Week in Rock: Grown Up Edition

Deerhunter Matured
For fans of the band and their hypnotizing, yet charged live performances, Deerhunter's recent shows have been a real treat. Gone are the gimmicks and outbursts that nearly defined these guys as a one-off freak show, and replaced is an often charming group of kids who know how to make abstract music truly engaging. Those in attendance last Tuesday night at (Le) Poisson Rouge got to see this band at their best. Frontman Bradford Cox is by no means shy at the mic, but he kept the banter light and amusing, and the attention on the music between quips. Despite some sound level issues at the club, the relatively short set was entirely on point, and shines a hopeful light on the future for this promising young band. If it wasn't clear already, they should be taken seriously.

Kanye Jailed
In what seems like a perfectly reasonable response to photographers bugging you at the airport before 8 a.m., Kanye took out his frustrations on the paparazzi's cameras yesterday, helping destroy them with the ferocity he would a Macbook Air. This ridiculous scene went down at LAX while Kanye was attempting to board a flight to Hawaii with his manager. It was, as so many pointless celebrity skirmishes have been, recorded on video and posted to TMZ shortly after. West was actually dragged into custody and left in jail for a few hours over this, before getting released on $20,000 bail. Fortunately, he posted on his blog today that everything's cool, and he'll "rant" later. Can’t wait.

Free Bloc Party
When Bloc Party exclaimed after their recent Webster Hall Shows that fans would be seeing them "Sooner than you think," most took this as a reference to their surprise album that dropped out of the blue only a few weeks later. However, it seems that they're not quite done with New Yorkers yet. It was revealed this week that they will be playing a free show (yay!) at Roseland (boo!) on September 18th. The catch is that to get into the show next Thursday, you'll probably have to start lining up this weekend. While there is an open RSVP system set up, it will be completely first come, first serve for all who donate their e-mail addresses. Consider that Roseland, despite all its faults, is still smaller than some of the places the band's been able to sell out, and this might be a long wait into a tight squeeze when it's all said and done. RSVPer beware.

Also this Week:
An interview with High Places
McCarren Pool Plans Approved
Buskers play Oasis in the Subway
Phish Reunites! (At a Wedding)