Whole Lotta News

Lot's of news to report and not a lot of time to do it. So here we go. Destroyer, everyone's fave, has just released the dates for a spring tour! Here they are:

03.14.2008 Austin TX The Parish (Merge Records SXSW Showcase)
04.16.2008 Minneapolis MN 400 Bar*
04.17.2008 Chicago IL Logan Square Auditorium*
04.18.2008 Detroit MI Pike Room*
04.19.2008 Toronto ON Lee's Palace*
04.20.2008 Montreal QC Club Lambi*
04.22.2008 Brooklyn NY Music Hall of Williamsburg*^
04.23.2008 New York NY Bowery Ballroom^
04.24.2008 Philadelphia PA North Star Bar^
04.25.2008 Washington DC Black Cat^
04.26.2008 Asheville NC Grey Eagle^
04.27.2008 Carrboro NC Cat's Cradle^
04.28.2008 Atlanta GA The Earl^
04.29.2008 Nashville TN Mercy Lounge^
04.30.2008 St. Louis MO Blueberry Hill^
05.01.2008 Kansas City MO Record Bar^
05.02.2008 Omaha NE Waiting Room^
05.03.2008 Denver CO Walnut Room^
05.13.2008 Edmonton AB Starlite Room$
05.14.2008 Calgary AB #1 Royal Canadian Legion Hall$
05.16.2008 Salt Lake City UT Urban Lounge$
05.18.2008 Phoenix AZ Rhythm Room$
05.19.2008 Los Angeles CA Troubadour$
05.20.2008 San Diego CA Casbah$
05.21.2008 San Francisco CA The Independent$
05.23.2008 Portland OR Aladdin Theater$
05.31.2008 Vancouver BC The Commodore

* with Colossal Yes
^ with Andre Ethier
$ with Devon Williams

mp3: Destroyer - Foam Hands

=======

Speaking of tours, Shout Out Louds are pitching in with a couple of dates to go along with their new EP, Impossible. Here's the dates and the track listing:

03.09.2008 Big Cypress Indian Reservation, Florida Langerado Festival
03.11.2008 New York, NY Joe's Pub (2 shows! 9:30 and 11:30)
03.14.2008 Austin, TX The Parish (Merge SXSW Showcase)

Track listing:
Impossible (radio edit)
Impossible ("It's Possible" remix by Studio)
Impossible (Van Rivers & Subliminal Kid remix)
Hard Rain (live from Haldern Festival)
December (b-side)
Video: "Impossible" directed by Ted Malmros

mp3: Shout Out Louds - Impossible

======

In other tour news, Nada Surf announced today that the supporting bands for their US tour has completely changed. Sea Wolf will be opening from March 17-April 3.
Brooklyn's, The Jealous Girlfriends (www.myspace.com/thejealousgirlfriends)
support from April 3-April 12 (except for April 11). Illinois support on
April 13.

mp3: Sea Wolf - I Made A Resolution
mp3: The Jealous Girlfriends - How Now
mp3: Illinois - Screendoor

======

Local favorite, Orion Rigel Dommisse has also scheduled a bunch of dates including one at Maxwell's in NJ with THE LISPS!!!!

2-2 Recess Coffee Syracuse, New York
2-3 liz’s house 116 w clinton st Ithaca, New York
2-5 SUNY Purchase
2-6 PA’s Lounge Somerville, Massachusetts
2-8 Chris Sadlers's house in providence, rhode island
2-9 Teahaus at Sarah Lawrence Bronxville, New York
2-10 a house in New Milford, Connecticut
2-12 The Chicken Coop 120 s manheim st Annville, Pennsylvania
2-20 The Boot Norfolk, Virginia
2-22 Twisted Tea Bazaar Charlottesville, Virginia
2-28 Maxwell’s (with The Lisps) Hoboken, New Jersey
3-2 Union Pool Brooklyn, New York
3-3 Cake Shop New York, New York
3-6 house show Nashville, Tennessee
3-13 SXSW at St. David’s Church Austin, Texas

mp3: Orion Rigel Dommisse - Fake Yer Death

=======

Speaking of the Lisps, they just put out a new video. Here's the Lisps and their political agenda! Woohoo!



mp3: The Lisps - Pepper Spray

=======

Speaking of videos, Thrushes just put out a video for the song 'Aidan Quinn' off of last years LP Sun Come Undone. Enjoy!



mp3: Thrushes - Aidan Quinn

Society Of Mary Show - In Review

Space 2640 is old St. John's, a dilapidated church on the corner of 27th and St. Paul. Last night, though, it was a place where people poured their hearts out for the sake of life and the expression of it. It was wonderful. The artwork. The music. It all fit together. Way to go Orlando Johnson (the man that put it all together, though he is too modest to admit to anything). I was quite taken aback by all of the musical performances of the night. Everyone played honestly and soulfully...making it quite hard to describe. But I guess I have to...you know...for the blogs sake. Cakes of Light from New York had the rough duty of opening the show, but they pulled it off and then some. Jay Dunbar (singer/guitarist) has a voice that I've heard, but can't quite put my finger on. That doesn't matter...his voice captivates you and brings you in to discover a rich lyrical world filled with politics, mysticism, and, of course, Jay Dunbar. The Violet Hour followed and took it down to the floor, literally ditching the stage for an up close and personal affair that the other acts would continue. The duo of Andriana Pateris and Beth Varden produce a psychedelic sound much larger than the two of them. The music basically put me into a trance before Noble Lake took the floor. People and children gathered around to watch James Sarsgaard and his band grab hold of the audience with their self described 'pre-radio modern country sound'. I had sense that it was going to be good from the moment I saw the banjo, the saw, and the harmonium. I was right. This performance has me highly anticipating the debut release from Noble Lake (hopefully in February). Closing the show was Orion Rigel Dommisse. Everyone was relaxed. Some were even laying down. It was as if Orion (performing solo while beautifully plucking the strings of an electric cello) was singing us all a lullaby. Not a lullaby for sleep. A lullaby to inspire.

Truly a wonderful evening.

mp3: Cakes Of Light - Western Lands --> website --> buy
mp3: Orion Rigel Dommisse - Simon Sent For Me --> website --> buy

Cakes Of LightNoble LakeOrion Rigel Dommisse

The Run Down - Friday January 4, 2008

If you want to be busy tonight, there are definitely plenty of options. Hopefully your first choice would be attending a fabulous art opening, Society Of Mary, at space 2640 (St. John's) on 27th and St. Paul in Baltimore. It's from 7-10 and features the assemblage work of April Wood, Claes Gabriel, Kelly Walker, Alyssa Dennis, Jed Digney, Outtama Tulachahn, Charlotte Benedetto, Kathy Fahey, Matthew Craft, Liz Kasameyer, Neilie Meyer, Laurent Hrybyk (that's me), David Cunningham, Chris Taylor, and Missing Eyes. There also be some great music there as well including Cakes Of Light, Violet Hour, Orion Rigel Dommisse, and Noble Lake. I hope to see you there. Also in Baltimore is a great show at the Lo-Fi Social Club with Savory James, Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad, Wail Sounds, and Butane Variations. Finally if you head on up to Philly, you can check out Blood Feathers, The Cobbs, and Cowmuddy at Johnny Brenda's. Have a good one!

mp3: Orion Rigel Dommisse - Fake Yer Death --> website --> buy
mp3: Savory James - Sleep The Day Drive --> website --> buy
mp3: Butane Variations - Angels --> website --> buy
mp3: The Cobbs - Say You Never Knew Me --> website --> buy
mp3: Cowmuddy - Fire Warms Everyone --> website --> buy

Toofer Toosday - Charm City Edition

Something is going on in Baltimore. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something is up. Maybe it's all the 'BELIEVE' banners around town. Maybe the high crime rate has put the sense of urgency into everyone causing a massive surge of creative energy. Or not. Monarch is a duo straight out of Charm City that encorporates that creative energy previously mentioned. On their myspace they list their sound as Indie/Folk Rock/Experimental. The thing is...they're not quite folk rock. They're not quite experimental. I guess they're indie, but what isn't these days. Some reviewers labeled them shoegazer, but...not quite. What does that mean? Monarch plays their own brand of music defying labels and labelers. Layers upon layers of fuzzed out sound sewn together with soothing vocal harmonies lull me into a world that I don't want to leave(but eventually I have to...booo). If you're into beautiful, amazing, and generally 'good friggin' music', then Monarch is the cure for what ails you.

mp3: Monarch - Obituary --> website --> buy
mp3: Monarch - Regret

It's hard to believe that another musician in Baltimore is brushing categories off their shoulder in Jay-Z fashion. Orion Rigel Dommisse has a heavenly voice and sings over brilliantly arranged music. So what? That's been done before, you say. True, but Orion's delivery has an ancient feel to it. The instruments behind her voice feel like they're being played in a deep dark forest and the fire's almost out. Isn't that when music is at it's best. Sadness combined with beauty. Fear wrapped up in excitement. These musical weavings push Orion Rigel Dommisse into the famed category of 'Good Friggin' Stuff'.

mp3: Orion Rigel Dommisse - Fake Yer Death --> website --> buy