This Week's Nostalgia (7/3-7/9)

by Trista Hou (Bingshu Hou)

The last time we heard from The Virgins was around 4 years ago when they released their self-titled album. Donald Cumming has an extremely similar voice to Julian Casablancas, and they've opened for Iggy Pop, The Stooges, Lou Reed, Sonic Youth, Patti Smith, etc... which strongly proves that their show is a must see for you to check it out net week. They will be playing in Bowery Electric on July 6.

I don't have to introduce our NYC-based jazz sweetheart Norah Jones. But this time she will come take us to a murkier and darker mood, since her newly released album contains scenes of jealousy and heartbreak. At Central Park SummerStage on July 3 she will use her melting voice but with new expression to satisfy your curiosity of how a jazz sweetheart could sound like if she sings sorrow songs.

CBGB Festival begins this Thursday. We've listed a bunch of those shows below, but stay tuned for an extensive preview of the festival in the next day or two. We're running a little slower than usual lately, but things are about to pick up. Without further ado...

Photos/Review: Mogwai @ Webster Hall

Mogwai @ Webster Hall - June 15, 2012
Photos: Chris / Review: Trista Hou (Bingshu Hou)

If fans were upset with Mogwai for canceling their scheduled shows in NYC last year, than they were probably blown away by the band finally coming back on June 14 and 15 at Webster Hall. Clearly, I was one of those fans. On Friday, the Scottish post-rock legends played songs that spanned two decades worth of work, including tracks from their sophomore effort Come On Die Young and their latest album, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will.

I have to admit that Mogwai’s live show is one of the plainest I’ve ever seen: no ostentatious costumes, no delicate stage setup, and very sparse interaction with the audience. However, it didn’t affect us being completely enticed by their music. Using their lengthy guitar-based instrumental pieces and typical sound distortions, they brought you into their world. The advantage of being plain is that the audience was made to give its full attention to the music itself, and also conjures up our intensified nitpicking of the band’s songwriting. 

Mogwai didn’t let us down, at least me. I was immersed in the wall of sound and sea of noise they created, from the beginning till the end. It was like a journey to a dreamland... they did their best to balance their performance, so as their instrumental metal wouldn't be too heavy, and their shoe gazing not too drowsy. When a familiar keyboard gently began, I knew it was the symbolic track “I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead” from The Hawk is Howling. Its high pitched sound penetrated through all of their instruments and stayed at a position, knitting melodic strands, creating an outpouring of sadness that more or less invaded you. 

As “We’re No Here” was about to end the show, the sound effects seemed to take us to the top of a mountain overlooking an entire dreamland. Joy mixed with exhaustion after this arduous trip, and it was time to seize the last moment of enjoyment, for we knew that after this, we'd have to return to the disappointing and mundane reality of repeating days and nights. Mogwai is fantasy; or they're a hallucinogen that can temporarily take you to a world of fantasy.

---

Mogwai will play several more dates this summer, mostly in Europe. In the meantime, the band recently announced plans to release a remix album (a first for the band) titled A Wrenched Virile Lore, which will include remixes of songs from Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. You can download to the first released song from the album, which is Xander Harris' take on "How To Be A Werewolf."

Also check out a full set of photos from Friday's show, in addition to their setlist below...

Mogwai @ Webster Hall - June 15, 2012 Setlist
Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home
White Noise
I Know You Are But What Am I?
San Pedro
Mexican Grand Prix
Stanley Kubrick
Stop Coming To My House
Cody
Ex-Cowboy
How to Be a Werewolf
2 Rights Make 1 Wrong
Ratts of the Capital

Encore:
Rano Pano
I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead
We're No Here

This Week's Nostalgia (6/11-6/16)

Kurt Vile @ Williamsburg Waterfront last year

by Trista Hou & Chris

It's one of those weeks where there are so many shows going on, it's inevitable that you're going to miss something really good. Of course, L Magazine's Northside Festival takes over pretty much every Williamsburg-area venue starting Thursday, but then there are also some really great non-Northside shows taking place. One of those will be Kurt Vile & The Violators at Central Park SummerStage, a free show that you won't want to miss on Saturday. It's been a year since I last saw Vile live, when he opened for Sonic Youth at Williamsburg Waterfront. His live show takes the form of long, ambient and droning jams; often hypnotizing, and always interesting. Alt-country act Dawes will open. Get there early.

Northside-wise, be sure to head to our friend NYCTaper's official Northside showcase on Thursday, at 285 Kent. Our friends EULA will open, so get there early, and then stick around to watch White Hills later on in the night. On Friday, your best bet will be to check out Caveman during BrookylnVegan's showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg. We caught Caveman during Crossing Brooklyn Ferry and were blown away. For Saturday, you may want to check out Olivia Tremor Control at Music Hall of Williamsburg for what is guaranteed to be a fun time. On Sunday, check out Future of the Left (their only US show on the horizon) at Europa, or you can watch old school hip-hop collective Ultramagnetic MC's at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Kool Keith will also be performing solo on Thursday at Brooklyn Bowl.

Don't forget that Mogwai finally plays NYC on Thursday and Friday, and tickets are still available for both. Check out the rest of the shows going on this week below, and try not to stroke out when you realize you can't be in two places at once...

This Week's Nostalgia (5/28-6/3)

tUnE-yArDs

by Trista Hou (Bingshu Hou)

You might not be familiar with tUnE-yArDs--but I want to seize my right of event listing to introduce her 2011 album w h o k i l l, which was named best new music by Pitchfork (and one of FN's favorite albums of '11). tUnE-yArDs is the music project of Merrill Garbus, and it is hard for me to define her music as a specific genre, mostly because it's a hectic mix of acoustic folk, R&B, funk and Latin-pop. She will be headlining Terminal 5 on June 2, for which tickets are still available.

With the annual Blue Note Jazz Festival approaching, I recently picked up some jazz albums to adjust myself in the mood of the jazz season. Ravi Coltrane, who unlike legendary saxophonist John Coltrane (Ravi's father), plays a style that focuses more on post-bop. Find him at Birdland tonight if you are curious about his sound, and whether or not it will reflect something of his iconic father.

"All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, you better run, better run, outrun my gun." You can't avoid hearing these lyrics everywhere -- be it at Starbucks, restaurants, clothing stores or even in Chinese supermarkets. Foster The People's "Pumped Up Kicks" has penetrated our lives without notice. I was at Lollapalooza last year and clearly remember they were just a small band playing at 3 p.m. on a small stage--but now tickets for their gigs sell out in a flash. They will play twice this week: Tuesday and Wednesday at Rumsey Playfield (both sold out), part of Central Park SummerStage. Openers The Kooks are also worth getting there early for. Alternatives to get into the venue? Please consult craigslist, stubhub or your dear scalper friends.

Here are the rest of the week's shows in New York City...

This Week's Nostalgia (5/21-5/27)

by Trista Hou (Bingshu Hou)

Whether you prefer the White Stripes or maybe just his art, Jack White's recent solo album Blunderbuss (stream it below) has received critical acclaim amongst the most prestigious of music sites. Though it is White's solo debut, the influence of his former bands White Stripes, Dead Weather and Raconteurs can still be found. Wanna reminiscence as well as explore his new material? Find him on Monday and Tuesday at Roseland Ballroom, especially for those who couldn't squeeze yourself into the packed show last month in Webster Hall.

Garbage. Haven't heard from this band in... seven years! Just a week ago, their latest album Not Your Kind of People had its worldwide release. The Guardian gave the album four out of a possible five stars, calling it "a beautiful, otherworldly cross between a John Barry Bond theme and a David Bowie outsider anthem." Tuesday at Webster Hall, get ready for a feast of seeing and hearing.

Check out the rest of this week's shows below...

This Week's Nostalgia (5/15-5/20)

Taken at the Bell House. Hall & Oates headline the Great Googa Mooga Festival on Sunday.

By Trista Hou (Binshu Hou) & Chris

Trista is being a good student and preparing for finals, so while she did send over her picks for This Week's Nostalgia, she didn't have time to write about any of them. That's why I'm chiming in to highlight what's going on this week in New York City because, holy shit, there are a lot of great shows to check out. 

EULA (who played FN's 1st Anniversary Concert) will be performing twice this week. Tonight you can catch them at The Studio at Webster Hall and then again on Thursday at Death By Audio. What's that? You haven't seen EULA yet? Well then you're slacking. Get out to one of these shows, because they're one hell of a live act. Other more intimate shows worth noting are instrumental psychedelic weirdos Delicate Steve, who will headline Mercury Lounge on Thursday and lo-fi connoisseur R. Stevie Moore, who will play 285 Kent on Friday.

On the bigger side of things, Beach House will be playing a small show at Bowery Ballroom before heading off on tour. They'll be back to play SummerStage on July 23. Their (very good) new album Bloom is out today.

On Thursday, Legendary reggae producer and dub master Lee "Scratch" Perry plays Gramercy Theatre. We also have the two-day Great Googa Mooga Festival this weekend at Prospect Park to look forward to, which will feature The Roots headlining on Saturday and then mother-fucking Hall & Oates on Sunday. Don't worry, they won't actually harm any of your mothers.

...or will they?

Check out the rest of the week's shows below...

This Week's Nostalgia (5/7-5/12)

by Trista Hou (Bingshu Hou)

[editor's note: Trista sent this to me on Sunday and I just couldn't get it posted in time. But sans Monday, here are the rest of this week's shows you should check out in New York City...]

Tuesday, May 8

Doe Paoro @ Glasslands in April (more here)

Doe Paoro @ Cameo
Florence and the Machine @ Radio City Music Hall
Bear in Heaven @ Bowery Ballroom
The Beach Boys @ Beacon Theatre
Dead Confederate+The Doorbells @The Mercury Lounge

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros+Fool's Gold @ Roseland Ballroom

Chairlift @ Webster Hall

Wednesday, May 9

Aaron Freeman @ Brooklyn Bowl in December (more here)

Aaron Freeman @ 92YTribeca

The Beach Boys @ Beacon Theatre
Awolnation @ Webster Hall
Bear in Heaven+Blouse+Doldrums @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Mike Wexler+Nymph+Future Shuttle @ The Glasslands Gallery
Horse Feathers @ Bowery Ballroom

Rufus Wainwright @ BAM

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros+Fool's Gold @ Roseland Ballroom

Thursday, May 10

Mark Lanegan @ Bowery Ballroom in February (more here)

Mark Lanegan Band@ Webster Hall
Medeski, Martin, & Wood@ Brooklyn Masonic Temple
Flux Pavilion @ Roseland Ballroom

M83 @ Terminal 5

Japanther @ Xpo 929

Friday, May 11

Lee Ranaldo w/ Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront last August (more here)

M. Ward+Lee Ranaldo Band @ Webster Hall

Norah Jones @ The Bell House

Saturday, May 12

Neon Indian

Neon Indian @ Terminal 5
Steve Lawler @ Dekalb Market
Reckless Kelly+Gabriel Kelley @ Bowery Ballroom

Sunday, May 13

Patti Smith @ Webster Hall in September (more here)

Patti Smith (Special Mothers Day Acoustic show) @ City Winery
Diane Birch+Rewards+The Amendments @ The Glasslands Gallery

Fred Armisen (does his playlist) @ Union Pool

Photos/Review: The Cranberries @ Terminal 5

The Cranberries @ Terminal 5 - May 2, 2012
Photos: Trista Hou (Binshu Hou) / Review: Jennifer Harmon

It was indeed a nostalgic journey back to the nineties as The Cranberries lit up the stage Wednesday night inside Terminal 5. The 3,000-capacity venue was packed wall to wall with concertgoers, many in the age bracket of 30 and up, who enjoyed a libation or two before the show and then hopped in a yellow cab to the venue. Cozy couples and clusters of friends approached the entrance and raced inside to catch the band.

It was 9 PM sharp when the lovely Delores O’Riordan appeared beside her bandmates, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler. The alternative rock band from Limerick, Ireland, made the right choice by kicking off the party with a true fan favorite, “Dreams,” from Everybody Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?

This Week's Nostalgia (4/23-4/29)

Ceremony @ Le Poisson Rouge

by Trista Hou (Bingshu Hou)

[editor's note: Trista is on the west coast for the second weekend of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, but she did send on her list of shows to check out this week in New York City... enjoy!]

Monday, April 23

The Vaccines @ Bowery Ballroom

The Vaccines @ Webster Hall

The Big Pink @ Bowery Ballroom
Washed Out+Memoryhouse @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Ceremony @ The Mercury Lounge (late show)

Ceremony+Refused @ Terminal 5
Raleigh Moncrief+Jonas Reinhardt @ The Glasslands Gallery

Tuesday, April 24

Miike Snow

Miike Snow @Terminal 5
Nite Jewel @ Bowery Ballroom
Gauntlet Hair+Field Mouse @ The Glasslands Gallery

Wednesday, April 25

Nick Lowe

Nick Lowe @ Town Hall
Good Old War @ Bowery Ballroom
Lissy Trullie @The Mercury Lounge

Miike Snow @Terminal 5

We Are Scientists+1,2,3 @ Brooklyn Bowl

The Weeknd @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Thursday, April 26

Archers of Loaf @ Webster Hall

Archers of Loaf @ Bowery Ballroom
Twin Shadow @ The Glasslands Gallery
The Wombats @ Webster Hall

Miike Snow @Terminal 5

WU LYF @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

The Hives @ The Studio at Webster Hall

Friday, April 27

Ben Browning w/ Cut Copy @ Terminal 5

Ben Browning (of Cut Copy) @ The Glasslands Gallery

Death Cab for Cutie+Youth Lagoon @ Beacon Theatre

WU LYF @ Bowery Ballroom

Yan Tiersen @ Irving Plaza

The Feelies @ The Bell House

Jack White @ Webster Hall

Saturday, April 28

The English Beat @ Irving Plaza

'Mr. Saturday Night w/ Jacques Greene @ House of Yes
'Hi-Fi Cartel' w/ Addison Groove+Doc Daneeka+Jubilee @ The Glasslands Gallery
Squeeze+The English Beat @ Roseland Ballroom

Hanni El Khatib @ The Mercury Lounge

Death Cab for Cutie+Youth Lagoon @ Beacon Theatre

The Weeknd @ Bowery Ballroom

Sunday, April 29

Titus Andronicus @ Brooklyn Night Bazaar

Quintron and Miss Pussycat+The K-Holes @ The Mercury Lounge
La Dispute @ Bowery Ballroom

Archers of Loaf+Titus Andronicus @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Death Cab for Cutie+Youth Lagoon @ Beacon Theatre

The Shins @ Terminal 5

Melvins @ Webster Hall

Photos/Review: Plants and Animals @ Littlefield

Plants and Animals @ Littlefield - April 17, 2012
Photos/Review: Trista Hou (Bingshu Hou)

What you might expect from the Canadian music scene should not be limited to catchy pop bands like noise-rock duo Death From Above 1979, or Bowie-inspired shoegaze band Destroyer. There is room for an acoustic-heavy folk and classic rock-inspired trio such as Plants and Animals as well.

The band kicked off their North American tour recently to promote their newly released LP, The End of That, and their show at Littlefield was their first night in NYC. The venue was no more than 1/5 full when the two warm-up bands, Indians and This Is the Kit, were performing, but as soon as P & A stepped onto the stage, people became interested and engaged.

Starting off with the classic rock riffs of “Good Friend”, one of the top tracks from their 2009 album Parc Avenue which was rated 8 out 10 by Pitchfork, immediately brought the audience back to an age when the Walker Brothers were still a member of British Invasion. Singing repeatedly “I wanna dance," frontman Warren Spicer swept the guitar with eyes closed, and offered the audience a perfect excuse to swing spontaneously.

Following up was “Crisis!”, the first song they played from the latest album. With highly discernible guitar loops as a prelude, the song helped to enter a small climax of the show. Warren controlled his voice at the very edge of its limit each time he burst out the line “somewhere between a crisis and a pretty good time," but you didn't have to worry about his failure in trying to do so. As the song came to an end, the instrumental effects climbed up to a peak which created a wall of noise, leading you to be drowned in its mighty strength.

And then Warren’s voice quickly intruded again as the melody of “Song for Love” began to fill the venue. He uttered his words clearly, and the singing somehow just reminded me of Damon Albarn. They covered songs from all three of their albums and put them in an order that wasn't abrupt in the transition of each track to the next. Apart from being the vocalist and guitarist, Warren also sang to the accompaniment of piano which he played by himself. Besides that, bassist Nicolas Basque picked up some sort of folk instrument which sounds like Koto to add variety into the sound effect.

The band played 11 songs in total, which lasted about an hour and a half. Overall, Plants and Animals' live show comes off as a rather intimate party among acquaintances rather than a star performing with high ticket prices.

This Week's Nostalgia (4/2-4/8)

by Trista Hou (Bingshu Hou)

[Editor's note: We've admittedly been pretty behind in keeping up with the insane amount of shows that have been going on lately. April also happens to look like it will be profoundly busy. Thankfully, longtime FN supporter Trista Hou has stepped in to let us know what shows are going on in New York City on a weekly basis. Without further ado, I present you Trista's first post for "This Week's Nostalgia." --Chris]

This week we are pleased to announce that "The Boss" will make his highly anticipated return to Madison Square Garden in support of his newest album Wrecking Ball. With loops, electronic percussion and hip-hop (gasp!) merged into the record, it seems like Bruce Springsteen always keeps pace with the tide of rock n' roll.  So are there any surprises he will bring to us on stage? You'll have to figure out a way to get into the sold out shows on April 6 and 9 to find out.

If you are a music trend-setter and feel that Springsteen is no longer an icon, then New Zealand synth-rock band The Naked and Famous on April 4 at Terminal 5 would probably be your best pick. Dance yourself recklessly with the effect of electronic synthesizers and beats, not mention they're a pretty band to look at.

Kind of the same with The Rapture. If you missed out on LCD Soundsystem before they officially split up last year, and want to hear a 21st-century version of Joy Division--but with a frontman's nasal falsetto reminiscent of Billy Corgan--then The Rapture will certainly provide you with any fancy illusion you might think of as a post-punk fan. They play Bowery Ballroom on Friday, April 6 and Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday, April 7.

Apart from above, there are also many other bands and singers ranging from indie, DJ, jazz to country to check out. See below for more shows in the New York City area that we're particularly excited about this week...