Mar
New Bear In Heaven Album Streaming at NPR
in Music
Bear In Heaven’s new album I Love You, It’s Cool is out next week on Dead Oceans/Hometapes but you can hear it in it’s entirety on NPR right now. The band is prepping to hit the road on a North American tour (dates below) that will segue into the UK and Europe in May and June.
Tour Dates
3/28 – Andy Warhol Museum – Pittsburgh, PA *
3/29 – The Bishop – Bloomington, IN *#
3/30 – The Basement – Columbus, OH *#
3/31 – MOTR Pub – Cincinnati, OH *#
4/01 – The Luminary Center for the Arts – St. Louis, MO *#
4/04 – Casbah – San Diego, CA * ^
4/05 – The Echo – Los Angeles, CA * ^
4/08 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA * ^
4/12 – Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR * ^
4/13 – The Crocodile – Seattle, WA * ^
4/14 – The Biltmore Cabaret – Vancouver, BC * ^
4/17 – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN * ^
4/18 – Schubas – Chicago, IL * ^
4/20 – Zanzabar – Louisville, KY * ^
4/21 – Exit/In – Nashville, TN * ^
4/22 – Hi-Tone Cafe – Memphis, TN * ^
4/24 – The Parish – Austin, TX * ^
4/25 – Fitzgerald’s – Houston, TX * ^
4/26 – The Bottletree – Birmingham, AL * ^
4/27 – The Earl – Atlanta, GA * ^
4/28 – Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC * ^
4/29 – Kings Barcade – Raleigh, NC * ^
5/01 – Black Cat Backstage – Washington, DC * ^
5/02 – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA * ^
5/03 – Brighton Music Hall – Allston, MA * ^
5/04 – La Sala Rossa – Montreal, QC* ^
5/05 – The Garrison – Toronto, ON * ^
5/06 – The Haunt – Ithaca, NY * ^
5/08 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY * ^
5/09 – Music Hall of Williamsburg – Brooklyn, NY * ^
* Doldrums
#Young Magic
^ Blouse
5/16 – Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen – London
5/17- Green Door Store- Brighton
5/18 – Liverpool Sound City – Liverpool
5/19 – Stag & Dagger- Glasgow
5/20 – Soup Kitchen – Manchester
5/22 – Brudenell Social Club – Leeds
5/23 – Louisiana- Bristol
5/25 – Club Solyanka – Moscow
5/26 – Le Guess Who?- Ultrecht NL
5/27- De Kreun – Kotrijk B
5/29 – Sonic – Lyon
5/30 – Point FMR – Paris
5/31 – Laiterie – Strasbourg
6/2 – Forbidden Fruit- Dublin
6/3 – Rock Cafe – Prague
6/4 – Chelsea – Vienna
6/5 – Kong – Munchen
6/6 – Spazio 211 – Torino
6/7 – Residenza Ausgang – Roma
6/8 – Hanna Bi – Marina di Ravenna
6/9 – Kaserne (ZAP Performance Festival) – Basel
6/11 – Studio 672 – Cologne
6/12 – Festsaal Kreuzberg – Berlin
6/14 – Vega – Copenhagen
6/15 – Hultsfred Festival – Hultsfred
6/16 – Bla – Oslo
6/18 – Uebel & Gefahrlich – Hamburg
6/22 – Dia de La Musica – Madrid
Mar
The National, Bob Weir, and Other All-Stars Collaborate for Art and the Vote
in Music
They said we would never write about the Grateful Dead. All we can say is it took a National proclamation. This past Saturday night, the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir asked some younger friends and fans to come down and play/attend a show at Weir’s own TRI Studios in San Rafael, California, all of which was webcast live on Yahoo! Music. We always had a softer spot for Weir’s tighter compositions and signature vocals, and actually owned one of his solo albums at some juncture, so we were intrigued by this new combination of talents.
At the show on Saturday, Weir was backed by The National’s Aaron Dessner and Bryan and Scott Devondorf, as well as Doveman and members of the Walkmen, Takka Takka, and the Yellowbirds. About 100 people crammed into the tiny room, and the band played sundry Dead “classics,” along with covers of Bob Dylan, the National, and (of course) the great Cass McCombs. Our favorites were a cover of The National’s Daughters Of The Soho Riots and The Dead’s Uncle John’s Band, which you can check out below. The former proved that this National song is one for the ages. Weir started off somewhat shaky on lead vocal, but ultimately Weirded it up well (a little more volume on his vocals would have helped!! Come on mixers, step away from the pipe!) thanks in large part to the strength of his accompanists. The latter song, a Dead specialty, saw some of the younger generation shine (despite some seriously off-key singing from some audience members way too close to the mic). Check ’em out below along with the entire setlist after.
As Rolling Stone reported: “Between sets, Weir joined a roundtable political discussion moderated by Andy Bernstein of the voter registration group, HeadCount, which produced the event as a benefit for their organization. The discussion also featured independent presidential candidate Buddy Roemer, climate change activist Jessy Tolkan, No Labels cofounder Mark McKinnon and Grateful Dead lyricist John Perry Barlow. They debated topics such as money in politics, personal freedom and the upcoming presidential election.”
SETLIST
“Help On The Way”
“Love Thine Enemy” (Cass McCombs)
“Looks Like Rain”
“El Paso”
“Friend Of The Devil”
“Cassidy”
“Daughters Of The Soho Riots” (The National)
“My Brother Esau”
//
“Me + My Uncle”
“Fake Empire” (The National)
“Most Of The Time” (Bob Dylan)
“Brown Eyed Woman”
“The Other One”
“Standing On The Moon”
“China Cat Sunflower”
“I Know You Rider”
//
“Ripple”
“Uncle John’s Band”
“Brokedown Palace”
Mar
“Overcome With Light”–The Bowerbirds on WNYC
in Music
We’ve recently been bowled over by The Bowerbirds. They showed up on WNYC the other day and played their inspiriting song, Overcome With Light. “And my worries then, were not grand, but I felt them like a hammer pounding…Now I’m overcome with light.” Indeed. Amongst others in this great genre, we find a lyric parallel in Robert Nesta Marley who sang: “Forget your troubles and dance.” There’s no bad time for a reminder that better times always lie ahead. Go ahead. Be overcome with light.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgGWsbTKgoQ&feature=uploademail
Overcome With Light:
“And how I know I’m happy now
I jump right down the shoots of time
And yes the weather was not always grey
But the furrow always graced my brow
Now I’m overcome with light, overcome with light
Overcome with light, overcome with light
Yes we had some hard work but now it’s right
Overcome with light, overcome
And my worries then, were not grand
But I felt them like a hammer pounding
Like I really feel, feel them now
And in the page, I know I’m dreaming
Now I’m overcome with light, overcome with light
Overcome with light, overcome with light
Yes we had some screams but now it’s right
Overcome with light, overcome
Overcome with light, overcome with light
Overcome “
Mar
Yellow Ostrich Performs “Marathon Runner” on Radio K
in Music
Yellow Ostrich showed up at Radio K and played their winning song Marathon Runner. Check it out below. We recently posted an alternative performance of the song HERE (along with two others). A great song from this up-and-coming band.
Mar
Sharon Van Etten on La Blogothecque’s Les Soirees de Poche
in Music
Last Fall, Sharon Van Etten played an intimate acoustic set for La Blogotheque’s Les Soirees de Poche in Paris. The session has just been released today. Check out all 22 minutes of it below. Tres, tres charmant. Et tres belle. Amor Plus!
Mar
Listen to New M. Ward Album on NPR
in Music
You can stream M. Ward‘s new solo album A Wasteland Companion now over at NPR Music. Check it out. As listed in the tour dates below, Ward will play a sold out at Soho in Santa Barbara on April 14th courtesy of Club Mercy.
You can read more about the album and also watch the first video (for the song The First Time I Ran Away) from the album HERE.
M. Ward on tour:
April 11 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
April 12 Santa Cruz, CA The Cocoanut Grove Ballroom
April 13 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
April 14 Santa Barbara, CA SoHo **SOLD OUT**
April 16 San Diego, CA Belly Up **SOLD OUT**
April 17 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
April 18 Flagstaff, AZ The Orpheum
April 20 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
May 5 Portland, ME State Theatre
May 6 Burlington, VT Higher Ground
May 7 New Haven, CT Toads Place
May 8 Boston, MA House of Blues
May 11 New York, NY Webster Hall
May 12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
May 13 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
May 15 Durham, NC Duke Performances at Page Auditorium
May 16 Athens, GA Georgia Theatre
May 17 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre
May 18 Gulf Shores, AL Hang Out Music Festival
May 20 Nelsonville, OH Nelsonville Music Festival
May 22 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
May 23 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
May 24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
May 26 Missoula, MT Wilma Theatre
May 27 George, WA Sasquatch Festival
Jonathan Richman supports 4/11
fIREHOSE supports 4/12, 4/16-4/18
Lee Ranaldo Band supports 5/5-5/22
Mar
Anaïs Mitchell–Solo, Expanded and Covered by Bon Iver
in Music
Anaïs Mitchell is receiving universal raves for her recently-released fifth album, Young Man in America. Check her raw and captivating solo acoustic performance of Wilderland and Young Man in America, the first two songs off the album (from last summer in Edinburgh). And then check out a recent, beautifully-refined version of Young Main in America performed for WBUR’s On Point show. The third song off the new album, Coming Down, is a melancholy masterpiece currently on repeat in our jukebox. If you don’t believe us, Bon Iver gave their stamp of approval to the song when Justin Vernon, S. Carey and saxophonist/vocalist Michael Lewis (!!) covered it last week (watch below). After watching the cover, you can view Mitchell’s official video for the song at bottom.
Mitchell is currently on a North American tour, with the remaining dates (including a turn through Cali in early April) listed below the video. She combines some of the best elements of Joanna Newsom and Joni Mitchell on the new album, but adds her own ineffable touch. Again, go over HERE to stream and buy her fine album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSbm616eutc
Tour:
March
28 – Doug Fir** – Portland, Ore. @ Doug Fir †
29– Seattle, Wash. @ The Tractor †
April
4 – San Francisco, Calif. @ Freight & Salvage
6 – San Diego, Calif. @ USCD at the Loft
7 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Edye Theater
12 – Harrisonburg, Calif. @ Eastern Mennonite University
13 – Staunton, Va. @ Mockingbird
14 – Lewisburg, W. Va. @ Carnegie Hall
19 – Ann Arbor, Mich. @ The Ark
20 – Evanston, Ill. @ Space
22 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ 7th Street
Mar
Dr. Dog on Jimmy Fallon Show and KEXP
in Music
Dr. Dog brought their good energy to the Jimmy Fallon Show Friday night when they performed Lonesome from their recently released album, Be The Void. Check it out below and then check out a couple of their recent KEXP performances after.
Mar
Daniel Lanois on U2’s “Achtung Baby,” Bob Dylan’s “Oh, Mercy,” Brian Eno’s “Apollo,” Neil Young’s “Le Noise” and Others
in Music
Daniel Lanois has established himself as one of the great producers (and performers) of our time. In advance of his induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, CBC interviewed Lanois this week and asked him to pick five albums he wanted to discuss. Check out the enlightening interviews below.
Mar
Blind Pilot Plays “Half Moon” for Yours Truly
in Music
Blind Pilot put out one of our favorite albums of 2011 (We Are the Tide at No. 12, to be exact). Check out the band as they performed their song Half Moon for Yours Truly.
