virgin mobile FREEfest ‘09

so my buddy rob tipped my off to this one… free music festival down at merriweather post in md hosted by virgin mobile.  the show has been condensed this year to one day august 30th.  the line-ups a bit smaller but still pretty decent for a free afternoon of goodtimes (parking is free also).  so check it out [here]

pre-sale starts tomorrow june 25th… first come first serve.  dont sleep!!!

highly recomendable!

not sure where i found this ish. but i cannot stop listening to it. micachu is a young lady from the u.k., she plays instruments with two others (the shapes). do check out their new album called “jewlary”. nice, nice stuff!

shows/////

shit ton of new shows. who’s coming with me.

handsome rubdowns

sunset rubdown – saturday, june 13th @ johnny brendas

handsome furs – thursday, july 9th @ johnny brendas

yaaay!!!

review: The Faint/Ladytron @ the Troc

weekends can take it out of ya; mondays can be the most dreaded day of the week… 

the usual all ages show packed with hipsters and new age emos alike trying just a little to hard - if i had my camera you would understand.

billed as co-headliners, ladytron hit the stage first and mixed it up including tracks from their ‘05 witching hour and ‘08 velocifero albums mainly.  the crowd showed about as much energy as the band did from the door.  the girls did turn it up as the set progressed finishing with “destroy everything you touch”.  energy was up, the smell of all el’natural hipsters and hairspray was building and looking forward to the faint…

-insert thought, “ladytron finished up about 9:15, the set change was way to fuk’n long, and the faint didn’t hit the stage until almost 10.”

…so we left.  though if it was anything like their show at the bowery this past saturday. i’m sure to be kicking myself in the ass for not being patient and waiting.  check out the post here from brooklynvegan who was patient.

like i said mondays suck and electro-dance/punk/pop should not be playing at the troc, get it together… 

moving on, lets all get hyped for of montreal next wednesday.

the closest we will ever get to sufjan’s delaware??

damn. killing my dreams.

TVontheRADIO+NPR

rummaging thru the net… and came across this. tvotr will be playing a live set on npr’s world cafe. the info is posted here and is scheduled for air april 10th from 2-4pm. direct link to phillies xpn.

oh yea, if you havent already… go check out their new single “heroes” (david bowie cover) on War Child Presents Heroes; joined by the hold steady, hot chip, and yeah yeah yeahs to name a few.

olde asks…what’s current?

well, according to their website: “since its inception in 2005, emmy award-winning current tv has been the world’s leading peer-to-peer news and information network. current is the only 24/7 cable and satellite television network and internet site produced and programmed in collaboration with its audience.” 

in short, it’s a great place to check out some relevant news and information. oh, and they have some pretty cool music too.  check out the collaboration with la blogotheque on their website for some great bands playing in interesting settings.  try fleet foxes in an empty gym, arcade fire in an elevator, or grizzly bear in a bathroom.  and while you’re there definitely check out this concert footage of sigur ros @ the museum of modern art in nyc

if you’re one of the lucky ones (comcast subscribers in new castle county, delaware included) to have current in you’re local tv programming lineup give it a shot.  at least the format is different if nothing else.

slacked on in 08

land of talk

with 2009 well under way. there are a few albums that i am discovering that i slacked on in 2008. land of talk’s “some are lakes” is one of them. check them out on mypace. no tour date. boo hoo. so what albums did you overlook in 2008???

NY anyone?!!?

couple shows coming up in the next few months from our friends up north at the bowerypresents+:

webster hall
fri 4/3 – the presets
sat 4/4 – ra ra riot
mon 4/6 – mates of state / black kids
fri 4/10 – the faint / ladytron *
thr 5/7 – junior boys

mercury lounge
fri 3/27 – jupiter one (also playing 4/17 @ tritones on south st.)
sat 3/28 – efterklang (also playing the night b4 @ the church) *
sun 3/29 – say hi
mon 3/30 – dd/mm/yyyy (also playing the night b4 @ kfnt)
fri 4/3 – nightmare of you
tue 4/21 – starfucker

music hall of williamsburg
thr 2/26 – tapes ‘n tapes
fri 2/27 – And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
sat 3/14 – crystal stilts
sat 3/28 – glasvegas
sat 5/2 – bat for lashes

get the word out and see if anyones up for a little roadtrip for a couple nights… or check out the few that are playing in philly.

off to a good start

there has been a bit of debate lately as to whether animal collective has already made the best record of 2009. there is no doubt that animal collective has definitely set the bar, but there are some other good things happening so far this year. these are just a few of the records i am really enjoying right now…

handsome furs – face control

fever ray – self titled

passion pit – chunk of change (2008, but new to me)

lackthereof – your anchor (menomena side project)

little joy – self titled (2008, but new to me)

from the desk of hank

computer vs. banjo

straight from the desk of g.f.o.m.’s pittsburgh correspondent hank robert walt comes word of a cool ‘new’ band by the name of computer vs. banjo out of nashville tennessee. after a quick check of the band’s myspace page, i’m pretty much diggin these guys. it looks as if there are no tour dates on the horizon, but there is an album. make sure you check em out.

live cuts

i found a nice recording of radiohead’s last date of the 2008 north america tour on npr’s website, check it oww.  and the setlist

and while you’re there feel free to browse their selection of other fine live recordings from such influential acts as my morning jacket, iron & wine/calexico, and lcd soundsystem.  it’s guaranteed to provide hours of listening enjoyment

dept. of eagles

01.17.09 department of eagles / bear hands / here we go magic @ johnny brendas

got out to my first show of the new year over the weekend. saw one of the members of grizzly bear (daniel rossen) in his other band department of eagles. good show, very chilled out but good winter-time music. check out their album ‘in ear park’ if you haven’t yet, good stuff.

bear hands also seems cool.