Austin band, Oh No Oh My were in town Saturday, playing a show at Mercury Lounge. Earlier in the day, they were at Soundfix Records in Williamsburg for a more intimate performance. The band showcased their delicious pop magic for roughly half an hour. The majority of the tunes played were off of their lovely
[ read more... ]

Be the first to comment on this post

Indie rock giants, Modest Mouse had the kids at McCarren Pool bopping when they played smash hit "Float On" on Saturday night. It's still weird to think that those crazy Kidz Bop people put a cover of that song one of their latest cds. It's one of the oddest things you can ever hear, so if you haven't, I strongly suggest checking it out.

As for Modest Mouse—Isaac Brock, Johnny Marr and co. rocked out for precisely an hour and half in front of the massive Brooklyn crowd. Nearly every song played was from their 2007 release We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. That seemed to please the crowd, much of which looked much too young to remember the pre-"Float On" days. Directly in the front row, it looked like the average age was 14. This is probably an exaggeration, but damn did they look young. At one point early into the set, Isaac Brock explained to the young crowd that getting there early and getting right up front may seem like a good idea, but the sound isn't set up for the front. With that said, the sound was great towards the back of the large abandoned pool. There were a few jokes about the pool, and Isaac joked about Kidz Bop, leading into "Float On." Longtime Modest Mouse fans were given a treat with the band's crazy, warped performance of "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes," during which Brock was at his most energetic, knocking over his mic stand and singing through his guitar (literally).

Continue reading "Modest Mouse Play Popular Kidz Bop Song At McCarren Pool"

Photos courtesy of Jonny-Leather
[ read more... ]

Be the first to comment on this post

Although I was tempted to venture across the river Saturday night to catch the local three-way headlined by Vampire Weekend, I just wasn’t feeling that ambitious. Fortunately Cloud Cult was playing at Bowery, so I could let my lazy flag fly and still see an impressive, multi-media affair.

Read full review here.

[ read more... ]

Be the first to comment on this post

While fans were at Webster Hall on Friday night  to see Editors, Ra Ra Riot opened the night like headliners. The young Syracuse band were full of energy, putting together a really impressive set in front of the small crowd were smart enough to show up early. Amazingly the band has recovered well after the tragic death of their talented drummer John Pike, and you can expect to keep hearing their name a lot over the next couple years, because they're destined for bigger things.

Ra Ra Riot was followed by Biffy Clyro who didn't really seem to fit the bill. Sounding somewhat like Foo Fighters and other '90s grunge rock, the band will soon be infiltrating alternative rock radio stations especially after playing gigs with bands like Queens of the Stone Age, Muse, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

By the time Editors took the stage, Webster Hall was finally looking crowded. Under moody blue lighting, the band played moody music, filled with more punch than what comes across on record. Songs sounded anthemic, building up to sonic skyscrapers while singer Tom Smith's oddly erratic motions added to their stage presence. The high point of their performance came during the encore with the thrilling performance of the band's single "Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors." Editors are just another example of a band whose albums, as good as they are, don't live up to their great live performances.

Continue reading "England's Editors Play Webster Hall"

Photos courtesy of Jonny-Leather
[ read more... ]

Be the first to comment on this post

Tuesday night was supposed to be opening night for Bowery Presents’ new Brooklyn venue, The Music Hall of Williamsburg, with Patti Smith performing the event. For a number of reasons, the opening event was postponed. A day later, Against Me headlined the first ever concert at the new venue.

While it was no longer the first ever concert at The Music Hall of Williamsburg, Thursday night’s Patti Smith concert was a proper christening for the place. Patti was in a very conversational mood, beginning the night with a hilarious story about the postponement of the opening and her discovery of the blogger universe. Smith had come across a long discussion thread about the cancellation on BrooklynVegan, and she wanted to clear up all of the rumors circulating, to make it known that it was George Bush’s fault. Patti Smith & Her Band seemed totally relaxed in front of the crowd that contained many longtime friends and fans starting off the music with a cover of Jefferson Airplane classic “White Rabbit.” Smith continued along for another couple hours, telling interesting stories and playing all of the classics from her incredible career. Minutes after professing her love for the opera, Smith dedicated a song to Luciano Pavarotti. CBGB founder Hilly Kristal would later receive his own song dedication. Throughout her energetic performance, Smith made fun of the carpet on the stage—the only real criticism that could be made about the amazing new space.

Continue reading "New Venue Opens, Patti Smith Criticizes Its Carpet"

Photos courtesy of Jonny-Leather
[ read more... ]

Be the first to comment on this post

If you woke up Tuesday morning and your ears were ringing, you were probably at the Dinosaur Jr concert at Webster Hall. That ringing in your ears is the sound of you ear cells dying. It’s pretty ironic how the presence of a sound lets you know you’re going deaf.

So basically, Dinosaur Jr still play deafeningly loud, even after all these years. Even with earplugs in, the sound was as loud as going without earplugs at a non-Dinosaur Jr concert. As I looked around me at all of the future hearing-aid users, I couldn’t help but wonder how anyone could show up to a Dinosaur Jr concert without earplugs. All these young fans seemed unaffected by the sheer volume pulsating through the speakers. Were they already deaf? Probably. Aside from being violently loud, J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph put on a solid show, playing plenty of their early material, that opened the doors for grunge, as well as songs from their wonderful new album, Beyond.

Continue reading “Are Your Ears Ringing?”

Photos courtesy of Jonny-Leather[ read more... ]

Be the first to comment on this post

After giving us free summer concerts every Friday night, all summer long, the South Street Seaport saved the best for last. Two of 2007's biggest names, Battles and Deerhunter shared the stage for one hell of a concert. Unlike other nights at the Seaport this year, it was not too hot, or humid, and bugs weren't all over the place.

Deerhunter was on first. The band has been getting a lot of press, as much for vocalist Bradford Cox' crazy antics as for their hypnotic rock sound. Cox, who is insanely thin, was all about the music on Friday night, as Deerhunter swept into a psychedelic daydream loaded with distortion. Even though they recently lost one of their guitarists, the band sounded incredibly full, and left a lasting impression on the crowd.

Following Deerhunter, Battles took the stage and immediately blew everyone's mind. Their well-calculated math rock displayed exactly why they are the future of rock. The combination of the band's superior technical skills with their creative use of electronics could sway music in a whole new direction. At the Seaport they miraculously recreatied their complex songs, creating layers of loops and seamlessly playing over them, all the while remaining energetic enough to have stage presence. Most impressive was drummer John Stanier's inhuman abilities on the kit, keeping a steady beat despite constant tempo and signature changes. Battles are yet another band that New York can be proud to call one of their own.

Thank you River 2 River and South Street Seaport for giving us all so many good concerts this summer. We can’t wait to see what you’ll bring us next year.

Click here to see more pictures of Battles and Deerhunter at South Street Seaport.

Photos courtesy of Jonny-Leather
[ read more... ]

Be the first to comment on this post

Last night was a beautiful night for an outdoor concert. Luckily enough, there was one going on at McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn. In support of headliner Feist, Grizzly Bear and Kevin Drew/Broken Social Scene set the mood for a relaxed evening. Within a very short set, Grizzly Bear was able to produce enough sunshiny ambiance to prove why they’ve been getting so much attention over the past year. It’s a shame much of the crowd had yet to arrive due to such an early start time.

Continue reading "Feist Names Her New Guitar "McCarren""

Photos courtesy of Jonny-Leather
[ read more... ]

Be the first to comment on this post

It almost has the feel of an O. Henry story. Nearly one year after Hilly Kristal, founder of CBGB, screwed up and let the club go under, the man himself dies at the age of 75.  Perhaps he couldn’t live without his storied punk club, and the prospect of moving it to Las Vegas wasn’t
[ read more... ]

Be the first to comment on this post

Somewhere in the underground of the New York indie rock scene there is a collection of un-hyped bands deserving of attention, along with formerly hyped bands that never blew up. Their shows, at the smaller and more lovable venues, are rarely crowded, but always worth the price of admission. It doesn’t matter if only 5 people show up, the band will continue on and play their songs with enough passion to still win over a new fan or two, even when the place seems empty. There will be a few off nights when the band starts to lose the desire, after being disheartened by their hard work and apparent lack of results, but the thrill of bringing their hard work to new people always seems to win. The Waylons are one of the little secrets of the indie underground. They don’t play jangly post-punk, and they don’t use over the top stage antics, so the blogger world hasn’t gobbled them up. What they do is write really great Americana/pop rock songs will draw comparisons to such greats as Simon & Garfunkel, Wilco, The Kinks, and Teenage Fanclub. Mercury Lounge hosted another fine performance by The Waylons on Monday night. The sound was crisp, and the band shined through a set highlighted the songs that made their debut album such a treasure (especially “Stunning” and “Twenty-Six”), and a few new songs that make it clear that the follow up will be just as enjoyable.

Click here to see more photos of The Waylons at Mercury Lounge.

Photos courtesy of Jonny-Leather
[ read more... ]

Be the first to comment on this post