W♥M

Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package!

Re-issue! Re-package! Re-package! Re-evaluate the songs
Double-packed with a photograph, extra track (and a tacky badge)
A-list, playlist, Please them! Please them! Please them!

- The Smiths

Ivy: Apartment Life Read More Ivy The New York band Ivy is still around, they released an album, All Hours, in 2011, but recently (August 2012) unveiled "Lost in the Sun" video via YouTube. …

IVY
thebandivy.com

American indie pop trio Ivy (Andy Chase, Adam Schlesinger - RIP , and Dominique Durand) announced that Bar/None Records will be re-issuing their 1997 album Apartment Life on March 3rd.

The reissue will include two new tracks, available on digital for the first time: “Sleepling Late” and “Sweet Mary”.

About the title and origin of the sophomore album, Andy Chase explains, “This is probably the most important record Ivy ever made. Me, Dominique and Adam were in NYC going from our apt to the studio every day. It was a glorious time for us - we would just wake up inspired and excited about everything we were doing. We knew we were becoming better at our craft and were excited to show the world. I think with this album we finally succeeded in demonstrating our ability to write and produce great pop songs. It was also the first and last time the three of us smoked pot for the entire duration of an album, supplied by our good friend and co producer Pete Nashel. We also had a healthy budget from Atlantic Records so we had a blast hiring horn players, string quartets, stretching our wings as producers and creating sounds in the studio we had never done before. Songs from this album appeared in countless tv shows, commercials and movies, putting us on the map in Hollywood among the music supervisors and directors, ultimately exposing us to a much larger universe. It was without a doubt the most fun we three ever had making music together. It was a special record for us and still is probably the favorite among our fanbase. For the past 20 years they have been asking for it on vinyl, and with Adam now gone, and IVY signing to Bar None Records to re release our entire catalogue of work, it was finally time to memorialize Apartment Life on vinyl.”

Ivy at 400 Bar (08 Jun 2005)

I do own a few Ivy albums, and I have to admit Apartment Life is my favorite record of theirs. There’s some great tracks on the album, including “I've Got a Feeling”, “Get Out of the City”, and “You Don't Know Anything”, thanks to the guitar works with Dominique’s French accent.

I saw the band live a few times, in Oct 2001 and Jun 2005, describing the 2001 show, “As you can see from the setlist, the beginning and ending were good portion of Apartment Life, sandwiched in the middle were songs from Long Distance. The only songs from their debut Realistic played that night were "Get Enough" and "Shallow", which I'm fine with because it's not particularly my favorite album from the band.”

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart: Belong Read More Pains of Being Pure at Heart Opening up for the show is one of our favorite bands, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. We've been loving this band since 2007. …

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com

Slumberland Records announced that they are re-pressing The Pains of Being Pure At Heart’s sophomore album Belong. The previously out of print LP will be getting some special ice blue splatter vinyl, translucent pink cassettes, as well as digital.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart at Webster Hall (03 Oct 2009)

We’ve been writing about TPOBPAH since 2007 and saw them in 2009 and said, “Having just finished an extensive tour, the band had all these songs –especially the LP ones—down flat, but at the same time, there was no denying their palpable energy, which easily translated to the crowd.”

Track Listing:

1 Belong
2 Heaven's Gonna Happen Now
3 Heart in Your Heartbreak
4 The Body
5 Anne With An E
6 Even in Dreams
7 My Terrible Friend
8 Girl of 1,000 Dreams
9 Too Tough
10 Strange

Eels: Hombre Lobo Read More Eels Eels recently debut the video for “Good Night On Earth”, in anticipation for the upcoming fourteenth studio album Extreme Witchcraft, available January 28 via PIAS and the band’s own E Works Records. …

Eels
eelstheband.com

Before Eels, you guys know I was a big fan of E (for the song “Hello Cruel World” from the record A Man Called E).

I’ve been following Eels’ career for a while now, and they’re just a great band.

Recently, the band announced limited-edition vinyl reissues of their earlier records, Hombre Lobo, End Times, and Tomorrow Morning through E Works/[PIAS], starting March 17, 2023.

In addition, the band also announced a long-awaited return to live concerts this year, with a UK tour in March, and returning to the USA in June. And look at that! A Minneapolis date.

Eels at First Ave (05 June 2018)

Of course, we saw them before the pandemic, in June 2018 and noted, “The return of Eels with 2018’s The Deconstruction is pretty important, because after their 2014 tour and album release, Mark Everett (aka “E”) had reconsidered retiring from music. He was simply burnt out from the constant tour and constantly producing new music. So the band took a break, and E tried out acting (appearing in Netflix’s Love), and spent time with his family. Seeing the band on stage, the four year hiatus was good for Eels, the band looked and sounded great, and they looked like they were really enjoying themselves.”

North American Tour:

June 08 – Belly Up, San Diego, CA
June 10 – Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
June 11 – The UC Theatre, Berkeley, CA
June 13 – Revolution Hall, Portland, OR
June 14 – The Neptune Theatre, Seattle, WA
June 16 – Metro Music Bar, Salt Lake City, UT
June 17 – Gothic Theater, Denver, CO
June 18 – Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS
June 20 – First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
June 21 – Metro, Chicago, IL
June 23 – Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, Munhall (Pittsburgh), PA
June 24 – Keswick Theatre, Glenside (Philadelphia), PA
June 25 – Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
June 27 – Webster Hall, New York, NY
June 28 – The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD
June 29 – Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC
June 30 – Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Flashback: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart at Webster Hall, New York (03 Oct 2009)

Read More Pains of Being Pure at Heart Opening up for the show is one of our favorite bands, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. We've been loving this band since 2007. … Depreciation Guild Anyway, The Depreciation Guild played for about an hour and each song seems to build on the last song. Lots of guitars, and their second guitarist …

Once again, Kate G is going to shows to see her favorite bands in New York. We’ve been writing about The Pains of Being Pure at Heart since 2007, and we’re happy to see how far they’ve come – playing with The New Pornographers in Nov 2014



>>>
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Depreciation Guild at Webster Hall, New York (10/3/09)

Before the show, my astute friend was telling me about an evolved species of “bro” that is quickly infiltrating many concerts. Much like their forefathers, these bros are loud, obnoxious, and harbor a strong fondness for Keystone Light, but these neo-bros diverge from the pack by maintaining a level of enthusiasm for the music that is so fervent – you could even call it “pure.”

With that said, you can imagine the mixed bag that constituted the audience that night at Webster Hall. Opening band, The Depreciation Guild, played to a crowded, eager room even though it was only seven o’clock. Having seen them before, I knew that ear plugs would be handy since their brand of upbeat shoegaze is beautiful – but slightly deafening. Fronted by the Pains’ drummer, Kurt Feldman, the band had most of the audience swaying to their melodic songs, which all melded into one long, pleasantly loud medley. They played in front of a giant set of television screens that flickered technicolored squares the whole time, making their entire set feel like a dreamy music video, circa 1989. Somehow, I think that’s what they were going for.

My ears were still buzzing by the time the Pains took the stage. Fame (or at least, blog fame) has yet to change them, as they seem to have maintained all the buoyant liveliness and low-key charm from their early Cakeshop days. Lead singer Kip Berman and keyboardist Peggy Wang repeatedly thanked the audience in an almost stunned tone, and this awed disbelief of all their success was an endearing theme for most of the night.

Despite the size of the venue, it was a typical Pains show in every way: frenzied dancing, unbridled enthusiasm, and even some lame/awesome jokes (“Why can’t wizards have babies?” “Why?” “They have crystal balls!”) Opening with album favorites “This Love Is Fucking Right” and “Young Adult Friction,” the band had the audience singing along to every word – which is quite an achievement, considering how often indecipherable (in an adorable way!) Kip’s mumble tends to be. They played a few songs from their new EP, with tracks like “Higher Than the Stars” and “103” immediately winning fans over, and they even ended the night with the song that gave the band their infamously wordy name.

Having just finished an extensive tour, the band had all these songs –especially the LP ones—down flat, but at the same time, there was no denying their palpable energy, which easily translated to the crowd. As predicted, the neo-bros were in full force that night, but they were easily tolerated. I mean, it’s hard to hate someone who barks out the entire breakdown of “Young Adult Friction,” even if he does reek of Axe Body Spray.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: creating a world where neo-bros and pop kids can peacefully coexist, one infectious chorus at a time.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart at Webster Hall, New York (03 Oct 2009) photo courtesy of greenshoelace

vu ([email protected]) ♥weheartmusic.com♥ facebook.com♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Minneapolis: June 22 to June 24, 2017

Here are some concerts taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from June 22 to June 24, 2017.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Pains of Being Pure at Heart Opening up for the show is one of our favorite bands, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. We've been loving this band since 2007. …

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART
at 7th St Entry
Thursday 06/22/17 (7pm/$15)
first-avenue.com

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is back on tour with a new upcoming album The Echo of Pleasure, due due Sept. 1 on the band's own Painbow label. Limited editions includes gold metallic vinyl with gold foil stamped packaging.

We first wrote about the band in 2007, describing them as “If you're into noisy indie-pop, you will probably like The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. On the surface the loud, fuzzy guitars may remind one of The Jesus and Mary Chain or My Bloody Valentine, but the underlying melodies and vocals are more dreamy and "poppy". The band's influences include The Pastels, The Exploding Hearts, The Ramones, Black Tambourine, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre.”

Beverly and Ablebody to open. The former, Beverly, made it on our 2014 Best Of List.

Tour dates:

06/14 -- Boston, MA -- The Sinclair * %
06/15 -- New Portsmouth, NH -- 3S Artspace * %
06/16 -- Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz * %
06/17 -- Toronto, ON -- The Horseshoe Tavern * %
06/19 -- Cleveland, OH -- The Grog Shop * %
06/20 -- Detroit, MI -- El Club * %
06/22 -- Minneapolis, MN -- 7th St Entry * #
06/23 -- Madison, WI -- High Noon Saloon * #
06/24 -- Chicago, IL -- Lincoln Hall * #
06/25 -- St Louis, MO -- The Firebird * #
06/27 -- Nashville, TN -- The High Watt * #
06/28 -- Atlanta, GA -- The Earl * #
06/30 -- Chapel Hill, NC -- Local 506 *#
07/01 -- Washington D.C. -- Rock & Roll Hotel *#
07/02 -- Philadelphia, PA -- World Cafe Live Downstairs *#
09/22 -- Vancouver, BC -- Biltmore Cabaret $&
09/23 -- Seattle, WA -- Tractor Tavern $&
09/24 -- Portland, OR -- Doug Fir Lounge $&
09/26 -- San Francisco, CA -- The Chapel $&
09/27 -- Los Angeles, CA -- Teragram Ballroom $&
09/28 -- San Diego, CA - The Loft UC $&
10/15 -- Madrid, Spain -- Joy Slava
10/16 -- Cordoba, Spain -- Sala Hanger
10/17 -- Granada, Spain -- Lemon Rock
10/19 -- Valencia, Spain -- La Rambleta
10/20 -- Barcelona, Spain -- Bikini
10/21 -- Santander, Spain -- Escenario

* = w/ Ablebody
# = w/ Beverly
% = w/ Frankie Rose
$ = w/ The Courtneys
& = w/ The Prids

Read More The Secret Sisters Alabama's The Secret Sisters are about to hit the road with Iron & Wine (in May) and She & Him (in June). The duo are enjoying being featured on a recent episode of ABC's …

THE SECRET SISTERS
at Cedar Cultural Center
Saturday 06/24/17 (7pm/$20)
thecedar.org

The Secret Sisters recently released their New West Records debut, You Don’t Own Me Anymore, earlier this week (June 9th). The 12-song set was produced by Brandi Carlile & her collaborators Tim and Phil Hanseroth, and is Laura and Lydia Rogers’ first new record in over three years (which we wrote about in 2013)

As with the new album the duo will be hitting the road, stopping by Minneapolis’ Cedar Cultural Center this Saturday, June 24th.

Cheyenne Medders to open.

The Secret Sisters On Tour:

06/22 – St. Louis, MO @ Old Rock House
06/23 – Davenport, IA @ Redstone Room
06/24 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
06/25 – Evanston, IL @ S.P.A.C.E.
06/27 – Milwaukee, WI @ Live @ The Back Room
06/29 – Madison, WI @ Kiki's House
06/30 – Bayfield, WI @ Lake Superior Big Top
07/01 – Fish Creek, WI @ Door Community Aud
08/04 – Grass Valley, CA @ Center for the Arts
08/23 – Old Saybrook, CT @ The Kate
08/24 – Brownfield, ME @ Stone Mountain Arts Ctr
08/25 – Rockland, ME @ The Strand Theatre
08/26 – Portsmouth, NH @ The Music Hall Loft
08/27 – Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall
09/07 – Houston, TX @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck
09/08 – San Antonio, TX @ Tobin Center
09/09 – Austin, TX @ 3Ten @ Austin City Limits Live
09/10 – Fort Worth, TX @ Fort Worth Live
09/17 – Memphis, TN @ Buckman Perf Arts Ctr
09/20 – Fort Smith, AR @ AAC Live
09/21 – Little Rock, AR @ South On Main
09/27 – Louisville, KY @ WFPK Waterfront
09/28 – Asheville, NC @ Altamont Theatre
09/29 – Charlotte, NC @ The Evening Muse
09/30 – Raleigh, NC @ Stag's Head Music Hall
10/01 – Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head On Stage
10/03 – Richmond, VA @ Tin Pan

Read More Big Business Seattle’s Big Business, formed in 2004 by Karp bassist Jared Warren and Murder City Devils drummer Coady Willis followed with a down-to-business 35 min. set with a deep bottom end. In support of their latest, 2013’s … Electric Six The "Gay Bar" band Electric Six is back in Minneapolis next Friday, June 19th at First Avenue, touring in support of their latest album Mimicry and Memories. Electric Six is Dick Valentine (vocals), Da Ve (guitar), …

Other shows in the area:

06/22/2017 Big Business to headline the Triple Rock Social Club on Thursday. Gay Witch Abortion and Buildings to open. 8pm, $10.

06/22/2017 Hello? Is it Lionel Richie you’re looking for? He’ll be at Mystic Lake Casino. 8pm, $39.

06/23/2017 Atlanta musician B.o.B. is playing Lumber Exchange Event Center (above the Pourhouse in Minneapolis), in support of his Ether album. 7pm, $25.

06/23/2017 Body/Head (aka Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth and Bill Nace) will be playing Ballentine VFW Post 246. The Blight, Waveless, and Lori Barbero to open. 8:30pm, $20.

06/23/2017 Hardcore act Conveyer to play The Garage for the CD release of No Future on Victory Records. This all-ages show will also feature Infinite Me, Nanashi, Unturned, Church Tongue, and Creep Colony. 6pm, $10.

06/24/2017 Philadelphia’s rising indie alternative/rock band Civil Youth is stopping by the Garage in Burnsville, Minnesota. Arms For Elephants, A Skyline Drama, Platypus, and The Contingents to open. 6pm, $8.

06/24/2017 Detroit-based ‘Gay Bar’ rockers Electric Six is playing the Turf Club in St Paul on Saturday. They’ll be playing songs from Fresh Blood For Tired Vampyres released last October via Metropolis Records. Northern Faces to open. 8pm, $16.

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

New Pornographers w/ Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ First Avenue, Minneapolis (12 Nov 2014)

Photo Gallery Pains of Being Pure at Heart Marquee New Pornographers' Setlist New Pornographers Setlist Brill Bruisers Myriad Harbour Use It Dancehall Domine War On the East Coast The Bones of an Idol All the Old Showstoppers Jackie, Dressed in Cobras Another Drug Deal of the Heart The Laws Have Changed You Tell Me Where Testament to Youth in Verse Crash Years Adventures in Solitude Jackie Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk Backstairs Silver Jenny Dollar Champions of Red Wine Born With a Sound Mass Romantic -- Encore -- Challengers Moves The Bleeding Heart Show -- Encore 2 -- Execution Day Sing Me Spanish Techno Tour Dates 11/17/14 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom 11/18/14 Hamden, CT The Space 11/19/14 Boston, MA House Of Blues Boston 11/20/14 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer 11/21/14 Washington, DC 9:30 Club 11/22/14 Washington, DC 9:30 Club 11/23/14 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle 12/01/14 Manchester Deaf Institute 12/02/14 London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire 12/04/14 Paris, France La Maroquinerie 12/06/14 Nijmegen Doornroosje 12/07/14 Amsterdam Melkweg Read More New Pornographers Supergroup The New Pornographers (featuring A.C. Newman, Blaine Thurier, Dan Bejar, John Collins, Kathryn Calder, Kurt Dahle, Neko Case and Todd Fancey) are on tour in support of Brill Bruisers, out now on Matador Records. .… Pains of Being Pure at Heart Opening up for the show is one of our favorite bands, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. We've been loving this band since 2007. …

Now this was a novel way to experience a concert—

Canadian indie super group (of sorts) New Pornographers came to town, along with openers The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and insisted that the venue put signs everywhere warning that any photography or video (from cell phones or otherwise) could result in expulsion from the sold-out show.

The respectful and somewhat older crowd mostly obliged and actually watched, listened, and enjoyed what was coming from the stage. Instead of being nose-down in social media postings, watching the show through a 4” phone screen, or shamelessly selfie-taking, the audience paid attention—what a concept!

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

The evening began with a 40 min. set from NYC five-piece, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, who W♥M has followed for several years, covering gigs in the smaller clubs they’ve played in town. Singer Kip Berman was clearly excited to be playing the larger room, and it was with a slightly different lineup as keyboardist Peggy Wang has left and Jess Weiss from Fear of Men, was sitting in due to Drew Citron involved with his other band, Beverly.

The group is out in support of their latest, Days of Abandon (Yebo Music) and showed the Minneapolis crowd, maybe their most mature sounding local performance to date, playing half the new album’s songs, which skew quieter and less raucous, though best received predictably were the older songs, like the driving ‘Young Adult Friction’ from 2009.

Berman and band didn’t say much, save towards the end, when he played hype man for the headliner, remarking “New Pornographers are going come out and blow your mind!”  A crowd member shouted back, “You just did!” only to have Berman retort, “well…I hope you have two minds then!”.

Ending with their namesake song, and its crunching chorus “No, we will never die”, The Pains seemed right at home in the bigger room and we hope to see them back there, in a headlining role soon.

New Pornographers

After a brief intermission, the screen covering the main stage rose, and all eight members of New Pornographers took to the stage to rave applause, starting their set with the harmony laden title track from just-released album, Brill Bruisers (Matador Records); the song itself is homage to the classic Brill Building where so many great records were made.

The night began positively and upbeat showcasing an album singer AC Newman describes as a “celebration record” and proved to be the perfect prescription to come in out of the cold for.

Singer Neko Case, who dressed in a gray t-shirt and Cleopatra-print leggings (which were all the talk after, on social media) and Newman both commented before the jumpy new ‘Dancehall Domine’, “we’ve had a lot of cupcakes, so we’re bouncing’ off the walls”, to the crowd’s chagrin.

Case, Newman, keyboardist Kathryn Calder (dressed in a black/white geometric top) and Dan Bejar all traded the lead vocal spot, in an overall well-paced 100 min. set.  Early technical issues were quickly overcome (maybe a result of the cupcakes?) and the band was quickly back on track with new album’s second single, the Cars-sounding electronic, ‘War on the East Coast’.

Bejar would sing a song then disappear, to eventually re-appear, coffee mug in hand, for another song, each like a gift to an audience eager to hear his distinctive voice.  The vocal interplay between Case and Newman was particularly spellbinding, especially their trading of verses on mid-set’s ‘Adventures in Solitude’.

“This is really an amazing place to always come to… we know it’s always going to be awesome” Newman mentioned before ‘Testament to Youth in Verse’, gathering some local love, but also refused to mention another dubious city where things maybe weren’t so golden for the group.

After ending the main set with ‘Mass Romantic’ from their 2000 debut album, things got especially lively with the two encores. Older songs, 'Challengers’, ‘Moves’ and ‘The Bleeding Heart Show’ had people singing along and head nodding in place.

For the second encore, an audience chant of “Dan, Dan, Dan” brought back out Bejar, for an unplanned ‘Execution Day’, with perfect harmonies reminiscent of the best Crosby Stills and Nash songs, and Newman remarking after, “that was sort of…unexpected- you’ve got to guilt him in doing that”.

2005’s ‘Sing Me Spanish Techno’ ended the evening on a bouncy high note, with the band visibly happy to have played, and an appreciative audience actually paying attention and loving it—what a concept!

New Pornographers at First Avenue, Minneapolis (12 Nov 2014)

john ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Minneapolis: November 10 - November 12, 2014

Here are shows taking place in Minneapolis/St Paul on November 10 - November 12, 2014. Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Vance Joy The show that recently sold out for March 25th is Young the Giant and Vance Joy at First Avenue. California's Young the Giant (not to be confused with Australia's Jungle Giants), …

VANCE JOY w/ Jaymes Young
at Varsity Theater
Monday 11/10/14, 7pm
$17: varsitytheater.org

Australian Vance Joy (not to be confused with Irishman Foy Vance) is back in Minneapolis to support his latest album Dream Your Life Away (Atlantic).

Tour dates:

10/28/14 New York, NY Webster Hall
10/29/14 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
10/30/14 Montreal, QC Virgin Mobile
11/01/14 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
11/03/14 Ottawa, ON Observatory
11/04/14 London, ON London Music Hall
11/06/14 Columbus, OH A & R Music Bar
11/07/14 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
11/08/14 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
11/10/14 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
11/11/14 Winnipeg, MB West End Cultural Centre
11/13/14 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
11/14/14 Calgary, AB Republik Nightclub
11/16/14 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
11/19/14 Eugene, OR WOW Hall
11/21/14 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
11/22/14 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
11/24/14 Phoenix, AZ The Crescent Ballroom
11/25/14 San Diego, CA House Of Blues
11/28/14 Los Angeles, CA The Fonda
11/29/14 San Francisco, CA Slim's
12/02/14 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom
12/05/14 Broomfield, CO 1stBank Center
12/07/14 Portland, OR McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
12/09/14 Seattle, WA KeyArena At Seattle Center
12/10/14 Sacramento, CA Sleep Train Arena

Read More David Bazan David Bazan's new record Curse Your Branches came out yesterday on one of my favorite record label, Barsuk Records. To understand Bazan, you have to look back at the band he started, Pedro the Lion. …

DAVID BAZAN w/ Passenger String Quartet
at the Cedar Cultural Center
Tuesday 11/11/14, 7pm
$20: thecedar.org

It's been a long time since we talked about Pedro the Lion or David Bazan... but apparently he's been quite busy releasing handmade 7" and also going on tour to play with Passenger String Quartet.... I can only imagine orchestral versions of old Bazan, Pedro the Lion and Headphones Songs.

Also listed as opener, David Dondero.

Tour dates:

10/28/14 Washington, DC Sixth & I Historic
10/29/14 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian
10/30/14 Arlington, MA Regent Theatre
11/01/14 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
11/02/14 Pittsburgh, PA Club Cafe
11/04/14 Toronto, ON Virgin Mobile Mod Club
11/05/14 Ferndale, MI The Magic Bag
11/06/14 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
11/08/14 Grand Rapids, MI Ladies Literary Club
11/10/14 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom
11/11/14 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
11/12/14 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon
11/13/14 Omaha, NE The Waiting Room
11/14/14 Lawrence, KS The Bottleneck
11/15/14 Denver, CO The Oriental Theater
11/17/14 Salt Lake City, UT The State Room
11/18/14 Boise, ID Cathedral Of The Rockies
11/19/14 Spokane, WA The Bartlett
11/20/14 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
11/21/14 Seattle, WA The Neptune
12/11/14 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
12/14/14 Los Angeles, CA The Fonda

Read More Pains of Being Pure at Heart The Pains of Being Pure at Heart was one of the first band we wrote about, Randy introduced them as "On the surface the loud, fuzzy guitars may remind one of The Jesus and Mary Chain … Neko Case Neko Case has a new album The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You, which came out September 3rd on ANTI-, and her First Avenue …

THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
at First Avenue
Wednesday 11/12/14, 7pm
$25: first-avenue.com

Supergroup The New Pornographers (featuring A.C. Newman, Blaine Thurier, Dan Bejar, John Collins, Kathryn Calder, Kurt Dahle, Neko Case and Todd Fancey) are on tour in support of Brill Bruisers, out now on Matador Records.

Opening up for the show is one of our favorite bands, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. We've been loving this band since 2007.

Tour dates:

11/04 Nashville, TN Cannery Ballroom†
11/05 Asheville, NC Orange Peel†
11/06 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre†
11/07 New Orleans, LA Civic Theatre†
11/08 Austin, TX Fun Fun Fun Fest
11/10 St. Louis, MO The Pageant†
11/11 Omaha, NE Slowdown†
11/12 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue†
11/13 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater†
11/14 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre†
11/15 Cleveland, OH House of Blues†
11/17 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom†
11/19 Boston, MA House of Blues†
11/20 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer†
11/21 & 11/22 Washington, DC 9:30 Club† ‡
11/23 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle† ‡

* with Pickwick, Cool
† with special guest The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
‡ sold out

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Heart Attack

I don't really go out much, but just a reminder that I am doing a few Triple Rock shows in Minneapolis: Royal Concept and Wombats, TONIGHT, Dragonette, Tomorrow, and JBM/Alt-J on September 22nd. If you see me, come say hi.

Read More The Pains of Being Pure at Heart A few months ago, certain people were sure that the apocalypse was nigh. Or at least, (for lack of a better term) the twee-pocalypse. Why else would a band like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart be on the Carson Daly Show …

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART
thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart was one of the first band we wrote about, Randy introduced them as "On the surface the loud, fuzzy guitars may remind one of The Jesus and Mary Chain or My Bloody Valentine, but the underlying melodies and vocals are more dreamy and "poppy"." That was in 2007, by now, I'm sure you've all heard about them.

The band announced their new 7" single "Jeremy" with b-side "My Life is Wrong." The single featured covers of two of their favorite bands: The Magnetic Fields and East River Pipe. It is coming out October 9th, 2012, via Slumberland.

Singer Peggy Wang explained about the Magnetic Fields cover, "The Magnetic Fields, for me, were part of an immature phase. I know that has negative connotations, but in hindsight, I don't think I could have fallen harder for any other band at any other time in my life… The Magnetic Fields might have been the last band I ever unconditionally loved without ever stopping to try to understand why - just the kind of love story I hoped to one day live through."

They are currently on tour:

Oct 14 Oran Mor Glasgow, United Kingdom Oct 15 Ruby Lounge Manchester, United Kingdom Oct 16 Dingwalls London, United Kingdom Oct 18 Stereolux Nantes, France Oct 19 Le Trabendo Paris, France Oct 20 La Chapelle des Trinitaires Metz, France Oct 21 L'Épicerie Moderne Lyon, France Oct 23 Astoria City Turin, Italy Oct 24 Circolo degli Artisti Rome, Italy Oct 26 Covo Club Bologna Bo, Italy Oct 27 Looop Padova, Italy Oct 29 Mascotte Club Zurich, Switzerland

Oct 30 Kino Siska Ljubljana, Slovenia Oct 31 Szene Vienna, Austria Nov 01 Ahoi! pop 2012 Linz, Austria Nov 03 Musikkantine Augsburg, Germany Nov 04 Meet Factory Prague, Czech Republic Nov 05 Conne Island Leipzig, Germany Nov 06 Bi Nuu Berlin, Germany Nov 07 Aarhaus Atlas Tann, Germany Nov 08 Debaser Malmo, Sweden Nov 09 Sticky Fingers Gothenburg, Sweden Nov 10 Debaser Medis Stockholm, Sweden Nov 12 Kojaamo Helsinki, Finlandr

CLEMENTINE & THE GALAXY
clementinegalaxy.com

Cover lovers out there? Check out Clementine & The Galaxy's cover of Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box." Funny enough, this isn't their only 'heart' song, their first single is called Crying My Whole Heart Out.

Clementine & The Galaxy is a duo (Julie Hardy and Michael MacAllister), and you can check out some of their upcoming CMJ shows.

09/28 - Arlene's Grocery - New York, NY (w/ Futurist)
10/09 - Flux Studios - New York, NY (Video Release Party!)
10/16 - Alphabet Lounge - New York, NY (CMJ)
10/18 - Rockwood Music Hall - New York, NY (CMJ)

BRIEFLY:

HEART OF HEARTS facebook.com Mr. Moccasin's Greg Hatem's solo work will be under the name Heart Of Hearts. The new album, My Society will be out on September 25th, 2012. You can hear some of his tracks on soundcloud.

YOUR HEART BREAKS yourheartbreaks.com Your Heart Breaks' album, Harsh Tokes and Bong Jokes, came out August 28th. The band just did a tour with Kimya Dawson, so fans of anti-pasta-folk might want to check them out.

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M

Coming up in July: Music Festivals

White Town - Your Woman

White Town

Just a quickie update for what's coming up. We just got a report from Brody on Bonaroo 2010. I'll try and edit the show on Friday, but seeing as the dayjob's been killing me, it'll probably won't be done until the weekend.

And speaking of the weekend, I'm happy to say that Kenny will be joining us to talk about Indietracks Music Festival. We're previewing some of the bands she'll be seeing. One thing I've noticed right away is that White Town is playing!! ZOMG, right?

Here's their lineup:
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART
THE POOH STICKS / THE PRIMITIVES
LOVE IS ALL / EVERYBODY WAS IN THE FRENCH RESISTANCE...NOW!
Allo Darlin', Antarctica Takes It!, Ballboy, Be Like Pablo, Betty and The Werewolves, Boy Genius, Burning Hearts, The Blanche Hudson Weekend, The Callas, The Cannanes, The Cavalcade, Cineplexx, Clint Play People, David Tattersall, The Felt Tips, Foxes!, Internet Forever, The Give It Ups, The Hillfields, Jam On Bread, The Just Joans, La La Love You, Lime Chalks, Linda Guilala, The Loves, Mexican Kids At Home, Micktravis, The Middle Ones, TheMillipedes, MJ Hibbett & the Validators, Paisley & Charlie, Pale Sunday, The Orchids, Onward Chariots, Sarandon, Secret Shine, Shrag, Springfactory, Slow Club, The Smittens, Socialist Leisure Party, The Specific Heats, Standard Fare, Stars In Coma, Stars of Aviation, The Sunny Street, This Many Boyfriends, Urbantramper, Veronica Falls, White Town, Winston Echo, Yokoko.

Looking forward to talking about The Primitives and such!

Tilly and the Wall - Dust Me Off

As for me, I'll be in Iowa, once again, for the 80/35 Music Festival. Learning experience from last year: bring a rain poncho, bring your own internet (iPad), and bring a great camera (my Olympus four third camera).

Last year we saw some great bands, including Matisyahu and Tilly and the Wall.  This year, I'll be checking out Modest Mouse and Dar Williams.

Read and keep track of us at 80-35.weheartmusic.com


Should be pretty fun, this year's lineup looks overwhelming.

Saturday, July 3 Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Main Stage        12:00pm – The Atudes 1:30pm – Omega Dog 3:15pm – Particle 5:00pm – Yo La Tengo 7:00pm – Slightly Stoopid 9:00pm – Spoon Kum & Go Stage 12:00pm – Modern Day Satire 12:45pm – Canby 1:45pm – Psalm One 2:45pm – Cashes Rivers 3:30pm – Zola Jesus 4:30pm – Solid Gold 5:45pm – William Elliott Whitmore 7:00pm – Earl Greyhound 8:15pm – Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs Mediacom Stage 4:00pm – Tripp Marxx 4:30pm – Adapt 5:00pm – Flatform 6:00pm – Guante and Big Cats 7:00pm – Tim Grimes8:00pm – TBA 9:00pm – Mustafa Avdic 10:00pm – St. Paul Slim 11:00pm – Oz and Dave Leo

Sunday, July 4 Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Main Stage 12:00pm – The Workshy 1:45pm – Avi Buffalo 3:15pm – The Walkmen 5:00pm – Railroad Earth 7:00pm – The Cool Kids 9:00pm – Modest Mouse Kum & Go Stage 12:00pm – Dawes 1:15pm – Family Groove Company 2:45pm – Christopher the Conquered 3:30pm – Sara Watkins 4:30pm – Evangelicals 5:45pm – Califone 7:00pm – Dar Williams 8:15pm – The Heavy Mediacom Stage 4:00pm – Guerilla Hustle 4:30pm – Gadema & Richie Daggers 5:00pm – Cleo’s Apartment 6:00pm – Kanser 7:00pm – Raj & Leeman 8:00pm – DJ Diverse 9:00pm – Maxilla Blue 10:00pm – Qwel 11:00pm – Brad Goldman & Mimic

 06/23/2010 08:37:53 ♥ vu () ♥weheartmusic.com♥twitter.com/weheartmusic♥news.weheartmusic.com 

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Depreciation Guild at Webster Hall, New York (10/3/09)

Doing All the Things That Wouldn't Make Your Parents Proud The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart              The Pains of Being Pure at              Heart at The Depreciation              Guild at Webster Hall, NY              (10/3/09) ♥ photo by Hannah Tour Dates 10/18/09 Artists For Humanity Boston, MA 11/17/09 Bikini Barcelona 11/18/09 Circo Price Madrid 11/19/09 Tinglado 2 Valencia 11/20/09 Santana 27 Bilbao 11/21/09 Confort Moderne Poitiers 11/22/09 Point Ephemere Paris 11/28/09 Reverence @ ICA London 11/30/09 Thekla Bristol 12/01/09 Academy 2 Liverpool 12/02/09 Academy 2 Newcastle 12/03/09 Stereo Glasgow 12/04/09 Academy 2 Manchester 12/05/09 Academy 2 Birmingham Discography [Aug 2007] The Pains of Being Pure at Heart EP [Oct 2008] Everything With You (Single) [Feb 2009] The Pains of Being Pure at Heart [Mar 2009] Young Adult Friction (Single) [Sep 2009] Come Saturday (Single) [Sep 2009] Higher Than the Stars EP Read More The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart http://weheartmus... If you're into noisy indie-pop, you will probably like The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. On the s...

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Depreciation Guild at Webster Hall, New York (10/3/09)

Before the show, my astute friend was telling me about an evolved species of “bro” that is quickly infiltrating many concerts. Much like their forefathers, these bros are loud, obnoxious, and harbor a strong fondness for Keystone Light, but these neo-bros diverge from the pack by maintaining a level of enthusiasm for the music that is so fervent – you could even call it “pure.”

With that said, you can imagine the mixed bag that constituted the audience that night at Webster Hall. Opening band, The Depreciation Guild, played to a crowded, eager room even though it was only seven o’clock. Having seen them before, I knew that ear plugs would be handy since their brand of upbeat shoegaze is beautiful – but slightly deafening. Fronted by the Pains’ drummer, Kurt Feldman, the band had most of the audience swaying to their melodic songs, which all melded into one long, pleasantly loud medley. They played in front of a giant set of television screens that flickered technicolored squares the whole time, making their entire set feel like a dreamy music video, circa 1989. Somehow, I think that’s what they were going for.

My ears were still buzzing by the time the Pains took the stage. Fame (or at least, blog fame) has yet to change them, as they seem to have maintained all the buoyant liveliness and low-key charm from their early Cakeshop days. Lead singer Kip Berman and keyboardist Peggy Wang repeatedly thanked the audience in an almost stunned tone, and this awed disbelief of all their success was an endearing theme for most of the night.

Higher Than The Stars       The Pains of Being Pure       at Heart at The Depreciation       Guild at Webster Hall, NY      (10/3/09)♥photo by Hannah

Despite the size of the venue, it was a typical Pains show in every way: frenzied dancing, unbridled enthusiasm, and even some lame/awesome jokes (“Why can’t wizards have babies?” “Why?” “They have crystal balls!”) Opening with album favorites “This Love Is Fucking Right” and “Young Adult Friction,” the band had the audience singing along to every word – which is quite an achievement, considering how often indecipherable (in an adorable way!) Kip’s mumble tends to be. They played a few songs from their new EP, with tracks like “Higher Than the Stars” and “103” immediately winning fans over, and they even ended the night with the song that gave the band their infamously wordy name.

Having just finished an extensive tour, the band had all these songs –especially the LP ones—down flat, but at the same time, there was no denying their palpable energy, which easily translated to the crowd. As predicted, the neo-bros were in full force that night, but they were easily tolerated. I mean, it’s hard to hate someone who barks out the entire breakdown of “Young Adult Friction,” even if he does reek of Axe Body Spray.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: creating a world where neo-bros and pop kids can peacefully coexist, one infectious chorus at a time.

 10/05/2009 21:12:48 ♥ kateg () ♥ thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com ♥ myspace.com

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher Than the Stars EP

Higher Than The Stars The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Tour Dates 09/28/09 Criminal Records Atlanta, GA 09/28/09 The Earl Atlanta, GA 09/29/09 Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC 09/30/09 Black Cat Washington DC 10/01/09 Ottobar Baltimore, MD 10/03/09 Webster Hall NY 10/05/09 First Unitarian Church Phila, PA 11/17/09 Bikini Barcelona 11/18/09 Circo Price Madrid 11/19/09 Tinglado 2 Valencia 11/20/09 Santana 27 Bilbao 11/21/09 Confort Moderne Poitiers 11/22/09 Point Ephemere Paris 11/28/09 Reverence @ ICA London 11/30/09 Thekla Bristol 12/01/09 Academy 2 Liverpool 12/02/09 Academy 2 Newcastle 12/03/09 Stereo Glasgow 12/04/09 Academy 2 Manchester 12/05/09 Academy 2 Birmingham Discography [Aug 2007] The Pains of Being Pure at HeartEP [Oct 2008] Everything With You (Single) [Feb 2009] The Pains of Being Pure at Heart [Mar 2009] Young Adult Friction (Single) [Sep 2009] Come Saturday (Single) [Sep 2009] Higher Than the Stars EP Read More The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart http://weheartmus... If you're into noisy indie-pop, you will probably like The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. On the s...

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher Than the Stars EP

A few months ago, certain people were sure that the apocalypse was nigh. Or at least, (for lack of a better term) the twee-pocalypse. Why else would a band like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart be on the Carson Daly Show or have a commercial on MTV U? The simple answer: they are a solid band who released a solid album. On their latest EP, Higher Than the Stars, the Pains once again showcase their pop prowess, all the while reminding us that it is possible to live in a world where our playlists can intersect with Carson Daly.

Consisting of four new tracks and one remix, Higher Than the Stars maintains all the rollicking melodies and winking lyrics found on their debut album, but there’s clearly something crisper and more focused going on. A track like “103” begins like any other Pains song, with an infectious beat and Kip Berman’s mumbled vocals, but towards the end, the synths and guitars kick in for a last hurrah, seamlessly adding another layer of interest to the song. It’s nothing major, but it’s definitely something new and intriguing.

The band has yet to move away completely from their jangly roots, but the EP hints at a slightly less lo-fi sensibility. “Falling Over” and “Twins” both lack the fuzz from the first album, but they hardly seem to be hurting because of it. “Twins” especially benefits from the cleaner sound, making the guitars more palpable and Peggy Wang’s background vocals all the more prevalent. Lead single, “Higher Than the Stars,” shows the band heading towards a more polished sound but staying true to their shambling aesthetic. It is the surprisingly ethereal remix of the same song that proves that the band has potential for experimenting with other sounds. Even under a heavy wave of drum machines and synths, the song’s simple chorus (“in the back of her mother’s car”) keeps all of its charm and wayward naiveté intact.

Despite the average pop kid’s reluctance to see their favorite bands succeed in the “real” world, I have no qualms about seeing the Pains acquiring even a Belle-and-Sebastian-level of stardom. They definitely deserve it. So go ahead, put them on awkward indie movie soundtracks or even an Outback Steakhouse commercial. I have a feeling it’s not going to change them.

 09/27/2009 18:11:08 ♥ kateg () ♥ thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com ♥ myspace.com

Tours: Mahjongg, Alice Peacock, Stand, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

On Tour 01/22/08 Cleveland, OH, Beachland Tavern 01/23/08 Buffalo, NY Soundlab 01/24/08 Cambridge, MA T.T. the Bears 01/25/08 Providence, RI AS 220 01/26/08 Brooklyn, NY Southpaw 01/27/08 Baltimore, MD The Depot 01/28/08 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's 01/30/08 Columbus, OH Skully's Music Diner 01/31/08 Chicago, IL Subterranean 02/21/08 Milwaukee, WI Mad Planet 02/22/08 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry 02/23/08 Grinnell, IA Grinnell College 02/24/08 Omaha, NE The Waiting Room 02/26/08 Denver, CO Larimer Lounge 02/27/08 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court 02/28/08 Boise, ID Neurolux 03/06/08 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop 03/08/08 Los Angeles, CA The Echo 03/09/08 San Diego, CA Casbah 03/13/08 Denton, TX Rubber Gloves 03/15/08 Lawrence, KS Jackpot Saloon

 

 

Mahjongg - Problems

I wanted to mention Mahjongg because they're about to go on what is described as an extended tour for their Kontpab tour starting January 22nd (see the rest of the tour dates somewhere in this article).

Reading their cryptic biography, Mahjongg rose from two bands: The Grid and The Sphere. I am guessing both bands are from Chicago, Illinois, where Mahjongg is from.

Since I don't actually have a review copy for Kontpab, I did download two of their songs to listen. They are both very experimental.

"Pontiac" (available on their myspace) is basically a drums/percussion song that doesn't change much, right until the middle of the song where other instruments are introduced into the song.

The other song is "Problems" (song available for download on AOL's Spinner). This song is, in my opinion, a little better than that first one (probably because there are lyrics and singing on this song). There's also a ton of interesting sounds and noises.

Mahjongg's nine-track album is called Kontpab and is being released by K Records on February 22nd.

Alice Peacock - I'll Start With Me Alice Peacock Press Release Alice Peacock Winter Tour Dates http://weheartmus... January 16, 2008 (New York, NY) Alice Peacock just can’t get enough of the road. She’s already b...

Alice Peacock said she "just can't get enough of the road." It looks like she's been touring for a while, and just recently added the Midwest to the Northeast.

I checked out her website, www.alicepeacock.com, and it offers some tracks for download. I liked what I heard so I thought I'd pass on this information.

Please refer to the press release link for more details, here is her tour dates:

Jan 26 Chicago, IL - World Folk Music Series
Feb 04 Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center
Feb 06 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall
Mar 15 Zembrota, MN - Crossings At Carnegie
Apr 04 Easton, MD - Coffee East
Apr 05 Cumberland, RI - Stone Soup Coffee House

I will be doing a full review later - unless another W♥H writer want to review her?

 

 

 

Stand - Sometimes

This is a late addition, but Stand, an Irish band living in New York (?), would like to let you know that they are playing a few dates:

Feb. 16th - Emerald Ballroom in Buffalo, NY
Feb. 21st - Grape Street in Philadelphia, PA
Feb. 23rd - Bowery Ballroom in NYC

I haven't listened to the whole album, apart from a few songs. I was told specifically they wanted to use "Sometimes", which I'll include here. I couldn't find this song on the track listing on their latest album, Travel Light (2007)- but I suspect it's a bonus EP/bonus download.

A full article will appear later, I just wanted to mention the tour dates here. You can always find more details on www.standland.com.

The Manhattan Love Suicides - Suzy Jones Doing All the Things That Wouldn't Make Your Parents Proud Further Reading The Manhattan Love Suicides http://weheartmus... The Manhattan Love Suicides is a relatively new band from the U.K. They formed in Leeds in early ... The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart http://weheartmus... If you're into noisy indie-pop, you will probably like The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. On the ...

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart doesn't exactly do press releases. I read enough of them to notice there are certain formats you must follow (for instance, they all start off with "For Immediate Release"). Anyway, it looks like they're going to be in the UK touring with The Manhattan Love Suicides:

2.23.08: @ The Betsey Trotwood (Downstairs), Parallelograms - London, UK^[1]
2.24.08: @ Red House: Atomic Beat Presents - Sheffield, UK^[2]
2.25.08: @ Rescue Room - Nottingham, UK^[3]
2.26.08: @ The Glebe - Stoke, UK^[3]
2.27.08: @ The Royal Park - Leeds, UK^[3]
2.29.08: Lostmusic Presents @ Buffalo Bar - London, UK^[3]
3.01.07: @ The Organ - Reykavik, Iceland^[3]

[1] with Pocketbooks
[2] with The Parallelograms
[3] with Manhattan Love Suicides
[4] with Singapore Sling

Interested in being mentioned or possibly reviewed on W♥M? Please send your inquiries to [email protected] or my personal email listed below.

 01/19/2008 09:07:36  vu my♥posts press.weheartmusic.com