Gothamist

Selling Music

arts_jen — 2005-12-27T15:31:25-05:00

Gothamist just made a trip to our favorite record shop, Other Music, to sell some cd's. We walked blocks and blocks with a heavy bag digging into our shoulder the entire time, thinking in the end it would be worth it. However, Other Music seems to have become a bit more picky with their selections and all we left with was an extra $28 in our pocket and the same heavy bag we now had to lug back home.

We know somone will buy these cd's though, they are good cd's! Usually we leave Other Music with a nice little stash of cash. So we want to ask you, dear reader, do you know what other stores may buy them from us? They are taking up valuable square footage in our walkup.

Do You Understand Us?

arts_jen — 2005-11-14T13:39:01-05:00

While clicking around some of the blogs we check daily, we noticed a link to an article in the Guardian on the Modern Age. The article is about blogs, bloggers, music bloggers and if anyone really knows what they're talking about. A new word is made up to describe their own made up language, Blog-lish.

But even the biggest fan of wordplay can come unstuck when written English turns into - here's an excuse to make up another new word - Blog-lish. I speak as someone whose lifelong compulsions to listen to music and read other people's diaries have matured into an addiction to music weblogs. And I've found myself scratching my head at some of the words and phrases used by bloggers to describe things that once would simply have been described as either 'good' or 'bad'. It's brilliant fun and completely baffling at the same time.

So what do you think of Blog-lish? We wonder if it exists because there are about 8 million music blogs out there all trying to seperate themselves from each other. Most of the bloggers are creating new terms to differentiate themselves (either that or they just have a Lester Bangs complex). However, Sasha Frere-Jones says, "...if I sometimes write in an unfiltered way, it isn't likely aimed at other critics, but is simply a reflection of how I think when no one is watching." Guess he doesn't check his stats.

Music Notes: Housing Works + Music Downtown

arts_jen — 2005-09-01T11:37:56-05:00

As we all know, CMJ is about to take over...however, non-CMJ events will also be taking place that week, unphased by the marathon. One that caught our eye is this Housing Works event starring Bright Eyes. Tickets are on sale now for $40. From the website:

Join Bright Eyes and an all-star line up for this spectacular benefit event, “Walking Songs” to kick off the Campaign To End AIDS march to Washington, DC.
Bright Eyes, Jesse Harris, Jesse Malin, John Wesley Harding, Kate Jacobs, Lene Lovich, Bob Neuwirth, Mike Viola, Amy Correia, Clare Burson and more.

More information on the Campaign to End AIDS here.

Another thing to look forward to is Music Downtown. This doesn't take place until November 14th (running through the 20th), but it's something to mark on your calenders. The lineup goes like this:

Monday, November 14
Blind Boys of Alabama
Cat Power
Tuesday, November 15
Buddy Guy
Shamika Copeland
Wednesday, November 16
Jeff Tweedy
Thursday, November 17
Jeff Tweedy
Friday, November 18
Ryan Adams
Saturday, November 19
Rickie Lee Jones
Sunday, November 10
Aimee Mann
Keren Ann

...and the tickets are FREE. More information on where to pick up these free tickets at The Modern Age.

Music Notes: NY2LON2SPRINGFIELD

arts_jen — 2005-03-08T15:47:44-05:00

NY2LON: You're Not Invited
Jonny Kaps has announced the launch of a new event that promises to bridge the transatlantic gap in discovering new music from across the pond, no matter which side of it you're on. Citing that labels, radio, magazines, websites and blogs aren't dependable resources for "music mavens" to rely on for new music this event will fill that void. It sounds cool, even if we think blogs are a great resource for discovering new music, ahem. The event will bring you the best new bands you never heard of, free drinks, deejays...sounds pretty awesome. But you aren't invited, unless of course you're a VIP in the eyes of the hosts (+1 Music and The Barfly).

Springfield <3's the Strokes
Will New York darlings the Strokes soon head to Springfield? ProductshopNYC is hinting that they will indeed, although despite our best efforts we cannot find anything else on the animation of the band. Gothamist wonders how the greasy locks of frontman Julian Casablancas will translate in cartoon form. They don't look shiny enough in that image to the right.

Previous Music Notes: Gothamist breaks the news (and the hearts of girls everywhere) that Casablancas got married.

Music Notes: Casablancas' Uptown Wedding

arts_jen — 2005-02-05T21:00:00-05:00

We wanted to wait to post this until after curfew so that any prepubescent fans wouldn't try to stop the wedding. Earlier today Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas tied the knot to Juliet Joslin. A collective whimper was heard below 14th Street. Photos of dress shopping surfaced last month, as well as confusion as to which Stroke was getting married.
The reception was at Tavern on the Green...the Strokes may have a downtown sound but they are, after all, prep school educated and upper class groomed. Chin chin to the new age of rock royalty, we wish the couple the best.

Music Notes: Coachella '05

arts_jen — 2005-01-21T10:40:41-05:00

Coachella confirmations are starting to appear, after many many rumors. This year, the 6th, will be held April 30th to May 1st at Empire Polo Field in Indio, CA (same venue as last year). The lineup is still unconfirmed but you can probably expect Coldplay, Franz Ferdinand and the Killers. Others asked to perform this year are the Futureheads, Snow Patrol, Keane, Bloc Party, Secret Machines, Hot Hot Heat, Phoenix, The Bravery and Radio 4.

We would start looking for hotel rooms now, and booking flights, if you're into the whole festival thing. The lineup looks solid (although we would have rather gone last year for Radiohead and the Pixies). Gothamist isn't really into festivals though. Too many bands, all at once, and this one is in the desert! We're just too old for that. We like CMJ and SXSW, where you're in a city and there just happens to be lots of great bands playing at bars and venues. However, if you're tougher than us keep checking the Coachella website, it should be updated soon.

UPDATE: ProductshopNYC begins rumors of the Smiths at Coachella this year. And Gothamist begins to readjust our attitude towards deserts and festivals.

Related: Gothamist interviews Radio 4

Unrelated: As a Friday treat, to shock your visual stimuli, we give you this weeks two most blogged about videos:

Kaiser Chiefs "Oh My God"
The Postal Service "We Will Become Silhouettes"

[photo from Ambitious Outsiders]

Music Notes: The Bravery

arts_jen — 2005-01-11T10:03:31-05:00

Since Londonist has reported on their local rockers (Bloc Party) done good, we'll report on ours. New York's The Bravery has been given the number one slot in the BBC Sound of 2005 poll. Meaning what exactly? That this is (apparently) THE band to watch in 2005. Last year Keane was named number one, and in 2003 rapper 50 Cent held the position.

We aren't that big on lists like this, because who can predict who will create the soundtracks of a certain year? I see a lot of 2004's bigger breakout bands missing from last years list, and a few bands missing from this years as well. But it can still be a good indicator on who to watch out for, and we certainly do love the Bravery. Who, incidentally, play Northsix in Brooklyn on January 29th.

[Full BBC Top 10 lists of both years after the jump]

Music Notes: Wilco, Bright Eyes

arts_jen — 2005-01-10T09:44:43-05:00

If you were like Gothamist Saturday night and stayed out too late at some bar on Ave C then you also missed the Austin City Limits that aired with Wilco and Bright Eyes. You also forgot to TiVo it. Luckily, it's airing again at midnight this Friday. So stop reading and go set your DVR's now.

Wilco last played on ACL in 2000, then described as Alt country kingpins, playing: "I Got You," "Misunderstood," "Can't Stand It," "Christ for President," and "California Stars." This time around they have "outgrown their alt country" title and their set included "At Least That's What You Said", "Muzzle of Bees", "Hell is Chrome", "Ashes of American Flags" and "I'm a Wheel". Filmed on September 20th of last year, it was long before their Tinkle appearance.

24-year old (fairly) recent NYC transplant, Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes, performed "Waste of Paint", "We Are Nowhere and It's Now", "Vincent O'Brien", "Golden" and "At the Bottom of Everything" for his set. Oberst has a talent for capturing everyday New York City in his songs, some of our favorites to listen to while on the subway, so we're glad he's a resident now. We're also glad he'll be playing at our favorite venue (Town Hall) on the 25th, 26th and 27th of this month. Even if we did forget to buy tickets.

[Related: Austin City Limits Festival 2005. Open Note to Lockhart Steele: Trey Anastasio on ACL January 15th. Bright Eyes in this month's Under the Radar, Blender and Filter.]