Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Xavier Rudd video / Rolling Stone


Rolling Stone Rock Daily caught up with Rudd at New York’s Highline Ballroom last week and asked for a quick music lesson. For footage of Rudd explaining his work and shots of his amazing multi-tasking show, check out our video interview.

Negativland / Time Out NY


Interview w/ Negativland in Time Out NY
that sheds some light on what the live stage show will be like...

For more than 27 years, Negativland has been remixing pop culture as fast and furiously as the world makes it. Few important topics have evaded the Bay Area group’s subversive sound and visual collages, which distill the signal truths from a vast landscape of noise: Politics, fame, Christianity, mass advertising, copyright law, Clear Channel—Negativland has artfully parodied or pilloried them all.

Though mostly known for an early-’90s lawsuit brought by Island Records and U2, Negativland has remained quite active into the new millennium, crafting a sampling-oriented license for Creative Commons and maintaining a weekly radio show, Over the Edge, which is broadcast on KPFA-FM in Berkeley and online. For the first time in several years, Negativland has put together a touring show, It’s All in Your Head FM, devoted to how and why we conceive of and believe in God. TONY caught up with affable founding member Mark Hosler, 45, by phone to ask the big questions. (continue at time out ny)

Ryan Shaw


Profile in this morning's Metro:

Ryan Shaw has great timing for delivering retro-cool. From the first few seconds of the organ-laced “Do the 45” — the first song off his album “This is Ryan Shaw” — listeners realize this dude is taking it way, way back, back to the era when men always wore hats and ladies never chewed gum, back to Sam Cooke and Otis Redding and when people listened to music on 45s. This is, after all, also the year Amy Winehouse seduced everybody with her own Motown-era inspired “Back to Black.”

Shaw’s debut is one of the year’s buzz albums, earning him a spot in Bonnaroo and a show at the Highline Ballroom tonight. Of course, the 26-year-old’s music hasn’t been as easy to find as that of, say, Justin Timberlake or Ne-Yo, but Shaw says he’s happy with his current position as an indie darling and a critic’s fave. In fact, the Atlanta transplant, who has lived in New York for about five years, doesn’t even get noticed much when he takes the train from his nest in Crown Heights. (continue at metro)

Monday, July 30, 2007

Dashboard Confessional / Nov 6 @ Highline

We were trawling for stock tips and came across this Dashboard news on yahoo finance; ?

Dashboard Confessional Announces First Solo Tour in Five Years
Monday July 30, 9:00 am ET

NEW YORK, July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a hugely successful arena tour in support of their fourth album Dusk and Summer (Vagrant), Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba is going back to his roots with a rare North American solo tour -- his first in five years. Joining him for this very special trek are Augustana and John Ralston. The tour officially kicks off on September 14th in Rochester, MI.

Carrabba and his bandmates -- guitarist John Lefler, bassist Scott Schoenbeck and drummer Mike Marsh -- ended 2006 on a high note with a sold-out show at New York City's legendary Madison Square Garden. The band has continued to play dates in 2007 in support of the radio success that they experienced with Dusk and Summer's second single "Stolen," which became a Top 40 smash.

Recorded with Don Gilmore and Daniel Lanois, Dusk and Summer marked Dashboard's third straight gold album. Dusk and Summer debuted at Number Two on the Billboard Albums Chart and Number One on the iTunes Top Albums Chart following its June 26th release last year on Vagrant Records.

Carrabba has already started working on a new album and while he won't reveal details at this point in time, he has hinted that this tour will give fans a glimpse of what's to come.

A limited number of tickets for this tour have been set aside exclusively for fans and are available through a special presale held by Ducat King Ticketing (http://dashboard.ducatking.com). Ordering begins on Friday, July 27th.

Public On Sale is August 2.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Marissa Nadler / CMJ.com


Marissa Sings 'Songs' On US Tour
2007-07-26 10:35:53.000,
Story by: Kristen Chiucarello

Marissa Nadler is set to take on a bigger audience with the US release of Songs III: Bird On The Water (Kemado), out August 7, with a subsequent tour to follow. The breathy soprano, who has been compared to artists such as Kate Bush, has gained a momentous following along the way of her two previous records on Eclipse. Nadler's been known to cover Pearls Before Swine's "Ballad Of The Amber Lady," but if American psych-rock reduxes aren't your thing, catch her at one of her in-store signings and ask for a Radiohead cover instead.
Marissa Nadler performs w/ Michael Gira
@ Highline Ballroom September 14

Who is King Heron?


Considered by many to be one of the greatest hip-hop artists to ever pick up a microphone, Rakim has announced plans to perform next month under as his new alter-ego King Heron, on August 5th.

"In the spirit of MF Doom and Kool Keith, Rakim is now performing under the new name King Heron," LiveNDirect owner Peter Oasis confirmed to SOHH.

"Rakim will be performing under his new moniker at an Aug. 5th Highline Ballroom show headlined by DJ Z-Trip which will also feature appearances by Gift of Gab, Aceyalone and DJ Phoreyz."

more at sohh.com

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

This poster...

Is mind-blowing on so many levels. Click the image to see it full size.

Ghostface pics...


Lots of Ghost pics via Ian Meyer.
My personal highlight: the live band pulling off "Nutmeg" from Supreme Clientele.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Suzanne Vega photo gallery


Uploaded pics to the photo gallery.

The Hilfiger Sessions...


click flyer for larger image

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Suzanne Vega interview on Gothamist

Suzanne%20Vega.jpg
It’s already two decades since the unlikely hit song Luka put Suzanne Vega on the map; six albums later she’s still swinging with her New York-themed Beauty and Crime. Along the way she’s had a divorce and a daughter (Ruby, now 13), married the man who proposed to her back in her pre-Luka days, and been dubbed "The Mother of the Mp3" when her song Tom’s Diner was used as the model for the algorithm that compresses the Mp3!

Oh, and last year Vega became the first major recording artist to perform in avatar form in the online virtual world Second Life. For those who can’t catch her show at The Highline Ballroom Thursday night, Vega will be giving a command performance of songs from her new album in Second Life form on Friday at 7pm. (Um, that’s 4pm Second Life time for all those perfectly normal Second Lifers out there.) Vega recently spoke with Gothamist about the new album, getting kissed by the homeless and love after 40. (continue at gothamist.com)

also a feature on Suzanne Vega in Time Out NY


Tuesday, July 10, 2007

DJ Krush

DJ Krush is on the latest cover of Fader Japan. He performs at the Highline Ballroom Oct 4

Art Brut / White Rabbits reviews and pics

Pic above is from Music Snobbery w/ a good review.

More at BrooklynVegan and Village Voice who refer to us as "the Sienna Miller of rock clubs".
We're not so mad at that.

Amiina / Pitchfork...


Amiina Tour North America in September Behind every good languid Icelandic dream-pop band, there's four good women. And if those four good women happen to be packing some violin cases (and cases for cellos, violas, mandolins, laptops, crystal glasses, etc.) well, all the better.

Amiina, the none-too-fearsome foursome of bow-bringers, have lined up a North American tour for the month of September, kicking off in the U.S. capital and ending in that other Washington over there. In between, they'll make lots of pretty music, and say a bunch of words you probably don't understand. And no, dude, they're not hitting on you.
( more at pitchforkmedia.com)

Amiina @ Highline Ballroom September 5

Mark Ronson / NY Times...


Published: July 10, 2007

On Sunday afternoon at McCarren Park Pool in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Mark Ronson did his usual thing: he brought his laptop and some records and D.J.ed a party.

Mark Ronson has been producing, and is releasing his second album.

But he was nervous. “I don’t know if I’m a big draw around these parts,” he said from the V.I.P. area before the show, surveying the 1980s-fashion-loving hipsters. “My crowd doesn’t wear the funny-colored sunglasses.”

At first audience members — indie rock fans who turn up in droves for weekly concerts at the pool — were more interested in taking photos of him than dancing. (This was especially true of the row of young women who seem to hug the stage at his every show.)

But about halfway into his 30-minute set, as Mr. Ronson, in his standard garb — spotless white shirt, skinny jeans, scuffed Fred Perry sneakers, bedhead — spun old-school hip-hop and new hits, people began to move. By the time he played “Stop Me,” a song from his new album, the crowd was singing along. (continue at nytimes.com)

Audio from Mark Ronson:

"Stop Me"

(Real)

(Windows)


Monday, July 9, 2007

Olu Dara pics...

Uploaded a bunch to the photo gallery.

Robbie Williams to Join Mark Ronson in NYC?

The hot producer tells SPIN.com a special guest may on board for his record release show on Wednesday.

Mark Ronson

In pop music, it's all about who you know, and Mark Ronson knows Robbie Williams. Ronson, the hot producer behind albums by Spin cover girl Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen, will celebrate the release of his solo album, Version, this Wednesday at NYC's Highline Ballroom, and he told SPIN.com that "a certain giant, male, mega-pop star from England" might be crossing the pond to perform with him. Williams covers the Charlatans' "The Only One I Know" on Version, which also includes guest spots from Winehouse, Allen, and Dirt McGirt (aka Ol' Dirty Bastard). Speaking backstage at yesterday's Pool Party in Brooklyn's McCarren Park, Ronson revealed that Version guests Alex Greenwald of Phantom Planet, Daniel Merriweather, Kenna, and Santo Gold will also be joining him for the New York date.

Friday, July 6, 2007

NY Times previews this week...

ART BRUT (Monday) Rock ’n’ roll needs to celebrate as well as ridicule its own mythology, and Art Brut, sarcastically but exuberantly singing about the thrill of plugging in and making a ruckus — “Formed a band, we formed a band/Look at us, we formed a band!” — is one of the rare groups that can do both.

★ MARK RONSON (Wednesday) The producer of the cleverest songs of Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse, Mr. Ronson pushes vintage R&B sounds through a filter of comic hip-hop, and on his new album, “Version” (RCA), performs loving graffiti on songs by Coldplay and the Smiths.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Suzanne Vega DVD contest

We've got a few Suzanne Vega @ Montreux DVDs to giveaway! Email info (AT) highlineballroom.com with "Suzanne" in the subject line to be entered. Winners will win a DVD AND a pair of tickets to her show here July 12 @ Highline Ballroom.

Pharoahe Monch recap

review and pics up on BrooklynVegan.
Can't believe we didn't mention this until now but Styles P performed . STYLES P!
Lots of pics (and video!) up on prefixmag.com

Monday, July 2, 2007

The Bad Plus pics...

uploaded a lot of pics to the photo gallery.



I particularly like this one cause Ethan Iverson looks peeved. But he's not.
In fact he gave us a "thumbs up" on the Bad Plus blog; Do the Math

Art Brut / Guest List on Pitchfork


Guest List: Art Brut

Welcome to the latest edition of Pitchfork's Guest List. Each week, we ask one of our favorite artists to fill us in on what they've been up to lately: which tracks they can't stop spinning, what books they can't put down, and what new bands they've caught on tour. This week it's Art Brut frontman Eddie Argos, who tells us which video game is best for singing about, admits his ignorance about heroin-themed lyrics, and explains why his band will try to be more like Ghostface Killah from now on. (continue at pitchforkmedia.com)

Reverend Billy in the news...

PHOTO: Courtesy Konstantin Sergeyev & revbilly.com

Reverend Billy Arrested For Reciting The First Amendment
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- An antic activist who said he was sticking up for cyclists' rights was arrested while loudly reciting the First Amendment, according to police and the activist.

Lawyer Normal Siegel, who said he witnessed Talen's arrest near Manhattan's Union Square and planned to represent him, portrayed the arrest as paradoxical.

``Reverend Billy has a First Amendment Right to recite the First Amendment,'' he said.
(more at 1010wins.com)

* Due to popular demand another Highline Revival added July 22nd *

Reverend Billy's Hot & Holy Sunday Revivals
July 22nd and July 29th 2PM

UPDATE: more on the story and video at CBS news.

Bill Callahan interview / Pitchfork

Pitchfork Interview by Brian Howe
From 1988 until the recent release of Woke on a Whaleheart under his birth name, Bill Callahan, as far as the public was concerned, was the entity known as Smog. But Smog was not a person. Smog was a late-afternoon feeling of desolation, dread, and enchantment. Smog made brutal, no-fi tapes of acoustic musings pinioned by abrasive noise experiments. Smog's music brushed up against the misogynistic, the antisocial, the outright sociopathic. Smog was an enigma to be relished but never resolved. Bill Callahan, meanwhile, is a fairly traditional folk-rocker with a weathered baritone and a penchant for aphorisms. Could they be the same person? (continue at pitchforkmedia.com)

Bill Callahan performs September 7th at Highline Ballroom

Ojos De Brujo / NY Times

FAR BEYOND FLAMENCO, A ZEST FOR RHYTHMS (AND POLITICS)
Published: June 30, 2007

“Resistance with joy.” That’s how Marina Abad described the song “Piedras vs. Tanques” (“Stones Against Tanks”) when Ojos de Brujo played on Thursday at the Highline Ballroom, and the phrase could be this Spanish band’s watchword.

(continue at nytimes.com)