Nu Rave Brain Wave

There’s not much that I don’t love about SXSW. I revel in the pre-festival stressing, the insanity, the planning, the $2.50 Lonestars, the Frost Bank Building, street dogs at 1am, falling down dead of exhaustion after a long day, and so on and so forth. It’s the best week of my year and 2011 is going to be better than the previous three. Is It March Yet? is our preview of some of the bands we’ll be catching at this year’s festival for sure. We recommend you do so as well.

01 Spectrals :: Okay, I’ve waxed poetic about how much I adore Spectrals quite a lot on this blog, so I’m going to take the opportunity to talk about how well his songs work live. Although it started off as a bedroom project, Spectrals is a full-live band (well, has been for a while) and they slay.  Not in a headbanging kind of jump around way (trust, I love that too) but in kind of a mellow, perfect pop song played really well kind of way. Maybe Spectrals won’t get the party jumping immediately, but they’ll show you a great way to turn your 50s/60s pop influences into something modern and great.

mp3 | Spectrals - Leave Me Be

02 King Tuff :: Again, another band that I literally refuse to stop talking about. King Tuff’s Was Dead was absolutely hands down the most underrated album of 2009, that’s a fact. I love the dirty glam garage rock dance party caterwaul that King Tuff brings every time. It’s also well documented that my biggest music regret of SXSW ’09 was not seeing this band. So do not make the same mistake I did, and check him out immediately.

mp3 | King Tuff - Freak When I\'m Dead

03 The Growlers :: There is no other live band that has ever lived up to the Growlers live. Every single time they are on point – they bring the dance party, Brook’s dance moves are always amusing, the stage decor/costumes are always ridiculous (and sometimes hideous) and their songs are just incredible. Lately, I’ve noticed that the Growlers have been making little adjustments to the tempo and arrangements of certain songs and that experimentation is just proof that if you write a good song (ie: Bob Dylan, hello), you can tweak it and have it still be ridiculously amazing. They’re the best. If you miss them, you’re a fool.

mp3 | The Growlers - Average Man

04 tUnE-yArDs :: Back in February of 2010, I went to see tUnE-yArDs never hearing a single song or knowing anything about her. I left with her songs permeating my thoughts, grinning wildly like a maniac, walking in all the wrong directions. Her live show is stunning, modest, moving, powerful, amazing. I cannot recommend seeing her enough — it’s all so homegrown and evocative. Do not miss seeing this talented Merrill Garbus before/during/after the release of her surely incredible 2nd album.

mp3 | tUnE-yArDs - News

05 Dead Ghosts :: I’m extremely excited that Vancouver’s Dead Ghosts are venturing down South (where everyone is rude — Weeds joke, anyone?) for some shows. Ever since the middle of 2010 I’ve been enchanted by their self-titled debut album and their 12″ live record. Everything they touch seems to be a mix of my favorite kind of garage rock, 60s/50s influence, catchy as fuck choruses and even though this will be my first time seeing them too: I’m just going to assume they slay asses live. I will keep you updated, but a SXSW without any Dead Ghosts seems kind of like a fool’s errand.

mp3 | Dead Ghosts - When It Comes To You

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

Photo Courtesy of | Sam Millen

The 2nd of October is a special day every year. Ghandi and Nat Turner were born on this day. Peanuts was first published on this day. But most importantly, it was the day I was born. And this year, I’m going to be celebrating 22 full years on this earth. Honestly, I never thought I’d make it this far, but I did! This all said, I think October 2nd is going to be one of the best days for live music all year. Don’t believe me? Look whats on:

• Matador 21 will be taking over the Palms to present Pavement, Sonic Youth, Harlem,Kurt Vile and more over this surely Lost Weekend. Tickets are long sold out, but it’s sure to be one of the craziest weekends of music all year.
• Scion, Vice, and Garage bands all over the world are bringing some of the best up-and-comers and current buzzbands are bringing themselves out of the basement and into Laurence, KS for another Scion Garage Fest on October 2nd for a small, free, 21+ festival. The fest will bring Happy Birthday, Best Coast, King Khan & The Shrines, The Oh Sees, Cloud Nothings and Sex Beet to your grateful, waiting ears. And best of all, all you have to do is RSVP. Oh and get to Laurence.
• Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band will overtake the Greek Theatre in Los Feliz with uber special guests: RZA, tUnE-yArDs and Lady Gaga on October 2nd. Pick up tickets before they sell out ASAP.

Um, where will I be? Probably some dismal pub in cold, fucking England.

mp3 | Best Coast - Boyfriend
mp3 | Pavement - Shady Layne (LIVE EUROPATURNÉN MCMXCVII)
mp3 | Happy Birthday - 2 Shy

Whether or not you’re very into Yoko Ono, she’s bringing her Plastic Ono Band to the Orpheum Theatre on October 1st and October 2nd.Although the October 1st show has some amazing guests including RZA (hot off his no-show guest appearance with GZA) and Iggy Pop, the October 2nd show is ridiculous. Featuring tUnE-yArDs and Lady Gaga, this show will surely knock your socks off if they’re not being knocked off at Matador 21 or Lawrence’s Scion Garage Fest. Check out the full lineup of special guests for each show and buy tickets below…

October 1st features Iggy Pop, Nels Cline, Mike Watt, Perry Farrell, Tuneyards, Vincent Gallo, RZA, Harper Simon, Sean Lennon, Cornelius, Haruomi Hosono, and Carrie Fisher! Get your tickets here.

October 2nd features Lady Gaga, Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, RZA, Perry Farrell, Tuneyards, Vincent Gallo, Harper Simon, and Carrie Fisher! Get your tickets here.

mp3 | tUnE-yArDs - News

August has been a very strange month, but very good. I’ve been driving so much recently, 1300 miles in the span of about 10 days. Holy shit. These songs have been soundtracking my insane driving and the crazy move that I just made back to the UK and what not… You’ll never know the kind of satisfaction that lugging your own weight in clothing 5,000 miles gives you. However, you can listen to what got me through it below….

01 Kanye West – See Me Now
02 Velvet Davenport – When You Are Out
03 Eternal Summers – Pogo
04 Balkans – Bill Spills
05 Caitlin Rose – Shanghai Cigarettes
06 Magic Kids – Superball
07 Happy Birthday – Perverted Girl
08 Sweaters – Sky Mall
09 Chuck Berry – La Juanda (Espanol)
10 Wanda Jackson – Making Believe
11 Cee Lo Green – Fuck You
12 Unouomedude – Buildings

mp3 | Nu Rave Brain Wave – August 2010 Mix

Photo Courtesy of | Derek Piotre

Okay, so I have more than a little bit of love for that Merrill Garbus aka tUnE-yArDs. Her show at the Freebutt was probably the most moving, astounding, beautiful concert that I have seen all year long, and probably my entire life. It was flat out fucking stunning. It was so good, and my review of it so inspired, the Hollywood Bowl used my quote to promote her appearance earlier in the summer there.

Because her live show was so incredible, I was beyond excited that the NYC Taper recorded her show from August 2nd at the Rock Shop.

If you don’t download anything from this blog except one thing, please make it the live version of ‘Fiya’ which is one of my favorite songs of the year (yes, I know it was released last year, but hey) because of its beautifully self-reflective lyrics (“What if my own flesh is suburban sprawl“, omg), overwhelmingly tender sense of longing, and steady beat, coupled with Merrill’s expertise at making the most public events (or personal songs) feel incredibly intimate – it’s just one of the flat out best songs I’ve heard in forever.

Basically, I just fucking love tUnE-yArDs and have been playing her album constantly all year long. Do yourself a favor and catch her live, buy her album – you’ll love it.

mp3 | tUnE-yArDs - News
mp3 | tUnE-yArDs – Fiya

You can download the entire concert over at the NYC Taper.

Hello, we’ve got a very pressing public service announcement for you. tUnE-yArDs are playing the Echo. On March 18th. If I had no where else to be, I swear to god nothing could keep me from seeing her live again. She was the first of probably less than five 10/10 gigs I will see this year. Do yourself a favor and see them opening up for Xiu-Xiu. You won’t regret it.

My strongest apologies. This is the kind of review I hate to write because, well, frankly you had to be there and if you wern’t – sorry because it was amazing! And if you get nothing else from this – just go see tUnE-yArDs!

My first experience with tUnE-yArDs’ live show is a story of shame. Shame because it took moving to Brighton to see her when she regularly played in Los Angeles over the summer. In fact, she opened for Micachu & The Shapes’ July show at the Echo where I patiently waited out her set in the ourtyard. But a few days prior to her February show at the Freebutt in Brighton, a friend recommended her album to me. I was impressed but knew that I had to see the live show before being completely convinced by her somewhat wacky, textured, sweet album ‘BiRd BrAiNs’. Merrill Garbus took the stage, with her bassist (Nate Brenner), a small drum kit and a ukulele. The crowd was mildly sized, but all looked ecstatic to see what she would bring to her first show in Brighton and her first show on her run throughout the UK and Europe.

After the first song of the night, I knew we were witnessing something truly special. Merrill gave all the songs on ‘BiRd BrAiNs’ the ultimate justice – transforming what comes off very heavily as ‘made in the bedroom’ on the album into expertly layered loops with incredible oomph live. Garbus has a knack for conveying power and control over not only her voice but her beautiful songs. Her knack for being able to jump from commanding to sweet was unparalleled. ‘Hatari’ was an awakening – her almost yodeling vocals were straight from the gut and that’s just where they hit the audience, her joyful screams elicited grins from the audience who began to really groove with every beat and every note.

The personal highlight for me was the beautiful, soft, and intimate ‘News’. I know I spoke about how much force and husky power Merrill can evoke with her vocals, but ‘News’ is possibly the most tender warning (as in, I’m warning you, don’t fuck with me!) song ever. The layered drumming and clicking works better live than it does on the album, it took it from its place in the basement (on the album) to something dynamic and endearing live.‘Fiya’ is another tune that saw Merrill turn away from her husky natural vocal place and bring out that tender intimate croon. It’s amazing what she can do with her voice – hype the audience up, or bring them in so close it feels like you’ve been friends for ages.

This review is doing the show no justice whatsoever. It’s not very often that, in attempting to leave the venue, I walk up a completely wrong set of steps because I’m so focused on the amazing show I just saw. It’s not often that I walk out of a venue with a grin on my face and proceed to gush about the show for another 45 minutes to someone that was standing right next to me and saw the whole thing. There was such a warm, cottony atmosphere of appreciation and affection for Merrill and her tunes and it was with genuine surprise and kindness that she accepted the crowds warm welcome and insistence that she come back. It was clear that they had no clue that the show was going to be such a tour-de-force and the smile on her face after she walked off, post encore (of which, they don’t do many) said everything. And the best part about it all, really, besides everything else was that it was fairly fucking evident that this is not all Merrill and her incarnation of tUnE-yArDs have to give – the well of creativity in her mind is definitely not going to dry up soon and the fact that she can put it across live the way she did that night… well, she’s going places.

10/10

DOWNLOAD -> tUnE-yArDs – Jumping Jack

View the rest of my photos of tUnE-yArDs over at my FLICKR.

5 Feb 2010 20:00 The Bell House Brooklyn, New York
9 Feb 2010 20:00 The Freebutt Brighton
11 Feb 2010 20:00 Speakeasy Belfast
12 Feb 2010 20:00 Whelans Dublin
13 Feb 2010 20:00 Ruby Lounge Manchester
14 Feb 2010 20:00 Captain’s Rest Glasgow, Scotland
15 Feb 2010 20:00 Cargo London
16 Feb 2010 20:00 Botanique Bruxelles
17 Feb 2010 20:00 La Poudriere (Generiq Festival) Belfort
18 Feb 2010 20:00 La Vapeur (Generiq Festival) Dijon
19 Feb 2010 20:00 Grrrnd Zero Lyon
20 Feb 2010 20:00 Festival Hors Pistes (Centre Pompidou) Paris
21 Feb 2010 20:00 Supermonamour Festival Paris
23 Feb 2010 20:00 Paradiso Amsterdam
24 Feb 2010 20:00 Westgermany Berlin
25 Feb 2010 20:00 Astra Stube Hamburg
26 Feb 2010 20:00 Worm Rotterdam
27 Feb 2010 20:00 Vera Groningen
17 Mar 2010 20:00 The Casbah San Diego, California
18 Mar 2010 20:00 Echo w. Xiu Xiu Los Angeles, California
19 Mar 2010 20:00 The Crepe Place w. Xiu Xiu Santa Cruz, California
20 Mar 2010 20:00 Bottom of the Hill w. Xiu Xiu San Francisco Treat, California
23 Mar 2010 20:00 Northern w. Xiu Xiu Olympia, Washington
24 Mar 2010 20:00 Holocene w. Xiu Xiu Portland, Oregon
25 Mar 2010 20:00 Neurolux w. Xiu Xiu Boise, Idaho
26 Mar 2010 20:00 Urban Lounge w. Xiu Xiu Salt Lake City, Utah
27 Mar 2010 20:00 Hi Dive w. Xiu Xiu Denver, Colorado
29 Mar 2010 20:00 Jackpot Saloon Lawrence, Kansas
30 Mar 2010 20:00 Lemp Arts Center w. Xiu Xiu St. Louis, Missouri
31 Mar 2010 20:00 The Picador w. Xiu Xiu Iowa City, Iowa
1 Apr 2010 20:00 Carleton College (The Cave) w. Xiu Xiu Northfield, Minnesota
2 Apr 2010 20:00 7th St. Entry w. Xiu Xiu Minneapolis, Minnesota
3 Apr 2010 20:00 Lincoln Hall w. Xiu Xiu Chicago, Illinois
5 Apr 2010 20:00 ’Sco w. Xiu Xiu Oberlin, Ohio
7 Apr 2010 20:00 The Spot w. Xiu Xiu Cleveland, Ohio
8 Apr 2010 20:00 Mohawk Place w. Xiu Xiu Buffalo, New York
9 Apr 2010 20:00 Bowery Ballroom w. Xiu Xiu New York, New York
10 Apr 2010 20:00 Middle East Downstairs w. Xiu Xiu Cambridge, Massachusetts
13 Apr 2010 20:00 First Unitarian Church w. Xiu Xiu Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
14 Apr 2010 20:00 DC9 w. Xiu Xiu DC, Washington DC
15 Apr 2010 20:00 Canal Club Downstairs w. Xiu Xiu Richmond, Virginia
16 Apr 2010 20:00 Local 506 w. Xiu Xiu Chapel Hill, North Carolina