Oh good—because police sirens just aren't loud enough, now more cops will be able to blast the "whooping vibration-siren system" called The Rumbler when they're racing to the scene of a Dunkin' Donuts or Magnolia Bakery. You'll recall that in 2009, the NYPD expanded a pilot program testing The Rumbler on 150 squad cars. The Rumbler is the siren that has "the distinct advantage of penetrating and shaking solid materials, allowing vehicle operators and nearby pedestrians to FEEL the sound waves and perhaps even see their effects through a shaking rearview mirror." And now another 4,500 cops will be able to push a button and make your trousers vibrate. more ›

The Village Voice's Siren Musical Festival opened yesterday to cloudless skies and sweltering heat in Coney Island. Despite the twin temptations of air-conditioning and, for the relatively jetset, the Pitchfork festival in Chicago, the free-music faithful returned in droves. This happened gradually, however, and many attendees missed an opportunity to learn a little bit more about enigmatic Worcester, MA act DOM—whose sound may have translated poorly over the booming sound system. However, many were left more mystified than ever. more ›

Some elected officials use sirens and flashing lights to avoid traffic — even though such devices are only permitted in emergency vehicles. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz's SUV was spotted running red lights in Flatbush last week, but the Windsor Terrace resident insists his lights and sirens are "appropriate." A spokesman told the Post: "They are only used with great discretion ... In this instance, he was on his way to an event with the mayor and the governor addressing the Haitian crisis and calling for emergency aid to those suffering in Haiti as well as their families here, the majority of whom live in Brooklyn." more ›

After a successful pilot program, the NYPD is adding a new siren called The Rumbler to over 150 patrol cars; this bad boy blasts a palpable sound wave that can be felt up to 200 feet away. According to The Rumbler's manufacturer [pdf], the siren has "the distinct advantage of penetrating and shaking solid materials, allowing vehicle operators and nearby pedestrians to FEEL the sound waves and perhaps even see their effects through a shaking rearview mirror." The company also warns that the siren and speakers "may cause hearing damage," and those who use it are encouraged to wear ear protection. more ›

That shrill siren you may hear downtown will just be part of a test. According to NotifyNYC, the city's public messaging program, "Starting at 9:00 AM this morning and continuing on and off for several hours, Hudson County, NJ will be testing their emergency alert siren system. Loud sirens associated with this test may be heard in Lower Manhattan." (Hudson County includes Jersey City, Bayonne, Seacaucus and Hoboken.) NotifyNYC is only in four pilot communities in the city—Lower Manhattan, SW Staten Island, NE Bronx, and the Rockaways —but even if you don't live there, you can still sign up. more ›

Yesterday was an appropriately blistering day for this year's eighth annual Village Voice Siren Music Festival at Coney Island, which, with the right frame of mind, can be a total blast. Yesterday had everything we've come to expect from the annual indie rock extravaganza: massive crowds of dehydrating hipsters, fresh clams on the mobbed boardwalk, and a bulging, unmanageable lineup of 14 bands on two stages. more ›

Since beloved Washington State punk band Sleater-Kinney dissolved two years ago into an "indefinite hiatus," drummer Janet Weiss has carved out a new niche for herself in Stephen Malkmus's small family of musicians, the Jicks. Weiss played an active role in the creation of Malkmus's fourth full-length "solo" album, Real Emotional Trash, which came out in March. In its wake she's been tearing up the road in the U.S. and Europe with Malkmus and company; on Saturday they'll be headlining, for free, the annual Siren Music Festival in Coney Island. We caught the Portland-based Weiss for a few minutes earlier in the week as she was about to board her flight east. more ›

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! more ›