boston area shows of note: sunday, september 7th ryan adams & the cardinals @ the bank of america pavilion monday, september 8th mates of state the cool kids tim fite (free, but students only) 5:30pm @ northeastern university tuesday, september 9th paul weller @ the berklee performance center wednesday, september 10th 'what the fluff?' fest comic book art exhibit opening somerville community access tv 5-8pm, 90 union square, somerville friday, september 12th mission of burma in-store performance 7pm @ newbury comics, newbury st. friday, september 12th buffalo tom @ the boston arts festival 6pm @ christopher columbus park saturday, september 13th rogue wave (in-store) @ newbury comics grand opening 8:30pm in norwood, ma saturday, september 13th wfnx disorientation 2008 the kooks, flogging molly, alkaline trio, rogue wave, and more to be announced @ bank of america pavilion sunday, september 14th juliana hatfield (full band) hayden @ the brattle theatre sunday, september 14th lymbyc systym this will destroy you arms and sleepers @ harper's ferry sunday & monday september 14th & 15th james unkle bob @ the paradise monday, september 15th lagwagon, mxpx, only crime, & tat @ harper's ferry monday, september 15th sunset rubdown @ the middle east tuesday, september 16th a place to bury strangers sian alice group neptune @ the paradise thursday, september 18th bell x1 wild light @ the paradise thursday, september 18th the walkmen @ the middle east downstairs friday, september 19th sigur ros @ the bank of america pavilion friday, september 19th the swell season ('once'/frames) bill callahan (smog) @ agganis arena friday, september 19th to sunday, september 21st all tomorrow's parties with my bloody valentine, low built to spill, mogwai, shellac, polvo, yo la tengo, lilys, autolux dinosaur jr, mercury rev, & more @ the catskills in nyc saturday, september 20th mike viola (solo) (1st of 3 weekly residencies) with guest blue and their band, the major labels @ the lizard lounge saturday, september 20th noah & the whale @ toad sunday, september 21st the low lows magic magic ryan lee crosby @ tt the bears monday, september 22nd wye oak @ cafe 939 @ berklee monday, september 22nd the broken west @ the middle east monday, september 22nd oxford collapse love as laughter takka takka @ tt the bears monday, september 22nd mogwai fuck buttons @ the wilbur theatre tuesday, september 23rd writer dennis lehane (release day for 'the given day') @ the coolidge corner theatre tuesday, september 23rd weezer angels & airwaves tokyo police club @ the tsongas arena tuesday, september 23rd cut copy the presets @ the paradise wednesday, september 24th joan as policewoman @ the middle east wednesday, september 24th low tulsa @ the museum of fine arts boston wednesday, september 24th gemma hayes sydney wayser @ great scott friday, september 26th ben folds missy higgins @ the orpheum saturday, september 27th mike viola (solo) (2nd of 3 weekly residencies) @ the lizard lounge saturday, september 27th julie doiron mount eerie calm down, it's monday @ massart saturday, september 27th built to spill performing 'perfect from now on' dinosaur jr. meat puppets @ the orpheum sunday, september 28th the bird and the bee willoughby @ great scott sunday and monday september 28th and 29th ratatat panther e*rock @ the paradise tuesday, september 30th boston spaceships (gbv's robert pollard) big dipper @ the paradise tuesday, september 30th say hi jukebox the ghost @ the middle east wednesday, october 1st chromeo treasure fingers @ the paradise thursday & friday october 2nd & 3rd baltimore round robin 29 bands playing in a circle, non-stop, one song at a time, with you in the very center with dan deacon, beach house, creepers, the death set, adventure, and everyone listed here @ mass art friday, october 3rd death cab for cutie @ agganis arena friday, october 3rd the fratellis airborne toxic event electric touch @ the orpheum saturday, october 4th mike viola @ friends (3rd of 3 weekly residencies) @ the lizard lounge sunday, october 5th old 97s @ the wilbur theatre sunday, october 5th pinback sbach @ the paradise monday, october 6th the wedding present the jealous girlfriends @ the middle east downstairs monday, october 6th fleet foxes frank fairfield @ the somerville theatre monday, october 6th stereolab le loup monade @ the paradise tuesday, october 7th liam finn the veils @ the paradise wednesday, october 8th lucinda williams @ the orpheum wednesday, october 8th the opening night of carrie fisher's one woman show 'wishful drinking' @ the huntington theater (bu) wednesday, october 8th allison moyet @ the wilbur theatre wednesday, october 8th wire @ the middle east downstairs thursday, october 9th chuck ragan (of hot water music) ben nichols (of lucero) tim barry (of avail) with guest jesse malin @ the middle east saturday, october 11th les savy fav passion pit @ the middle east saturday, october 11th the feelies @ the roxy sunday, october 12th the residents @ showcase live, foxboro sunday, october 12th the notwist @ the roxy sunday, october 12th jamie lidell janelle monae @ the paradise sunday, october 12th against me! ted leo & the pharmacists the future of the left @ the wilbur theatre monday, october 13th tv on the radio the dirtbombs @ the wilbur theatre tuesday, october 14th cold war kids @ the paradise thursday, october 16th ben kweller whitley @ the paradise thursday, october 16th jonatha brooke glen phillips (from toad the wet sprocket) @ the wilbur theatre friday, october 17th hallelujah the hills wonderful spells capstan shafts needy visions @ tt the bears friday, october 17th jonathan richman with drummer tommy larkin @ the somerville theatre saturday, october 18th asobi seksu the broken river prophet @ the middle east saturday, october 18th ra ra riot walter meego the morning benders @ the middle east sunday, october 19th the spinto band frightened rabbit @ the middle east monday, october 20th magnetic morning (adam swervedriver & sam interpol) julie ocean springhouse (w/jack rabid) @ great scott tuesday, october 21st minus the bear annuals sylvie @ the wilbur theatre tuesday & wednesday october 21st & 22nd billy bragg @ the somerville theatre wednesday, october 22nd yeasayer @ the paradise wednesday, october 22nd lyle lovett & john hiatt (acoustic, on stage together) @ the orpheum thursday, october 23rd lykke li @ the paradise thursday, october 23rd deerhoof experimental dental school @ the middle east down friday, october 24th fujiya & miyagi prototypes @ the paradise sunday, october 26th scars on broadway the duke spirit @ the paradise sunday, october 26th broken social scene land of talk @ the wilbur theatre monday, october 27th matthew sweet @ the paradise wednesday, october 29th legendary pink dots @ the middle east down thursday, october 30th of montreal @ the orpheum friday, october 31st hotel cafe tour with rachael yamagata, meiko, thao nguyen, samanatha crain, and jenny owen youngs @ the paradise friday, october 31st the rumble strips birdmonster @ tt the bears friday, october 31st david byrne performing the songs of byrne & eno @ the wang center saturday, november 1st henry rollins (spoken word) @ the orpheum monday, november 3rd matt and kim best fwends @ the middle east monday, november 3rd coldplay @ the td banknorth garden wednesday, november 5th conor oberst + the mystic valley band @ the roxy thursday, november 6th the decemberists loche lamond @ the orpheum friday, november 7th "my name is bruce" area theatrical premiere with director/star bruce campbell @ a boston-area theatre (tbd) sunday, november 9th the hold steady drive-by truckers @ the orpheum tuesday, november 11th deerhunter times new viking the vivian girls @ the paradise wednesday, november 12th the sea and cake @ the middle east down wednesday, november 12th kings of leon we are scientists the whigs @ the orpheum thursday, november 13th nicole atkins & the sea salt & samovar @ tt the bears thursday, november 13th scarce (cd release!) wheat triplethick @ tt the bears tuesday, november 18th m83 school of seven bells @ the middle east down thursday, november 20th bishop allen @ the middle east friday, november 21st robyn hitchcock performing 'i often dream of trains' @ the somerville theatre saturday, december 13th neil young wilco @ the dcu center, worcester visit tourfilter for more shows |
Thursday, April 12, 2007 Thursday Music Miscellany My weekly catch-all post of music-related linky randomness, with some national bits and some Boston-area show news. ![]() Touch & Go Records continues their weekly sharing of fantastic video featurettes on the bands and their performances from last fall's 25th Anniversary celebration in Chicago, and last week was my favorite so far: Arcwelder. The modest men are interviewed, and you get to see their killer performance of set-closer "Cranberry Sauce" in its entirety. Gave me goosebumps, once again. And not only is Shellac's Todd Trainer a brilliant drummer, he's a very wise man. Watch the clip and you'll understand. ![]() Random meeting of the off-kilter minds: Comedian Eugene Mirman interviews Robyn Hitchcock. And yes, I'm still a little bitter about missing Robyn's show a couple weeks back. ![]() Also with the slightly bitter: the fact that the Wedding Present's planned October tour commemorating the 20th anniversary of the release their debut album, "George Best", will come nowhere near American shores. Yeah, yeah, I know the whole point of the thing is to re-visit the places they played on that album's original tour, but, but... sigh. Between the Weddoes' performance of that entire disc from start to finish and the House of Love doing the same for their debut album in London in September (as part of the Don't Look Back series), I've got some serious continent-envy. ![]() To coincide with that special full-album performance, the House of Love will be re-releasing that stellar 1988 self-titled Creation Records debut in September, along with a long-unavailable collection of early singles and rare tracks, which gets expanded slightly. More details here. Pretty sure I've got all those cuts on their original pressings, but the re-issues should be much appreciated by those who missed out the first time around. ![]() Also getting a re-release, courtesy of the Hi-Speed Soul label: Nada Surf's 1996 "Karmic" EP. As someone who considers their "Let Go" one of the most solid indie-rock albums of the last 5 years, I'm looking forward to hearing this early pre-Popular work. The re-issue arrives in June, and the band's fifth full-length should follow this fall. ![]() Waitaminute... Team Dresch is working on new songs? Yes, please. ![]() Tanya Donelly's latest album, the gorgeous (but isn't she always) "This Hungry Life", was recorded live in front of an adoring audience up in Vermont, and T has graciously uploaded all the songs that were performed but not included on the disc. As she says, the mixes of these extra songs "...are not wonderful, and unlike THL, this is just a straightforward, stripped-down, warts-and-all live set", so she asks that you not put any donations in the digital tip jar (top of page). Regardless, just pretend you're donating for all those demos she shared a few months back. Or just because she deserves it in general. ![]() Via Billboard, Perennial Boston boys Buffalo Tom have announced the official release date of their long-awaited next full-length: The 13-track "Three Easy Pieces" will be out on July 10th through the new Ammal Records imprint. From the new songs they've been playing live over the past couple years, it should be a good 'un. ![]() American Laundromat Records has announced the first two artists taking part in their planned Pixies tribute disc, "Dig For Fire": Mogwai doing "Gouge Away", and the Rosebuds doing "Break My Body" (which they chose after another band claimed "Caribou" first). If they keep announcing covers of that caliber, I'll be pre-ordering that sucker as soon as it's possible. Oh, who am I kidding... they had me at "Mogwai". ![]() As followers of Matt Pond PA wait for news of their next album ("Last Night", hopefully in the fall?), the band will kill some time by releasing a limited EP this summer titled "If You Want Blood". No word if they're pulling a Kozelek by covering the original AC/DC song as the title track, though. The band is also killing time by, well, starting a whole new band: The Dark Leaves. They've got four Fawn-centric songs up on their MySpace page already, so MPPA fans should get befriending. ![]() Been meaning to mention these guys for a very long time, but have been waiting for an occasion. Well, enough waiting, I'm just gonna share: The Answer Is Fall (or e.g.?) is a Brooklyn-based band with some swell songs up on their MySpace page. You likely haven't heard of them because they've been gestating for awhile now, trying to steady their lineup (bassist Steve Choo has switched to guitar, so the band was looking for a bassist), as well as their band name (it's changed once, and may yet change again), but the shared songs promise good things once they get up and running. They promise new material and live shows "in the near future", and I do hope that near is near. ![]() The First Act Guitar Studio here in Boston has been hosting acoustic sessions by some decent (and some, uh, not so decent) bands for awhile now, but has only recently started hooking up with Volkswagen to share select mp3 recordings of those sets on the web. The corporate co-venture (which also includes the Phoenix & WFNX) comes together in something called the VW Green Room, where you can find recent performances from Bloc Party and Silversun Pickups. I'll link a couple of the shared songs here, but for the rest, head here and here, and scroll to the bottom of each page. ![]() Former recluse and overall musical oddball Jandek is coming to Boston this summer, on Friday, June 8th, at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, to be exact. And he'll be playing bass in the band that he's bringing with him. I've heard lots of differing reactions to live shows he's been doing since coming out of hiding in 2004, after over 25 years of releasing dozens of albums. Some have said the performances were magical, others have wished the guy remained in hiding, that the cloud of mystery was better left alone. Either way, this will be a bona fide sell-out event, one of those things that maybe you should experience just once if not again. To do so, grab tickets on April 30th right here, or if you're already an ICA member, you can get them early this Tuesday, the 17th. Thanks to the ICA and the Critique of Pure Reason for setting this one up. ![]() My old friend and bandmate (and one of the most talented guys I know), Jedd Kettler, is in a Vermont-based band called Farm (as opposed to "the farm"... I think Jedd would sooner jump off the "groovy train"), who I only now just discovered have a MySpace page with four downloadable songs, and a full-length album on the way titled "Gray Birds". One of those four songs, "Boomtown" (which happens to be my fave), can be found on a new disc of Vermont artists that was put together for VT's Otter Creek Brewing Company by the folks at Animalville Records. It's simply titled the "Vermont Sampler 2007", and in addition to being offered in limited edition with a certain number of Otter Creek 12-packs, you can get one sent to you free of charge by emailing Otter Creek (details here). Just did that myself, and it's on the way. Can't vouch for the other bands on the collection, but I'm looking forward to having "Boomtown" on disc. ![]() Do I really want to cram myself into a crowded Urban Outfitters to see Dinosaur Jr. play an in-store? I'll have to make that decision before June 11th, when they'll be at the store's Harvard Square location in Cambridge, MA. It's part of some random 'synergistic' series of gigs called "Free Yr. Radio" that Toyota's Yaris marketing team and U.O. have come up with, and they're linking each show to a nearby independent radio station (this Boston-area appearance is a benefit for Emerson College's WERS). The series kicks off in a couple days with Klaxons in Chicago, and other bands involved include The Ponys (April 24th), Voxtrot (April 28th), The Long Winters (May 1st), Annuals (May 9th), Man Man (May 19th), the Rapture (May 21st), Rogue Wave (May 25th), and Tapes 'n Tapes (June 5th). Full details here (via clicky clicky). ![]() In the "timing is everything" department: On Friday, June 29th I'll be driving up to Vermont for the weekend in order to be part of my *cough*th anniversary high school reunion, the first I've ever ![]() And for Boston area fans: Tickets for Low & Wilco on our waterfront at the Bank of America Pavilion on Thursday, June 28th will go on sale this Monday, April 16th at 10am, via Ticketmaster. Have your browsers ready and your fingers on your mice. ![]() Another Boston show you must be made aware of, not just for the lineup, but for the cause: A benefit for one of my favorite area makers of music, Victory at Sea's Mona Elliott, on June 16th at PA's Lounge in Somerville. Her friends are pulling together to help with some unexpected medical bills, and if the world works the way it's supposed to, the show should be packed. So far the wonderfully fierce Black Helicopter and the fiercely wonderful Seana Carmody are taking part, but I'm sure more great bands will be added. So mark that date on your calendar and send your healing thoughts Mona's way. ![]() Tonight, here in Boston: French Kicks are headlining a strong bill at Allston's Great Scott that includes Wonderful Spells, the Subjects, and Mike Fiore of Faces on Film. With the show approaching, I realized I neglected to share the French Kicks songs that I recorded last summer when they opened for the Futureheads at the Paradise. So here they are... Mp3: French Kicks - "Keep It Amazed" (live) Mp3: French Kicks - "England Just Will Not Let You Recover" (live) Mp3: French Kicks - "No Mean Time" (live) Mp3: French Kicks - "Also-Ran" (live) all songs live at the Paradise, Boston, July 1st, 2006 ![]() Blog Fresh Radio asked me to make my second spoken contribution to their online podcast, which can be downloaded or streamed from their site. The relatively new program invites bloggers to introduce a song by a band they're into, and this week you won't be surprised to hear me gush about Ted Leo and the track "La Costa Brava" off his new record. Feels like I rambled nearly as long as the song that follows. ![]() I was glad to see music blog Speed of Dark included in this new episode as well, not only because I'm a SoD fan, but because they brought attention to a band I'm really digging right now, Seattle's Siberian. The song "Paper Birds" appears in the show, and here's another one from the Sonic Boom label site... Check out Siberian's MySpace page for more, or visit their Sonic Boom page. ![]() I can't remember the last time I spun music for a crowd... it can't have been as far back as my college dj days at WRUV, can it? But I'll get the chance again soon thanks to Chris over at Tourfilter. He's kindly asked me to be part of the second official Tourfilter DJ night at my favorite bar, River Gods in Cambridge. We'll be playing songs from bands that are coming to town soon (check out the list to the left to get an idea of my playlist), and I'm kicking off the evening at 9 o'clock. So come by early, partake of some fine food & beverages, and heckle me up in the dj window. ![]() Speaking of Tourfilter, major congrats on their nomination for a 2007 People's Voice Webby Award. They're up against some big guns like BBC Radio 1 and Last.fm, so head over there and vote if you're a TF fan. Check in the Media section under Music. ![]() Tomorrow night, Bostonians: Your presence is required at the Paradise for Caspian's official cd release show. As I've mentioned too many times now, they're excellent debut full-length, "The Four Trees", came out this week, so the time has come to celebrate. And celebrate they shall, with openers On Fire and Constants. Doors at 8pm, see ya there. A nice write-up to get you in the mood: Caspian in this week's Phoenix. ![]() So, yeah, nice article in the Boston Globe last weekend about me and the Almanac, along with the fine folks from Band in Boston. Thanks very much to everyone who sent congrats in comments and emails (and yes, I'm still buried in correspondence and new MySpace friend requests). While my irrepressible modesty finds that kind of focus a little uncomfortable, the most remarkable part of the write-up was that I didn't hate the photo they used. And y'know, there's nothing to make you feel more inconsequential in the big scheme than discovering that the photographer was recently in Iraq taking beautiful pictures of a living nightmare. That'll give you some perspective, right there. Real nice guy, though, and I'll be thinking of him when he heads back over. Meanwhile, I'll be right here. Writing about, uh, music and stuff. $blog_id=7278656055412087236; $blog_mail="bsearles@gmail.com"; $file_name=$PHP_SELF; global $blog_id, $blog_mail, $file_name; include ("blogkomm/module/blogkomm_show_link.php"); ?> |
recent posts on the 'nac...
latest comments... on the mp3 player on the screen on the nightstand
other boston-area music blogs
boston music media boston live show info music blogroll
music audiocasts surf-worthy
frequent haunts boston-centric
( < | > random list ) some cele-bloggers |