Nu Rave Brain Wave

Beside releasing one of my favorite records of 2011, GB City via Fat Possum, Mississippi’s Bass Drum of Death are also one of the mightiest touring bands around these days. This will be my first experience seeing BDOD as a three-piece, but based on the cans of whoopass they opened as a duo, I expect it will get buck. If you are not a fool, you will come see them on 4th of November at the Green Door Store in Brighton & the 8th at the Lexington in London. Do not be a moron and miss this.

mp3: Bass Drum of Death – Young Pros (Daytrotter Session)

If you have read this blog for about one minute, or listened to me speak in person, or anywhere really — you’ll know that my favorite band are the Growlers. I have spent more words talking about my love for their music, live show, and general ethos than I will spend talking about my love for Bob Dylan in my dissertation. That is a real statistic. They are my favorite live band that I have ever seen and our friends at Mean Fiddler did the unthinkable and brought them over to the UK. Besides their date at the sold out End of the Road festival, the Gs will be playing two shows that I will also be appearing (in the crowd) at. Find both dates below, buy your tickets and don’t be like this dude I used to date who pretended he didn’t like the Growlers, only to end up being caught by me whistling & singing their songs constantly.

September 7th @ The Lexington, London – advance tickets £8
September 9th @ The Green Door Store, Brighton (with NRBW DJ) – advance tickets £7

mp3: The Growlers – Gay Thoughts
mp3: The Growlers – Drinkin’ the Juice Blues

Our current favorite OC band, the trash-pop (but really garage punk) four piece TRMRS (if you need to have the pronunciation explained, you probably deserve a beating around the head & face area) have a bunch of shit coming up soon including an incredibly shot and costumed video for their track ‘One Foot‘ which you can find below. It is a sight for sore eyes, that’s for sure. The song comes off their brand new tape which came out a few days ago on July 29th, Tape Side: B, which not only features four kickass songs, is only a measly $5 via their bandcamp. They’re also doing a little West Coast tour with a bunch of rad bands. Check the dates below, don’t be slow & go see them, and feast your eyes on their fine video:

August 5th – Engine Works, San Francisco
August 6th – SMMR BMMR, Portland
August 7th – Funhouse, Seattle
August 8th – New Frontier, Tacoma
August 9th – Holocene, Portland
August 10th – Total Trash Fest, Oakland

mp3: TRMRS – Zombie Party

You know a band is great when I will go out of my way (sometimes far out of my way) and Audacity is one of those bands. Having seen them a bunch of times between December and April, I can tell you — they’re one of the best ass slaying live bands on the market right now. This summer they’re going on tour with some of our other favorite bands like, Ty Segall & Shannon and the Clams, but moreover, they’re doing double duty playing as King Tuff’s backing band for a run of shows in August. Now, I’ve seen them do a King Tuff covers set and seen them play as his backing band and it is one of the greatest things ever. If you’re on the West Coast and you don’t go to the date in your area — you suck. Go on:

July 21 San Diego, California. Casbah (San Diego) w/ Ty Segall
July 22 Los Angeles, California. Eagle Rock Center w/ Ty Segall
July 24 Las Vegas, Nevada. Beauty Bar (Las Vegas) w/ Ty Segal
July 25 Reno, Nevada. Holland Project w/ Ty Segall
July 27 San Francisco California. Total Trash Fest @ Knockout w/ Pteradacdudes, Hysterians
July 28 Portland, Oregon. East End w/ Ty Segall, Mean Jeans
July 28 Seattle, Washington. Crocodile Cafe w/ Ty Segall
July 30 Vancouver, British Columbia. Biltmore Cabaret w/ Ty Segall
July 31 Olympia, Washington. the Brotherhood w/ Ty Segall

August 05 Seattle Washinton @ Pizza Fest w/ King Tuff, Shannon and the Clams, Trashies
August 06 Portland Oregon @ SMMR BMMR w/ King Tuff, Shannon and the Clams, Trashies
August 12 Oakland California @ Total Trash Fest w/ King Tuff, Shannon and the Clams, Trashies, Wounded Lion
August 13 Oakland California @ Total Trash Fest w/ King Tuff, Eat Skull, Christmas Island, Mantles, Tropical Sleep
August 14 Los Angeles California @ Psycho Beach Party w/ Shannon and the Clams, Trashies

mp3: Audacity – Power Drowning

Our buddies Bass Drum of Death are hitting tons of cities all across America and Canada this summer and it is actually imperative that you see them live. Besides the fact that they released GB City (via Fat Possum), one of the best records of the year, they also are one of the strongest, butt-cutting slayers touring right now. They’ve got a bunch of shows around Los Angeles, including a July 4th date at The Echo which is probably the only way the Founding Fathers would like you to celebrate America. Don’t let them, me, or yourselves down and see them ASAP.

June 19 Chicago – Empty Bottle
June 20 Cleveland – Grog Shop
June 21 Toronto – Horseshoe Tavern
June 22 Montreal – Il Motore
June 23 Boston – Great Scott
June 24 New York – Mercury Lounge
June 25 Brooklyn – Glasslands
June 27 Kansas City – Crosstown Station
June 28 Denver – Larimer Lounge
June 29 Las Vegas – Beauty Bar
June 30 San Francisco – Independent
July 1 Los Angeles – Echoplex
July 2 Los Angeles – El Rey
July 3 San Diego, CA – Casbah
July 4 Los Angeles – The Echo
July 7 San Francisco – Rickshaw Stop
July 9 Viscalia, CA – Cellar Door
July 10 Santa Barbara – Soho
July 22 New York – Mercury Lounge
July 23 Brooklyn – Knitting Factory

mp3: Bass Drum of Death – Spare Room

One of the best bands that we saw at SXSW (and rocked our party!), Atlanta’s Carnivores are finally coming over to the UK! Holla! Playing multiple dates with other Atlanta chums, Black Lips, they’re also playing once with Thee (mighty) Oh Sees and a date in Brighton. If you haven’t gotten your hands on their superb EP, Chandelier, via our friends at Double Phantom, you can get off your ass and get it for free-ninety-nine here.

They also recorded a really great Daytrotter session which went up last week. Pick that up here.

May 19 – London, UK – The Garage w/ Black Lips
May 20 – London, UK – City Session Performance
May 21 – Leeds, UK – The Fenton
May 22 – Cheshire, UK – Friends of Mine Festival (afternoon)
May 22 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club w/ Black Lips
May 23 – Manchester, UK – The Castle
May 24 – Glasgow, UK – Stereo w/ Black Lips
May 25 – London, UK – Tufnell Park Dome w/ Thee Oh Sees
May 31 – Gent, Belgium – Video
June 1 – Paris, France – Escape 2
June 4 – Brighton, UK – The Green Door

mp3: Carnivores – Dressed For The Rain

After our perennial favorites Black Lips get off the boat from Bruise Cruise and once again visit SXSW, they’ll go on yet another long US tour hitting up pretty much everywhere. This is presumably in support of their forthcoming album produced by Mark Ronson, and needless to say, I’m pretty fucking excited to hear it. Catch them live, also goes without saying:

04-06 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle &
04-07 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar &
04-08 Washington, DC – Black Cat &
04-09 Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero &
04-12 New York, NY – Webster Hall &
04-13 Pawtucket, RI – The Met &
04-14 Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club &
04-15 Montreal, Quebec – Le National &
04-16 Toronto, Ontario – Phoenix Concert Theater &
04-17 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick &
04-19 Columbus, OH – Outland Live &
04-20 Newport, KY – Southgate House &
04-21 St. Louis, MO – The Firebird &
04-22 Chicago, IL – Logan Square Auditorium &
04-23 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater &
04-25 Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room &
04-26 Kansas City, MO – The Beaumont Club &
04-27 Dallas, TX – The Loft
04-28 Austin, TX – Emo’s &
04-29 Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s &
04-30 Baton Rouge, LA – Spanish Moon
06-09 San Diego, CA – The Casbah !
06-10 Santa Barbara, CA – Velvet Jones !
06-11-12 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall !
06-14 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom !
06-15 Vancouver, British Columbia – Commodore Ballroom !
06-16 Seattle, WA – Neumos !
06-17 Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Concert House !
06-18 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge !
06-19 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater !
06-21 Tucson, AZ – Plush !
06-22 Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room !
06-23 Costa Mesa, CA – The Detroit Bar !
06-24 Los Angeles, CA – The Music Box !
06-25 Pomona, CA – The Glass House !

& with Vivian Girls
! with Cerebal Ballzy

mp3 | Black Lips – Hippys

Longtime NRBW favorites, and participants in the first, worst ever interview we’ve ever done, The Raveonettes will be releasing their new LP, Raven In The Grave, via of course Vice Records on April 4th in the World and April 5th in America. They’re also embarking on a US tour in March & April, so find their tracklist and dates below. After that is ‘Forget That You’re Young‘, the new cut off the album, which is a Sharin-voiced swooning ballad.

Raven in the Grave:

01 Recharge & Revolt
02 War in Heaven
03 Forget That You’re Young
04 Apparitions
05 Summer Moon
06 Let Me on Out
07 Ignite
08 Evil Seeds
09 My Time’s Up

03-30 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts ^
03-31 Boston, MA – Paradise ^
04-01 Montreal, Quebec – La Tulipe ^
04-02 Toronto, Ontario – Phoenix Concert Theatre ^
04-03 Detroit, MI – Magic Stick ^
04-05 Newport, KY – Southgate House ^
04-06 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall ^
04-07 Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line ^
04-08 St. Louis, MO – The Firebird ^
04-09 Kansas City, MO – The Record Bar ^
04-11 Dallas, TX – Granada Theater ^
04-12 Austin, TX – Emo’s ^
04-13 Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s ^
04-15 Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade ^
04-16 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle ^
04-17 Washington, DC – Black Cat ^
04-18 Northampton, MA – Pearl Street ^
04-20-21 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg ^

^ with Tamaryn

mp3 | The Raveonettes – Forget That You’re Young

tUnE-yArDs was one of the biggest surprises that I came to fully and completely adore in 2010. And that talented crazy, home grown genius Merrill Garbus will be releasing her 2nd album, w h o k i l l, through 4AD on April 18th. In support of this, she’s announced a North American tour with UK dates to come soon. I highly, highly recommend coming to see her. Check out the review I did of her February 2k10 gig in Brighton which stunned, wowed and moved me greatly. Find her US dates below:

tUnE-yArDs:

04-26 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
04-28 Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
04-29 Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
04-30 Vancouver, British Columbia – The Biltmore Cabaret
05-02 Garden City, ID – Visual Arts Collective
05-03 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
05-04 Denver, CO – Hi Dive
05-06 Lawrence, KS – Jackpot Saloon
05-07 Omaha, NE – Slowdown
05-08 Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
05-10 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
05-11 Pontiac, MI – The Pike Room at Crofoot Ballroom
05-12 Toronto, Ontario – The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
05-13 Montreal, Quebec – La Sala Rossa
05-15 Easthampton, MA – Flywheel Arts Collective
05-16 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
05-17 Milford, CT – Daniel Street
05-19 Washington, DC – The Red Palace
05-20 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
05-21 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
06-25 West Hollywood, CA – The Troubadour

mp3 | tUnE-yArDs - News

I dont think I’ve ever really talked about how much I like the Fresh & Onlys. I swooned pretty hard for their jangly, psychy garage rock when they opened for Deerhunter last May in Brighton. Coming off a great 2010 the San Fransiscuns are striking while the irons hot and touring North America in the spring, supporting their fortcoming EP, Sacred Bones. San Diegos Crocodiles guest on some of the dates, but not on March 22nd when they play the Echo in Los Angeles with the Strange Boys. Find all the dates below and download ‘Waterfall’ if you haven’t already, I adore it.

The Fresh & Onlys:

02-27 San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill ^
03-16-19 Austin, TX – SXSW
03-21 San Diego, CA – Tin Can Alehouse
03-22 Los Angeles, CA – Echo
04-12 Denver, CO – Hi Dive *
04-13 Lawrence, KS – The Jackpot Saloon *
04-14 Bloomington, IN – The Bishop *
04-15 Pittsburgh, PA – Brillobox *
04-18 Cincinnati, OH – MOTR Pub *
04-19 Saint Louis, MO – The Billiken Club #
04-20 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall *#
04-21 Toronto, Ontario – Parts & Labour *
04-22 Montreal, Quebec – Il Motore *
04-23 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg *#
04-24 Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie *#
04-25 Washington, DC – Red Palace *#
04-27 Atlanta, GA – The Earl *#
04-28 Birmingham, AL – Bottletree *#
05-25 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Festival

^ with Growlers, Pleasure Kills, Wrong Words
* with Young Prisms
# with Crocodiles

mp3 | The Fresh & Onlys – Waterfall