee, and they sound like a West Coast answer to the fuzzed-out pop of the Vivian Girls. After the breakup of Grand Ole Party, Dee Dee returned to her roots to write catchy low-fi guitar pop that was “obsessed with a big chorus. I want everything to sound like a single.” Sounding like the stepdaughters of the Raveonettes—or the original bad girls, the Shangri-Las—Dum Dum Girls have even gone to the length of working with Richard Gottehrer, the man behind the ’60s girl group the Angels’ No. 1 hit, “My Boyfriend’s Back,” for their new album, I Will Be.
Like with the openers, Frankie Rose and the Outs, Dum Dum Girls’ sound is a departure from their classic girl-group garage counterparts. Dum Dum Girls have clearly adopted the idea that less fidelity is more aesthetic on their Captured Tracks EP, favoring a sonic wall of jangly guitar and distorted-harmony vocals that are best served loud.
Last night at Mercury Lounge, Dee Dee belted out her mix of subversion and sugary harmonies on her new single, “Jail La La,” dressed in an ironic, black, huge-sleeved prom dress. “Play with Fire,” a Rolling Stones cover, was reinterpreted by the dressed-in-black quartet, a calculated facade in direct opposition to the candied sweetness of the echo-heavy choir sound. The pairing with Frankie Rose’s new solo project was the perfect lineup. Besides Ms. Rose being a part of both groups, it’s proof there are endless inspired variations in reinterpreting the girl-group garage sound. —Jason Dean
Photos courtesy of Jennifer Macchiarelli | www.jennylow.com
Editors Finally Return to NYC
February 22nd, 2010Editors – Terminal 5 – February 19, 2010
After a two-year absence from playing in New York City, Editors returned to Terminal 5 on Friday night with a great set and a ton of passion. Following two stellar opening performances by the Dig and the Antlers, lead singer Tom Smith warmed the crowd with a sharp, nearly totally instrumental opening song. When moving to the second song, “Lights,” he laughed off how out of tune his guitar was, grabbing another from his tech. And as they jaunted through their set, it was easy to tell just how focused they were on pleasing the crowd, something that went over well with the packed house.
Their music, familiar to most New Yorkers, thanks to the presence of hometown rockers like Interpol, had the crowd’s attention for the entire hour-and-a-half set. Drummer Ed Lay mixed in heavy doses of a drum machine with his actual drumming, strengthening the band’s modern take on the ’80s Brit-rock sound that borrowed heavily from bands like Joy Division and the Cure. Smith never stayed static, even while at his piano, switching microphones and never giving the crowd the same look twice from song to song. Still doing all they could to please by the end, Editors finished their set with the hit “Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors,” and then taking their encore past the posted 11:00 p.m. curfew. —Sean O’Kane
Photos courtesy of Jennifer Macchiarelli | www.jennylow.com
Crystal Stilts Earn Their Indie Stripes
February 22nd, 2010Crystal Stilts – Music Hall of Williamsburg – February 20, 2010
(Photo: Jared Levy)
Indie is an expansive term. Originally meant to denote an artist’s or band’s independent status from the major record labels, the word is now a catchall for musical otherness. Alternative rappers, punk rockers and electronic pioneers all receive indie branding at the semantic convenience of music journalists, fans and industry types. While some bemoan the use and abuse of the term, others claim victory for the growth of the genre. However, among the clusters of emerging pop-based acts, some bands deserve proto-indie status, and Crystal Stilts should be considered among them.
The Velvet Underground and Joy Division are godfathers of independent music. The fact that Crystal Stilts draw comparisons to both of them speaks to their authenticity. In 2008 the group released its heralded debut album, Alight of Night. Since then they have toured extensively and released a couple of excellent 7″ records. On Saturday night at Music Hall of Williamsburg, a crowded bill featuring German Measles, Beach Fossils, Christmas Island and the Beets joined Crystal Stilts for an extended night of lo-fi rock.
When Crystal Stilts went on around midnight, a Saturday night of music had already occurred. As the headliner set up, the crowd began to swell and the excitement grew considerably. Harkening to their punk influence, the band stoically performed their short, distortion-heavy tunes. While I overheard one fan remark that “this crowd needs to dance,” he neglected to notice the core of fans front and center grooving from the neck up. The band’s set list, while short, included new songs and closed with the quick, dirty and eminently catchy “Love Is a Wave.” In an era when everyone claims to be indie, it is refreshing to experience a band worthy of the classification. —Jared Levy
Dawes: A View
February 18th, 2010
Originally, this was intended to be a preview for Dawes, the young L.A.-based band with a terrific debut album, North Hills (complete with tightly written songs, quality harmonies and some good old-fashioned guitar love), and even better live show, headlining The Bowery Ballroom tonight for the very first time—with Corey Chisel & the Wandering Sons and Jason Boesel. But it seems unfair to preview a show that’s already sold out. And a review of tonight’s show is, quite frankly, a bit premature since it hasn’t happened yet. So, instead of a preview or a review, think of this as just a view: Check out Dawes, above, playing the sure-to-get-stuck-in-your-head “When My Time Comes” and, below, covering the Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends.” And then you’ll know that the next time Dawes comes to town you shouldn’t be so slow in deciding to get a ticket because, seriously, these guys kick ass.
Lush Music at The Bowery
February 18th, 2010Daniel Lanois’ Black Dub – The Bowery Ballroom – February 17, 2010
While Daniel Lanois and Black Dub played The Bowery Ballroom last night, they were filmed by a cameraman roving around the stage with the images projected onto a giant screen behind them. The black-and-white video gave the effect of watching a documentary film about the concert while it was actually going on—a shaky-cam, true-to-life rendering in real time. It had a nice enhancing effect on the music, a jagged, emotional set of Lanois’ unique dreamlike pop.
The first group of songs was dominated by Trixie Whitley’s vocals. If ever lyrics were belted out, these were. Whitley proved to be more than just a pretty face and a powerful voice as she moved throughout the night from a second drum kit to rhythm guitar and to keys, meshing quite well with Lanois. The real power behind the band came from the rhythm section, particularly Brian Blade on drums, who was the ever-churning, rumbling fuel to the fire. His energy, intensity and insanely proficient chops set the tone for each song. Occasionally the camera would get behind Blade and give a first-person view of what it’s like to make a drum kit bend to your will—a true moment of cinema verité.
Lanois led his band expertly, following the initial Whitley-lead section with an absolutely gorgeous pedal-steel instrumental duet with Blade. It wouldn’t be a Daniel Lanois show without some superlative, haunting pedal steel and he delivered here: The music filled The Bowery, sounding like it was coming from behind and above, like some heavenly music. For the rest of the time, Lanois played straight-up guitar, and the highlights came toward the end of the set with wonderfully drawn out, heavy versions of “The Maker” and “Ring the Alarm.” —A. Stein
Photos courtesy of Greg Notch | photography.notch.org/music
Win Tickets to Tomorrow Night’s Editors Show
February 18th, 2010
The post-punk UK band Editors—singer-guitarist Tom Smith, guitarist Chris Urbanowicz, bassist Russell Leetch and drummer Ed Lay—released their first album, The Back Room, in 2005. The buzz from that earned them appearances at Coachella and Lollapalooza the following year. The band’s second disc, An End Has a Start, released in 2007, went platinum in the UK the very day it was released. Not wanting to rest on their laurels, the guys in Editors (above, playing “Papillon” on Later…with Jools Holland) opted to take their sound in a different direction in choosing to use synthesizers on 2009’s In This Light and on This Evening rather than sticking with the dark guitar rock they’d employed on their previous two albums. But you can judge which style you like best when Editors (with the Antlers and the Dig) play Terminal 5 tomorrow night.
Want to go but don’t have tickets? Then try to win two from The House List. Just fill out the form below, listing your name, e-mail address, which show you’re to win tickets to (Editors, 2/19) and a brief message explaining which Winter Olympic sport is your favorite and why. Eddie Bruiser, who does not care for figure skating, will notify the winner tomorrow. Good luck.
Shake It with Dan Black Tomorrow Night
February 17th, 2010Dan Black is a multitalented electronica musician at the forefront of Wonky Pop. He sang and played guitar with the Servant until they disbanded in 2007, and he’s also sung with the Italian electronic-dance group Planet Funk. But he began to gain more attention a couple of years ago when he moved into solo work. He first found success with “HYPNTZ”—mixing lyrics from Biggie Smalls’ “Hypnotize” over a sample of Rihanna’s “Umbrella”—and then later with the singles “Alone” and “Yours.” And just two days ago, Black’s debut album, UN, finally came out in the U.S. Which, of course, brings us to the point: Dan Black (above, playing “Symphonies” on the French show Le Grand Journal) plays Mercury Lounge tomorrow night. You should be there.
