Full show recording of Arcade Fire's Atlanta Show from 5/01/07

Rich over at Cable and Tweed, recorded the 5/01/07 Arcade Fire show in Atlanta @ The Civic Center and put it up for everyone's listening pleasure, here (via Sendspace). Thank you, Rich!!! I enjoyed his review of the show as well. I do count myself as a big Arcade Fire fan, but not a overly gushing one. I agree that that they are very good, but there are some other bands I do put above them. That being said, I am sad I missed the show but $32.00 + fees?! Too much, and that's why I didn't go. Bring those ticket prices down and I might show up next time. I just saw Sunset Rubdown for $8, and it was mind-blowing.

EDIT: I just listened to some of this show, and well...dammit Arcade Fire!!! You sounded so damn good!! But $37 bucks?!! Come on now. I'm sure bringing that down to $20 wouldn't have hurt you any. Because it sure hurt me not to go. Especially after hearing this. I guess I'll just have to get a better paying job.

Feist "The Reminder"

So how beautifully amazing is the new Feist album?!! Hot damn!! More exclamation marks!!!! I'm still trying to digest it all, so no fully formed opinions just yet (but I just might smell an album of the year cookin'!!!)...but I did want to give it a quick shout out. It's been in a quite heavy rotation in the ol' iPod as of the last few days. Hmmmmmmmm. I think I'm gonna listen to it right now. Later. (seriously check this out, the hairs stood up on the back of my neck the first time I heard it, no shit.)

[MP3] Feist - One Two Three Four (via Box.net)

The Album Leaf, Belong @ The Earl, Atlanta, GA 5/09/07: SHOW REVIEW

Maybe I'm getting old. Or maybe certain bands are meant to be seen from a comfortable seat. I used to be able to just stand in a single spot at one of those really quiet shows with no problems. Now I just want to sit down. And unfortunately most of these small clubs have nowhere to sit, which makes these type of shows kinda uncomfortable. Goddamn, I am getting old. Ah well. The first band to open were "Duet for Theremin & Lap Steel", two guys (who looked like college professors, maybe science or physics) with laptops, a theremin & a lap steel guitar. Pretty much exactly how their name describes them. They were boring. I mean, it seemed as though their "music" was so immersed in theory & experimentation that it stopped being "music". Just noise. I'm definitely not one to dismiss something just because it sounds different or that I haven't heard it before. This was just not music...and well, I didn't like it, no sir. Belong (an instrumental band) was up next, and added a much needed visual element to the show. When a band's music is sans vocals, it sometimes needs something to help pull me in..that means dancing (either the audience or the band, or both) or visuals. Belong had some pretty cool stuff being projected behind them (psychedelic/Rorschach test kind of stuff made up of overlapping images of people, trees, etc), these images were edited very well with the music and sorta became another instrument. Their music was pretty good, instrumental post-rock/drone, very...celestial. Like a more sustained and drawn out Explosions in the Sky. Not bad, but I was tired & ready to see The Album Leaf. Ready to move around a little bit, remember I'm getting old now people ;-). Ah, and move around I did. The Album Leaf does not disappoint. They were exceptionally good, and I found myself actually wanting to dance. Alright, more like bop up and down where I was standing, but it was moving around!! Their music is really soul-stirring sometimes. Like no matter how tired (or bored) I was from before, it would completely go away the second they would play something like "Always For You", "The Outer Banks" or "Thule". Hearing them live is like burying your feet in the sand of a beautiful beach at sunset on the first day of a three week vacation somewhere warm. Utter contentment.

The Album Leaf TONIGHT 5/09/07 @ The Earl

So I'm off to see The Album Leaf tonight, it should be great... "Belong" and "Duet for Theremin & Lap Steel" are the openers, I haven't heard either one so I 'm excited to hear some new digs. Anyway, I'll post a show review sometime soon, and I hope to see some home-peeps at the show!!!

VIDEO: Beirut "The Gulag Orkestar (Live)" [with Final Fantasy & members of Arcade Fire]

Last Sunday, May 6th, Beirut performed at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC with openers Final Fantasy. Both bands helped each other out during their respective sets, but it was during Beirut's set that members of both Final Fantasy & Arcade Fire came on stage for a truly ovation worthy performance of "The Gulag Orkestar". P'fork reader, and all around great guy, Jason Schupper, captured this footage and uploaded it to YouTube.

Petra Haden covers Journey

So there's this new compilation CD out called "Guilt by Association", basically it's some pretty rad indie artists covering cheese-ball songs. Thing is, I actually like some of these cheese-ball songs (namely cough.. Journey..cough). And low and behold, Petra Haden, the girl who covered "The Who Sell Out" in it's entirety...replacing all the instruments with her VOICE...has covered "Don't Stop Believin'" by motherfuckin' Journey the exact same way!!! (You may also remember her as the female voice on the first couple of Decemberists albums) Petra you are the Shit. With a capitol "S".

Guilt by Association - Myspace

Listen to it here. (via P'fork)

CocoRosie Arrested!! N. American Tour CANCELLED!!

According to a Myspace message left by Sierra & Bianca, the band has been arrested. That's it. That's all they can say. For real. No more info. Other than the North American part of their current tour has been cancelled. Oh, and they love us all. We love you too, girls. P'fork hopes the arrest concerns smuggling unicorns. I do too, P'fork. I do too.

They are playing a free NYC show on May 19th. Go and give these girls a big hug, I'm pretty sure they could use one.

CocoRosie tour dates:

05-07 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
05-08 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel
05-09 Chapel Hill, NC - Cat's Cradle
05-10 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
05-11 Louisville, KY - Headliners
05-12 Chicago, IL - Metro
05-14 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
05-15 Montreal, Quebec - La Tulipe
05-16 Cambridge, MA - Middle East
05-19 New York, NY - World Financial Center / Winter Garden (FREE SHOW)
05-27 Saint-Brieuc, France - Art Rock Festival
05-28 Nantes, France - L'Olympic
05-29 Bordeaux, France - Le 4 Sans
05-30 Montpellier, France - Rockstore
05-31 Toulouse, France - Le Ramier
06-01 Lyon, France - Transbordeur
06-02 Reims, France - La Cartonnerie
06-03 Liege, Belgium - Salles des Fetes Droixhe
06-04 Cologne, Germany - Kultur Kirche
06-05 Frankfurt, Germany - Mouson Turm
06-06 Mannheim, Germany - Alte Feuerwache
06-07 Schorndorf, Germany - Manufaktur
06-08 Zurich, Switzerland - Theater Moods
06-09 Dudingen, Switzerland - Kilbi Festival
06-10 Munich, Germany - Muffathalle
06-12 Brighton, England - Komedia
06-13 Nottingham, England - Trent University
06-14 Bristol, England - The Anson Room
06-15 Glasgow, Scotland - The Arches
06-16 Manchester, England - Academy 2

LOCAL LABEL SPOTLIGHT: Rob's House Records

I just got the new S.I.D.S. 7" and realized that the label that put it out, Rob's House Records, also puts out seven-inches from some other really great local bands like: Deerhunter, The Selmanaires, Anna Kramer, A-Fir-Ju-Well (now Gringo Starr), The Carbonas & The Black Lips. This is what they have to say for themselves: "Rob's House Records started as an 7" series based in and for Atlanta. We've put out several limited pressings of some of the best Atlanta bands and continue to support our home town heroes as we start to branch out." Awesome. I already knew that Rob's House put on shows (in their house...also awesome), but I still have yet to go to one. Ah wait, there's one this weekend...bitchin'.

[BANDS] S.I.D.S. (7" release show), Jay Reatard, Gentleman Jesse & His Men
[WHERE] Rob's House (1318 Ormewood Avenue SE, Atlanta, Georgia 30316)
[WHEN] Sat. 05/05 - 3:30pm SHARP

Rob's House Records Website | My Space

WHIRYBALL SHOW!! Deerhunter! The Coathangers! The Selmanaires! The Carbonas!

Whirlyball!! Yayyy!! What's that? "What's Whirlyball?", you say? Whirlyball is like playing lacrosse on a basketball court in bumper cars. No shit. It's fun as hell, and when you combine it with some super neat-o bands like Deerhunter, The Coathangers, The Selmanaires & The Carbonas then it's downright illegal. And we know how the kids love the illegal stuff. The show is on Friday, June 1st for only $10 (I'm assuming Whirlyball is not included in that price, it's probably extra), but that's not all!! Your ticket is a 7" with exclusive songs from all the bands on it!!! HOLY SHIT! I love exclamation marks!!!

Tickets only available at Criminal Records.

DIRECTIONS FROM THE WHIRLYBALL SITE:
Take 400N to Exit 7B (Roswell)..This is Holcomb bridge Rd. & you will be heading west..go approx. 3 miles until Alpharetta Highway (light) and make a right..The next light is Commerce Pkwy..make a right..you will see our parking lot on the right after a few hundred yards..pull in and walk to the end of the hallway.

Whirlyball Atlanta website

The Coathangers - Myspace
Deerhunter - Myspace
The Selmanaires - Myspace
The Carbonas - Myspace

FREE Grizzly Bear tracks over at Daytrotter

Daytrotter has some new (and free) Grizzly Bear tracks here (or click the pic to the left to whisk you magically there, whatever floats your boat). As always they seem to be able to kidnap and record some of the best bands. Good show Daytrotter!! Good show!! (light clapping)

CINCO DE MAYO SHOW: The Close, Continue and Save, A. Armada, Spy For Hire

Aye, aye, aye, ayeeeeee!!!! It's tequila drinkin' time motherfuckers!!! Wanna get your "worm" on? Well there's a house party on Cinco De Mayo (for you non-Spanish-speaking types, that's May 5th, Saturday), at 671 Atlanta Ave., Atlanta, GA 30312, directions here. It's being hosted by Dirty Bird Productions, who you can check out here. There are four, count 'em, four bands playing: The Close, Continue and Save, A. Armada & Spy For Hire. All of whom are amazing. Don't believe me? Then don't come. Don't come and just pay $5 dollars for all you can drink beer. Don't come and hang out with some of the coolest people in the ATL. Don't come, just stay home and watch "Three Amigos" on VHS for all I give a fuck. We'll be gettin' rocked & crunk up in this bitch while you stay home and cry. For the rest of you, come celebrate Mexican Independence with four bands & all you can drink beer. All amongst the most neat-o hipsters in Hotlanta....all for just $5 bucks.
Party starts at 9pm, first band goes on around 10:30pm.

For info call: 270-719-0686 or 570-877-7487

Sunset Rubdown, Katie Eastburn @ The Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta, GA 4/30/07 : SHOW REVIEW

He shaved off his moustache. Yep, looks like Spencer got tired of his hipster upper lip. I think he was feelin' better this time around too (he had a flu/cold thing last time we saw him), because he was in top form. Hell, the whole band was. The show was fucking AMAZING!! Absolutely no complaints. The vibe was electric...people were giving ovations before they even played anything, and then going absolutely ape-shit after the first song. I can't help but feel I was at something historical, like seeing Bob Dylan in a small NY café in 1967 or Neutral Milk Hotel at The 40 Watt in 1999. Words almost can't explain how incredible this band is, almost. "Hooray" comes to mind. They previewed some new material at the show, including "Winged/Wicked Things", all of which were just as good as anything they've done so far if not better. They must be destined for greater things, because I can't imagine them not having the same effect on everyone who hears their music. Seriously, this is as close to a religious experience as I'll ever have. I love every project of Spencer's, but Sunset Rubdown is now by far my favorite. I can't speak for everyone at the show, but I'm never going to miss a Sunset Rubdown show ever. Unless I die, or my wife is giving birth to my child. But otherwise, not missing it. No sir.