Archive for the ‘concerts’ Category.

CMJ 2009: Boys Who Make Dancey Music

Catching up from last weekend — so many activities!

OCTOBER 22nd

Started the evening at the SPIN offices for a special rooftop performance by Portland, Oregon’s Hockey. Like The Rapture and The Virgins before them, these boys know how to get girls dancing. Love love love them. Find songs like “Work,” totally irresistible.

spin_hockey

spin_hockey02

spin_hockey03

Continue reading ‘CMJ 2009: Boys Who Make Dancey Music’ »

ATJF: CMJ Week – Late Night Lovin

Some FREE late night shows going on courtesy of After the Jump Fest at Cake Shop. Catch the remaining gigs:

atjafterhours

CMJ 2009: Ladies Rule the Night of Oct 21st

Yup yup, dab smack in the middle of this year’s CMJ. Music I saw on Day 2:

OCTOBER 21st

Hank and Cupcakes @ the Deli Magazine party at the Delancey

cmj09_hankcupcakes

Thoroughly enjoyed this Brooklyn-based duo. Dancey rock, and a great cover version of Joy Division’s “Control.”

Screaming Females
@ Mercury Lounge

cmj09_screamingfemales

There’s no doubt that the Screaming Females know how to rock out. The trio from New Brunswick, New Jersey, is fronted by the unstoppable Marissa Paternoster. The 22-year-old Paternoster has a distinctively ambiguous look. You can hardly tell if she’s 18 years old or 40 years old — a young boy or an old lady. I like to think of her as a mix of both Harold and Maude — a baby face with a boyish shaggy bowl haircut + an old lady chic wardrobe.

All looks aside, Paternoster can roll out some incredibly mean guitar solos, her small finger fingers flying up and down the fret boards with impressive speed. When she wails into her microphone, you can’t help but think that this little lady is a star.

ATJF at CMJ 2009

CMJ is upon us. Be sure to check out the After the Jump showcases going on this week:

ATJCMJ09logos

Upcoming Events: MGMT, Rushdie, and Dexter

NEW YORK
Salman Rushdie (!!!) teams up with Dregg for a special collaboration for SPIN.com’s Liner Notes event on October 1st. Proceeds to to Housing Works. Tickets are $25.

There are a crap-ton of events leading up to the Season 4 premiere of Showtime’s Dexter on September 27th. Definitely have to check out la casa de Dexter at the Metropolitan Home Showtime House at 415 Greenwich St. in Tribeca, and the blood slide portrait of ol’ Dex being shown at Grand Central terminal. There are also events in LA.

WASHINGTON, D.C.
Dan Deacon and MGMT are both playing free shows this coming weekend as part of Kia’s “Soul Collective”

MGMT play for free with The Drums and Amanda Blank the next weekend in Philly.

ATJF 2009: Day Two and Three @ Littlefield

Yes, it was last week, but here are the photos from days two and three of the third annual After the Jump Fest that happened at Littlefield.

There were some amazing performances by some great up-and-coming bands. My particular favorites were the brute and manly Wild Yaks (men playing ridiculously fast guitar-laden music, fueled by aggression, and probably some alcohol), the joyful Drink-up Buttercup (cheery, exuberant ditties peppered with the noisy clashes of garbage cans – would fit very nicely into an Apple commercial), and the daringGet Haunted (folky, bluegrassy sounds with an emphasis on the occult).

Wild Yaks
atjf_wildyaks

Drink-up Buttercup
atjf_buttercup
Continue reading ‘ATJF 2009: Day Two and Three @ Littlefield’ »

ATJF 2009: Day One @ Littlefield

Quick post before I head out to Day 2 of After the Jump Festival 2009 @ Littlefield near Park Slope, BKLYN.

Dinosaur Feathers last night were great:

atjf_dinosaurfeathers01

Photo: Dead Trees @ Cake Shop

Last Thursday (8/20), I went to go see The Dead Trees play at Cake Shop. It was a hot and sweaty mess down there, with the tiny spaced comfortably packed, and the band straight in from an epic gig with Little Joy in Brazil.

deadtrees_cakeshop

I swear, these guys play tunes I describe as “the greatest hits… you’ve never heard before.” Good times.

Another Reminder: After the Jump Fest Next Weekend!

Come hang out with us all day! Free Brooklyn Lager for the first hour each day!

Not to mention… A delicious food menu designed by former WD-50 chef, Scott Koshkoodi Live screenprinting by artist j.morrison from Space is the Place A GIANT hot pink elephant art installation by Snoozer Loser Organic and vegan bake sale by Jamie Cakes Plus other surprises throughout the weekend! *Added to the line-up is Helado Negro dj, The Octagon, Shark?, Captain Ahab and the Sea Crackens and Thing One Order your three day pass now, don’t miss out on anything! Pre-order for a discounted rate of $25 and one day passes for $10 (http://www.littlefieldnyc.com/upcoming-events/). Door is $30 and $12.

Special Thanks to our supporters: Brooklyn Brewery ASCAP CMJ’09 Goldest Egg

AFTER THE JUMP IS ORGANIZED BY: themusicslut . batteringroom . ryspace . irockiroll . merryswankster . softcommunication . musicisart . bumpershine .themodernage . productshopnyc . subinev . punkphoto . poptartssucktoasted . jinners . nyctaper

WITH HELP FROM: watercoolergossip . brooklynskiclub . radioexile . starkonline . wesleyverhoeve.com

Brendan Benson at SPINhouse Live 8/18/0

The latest special concert for the SPINhouse Live concert series took place on the mag’s Chinatown rooftop, probably much to the dismay of the building’s planners.

The weather was hot and muggy, but the tunes were delightful with Mr. Brendan Benson performing songs off his new album, My Old, Familiar Friend, as well as a ton of old favorites.

BB_3701_tma_site
All photos by Mike Vorrasi

Playing for nearly an hour, the crowd was definitely heavily rewarded for their patience and tolerance of the less than hospitable climate, with Brendan commenting on the sweltering temperatures by declaring, “Chinatown is hot!”

Indeed, indeed.

BB_3740_tma_site

See more photos by Vorrasi…
Continue reading ‘Brendan Benson at SPINhouse Live 8/18/0’ »