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Short & Sweet NYC Friday Feb 5th

Friday February 5 Location: Bushwick, Brooklyn Bands: The Sky Report Winter Showcase with Brahms Show time: 9 PM Venue: Tandem Food: Potion Café Drink: Life Café Nine 83 Miscellaneous: Stain The Sky Report Winter Showcase with Brahms is featuring Brahms—who are fresh off sold-out opening dates with Passion Pit, The Dirty Projectors and Telepathe—along with Brooklyn electro chanteuse Bonnie Baxter under her new moniker ShadowBox, “epic synth-pop” band Fan-Tan, and ambient electronic artist David Shane Smith from Los Angeles. DJs Fatalist, Jeremy Russell and Silent T will spin ‘til 4 AM. For food in this neighborhood, Potion Café offers organically grown and traded food that’s part of the “slow food” movement, and makes delicious and creative food like the poached eggs in white wine sauce. For drinks, check out Life Café Nine 83. While it’s THE same Life Café that the RENT musical features in the play, it’s not the same location. This new Bushwick locale also possesses a boho vibe, an Americanized menu of ethnic food and a fun selection of mixed drinks including martinis and lemonade cocktails. A HUGE space decked out in old couches, Stain is an artsy bar that looks like an old-school coffeehouse yet serves local wines and beers. Friday February 5 Location: Upper West Side, NYC Band: Chromeo Show time: 9 PM Venue: Guggenheim Museum Food: Brother Jimmy’s Bait Shack Drink: Cavatappo Wine Bar Miscellaneous: Ship of Fools Not exactly known for throwing shows of this sort, the Guggenheim will see Chromeo perform as part of Guggenheim First Fridays, where art and music meet. While you’re there, check out the exhibition by Anish Kapoor. Now that it’s cold out, what better way to warm up than with some BBQ? Brother Jimmy’s Bait Shack is known for their BBQ’d meats, which are smoked in house. The menu is all Southern favorites like po’boys, catfish, fried chicken and burgers. Though it’s small, Cavatappo Wine Bar packs a mighty punch, offering an amazing selection of wines from all over the world for under $10 a glass. With more than 40 TVs featuring sports, Ship of Fools also has darts, pool tables, and video games.

Taken By Trees NYC & Brooklyn DJ Sets + Tour

I just had the honor of meeting Victoria Bergsman of Sweden's Taken By Trees today. She recently moved from Sweden to Manhattan to get a feel for the city. She has an upcoming tour with her friend El Perro Del Mar. The dates below. We did an interview with her which will be posted shortly on the main site and she informed me she will be spinning a few sets in New York and Brooklyn I starting tonight which I thought I would pass along. DJ Sets: Thursday, February 4th | Stanton Public | 9:00PM- 1AM | 17 Stanton Street in the LES Friday, February 5th | American Apparel | 12noon till ? | 314 Flatbush Ave in Park Slope Thursday, February 11th | Stanton Public | 9:00PM- 1AM | 17 Stanton Street in the LES Tour Dates: 13 feb Union Hall BROOKLYN 14 feb World Café with El Perro Del Mar PHILADELPHIA 16 feb Le Poisson Rouge with El Perro Del Mar NEW YORK 17 feb The Knitting Factory with El Perro Del Mar BROOKLYN 19 feb Cambridge YMCA Theatre with El Perro Del Mar CAMBRIDGE 26 feb Triple Door with El Perro Del Mar SEATTLE 20 feb Il Motore with El Perro Del Mar MONTREAL 21 feb Mod Club with El Perro Del Mar TORONTO 22 feb Schubas with El Perro Del Mar CHICAGO 23 feb Cedar Cultural Center with El Perro Del Mar MINNEAPOLIS 27 feb Biltmore with El Perro Del Mar VANCOUVER 28 feb Doug Fir with El Perro Del Mar PORTLAND 02 mar Cafe Du Nord with El Perro Del Mar SAN FRANCISCO 03 mar Troubadour with El Perro Del Mar LOS ANGELES

Now and then: Beach House

Beach House is sometimes labeled “dream pop” but more often than not the dreams that they serve up are a bit haunting. The band recently released the amazing Teen Dream album in January to high acclaim, and it seems with each successive album the band climbs deeper into the hole they began digging with their 2006 self-titled debut. For proof, watch the video for “Master of None” from that album, preceded by the most recent video for “Silver Soul.”

Beach House "Silver Soul" from Sub Pop Records on Vimeo.

Short & Sweet NYC Sat & Sun Jan 30th & 31st

Saturday January 30 Location: Union Square, NYC Bands: Of Montreal + James Husband Get Tickets Here Show time: 8 PM Venue: Highline Ballroom Food GoGo Curry Drink Stitch Miscellaneous Leisure Time Bowl James Husband will be pulling double duty being in Of Montreal, who create some of the most groundbreaking indie rock, while also performing his own material off his recently released album A Parallel I. The owner of GoGo Curry is obsessed with the Yankees’ Hideki Matsui and his jersey number (55). The menu is baseball themed and katsu, a fried meat, chicken, or shrimp cutlet served in a curry sauce, is the specialty here. Portion sizes are Walk (S), Single (M), Double (L), and Triple (XL) and are inexpensive. The mascot, a gorilla for some reason, is plastered everywhere, making this place even quirkier. In the heart of the garment district, Stitch, a cozy after-work bar/lounge, stocks a cocktail menu with a design theme. If you still have energy and are in the mood to bowl, check out Leisure Time Bowl. Located in the Port Authority, this place is stylish and fun. Saturday January 30 Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn Bands: Slavic Soul Party Show time: 9 PM Venue: Barbes Food: Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen Drink: The Gate Miscellaneous: Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. Balkan brass band Slavic Soul Party bring some serious funk heat at their live shows as Eastern European tradition meets Western groove. Ever have Oaxacan food? Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen serves up some fantastic, not-exactly-Mexican food. Try the smoky flavored Mole Negro, one of the best mole sauces I’ve had in NYC. Before leaving, you must try one of the hot chocolates like the Chiles Y Chocolate. A hint of chipotle without too much heat is a nice kick start for the night. The Gate is a great Park Slope bar with excellent beers on tap and an outdoor courtyard to chill in. If time permits, you must—and I mean MUST—go to the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., a non-profit organization that helps kids with their writing, and is fronted by a store selling super powers. Sunday January 31 Location: Midtown West, NYC Band: An Albatross Show time: 8 PM Venue: Knitting factory Food: Fette Sau Drink: Spuyten Duyvil Miscellaneous: Union Pool Noise rock outfit An Albatross make a muddy stew of synth-driven scream metal that will blow you away. Check these guys live to comprehend. Joining them are RICE and Wharton Tiers Ensemble. If you’re feeling German BBQ, you can head over to Fette Sau (fat pig in German), where the owners of nearby bar Spuyten Duyvil have opened up this meat-only restaurant serving up some of the best pork and beef in NYC. For drinks, Spuyten Duyvil is a beer lovers dream. With a selection from all over the world, friendly and knowledgeable bartenders and a neighborhood feel, it’s no wonder this place has been so successful. If you’re still ready for more, you must hit Union Pool, where there’s always a band playing, great DJs and plenty of action.

Short & Sweet NYC Friday Jan 29th

Friday January 29 Location: Union Square, NYC Band: The Crystal Method Show time: 10 PM Venue: Webster Hall Food: Momofuku Drink: The Village Pourhouse Miscellaneous: Sundaes and Cones On Divided By Night, their first studio album in five years, The Crystal Method continue making electronic dance music that incorporates everything—including the kitchen sink—and several guests like hip hop act LMFAO and New Order’s bassist Peter Hook. They will be performing a DJ set live as part of the Girls & Boys party. If you like ramen noodles and pork, then Momofuku is your spot for food. The berkshire pork is the best I’ve had. In fact, this is the only place I’ll eat pork period, which should tell you just how good Momofuku really is! The Village Pourhouse may look like a neighborhood bar to watch sports in but it actually has three more rooms where you can order food or find a quiet place to smooch! For dessert a little left of the dial, Sundaes and Cones offers eclectic flavors like wasabi and corn and several other flavors that are slightly more familiar. Friday January 29 Location: Upper West Side, NYC Bands: St. Vincent Show time: 8:30 PM Venue: Jazz at Lincoln Center, Allen Room, Time Warner Center Food: Symposium Drink: Broadway Dive Miscellaneous: Sip The thing I love about Lincoln Center is just when you think you have them figured out as “that place to go for classical music,” they bring in someone like Annie Clark (AKA St. Vincent), who is a brilliant and well-respected indie singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist. Did I mention she’s worked with The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens, among others, as well? Low priced anything near Columbia University is getting harder to find, but at Symposium, you’ll get Greek food that won’t force you to take a mortgage out. The pastitsio (baked macaroni with ground meat $9.95) is out of this world. Not the kind of dive bar you’re thinking, though Broadway Dive has a single malt scotch and bourbon menu big enough that you won’t even know where you are after a few. A coffee bar that also serves liquor, tapas, and baked goods all in one place? Sip sounds good to me.

Now and Then: Laura Veirs

Laura Veirs has been making soft, melodic, indie tunes since 1999’s self-titled debut. Her great new album names Colin Meloy and Jim James as backers. July Flame was released in January and has Veirs coming back with more of a band feel than even as recent as 2005’s Year of Meteors. While you watch the video for “July Flame” and “Magnetized” compare the sound.

3 Titans New 45 Out Feb 16th

The 3 Titans, Khalil Jackson, Jorden Plaines, and Dallas Ifill, are rhythmically gifted fifth-graders with their sights set on higher education. On their debut 7” for Daptone affiliate Dunham Records, “C-O-L-L-E-G-E” b/w “Life of a Scholar" (out Feb 16), the precocious eleven-year-olds trade rhymes about the benefits of going to college and the determination it takes to get there over two sides of old-school, hard-as-nails (and refreshingly sample-free) beats provided by the notorious Menahan Street Band (also known for their work with soul singers Charles Bradley and Lee Fields, as well as providing the sample for Jay-Z's 2007 hit, "Roc Boys"). The hooks are contagious hand-thrower-uppers, the breaks are spine-cracking head-bobbers (ala Brand Nubian and Pete Rock), and the raps are executed with a cool almost lackadaisical simplicity that evokes the playful cadences of early hip-hop, before rhymes and rhythms became overshadowed by egos and jewelry. The often imitated, never replicated, drums of Homer Steinweiss lay a solid bottom on the track, over which the young Titans play off of each other with ease, each threading their verses masterfully between the others’ and leaning into their individual styles with a natural confidence and lyricism that makes their lessons easy to memorize. It’s a message. It’s a groove. It’s a motherfucker. It’s the 3 Titans. From the get go, the backing music—written, arranged and performed by the label’s resident house musicians, the Menahan Street Band, as well as folks behind such acclaimed acts as Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Antibalas and Amy Winehouse—clicked as quickly for the adults as the message and rhymes did for the kids, and the new 45 marks a first on many fronts for the burgeoning Dunham family. Having outgrown the original converted bedroom/recording studio in co-founder Tom Brenneck’s Bushwick, Brooklyn apartment, the record label moved last year to more spacious Williamsburg quarters where Brenneck and label co-founder/drummer/producer Homer Steinweiss were able to realize a lifelong dream of building their own recording studio from scratch. The precocious efforts of the 3 Titans are the first recordings from the newly minted studio to be made available for the listening public’s pleasure. And certainly not the last.

Short & Sweet NYC Sat & Sun Jan 23rd & 24th

Saturday January 23 Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn Music: Britt Daniel Show time: 12 PM; FREE Venue: Sound Fix Food: Dumont Burger Drink: Radegast Hall & Biergarten Miscellaneous: Verb Cafe Spoon frontman Britt Daniel plays new songs off the band’s new album Transference at the new Sound Fix all by his lonesome. Plus it’s FREE! With one of the best burgers in Williamsburg, Dumont Burger offers theirs with gourmet toppings, in addition to sandwiches, salads and their amazing mac & cheese. So you consider yourself a beer connoisseur and like to party? You can do all that and eat at Radegast Hall & Biergarten. The Austrian/German menu perfectly compliments the 12 beers on tap and more than 30 German and Austrian bottles at this large beer hall. One of the oldest and best hipster hangout coffee shops, The Verb Cafe offers up excellent coffee and baked goods, a boho vibe and big windows to watch the days pass while collecting unemployment! Saturday January 23 Location: Midtown West, NYC Bands: Dig Deeper: Darrow Fletcher Get Tickets Here Show time: 10 PM Venue: Southpaw Food: Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen Drink: The Gate Miscellaneous: Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. Dig Deeper welcomes Chicago soul legend Darrow Fletcher back to NYC for his first show here in over 40 years—last appearing at the Apollo in 1969—this time backed by the Sweet Divines and the Divine Soul Rhythm Band, who will be opening the night with their own set. Ever have Oaxacan food? Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen serves up some fantastic, not-exactly-Mexican food. Try the smoky-flavored Mole Negro, one of the best mole sauces I’ve had in NYC. Before leaving, you must try one of the hot chocolates, like the Chiles Y Chocolate – a hint of chipotle without too much heat is a nice kick-start for the night. The Gate is a great Park Slope bar with excellent beers on tap and an outdoor courtyard to chill in. If time permits, you must, and I mean MUST, go to the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., a non-profit organization that helps kids with their writing and is fronted by a store selling super powers. Sunday January 24 Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn Event: Punk Record Fair Show time: 12 - 10 PM Venue: Public Assembly Food: SEA Drink: Zablozki’s Miscellaneous: Academy Records Punk Record Fair Sunday Jan 24th @ Public Assembly. 70 N. 6th Street Brooklyn 12-10pm. Get some rare punk & hardcore vinyl from amazing dealers. Before that, a great restaurant on the same block is SEA. Asian inspired from the décor to the food, this huge and gorgeous space serves up a mostly Thai menu from massaman curries to house specialties like Red SEA Duck (Half duck in red vinaigrette-tomato gravy sauce served with stir-fried mixed veggies). SEA is inexpensive and visually impressive for Brooklyn. With an increasing amount of new bars on the block, Zablozki’s is a standout that’s cozy, mostly mahogany and has great drink specials. A great stop off if you’re early is Academy Records. One of the biggest vinyl shops in NYC – if you are a vinyl fan, you will be blown away.

NYC Night of Comedy & Music to Benefit Haiti

A Night of Comedy and Music to Benefit Haiti Presented By Bowery Presents and BrooklynVegan With short sets by: Zach Galifianakis, Britt Daniel (of Spoon), Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), St. Vincent, Janeane Garofalo, Wyatt Cenac (of the Daily Show), the live debut of John Shade (ex Dave Godowsky) & possibly more TBA (so stay tuned)! Venue: Music Hall of Williamsburg Date: Sat 1/23 Notes: 18+, Doors 6:30 PM / Show 8:00 PM Click here for tickets (on sale Friday at noon) are only going to be $35 in advance, and $40 at the door if there are any left. A more expensive VIP option will be available so we can raise as much money as possible. 100% of the proceeds will be split between an orphanage in Haiti (that Zach chose) and the Red Cross.

Short & Sweet NYC Friday Jan 22nd

Friday January 22 Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn Bands: DJ Rob Swift + Shilpa Ray and her Happy Hookers + APSE + Venn Diagrams Get Tickets Here Show time: 8 PM Venue: Knitting factory Food: Fette Sau Drink: Spuyten Duyvil Accessory: Union Pool Come celebrate our second anniversary bringing music and entertainment news to NYC as we put on our first show featuring four different handpicked bands that we think you need to hear right now. Performers include turntablist pioneer DJ Rob Swift, indie rock act Shilpa Ray and her Happy Hookers, shoegazers APSE, and comedy/cabaret act Venn Diagrams. DJing in between sets is DJ Fingerscales. If you’re feeling German BBQ, you can head over to Fette Sau (fat pig in German), where the owners of nearby bar Spuyten Duyvil have opened up this meat-only restaurant serving up some of the best pork and beef in NYC. For drinks, Spuyten Duyvil is a beer lover’s dream, with a selection from all over the world, friendly and knowledgeable bartenders and a neighborhood feel, it’s no wonder this place has been so successful. If you’re still ready for more, you must hit Union Pool, where there’s always a band playing, great DJs and plenty of action. Friday January 22 Location: Midtown West, NYC Film: Free Teen Nights: Federico Fellini's La Strada Show time: 4 PM; FREE Venue: MOMA Food: Eatery Drink: Valhalla Miscellaneous: Central Park This FREE art event for teens, Free Teen Nights: Federico Fellini's La Strada, will see tweens view this master film and get to discuss it with their peers, filmmakers, curators and educators. Nearby and delicious, Eatery offers a new American menu that’s Asian influenced. Try the Red Curry Chicken Breast over roti pancake, with baby carrots and red curry coconut sauce ($16.95). Valhalla’s minimalist space is chill, letting the 24 brands of beer from all over the world on tap be the main attraction at this bar. While it’s warm out, waste a little time walking through Central Park, relax and get out of the hustle and bustle of the city. Just watch your step. The working horses tend to leave surprises behind them!

Radiohead play LA for Haiti

Radiohead announced on their website there playing a show to raise money for Haiti at The Music Box Theatre at The Fonda in Los Angeles. For tickets click here. "We're doing a show this Sunday (24th January) to raise funds for the relief effort in Haiti. The venue is The Music Box Theatre at The Fonda in Los Angeles, doors at 7pm. All proceeds are going to the Oxfam Haiti relief fund. We're trying to raise as much money as possible, so tickets will be sold by auction at this site from 8pm tonight until 11am Saturday (PST): Click here for tickets We're in the middle of recording at the moment, so you'll be catching us on the fly.... but if you're up for it, then we are too. See you then x Philip"

Now and Then: A Place to Bury Strangers

Anyone that has ever seen A Place to Bury Strangers knows of their ferocious live energy. The New York psych rockers attempt to display their wall of sound in their new video for “Keep Slipping” from 2009’s Exploding Head. But the following video from their self-titled debut does a much better job of sounding and looking like a live show. Watch and enjoy both below.
A Place To Bury Strangers - Keep Slipping Away

A Place To Bury Strangers | MySpace Music Videos

Gorillaz to release Plastic Beach

Plastic Beach the new album from Gorillaz, will be released by Virgin on March 9, 2010. The album is preceded by first single "Stylo" (featuring Mos Def and Bobby Womack) (click here to listen) which will receive its radio broadcast premiere tonight and will be available for download on January 26.   Confirming "Stylo," Murdoc Niccals twittered twitter.com/MurdocGorillaz, "A leak! A leak! Plastic Beach has sprung a leak! One of those Russian pirates has put a bullet hole in my island! My single's leaked! STYLO!" Five years on from the release of Demon Days, Murdoc Niccals and co. return with Plastic Beach. The band have taken up residence, recording on a secret floating island deep in the South Pacific, a Plastic Beach HQ, made up of the detritus, debris and washed up remnants of humanity. This Plastic Beach is the furthest point from any landmass on Earth; the most deserted spot on the planet. The world's biggest animated band, Gorillaz formed in 1998, and have since sold 12 million copies over two albums Gorillaz (2000) andDemon Days (2005). They have hit number 1 in more than a dozen countries and picked up awards including Grammys, Novellos, VMAs and EMAs. The Gorillaz' return will be marked by a headline appearance at this year's Coachella festival. The Sunday April 18 performance will be the first Gorillaz live spectacle on U.S. soil since the awe-inspiring Demon Days Live run in April 2006 at New York's Apollo Theater. Plastic Beach is produced by Gorillaz. The full tracklisting is as follows: 1. Orchestral Intro 2. Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach (feat. Snoop Dogg and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble) 3. White Flag (feat. Kano  Bashy) 4. Rhinestone Eyes 5. Stylo (feat. Bobby Womack and Mos Def) 6. Superfast Jellyfish (feat. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul) 7. Empire Ants (feat. Little Dragon) 8. Glitter Freeze (feat. Mark E Smith) 9. Some Kind Of Nature  (feat. Lou Reed) 10. On Melancholy Hill 11. Broken 12. Sweepstakes (feat. Mos Def Hypnotic Brass Ensemble) 13. Plastic Beach (feat. Mick Jones Paul Simonon) 14. To Binge (feat. Little Dragon) 15. Cloud Of Unknowing (feat. Bobby Womack) 16. Pirate Jet

Coachella 2010 Announced!

Friday April 16th Jay-Z, LCD Soundsystem, Them Crooked Vultures, Vampire Weekend*, Deadmau5, Public Image Limited*, The Specials, Grizzly Bear, Passion Pit, Echo and the Bunnymen, Benny Benassi, Fever Ray*, Grace Jones, Yeasayer, Erol Alkan, The Avett Brothers, Calle 13, The Whitest Boy Alive*, The Cribs, La Roux, Lucero, DJ Lance Rock, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Proxy, Ra Ra Riot, Deer Tick, Wolfgang Gartner, Aeroplane, Iglu & Hartly, Sleigh Bells, P.O.S., Baroness, Hockey, Little Dragon, White Rabbits, Wale, Kate Miller-Heidke, As Tall as Lions, Jets Overhead, Alana Grace, Pablo Hassan. Saturday April 17th: Muse, Faith No More, Tiësto, MGMT, David Guetta, The Dead Weather, Hot Chip, Devo, Coheed and Cambria, Kaskade, 2Many DJ's, Major Lazer, Dirty Projectors, Gossip, Z-Trip, The xx, John Waters, Les Claypool, The Raveonettes, Mew, Sia, Camera Obscura*, Tokyo Police Club, Porcupine Tree, Old Crow Medicine Show, Aterciopalados, Bassnectar, Frightened Rabbit, Dirty South, Flying Lotus, Corinne Bailey Rae, Pretty Lights, Shooter Jennings, RX Bandits, The Almighty Defenders, Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, Craze & Klever, Zoe, The Temper Trap, Portugal. The Man, Band of Skulls, Girls, Beach House, Steel Train, Frank Turner. Sunday April 18th: Gorillaz, Pavement*, Thom Yorke????*, Phoenix, Orbital, Spoon, Sly and the Family Stone*, De La Soul, Julian Casablancas, Plastikman, Gary Numan, Charlotte Gainsbourg* , Sunny Day Real Estate*, Yo La Tengo, MUTEMATH, Deerhunter, Infected Mushroom, Club 75, Matt & Kim, The Big Pink, Gil Scott-Heron*, King Khan and the Shrines, Florence and the Machine, Yann Tiersen, Little Boots, Miike Snow, Talvin Singh, Ceu, B.o.B., Babasonicos, Owen Pallett, The Glitch Mob, Mayer Hawthorne, Local Natives, Rusko, The Middle East, Hadouken!, The Soft Pack, Kevin Devine, Paparazzi, Delphic, One EskimO. Tickets for Coachella go on sale Friday, January 22 at 10:00 AM at all Ticketmaster locations and www.coachella.com. Three-day weekend passes are $269.00, plus surcharges. More details on layaway, camping options and up-to-the minute information, can be found at www.coachella.com. Coachella 2010 sponsors include Heineken & PlayStation. I added links to bands I've seen and loved live. I put plain Bold tags to bands that I've seen and thought were not so great live. I put *'s next to ones I haven't seen live but I'd be excited about seeing live. I am always a bit underwhelmed by the Coachella Line up in the last few years. I think they can try harder to secure bigger headliners and better bands in general. Even if they had one night with all the bands I selected I wouldn't be that excited!

Short & Sweet NYC Sat & Sun Dec 16th & 17th

Saturday January 16 Location: West Village, NYC Film: The Hidden Fortress Show time: See website for schedule Venue: Film Forum Food: Blue Ribbon Downing Street Bar Drink: Village Tavern Miscellaneous: Bleeker Bob’s Akira Kurasawa’s first widescreen film—his 1958 classic The Hidden Fortress—stars the director’s favorite leading man Toshiro Mifune in another classic performance. The film is also acknowleged as the inspiration for Star Wars. For an eclectic menu that mixes upscale and down-home food, Blue Ribbon Downing Street Bar, a wine bar and restaurant, offers lighter fare including foie gras, cheese plates, caviar and steak tartare. The Village Tavern is a really comfortable neighborhood bar that’s great for catching sports games or just chilling for a drink, which is what I prefer to do when I’m in the vicinity. Also in the area is Bleeker Bob’s. It’s one of the oldest independent record stores in NYC and the selection is deep. The place looks a mess, but the staff is surprisingly friendly and extremely knowledgeable about what they have. Saturday January 16 Location: Midtown West, NYC Bands: The Cribs + Adam Green Get Tickets Here Show time: 8:30 PM Venue: The Highline Ballroom Food: Yama Drink: 119 Bar Miscellaneous: Barnes & Noble (Union Square location) Awesome UK indie act The Cribs who have that Strokes sound also have former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr who turns great bands into gold. Joining them is Moldy Peaches singer Adam Green playing in support of his new album Minor Love. One of the best Japanese restaurants in the city, Yama, serves up some of the hugest and freshest portions of sushi, while not being as expensive as you think. Close to Irving Plaza, 119 Bar is one dive where you can get cheap drinks, play pool, and hang with friends while not standing out or being bothered when you’re a sweaty mess from dancing after seeing Shadow and Chemist perform, and I mean that in a good way! If you’re bored and early for the show, head over to the four floor Barnes & Noble to look through magazines and get a cup of coffee. Sunday January 17 Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn Music: ?uestlove Get Tickets Here Show time: 8 PM Venue: The Old American Can Factory Food: Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen Drink: The Gate Miscellaneous: Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday weekend (King would have been 81), ?uestlove foregoes the drumsticks for the turntables, DJ’ing all the great grooves he knows in honor of this civil rights legend. Ever have Oaxacan food? Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen serves up some fantastic, not exactly Mexican food. Try the smoky flavored Mole Negro, one of the best mole sauces I’ve had in NYC. Before leaving, you must try one of the hot chocolates like the Chiles Y Chocolate. A hint of chipotle without too much heat is a nice kick start for the night. The Gate is a great Park Slope bar with excellent beers on tap and a outdoor courtyard to chill. If time permits, you must, and I mean MUST go to the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., a non-profit organization that helps kids with their writing, that’s fronted by a store selling super powers.

Short & Sweet NYC Friday Dec 15th

Friday January 15 Location: Gowanus, Brooklyn Bands: Drink up Buttercup Show time: 7 PM Venue: Bell House Food: El Viejo Yayo Drink: Buttermilk Bar Miscellaneous: The Chocolate Room Just when you think you know what indie rock is, along comes a band like Drink Up Buttercup who take that theory and turn it upside down. They take pop, gorgeous harmonies and melodies, and put it on wax. But live they’re a whole other story, using garbage cans to bang on along with tin pans and God knows what else to make an unforgettable show that’s just as much performance art as it is music. Joining them are Ravens & Chimes and Miracles of Modern Science. Keeping the night going, try El Viejo Yayo for dinner. This gorgeous and warm restaurant has an elegant dining room and an affordable menu offering Dominican/Latin cuisine. The outside of Buttermilk Bar may look non-descript, but looks can be deceiving . . . just not in this case, as this low-key watering hole is where you can grab a cheap drink in a friendly atmosphere while playing a board game or two. With a near-insane menu of chocolates from coffee and tea to delectable dessert, and even beer, The Chocolate Room is a great way to end the night on a high note. Friday January 15 Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn Band: The Binary Marketing Show Show time: 8 PM Venue: Glasslands Food: Dumont Burger Drink: Radegast Hall & Biergarten Miscellaneous: Verb Cafe The Binary Marketing Show are one of those bands who have indie rock in their blood but also have experimental tendencies and can put the two together nicely. Also playing are Pocketknife, Noisy Crane, and The Priggs. With one of the best burgers in Williamsburg, Dumont Burger offers theirs with gourmet toppings in addition to sandwiches, salads, and their amazing mac & cheese. So you consider yourself a beer connoisseur and like to party? You can do all that and eat at Radegast Hall & Biergarten. The Austrian/German menu perfectly compliments the 12 beers on tap and more than 30 German and Austrian bottles at this large beer hall. One of the oldest and best hipster hangout coffee shops, The Verb Cafe offers up excellent coffee and baked goods, a boho vibe and big windows to watch the days pass while collecting unemployment!

Jay Reatard RIP

Sad news Jay Reatard passed away on January 13th, 2010. Lindsey was found dead in bed at his home in Midtown, Memphis around 3:30 a.m. He was only 29 years old. More details to come. His label Matador Records released this on their website: "We are devastated by the death of Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr., aka Jay Reatard. Jay was as full of life as anyone we’ve ever met, and responsible for so many memorable moments as a person and artist. We’re honored to have known and worked with him, and we will miss him terribly."

Sharon Van Etten Tour Info

The lovely Sharon Van Etten will hit the road once again. She has been performing some great new songs live so be sure to catch a show. The Dates are below. Here's a video of "For You" from last year performed in a row boat in Central Park. Jan 15 - Columbus, OH @ The Summit w/ Shilpa Ray Jan 16 - Chicago, IL @ Schuba's w/ Final Fantasy, Peter Wolf Crier Jan 17 - Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon w/ Bowerbirds Jan 18 - Iowa City, IA @ The Mill w/ Bowerbirds Jan 19 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Varsity Theatre w/ Bowerbirds Jan 20 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Cactus Club - Muzzle of Bees Presents... Jan 21 - Indianapolis, IN @ Locals Only - Presented by My Old Kentucky Blog Jan 22 - Pittsburgh, PA @Most Wanted Fine Art Gallery Jan 23 - Brooklyn, NY @ MonkeyTown - - SHARON VAN ETTEN presents a Night of Music - Flower of Flesh and Blood, Twin Sister, Soft Landings, and Sultan Jan 30 - New York, NY @ 92Y Tribeca w/ Damon & Naomi, Michio Kurihara Jan 31 - Cambridge, MA @ The Brattle Theatre w/ Damon & Naomi, Michio Kurihara

Now and Then: Dam-Funk

One wonders how Stones Throw turns out artists like this so often. Dam-Funk is a former session keyboardist for ‘90s hip-hoppers. Now he’s a damn funk machine. Check out his newest video from 2009’s Toeachizown, and after it watch the title track from the same album. If you like ‘80s funk, you’ll love Dam-Funk.

Beach House Tour Info

After an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (Jan. 22nd), a Sundance drop in, a New York record release show, and a quick spin around Europe, Baltimore’s Beach House will tour the US in support of their 3rd LP (1st on Sub Pop – out Jan 26th, 2010) Teen Dream! Sun Jan 24 Park City, UT Sundance Festival Show Tues Jan 26 New York Bell House (Record Release Show) Fri Mar 26 DC Black Cat Sat Mar 27 Middletown Wesleyan Sun Mar 28 Boston Paradise Thurs Apr 1 Pontiac Pike Room Fri Apr 2 Chicago Metro Sat Apr 3 Milwaukee Pabst Sun Apr 4 Minneapolis Cedar Cultural Centre Mon Apr 5 Omaha Waiting Room Tues Apr 6 Lawrence Jackpot Saloon Wed Apr 7 Denver Bluebird Theater Fri Apr 9 Boise Neurolux Sat Apr 10 Portland Doug Fir Lounge Mon Apr 12 Seattle Neumos Wed Apr 14 San Francisco Bimbos Mon Apr 19 Phoenix Rhythm Room Wed Apr 21 Dallas Granada Theater Thurs Apr 22 Austin Emo's Fri Apr 23 Houston Walters Sat Apr 24 Baton Rouge Spanish Moon Sun Apr 25 Tallahassee Engine Room Tues Apr 27 Birmingham Bottletree Wed Apr 28 Nashville Mercy Lounge Thurs Apr 29 Atlanta The Earl Fri Apr 30 Asheville Grey Eagle Sat May 1 Chapel Hill Cat's Cradle Thurs May 6 New York Webster Hall Fri May 7 Philadelphia First Unitarian Sanctuary