This Devo-Inspired art show at 3rd Ward looks even more spectacular than it sounded. Awesome lens-lady Maro went and documented the Saturday opening, including a few amazing Devo tattoos for your groggy Monday-morning haze. All sorts more photos here and here.
Michael Pilmer of mutatovisual.com, representing the visual art of Mark Mothersbaugh
Greenpoint club-cum-sweat-factory Studio B opened its vaguely controversial rooftop on Friday night. Nate "Igor" Smith went and took photos for your Monday-morning ogling pleasure.
Brazilian Girls in their dressing room
Half of Chester French
Brazilian Girls frontgirl Sabina Sciubba
Half of Chester French, Boston's version of Vampire Weekend
"The security guys kept pulling Jack White off of Vampire Weekend lead singer Ezra Koenig, but White kept coming, veins popping, eyes way gone and spiraling, guitar sound set to “pummel,” prowling on the main stage of the 2008 Coachella Valley Art and Music Festival in Indio, California. He absolutely ruined Koenig's pink shorts - and on day one, no less. . . 'Cape Cod my ass,' White seemed to say" [Randall Roberts, LA Weekly]
Richard Ashcroft from the Verve
Sharon Jones
"When Jones started doing her West African ancestor's dance, half of us melted and the other half promised that we'd live betters lives from here on out. Vampire Weekend seemed like a little gnat next to this; maybe they should go whole hog and form a barbershop quartet instead." [Randall Roberts, LA Weekly]
Portishead
"I saw Portishead. Neener-neener-neener!" [Tricia Romano taunting SOC's sorry East Coast ass via IM]
They never got the chance to bond. “It was the kind of thing where you would pass someone in the hallway. Dude was basically in and out of regular school, anyway." [Boston Phoenix]
Now enjoy these nifty pictures by Rebecca Smeyne from Mr. Reatard's set last night at the Bowery Ballroom. And note that he's also playing Europa tonight with Golden Error and the Octagon. Go and get punched in the face!
Posted by Camille Dodero at 3:09 PM, April 21, 2008
Monotonix
Cake Shop
April 20
photos by Rebecca Smeyne
First up, Dark Meat, a multi-headed psych-rock mutant that’s a cross between tent revival and bad acid trip, a big and brassy 17-member typhoon lighting up a venue that holds, like, 100 people. No less daunting are Israeli dirt-punx Monotonix, who rant and wail like Extreme Blues Explosion, assaulting audiences with flaming drums, arcing ropes of beer, and loads of too-close-for-comfort sweating. — CHRISTOPHER WEINGARTEN
The Constantines
Southpaw
Saturday, April 19
photos by Rebecca Smeyne
"Kensington Heights, like its predecessor, isn't as fiery as the best moments on the band's inconsistent breakthrough, 2003's Shine a Light, but the Constantines still deliver bedrock strength and eternal-flame passion." [Ian Mathers, this week's Voice]
Posted by John E. Coli Nikolai at 10:46 AM, April 8, 2008
Carbon/Silicon
Matt Pond PA
Irving Plaza
Friday, April 4
photos and text by John Nikolai full gallery here
Carbon/Silicon are the legendary Mick Jones (formerly of the Clash and Big Audio Dynamite) and Tony James (formerly of Generation X, Sigue Sigue Sputnik and Sisters of Mercy), plus bassist Leo “EezyKill” Williams and drummer Dominic Greensmith. Playing on Friday, April 4th at The Fillmore New York @ Irving Plaza, Carbon/Silicon couldn't have been better.
Set list.
No one seemed to mind that the band’s set didn’t contain a single cover of a song by Generation X or The Clash, though “Police and Thieves,” a song by Junior Murvin that The Clash covered, made it into the encore. (Though it's not listed ^up there).
Despite the band’s most impressive family tree and the fact that Carbon/Silicon has been around for five or six years already, seems like many of Jones’ and James’ old fans are only learning about the band’s existence now.
At one point during the set, there was some kind of minor technical problem that was delaying the band from starting their next song. Mick Jones, veteran entertainer that he is, decided to keep the audience engaged by telling a joke. A man goes to see a doctor because he has a problem. He thinks that he's a moth. "Well," the doctor tells him, "I think I need to refer you to someone else. What you need is a psychiatrist." The man replies, "I know that. But I was going by your office and was drawn here because I saw your light on. . ."
Opener Matt Pond onstage
Matt Pond after the show. As this picture was taken, he told his photographer not to write anything bad about his band as they'd already had a difficult day in the press.
Posted by Camille Dodero at 4:24 AM, April 2, 2008
Dan Deacon holding hands with his friends
Dan Deacon, Health, Black Pus
Market Hotel
Tuesday, April 1
photos by Rebecca Smeyne
Pretty sure last night's Health and Black Pus (a/k/a Lightning Bolt's Brian Chippendale) show was the first weekday Market Hotel music since the NYPD went Orlando's on its ass. But with Baltimore touring automaton Dan Deacon added to the bill late last week, DIY don Todd P arranged for tickets to be sold at Cinders Gallery and Goodbye Blue Monday in advance, rather than having the Pratt bus roll up at the last minute and puke 300 kids at the door. Good move: it appears that everything went spectacularly. "Dan Deacon was crazy," reports back our venerable lens-lady. "He played against a wall in a narrow area between two speaker stacks. The crowd was on top of him." This man better have healthcare.
Posted by Camille Dodero at 3:45 PM, April 1, 2008
Die! Die! Die!
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Saturday, March 29
photos by Rebecca Smeyne
Steve Albini recorded the 2007 self-titled debut from New Zealand's Die! Die! Die! and their February S.A.F. release Promises, Promises is 40 minutes of crispy punk excellence, but how'd the relatively unknown Kiwi punks end up with a two-night headlining schedule at the Music Hall of Williamsburg and Highline Ballroom this past weekend? Are they big in the Ukraine or something? Because their Highline Ballroom date got canceled, and their Music Hall show was empty. Apparently they took the piss-poor turnout in swell spirits: as our intrepid photographer reports, "They played in the crowd a lot to keep things lively, and there were a few mega-fans present, like the guy in the No Age shirt." Hate to sound like a Catholic schoolmarm on heavy petting, but maybe there is such a thing as too much too soon?
Posted by Camille Dodero at 3:56 PM, March 19, 2008
Elijah Wood at the Playboy party; photo by Lacy Weathersbee/Playboy
If you've deigned to scroll through the thousands of blog droppings about this year's South by Southwest, you'll notice that, as usual, the coverage is littered with an inordinate amount of (oft-faux-) celebrity sightings. Juvenile to report breathlessly, but spend four days in a small land area with a very high concentration of (arguably) notable performers and it's very likely that you'll be drunk, spot Diplo shirtless in the crowd of a Dark Meat show, and find yourself reflexively taking a picture. This was why Al Gore invented the Internet, right?
Diplo at the Dark Meat Vice party; photo by Rebecca Smeyne
Diplo (left) at Dark Meat; photo by Rebecca Smeyne
Rachel Ray at her day party; photo by Craig Hlavaty
Lou Reed at the Lou Reed tribute, examining a photo of Dr. Dog; photo by Cami D
Posted by Camille Dodero at 2:22 PM, March 4, 2008
photo by Rebecca Smeyne
Quick Genghis Tron primer from the black-and-white Voiceby Phil Freeman: "The first time I read the name 'Genghis Tron,' probably on some website, I laughed out loud. It's a pretty awesome name, and it helps separate them from the metal hordes—which is a good thing. Despite being on Relapse (after some early EPs and a full-length on Crucial Blast), they're not a metal band, though crunching guitars and grindcore-ish screamed vocals are elements of their sound. The dominant elements, though, are synths and programmed drums."
On Saturday, Genghis Tron headlined the Market Hotel, which did not get shut down by the cops.
Posted by Camille Dodero at 8:29 PM, February 13, 2008
Hugh Cornwell backstage
Yes, that's Debbie Harry of Blondie backstage with Hugh.
From The Jam
Hugh Cornwell
The Blender Theater at Gramercy
Saturday, February 9, 2008
photos and text by John E. Coli Nikolai
More photos from the show here
When singer/guitarist Paul Weller broke up The Jam in 1982, around the height of the UK punk band's career, the rest of the band—bassist Bruce Foxton and drummer Rick Buckler—were left in a tailspin. Foxton started and aborted a solo career and eventually joined Stiff Little Fingers and Buckler played in other bands, but neither ever fully matched the success they found in The Jam. Now, back together as From The Jam, they’re playing their old band’s best songs without Weller—and working on new material. Currently on their first tour of the States, they have legendary singer/guitarist Hugh Cornwell, formerly of the Stranglers, as their opener. Unfortunately for Hugh, no one seemed to know that he was on the bill. He didn’t get mentioned in press and his name was absent from the marquee. Ouch! No matter, it was a great show and both Hugh and From The Jam went over amazingly well. — John E. Coli Nikolai
Posted by Camille Dodero at 4:25 AM, February 7, 2008
Ryan Adams
Fashion Week G-Star Raw Party
Gotham Hall/Gramercy Theater
Tuesday, February 5
photos by Maro
Fashion around these parts generally means a pair of Vans clodhoppers and a burlap sack, so file this post under "Scenes in Which We'd Never Be Allowed."
D-Hop
Danny Masterson is actually at the Hiro Ballroom tonight playing records as DJ Momjeans. Not kidding.
Ryan Adams again, photos by Maro
Jim Jones and Damon Dash, photo by Maro
MTV VJ Damien Fahey & Grasie Mercedes, photo by Maro
Posted by Camille Dodero at 5:45 PM, December 10, 2007
Hagakure's Kaya
Mad God X Princess God Coupling Tour
Featuring Hagakure and AntiFeminism
Sunday, December 9
Studio B
photos by Rebecca Smeyne
From the press release:
The concept of ANTI FEMINISM is based on 'The Ideology of Danger' and has captured a large audience with many outrageous stunts often performed on stage. The singer is known to set his hand on fire, break neon lights with his head, cut himself with the shards on his stomach and arms, fling vegetables with a baseball bat, and tumble around on a pile of thumbtacks.
Hagakure's Kaya
Hagakure's armored bassist
Anti-Feminism's Kenzi
From our photographer:
"The guy in red with scars on his chest, red eyes and fangs is from Anti-Feminism. Near the end of the set, he went into the crowd and poured a bowl of tacks on the ground and laid on them. . . I had 5 stuck in my shoes."
Posted by Camille Dodero at 6:29 AM, October 31, 2007
all photos by John E. Coli Nikolai
One of Danzig's opening acts was Gorgeous Frankenstein, a band assembled by Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein.
Danzig + Gorgeous Frankenstein
Nokia Theatre Times Square
Saturday, Oct 27
photos by John E. Coli Nikolai
More images here
Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein
Argyle Goolsby from the band Blitzkid on bass and vocals
Glenn Danzig: apparently okay after his recent stage fall
TONIGHT ‘Halloween with the Misfits.' The ‘fits haven’t evolved much over the years, their widow’s peaks are receding, and they might be Misfits Lite without Danzig, but come on: It’s Halloween, and the dark princes of horror-punk still want your skull. With Japanese protégés Balzac. B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W 42nd, 212-997-4144. 8pm, $26-$30. ELIZABETH THOMPSON
After a vampirish week of 30-something acts in five days, the only lingering question three days later isn’t Ezra Koenig's ‘Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma?’ (Answer: John Norris, Demetri Martin, and Jon Pareles.) But rather, ‘Who gives a fuck about your CMJ diary?’ Listen to those crickets. Speaking of which, Boston band Hallelujah the Hills used the chirping buggers as a sound effect during the Misra Records showcase at Arlene’s Grocery. . . oh right, you don't give a fuck.
So then won’t bother to tell you how I wisely abandoned my personal CMJ checklist about 36 hours into the proceedings—you try finding a Planned Parenthood rep to accompany you to see the Coathangers. Also won’t mention that I accomplished personal CMJ goals #3 (“See a drummer who looks like he smells”—thanks, Mr. Bearded Bongoist at Piano's), #6 (“Hit a show that’s rumored to be shut down by the cops”—good ol’ illegal Silent Barn never fails), and #10 (“Find A Place to Bury Strangers”—the Bongo-Slapper’s beard would hide a dead body just fine) all by Thursday morning. Bonus late-breaking just-for-fun achievement: “Be a naysayer about Yeasayer.” Done: they’re the Rusted Root it’s okay to like.
Celebration at Piano's; photo by Rebecca Smeyne
This year at CMJ, there was nothing like the Knife—prog-funky UNKLE wasn’t even a distant relative, Justice was already upheld here in the spring, and M.I.A. reemerged from exile-hiding at Siren. Even this week’s reliable entertainers were already pooled together over the summer with none of this lanyard laboriousness: Band of Horses, Dan Deacon, Spank Rock. Nevertheless, a CMJ window-shopping list quickly took shape, populated largely by bands of whore-ses whose showcase promiscuity made them highly solicited. Like Cut Off Your Hands, dance-punk Kiwis for fans of voluntary amputation. Or Leeds leaders iLiKETRAiNS, aimed at Lionel hobbyists and first-person parodists. Or Health, a Los Angeles four-piece who’ve surely ingested their share of Flintstone vitamins because live, their choreographed car-crash percussion was. . . holy fuck.
Actually missed Holy Fuck (again), but since we’re dropping detention-bound band names, I did catch Jay Reatard (again). “Everybody gets their 15 minutes,” Mr. Reatard snarled at Galapagos on Friday, “And this is yours.” Dude was not kidding: after what seemed like 14:59 of Headbangers Ball lite, he immediately started to pack away his white-stallion of an axe, the Flying V. The house lights nagged by staying off, men with tucked shirts begged for more, yet Mr. Reatard and his hesher cronies ignored them and packed up their equipment.
1:20 minutes of Jay Reatard's 15
(A tucked-shirt aside. Did anyone else notice that Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig actually untucked his shirt AFTER their Cake Shop afternoon show press conference? What kind of young man tucks in his shirt to go onstage? I hate that I like this band's songs.)
See? Top right. Tucked.
Any post-CMJ document is obligated by Internet law to mention the Black Kids. Wouldn’t want to be sent to blogger jail (no WiFi), and apparently our man WSBiscomplicit in this hype, for which even Mike D showed up to the Brooklyn Vegan R Bar showcase on Friday afternoon. And so: the Black Kids, poor, cute, unrehearsed souls who performed a fantastic version of the Beirut/Lady Sovereign NYC Debut. (Improvised, though, no offstage puke.) I actually recorded this set so you could all hear it and judge for yourself, but then I dropped the memory card in one of those free Sex on the Beaches they gave away at the Fader Sideshow (no joke), so no (Black) dice. No matter how amateur their performance, gonna be a yeasayer amid the naysayers on the Black Kids: still standby the lonely-people anthemic excellence of “Hurricane Jane,” which you should download here (third one down) if you haven't already.
Actually did a quick Q&A with the Black Kids’s Reggie Youngblood on Saturday night outside Galapagos (Me: “Did you already play?” Him: “Yes”), before I caught Peter, Bjorn, and Some Dude Named Doug headline around 3 am. Yes, they did "Young Folks." And while Peter may’ve been at Vampire Weekend’s Other Music breakfast, he is a living answer to Ezra's original question. Three men who definitely don’t give a fuck about an Oxford comma: Peter Bjorn & John.
The Coathangers at CMJ; photo by Rebecca Smeyne
Other acts I saw during CMJ, whoopty-doo: Dan Deacon (2x), Team Robespierre, Juiceboxxx, Vampire Weekend, No Age, Deerhunter, British Sea Power, 1990s, Cadence Weapon, Pela, Mika Miko, Saturday Looks Good To Me, Islands (2x), Atlas Sound, Bat Attack, Oakley Hall, Ladybug Transistor, White Williams, iWayne, Cops Outside a Ridgewood Afterhours Vice Party (not a band, a performance piece), Cool Kids (Fader act, not a performance piece), and Santogold.
Posted by Camille Dodero at 6:48 PM, October 1, 2007
That's an eel, not a lizard dick.
photos by Rebecca Smeyne
Photos of last Thursday night's Useless Magazine party have already been floating around the Internet, but we couldn't resist posting pictures of Brooklyn's Golden Triangle staging what looks like an eel showing up to art-school show-and-tell. Photos from Gavin Brown's Passerby on September 27, courtesy of Rebecca Smeyne. More down below.
Posted by Camille Dodero at 3:58 PM, September 17, 2007
Would you like some of Alex Turner's Popsicle? photo by Craig Hlavaty
While NY blog nerds were chasing around a very sick Dan Deacon (double-D still played his scheduled Webster/Bowery/The Yard triple-header, despite being ridiculously ill), Southern nerds were running after (and away from) 1) various kinds of fires; 2) Mr. Bob; and 3) My Morning Jacket in Scuba gear; 4) M.I.A.'s back-up dancer, who begged the audience for weed, thereby causing the entire front row to storm the stage. More photos here.
Posted by Camille Dodero at 3:22 PM, August 8, 2007
All photos by Rebecca Smeyne
Got something planned on last night's Yeah Yeah Yeahs show for the black-and-white, so gonna withhold the impressions for now. But this detail's made for the Internet: Rosario Dawson was standing to my left on the floor for the whole show (she wasn't even in the VIP area) and nobody around even realized it was her. Damn New York women, you gotta get uglier—in this town, even Rosario doesn't shine. More photos after the "read on."
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