Every year we're drawn to the Coney Island shoreline by the sirens...or at least, The Village Voice Siren Festival. This year they seem a bit more on top of things, announcing their initial lineup today -- a full two months before the show! This year's fest, their 8th, is being held on July 19th and promises some big names (drum roll please):STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS, BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE, THE HELIO SEQUENCE, BEACH HOUSE, TIMES......

Do certain band's fans tip better than others? Sasha Frere-Jones does an uncontrolled study at Bowery Ballroom -- and Chromeo fans, you're busted.“When Chromeo played, their crowd drank house vodka and Budweiser. Didn’t tip. Some of them did what I’ll call the slide-backs. They put a dollar down on the bar, wait until you turn your back, then palm their buck and walk away. Classy. When your night starts out with “What’s your cheapest drink?”......

If you happen to be one of the many New Yorkers in Austin this week for SXSW, head over to our party! Austinist & Gothamist are proud to announce our day party, taking place on Wednesday, March 12 at the Mohawk (912 Red River, Austin). The party kicks off around 11 a.m., and the day ends at 6 p.m., but not before Shout Out Louds, Shearwater, Liam Finn and Phosphorescent perform. This year, we'll be......

THEATER: It would be pretty boss if The Cherry Orchard Sequel – a long-overdue follow up to Chekhov’s play about downwardly mobile Russian aristocrats – involved the titular clear-cut orchard rising from the ashes to go on a rampage against their axe-wielding oppressors. But playwright and director Nic Ularu took things in a different direction, and the result sounds just as interesting. His story picks up again 18 years after Chekhov’s play ends, and......

Back in 2004 we talked to KEXP deejay John Richards, who was here broadcasting from the (then named) Museum of Television and Radio. KEXP is a Seattle listener-supported station, but while they're based in the Pacific Northwest, they are heard worldwide via their online stream. This month came the announcement of Radio Liberation, a collaboration between KEXP and Radio New York. Launching on March 24th the station "will air KEXP-produced programming Monday through Friday on......

There are no "garage bands" in New York City. Unlike some of their suburban counterparts, musicians here have to pay the piper for their practice spaces, which can be hard to find in a city where every no-frills square-foot costs something. In fact, to really be a "garage band" in New York, one may end up paying $225K a year. The NY Times reports on where musicians city-wide are rehearsing these days, and how it's......

Last week we were tipped off to a new, nearby festival temporarily dubbed Coachella East, because of it's relation to the mammoth west coast fest and their shared event producer. Now we learn the proper name, All Points West, and some more details from the press release:The three-day event is set for August 8, 9 and 10, 2008 at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. This historic location offers panoramic views of the Statue of......

Last month in Rolling Stone's November 15th issue, the magazine turned 40 -- and while going "over the hill" they may have crossed the line. The issue contained a four-page fold-out section called Indie Rock Universe, which amongst other things included the names of Indie's elite. This "universe" was discovered when the pages of a fold-out "butterfly gate" ad for Camel cigarettes was opened up. This is where the lines began to blur, as the......

More than 100 bands, of all different genres, took the city streets yesterday to serve up sonic inspiration for marathon runners. There were reportedly up to 4 acts per mile, we passed by one of them in Brooklyn and thought it was a terrific idea -- it even made us pick up our pace a bit on our way to get a latte. The NY Times reports on how the idea has grown, turning......

Josh Moore is a part of the almighty Bowery Presents organization that runs just about every venue you've been to around town -- from Mercury Lounge to Bowery Ballroom and beyond. Most recently the team opened up the Music Hall of Williamsburg (with a bit of a delay), and we asked the man who runs the old Northsix space a few questions. Bands and fans both really love the Bowery venues, what's the best part......

Bowery Snags Some Big Bands For Small Shows Earlier this week, Interpol (who if you haven't noticed is suddenly on the verge of massive international superstardom) played a local, intimate show at Bowery Ballroom to a select group of friends, label people and fans lucky enough to snag tickets when they quietly went on sale last week. The show was excellent and the band certainly proved that they've got the chops to push it to......

EXHIBIT: Apparently there's an exhibit of Anna Nicole Smith photographs starting tonight. We can't find much info on it, but What's Up NYC says there's a "reception and exhibit of portraits and candid photographs of, wait for it, Anna Nicole Smith." 6 to 8pm // Gallery of Fine Arts [511 W 25th St] // Free PARTY: It's Prom time at Unisex Salon. Tonight put on your best formalwear and head to the basement of the......

Those music know-it-alls over at The L Magazine have declared the Top 8 NYC Bands to watch for this year. Who's in the class of '07? Here's our Top 4 of their Top 8 (we sort of wish they'd put a rock show on with all of them): • White Rabbits This band played our Movable Hype show in February (video) and nearly rocked the house down, and speaking of houses - all six of......

It was inevitable that indie rock and Playboy merge, we suppose. Next week at SXSW, the two will come together for one big party, and we want to get you in on the action. Playmates? Check: Jennifer Walcott (Miss August 2001) Pilar Lastra (Miss August 2004) Courtney Culkin (Miss April 2005) Qiana Chase (Miss July 2005) Bands? Check: Ghostland Observatory Monsters are Waiting Illinois Stars Align The party is next Thursday at 11pm. So if......

EVENT: An evening with David LaChapelle is sure to be a fabulous one. He'll be signing his new coffee table art book, Heaven to Hell, tonight. Wear your Sunday best. 6 to 8pm // Taschen [107 Greene St] // Free THEATER: Coinciding with Black History Month, The Dance – which is not a dance piece – delves into the history of American minstrelsy from the perspective of two African-American performers in blackface makeup. Performed as......

Today The Times reported on the youngins rocking the New York scene. Bands like Magnolia, Care Bears on Fire (pictured), Tiny Masters of Today, Fiasco and Hysterics are all part of this young band scene sprouting up in Park Slope, many are 10 to 17 years old. New York Magazine recently reported on Care Bears on Fire, who wrote a song called “Don’t Wanna Be Like Everybody Else” - these kids didn't want to be......

Ah, the end of the year is upon us...and that means one thing: end of the year lists. Information Leafblower is a little ahead of the game and has posted his fourth annual "Top 40 Bands In America (As Voted On By A Bunch Of Effing Music Bloggers That Only Listen To Cooler Than You Guitar Based Indie Rock And Not Much Else)" list. You can get the full list here. New York bands TV......

The Brooklyn Peace Fair is happening all weekend, starting this afternoon. The fair is NYC's "largest annual grassroots event dedicated to the promotion of peace, social justice, and education on sustainable development". Run by the non-profit organization, Brooklyn Parents for Peace, they have been raising awareness for over 22 years. This, the fourth peace fair, will include discussions, workshops, keynote speeches, music, and art. Speakers include Sonia Sanchez, Roger Touissant, Medea Benjamin, Sheldon & Anita......

Bands, this is your reminder! You have less than a week to get yourself signed up for CMJ 2006. July 31st is your last shot to submit an application, so get going. (The CMJ site has been down for a couple of days, but you have to apply through Sonicbids anyway). This year the festival starts on Halloween and runs through November 4th. Our hope: some fun afterparties with Halloween themes. And our prediction......

MUSIC: Propect Park. TV on the Radio. Matt Pond PA. Voxtrot. Free. Need we say more? Bring a blanket. Friday // 6:30pm // Prospect Park Bandshell // Free READING: On of our favorite New Yorkers, Joan Didion, will be reading from her masterful book, The Year of Magical Thinking, tonight in Central Park. The book, which chronicles the year after Pulitzer-prize-winning Didion lost her husband John Gregory Dunne to a heart attack, was a taut,......

COMEDY: Our favorite duo, Gil Faizon (Nick Kroll) and George St. Geegland (John Mulaney), will be bringing their "Oh Hello" show to UCB. Drop by, even if it's just for their famous Tuna-tina recipe. In addition, there will be NEW drink recipes...and special guests. Photo of the duo, taken at Movable Hype, via Bluejake. Friday // 7pm // UCB Theater [226 W th St] MUSIC: If you got shut out of Band of Horses tonight......

Bands in New York need to be creative to stand out amongst the masses. A year ago we were on an Indie Night School panel discussing how to get your band reviewed and noticed. The general consensus was that a cd will quickly find it's way into a cd player if a friend has recommended the band. Word of mouth from people with similar music taste speaks volumes over, say, receiving fifteen emails from a......

PARTY: Disorient & Kostume Kult invite you to The Black & Light Ball; a Black-Lit Burner Formal. It's like a rave, in your dorm room...but in a gallery, with a lot more blacklighting than you could afford in college. With lighting art on display and blacklight flooding the space - we think it's okay if, just this once, you wear your sunglasses at night. Much more art, craziness and music (er, of the "techno" and......

Word is that the Apple Store Fifth Avenue is hosting its press opening today! For us mere mortals, the store will be open at 6pm on Friday-- and rumors say it will NEVER close. That's right, Apple insiders are saying the store is going to be open 24/7, which is perfect if you need your iPod fixed at 4am. It's also good if you get kicked out of your apartment because you blew too......

Unless you are in Sonic Youth...you probably love the Pixies. At the very least, you loved the song Where Is My Mind? after hearing it in the movie Fight Club. This Thursday author Ben Sisario will be reading from his new book called "Doolittle," as part of the acclaimed 33 1/3 series. The book takes a look at the 1989 release of the Pixies sonic masterpiece of the same name, gaining insight from the band......

MUSIC: Party with pretty much the only guy you should be partying with on St. Pat's Day. No, not a leprechaun. Shane MacGowan [pictured] of the Pogues! After their show the singer will be heading over to Brooklyn, and likely getting more drunk than the rest of you. BP Fallon organized the event, he's played with the likes of John Lennon, so it's sure to be a legendary evening. Friday // 8:30pm // Southpaw [125......

Hey, happy Chinese New Year, everyone! Time to drive out the old spirits of the past year and welcome the good spirits of the new year. The Chinese do this with explosions and fireworks; we'll do it rock-style, with extremely loud noises. Such as: The week starts out with a bang on Monday, with the magically delicious, occasionally unsettling experimental rock of Deerhoof (at left) at Bowery. Instead of traditional opening bands, the show will......

The Plug Awards are coming up next week (February 2nd @ Webster Hall). "What the hell are those?," you may be asking. Well, they're independent music awards celebrating "artists who live and flourish in the margins." And YOU can vote on everything from Album of the Year to Music Blog of the Year to Internet Radio Station of the Year. So vote now! Langhorne Slim, Gang Gang Dance, Matisyahu (and more) will be on hand......

We're excited to announce the next show in the Movable Hype series, which also happens to be our 3rd Birthday Party. So buy a ticket and bring us presents, here are the details: Movable Hype 6.0The Knitting Factory (main space)Wednesday February 8th, 8pm Hosted by: Nick Kroll Bands: Burnside Project, Metal Hearts, Slowlands Deejays: Finger on the Pulse All of this for only $8! You can buy tickets here! More details to come, but for......

Unbelievably, it's the last week of the year! How time flies! We'll be assembling our own Best of 2005 lists (Most Interesting News Stories, Best Shots of Pandas, Most Poorly Thought Out Gothamist Posts, etc. etc.) But until we can get the Gothamist supercomputer to spit those out, here are some lists from our friends (and one enemy!) in and around the city: Morning News Top 10 Albums Best of MUG 2005 Best Books by......