Siren is always a half-empty/half-full type situation. On one hand, you're getting top tier indie bands playing in New York City for free. On the other, you know going into it the sound will be lousy, the crowds unbearable and the heat incapacitating. Depending on how you play your expectations, it can be a great day or a miserable one. This was my 4th Siren, and while always prepared for the worst, it turned out to be a pretty fun day overall. more ›

Horray, more music! Day 2 of Bonnaroo got off to a great start with Dungen at the That Tent. It's quite a trip to hear thousands of people singing along in a language they don't actually understand. Lots of people knew the words, few actually knew what they were saying. Regardless, the energy and presence of this band always impresses, and they left the early risers in high spirits to take on the day. After them were Gothamist pals Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, who played to what we assume was the largest crowd they've been in front of that was the most unfamiliar with the songs. We actually had people ask us "Who is Clap Your Hands whatever whatever?" For the first time in over a year. This touches on one of the great things about the festival. Even though the lineup skewed more towards the indie scene than in previous years, the majority of the crowd was still there for the major jam bands. This put bands like CYHSY in a position to show off their talents in front of musically open minded people who may not have otherwise have gone to see them. Their set was marred with technical difficulties, which was a shame cause it hindered the flow a bit, but nonetheless, once the songs came out, the crowd was bouncing along and enjoying themselves as expected. That’s what we always like to see. more ›

Gothamist is aware that you're probably already finding yourself pulled towards the sweet Sirens sounds promised to be coming from Coney Island tomorrow, but we wanted to give you a reminder of the event in the form a preview. We are really excited about it ourselves and are having a problem figuring out which acts to catch, so here's our rundown for your sake and our own... more ›